Recently I entered an article for the Write-To-Publish Writers Conference. It was an honor to hear that it won 3rd place in magazine articles for my piece.
Since today would be my mom’s birthday, I thought it would be a wonderful tribute to her by publishing this article in her honor 🙂
ESCORT TO HEAVEN
Out of nowhere, Mom sat up on her own for the first time in twelve weeks. Not only did she sit up, but she pointed to the corner of her hospital room and exclaimed, “Del, look!”
“What mom?” I asked. What is it?”
“Don’t you see her—she’s right there?” she said.
I leaped from my chair and ran to her bedside. “What is it, Mom? What do you see?”
Her voice intensified, “Can’t you see her Del — she’s right there!”
As I turned around to see what she was pointing to, I glanced at the corner of her room, but all I could see was the stucco walls in this aged-old hospital room and the stark white ceiling above. “What Mom? What is it?”
“What … what does he look like?” I questioned in amazement.
“No silly, she chuckled. “It’s not a he, it’s a she. She’s standing right there— it’s an angel.”
Although I couldn’t physically see her, I couldn’t deny that there was a warm and glorious presence looming in her room. Within minutes Mom laid back down just as she was before. Then about an hour later, she started again with even greater excitement, “Look, Del, she’s back.” Still, I wish I could say I could see this angel she continued to speak about, but the glow on Mom’s face mirrored its presence.
On that evening it was just mom and I. Usually there was always someone else in the room—one of my siblings, my children, nieces, or nephews—but for whatever reason, I was there alone.
Three months prior, Mom had fallen and broken her hip. And with that, one issue led to another which caused her health to decline. It was a few days before Christmas, and the doctors explained to us that she was suffering from a severe infection that had settled in her back. As gentle as they could, they let us know that Mom’s time could be nearing its end. In a sheer state of denial, each of us believed that the doctors were wrong and one day Mom would return home.
Back to that evening, the angel did not come only to visit my mom, but with an important message—Mom conveyed it to me. “Del, she said, “you need to go to every room and make the sign of the cross outside of each door. There are people right here on their way to Hell.” she continued. “You must go and pray for them.”
I knew this request was not from my mom, but it was something that the Lord wanted me to do. So, without hesitation, I went down the hall and prayed silently for whatever the Lord would have me pray for each room I passed by.
When I returned, I found mom fast asleep. I shared with her how the Lord guided me to pray from room to room. Although she didn’t respond, and never spoke another word again, somehow, I believe she knew this mission was complete.
The next day I shared my mom’s encounter with one of our favorite nurses. I wasn’t sure how she’d respond, but I told her anyway. To my surprise, she greeted me with a much-needed hug and words of comfort, “It’s okay Del, don’t be alarmed. We’ve had many patients tell us about their angelic visitations just before they pass. That was the Angel of Death she saw.”
Oh my Gosh! Was she telling me that Mom indeed had a visitation from an angel?
My eyes filled with tears as she carried on. “The gentleman in the very last room on the right was scheduled to go home for Christmas, but he passed away during the night. Because of what I’ve seen in the past, that means your mom will be next.” Her straightforwardness left me speechless.
On Christmas Day, the day in which Jesus, whom she loved so dearly had entered this world, God an angel to escort Mom home. In my heart, I will always believe it was the same angel who visited her that night.
Now, whenever Christmas rolls around, I will not only remember it as the day that our Lord and Savior was born, but I will also remember it as that evening when Mom had a visitation from her own personal escort to Heaven …
Hey.. and if you like, click on this song and see if you can guess what her favorite song was!
God bless,
Del
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Pen 4 The Lord 