by Gay N. Lewis
“Boggles my mind.”
“Yes, and speaking of minds, perhaps God will inspire an earth-being to invent long-distance thought travel.”
“Huh?”
“Look at it this way. You and I can’t read minds, but as angels, we can telegraph a notion to a mortal if we are close by. Perhaps one day the Almighty will allow cerebral telepathy between humans and other created beings in faraway places.”
“You can telegraph thoughts, but my brainwave transference doohickey seems broken—sort of like my sense of direction. When I try to project an idea to earthlings, I fail.”
Celeste smiled. “You have other gifts.”
“If so, I don’t know what they are, but I’m totally aware of what I’m missing.”
“The Omnipotent reveals all things in His time. Your abilities will develop as you carry out each assignment.”
“Yeah, well, maybe. If humans could send mental concepts throughout the universe, it would be a fast way to tell others about Jesus. I know God wants everyone to know who He is and what His Son did for them. The only thing the Father requires is that all living beings love and accept His Son.”
“Yes, the mission commission is for everyone. Jesus spoke it to his disciples. ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’”
“I read that passage from the twenty-eighth chapter of Matthew just the other day, but I didn’t stop to consider what Jesus might have meant by the phrase ‘all nations.’”
Celeste nodded and gestured upward. “Additional galaxies are organized into planets with countries and governments to oversee the inhabitants.”
“And Jesus is the only way any being can be cleansed from sin. No being of any kind has the ability to pardon his own wickedness. Once a person asks Jesus for release, he or she experiences God’s abundant love and forgiveness and begins a relationship with the All-powerful One.” Sarah forgot to chew as she marveled at God’s only provision for heaven’s entrance.
A ray of sun centered on Celeste’s wings, and they shimmered as if covered with tiny, sparkling stars. “Yes, and although the heavenly host of angels can experience the wonders of the Almighty, his galaxies, and his boundless devotion, we can never understand the joy of a creature’s salvation.”
Sarah nodded and then felt her eyes widen with a new thought. “I haven’t seen extraterrestrials living in The Heavenlies.”
Celeste’s melodic laughter softly filled the skies. To Earth’s inhabitants below, the amusement sounded as sweet as a meadowlark. “None of us have seen all the phenomena of The Heavenlies. The Divine Architect continues to design new places up there for all his beings—those on this planet as well as others.”
“But if they don’t know Jesus, how do they get there?”
“You’ve met Abraham, Moses, Daniel, and all those people in The Heavenlies who lived before Jesus.”
“Yes, they are a pleasure to talk to.”
“The men who lived in that past era came to The Heavenlies by faith. God promised a Messiah, and they trusted Him to come, but they never saw Him. The people who lived during the time of Jesus met Him personally, but these individuals also accepted salvation by their confident hope in Him as the Promised One. In this present time, mortals have not seen Jesus, but again by assurance of things invisible, creatures believe. God reveals Himself to all populates, and they come to Him the identical way, by mental confidence in things unseen.”
Celeste paused and her face grew soft with a sense of wonder. “In this moment of human measurement on Earth, people anticipate the return of Jesus, much as the men in Abraham’s day expected His first appearance. All elements of His past arrival and future one are brought to life by God’s grace and the creature’s belief.”
Sarah felt her eyes grow wide. “God is awesome.”
“Yes, He is.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
After Celeste floated upward, Sarah knelt on the cloud and acknowledged the Father for His magnificent provisions and then gazed down into the mansion to check on Beth and Maria. While Beth made notes, Maria called out ingredients necessary for what sounded like a feast.
“Gary will come alone, and Kimberly will be here with her family, so with you, me, and Carlos, that makes ten for Thanksgiving dinner.”
“I cook turkey, gravy, dressing, sweet potatoes, corn pudding, green beans, and salad. What to make for desserts?”
“How about pumpkin and pecan pies? Gary loves both. Let’s make mac and cheese for the grandkids.”
Sitting on the roof, Sarah drew her mouth into a pucker as if sucking through a straw. Corn pudding? Could that be some kind of sweet, creamy flan made with sugary, vanilla cookies—similar to banana pudding? Many of the inhabitants requested that desert in The Heavenlies. With a rumbling stomach, she sighed. Hearing the ladies speak of food, even an unfamiliar concoction called corn pudding, made her appetite and ever-present hunger more noticeable. And after recently eating with Celeste, she shouldn’t even be hungry. What did the females on Earth wish for? Oh yes, they wanted a good metabolism so they wouldn’t gain weight. Wonder what kind of body thingy that might be? If it meant having a small frame and staying hungry, she possessed it.
Merciful heavens! Forget food. How exciting. Think of this—a Thanksgiving festival on Earth. An event of gratitude that took place in the United States and Canada. From her studies, Sarah knew not all nations practiced the observance. For the residents in these countries, governmental authorities set aside a day to remember God and His blessings on their nation. How fortunate for her to be here for this occasion.
The inhabitants in The Heavenlies lived with constant celebrations of gratitude. As she thought of them, her heart wobbled. Uh-oh, homesick! Heavenly citizens praised God repeatedly in the upper abode, and suddenly an overpowering desire to see them again brought a tear to her eye.
“Suck it up, Sarah.” After speaking softly aloud, she glanced about. With no one around to hear, not even a bird in the sky, she felt safe to vocalize her feelings. “This will be a good time to rejoice in His goodness with the humans.” Oh sure, other angels experienced the earthly event, but this would be her first time.
But memories of The Heavenlies crowded her mind. When the earthlings arrived up there, they always expressed utter amazement. Sarah shook her head. Residents never grew accustomed to the marvels in God’s upper establishment. They found it more glorious than the one below. Indisputably, God created Earth as a special, phenomenal place, and even God saw it as good and rested from His labors of formation on the seventh day. Yes, God created a masterpiece with Earth, and Sarah could understand why humans wanted to stay. While here, this planet remained their comfort zone. None could imagine the splendor awaiting them in the New Creation.
All inhabitants continued to praise God for the wonders they found there—an example demonstrated by Adam and Eve’s son, Abel. His arrival preceded all humans. As the first to ascend, he continued to be amazed at what he saw and experienced. He expressed his gratitude constantly—and by Earth time, his entrance happened thousands of years ago.
Tuning in to the conversation below took some effort, but she did it in time to hear Beth speak.
“Our church has a special service planned for the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and that’s going to work out perfectly. We can help the women’s group decorate for Christmas after Turkey Day and have the holiday decor in place for the entire month of December. I wish my two favorite holidays didn’t come so close together. The two events so near to each other make a hectic time.”
Turkey Day? Never heard about that one. What kind of epoch could that be? Did Beth use the term instead of saying Thanksgiving? Perhaps these creatures below used a weird designation to keep from giving God credit for blessings and gratitude. Kind of similar to mortals forgetting the true meaning of Christmas. Why would these earthly creatures remove God from their live
s and celebrations? Didn’t they understand Him as the giver of all benefits?
Well, she could stay here and get hungrier while the ladies plan a meal, or she could fly to one of the men in Beth’s life. What to do? After a quick prayer for answers, checking in on Charles Chadwick seemed to be the thing to do.
* * *
Sarah patted herself between her wings. Finding the place brought a great deal of delight and relief. After soaring high into the sky, she located the twenty-story building. The tall structure with the unique roofline proved a good landmark, even though others probably considered it short compared to the buildings surrounding it.
Floating inside, she spotted Charles. A young couple sat in front of his desk.
“I’ve studied your application, and it looks good. The paperwork is ready to submit to the board for a loan.” He paused and smiled at the man and woman. “Let’s make sure you’ve considered all the possibilities. You are eager to start a business, but are you certain you want to put up your house as collateral? You are fortunate to own it free and clear. If your venture fails, the bank assumes your property. I’d hate to see you forfeit your dwelling.”
What? These people might give up their home? They must truly believe in whatever project they planned. Of course, in The Heavenlies, no one could lose a dwelling. God forever provided and He never took away. No homeless or hungry people existed up there.
Sarah listened a few moments, but the financial talk appeared too complicated. People down here engaged in all sorts of things that, to her mind, seemed strange. With a shake of the head, she reminded herself of her assignment—romance and marriage. Other angels would tend to extra elements.
Floating about the lobby, she found it soothing. Navy carpet, a soft tan on the walls, and mixtures of beige, blues, and ruby red accented the comfortable surroundings. Nice landscapes in various places. Everyone stayed busy as they went about numerous tasks.
Nothing seemed amiss. Could Charles be the genuine good guy?
After the couple left, the man she studied opened a desk drawer. Hmmm, wonder what’s in there? Peeking over his shoulder, she found a list. He closed and locked the opening before she could read the cataloged items. Well, now, that wouldn’t do. Slipping inside the closed compartment, Sarah sat on top of the notepad. Dark—a small light would be nice. Twisting a hand above her wee head, she produced a miniature flashlight—the kind humans usually attached to a keychain. Turning it on, she read:
Make dinner reservations for Saxonberg—make sure coconut cream pie is available.
Make hotel arrangements for Beth and me for Saxonberg.
Pick up suit at dry cleaners.
What? This bloke intended to talk Beth into staying over on Saturday night?
Without warning, Chadwick pulled open the drawer. Caught off guard, Sarah threw the miniature light into the air.
It hit Charles squarely on the nose. “Yeoh!
Merciful heavens! Now what? Didn’t intend to hurt the guy. Try another diversion. Drawing a huge gulp of air, Sarah blew with all her potency.
Papers, paper clips, pencils, pens—all gusted out and up into Chadwick’s face.
Now get out. Although invisible, Sarah felt vulnerable and flew as fast as a bumblebee to the ceiling. My word! Caught on sneak duty. Wonder how many other angels experienced these calamities?
Charles rubbed his nose where a red spot spread across it like wildfire. He stooped to pick up the items. Holding the flashlight in hand, he examined it with eyes wide and eyebrows puckered.
A young woman strode into the office. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, though this is the weirdest thing. This keychain flashlight flew out of the desk and hit me, and then my papers blew out as if a tornado were inside.” He scratched his head. “I don’t even know where the penlight came from. I’ve never seen it before.” He ducked his head to look under the desk. “All seems well. Maybe I just jerked the drawer too hard.”
“That must be it.” The assistant turned to walk away. “Glad you weren’t hurt.”
Hurt? Great. She never intended to physically injure her charges, but that seemed to happen frequently on these missions. Remember that hole she created for Laney to fall into? The young lady suffered a sprained ankle.
If she didn’t learn to do better, these kinds of incidents might mean a reprimand from the Superiors.
Couldn’t she do anything right?
At least she heard no thunder from the skies. A good sign.
CHAPTER NINE
Sarah waited on her cloud for Charles to arrive. Glancing at the dawn, she praised the Father for the beautiful day. No clouds, warm sunshine—it almost felt like spring, even though the fall holidays lay ahead. No one on Earth could accurately predict Texas weather—only the Charge of the Celestial Climate gave precise forecasts.
When Charles pulled into the driveway, he got out and walked to the door, and Sarah scrutinized the man. With dark brown slacks and a long-sleeved subdued plaid sport shirt, the guy looked relaxed and quite confident.
Beth answered. In forest-green trousers and a matching turtleneck, she too appeared eager for a ride into the country. She carried a purple blazer with miniature dark green stripes. “Want coffee before we go?”
“No, thanks. I’m ready if you are.”
Sarah floated to the rear passenger seat for the ride. With no idea where to find Saxonberg, she decided to stay close to Charles and Beth. How many times had she gotten lost in Texas? Too many to count.
After listening for a time, Sarah grew bored. Charles told Beth about the young couple and their business plan, and Beth seemed inclined for the bank to assist them. Tiresome talk! Didn’t these people know about any subjects other than finances? If they married, would they spend every waking moment discussing money? Oh, sure, Beth’s desire to give the twosome a start with their dreams seemed a lovely gesture, but chatting about it could wait. What of Chadwick and his intentions for Beth?
Maybe fresh air would help the monotony and keep her awake. Floating through the top of the vehicle, she secured herself on the roof of the car. Anchors proved a necessity—she’d learned this difficult lesson on other missions.
With crowded civilization left behind, Sarah could enjoy the scenery. Hmmm, a road sign. It indicated they hammered along on Interstate Ten. Another sign soon appeared with the words San Antonio, 139 miles. Uh-oh. Another one of those huge Texas cities. Wonderful, just wonderful. So many places to get lost. Well, at least the Father knew where she would end up. Her heart eased its rapid fluttering. The Almighty always took care of her—scores of angels belonged to Him, and He could send an entire rescue team if needed. However, in all her wanderings, the Omnipotent left her to her own devices. Mother Goodness said that all challenges provided growth opportunities.
Cars going in the opposite direction—toward Houston—sped along across from Sarah. Every once in a while, she saw another angel riding topside, and she waved. Many of them she didn’t know, and a few she did. Each one acquired assignments from the same Commander. As the road coasted by, she wondered what kinds of projects confronted these comrades, and if they goofed up in any fashion. Probably not. Her reputation in The Heavenlies stopped one feather short of legendary.
When the vehicle pulled into a restaurant parking lot, Sarah’s heart leapt with joy. Food! Glancing skyward, she paused to see if Celeste or some other messenger might appear with a sustenance basket. No such blessing. Sarah sighed. Solving the hunger problem meant obtaining an appropriate disguise. And what in the world could that be?
After Beth and Charles advanced into the restaurant, Sarah found the trash dumpster behind the establishment. Merciful heavens! Why must she materialize behind a smelly, garbage bin to conceal her whereabouts? Clark Kent always found phone booths where he could whizz himself into Superman, but she seemed destined for bathroom stalls and rubbish dumps. Finding clean and convenient places to assume an identity always turned out to be a challenge. Well, this trash container would
have to do.
Now what to become? Another ordeal. Why didn’t the Creator make her without the need for food? Some angels could go without and never think about it.
A rumble rolled across the hills from the Heavenlies. Uh-oh, a warning.
Sorry. Guess I’m complaining. Glancing toward heaven, Sarah mouthed the words. No way to conceal thoughts from those important people. Okay, get on with the task of satisfying the appetite.
With tight blue jeans, black t-shirt, black leather jacket, and sunglasses, Sarah adopted the appearance of a muscular young man and strode into the café.
“Table or booth?” The teenaged hostess smiled at Sarah.
Lowering her voice to sound manly, she responded. “Booth.”
When the lady seated her, she handed Sarah a menu. “Are you with the Spurs?”
Spurs? Who in the world could that be? A family? A local group of business men and women?
“Maybe, but I didn’t see any of my kinfolk sitting in here.”
The woman laughed. “No, I meant the San Antonio Spurs—the NBA team.”
NBA? This woman spoke a foreign language. Who or what did she mean?
“No, I meant another Spur group. Why do you ask?” Sarah hoped her face gave no indication of the confusion she felt.
“You are taller than average.” She winked at Sarah. “You also look very athletic and you are handsome. Many of the Spurs’ players stop in here on their way to Houston. I thought you were one of them.”
Oh, some kind of sports person. “No, I don’t play football.”
The female guffawed. “The Spurs are a basketball team.”
Sarah’s heart lurched with alarm. “No, I don’t play ball. I’m just a tall guy.”
When the lady walked away, she laughed so hard, Sarah feared she needed medical assistance. Behind the waitress station, she met with another server and pointed to Sarah. The two doubled over with laughter.