When I was a child every morning our Mother would lead us in the same prayer, “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love entrusts me here. Ever this day be at my side to light to guard to rule and guide.”

I’m not sure I believe in guardian angels at this point in my life. When I was a young boy my Mom insisted on their presence and she was backed up by a whole host of ‘penguin dressed’ nuns. So I assumed it must be true too. I do believe in angels it’s just I’m not sure we each have our own individual one. If that is the case my angel must have done some hand-wringing, head shaking and muttering as he attempted to guide me through life!

I was selling books several weeks ago at the Rosholt Threshing Bee when I was reminded of an angelic experience I had one depressing day in 1979. I thought about that experience when a white haired gentleman in his early 60’s stopped to examine my books.

In our discussion he mentioned he was not from Rosholt but his last name was Jackson and he had relatives living there whom he was visiting.

When he said his name was Jackson an immediate memory pop into my mind, a memory from 1979. I asked him if his Dad had been a minister to which he replied yes.

“Was he a missionary in Africa?” I questioned.

“Yes he was,” replied the gentleman. “In fact I was born in Africa.”

I knew at that moment I needed to share my 1979 angelic experience with him. Let me tell the story I shared with him on that ‘threshing bee’ afternoon.

In 1979 we had purchased eight acres of bare farm land several miles west of Wheaton where I was teaching school. I grew up on a farm and you know that old saying “You can take the kid off of the farm but you can’t take the farm out of the kid.”

Well that described me to a tee. So once we purchased the land I was excited to get moving on house building so I could return to the country. We faced one problem however. We were making house payments on a house in town. Kathie was a stay at home mom and I was teaching school so our financial situation was not real strong.

Should we first sell our house in town and then proceed with building in the country or should we begin building immediately hoping the house in town would sell by the time the building project was complete? I liked to bounce those kinds of problems off the good Lord so I was busy praying about it and the Lord was answering me with…..silence!

I was concerned because if we started to build immediately and the house in town didn’t sell for several years we would be stuck with two house payments each month. Now you’re probably thinking the answer appears very simple…..wait for your city house to sell. Play it safe.

Now that’s easy for you to say but remember I was this ‘country boy’ dying to get back to the farm. So I was willing to take the chance. Now if the good Lord would just give me a sign that He agreed with me I could proceed with confidence. But all I heard was silence.

I remember that depressive afternoon in 1979 like it was yesterday. We were to sign the loan papers with the bank the next afternoon and I was still waiting for a confirmation from the Lord. I was wrestling with the idea of calling the bank and postponing the loan paper signing. Gloom and doom filled my head as I sat in our darkened living room.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. It startled me and its unusual melodic sound began to lift my spirits. I opened the door to face an elderly couple who stated they had seen the for sale sign on our front lawn and were wondering if they could look at the house.

My gloom and doom left me immediately. No one had viewed our house for months so their appearance was certainly a day brightener! As they walked through the house they sounded very positive. “I think our vanity would easily fit up the stairs,” said the wife. The husband agreed and both seemed to approve of the house. I was beginning to think they might pull out their checkbook and buy the house on the spot.

I asked the couple where they were from and he replied, “Africa.”

I didn’t want to call him a liar so, instead, I responded, “Really?”

Then he explained they had been missionaries in Africa and were retiring and trying to find a house close to his Rosholt roots. They thanked us for the tour and said they would be in touch.

We never heard from them again!

But the next day when it came time to sign the loan papers I did with confidence. I figured if God could send us a possible house buyer from Africa He would be with us one house payment or two……..His silence was broken.

That experience taught me we humans can also act as angels. Lowly ones of course compared to the real thing. I wonder how many times I have said just the right thing or showed up at just the right time to be a “God answer” for some other human in distress?

Wouldn’t it be fun to know when those things happened. Maybe God could allow a golden halo to appear over my head when I relayed His message. It would only need to last a few seconds just long enough to have someone say, “Hey, there’s a golden halo over your head. Oops, it’s gone now!” I’d get the message. 🙂

We have spent thirty-seven happy years in our country home and every day we are thankful for the pair of angels that visited us from Africa back in 1979.

Until next time.