An Angel For Mother's Day

The incident with the “angelic” neighbour and his generous gift of lava rocks brought back the memory of a real angel that had showed up in Mary’s past. It seemed so long ago, a life time past, but the memory was still fresh in Mary’s mind as if it was yesterday and this recent encounter awakened in Mary the warm feelings of God’s love and help that arrived on that distant, long-ago day.
Despite the wonder of that day it fell on a Mother’s Day which was always filled with grief for Mary. It didn’t help that the stores were filled with all the soapy cards that she never got, or well wishers at restaurants like the one in the story I am about to tell you who offered single roses and kind words to you. They assumed you were a mother even though you were not. What was worse was that church after church, no matter where Mary went had caused a greater grief. They were always sure to ask all the mother’s to stand up and prayers and accolades were lifted on their behalf. Mary’s deficiency and lack seemed to stand out even more on Mother’s Day. Worse was that it was scriptural that children were a blessing from God. So what did that say to all those women like her who never had children? Back then when Mary was still able to bear children (yet had none) it hurt a great deal to endure Mother’s Day and suffer the great emptiness that weighed on her heart. On top of all this every year she would hear her mother-in-law say in her broken English “Next year with baby”. That never happened.
Anyways this one particular Mother’s Day Mary and Peter had taken their mothers, Peter’s father, and his sister up to Swiss Chalet on Bloor Street in Toronto to celebrate. As usual, flowers and kind words were lavished on every mother there. The sweet soul who waited on their table gave Mary as well as her sister-in-law Valerie flowers too. Mary had smiled tenderly knowing God had looked down in His compassion and lavished Mary with this gift.
Mary looked across the table at her husband and family. They had finished eating and Peter was getting up. He was ready to go. He was not a man to waste time or hesitate. Everyone knew it was time to leave. Unfortunately, not everyone was as strong and quick as Peter. Both his mother and Mary’s mother were in their 70’s. Peter’s father was very feeble and his muscles seemed to have atrophied. He was not only shrinking but shrivelling up to nothing. He could not stand straight up anymore nor take any steps without help. His head bent forward and looked towards the ground as Peter and Mary grabbed him, beneath his arms and half carried him out the door of the Swiss Chalet. This was no small feat because even though he was a small man in stature he weighed over 180 pounds!
It was at this moment something happened to upset Valerie. Mary had no memory of what actually started the “incident” that changed the whole atmosphere. It could have been Valerie’s mother who could be quite bossy with her or some teasing comment from Peter. It was his inability to be sensitive that often led Peter into trouble with every member of his family.
Whatever it was that started the trouble Mary didn’t know. What you do need to know is that Valerie was one of Peter’s two siblings who were emotionally unstable. They could be riled up at the least little thing especially when they didn’t get their way. Their mother had spoiled them since childhood and rarely said “no” to them.
Valerie was very upset this particular day and began to scream and yell. It was something that happened a lot. She had been in and out of psychiatric hospitals and doctors’ offices which plied her with pills and kept her doped up. However, there were times like these when Peter’s sister would not take her medicine and would “act out”.
As Mary watched the events unfolding in the parking lot she knew her sister-in-law would have to be taken to emergency. Between all the commotion Peter and Mary decided to take Valerie to Mississauga Hospital. Peter took his father back into the restaurant and Mary’s mother stayed at the restaurant with him. Mary would drive Peter, his mother, and his sister to the hospital. Mary would return to the restaurant afterwards and drive her mother and father-in-law home. There was nothing else to be done because Valerie was uncontrollable. It took all of Peter’s strength to hold her down in the back of the van. She lay there screaming in demonic contortions. As Mary drove she could see the movement of the two of them as they fought for control.
Mary prayed all the way to the hospital and was glad and relieved when they made it there without further incident. By the end of the ride Valerie was more subdued but they were not taking any chances and admitted her.
Mary left the three of them at the hospital and journeyed back to the restaurant to pick up her mother and father-in-law. Mary never realized how heavy her father was or how inert he had become until this day when she was forced to take hold of him and walk him to the parked vehicle around the side of the restaurant. Peter took most of the weight in the past. Mary’s mother was trying to help Mary by lending a hand on the other side of her father-in-law. She was of little help. Mary was afraid she was going to lose him, afraid he would fall and then what?
It was at this point that Mary yelled out not knowing what else to do, “Jesus please help me”. Years later her own mother would relate what Mary had said in the retelling of this story. It had become a witness even to Mary’s mom. Mary had no sooner yelled her prayer when a tall black man came up alongside Mary and her father-in-law. “Can I help you?” he said and grabbed hold of Mary’s father-in-law underneath his arm. A great weight was lifted from Mary’s shoulder and heart at this moment.
“Oh yes!” responded Mary, “oh thank you so much”. Mary was quite surprised at the next words out of this man’s mouth. He, like the neighbour with the rocks, seemed to know something about Mary. However, Mary knew in the big city of Toronto there was no way this man could have known what he did. For the subsequent thing out of his mouth was, “That’s your car parked around the side of the building, shall we take him there?”
Mary was flabbergasted! “Why yes, she said, and was about to ask him how he knew that was her minivan that was parked there. However, he interrupted her question and began to share that he often had to assist people onto the railroad cars when he worked. He was retired now. He had been a railroad conductor!
Mary, herself, had lived near the railroad station both in Fort Erie and in Toronto as a child. Coincidentally, during both periods the railroad station had been a place of comfort and escape, a haven from trouble. Martha, Mary’s sister, recounted to Mary that during periods of abuse – attempted and real, the two of them often ran together to the railroad cars to hide. Mary’s memory of these occasions were vague and she only had a funny, sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach when she thought of the people involved at those times. Her sister, Martha, held the memories. Mary, out of self-preservation had buried all but some attached feelings.
So on this day when this man showed up to help Mary she felt he was an angel sent by God. Whether it was imagination or not Mary felt God chose a railroad conductor so Mary would feel safe with this stranger as she had felt safe so many ,many years ago when she ran to the security of the train yards.
As Mary thought back to that Mother’s Day so many years ago, she still sat in wonder. For you see once the man had helped Mary get her father-in-law into the van he disappeared! Mary had turned to say something after she fastened Peter’s father’s seat belt and the man was gone. She walked to the corner, looked up and down, and he had vanished!
But the warm, loving reassurance of a God who answers prayer did not. It would always stay with her even to this day. And did Mary believe in angels? You bet she did!

Answers to Prayers

Mary stood looking out her back window at the wonder of God’s recent gifts. Thirteen bags of rocks sat waiting to be spread and the garden had been transformed with the new addition of so many perennials, too many to count.
They were both answers to prayers. The rocks were quite a find. The stones were such a great blessing and delight. While out walking her dogs a few days earlier Mary came across all these bags of red lava rock perched on the curb in front of a pretty blue and white house. Mary’s glance moved from the treasure to the front porch of the house where the owner sat enjoying the fine spring day. Mary asked without hesitation “Are you getting rid of those stones?”
“Sure am”, came the reply from the nice man, “Do you want some?” Mary was so excited she couldn’t stand it. “Why yes, I sure would. I would love some.” The man got up from his perch and asked, “How many do you want?”
“I’ll take them all if I can have them,” she said. “I have to go and get my car though. Let me take the dogs home and I’ll be back, okay?”
“Sure thing,” said the man. With that Mary hurried off down the road. Needless to say the dogs had a quicker walk than usual as Mary wasn’t about to chance losing this opportunity to someone else driving by this house.
Mary got into her car and realized two things: first those bags were way heavier than she could ever lift. As well, when she got back to the house how would she get them out of the car. She had to drive to Windsor later to pick up Robin and she couldn’t leave all those bags in her car. Her tires would never bear the load anyways. A prayer went up heavenwards in both regards.
When Mary pulled up at the man’s house the man was waiting to give her a hand. He could see she was not strong enough to lift them and helped her get three bags in her car. At that point he looked at her and her small PT Cruiser and suggested, “Why don’t I fill up my pick-up and drop them off? I have to go to Canadian Tire anyways”.
Mary was delighted and said, “Great! Let me give you my address”.
“No, no,” came the reply, I know where you live, in that big beige house around the corner, right?”
“Why, yes,” said Mary surprised he knew where she lived but realized it was a small town. He probably saw her walking her dogs near her house. She was out with them every day so he must have seen her often.
Mary was hardly back at the house attempting to remove these leaden bags of rock when the man pulled up. How delighted she was that he arrived. Between the two of them they managed to get all the bags out on to the driveway stacked along the fence.
“Wow” said Mary when they were done, “You are a blessing from God and an answer to prayer. Thank you so much. What an angel!” she cried delightedly. “No, I am no angel,” the man protested as he was leaving. Mary smiled to herself and recalled a similar incident years ago where it really was an angel that showed up as an answer to prayer. She left that memory for further perusal for now she must run and drive to Windsor and pick up her man.
On the way to Windsor Mary delighted herself with her latest treasure and thought about the great deal on perennials she had got at a yard sale recently. She and Robin had gone shopping at Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart and checked out their supply but Mary told Robin she felt God was telling her to wait and not buy any flowers yet.
Her faithfulness had paid off as she had been blessed with 10 pots of flowers at one garage sale for 25cents each! It was so awesome to see God work as Mary trusted Him for supply. She had waited and been blessed. However, the blessing did not end there as Mary had gotten a call from Carolyn, her friend, the next day. Carolyn had left a message on Mary’s machine that she had some plants called Hens and Chicks she wanted to get rid of, did Mary want them. Did she want them, Mary thought to herself. Of course she did!
Mary didn’t even bother phoning her back with a reply but walked over to Carolyn’s house and found her digging and rooting in the back yard. The view of Carolyn bending over and working away was quite a picture from where Mary was standing beyond her fence gate. She didn’t say anything but smiled an endearing smile in thoughts of this beloved new friend.
Mary had met Carolyn a few years back when she moved here from Toronto but for a long time Mary only had a casual acquaintance with Carolyn. That was until Carolyn’s husband ended up with cancer in the hospital. Mary had made one visit to the hospital bringing a little gift with her because she knew it had to be painful for Carolyn. That one visit changed things for both of them. The relationship had grown slowly and still was growing. Both women had been through a great deal in their life and were slow to trust. That was quite okay. It was good. They had coffee together, visited a few garage and church sales over the years, and had been an ear to each other‘s concerns.
So it was with a love that had grown over time that Mary perceived Carolyn bending down working away. She watched for a while admiring Carolyn’s garden that was taking life now. Carolyn had been preoccupied with helping her son for a couple of years and so the yard had been neglected. Carolyn was quite the gardener. Mary thought Carolyn really suited the description of the woman of Proverbs 31 in every way. Mary was reminded of Carolyn when she thought of that chapter because she was “energetic and strong, a hard worker”. And like the woman in Proverbs Carolyn did watch “for bargains and her hands were always busy”.
When Carolyn’s husband had passed away she had mourned silently, still did, but Mary knew that it was a good thing for when you loved someone and gave so many years to a marriage it meant something to you. It seemed to Mary if you soon forgot your beloved who had passed what value did you place on them? It was commonsense to have bittersweet memories and a longing for that person who had been your whole identity for so many years.
But that was another story. Mary got Carolyn’s attention and entered into the back yard. They talked of many things while Carolyn pulled and dug up plants which Mary lifted from Carolyn’s hands and placed gingerly in a box to take home. Mary ended up with many flowers and not just Hens and Chicks! Mary was delighted. God had blessed her wait for His answer. She was glad she did not rush ahead of Him. Mary had learned this lesson years ago but she was not always faithful to be so patient for His answer and had often run ahead and done or bought something she shouldn't have.
Oddly enough Mary’s visit contained another answer to prayer that she and Robin had prayed about just this morning on their ride to Windsor. Despite Mary’s complaints of driving back and forth she realized that the ride to Windsor with Robin afforded them time to pray. This morning had been no different. Mary had been concerned about her spiritual life and had shared with Robin that Diane, Mary’s mentor, had suggested maybe it was time for her to go for an Encounter weekend.
Mary did not like these encounters as it meant sleeping on airbeds on the floor in discomfort. It was wonderful to experience God during these weekends but the personal attacks Mary often endured and the poor sleeping arrangements often made Mary less than willing to go. So in the car that morning Mary and Robin had prayed that if God could do something about her spiritual condition without Mary having to go on a retreat then she prayed for Him to do it. As well, she prayed if she was suppose to go on another retreat that God would show her.
So when Carolyn began talking about going on an encounter Mary smiled widely. Carolyn had the same concerns Mary did as she had a bad hip. They both felt they weren’t kids anymore to be sleeping on the floor. Mary laughed and said, “Gee Carolyn, Robin and I were just praying about me going on another encounter. And you know what: you have been on my mind. I wanted to see if you would go! And I know exactly what you mean about sleeping on the floor. I think we are both meant to go though Carolyn. This is no coincidence. I know I am not thrilled about sleeping on the floor either.”
“Well,” said Carolyn,” I am going to phone the church and see if they can get me a cot”
“Oh,” said Mary,” will you see if you can get one for me too?” Carolyn smiled and nodded, yes.
Mary walked away from the visit with two answers to prayer: the box of flowers and the decision to go the encounter. What was even better was the message on her machine later that reported that Carolyn had phoned the church. They both would get a cot to sleep on!
Mary was relieved. She knew she needed this time apart and knew God would show up. He had proven to her He not only knew her needs but was way ahead of her as usual in answering them!