Story of the Week, December 4, 2009, Angels in the Store
We certainly want to do God’s will, but many times we are not exactly sure what that is! We’re clear about the Ten Commandments and other rules of good conduct. But what if we’re making a decision about a move or a job? Perhaps it is simply our desire that is important. If we are trying to follow His lead, we can make mistakes and still be right. Mary Mullins of Modesto, California, knows this for sure.
Five years ago, Mary’s husband, Johnny, was laid off from his job as controller of a local company. He was given some notice, so the couple had a little time to think about what they would do. From the time they were a young married couple living in Ireland, they had dreamed of owning their own business. Was this the time to start? “We looked at our strong points to see if we could turn these into a business,” Mary says. “Johnny had expertise in accounting and business management, and I had a passion for art, especially religious art and stained glass. After some research and much prayer, we felt that God was calling us to begin our own art glass studio, creating original art work.” They named their new business Valley Rose Designer Glass, “Valley” because they now lived in the San Joaquin Valley, and “Rose” to honor both St. Therese and Our Lady under her title of “Mystical Rose.”
Things started out well. Their storefront had once been the site of an occult and magic shop, but their pastor blessed it, and the grand opening went smoothly. Mary and Johnny attended home improvement shows, advertised and dedicated every piece of work, no matter what the subject matter was, to God. However, as time went by, they encountered obstacles they were not prepared for. “We were naïve about some business practices,” says Mary, “and a few times we did not get paid for our work even though we had signed contracts.”
At the end of their first year, they were feeling a financial pinch, and Johnny went to Ireland for a temporary consulting job. When he returned, he realized that he had to go back to full time work. He got a job that paid half of what he had been earning. And Mary began to doubt. “Perhaps we had not done the right thing, perhaps I had misunderstood the direction that we believed God had given us.” As Christmas approached, her spirits sagged.
During the first week of December, a lady came into the shop. Her husband was of Welsh ancestry, and she wanted to commission a large glass replica of his coat of arms, which she could hang in front of a window in their home. It was to be a surprise Christmas gift for him.
Mary was excited, not only at the project, but at the good fee which would make Christmas a bit brighter! However, a few days later when the woman came in to see the preliminary drawing, she was quite upset. She had given Mary dimensions for a vertical window when she really needed a horizontal window. She was very upset at her own mistake and wanted to cancel the project. Mary was upset too—she had put a lot of work into creating a full sized drawing/pattern, and was looking forward to working on it. She asked the customer to go home and re-measure her window, call with the new data and give her a few hour to possibly redesign everything. Then she prayed and asked Our Blessed Mother and her guardian angel for help.
She was busily drawing in the workroom when she saw two men entering the front part of the shop. Mary saw only their backs at first; they were dressed in construction work clothes, and one was tall and slender, while the other was shorter and stocky. She came up behind them and said hello. Before they turned around one of them said “You’ve got some beautiful glass here.”
“Well, thank you,” Mary answered.
The taller man turned to face Mary. “He had a beautiful face, masculine but still beautiful and deep brown eyes,” Mary says. “I noticed that although the men had probably just come off of a job site, they and their clothes were very clean.”
“Do you do this yourself?” the taller man asked.
“Yes,” Mary said. “My husband helps me.”
“I used to do this type of work for my father.” He was smiling at her. She smiled back.
“It is hard to describe,” Mary explains, “but there was something in the sound of his voice and in the way he looked at me. I was no longer upset about the events of the morning. Then he said, ‘Keep up the good work.’ He put out his hand to me and said, “My name is Michael.” Then gesturing to his companion, he said “This is Max.”
Mary shook Michael’s hand and as she turned to shake Max’s, she noticed that he wore a large rectangular medallion of Our Lady of Guadalupe around his neck. When she saw the medallion, it was as though a light went on. As the men left, she went back to the workroom, where her husband was pouring her a cup of tea. “I think we have been visited by angels,” Mary told him. He just smiled.
The customer who wanted the coat of arms returned later, and was very happy with the new drawing. Her window was completed on December 23rd, giving both families a very happy Christmas.
“Nearly three years have gone by since that December day and business is still tough,” Mary says. “But God always gives us just what we need when we need it. I know now the art work was never meant to be the main source of our support, but rather a special act of love and trust, and so we continue.” Sometimes the memory of Michael and Max comes to mind too, bringing a deep sense of peace and gratitude to God, all year long.
You still have time to order Joan’s latest book for Christmas giving. Check the website at http://joanwanderson.com and follow the order directions for Moms Go Where Angels Fear to Tread. ($13.00) <~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~>
Copyright 2009 by Joan Wester Anderson. Published by Joan Wester Anderson, P.O. Box 127, Prospect Heights, IL 60070. For more stories of God’s love, check the blog at http://www.joanwanderson.com
Related Posts:
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Hi Joan:
Am 87 years old and a firm believer in my Guardian Angel ever since early childhood [taught by my sainted Mother]. . .now an avid reader of “Where Angels Walk” and magazine “Angels on Earth”. Have had many life saving experiences and talk to my Angel daily. You are doing a great job . . .keep up the good work. LJC