Scars of My Guardian Angel

by Russell L Martin

  “Land sakes, child, you need to hush and get busy eating before they get cold!”

  Uriel walks in and after I introduced him to Tressie Brooks, my granny, I cut a big wedge out of both pies, slide it over to him and we both sit back enjoying some delicious home cooking.

  Uriel starts smiling, “Hey Chado, I’ve known your Granny Tressie longer than you have.”

  “Well I guess you have.” Chuckling I said, “Especially if you followed me up and down Black Creek during my childhood.”

  I hear the sounds of my Uncle Buddy tuning his mandolin, and then suddenly my uncles and cousins cut loose playing a melody. I stop chewing and sit straight up in my chair. “Hey Granny, that song sounds familiar. Heck, that’s a song I wrote just a couple years ago! It’s called “Lamb’s Book of Life”. ”

  Granny and Uriel start laughing and I’m grinning from ear to ear. “How in Heaven’s name did they get a hold of one of my songs?”

  Granny spurts off a scripture:

  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

  “Okay Granny, I still don’t know how they could know my song.”

  “Well Chado, what your granny is trying to say with that scripture, is a cloud of witnesses are allowed to see out of the spiritual realm with a front row seat as they watch over their loved ones back on Earth; well, at least when God permits it.”

  “Child, your Uncle Buddy and Dobber watched you write all thirteen of your songs and they apparently like them because they play them all the time. They went as far as getting a cello and learning how to play it, just for the two songs that you said needed it. They heard you tell someone that both songs needed a cello to give it that special sound you were looking for. I believe one is “Reach Down” and the other is “Find My Way.” My favorite between the two is “Reach Down”.”

  “I don’t know what to say, all I know is the blessings are unending. I can’t believe my kin are on the front porch playing songs that God blessed me with. It is truly wonderful to be here in Heaven. ‘Thank you Lord.’ And Granny, thank you for such a sweet homecoming.”

  “Ah child, we knew you were coming and were all excited waiting for you. Have you thought about where you might end up living? There’s plenty of room on this ole creek and we would all love for you to nest down somewhere close. ”

  “I probably will Granny, but I have a special job God wants me to take care of before I settle.”

  “I know. The Lord has given me dreams about that. You go ahead and tend to it, then you get on back over here and we can wait together for the rest of our family to get to Heaven. Chado Cole? One other thing…”

  “Yes Granny.”

  “You better go spend a little time with your kin. You remember how anxious you and your brother were, waiting on your cousins to come home for the reunions? Well that’s all I been hearing ever since I told them you were on your way here, Chado Cole, Chado Cole, Chado Cole, is on his way to Heaven. So go sit in with your kin for a spell.”

  “Yes Ma’am, I will.”

  * * *

  As soon as I stepped out on the porch, Bob handed me a guitar and we cut loose like a professional band straight out of Nashville. We played every gospel song that anyone knew and twelve of the thirteen I wrote.

  My Uncle Dewey would take a lead run while playing the upright bass. He would twirl the bass fiddle around just like he did when we watched him back on Black Creek. Those were such good memories of the reunions when I was a kid. I couldn’t help but laugh with tears of happiness as I looked in the faces of each one of my relatives, realizing the joy they were experiencing was truly a gift from God. I was witnessing the perfection of talent, and happiness that could only be possible here in Heaven.

  The perfect harmony of my granny’s sisters’ voices was echoing through the creek bottom, blending with Uncle Slug’s harmonica and the sweet sound of Uncle Buddy’s mandolin playing the song “Wayfaring Stranger”. It caused me to stop strumming my guitar and just sit back in awe raising my hands in Heaven, praising God.

  After we stop for a short break, I’m able to ask about other relatives that I didn’t see at our gathering. Before anyone answered, I notice Bob set his guitar to the side, reached over and picked up a cello out of its case. My two uncles, Buddy and Dobber, move their chairs and place them one on each side of Bob, to be in a half circle facing me.

  I’m thinking they must have a special song they want to share. So I set my guitar to the side, leaned back with a smile, waiting to hear how well Bob has learned to play the cello.

  Right before starting their song I notice a small framed gentleman that looked to be in his mid-thirties walking with my granny. They made their way through the small group of relatives and I could tell they were heading in our direction. For the life of me, I couldn’t make out who this guy was. I’m wondering if they’ve invited some special singer just for my homecoming.

  Walking up behind Bob and my uncles, Granny sat down in the nearest chair available, and the man stepped up ready to sing.

  As I look around at the group, it looks like everyone there has grins pasted to their faces as if this was to be something really special.

  Bob slowly starts dragging the bow across the strings with my uncles joining in; I immediately recognize the song, its number thirteen, “Reach Down”. Oh my goodness, they were about to do one of my favorite songs that I had written a few years back.

  The instrumental at the beginning was like I had never imagined. Their timing is perfect as the man begins the familiar lyrics with a voice made in Heaven .

  I leaned over in my chair and place my elbows on my knees with my chin resting in the palms of my hands. I hadn’t noticed, but Granny had made her way behind me and I felt her hand on my shoulder. As I continue to admire the voice of this man and the beautiful instrumentals, I feel the warm tears run between my fingers down my forearms. I’m experiencing the most beautiful, soothing music I’ve ever heard.

  When they were almost finished with the song, I look around at my relatives; their grins have vanished and they all have their hands raised praising God.

  I reach up and touch my granny’s hand that is still resting on my shoulder. I slowly turn looking back whispering, “Granny, who is that man, is he a relative?”

  She starts giggling like she’s thirteen years old, leans over with her lips almost touching my ear and whispers back “Oh child, that’s your Granddad Patrick Brooks.”

  From the homemade wooden chair where I sat, I turned and stared at my grandfather. Since I had only seen him in old black and white photos in our family album, his young appearance left me shocked and speechless.

  As the last chords were strummed on the guitar and mandolin, Bob slowly drug the horse hair bow across the strings of the cello for the final note; I’m thinking how God’s blessings are truly immeasurable.

  Suddenly as the instruments silenced, the whole group started rejoicing, continuing to raise their hands and voices to God in worship.

  As my two uncles cut loose playing an old song, “Sugar Foot Rag”, my granny grabs my hand, pulls me out of the chair and starts dancing. We both burst out laughing as she twirls me around like we were really dancing with the stars .

  As I look in her glistening bright eyes, I can’t help but remember the last time I saw her, she was on her deathbed. Now I’m dancing with my Granny in Heaven!

  While we are still twirling and spinning around, I ask her if she remembered the scripture:

  “Oh Death, where is your sting? O, Hades, where is your victory?”

  As the song ended, she reached up and gave me another kiss on each cheek.

  “Granny, how is it that
Grandpa looks like he’s in his early to mid-thirties?”

  Before she could answer, my Grandfather Patrick walked over with his arm extended, and as he shook my hand he pulled me closer in, turning a hand shake into a great big warm hug.

  “Chado Cole, I know we’ve never met but from time to time the Lord would allow me to peek in at you and I’m sorry your life on Earth got cut a little short, but we’re so glad you made it.”

  “Grandpa, Mom told me so many great stories about you and how so dearly she loved you. I always regretted never getting to see you, with your passing before I was born.”

  “Yes, He took me pretty early in life, but I didn’t mind at all. God let me know that He would watch over my family and would eventually allow us all to be reunited.”

  Grandpa smiled as he pointed across the group of family members standing around the porch. “See there, He is true to His promises. What else did Millie tell you about me?”

  “She said you were a Godly man, and you would walk around your old home place and talk to the Lord like He was standing right beside you. She also said you were super smart and even designed and helped build a naval base somewhere down in Florida.”

  “Son, any accomplishment in my short life on Earth was only by the hand of God leading me through it. I can truly say it wasn’t me. ”

  “Awe, come on Grandpa, from what Mom told me I’ve always considered you to be the smartest person in our whole family.”

  He grins as we slowly head for the back porch. “Chado, you know I’ve been here enjoying the blessings of Heaven for a long time now and those hard years on Earth don’t compare to the constant joy we have here. I can’t wait until your mom gets here. She is going to absolutely love it, especially the way I remember her as a little girl always wanting to sing.”

  “Yeah Grandpa, could you always sing like that, I mean when you were back on Earth?”

  Chuckling, “Heck no, Chado, I couldn’t carry a tune around in a bucket. You’ve only just begun to see the many blessings God gives us here in Heaven. Did you notice how well Bob played that cello? He just found that thing sitting in a case right over there on that rock and suddenly he sounds like he had been with an orchestra all his life. Chado, I’m telling you the mysteries and blessings of God are unending.”

  “Grandpa how is it you’re so young? From what I read in the Bible, I thought everyone would instantly be young when they became immortal, but since I arrived, I’ve seen a lot of folks that are still old. Just here at this gathering, my uncles and aunts all seem to still look close to the age they were when they passed. Even Granny looks about the same. Well, I have to admit they all have a certain glow and appear to look a bit younger, but not by much!”

  “Chado you’re going to love this. You see your relatives standing around out there?”

  “Yes Sir.”

  “Look at your Uncle Loy; he arrived here about twenty five years ago, now that’s going by earth years, because time doesn’t mean a whole lot here in Heaven. Okay, saying that, he was in his eighties when he passed, so how old would you say, he looks to be now? ”

  “I don’t know, maybe around sixty, or sixty five?”

  “Yes, that’s about right. Are you catching on?”

  “I guess, Grandpa.”

  “Well heck, I’ll give you an example. Just say someone dies and they’re a hundred years old. As soon as they arrive in Heaven their age clock starts going backward and doesn’t stop until they are around the age of thirty three-years old. Remember now, that’s how old Jesus was at his resurrection, and we believe God chose that age for us here in Heaven. Wouldn’t you say the age of thirty-three would have been the prime age of our lives when we were mortal?”

  “Yes, I’ve never thought of it like that, and it must be so cool for an old person with each passing hour, knowing they’re becoming younger. It’s the total opposite of the dread we felt as we looked in the mirror year after year and seeing old age creep into our faces. God is so cool Grandpa.”

  I hear Granny, “Chado Cole! You run down to the creek and fetch that big black diamond watermelon. It should be chilled down and ready to cut.”

  After we share a few more memories and have our fill of watermelon, I let everyone know that Uriel and I have to be moving on. I want to see Dad and Summer before we focus on our mission.

  A handful of my cousins follow us for a few miles, but before turning back, Bob wanted me to promise him, “Chado, you are going to settle down around here somewhere, right?”

  “I probably will, but I would like to see where Dad’s place is and what it looks like around the Valley of the Children before I make up my mind.”

  “Cuz, you do know your dad and Uncle Spike live only a few miles from here, don’t you?”

  “No, I didn’t. Well, that’s good news.”

  Bob smiles as he takes a sackcloth pouch off his shoulder, and hands it over, “Here Chado, Granny wanted you to have this.”

  As I open the pouch, I can smell a mixture of homemade cornbread, biscuits and I see a couple jars of figs. We both laugh, “Granny hasn’t changed a bit, has she?”

  “Godspeed, Cousin.”

  * * *

  Uriel and I head back in the direction of the cobblestone road with Rex and Moushie still leading the way.

  I hear Uriel mumble, “Chado, you have a wonderful family that has loved you dearly on Earth and also here in Heaven.”

  “I know… I hated to leave. I truly believe I could have stayed right there on that creek bank for eternity.”

  “Yes, your family chose well when they made a decision on where to live. When it’s time, God will give you a certain desire for where He wants you to call home. Right now isn’t the time for settling down.”

  Uriel reaches over and pats me on the shoulder. “Little Soul, after we visit the rest of your family, at some point God will instruct you with more detail about your mission.”

  “Uriel, you think He might tell me in person?”

  “Maybe, but often He gives dreams and visions while you sleep. Oh, by the way he might just send a messenger.”

  “A messenger; like Allayer and Nipper?”

  Uriel chuckles, “Maybe.”

  “Wow, Uriel that sounds pretty exciting, but I’m still a little uneasy on what the mission is about.”

  “Have no fear; God will lead you through it.”

  As we make it back to the cobblestone road, I reach in the pouch Granny gave us and broke off a couple chunks of cornbread and shared it with Uriel and our two pups. We passed Samson’s wine pouch back and forth, washing down some of the best cornbread ever cooked as we continue to admire the unending beauty of Heaven.

  “Hey Uriel, I’ve been meaning to ask you, when Nipper and Allayer were transporting me here and we were entering into the atmosphere of Heaven, they were trying to teach me how to fly. As a matter of fact I crashed and burned on my landing. Allayer and Nipper got a big laugh out of that. Well anyway, after I got here, I don’t seem to know how, or maybe it’s just I haven’t had the desire to fly.”

  “Chado, God takes away the desire because He wants everyone to slow down and enjoy every blessing He has to offer. Just think, if everyone here was zooming around, you wouldn’t have the peace and tranquility He has provided. I can tell you this; He has portals set up in certain areas that everyone can use when He allows it.”

  Before I could ask any more questions about the portals, I happen to look over at Uriel and noticed the deep scars on the left side of his face had completely disappeared and his skin was now clear and smooth.

  “Uriel, your face, the scars are gone where the demon clawed you!”

  He slowly reaches up and rubs his fingertips across where the scars had been. “Chado, I guess God decided I had that particular scar long enough.”

  I reach over and pick up part of his garment that was covering his back, “Uriel, you still have quite a few scars remaining on your back, but it looks like the ones you said the fallen angels gav
e you are gone also.”

  Uriel smiles as he pulls his garment down and holds his hands up, “Thank you Lord. ”

  I could still see several scars remaining on Uriel’s arms, his forehead and back. I can’t help but wonder why God didn’t just remove them all.

  “Chado, it’s not His timing for all to be removed. Listen, we have a little while before we see your father, I want you to tell me another story of your past and leave out nothing.”

  “What story?”

  “Remember when you were sitting on the bayou in central Louisiana all night watching for the pipeline company? There were two different nights that you were under attack from the darkness.”

  “Are you talking about the night when the guy drowned in the bayou or the guy that wanted to rob me? Come to think of it, there was another one that I caught stealing batteries out of a bull dozer. That was a rough area I was in!”

  “The two I want you to tell me about is the guy that drowned and the one you thought was going to rob and kill you.”

  “Sure, well how do I start this?”

  * * *

  “Okay, our pipeline right-of-way was down on the inside levee of Rapides Bayou and that meant we had to lay through some of the most crime ridden areas of Alexandria.

  Every evening before dark, after the crews all went home for the night; I would pull out a couple fishing poles and catch catfish out of the bayou. One particular evening, just as soon as the last employee had just driven away, a tall black man came walking up, what seemed like out of nowhere. It really frightened me and Buck, with this surprise visit from a total stranger especially at our dismal location.

  It was almost dark, but the distant streetlights were enough to make out the friendly expression on his face. This abnormally tall man, wearing a long black leather jacket, walked straight up to me with his hand out as to greet me with a hand shake. I slowly reach out and shake his hand. The whole time I’m thinking, ‘My pistol is lying on the seat of my truck, what if he attacks me?’

  His hand is so big his fingers completely wrap around my whole hand. I nervously ask him what can I help him with and he starts looking around as if to see if we were alone. Noticing his curiosity only added to my concern of being totally vulnerable for an attack. My mind still racing, ‘With his size he could easily kill me, throw me in the bayou and drive off, and no one would know anything for at least twelve hours.’