FOODFORTHOUGHT

Tissue Angels

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7    

I first heard about Alex and his mom, Diane, from his first grade teacher, my daughter. She had asked me to pray for him, and it wrenched my heart as she explained the circumstances. Alex's mom had cancer and wasn't expected to live much longer. In early December the doctors admitted her to the hospital for what they considered to be the final time.

A friend of mine took a small white lace angel to Diane's bedside, to remind Alex that his mom would always be in the presence of angels.

Diane passed away two weeks before Christmas. Alex and his father took the tiny angel home and placed it on top of their tree. When Alex returned to his first grade classroom, he brought the little angel to show his classmates. He carefully put it in a small box and handled it oh, so lovingly. His classmates had known of Alex's mom's serious illness, and as he showed them this little lace angel, he shared that his mother now resided in heaven.

I happened to stop by their classroom that day, and Alex opened the box and showed me the angel. Tears ran down my face as I hugged Alex. Before I knew it, one of his classmates brought over a taped tissue, and as she handed it to me, she smiled shyly, "Here, this one is for you!" How very sweet, I thought, and leaned down to thank her with a hug.

That evening I spoke with my daughter on the phone. She told me that shortly after I left the classroom, she looked around, and this little girl had made tissue angels for the entire class. They were everywhere- on desktops, backpacks, a few dropped on the floor, and some in the pockets or hands of the first graders.

This child wanted to remind others about God's love and His ministering angels. May we all have hearts like this, hearts ready to share God's love with all those who cross our path.

* This week's message was written by my sister, Marion Smith. It speaks of love-in-action, which is what Christmas is: God's love demonstrated towards us through Emmanuel, Christ with us.

Inspirational messages, Sally I. Kennedy ©2014

www.sallyikennedy.com