ArmsMerchant
2007-06-26, 18:57
God speaks to everyone. Much of the time, however, we are too busy being self-absorbed or fearful to pay attention. Since the EPA bitches about burning bushes, you don't see them much any more--now God uses more environmentally-friendly means of communication. For instance--odd weather patterns--like a circular hole suddenly appearing in a cloudy sky, or a triple rainbow; snatches of lyrics from songs heard on the radio; unusual behavior of animals; found objects; or the ever-popular voice in the head. All these have happened to me. Once, when I was in a particularly dense and downed-out mood, He/She/It/Them/Whatever sent an angel.
Most religions agree that the head guy doesn't do it all alone, but uses angel, devas, midwayers, avatars and so on as helpers, Angels usually function as messengers or advisors. In the shamanic paradigm, power animals usually serve much the same purpose; New Agers often call them midwayers. But I digress.
Here is the scene. I am at my stand, being more or less bummed out--no business all day, bills to pay, yadda yadda yadda. The this late-model Volvo rolls up, the window goes down. "Great," I think--"someone who is too lazy or stoned to leave his car."
So I get out of my car, go over to the guy. His car's interior is spotless, none of the usual clutter of fast-food wrappers , maps, weapons, tools, and stuff that you almost always see in Alaskan vehicles, even the spendy ones. The only thing in the car besides the driver is an REI daypack on the passenger seat.
The driver is white, good-looking but not in a movie-star way, short hair, no facial hair, conservative casual clothes.
"I've been sent to give you a message," he says.
"WTF?" I think.
"God loves you, and you are blessed," he says.
That took me by surprise, rocked me back on my heels a bit. I thought quickly, realized all of a sudden how much I had to be thankful for, and said "Yeah, God has been good to me."
Then he handed me a twenty-dollar bill and drove off.
Now the really weird thing about this is, $20 is sort of a major psychological number for me. In my youth, $20 bought a week's worth of groceries, and was a good day's pay. Today, I have a whole table-full of knives priced at $20, and that figure is sort of the low-end of an acceptable day's income.
So, angels are driving Volvos now. Who knew?
Most religions agree that the head guy doesn't do it all alone, but uses angel, devas, midwayers, avatars and so on as helpers, Angels usually function as messengers or advisors. In the shamanic paradigm, power animals usually serve much the same purpose; New Agers often call them midwayers. But I digress.
Here is the scene. I am at my stand, being more or less bummed out--no business all day, bills to pay, yadda yadda yadda. The this late-model Volvo rolls up, the window goes down. "Great," I think--"someone who is too lazy or stoned to leave his car."
So I get out of my car, go over to the guy. His car's interior is spotless, none of the usual clutter of fast-food wrappers , maps, weapons, tools, and stuff that you almost always see in Alaskan vehicles, even the spendy ones. The only thing in the car besides the driver is an REI daypack on the passenger seat.
The driver is white, good-looking but not in a movie-star way, short hair, no facial hair, conservative casual clothes.
"I've been sent to give you a message," he says.
"WTF?" I think.
"God loves you, and you are blessed," he says.
That took me by surprise, rocked me back on my heels a bit. I thought quickly, realized all of a sudden how much I had to be thankful for, and said "Yeah, God has been good to me."
Then he handed me a twenty-dollar bill and drove off.
Now the really weird thing about this is, $20 is sort of a major psychological number for me. In my youth, $20 bought a week's worth of groceries, and was a good day's pay. Today, I have a whole table-full of knives priced at $20, and that figure is sort of the low-end of an acceptable day's income.
So, angels are driving Volvos now. Who knew?