Ordinary Angels......extraordinary blessings.....

One night, a few days ago, Kat and I were at IHOP having dinner. Now, we hadn't been out to a real sit-down restaurant dinner in AGES, due to the hard times that had befallen us in the past year or so, and we were SERIOUSLY enjoying ourselves! Anyway, something happened that night that just didn't seem to be a big deal at the time, but just keeps growing in my heart and head in importance.

I was sitting there, munching happily away on my chicken strips when all of a sudden, Kat says, "Honey, that lady is about to fall! Why don't you go over and offer to help them. Just tell them that you are a nurse's aide, and have training, because the other lady isn't going to be able to stop her from falling or get her off the floor once she does!" So, I turn and around and look, and sure enough, there is this youngish-looking woman in a booth, turned sideways, and almost sliding out of it onto the floor. (It was hard to really tell her age, due to her sickness, but I got the impression she really wasn't very old.)

So, I did just what Kat had said, I went over and offered to help, and the older lady, who really was quite petite, looked at me gratefully, and said, "Yes, thank you, she really needs to go the bathroom. She just got out of the hospital, and wanted to go eat before we headed back home, and now she needs to get to the bathroom, but she is still so weak, and I forgot to bring her walker."

So, between me and the older woman, (I think she may have been the sick woman's mom) we finally got her up, and I helped her walk to the bathroom VERY slowly, but pretty steadily. I helped her into the stall, and she was strong enough from there, to do the rest, and I told the older woman that I was going back to my table, but that if they needed help again, not to hesitate, to come out and get me, and I would help again. As much as needed, really.

After a bit, they came out and she was walking much better, and the older one said, "Thank you so much, but I think we got it." And they started to head to the door to leave. In another few seconds, the older one came back over to us, and asked me to help again, because the sick one was getting weaker quickly. Kat and I both think she had cancer, and probably had just come from either fighting a relapse of remission, or from a round of chemo.

I walked her out to the curb and the older one went and brought the car up. As I was helping the sick one load into the pasenger seat, I asked the older one if they had someone to help at home.....because we would be quite happy to follow them home and help if need be. She kind of chuckled and said that yes, they had help at home, and besides, they lived in Omak.

I am not exactly sure HOW far away Omak is, but I know it is quite a drive. I told her that we would be happy to follow her and help if need be. She smiled that grateful smile at me again, and assured me again that no, really they had help at home.

So, with that, I finished helping the sick one load in, and made sure she was all tucked in there good for the long drive home, and bid them both adieu, and told them they would certainly be in our prayers, and we sincerely hoped that she felt better soon, and that life would improve for them both. The older one profusely thanked me, and said "God bless you." The relief in her voice, was enormous.

Now, from the title of this entry, you might think that I am referring to myself as being the ordinary angel. Far from it. After I finished helping these two, I came back into the restaurant, and sat back down. I know the look on my face must have been priceless. I told Kat what had transpired, and said that those two probably thought I was an angel sent by God, but the reality was that they were MY angels. They blessed me much more that I was being a blessing to them.

I know my help to them was a HUGE blessing to them, but the opportunity to BE a blessing was a greater service to me than ANYTHING I did for them. See, I am a born helper. I am a good nurse's aide, because I care so deeply and love to care for others. That part of me has been very stifled for over a year due to circumstances, and my heart just soared at this opportunity to serve. I told Kat that those kind of privileges, to help and serve a stranger, didn't come around in life all that often, and I was especially gratefulfor this one as it had helped soften some hardness and coldness I have been developing in response to our desperate circumstances in the past year or so.

So, to my ordinary angels I say "Thank you both, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for being my extraordinary blessings that day!" I truly do wish you the best, and hope from the bottom of my heart that life takes an upswing soon, and many ordinary angels bless you both extraordinarily.