Angels Among Us

 Dedicated to some special friends.

        I've always believed there are everyday angels among us.  Ordinary people who just go about their daily lives and never think twice about helping out a friend or a neighbor; never expecting anything in return.   One example is my good friend Peg.  Yesterday, when I couldn't find any of my family members to take me to the doctor, Peg was glad to do it and wouldn't take anything in return.  That's just her giving nature, which I've always admired in her. And that brings me to the special angels that I believe are among us.

     For 42 years my friend Peg had the awesome privilege of caring for one of those special angels.  Though many people may have considered this a curse rather than a blessing, Peg embraced the challenge with her whole heart.  She and their entire family's dedication to him was amazing and an inspiration to us all.  His name was Scot.  

      Scot was the most special angel I have ever met.  He was the darling of the whole town and beyond, loved by all.  He was a miracle child who doctors said would never live past 6 years.   God had another plan.  Scot lived to be 42 years old.  And in that 42 years he touched the lives of more people than most so called "normal" or healthy people.  He taught us all how to live and to love.

      Scot never walked, drove a car, or played sports like other kids, yet he never felt deprived or angry.  He never met a stranger and loved everyone unconditionally.  Once he knew you he never forgot you.   All you had to do was walk up behind him and say one word and he would call you by name.  He also never forgot anything he heard so occasionally his language got a little salty at inappropriate times (much to the chagrin of his mother).  But that only made him all the more endearing.  Scot loved going to church and singing the hymns.  He could often be heard singing at the top of his lungs, no matter where he was.  He loved his Lord and he wasn't afraid to let everyone know it.  If only we all could be that unhindered.

     I truly believe Scot was one of God's special angels; sent here to touch the lives of so many people.  Everyone knew and loved Scot.  He never once thought of himself as different, or handicapped.  He loved life and loved people.  He was the happiest person I ever met and you couldn't walk away from him without feeling blessed.  He had an infectious laugh.   He taught me so much.

     We lost Scot 5 years ago last week.  I know his family still miss him.  They are very special people and I am grateful to count them as friends.  After all, God wouldn't trust just anyone to care for his special angels.

Until next time...that's my view.

Kat   

Do You Want Fries With That?

   The preacher's sermon at church yesterday really got me to thinking about the power of prayer and how we so often take it for granted, or worse yet, misunderstand just what prayer really is.   How many times do we forget to pray for the happy times in our life and only go to God in prayer when something bad happens.   I know it is really easy for me to get caught up in my hectic, day to day routine and forget to take time to talk to God.  And isn't that what prayer is really suppose to be?   What could be better, or easier, than a one on one conversation with the creator of heaven and earth?

    

  

   My favorite part of Dave's sermon yesterday was his illustration about people trying to put prayer in the same category as fast food.  We think we can pull up to the speaker, give God our order and then drive around to the window and immediately get our answer. 

   

    Let's get real here people...do you really think that's the way it works with God?  I don't.  He doesn't work on our timetable.  He's not always in a hurry the way we are.  I'm sure He would also like to see us slow down a bit.

     I'm not really trying to preach a sermon here; I'll leave that to the professionals.  I'm just reflecting on my feelings about prayer and what it means in my life.  I don't think prayer is for bargaining with God.  I don't really think He makes bargains (that's not to say I haven't tried).  In my opinion prayer should be a time of meditation.  A quiet time when I tell God what's in my heart and on my mind...praise him for the bountiful blessings and tell him how I feel about the pain and the difficulties.   I don't expect instant miracles, but it sure makes me feel better.   

      

     Often, I don't think we ever know if our prayers are answered or not.  Sometimes the answer is not the one we wanted so we assume it was not an answer at all.   As Garth Brooks once said in a song, "Somestimes the greatest blessings in life are unanswered prayer".      Please don't get hysterical if those are not his exact words because I don't remember the song word for word, but I do know this is what he meant.  We don't always know what is best for us at the moment we utter a prayer, but God does. 

     For me, I need to work on improving my prayer life and I plan to start now.  I need to be more open and honest with myself, (I'm not fooling God anyway!) doing more soul searching instead of keeping it all buried deep inside.  Starting now, this is a new journey.  My quest is to become a better prayer partner...with God.

Until next time...that's my view

Kat