Post by selah on Oct 1, 2009 23:20:18 GMT -5
The Garden Angel
I was shouting now. “Don’t let me see you even touch that dog again!” Five-year old Shayla defiantly crossed her arms and scowled back at me. I glanced at the dog that was trembling from Shayla’s torment, and from my loud voice. Several times that day I discovered my granddaughter teasing the little Yorkshire terrier. Katie is a tiny dog, and needs to be handled with care. I wondered how I could monitor Shayla every minute, and knew it would be impossible.
My outburst bothered me too. My son’s family lived far away, so our visits were just once a year. I didn’t want that year’s visit to be one of tension between me and my beautiful granddaughter. I looked into her eyes, pleadingly. She bit her lip, and the scowl softened slightly.
“I don’t want to be cross with you, honey, but you just have to leave Katie alone.” I was angry at myself for scolding her, but something had to be done. Her pretty blonde hair framed her sweet face making her look so innocent. I began to feel more and more contrite, and she responded with two tears that spilled out and over her plump little cheeks.
“Oh sweetheart, let’s pray about this.” I wrapped my arms around her, and we both shed a few more tears. “Father, please forgive Shayla for being unkind to Katie, and forgive me for shouting at Shayla. Help us to behave the way you want us to; in Jesus name, Amen.”
We were quiet for a few moments, just comforting each other in my rocking chair. Suddenly an idea came to my mind; something I would never have thought of on my own. I knew the Lord was offering His counsel; but was I willing to heed it? I silently argued with God for a few moments, “But, how will that work, Lord? Are you sure I should do that? What if…” He wasn’t saying anything else. It seemed He had given His advice, and the rest was up to me.
Finally, I rose from the chair, and excitedly said to Shayla, “I think God just gave me a great idea.”
Her eyes brightened, and she asked, “What did He say?”
“Well, He said we need someone to be a guardian angel for Katie, because she is so little and needs protection.”
Shayla stared at me without blinking, waiting for what I would say next.
“I know the perfect person to watch over Katie.”
The corners of her mouth started to curl upward, as Shayla asked, “Who?”
“I think you know,” I smiled.
She jumped off the chair, and pointed to herself, “Me?”
“Yes. You understand how people sometimes play a little too hard with Katie, or how they sometimes tease her, so you’ll be the best one to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Shayla squealed with delight, “Grandma, I’m a garden angel, right?”
I nodded, “Would you like to go tell your brothers about your new job?”
“Yes, yes!” She jumped up and down.
“Do you understand what you need to do?”
She hurriedly spouted, “I will look after Katie and make sure nothing bad happens to her.”
She was anxious to run off, but she waited while I responded, “That’s right, and I know you’ll do a very good job. Katie will be so happy she has you to watch over her. She will learn to love you so much.”
“Come on Katie.” She patted her leg, and surprisingly, the little dog trailed behind her.
I settled back into my rocking chair and sighed peacefully. Jesus asked Peter to feed His sheep even after being denied by him. The disciple must have felt undeserving of such a trust. Jesus’ confidence in him must have increased his resolve to handle his responsibility well. I sometimes wonder at the confidence He has in me. I know I don’t deserve it, yet He continues to trust me again and again. He motivates me to reach beyond my limitations to the possibilities available in Him, the supernatural God. Amazingly, God believes in me; He believed in Peter, and He believes in Shayla too.
I giggled as I heard her announcing to her brothers, “I’m a garden angel; I’m Katie’s garden angel!”
©Linda McCrae Tame 2009
I was shouting now. “Don’t let me see you even touch that dog again!” Five-year old Shayla defiantly crossed her arms and scowled back at me. I glanced at the dog that was trembling from Shayla’s torment, and from my loud voice. Several times that day I discovered my granddaughter teasing the little Yorkshire terrier. Katie is a tiny dog, and needs to be handled with care. I wondered how I could monitor Shayla every minute, and knew it would be impossible.
My outburst bothered me too. My son’s family lived far away, so our visits were just once a year. I didn’t want that year’s visit to be one of tension between me and my beautiful granddaughter. I looked into her eyes, pleadingly. She bit her lip, and the scowl softened slightly.
“I don’t want to be cross with you, honey, but you just have to leave Katie alone.” I was angry at myself for scolding her, but something had to be done. Her pretty blonde hair framed her sweet face making her look so innocent. I began to feel more and more contrite, and she responded with two tears that spilled out and over her plump little cheeks.
“Oh sweetheart, let’s pray about this.” I wrapped my arms around her, and we both shed a few more tears. “Father, please forgive Shayla for being unkind to Katie, and forgive me for shouting at Shayla. Help us to behave the way you want us to; in Jesus name, Amen.”
We were quiet for a few moments, just comforting each other in my rocking chair. Suddenly an idea came to my mind; something I would never have thought of on my own. I knew the Lord was offering His counsel; but was I willing to heed it? I silently argued with God for a few moments, “But, how will that work, Lord? Are you sure I should do that? What if…” He wasn’t saying anything else. It seemed He had given His advice, and the rest was up to me.
Finally, I rose from the chair, and excitedly said to Shayla, “I think God just gave me a great idea.”
Her eyes brightened, and she asked, “What did He say?”
“Well, He said we need someone to be a guardian angel for Katie, because she is so little and needs protection.”
Shayla stared at me without blinking, waiting for what I would say next.
“I know the perfect person to watch over Katie.”
The corners of her mouth started to curl upward, as Shayla asked, “Who?”
“I think you know,” I smiled.
She jumped off the chair, and pointed to herself, “Me?”
“Yes. You understand how people sometimes play a little too hard with Katie, or how they sometimes tease her, so you’ll be the best one to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Shayla squealed with delight, “Grandma, I’m a garden angel, right?”
I nodded, “Would you like to go tell your brothers about your new job?”
“Yes, yes!” She jumped up and down.
“Do you understand what you need to do?”
She hurriedly spouted, “I will look after Katie and make sure nothing bad happens to her.”
She was anxious to run off, but she waited while I responded, “That’s right, and I know you’ll do a very good job. Katie will be so happy she has you to watch over her. She will learn to love you so much.”
“Come on Katie.” She patted her leg, and surprisingly, the little dog trailed behind her.
I settled back into my rocking chair and sighed peacefully. Jesus asked Peter to feed His sheep even after being denied by him. The disciple must have felt undeserving of such a trust. Jesus’ confidence in him must have increased his resolve to handle his responsibility well. I sometimes wonder at the confidence He has in me. I know I don’t deserve it, yet He continues to trust me again and again. He motivates me to reach beyond my limitations to the possibilities available in Him, the supernatural God. Amazingly, God believes in me; He believed in Peter, and He believes in Shayla too.
I giggled as I heard her announcing to her brothers, “I’m a garden angel; I’m Katie’s garden angel!”
©Linda McCrae Tame 2009