A Diligent Angel...

Ah-h...Friend. My beloved Angel, my soul's companion, my Guardian Angel, we are surely blessed by Almighty God with a real best friend, for life, in death, and all eternity. My own Angel is this to me. He has been there for me, always, as far back as I was! He inspires me to do my best for my family and for others ~ as all Angels do, but he, in particular, has this vested interest in the outcome for yours truly here. I remember learning about him when I was as young as five or six years old...starting my Catholic education @ our parish's Holy Angel Hall (ironic name, eh?) which was the outbuilding on the side of the grounds until we were moved, in second grade, to the 'big building' across the parking lot. My first grade teacher, Sister Maxine, God bless her, not only gave us a solid foundation in our devotion to the Holy Family, but she was also credited by me with my formal introduction to the Holy Angels. (My Mom had up until then told me some things, but Sister really 'brought it home' for me, so to speak.) All my life I have felt him by my side, guiding my steps, whispering inspirations into my heart to show me the right way to be, and even tho' I did get lazy at one point and was not attending Holy Mass (in my early twenties) I always knew that I would someday come home, my Angel leading the way...and this I did when I became pregnant with my firstborn son. Now that I am on my way to becoming a member of the OA, I can honestly say that I have learned so much about the Angels, my own Friend in particular. And I have come to notice the things that he does for me even more often and more closely than ever before... There are those who are saved, literally, on the road by their Angels ~ saved from accidents, saved from molestation, saved from death itself. There are those who are inspired, they know not how, to do something a certain way or at a certain time, only to find that this was what made things turn out a certain way that was of great benefit to them or to their families. And then there is me...and Friend, of course. My husband Michael and I have a real history of car trouble, both on the road and in our very own driveway. Flat tires, dead batteries, you-name-it ~ many times in the pouring rain, blizzard snowstorms, 100 degree heat ~ it matters not...and with a large family, constantly trying to make ends meet, only to find that if we had two nickels to rub together, they went toward some car repair or other... I mentioned in an earlier entry that I frequently send Friend on errands, or whatever, and especially to guard my family when they are on the road themselves. And sometimes, I feel his protection myself as I move about...
For example, a few months ago we were told that we needed new tires on our van and we decided that if it could wait for payday, we would be more than happy to spend $500 on this item...but that was not to be.
A couple of days after we spoke with our mechanic, I was just about to pull out of our driveway, and we felt that heart-sinking fa-lump, fa-lump ~ that awful feeling that we had been "visited by the flat tire Fairy."
Then, a few days later, as I waited in the parking lot at our local mall where our daughter Julia works, I was told by a passing customer, on her way into the store, that we had a flat tire (this time on the other side of the front end) and from there, I called home and then I got in touch with the towing company.
So, rather than being on the local roads doing 50+ mph, as I could very well have been, I was kept off to the side of heavy traffic, and brought safely home.
On another occasion, we were completely out of gas, and rightfully should have been stalled, but I believe it was our Guardian Angels (my husband's and my own) who moved our van over a mile down the street to the nearest gas station...and with no skipping, stalling, or otherwise "out of gas" noises...the trip was as smooth as could be and only after I had said a silent prayer to Friend to get us out of this predicament, please!
Now, some would tell me that this was the actions of Fate, or "just my luck"...but I choose to believe that it was something more.
There are always going to be things that happen to us in our lives that are part of God's Plan, and we should not worry ourselves about them, nor should we always look for a way to avoid them ~ either the consequences or the suffering they bring. Often, these are things that we can offer up for a particular intention to gain graces for ourselves and for others.
A diligent Guardian Angel will always lead us through what ever we have to endure and show us how to gain the most grace ~ and even the most mercy!
Another case in point is when a chance comes our way to do something extra for God, for example, attend a daily Holy Mass, no special reason, no occasion out of the ordinary, just because we want to, we know that we will receive graces by doing this. And a diligent Angel will always help us to get there.
Our Lord is so endless in His good graces and mercy, that if we don't do that extra "thing" whatever it might be, He will grant His favors to another who might come along to take our place. But there is always a grace to be gained by taking advantage of every inspiration that one receives from his or her Angel.
We will not know in this lifetime all the things that our diligent Angels have done to keep us safe, to help us avoid sin, to bring us eventually to our Heavenly home...but when we do get there, they will show us all...and it will truly amaze us! We can then spend an eternity at our Angels' sides, thanking them in person, laughing with them over our foibles here on Earth, conversing as only two best friends do, and worshiping Almighty God forever together.
I truly hope and pray that I have not been a disappointment to my own beloved Angel, and that someday this is to be my Fate ~ God help us all...and bless us always!