Guardian Angel

I received a wonderful message from God last weekend. It was about guardian angels. God lets us feel his care and love for us through the guardian angels, who protects us from harm and other things bad.

I find myself smiling while reading the message through email, because I could very well relate to it. What happened months back was still very fresh in my mind and my gratefulness for God's protection through the angels is unending. This one unforgettable scenario have made me realize that God is really present and is constantly showing his love for us; his protection and guidance, for one. So here's my story.

Our house is situated just about 30 meters away from the national highway. The highway has four lanes, and unmistakably a very busy road with lots of vehicles passing by. One morning about almost a year ago (while I was taking a bath getting ready for the office), my youngest son (then 3 years old) went out of our gate and ran past the houses until he reached the highway. We were so clueless that he has already ran out, since we believed the gate was closed. What we did not realize was that he already knew how to open the gate and that was it - - he went out, ran as fast as he could and was on the highway in a minute or less. All the while, everyone of us in the house thought that he was just inside the compound playing with his outdoor toys. Few minutes later, a neighbor of ours went to our house informing us that she saw a kid running towards the highway and that she just wanted to check if my son was in the house, to prove her notion (that it was indeed my son she saw) wrong.

Anyway, after we realized that my son was indeed not in the house, I was suddenly feeling sick and nausea struck to me like lightning. I was suddenly in tears, and could no longer move. My father immediately ran towards the highway to look for him, with our helper trailing behind him. After I have finally moved a muscle, I tried to take a quick look at the highway and all I could see was a large truck (12 wheelers, I think) that stopped in the middle of the road. The sight gave me the thought that my son might be hit already and that other trucks and vehicles have stopped by to watch and pry. Still, I did not go to the highway for fear of beholding the bad news.

I went inside the house instead, called my husband who was already in the office that time, and made a prayer. 'I could not afford to lose my son' was all I could say to God at that moment and 'please give him the chance to enjoy life and be alive'.

Few minutes ticked by and my father and helper were back with my son. I could not contain my happiness seeing my son back. My father recounted the events that happened as witnessed by people who were on the highway. My son did crossed the highway, not minding how attention-grabbing that deed was. Fortunately, a security guard from across the street saw him as he was about to cross, and so out of instinct, ran towards my son and making hand signals to all passing vehicles to stop or slow down and that a child was crossing. He took my son to their office and that was when my father saw him there and claimed him. The guard was still trembling while talking with my father as he was much frightened at the whole scene.

In the end, I thanked God for sending over the guard to protect my son from being hit with the vehicles that passed by the highway. He was still 3 years old, so small for big truck and car drivers to see and notice crossing. He would have eventually been hit if the guard was not there!

The security guard was like an insurance policy God has issued upon us to demonstrate his love. How about you? When was the last time you felt God's care through the presence of guardian angels?

The Three Trees

This story has been relayed many many times before. Just want to share it here. It is called The Three Trees.

Once there were three trees on a hill in a woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally the third tree said. "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter." and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsman said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one" and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and women came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the king of kings in it's boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.