Dear Reader:

Many times when I sit down to write the blog I already have a glint of an idea starting to take form…other times several thoughts have clustered into a myriad of ideas..and, still, then other times…like last night…I just need to start writing and see where the words take me. It’s an “uphill” experience and a little scary but well worth the ride…

…And actually I still relish the “uphill” challenge. I think if the words always flowed too easily over the rocks of life and time…I would soon forget just how precious they are….dropping and spiraling into flowing streams of memories of consciousness.

A writer can’t always wait for inspiration …he/she just has to jump into the beckoning waters of creative thirst and simply start writing . So that is what I did.

As my fingers typed letters and later words… (flying off the keyboard)…one phrase began to reach out and take hold….memories of consciousness.

At the beginning of the novel I am presently reading (The Lost Hours by Karen White) the author offers up the following partial quotation for the reader’s personal reflection  ..perhaps as a secret key for unlocking the passage of the story.

…”Angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.“ -George Eliot

Initially past memories and pictures arise from the subconscious of this quotation… about people whose paths have crossed mine and we  have both ended up the better for it. Then (just as  suddenly as that thought pops)…another, more recent recollection, comes scurrying to the front row of my mental house of cards.

The book I had ordered from the Goodwill collection arrived Monday (Does God have a Big Toe?)…”one day late and a dollar short” as the old saying goes. The Children’s Message had come and gone with the story of  Abraham the Mule… taking center stage.

As I skimmed through the somewhat familiar stories…I came across one that drew my attention because it was based on the story of Rebecca (Rebekah) at the well.

Mother gave all three of her children Biblical names…Ben (Benjamin) Becky (Rebecca) and David. During one VBS-Vacation Bible School summer I remember we participants all had to make a mural using Biblical names given to us at birth or chosen by interest.

I was familiar with the story of Abraham’s servant (Eliezer) being chosen to find a wife for Isaac. However, I wasn’t familiar with this adorable and funny version of the story. When I finished reading it…the verse by George Elliot ( “Angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone”) re-surfaced.

I had found my connection (angels in disguise)….so sit back and enjoy the story.

“Rebecca and the Camel Angel”

When Eliezer got his instructions from Abraham on how to proceed with finding a wife for his son, Isaac, he was told that an angel would go along “for the ride.”

Since Eliezer wasn’t an angel, the other servants weren’t angels…that just left the camels. After all God figured that if Eliezer took along some guy with wings, white robes, a halo, and a harp who floated through the air, he just might be noticed.

Besides…God knew just who to call on.. to pull off an angel in camel disguise. Max. Max was the angel God went to for all the really tough jobs….like: the one when he had to tell all the extra lions and tigers they could not go on the ark with Noah…or Max was the angel who had to kick the snake out of the Garden of Eden…or…Max was the one who had to collect all the slimy bugs for Adam to name. Yep…Max was one tough angel.

At first the caravan started off pretty smoothly…the only hitch was that some female camel got a crush on Max and kept licking his nose. When they arrived at the well of the city where Nahor lived…the caravan arrived with ten camels…(well really nine…since the tenth was Max, the angel in disguise.)

Nobody wanted to let them use up all the water in the well for ten camels…nobody except beautiful Rebecca. She felt sorry for the camels (even though she didn’t like their loud camel noises.)

One camel, however, seemed to be particularly polite and let all the other camels drink before he sipped some water. Rebecca felt a real fondness for this one camel as she worked through- out the day drawing water for the caravan.

When she was asked to return with Eliezer the next morning and become Isaac’s wife..Rebecca said “Yes” and we all know how that story goes.

But did you know Rebecca figured something wasn’t quite “kosher” when they returned with nine camels instead of ten…the polite camel  had simply disappeared.

Back in heaven, Max climbed out of his camel suit. God gave him a big hearty hug of thanks and then said:

” Max, in a little while I am going to need an angel to speak to Moses out of a burning bush. There is a fireproof suit over there in the corner. Why don’t you just try it on for size?”

…………………………..

So until tomorrow…We can run but we can’t hide from God, connections, and angels in disguise. 

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

• Mandy had a wisdom tooth pulled Monday and texted me yesterday morning to see if I could help with the children because she was definitely still in some pain and feeling all over yucky. Of course…I loved it…and discovered that we have a doctor in disguise…Dr. Eva Cate Turner and her hospital of dolls.

Jakie was just happy she stuck with giving the dolls “shots” and not him…all he wanted was another “shot” of mashed potatoes…real food…who knew?

*Please keep Anne and her sister Nancy in your prayers…Anne flew to Boston Sunday to be with her sister for her surgery today (breast cancer) and will remain with her until the end of the week…taking her back to Maine. A sister is a beautiful thing…and Anne is blessed to have many sisters…all supporting Nancy through this health challenge.

Our prayers are with you both and the entire family!

*Also…please keep Libby and her daughter Betsy in your continued thoughts and prayers…as side effects continue popping up irregularly and keeping everyone on edge…we pray for peace of mind, and health stability within this strong mother-daughter team.