courier

A few weeks ago the elementary aged youngsters in my Sunday School class became quite involved in the mornings conversation. They usually aren’t quite so eager to talk when it comes to the day’s lessons but would rather chit-chat amongst themselves about other topics that interest them more. But this one Sunday it was different. They were anxious to talk about times when they thought angels were watching over them. Two young boys had just the week before had a 4-wheeler roll over on them. “I know that an angel helped me pull that 4-wheeler off Daniel,” said Aiden. “Yea, it had to be,” added Daniel. A sweet cherub faced young lady began to relay her “angel experience” when a much loved and very young aunt passed away. Yet others relayed incidents on the play-ground when they were sure their angel was watching over them. They were certain of their “angel interventions.” Do children sometimes see what we can’t see?
When I first was diagnosed with cancer I was amazed at the staff members of the various medical facilities I visited. “They must just have a knack,” I thought to myself. They were always so friendly and eager to help. I began to think that God had placed angels all around me. I have since learned that this isn’t far off the mark.
This past week-end I found out that angels are on staff at the Hospice facility in Abilene. My sweet sister had become over-ridden with cancer. What originally started as breast cancer in the year 2000 had spread to several parts of her body. Over the years she was able to fight valiantly but since this past Thanksgiving the disease had begun to spread more rapidly and more viciously than ever before. The treatments that followed from early December hadn’t even fazed the wicked offender. The monster cells now were claiming residency on her bones, sternum, the bass of her neck, and her liver.
Last week Susan’s husband transported her to the hospital via ambulance because the pain was increasing even with medication and her ability to remain coherent was subsiding. On Wednesday she lapsed into a coma like existence.
On Saturday morning a bed in the Hospice area became available and while Susan was being transferred there the nurses told her husband the bleak news that she probably would not make it through the day.
Many family members were already in route to the hospital and by about 3:45 PM we must have had close to 20 people in her room.
A nurse angel soon walked silently into the room. She glanced at Susan and then told us that she would be gone in approximately ten to twenty minutes. We don’t know how these staff members were able to gage the time. There were no monitors of any sort hooked up to Susan. She had oxygen but nothing else that would sustain life and nothing that would indicate any types of failure. She was just so “tuned in” that she knew – so aware and alert to the situation that she could make accurate predictions.
The nurse angel lowered the hospital bed and lowered the railings. She gathered Susan’s husband and oldest daughter up to one side of the bed. She then helped our 90 year old mother up to the other side. The rest of us gathered around and stroked Susan’s arms and head while whispering our love to her and telling her it was “OK.”
What had been labored and raspy breaths prior to the angels last entrance now became very relaxed and easy. No sounds accompanied the rise and fall of her chest – slowly the intervals became longer and in a matter of a few minutes Susan had sprouted her own wings with her family all around bidding her good-bye.
I still don’t know how the nurse angel could tell us how long it would be before Susan flew away. She surely must have received the word from the Highest Authority – she must have seen the other angels hovering around that room – she must have heard the sound of rushing wings.
I now agree with my elementary Sunday School students – there are most assuredly angels all around us.