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Jumping Off of Cliffs Sermon 7-1-07
I have had times in my life that pushed me to the breaking point. I’m not alone in this
experience. I also know that my hard times were not as horrible as many people have gone through. To me at the time, they
were almost unbearable. I thank God everyday that these had been the limit of my trials in life.
There are times in everyone’s life that God will ask you to take a Leap of Faith. I call
it Jumping Off Cliffs, because that is how it feels to me. God has helped me many times in difficult situations. Some times
it was small ways, other times they were unbelievably huge. I’m going to share one of the really Huge Jump Off a Cliff
times that I went through.
I moved to Hawaii because my Partner got a great job there. I walked away from my circle of friends
and my family. I walked away from a Massage Therapy Practice that was doing well after 5 years of me building it. I thought
I could just take the Hawaii RMT Board exams, and pick up where I left off. That did not happen. I could not practice my skills
without that License.
I started my farm raising goats and trees. I enjoyed my farm. The relationship with my Partner
deteriorated. There were problems before the move, but they seemed manageable at the time.
Suddenly I went from Business owner to “unemployed”. I went from a broad selection
of friends to none. I did meet a few people that I liked through my Partner’s work. The problem was having to be on
my best behavior all the time. There were no bars, clubs, social situations to meet other Lesbians. I worked on the farm 12-16
hours a day 7 days a week. As you can see my interactions with people narrowed to basically one person, My Partner. After
8 years my feelings came to a head.
I was lost. I wanted out but felt trapped, I asked God to help me find a way. God told me to Jump
Off the Cliff, promising I would not be hurt if I had faith. I was willing to put everything in the hands of God.
Everyone around me told me that what I wanted was impossible. I had all my resources tied up in
the land, farm and equipment. I wanted to come home to Texas. I had household stuff of course. I could not just walk away
from everything, with just a suitcase.
The farm tools and household stuff would have to be shipped by some freight company that would
charge me a fortune if they did it at all. I bought a container that could be put on a ship, a truck, and was allowed for
shipping goods around the World. I had it dropped off at the house. I drove every tool, every log, everything from the farm
to the house in my truck. I loaded them into the container. It all just barely fit inside the container.
I arranged a shipping date. My plane ticket was for the next day. The truck brought my container
to the ship yard. When I got to the office to sign papers I hit a snag. They told me that a container with mixed goods was
not allowed. Also they could not find a way to put my order in their System.
I had only one container and was not a company. They told me that I would have to take the container
back, it could not be shipped. There was no slot in their Ledger to put my request. I was very calm for God’s sake.
I sat down in their office and told them that they would figure it out, I was not leaving. It got later and later. Finally
at 4:30 PM, a manager found a way. My container was accepted.
I arrived home, 4 weeks ahead of the expected arrival date of my container. My brother was going
to let me store it on his farm until I found more land. That was not possible. It had been raining so much that there was
no safe place to put the container. It would have sunk several feet into the soggy ground. I moved to plan B.
I started calling storage yards that handled shipping containers. I met with 3 weeks of roadblocks.
The companies did not want a single container, from an individual, that I would need access to. I called people who were suggested
to me, I called everyone I could think of. I was getting a little worried at this point.
Then a company on my list just felt right. I called to explain my situation. The receptionist
was not in. My call was routed to one of the owners of the companies. I did not ask for it, but going to the top to solve
problems works for me. It was another Miracle. I started telling this fellow about my goat farm, only to find out he had lived
on a farm as a kid. It had been a cattle operation, but for pets he had a few goats.
His company had the same rules as the others, but he said we would work it out. I asked how much
it would cost me, only to be flattened by his quote. It was more than reasonable. In addition he would have the container
put on the ground instead of stacked so I could remove my household goods. I was overwhelmed and thanked both him and God
who helped me find the way.
When it came time to get my personal stuff out all the workers came from all over the Yard to
help me. They were wonderful men. My stuff had shifted and the Port had put some extra locks on the doors, they had to be
cut off. These sweet men held up parts of the load while I pointed at stuff to remove. They were fascinated by my story of
how God Saved me.
I started my search for land immediately. Every piece of property I looked at was flawed in some
major way or too expensive. I kept the sheets describing them in my records. When I found the land I wanted it was wonderful,
but too expensive. I did a check on how long it had been on the market, it was over a year. I pulled out those reject sheets,
took the price to acre and told the Realtor that this was my offer. After showing my comparison sheets they said yes. It was
wonderful.
Now it was time to get the container up to the land. That way it could sit safely on a rocky part
I picked out. It would not cost me anything to store it once it was up on the land.
I called the Storage Yard and asked how I would go about taking the container to the land. I explained
there would be no equipment to unload it or a loading dock to take the equipment out through. They said that there was a kind
of truck that could do that, but they did not have any of that kind in their truck fleet. They would have to find one for
me. The date was set, and I arranged to meet the truck up there at my land.
I went to the office to pay my storage bill. I got a huge surprise. Even though it was several
weeks into the new month, my balance was zero. The Owner explained that it was just nice to know he was helping God. He laughed
and said he had no idea where to put the money from my container’s storage anyway. There just was no slot for it on
the Ledger. I thanked him for his kindness. All the guys came to meet me to say goodbye and God speed. I was crying by this
point.
When the trucker arrived at my property it was raining heavily. The truck had to back through
the gate to unload. The backing up went ok. Unloading was a problem. After getting to the spot to drop it, he had to move
forward to let gravity pull it off the truck. His tires were not getting traction in the wet ground. I thought please God
don’t let this poor man get stuck. We were both soaked to the skin. After several tries, it worked. The container fell
with a thump, he kept moving, not wanting to lose the slight momentum he had. He was on the road with my payment in hand in
a few minutes. After thanking God, I started my 5 hour drive back to Houston. I was overjoyed, and grateful.
If I had taken the word of any one person out of the 30 plus people who said it could not be done,
I would have failed. I let God be the only voice I listened to. It took some persistence on my part. The difference was I
knew I was not doing this Jumping Off the Cliff alone, God was with me. God inspired the right people at the right times to
make it all work out.
There are two lessons here. First trust God if help is offered, even if it is scary and seems
impossible. Take that Leap of Faith. All things are possible with God. Second, if you happen to be in the right place at the
time God asks you to help one of his little ones, do everything in your power to help them. Sometimes doing the right thing
just does not have a listing in the Ledger.
God Bless the Whole World, No exceptions.
Angel
Next Generation of Angels Sermon 7-8-07
I made my way back home to Texas about 5 years ago. It was a very Eventful return.
Pieces of my life that I had been collecting for decades started to make sense and fall into their proper places. I accepted
my call to be a Minister. God had been asking for over 10 years, but it did not “fit” in my plans. I’m sure
most of you can sympathize.
Once I let go and agreed that my path lay in that vocation, things cut loose. It
was all the things I had put off by saying no. First I was led to the Gospel of Thomas, a story in itself. I started giving
it away to anyone who asked. Then the flood of Dreams started.
I started having very intense Dreams. It was the kind of Dream that I always associated
with God trying to tell me something. They continued for a full three months. They were vivid, clear and unambiguous. I tried
to put off writing them down. That did not work. They filled my thoughts until I wrote them down. They seemed to have a theme
of Jesus and Angels. The ones about Jesus’ life were very interesting until near his Arrest and Death. Those stories
tore me up inside. The ones about Angels were about the role of Angels on Earth. Since I knew that there were Angels living
here it did not surprise me.
As the pile of stories grew I started thinking that it might be the start of a book.
When I got to around 20 I knew what God wanted from me. It was a book, and I had to get it Published. I had self-Published
before but this felt different. It felt like I had to offer it to a very broad audience, the World. I took my retirement money
out and Published it professionally. I used my own Artwork for the Cover. The Book is called “Awakenings in an Age of
Angels”.
There wound up being about 40 stories, a handful of poems, the Reconciler Gospel
of Thomas (The Update of Gospel of Thomas), and a handful of Essays about what God wanted.
There was a section about Jesus’ life, Conception to Resurrection. There was
a section of stories and parables pertaining to Angels past and present, and parables to help people cope with Modern issues.
These Modern issues ranged from attention spans/ ADHD, Animal Abuse leading to more violence, Personal responsibility, and
how to confront Evil without using Evils tools.
There was a dream that dealt with the verses in the Bible talking about, One Taken
One Left Behind. It was very interesting to me. It had images of people walking away from their bodies. They were from every
walk of life. They were Angels that were being called to action by God. There were a lot of them. I sort of figured that there
had to be Angels living here in very sensitive placements. I had not counted on there being so many. So now when I’m
in a crowd I look around more carefully to see the Angels. They were harder to spot than I expected.
It was little things about how they treated other people. It was opportunities to
steal, abuse, use others that just did not happen. They were leading by examples of Jesus one act at a time. In the Dream
I also saw that not all the people I thought were probably Angels drop their bodies. I was frankly confused.
God told me that because there would be a time when all who were made as Angels would
be needed, there was a plan for their successors. There would come a point when Angels on Earth would not come in pairs as
they were made in the beginning. Evil adapted to that strength to turn it into an Achilles heel. The pairs of Angels could
be crippled by killing one of them. When their Mate died they lost a great deal of their strength. God knew the time would
come for a new kind of Angel.
Some people who are not Angels have volunteered to help God over many missions.
There are those who chose to come do something that would change things for the better. They did these things to help people
know God. How many of you have known a youngster who was dieing that lifted the spirits of all the people around them. How
many people have you known that seem to model self-destructive behavior at a time you considered doing it. Maybe you saw what
they went through and decided to avoid the same mistakes.
There maybe some one you have heard saving a child from drowning, or burning,
or abuse; only to die themselves. God told me that these are the successors of the original older Angels. They are becoming
the Next Generation of Angels. They will be the ones that stay to Minister after the older Angels live their last lives on
Earth.
These Next Generation Angels are human souls who have matured to the point
of filling much bigger shoes. Through dedication and many trials they have earned a chance to do greater good. God told me
that many of these people do not know they volunteered for hazardous duty. Most people do not remember Heaven once they are
not young children. They may remember a feeling of belonging. They are not perfect, they do not have to be. Jesus took care
of that end of things by setting the ultimate examples of Love and behavior. The Next Generation Angels make as many mistakes
as everybody else.
It is not the mistakes that makes the Next Generation Angels who they are. It is
the rising back up from the fall. Their grace in victory and defeat. It is their trying to help others even though they are
hurting as well. It is a mark of a maturing soul to do these things.
They can chose to live up to their duty or turn from it. Every life that they
manage to rise above the trials they grow a little stronger. Every lifetime they help more than fall, they grow. Every life
they model good instead of evil, they grow.
God also showed me something that explained a lot. I had always wondered why Good
people all seem to have the hardest lives. I did not think it was fair. They deserved good in their lives as well. Many did
not blame God for their hardship. It was a marvel to me. God told me that the ones who volunteer to help out are often targeted
for “Special Treatment” by Evil. Satan tried to turn Jesus, it makes sense that any good person would be a target
for oppression.
All Evil has to do is turn a Next Generation Angel from the path a little to throw
a monkey wrench into what that person was sent to do. The flip side is that if the hardship for a Next Generation Angel is
overcome, they become even stronger in their faith and duty to God.
On the back of the book I talk about my Mission and my Ministry as I see it. Those
who already have the book know what I’m talking about. For everyone else here it is.
I have not come to Minister to sinners- they have Jesus. I have not come to teach Saints- they
have God. I have come to awaken the Angels.
I call on all of you to consider why God has you here. What is your Mission? Are
you rising after you fall? Are you Modeling Jesus’ behavior? Have you let Evil blind you to what you know is right?
Have you taken the Path of least Resistance?
I want each of you to ask God why you are here. I will be your sounding board if
you would like. When Evil tries to keep you down, I will stand beside you to help you back up. When it is called for I will
shield you until you can catch your breath again. I believe God called you to read my Sermons for a reason. You belong here.
Not all but many of you are here to learn who you are. I recognize some of you as the Next Generation Angels that I seek.
God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions.
Angel
Chrysalis Sermon 7-15-07
I had a dream about transformation yesterday that I will share with you. In
the dream a woman was fighting the formation of a shell around her. If she had allowed the shell to form it would have been
a Chrysalis. That is the kind of hard casing around a caterpillar who is becoming a butterfly. This got me thinking about
events in our lives that distress and sometimes anger us. They feel like prisons; confining and limiting.
When these times in our lives happen it is hard. Some people out there blame God. Many think it
is the punishment of God when it is not. Some people embrace the Victim mentality that has been fostered and nurtured by Evil.
Victims do not “Get away”. Victims did not become stronger. Victims have no choice in life. Life happens to them
instead of around them.
When we are born we have basic needs. If we are fortunate these needs are satisfied by our parents.
We grasp and reach out for food, warmth, love, comfort and clean diapers. Most people get what they need, unfortunately some
have to find these basic needs fulfilled later in life. For Some the privation through the years blinds them to fulfilling
these needs even when they are offered later in life.
As we get older we expand our list of things we “Need”. The newest name brand clothes
maybe added to the list. The newest gadgets are often perceived as a need. Maybe we just crave physical experiences, as well
as things in general. We want everything life has to offer. In the USA we have become massive consumers of everything. The
term some would use for this grasping is Being Worldly.
Unbridled physical experiences often start to lose their thrill. They may feel hollow over time.
At some point in many people’s lives they can not fill the hole, this hollow feeling in their lives with things.
They start to crave something very different. They want to find meaning in not just their lives
but in life generally. I’ve noticed that as we get to middle age we start to reassess our priorities. Some people feel
this urge when they face the prospect of dying. Having the possibility of death come in to your life when you are young can
really speed up this assessment process. I’ve met some very mature people who were not out of their teen years.
I have seen many people experience hard times early in life. The hardships may be large or small.
Some people are overwhelmed and give in, excepting the bad in their lives as normal. While others find a way to the lessons.
They grow from the pain and hard ship in their lives.
As people we can choose what to consume. We can choose things that nourish us and make us healthier.
We can avoid things in this World that hurt us. In the case of some it is not just avoiding but actually resisting the Evil
of the World. We can choose to try to be good to other people. We choose to lead ethical lives. We may choose to share what
we acquire by way of material things. Maybe we even choose to share our pain and experiences. It is not just what we consume
but what we do with what we have.
We can choose how we process what we get, like experiences. Sometimes by reaching out to share
these experiences we can help others heal from their own pain. That goes for good experiences as well. By telling people good
news you may lighten their burden. You can show others that there is another way of seeing the World.
We should examine these times in our lives. We could look at the Chrysalis in a new light. First
I know that God rarely “interferes” with the course of our lives. God gives lots of guidance and advice, but God
gave us free will for a reason. God wants us to learn from our lives. God wants us to grow from our experiences; both good
and bad.
The Chrysalis is one of the symbols for Resurrection and Rebirth. It is a symbol of both physical
and spiritual Transformation and Awakening.
A caterpillar starts life as a ravenous creature. It is bent on eating everything it can get it’s
mouth around. It eats non-stop for weeks. It gorges constantly.
The caterpillar becomes bloated and sated. At this point in their lives they look for a limb or
a branch to attach themselves. After they attach to the anchor all the enthusiasm they had, to eat, is transferred to making
a Chrysalis. They weave a case around their bodies. When it is complete it dries and hardens into a shell. The caterpillar
is locked in a prison of it’s own making.
If the poor creature has not eaten enough it will die. If it is too thin it will starve to death,
not having the energy to complete the process. Only a caterpillar that has fully transformed in to a butterfly will survive.
The last part of a caterpillar to complete metamorphosis is the part that cuts the wall of the Chrysalis. Some times it is
a mouth part, sometimes it is like a egg horn that baby chicks have. Only a well feed, ready, and prepared caterpillar can
make it out again.
The facet of my dream that struck me as odd was that the woman in the dream was fighting the change.
Maybe she did not think she was sated enough with the World. Maybe she feared the perception that she would die. Maybe it
was just the idea of loosing control of the process. To be trapped with no way to backpedal her way out of it. Maybe she still
craved her Worldly things, which she would view differently if she transformed. Maybe sensory overload was so normal that
she could not see the value in the rebirth. Death, change, and the unknown can be very scary.
I felt sad for her. She looked ready except for her reluctance. I knew how beautiful she would
become after she completed her metamorphosis. I knew the joy she would feel being able to perceive the World from a Three
Dimensional viewpoint instead of a Two Dimensional one. I knew she would fulfill her potential by becoming a butterfly.
I knew that, like the caterpillar who refuses the transformation of the Chrysalis, she would die,
never reaching her potential. She would have no chance to perpetuate life. She would be able to spread her blessings to others.
Using the example of the caterpillar we can draw some conclusions. If you have had your fill of
the World you are ready to become your better selves. When the idea of losing control of the process of Transformation is
something we can handle. If we know that God meant us to become the best we can become. If we can face the complete unknown
without fear, to be reborn no matter how scary it seems. If we have prepared ourselves to let go of everything that we allow
to hurt us. Maybe when we are prepared to let God change us we will be ready to soar in a Three Dimensional World of God’s
design.
Our wings will dry and become airworthy. We can then become the best we are capable of being.
We can lead by showing others the value of Flying in God’s Service. We may not resemble our former selves anymore but
we remember the way to healing. The way to heal is to reach out and heal others. Like the butterfly who can perpetuate life,
we can spread the good news of how to get transformed, reborn, and better than before.
So I call on you to consider shedding your fear of change, of the unknown, of the death of your
old self. I call on you to embrace the lessons no matter the source. My fondest hopes for you is to not fight the restraints
of a Chrysalis built just for you. When you are ready, build it, I will be waiting for you to emerge. Then you can come fly
with me in God‘s Service.
God Bless the whole World, no exceptions.
Angel
Samurai Sword Sermon 7-22-07
When I was 5 years old I started having terrible dreams. Some were about falling. Some were being alone. One was about
being attacked by a monster and devoured. These Dreams repeated every night. The one about being attacked was the worst.
The Dream would start with me looking behind me and seeing a great big ugly Dragon. When I tried to fly away it was right
behind me. I could not get high in the air. It was right behind me. It would catch me and tear me to pieces and eat me. I
would wake up at this point.
After several nights of this Dream, I was fighting to stay awake. I wanted the pain to stop. I wanted to get away. I begged
God for help. The next time the Dream started, I heard a voice. It was God telling me to turn around and to hold out my hand.
God told me what I needed would come.
Fighting my fear, I turned to face my attacker. I was determined to face it this time. When I turned to face the Dragon,
it had so much hate in it’s eyes. It was looking forward to my fear. This actually made my a little angry. I was not
going to let it make me be more afraid.
When I held out my hand a Sword filled my hand. It felt like it had grown there a part of my arm. My hand closed around
the hilt. The Dragon’s look changed adding anger to the hatred. It charged me. I swept my arm across the Dragon’s
path. When I blinked I was confused. I was in one piece, I was not hurting, and I had not died.
I looked down. I had to do this because I had flown up out of reach of the dragon. What I saw was that the Dragon was dead
on the ground. It’s head was cleanly cut off of it’s body. It could never hurt me again. I was crying with relief.
I thanked God for this wonderful help. I thanked God for my deliverance. I held out my hand to give God back the Sword
in my hand. God did not move to take it back. God told me that it was mine, that it had always been mine. God told me that
it was just being held for me until I asked for it. The Dream never came back to haunt me. I still feel the Sword with me
when I need it.
I have always been drawn to Fire and Sharp Objects. Grandpa gave me my first pocket knife around age 7 or 8. I had it close
on my hand often, until I figured out how to hold it just right. These cuts did not deter me from my joy at sharpening it
and using it. I was very happy to get a locking blade knife later. Much safer. As a result of these interests I even considered
becoming a Blacksmith.
I have embraced the imagery of Jesus as the Sword of God. All of God’s Angels are Swords of God. This definitely
added to my fascination with Swords. My interest in Blacksmithing, Sharp things and Fire all came together when I had an opportunity
to watch part of the process involved in making a Sword. It was not an ordinary Sword it was a Samurai Sword.
In Japan a tradition of Sword making evolved into a high art form. These were not ordinary Swords they were Samurai Swords.
Not all processes working with iron will produce a good Sword. The Master Smith even uses the small metal impurities to advantage.
Small amounts of Tungsten, Chromium, and Carbides can greatly increase the strength of the resulting steel. How you melt and
cool the metal effects it as well.
So what makes a Samurai Sword special? I can not speak to the formula involved, that is a tightly held secret. The metal
blank is long and squared chunk of iron. This is repeatedly heated to soften it. While it is soft and malleable it is pounded
flat. At first look you think to yourself, it is too thin, what is going on. Then they fold this thin piece back on itself.
It is reheated over and over again. Then it is bent back on itself. This is repeated over a hundred times.
The Master Sword Maker observes but does not deliver a single blow of the hammer. They have two teams of young strong men.
They pound and fold at the Master’s command. When they start to get tired they are relieved by the other team. The Sword
Blank is never allowed to rest, or get cold.
The Master can tell by the color of the metal what the temperature is. If it goes off temperature it is quickly reheated
in the fire, until the Master judges the color is right again. It is a very concentrated job to constantly watch for the optimal
conditions so that the blade is not ruined.
I was fascinated by the process, but did not understand most of it. There was a metallurgist that helped me out. The goal
is to get the crystals in the iron to all line up the same direction. The pounding thins the layers. The repeated heating
micro welds the layers together. The folding back along it’s length aligns all the crystals along the length of the
Sword.
The many layers add flexibility. This helps a blade to not shatter from being too brittle. The iron crystals all lining
up the same adds great strength. At the end of this creation it is cooled quickly in water. This is called Quenching. It sets
the qualities built into the blade the rest of it’s life.
The Samurai Swords are World renown for their keen edge, and durability. There are Samurai Swords in collections made centuries
ago that are just as sharp and flexible as when they were crafted.
I see a connection between Samurai Swords and Angels, Next Generation Angels in particular. Next Generation Angels are
modeled from raw material that is impure. God works with them through the flaws and impurities to create a tool to be wielded
by God’s hand.
God keeps a constant watch on the conditions to keep them just right. Like the Master Smith, no variable is left to chance.
Next Generation Angels go from a lump of useless ore, filled with impurities to a representative of God’s Love. Through
many lives of pounding they have been made more flexible. The constant fires of life have helped to strengthen them as well.
Some people have told me that this view is rather violent. I remind them that a sharp knife does the least damage to what
is cut. A Surgeon will only use the sharpest scalpel to operate and help someone to heal. I see Next Generation Angels in
this vein. If Evil needs to be cut out like a cancer. It is always better to use a sharp tool. If there are chains binding
someone, what better to do than to cleave them in two. To cut through lies, and hypocrisy, better to have the symbol of the
Samurai Sword than a butter knife.
God is not turning children loose with weapons that promote healing. These are people who have stood the trials with distinction.
They have been tested, beaten, shaped and quenched setting them to their new roles. At their best they do not prop up shelves
but are doing the work that God has set them to do.
God has made you to cut out cancer and free people from Evil. What will you do with your gift. Will you allow yourself
to hang as an ornament on the wall or a shelf prop? Or will you do what God needs done, and step up to be wielded by God?
God Bless the Whole World, No exceptions.
Angel
Going it Alone Sermon 7-29-07
I was pondering the subject of the next Sermon, when it was deftly provided for me. I love
when that happens. It is about all the efforts we make versus a simple kindness from God.
Some of you know there is a chronic shortage of staffing in my Department at the Hospital. Weekends
are worst. Add to that, the Night Shift is notoriously hard to find substitutes to fill in at the last minute. I work many
weekends and exclusively Nights. I am a Supervisor. It often falls to me to call people at home to see if they will come in
for Overtime. I prefer to ask folks who are already on duty to stay.
On this last Sunday, we had a call in saying they were sick. The person who called in was someone
who was angry with me. They had been showing it all week. I suspect the timing was meant to negatively effect my performance.
Everything in our Department is about numbers. Her defection did not surprise me.
I called as many people at home that I could, while the jobs started to back up. I asked everyone
who was still there from Evening if they could just stay until 3:30. All of them politely declined. I do not use guilt or
strong arming to get people to work for me. I was preparing to go to plan B staffing.
Plan B is not having someone stay in the ER until 3:30 AM, which is normal. I called ER to tell
them of the change. I found out that there was an extra heavy job backlog for the dedicated ER Transporter I was going to
pull. This and the irate ER and CT Techs on the phone convinced me that a non-existent plan C would have to be worked out.
I just could not pull the ER Transporter.
To give you the magnitude of the problem I will explain. A year ago, we had 4 total workers on
Sunday nights. I am only given 3 now to work with. The call in meant there were only 2 people to cover the entire Hospital
Complex of 5 Buildings. This includes ER, Birthing Center, Main Hospital, the Lab, and any Garage related Emergencies. We
also help a contractor at night to deliver hospital equipment to the units.
I was steeling myself for a very unpleasant night. All of my best plans had come to nothing. All
of my persuasive ability had born no fruit. I had done my best and had failed miserably.
It was then God reach out to help me. The solution was delivered right in to my lap as though
it were a beautifully wrapped Christmas present. No one else but God could have made this Miracle happen.
A worker of mine walked through the door. I had not called her. She does not answer her phone.
She was not scheduled to work. She is not a “volunteer”, ever. Getting her to work requires a cattle prod liberally
applied. She is slow and likes to take naps. But I never question how God answers my prayers.
I told her that even though she was not scheduled I would like her to work a half shift in ER
for me. I would authorize the overtime. She did not know about the backlog in ER. She probably said yes because she thought
she could take it easy, and get some extra money. She said she could, since she had already come in.
I asked her why she came in. She told me that she could not remember the schedule, but she had
a feeling she was supposed to be at work. I could see God’s nudging all over this. I knew it was God helping me out
of a very bad situation. I was grinning the rest of the night. The night went very smoothly after that.
An interesting side note is that this person is a best friend of the one who did not come in.
All week they had been doing a work slow down together in a concerted effort. To have person who called in’s plot foiled
by her best friend was wonderful poetic justice. I wonder how that conversation will go when they talk again.
There are times in our lives that we strive and try our best only to be thwarted. Sometimes it
is circumstances that stop us. Sometimes it is the lack of ability. Sometimes it is Evil trying to persecute us.
We are frustrated in every direction we turn. We might even feel that it is unfair that nothing
comes of extreme efforts. I ask everyone to do your best, it might be enough. But when things are at there darkest, turn it
over to God.
I see three lessons in this marvelous Miracle that God gave me. In addition, by giving it to me,
it ensured the safety of the people in the ER, the Hospital, as well as my workers who were going to be severely overworked
.
The first is that our best efforts will never match that of a single thought from God. We should
always try to do our best. Our job is to let go and let God when we tire of our unproductive pushing against a brick wall.
With the “new movements” in do it yourself wish craft, this is an excellent thing to remember. Sometimes to appreciate
God’s gifts we have to be shown that we are not up to the task at hand.
Second lesson might be phrased, “you never know who God will use“. Some people pray
for help constantly. Maybe they tried to sort the situation out themselves, maybe they did not.
God answers their need, sometimes even without being asked by way of prayer. God sends them help,
but they do not see it. The help may arrive in an unexpected way or person. It is still help from God. Please do not turn
down the gift because the solution seems unsavory to you. Do not ignore it because it does not meet your criteria for a gift
coming from God.
The last and most wonderful lesson is Justice. Evil constantly tries to undermine the hopes and
lives of the Children of God. We should try to use our limited ability to help people in need. We should not shrink from defending
someone who is being bullied. However, there is a restriction that chafes many people. We want our “Pound of Flesh”
now. We are even eager to extract this Vengeance on our own, when it seems God is ignoring the Injustice.
There is a quote from the Bible that I think sums it up. “Vengeance is Mine, Sayeth the
Lord”. We can only look to ultimate Justice from God. Vengeance is not our role if we are to be true to the calling
that God has placed upon us. There will be Justice. And on wonderful rare occasions we will have the honor of seeing Justice
delivered in our presence. Do not gloat if you witness it happen. Pity the poor fool who could not do right in the first place.
Be at Peace and Know that God has everything in hand. Do your best, then let God guide you through
the hardship. God Loves All of You.
God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions.
Angel
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