Mike Henneke is a newspaper editor, Mormon dad of 5 kids, recognized as eye candy for the School of the Blind and writes at www.thismike.com. While he denies any allegations of a Facebook addiction, Mike swears he can quit Chili Cheese Fritos any time he wants.
At first I thought the man in the Home Depot apron intended to remove me from my position on one of their store couches.
As I sat there waiting for my son, I saw the man walk up out of the corner of my eye. Even though he hesitated at first, I could tell the large man with neatly combed gray hair wanted to talk. The tiredness was evident in his face.
Despite my aching body from working all day, despite my irritation with my son and an enthralling Facebook thread about boredom, I looked up and smiled.
That was all he needed.
I assumed this would be small talk, the kind we usually engage in during store conversations with strangers. For any family members with me, this usually involves great embarrassment. They’ve seen me go to great lengths to get somebody to smile or laugh.
But this was different. He stood there in front of me telling me about his life, how he had to take care of his ill wife for most of his marriage. She had been gone for almost a year after her death, and it still hurt. Boy did it hurt.
As he talked, I put my phone away and gave him my full attention. Now that I think about it, I should really give my wife the same courtesy. She really shouldn’t compete with the phone, iPad or television.
We talked for about 5 minutes, until my 17-year-old son walked up to us. Because he has the sensitivity of 80-grit sandpaper, he didn’t hesitate to launch into his agenda. Even though I politely shushed him, I knew the conversation was over.
Before I left him I conveyed my empathy to this man as best I could, knowing I would never see him again. It seems like something a heaven-sent angel would do.
Even now, it’s hard to consider myself an angel. I’m barely housebroken. I often sport barbecue stains on my church suit, show up late to meetings and quote more lines from M*A*S*H then scriptures.
But I think Heavenly Father gets that. Simply put, angels are ordinary people put in the right situation at the right time to help others.
No matter what “Touched By An Angel” would have you believe, they don’t always turn with that Duracell glow and talk with an Irish accent. They don’t care who wins the pennant (See “Angels in the Outfield”) and I suspect that the wings pose a definite problem getting through airport security.
Most angels are like my beautiful wife of 24 years, who had a feeling one Sunday to leave church in a hurry. It was a persistant prompting, with a little more urgency than a still small voice.
As she and my son approached my house in our van, they could see a woman hunched over on the curb, not more than 20 feet from our garbage can. She turned out to be a neighbor on our street, not a member of our church.
As Barb exited the van and approached the woman, it was obvious that she had been crying. She had no shoes. For whatever reason, she had to leave her house in a hurry. And on this day, she stopped in front of our house.
Barb’s offer for more help was declined. But wife didn’t leave without hugging the woman tightly. Rarely have I met somebody who can show Christ-like love better than her.
Even now, I’m not sure what happened to the woman. But I continue to think back to that day and that instant, Heavenly Father knew of this woman, and her immense pain. She wasn’t in our Relief Society or on some ward list to save. But Heavenly Father loved her just as much, if not more.
The divinely inspired “The Family: A Proclamation To The World” makes the point very clear.
“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents.”
Notice that word beloved. I’ll keep that in mind the next time I’m walking through Home Depot or any other location for that matter.
Just in case somebody needs an unlikely angel.
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| The Henneke Family |
Thanks, Mike!
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I love the term unlikely angels for this concept. I’m grateful for the angels who have done things like help me get through the checkout line at the grocery store without losing my kids or my temper! Heavenly Father IS watching out for us and knows our needs.
I absolutely love when Our Heavenly Father chooses to use me to do his will in that capacity. It’s happened more times than I can comment or remember. I also suffer from no fear of strangeraphobia and often am scalded for spending hours talking with someone I’ve just met to my wife’s dismay but I see things that others miss. Especially when someone is troubled or just needs someone to listen. Funny; my wife says I don’t listen. Maybe I’ll listen to her more;after all, we’re going to be together always. Lol
I absolutely love moments like that and my life is FULL of them. I’m convinced our Heavenly Father does this to allow us to do His will just one more time again. Man…… Sometimes when these things happen it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up. Yeah buddy. Ask me to do it again Please.
I am grateful for unlikely angels too. Great post.
it takes such a short amount of time to stop and listen. thanx
I liked this. Thank you.
Beautiful stories… I hope to be an angel for others as many times as I can. 🙂
Reminds me of the many angels that have unknowingly blessed my life.
I appreciate the kind comments, folks. It makes it easy when you are married to somebody as beautiful as my wife. Best example of service out there.
My favorite part – that she got a prompting, listened to it and took action on it. This is crucial and should be the sole goal for each of our days. Thanks!
A simple reminder that we are all angels here to serve each other.
Loved this post…it was perfect. One thing I have tried to do is to send thank you notes to those ‘angels’ who have been there for me….you know the ones who if they weren’t in your life at the precise time and place, you would have made different choices?? Yep…so grateful the Lord loves me enough to send them. So I try to be available when ‘I get the call’ to be one.
Wonderful post. Makes me think back to simple moments like that in my life and realize that maybe they were more than they appeared to be on the surface. Thank you!
Beautifully written, as always, Mike. I love how you focused on the very important truth: that we are all part of God’s family, which make us truly our brother/sister’s keepers. Great Proclamation emphasis that is often overlooked.
tDMg
You’re an angel for helping us be more aware of those around us. We get so busy with our own lives that we forget there are other people out there in need too.
Thanks for sharing this! I loved what he said about helping everyone, not just someone on a ward list or who we are sent to help. That we are all Brothers and Sisters and we’re all loved and being watch over by our Father in Heaven. Very nice…
What a great reminder to take time for other’s and to look out for their needs.
Thank you for sharing this post. It was a great reminder and I will remember it.
Your wife looks like an earthly angel. Her compassion just shines through. On a completely different note, I once went to a neighbor who was crying. When I hugged her she looked up and smiled through her tears. She said “You give the best hugs! You are so squishy.” I laughed. I’m not fat. I’m just made for hugging.
So kind of you to say that about my wife. She does have mucho compassion for sure. Sometimes all it takes is a hug or two.
Very cool.
I have been blessed with unlikely angels throughout my life, and I can only hope to have been one, at least once, to someone else. If only to have somehow repayed a little of the blessing of having one in my life when I needed them the most.
JRoberts: Thanks for the comment. Sometimes it doesn’t take much at all to be an angel. I’m sure you have many times, more than you realize. Thanks for reading.