angels – yourhappyplaceblog

Angels among us

Published on January 8, 2020 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

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Christmas day this year we surprised our daughter with a Cirque show in Vegas.

We were a little worried because our Dodge Durango had been giving us some transmission issues a few days before Christmas. We were recently gifted a truck after my husbands Dad died a few months ago, so thankfully we had a truck to drive down to Vegas.

We drove six hours on Christmas Day to see the Cirque show, Le Reve and it was an incredible show. The night was magical and our day ended with such delight and a great memory together.

The next morning we got up to drive to a nearby city to get breakfast. The morning was colder than normal for Las Vegas and the roads were wet with fresh rain. As we were driving the truck hit a slick patch and began to spin out of control. Our daughter was in the front cab with us and became hysterical. Everything slowed down & every moment was in such slow motion. We fully rotated two times before hitting the seventy-degree, man-made mountain that the truck was thrown up on. We began to roll. My husband looked out his window and saw dirt that then turned to grey sky. I was watching my window seeing only asphalt and waiting for the large truck mirror to explode on impact. As my daughter was screaming and crying, I calmly told everyone, “We are going to roll.” We all braced for impact and then all the sudden miraculously, the truck tipped back up into an upright position. We were facing oncoming traffic, but luckily it was like the truck had been perfectly positioned on the shoulder where we were not stopping or blocking any traffic.

We sat stunned and motionless. We watched as many cars drove by. We were so grateful that we did not have the amount of traffic that was passing us when we were spinning out of control. There could have been multiple people involved. Another blessing.

We also knew that there had to be angels with us through that crash because how would a car be tipping, in the midst of rolling and then come back up. We all knew we had been protected and blessed. My husband joked, “my Dad obviously did not want to see his truck destroyed.” We laughed and joked, but we also knew it was very true. We know there were angels there that day.

Two of the tires on the driver’s side were blown out and we were in such a hidden location that the cops couldn’t find us. Thankfully no one was hurt or it would have been an even scarier situation.

It was a terrifying experience, but it was also a memory we will always have together that will always remind us how close heaven truly is. We know we were protected. We know there were angels there that day.

-Peace and Love to you today. Know you are held in the safe embrace of heaven.

Do you strive to live in Grace or Nature

Published on August 27, 2015August 27, 2015 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

Yesterday I was down & decided to put in a movie, The Tree of Life. It was a movie full of imagery, music, thought, story…visually it stirred my soul, but the other aspect of the story line was the way we live our lives. Held within the story walls was an emotional war between the mother (who strived to live in a place of grace) and a father who was driven by human nature.

It made me wonder how to hold onto those directions we strive to live in our life. How do you hold on to the need for grace, for light, for love and not be distracted by the fears, ego, society…

So, I am going to google, “How to hold on to grace in our life” and see what comes up. I will leave you my findings to then sprinkle them into your own life. Peace to you.

So, I came across a definition by Dallas Willard that says,

“Grace is God acting in our life.”

To me this is EVERYTHING…every detail, every gift we hold, every breath we take, every laughter, every moment. Through all things God is acting in our life. Everywhere you look, the breeze, the colors, the sounds, the scents, the smiles, the majestic mountains, the crashing seas, the hands that hold one another, the babies born, the muscles that walk, the eyes that see, the hopes, the dreams, the challenge, the changes, the soul of life, it is bigger than anything and everything.

“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” We must have faith and a knowing that when challenges occur, there is a bigger plan surrounding us. We must look for the seed in which we can grow in this seemingly dark place. This makes me think of a dear friend of ours who is in her forties, is in the beginning stages of a late pregnancy, and just had a full blown stroke. I also think of my sister-in-law who has triplets and today is taking one of them in to find out if she has cerebral palsy at the sweet age of two. My heart weeps for them, my soul is stirred in aching pain, trying to understand the challenges they are facing. I can’t even imagine. BUT, it also makes me see how precious each day is, that life is too short, that we must strive to live, to love, to have faith in tomorrow.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Look all around you. Have you not been given much? Do your eyes see? Do your legs hold you high? Do you hear a whisper from your child? Do you see the sunlight shine down on you? Do you have hope? Do you have love in your heart? Have hope that you have all you need at this very moment. Have a knowing that He will provide for your every need.

Psalms 46:1

Always have faith that God can be your refuge & will give you strength in your time of need. I do find comfort in feeling that when I need Him, He is there. I feel that I am not alone in this world & that I am just a prayer away. I have been reading a sweet book called, “Where angels walk” by Joan Wester Anderson. It is a book full of beautiful stories of angels who have come to the aid of children who were about to be harmed, protected women in scary situations, carried a young boy home who had been bit by a rattlesnake…heaven is closer than we know. Nothing separates us but ourselves. I believe if we call on heavenly forces to help us, they will do all they can to be there.

“Nothing can separate us from the Love of God.” -Romans 8

Isn’t that a beautiful idea. NOTHING can come between us, so we must have faith that we can call on Him, call on angels, know that whatever we are going through, whatever we have to face, we are so close to heaven.

I thought this was funny…God has no phone, but I talk to Him. He has no Facebook, but He is still my friend. He does not have Twitter, but I still follow Him. Nothing can separate us from Him, except us. He longs to be near, He longs to hear your prayers. He is there and nothing can separate us from that love.

Ask and ye shall receive

According to Lifecoach Cheryl Richardson, “I’ve learned now, in working in partnership [with God] and dancing with grace, that when I need direction, I will ask for it.” Cheryl says she uses this mantra: “Give me direction. Let me see the doors that are open, make sure that I see them and open those doors.Answers are around you all the time, but the question is, how present are you to them? “The more present you become to your life, the more you begin to see that there are signs all around you,” Cheryl says.

Take note when you begin to judge or shut down what someone’s saying to you and try to stay open-minded, Cheryl says. “What if everyone that comes into our life is a spiritual change agent in some way? The more open you can be, the more you allow your life to change and the more you see the influence of grace,” she says. “A closed mind is the barrier to living a grace-filled life.”When you see signs of grace in your life, you’re entering into “the dance,” Cheryl says. The dance of grace represents your psychological growth: You realize there are coincidences that occur in your life and recognize that it is part of this divine intelligence working in your life. “As you begin to see those signs, you realize, ‘Wow, I am co-creating [my life] with some kind of spiritual intelligence here.'”

Cheryl says it’s also important to listen, pay attention and take action. “When you get the messages, you need to act on them,” she says.

Well, that is all for today. I hope these scriptures and thoughts will give you something to think about. I think just looking for the many ways God is Acting in Your Life each day and finding gratitude in those things will open the doors to grace in your life, which will then mirror into the lives of those around you. Peace to you today. -H

Heaven is Closer than we think

Published on May 16, 2014 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

I do think Heaven is closer than we have any idea, who is to stay. I recently went to see the movie “Heaven is for Real” and it was an amazing story full of heart, seeking truth, faith, hope, wonder…many emotions. It made me look at myself and wonder what I would do if my young child had gone through a similar experience.

The closest experience I have ever had to heaven was when my brother was 16 years of age and was fighting demons daily. I could tell you a little bit about dark angels because I was living with one at the time. My brother had a darkness, a frightening reality of desperately wanting to leave this world, so much that he had conversations with me about how he would take his life. I was only 17 at the time and the discussions worried me to my core and I did not know how to deal or help him.

One night I came in my front door from a date, it was late & I heard the garage door open. I looked outside, the door was closed, no one was in the garage. I was puzzled & my mind raced remembering my brother telling me how he would take one of the cars and simply drive off a cliff. Right then, I heard the garage door again. I looked into the garage and saw my brother sitting in the drivers seat of our mini-van. I didn’t hesitate, I jumped in the passenger seat and began to find out what he was thinking. There was a eery, darkness in his eyes, a gloss that seemed to be distant and he seemed to not even be there. I was worried and I began to get emotional, begging him to stay, knowing what his intentions were, I told him I wasn’t leaving & buckled my seat belt. He glared at me with no emotion on his face, “there are other ways.” Right then, I knew I was fighting an endless battle. He was right, there were many ways he could take his life. I seemingly talked him off a ledge and convinced him to come inside the house with me. He took off down to the basement where his room was. I ran upstairs in a panic & woke my parents begging them for direction, and emotionally pleading that he was going to try and take his life. My Dad went into the garage and came back upstairs, “he won’t be going anywhere,” he replied. I laid on the floor listening to every movement in the basement, praying inside, unsure of what we could do. All sorts of unsettling images filled my heart and soul & I was afraid of what may happen. I kept praying.

Suddenly, the door to the garage slammed. Me and my Dad just sat there motionless, just listening and then a car engine fired up and screeched out of the garage. My Dad literally flew over our railing and raced out the front door. I watched in fear as my brother sped down our street in our brand new Ford Taurus. My Dad was dazed and confused because he had disabled the starters in both cars. My parents and I didn’t know what else to do, we held hands and began to pray. Honestly, the only thought I remember from that prayer was when my mother said, “You know when every sparrow falls.” That one line did give me a little peace & I was able to go to sleep that night.

The next morning, I jumped out of bed and ran to my parents, “have you seen him?” My Dad told me that he had come in early and just had a gash on his head, but the car was in the canyon. I couldn’t believe it. I went down stairs to find my brother lying on the heater with a blanket over him. I asked him if he was okay & he showed me the gash on his head. I was grateful he was alive.

The police searched the canyon for hours & when they did find the car, it was totaled. A dime that was on the car floor was actually bent in half. It was a miracle that my brother was alive.

When I asked my brother what happened, all he could tell me was he remembered driving down the canyon and the song “Devil inside” was playing and he drove off the cliff. He didn’t wear his seat belt thinking that would help end his life, but ironically when the car rolled it threw him out into a snow bank. My brother was wearing shorts and a light parka, was knocked unconscious & woke up in a snow bank. The only thing wrong with him was a headache from the gash on his head. He literally walked from the canyon floor up to a road & luckily a delivery truck was coming down the mountain from a nearby ski resort. The guy gave him a ride home.

The point of my story–if there are dark angels, there truly are angels of light, right. If miracles happen, then heaven is there helping us along. ABSOLUTELY.

I wanted to share some other angel stories to show that heaven is truly closer than we think–enjoy.

AMAZING YOUNG ARTIST: This story was a side story in the movie “Heaven is for Real” but it is an amazing story, so I thought I would add the link from the story done on CNN. AMAZING. Just watch.

ANGEL STORIES: Here is a link to some angel stories from guidepost http://www.guideposts.org/inspiration/angels-on-earth/guardian-angels –take what you will. Read what inspires, there may be a story that touches your heart and places a little piece of heaven where you need it most.

ANGEL QUOTES:

-Peace to you. Heather

Protection, Purpose, Gratitude, Love

Published on May 3, 2013May 23, 2013 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

Wow, my heart skipped a beat as my husband called and told me about a shooting at the Houston airport. “Are you okay? was anyone hurt?” I inquired. “Yes. they kept us on the plane for over an hour till they had everything contained. There was a guy shooting off rounds and then shot himself. It was crazy. There were police and chaos everywhere.” “I am glad you are okay. I don’t know what to think about these numerous times where you have been close to shootings. Should I be worried,” I said light heartedly. “I know its unbelievable. Its crazy.” I was grateful he was safe.

I instantly thought about another business trip my husband went on not too long ago when there was another shooting at the mall across from where he was staying. He was on his way over to the mall to buy me a gift for our upcoming anniversary, but when he arrived, there was chaos and everything was closed off to the mall.

Situations like these you never think will happen, but it always makes me stop and give thanks…thanks he is in my life, thanks that he was not in the wrong place at the wrong time, thanks that he was safe and protected for another day.

My husband and I have been listening to the audio book “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews—great book. There is a statement in the book from the bible…hedge of thorns. In the book the author describes the hedge of thorns as protection, that nothing will harm you until your purpose has been fulfilled.

I envision angels of protection, guardians who stand by you till your quest is at its end. I thought about this visual and wondered what lives we truly would lead if we had our blinders of fear removed, began to know our innate greatness, our daily purpose, the gifts we are given to move us forward to our greater self, the greater part of us that changes the world, lives fully, sees clearly the vision of who we truly are.

I am grateful to imagine and feel of a powerful protection, a safety net that harnesses us to life, an understanding that what happens to us, around us, between us, is meant to be. There are lessons, monumental moments, heroic action, chaos…for some purpose. Whether it is to bring forth faith, gratitude, guidance, love or the mere understanding of another, there is a reason. I was again reminded of this—to give thanks for the ones you love in your life, to not take them for granted, to tell them how you feel…to share a prayer of thanks.

Please find something to share with those you love, a hug, a kind deed, words of gratitude, I love you’s, xoxo’s, a sweet note, a cherished moment that will not be left undone. Don’t wait.

Peace and love to you. -Heather