пятница, 18 января 2013 г.

Mustard Seed Angel

By Patricia Morris as told to Lisa Dolensky

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move. Nothing will be impossible to you.
~Matthew 17:20

I never expected to be a young mother with a seriously ill child, much less at a world-renowned pediatric and research hospital. But then again, does any parent or child?
Like many other families there, we found immediate comfort with the caring staff and family accommodations, which even extended to lodging the child's healthy siblings. The hospital's mission? Discover cures and lengthen lives. Such miracles did happen there. However, other miracles were also occurring, often unseen by adult eyes, but thankfully claimed and witnessed through the eyes of children.

During one of our hospital stays, I wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with another young mother in a similar situation. The well siblings were away playing in a nearby staff-supervised area while our sick children received treatments. I confided, "I could really use some time to talk without little ears to overhear."

It was such a release to share worries and encouragement with a kindred spirit. We soon found ourselves discussing mustard seed faith and what Jesus had said in scripture. "I tell you with certainty, if you have faith like the grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible to you." Matthew 17:20 (ISV)

Suddenly, my new friend's response was interrupted mid-sentence by her healthy preschool son bursting through a swinging door from the adjacent community kitchen. He grinned from ear to ear and excitedly handed his mother a small jar. He was too young to read and we both could hardly believe the spice container labeled, "Mustard Seed."

"Matthew, where did you get this?" she asked.

"The big boy angel in the kitchen told me to give it to you."

We both stood motionless, temporarily frozen with mouths and eyes wide open in awe. My heart instantaneously warmed with indescribable joy.

Seconds later, Matthew led us to the empty room where he had seen the big boy angel, on a wall mural of handprints made by children once treated there. Chills rippled over us. Looking at all the painted handprints with each accompanying name, date, and diagnosis, we couldn't help but wonder. Could our mustard seed angel's handprints be somewhere on that wall?

Our gazes met the clock and we realized it was, unfortunately, all too soon, time for us to resume our schedules. We talked and walked to the elevator pondering the coincidences of the angel, mustard seeds, scripture reference from the book of Matthew and the angelic message given to her little boy, coincidentally named Matthew.

Overwhelmed, we glanced at one another saying, "Do you really think...?"

The empty elevator doors opened and we could hardly believe what awaited us as we stepped inside... little, white floating feathers filled the air all around us. They tickled smiles upon our surprised faces and touched our souls with promise.

Feathers from an angel? Heaven only knows.

All we did know for certain was that there was only one place for our elevator and hopes to go... "Up!"
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