DUST OFF THE ANGEL THEORIES...
I know in the past several years there has been a lot of commercial popularity around angels. A few Christmases ago I received several angel tokens, books, even figurines. Many of these have since been successfully re-gifted, loaned out and some just "goodwilled." Alas, two angels live on top of my refrigerator. One is an old Christmas tree topper that I came to depend on for inspiration when I was pregnant with my son almost five years ago. Another is one of those carved wood angels..." the angel of courage" that my dear co-worker gave to me when I was working and my whole team was struggling. I don't worship angels so I have never given them the idolotry level of respect that I think others sometimes invest.

This week, though, I am reminded of the SERVICE of angels. Have you ever seen an angel? Well
I have. I think I may have seen them more than once and simply dismissed it as my imagination. But this week, one of them gave me " a look." No, I have not fallen off my rocker. It was an unmistakable look of " lady...working for you and your family is making me want to retire my wings" kind-of look.

You see my two year old daughter requires a HOST, rather a TEAM of angels wrapped in arms in a circle around her person @ all times. No, she is free of childhood disease..THANK YOU GOD. She lives a carefree normal childhood in thanks to the angels that surround her each day. She has always been a special case. I know other parents think that their child is naturally dangerous, clumsy, fearless. Mine lives in this zone @ all times. Add to that she is sweet, flighty, crafty-clever, and faithful that "it will always be alright."That is why I have seen the angels. They are so hard @ work that I can literally see them when she flails her head back in a tantrum or throws herself down a flight of stairs.

The angels have trained me also in the art of anticipation. I can eyeball a room, a car, a potential playdate for all things suffocation, wood, steel, hinges, pinching hazards, electrocution, slip hazards, choke hazards and stranger danger/ swiper hazards in the matter of 3 seconds. But only because of the angels that surround her. My son says this is my superpower because other mothers don't "boss people around" like I do...I can train a childcare worker uber fast about my dangerous child's tendancy @ drop-off. I revel in the " I told you so" moment upon pick-up when the trusting childcare workers are awestruck @ her audacity and fearlessness.

So before you dismiss the next corny angel figurine you see @ Hallmark or on your great aunt's sidetable ( or in our extended family's' case the 7 curios that can't contain the little nuggets of homage that spill out onto every surface in the house)...remember.... The real teams of working angels out there in the universe cannot help it. They may have inspired the commercial angel revolution, but they are not wholly responsible for it.

If I might squak on their behalf...."Don't blame us. We are just here to do a job. We love what we do. We are called by God to protect you and yours. Get out of our way. Don't judge...you can thank us when you get to heaven for all we do that goes unseen. Have a sense of humor, because in our line of work a sense of humor is imperative. No need to worship us, just honor us from time to time...." Duly noted my angel friends. Duly noted.

"Some people have entertained angels without knowing it" Hebrews 13:2