Tim really did the bulk of it all. I mostly "cheered" his valiant efforts while I snuggled next to our first born, then only one. But for some reason, I think Tim had gotten sick or something, this particular morning, I was folding, stacking, loading all on my own. Sort of. I had brought Spencer with me. He was still nursing at the time and cranky from not being at home during sleeping hours. I folded for a while, ignoring his protests, and finally climbed into the car to nurse him... hoping he would then sleep for the rest of the time. I was tired and frustrated. When I emerged from my car and returned to my papers, there was a girl about my age, folding my papers. She explained she knew what it was like to be in my shoes and thought she could lend a hand. As we talked, we realized that we were in the same ward when we were little, but hadn't recognized each other. Anna Marie.
Anna Marie acted the part of an angel that early morning. She didn't have to do anything. I wouldn't have thought I was jipped if no one helped me. It was my task. Still, she came forward, without being asked, and left an impression in my heart forever.
This next story is taken from a post at Real Mom, Real Life:
A few years ago, I saw something that I will never forget. I was driving past another corner on a typical Arizona day; one hundred plus degrees. On this corner was a man dressed as though he was prepared for the world’s worst blizzard. He had donned a scarf, hat, several layers of heavy clothing followed by an open coat. His bearded face was barely poking through the layers of clothing. It was obvious from the appearance of these cloths and this man that neither had been washed in some time. In fact, it took some effort to differentiate the man from the cloths, as they were both so dirty. He had sunken down, half laying, half sitting, to the cement, leaning against the stop light. He is what I imagine the Savior meant when he said “the least of these”.Next to this poor man was another man. Maybe in his 20’s, although I didn’t see his face. His arm was around the fallen man and with his other arm he held a yellow Gatorade to the man’s mouth. I could tell by how the younger man leaned in to help, that he wasn’t worried about smell, filth or safety. He was worried about a fellow human. I felt as though I had seen the story of the Good Samaritan. I have seen the painting, one man leaning over another to help, but this was a real life version of it. I wondered how I could get to that point in my life where I do not worry about what is unpleasant for me and worry more about what my fellow man needs.
I can go on and on about different people who have blessed our lives. Whether it was a dentist who felt impressed to wave the charges, a mechanic who took money from his own pocket to pay for a repair we needed, but couldn't afford or someone opening the door for me when my arms are loaded up with children, people are around us every day doing random acts of kindness. They are answering prayers, lifting the stranger, crying with a neighbor. I have been blessed in my life to experience first hand people's acts of kindness towards my family. In my heart and mind, they were acting as angels. Serving God's purpose.
Truly the Lord places angels among us. These angels are just like us. People. People who are good. Kind. People who restore confindence in mankind. What angels have you seen in action?
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