...on dogs and angels

            On one of our walks this week, my dogs were not exactly on their best behaviour. They were hyper, and pulling, and ignoring me. As they outweigh me, and it was icy, it meant some precarious semi-skating on my part.

            At the best of times, I am not good on ice. When I've had a long and challenging week (as this week had been), it was a struggle to keep my balance (and patience!).

            And then we saw a neighbour. Well, the dogs lunged (with tails wagging), and I was less than pleased. But I tried to be neutral as I was being tangled in leashes and my neighbour fawned over the pups. It wasn't her fault, after all, that I was cranky.

            We chatted for a moment about the weather, and the dogs kept up their happy adventures. Snow was flung, mittens were licked, legs were rubbed up against.

            And then this neighbour started emptying her heart. She had had a very difficult week, and didn't even realise how much she needed to speak about it until we walked by. We were both a little surprised as she released the emotion; telling me (a virtual stranger) of a number of burdens she had been carrying. And then she thanked me for letting her unload. She said God had clearly brought her exactly what she needed so that she could live the rest of her day without the anger and pain that she had known, and said she was going to pray thanksgiving to God for my appearance.

            It was then that I told her that I am a woman of faith; together we prayed. Standing in the street, cold and icy, (dogs suddenly and unexpectedly calm), we prayed.

            She thanked God for the angel that she had found in me.

            What she doesn't know is that she was a messenger of God's grace to me. I received such a blessing from her in those few minutes. I thank God for sending me an angel in her.

            God's messengers, these angels, are among us. There is good news of forgiveness and grace and community that we can hear. That night, it was unexpected, and I was unprepared. But I'm grateful that I clued in enough (after the fact) to realise what had happened. And, even though it was frustrating at the time, I'm grateful that my dogs were so adamant that the encounter take place (clearly, they were more in tune with the divine than I was!)

            I pray that I'll be able to always realise the messages of grace that are put in my life. God knows, we all need them.