There are angels..

I have been so encouraged and blessed by the comments left on my last post. So much so, that I may have to STOP talking about my four faithful readers and increase it to five or maybe, someday -gasp- even fifteen! Fifteen faithful readers.. I like the sounds of that. But that's not why I logged on to blogger today. Those comments, by new and old readers alike, have been very heartwarming; we've been blessed in SO many ways this week.

I happened to tell someone this morning, a virtual stranger, about Seth. She has a son about the same age, her first child and burst into tears. I'm touched by that kind of compassion in others. Someone at McDonald's, another stranger, gave Kayleigh a stuffed horse; she promptly named it Rainbow. Or Katie. Depending on her mood. A daughter of a friend of ours went out of her way to help ensure our big boys didn't miss out on a fun opportunity they've been looking forward to. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

We were "Christmas wish" recipients yesterday. A local radio station sponsors "Christmas Wish" every year and one of my very dear friends wrote a letter in to the station nominating our family. We were blessed to receive gifts & gift cards from them, for all of us (not JUST the kids!). It was humbling and heartwarming. (I was told they would post the letter my friend wrote on their website; I'll share it if they do.) (For another description of the Christmas wish, read here.) So many kind things people have done for us on this journey. About the time I start having to remind myself that God DOES love me, even when I don't feel it, something, some ONE comes along to make sure I DO feel that love.

Several years ago, my mom went through a difficult time in her life. I gave her a greeting card at the time, I'm sure I found it in the "encouragement" section of the greeting card store. On Thanksgiving, my mom gave us a gift bag of various items and in it was the front side of that card. She had detached it from the back half, where I would have written the message to her and on the back of what was now basically a postcard wrote: "You gave this to me in my time of need. Now I give it back to you." I don't know the author but I want to share this with you. (If you know the author, please let me know in comments).


There have been Angels in my life.
There have been angels in my life. While they haven't arrived with a blast of trumpets or a rustle of wings, I've known them just the same. They performed their acts in human guise, sometimes borrowing the faces of family and friends, sometimes posing as well meaning strangers. You have known them, too, when just the right word was needed, when a tiny act of kindness made a great difference... or perhaps you heard a voice whispering in a night of sorrow, the words not quite clear but the meaning unmistakable-- "There is hope... There is hope."

So to those of you who have taken the time to respond on my blog, the stranger at McDonald's, the Christmas Wish people, Michele, my mom, etc., thank you. Thank you for continuing to bring us God's message of hope. Our family needs it and we appreciate you for reminding us, no matter what we're feeling, "There is hope".