To Live As God Created Us All To Live

  Her name, I do not know.   Her purpose, I do not doubt.   She was an Angel, my sign from heaven.   Even when our lives are drenched in the aftermath of loss (be it a yearly anniversary of Hubby going home to heaven or the recent loss of Hubby’s four legged pup), heaven’s comforting assurances surround us, if only we recognize them.   As I’ve declared before, and still holdfast, I believe life is filled with thousands of co-incidences and millions of God incidences.   Angel was a God incidence.    

     The morning’s schedule was tight.   My today was a pressure cooker of chores versus time to get them done.   My tomorrow was the heartache of Hubby’s heavenly arrival tallying up another year.   Having just, four day ago, endured Corkie Doodle leaving earth to join Hubby in heaven, my eyes were still swollen; but my sight was fixed on celebrating their eternal victory.   Amidst the cleaners drop off, an ordered item pick up, and retrieving Granddaddy from cardio rehab, I chased into the Dollar Store.   As Hubby’s heavenly birthdays added an additional year, I marked each one with a balloon.  This time I’d add a second one for Corkie Doodle.  

     The sweet Dollar Store clerk assured me I’d grabbed the two best balloons the store had to offer.   Just minutes before, she had blown them up anticipating tomorrow’s New Year’s Eve party rush.   “Are yours for a turn of the year celebration,” she inquired.   My answer, “Not quite.   I’m commemorating a New Year’s Eve that goes backward to the past instead of looking forward to the future.”

     Racing to the cashier, I noticed a cart from the opposite direction also heading to the checkout line.   Stopping to let the lady pushing the cart into line, I heard her soft spoken voice say, “thank you, but you go ahead”.   I did, and added Granddaddy would appreciate her helping me be on time to pick him up.   The cashier kindly took the two balloons from my grip and rung them up as I pulled money from my wallet.  Again, I heard that same considerate voice.  This time the cashier was being told not to accept my money as she was paying for my balloons with her order.   The cashier was just to keep the checkout rolling into her items.  

     Certainly, I had misheard.   Realizing my confusion, this Angel, looking squarely into my eyes, and heart, declared she wanted to buy my balloons as life is meant for us all to look out for, and take care of, each other and their needs.   Tears now flowing freely down my cheeks, I shared the meaning behind the balloons.   With a big hug, I thanked her for being my Angel.   Meekly, she uttered, “Just trying to live as God created us all to live”.

     To live as God created us all to live – why is this so unnatural for us, even us Christians???   Indeed, my Angel did more than pay for my balloons.   She reminded me of the value of what money can’t buy — caring about, and for, ALL God’s children, not just the ones we can call by name.   Sometimes, doing this requires our time.  On other occasions, it necessitates our stepping out of our comfort zone.   Always, it calls us to open our hearts and remember Christ’s words, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40)