EARTH ANGELS

Written by Luz Leigh – 03 June 2008

 

The woman was standing near the checkout counter as I entered the store.  She was clutching her purse as older women do.  I went to the rear of the store to the produce section, selected four bananas, three green and one ripe.  On my way to the front of the store, I chose Blue Bell’s strawberry cheesecake ice cream to be dessert for the coming week.

            The strange lady was still standing in the same place.  I noticed a look on her face that told me she needed help.  As I approached her, I smiled and extended my hand, to introduce myself.  When I asked her if she needed help, tears welled up in her eyes as she explained that she had locked her keys in her car.  She pointed to a late model Toyota parked under a shade tree near the post office.

            She had come to the convenience store to seek help.  The clerk had made a call and went back to her duties.  It was noon time so the clerks were busy with hungry men who came there to eat at the little taco shop inside the store.  I called my son who gave me the name of a wrecker service to call.  The young wrecker driver said he would come to unlock the door, but it would be about 30 minutes before he could get there.

            The woman, who I found out was from Florida, looked a little relieved, but still had that frightened look on her face.   I suggested she get something to eat while we waited for help to arrive.  By this time, I had decided I had been sent there as her “earth angel” of the day.  You see, I believe there are angels who walk among us each day.  They are human beings just like everyone else, but the Lord guides them to situations where they are used by Him to aid, comfort, or assist those in need.  I was dressed not like an angel and at the time felt no different from anyone else. 

            When I left home some two hours earlier it was to run an errand for a friend.  The friend lives several miles out in the country; no one would see me, so why not go in the work clothes I was wearing around home?  Blue denim walking shorts, purple “cancer survivor” T-shirt and worn sneakers.  As it turned out I needed to run another errand for the friend; this one in the neighborhood of the store where the stranger from Florida was stranded.

            I decided while I was that close to the store, I would purchase a few bananas.   Now, do you see the hand of the Lord at work?  HE had me go to the friend’s home, who needed me to run another errand, etc.   The puzzle all fit together.  All I could think of while I was with the stranger was how scared I would be if I were in the same situation …. far from home, in a strange place, in need of a friend.

            The stranger decided to get some food, saying she had not eaten since about 4:30 a.m.  When we sat down in the booth, already occupied by a local cowboy whom I knew, before she began to eat, she bowed her head and said a silent prayer, I suppose for her food.   (Maybe she was wondering about this weird Texas woman who had latched on to her and was asking for the Lord’s protection.)  For whatever she prayed, I was impressed.  Don’t see that in public places much any more.

            In order to help her feel at ease with this cowboy with whom we were sharing a booth, I told her he was a family friend….that he had been in my son’s recent wedding.   I described how Ronnie and his brother-in-law James had driven the horse-drawn carriage that brought my soon to be new daughter-in-law to the wedding site.  Upon describing the horsemen’s attire of white western shirts, starched jeans and black Stetson hats, the Florida lady exclaimed in her heavy German accent….”Not black hats at wedding…bad luck.”   Well, we explained, in Texas those rules are out the window.

            Finally the young wrecker driver arrived, and after using the tools of his trade, he had her car unlocked in a matter of minutes.   She paid him, he thanked her, handed her his business card and was on his way.  

            I asked if I might pray for her before she left.  She agreed.  Holding hands there on the parking lot, two strangers approached the throne of Grace.  I prayed for safety and peace for my new acquaintance, and thanked God for allowing me to be the one to minister to her.  We said “amen”, hugged and she was headed for home.  I had written my name, address and phone number on a slip of paper, hoping that maybe I would hear from her….saying she made it safely home.  As I write this, it has only been a little over twenty-four hours.  I doubt she has had time to reach home, so I continue to pray for Robin Cotton.   That is not her real name because I told her I probably would write a story to post on my webpage, but to protect her privacy, I would not use her real name.

            It is my prayer that the Lord’s earth angels are helping Robin find her way back home.  She reminded me of a little lost robin, but we know HE is watching over her.