Beach reading… Heaven… both being at the beach just for the afternoon and reading in this little book about Heaven, yeah. I love understanding more about Heaven – and how we will get there. make no assumptions about angels and know that Jesus IS the Way. “…and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.”
Angels. It’s something we don’t think about, Angel armies. Yes, we believe in an angel here and there intervening “if we’re lucky” – but all of scripture shows God’s workers are working everyday everywhere. If we can appreciate the companionship of a cat or dog, can we wrap our heads about the constant buffer zone of angels? … hmmm… I know there is a purpose in protecting people, we are God’s children.
I enjoy the summer and stretching it. 75 degrees in October for us is unusual and still ice cream weather. But my palate has now changed from key lime and toasted coconut which were my summer flavors to now Nutella ice cream, oh… yum… Autumn holding onto summer – this is the transition time to show us all seasons are beautiful. Every season has a flavor and space.
And I saw the Camp Meeting Ocean Grove tent cabins stripped down without their canopies, flowers, decorative pieces. If you saw one alone you would think it’s the size for lawnmowers and yet collectively and then when open, they collect people together for community. These beautiful things are from the late 1800s early 1900s and colorful and a statement of sturdy yet temporary, like us on earth..
The chapel near the big tabernacle is even older than the tabernacle and the doors were open so I walked in. The windows stood as a testament to faith of long gone souls moved on… The simple arrangement of pews and altar was quiet and yet I felt a reverberation echo of faith from the ones who still bring the Spirit here to worship. It’s a time capsule of what the angel armies helped the faithful build.
After some ice cream I took a powerful nap on the beach, resting a pulled leg hip muscle. Sat on the beach (yes there were about a hundred people in my sights) reading and listening to waves and eating a delicious takeout pork roll egg cheese sandwich (it’s a jersey thing). And as I promised myself in compromise, I parked my chair next to the charging station at the boardwalk pavilion. Back to the sun, summer in the past, work in the front.
Yes, I brought my laptop as I’m trying to write the missing sections of my presentation about my sabbatical, which is very elaborate and in teaching style, and no one is even asking me to do it, but I feel an intense drive to present it, 3 different presentations. Yeah. It’s my vehicle for encouragement, science style, to find the passion in the project and the learning and in using your skills. A woman walked by and commented at what a wonderful outdoor office I had – and yes I said it was a work presentation I was trying to finish – she said “may the sun set on your presentation that you finish it”… Nice.
Ah, angel armies – if we have the drive to work, and finish work, imagine that the angels have a never ending drive and ability. It’s not that we tempt God and His angels for protection (Jesus told us not to), but angel armies are a buffer zone for us to keep living to our fullest! And confidence builders to open new chapters and close the old ones too. Like the closing of the season, it finishes. Don’t worry, there will be new seasonal joys ahead…
Enjoy this next quarter rotation around the sun… Enjoy the fall season and the never ending season of angel armies protection. Don’t be afraid to finish what you started so that you can start something new.
Smile, God loves us.
Amen
Matthew scripture about Jesus and angels: and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Debbie Upper 