Here’s something nice, in Portuguese.

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=F0M2MJNU

And here’s an Oldie but Goodie.  Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas:

Members of the Gospel Lighthouse Church in Blytheville, Arkansas were preparing to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the needy in their area.  “Fifteen or twenty families had brought our own turkey and trimmings to the church to share, and had made extra food,” explains Jeanne Templeton.  Word had spread, and the volunteers expected a crowd.  Would there be enough to go around?

About eleven, church members took their places in the food line, and someone opened the kitchen door.  People streamed in, each taking a plate and passing it along, cafeteria-style.  So many guests!  Jeanne sliced turkey, scooped mashed potatoes—and sent a silent prayer heavenward.  Lord, let the food last.

Time passed, but the needy kept arriving.  Odd, Jeanne mused.  They weren’t running out of anything.  Even the pans of dressing, which had been few in number when dinner began, still seemed full.  She caught the eye of a perplexed friend spooning vegetables from a seemingly bottomless bowl.  What was going on?

Finally, the last guest accepted a brimming plate.  Jeanne looked at her watch.  Four o’clock!  It couldn’t be!  And there was still food remaining.  Baffled, the women packed the leftovers. “The men carried everything to the church buses, and drove away,” Jeanne recalls.  “They were going to go door to door, to make sure no one in the area had missed Thanksgiving dinner.” The women went back to the empty kitchen and, still somewhat dazed, scoured, tidied—and compared notes.

“Was it my imagination…?”

“No, I saw it too—the turkeys seemed to—to multiply!”

“But we had only six or seven.  How…?”

“Two thousand,” Jeanne murmured.  “I think we fed almost two thousand people.”

Just then a knock sounded on the kitchen door.  A volunteer opened it to a man, a woman and eight young children, all shabbily dressed.  “We’re a little late,” the man acknowledged shyly.  “Would you have anything left from dinner?”

Oh, no!  The women glanced around the spotless kitchen.  All the food was gone—they had put it on the buses themselves.  But they couldn’t turn this hungry group away.   “Come and sit down,” one helper led the family to a table, while the others quickly conferred.  Perhaps there was a store open, or a restaurant in town where they could buy something…

Suddenly someone pointed.  “Look!”

The others turned to stare.  Sitting on a counter in plain view was a freshly baked loaf of bread.  It had not been there moments before, Jeanne knew.  But no one had come to the kitchen except the family, and they had been empty-handed.

“How did we miss this?” Jeanne’s friend cried in astonishment.  She had found an industrial-sized can of green beans and corn in a cupboard.  Another woman peeked under a cabinet.  There on a shelf she had previously wiped clean now sat a large tray of dressing with big chunks of cut-up turkey in it.

“We packed up the containers and sent the family home to enjoy their holiday,” Jeanne says.  Then, tears spilling down their cheeks, the women praised the Lord for His wonderful care. They had offered Him an early birthday present, by caring for the least of His children.  But He had multiplied their gift a hundred-fold, and given them a Christmas they would never forget.

Things, however, did not go according to plan.  Word got out that there was to be a fish fry, and groups of people from the community went to the little church for what they thought was a free meal.  The members were shocked.  It was an obvious misunderstanding but how could they turn hungry folks away?  “We started serving and praying,” one woman says.  “We knew there wouldn’t be enough to go around, so we decided to serve all the unexpected guests first, and if there was anything left (which seemed doubtful), we would eat.” And so they did.

“Everyone was served, and some even came back for seconds,” says the witness. “And after they were all seated in the church, singing and getting acquainted, we workers fixed our plates.”  There was still plenty of food, everyone realized.  In fact, at the end of the evening, there was still fish left.

“God certainly stretched our food that night,” says a worker.  Just like he did on a hillside in Israel so many years ago.

I was working on my latest writing project, a book about angels, and having strong doubts. It was August, 1991, and there hadn’t been much national interest in angels in many years. I had some heavenly stories to share, but would anyone want to read them?

The doorbell rang and the mailman handed me a small package marked “Fragile.” It was from a fellow author in Canada, which seemed strange, since we only wrote at Christmas, and never exchanged gifts. Her card read, “I think God wants you to have this.” I opened the box and stared at a little angel figurine in a red dress. No one had known about my writing project, yet my friend followed a heavenly nudge, and the signal was clear: “Keep going!” WHERE ANGELS WALK ended up on the New York Times best seller list.

It didn’t take long before readers began sending me angels. Statues, of course, but also angel soap, picture frames, pins, shawls…with the growing interest in angels, crafters were finding new outlets for their designs and “angel stores” were opening. “It used to be that angels were only available at Christmas,” one woman wrote, “but now they’re becoming an industry!” I discovered that there was a national group called Angel Collectors Club of America (ACCA), founded in 1976, to celebrate the enjoyment and existence of angels. (A second club, Angels of the World International, similar in interests, was getting started, and I joined both) In addition to an every-other-year convention, both organizations broke up into smaller geographic groups, and scheduled local meetings when possible.

Many collectors had begun as I did, receiving a gift of an angel for a special event, then wanting another, and another…. But it was not uncommon to meet people who had been collecting since they were children. (These were the Champions—people who, if not restrained by their families, would have built room additions to display their angels!) These folks were occasionally featured in local newspapers, surrounded by their heavenly hosts, which brought new members into the folds.

Unlike many collections, angels are so diverse that almost everyone can find something to enjoy. I noticed that some members focus primarily on specific types of angels, such as the birthday series (one statue per month) or a popular set of boy angels, each playing a different sport. One woman collects angels with red hair, and others concentrate on cats or frogs! As well as figurines, specialty collectors look for vintage angel cards, buttons, cookie tins and jewelry (the thrill is in the hunt.) Angel fabric is also popular. “I couldn’t resist it even though I don’t sew,” said one woman, holding yards of angel-embossed lace. Chances are, she’ll find a fellow collector who wants it.

The majority of ACCA members, however, have eclectic collections rather than sticking to just a few categories. Looking around my office right now, I see two angel mobiles, some framed art, a Victorian lady and a doll from Kansas whose wings are made out of straw. My shelves are filled with angel books, as well as glass and paper ornaments for decorating at Christmas. Such diversity is the norm.

A typical collection among ACCA members will range from a few hundred to a thousand or more items. Usually, they cannot all be displayed at the same time. Julie Henrickson, ACCA’s current Activities chairperson, rotates her angels for whatever holiday is approaching. “I have angels for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Thanksgiving,” she says. “There’s enough to be always putting different ones out.” Sue Vecchiarelli, vice-president of AWI, keeps hers displayed permanently in a “huge curio bursting at the seams.” Members share poetry, book reviews, recipes, and garden tips, and search for items needed to complete a project—all angel-related. There is also the Halo newsletter, which keeps us informed about events, new products and members who need prayers and Get Well cards. And when ACCA members raise money, it’s donated to their official charity, The Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I probably should have kept an orderly record and description of each angel as it joined the others in my house, as a true collector does. But no matter how many I have, that first little sculpture from my “earth angel” in Canada will always have the place of honor. Like the heavenly messengers, it changed my life.

ACCA $20 annual dues

Pauline Neff, VP

mandpneff@q.com

AWI $20 annual dues

Sue Vecchiarelli, VP

suzvecang@yahoo.com

For a Mom who loves to laugh, a copy of my latest book, MOMS GO WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD might be the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Just click on www.amazon.com, and type the book title in the long space.

On the other hand, that could be an advantage: My mind would be a complete blank (nothing surprising there!) and I would have no preconceived notions. I went to the movies.

As far as action films go, Angels and Demons did not disappoint. It’s quick-paced (on the order of the Indiana Jones series), with an implausible but interesting storyline and plenty of mystery. Unlike many movies in this genre, its twists and turns were relatively easy to follow. Although fans have complained
about plot changes—director Ron Howard appears to have skipped or revised a great deal of the book—none of that bothered me.

The film is beautifully crafted, almost like a travelogue. The musical score is incredible, so appropriate in every scene. The majesty of Rome, the Vatican, the sweeping aerial views of St. Peter’s Square—they thrill the senses and make you feel right there. The Vatican did not allow filming inside, so in addition to sets, producers used animation to fill in the gaps, and that was accomplished perfectly.

However, I did note a subtle but definite anti-Catholic position here. Negative comments about the church are simply tossed around without any challenge to their truthfulness. I was also offended by the typical Hollywood manipulation of a “good guy” expressing moral beliefs early in the story, then—in an all-too-familiar device—being revealed as the “bad guy” at the end. What does this imply about faith? Yes, I know it’s fiction, but still…

The Vatican newspaper recently dismissed the film as “harmless entertainment,” while commenting that it “has little to do with the genius and mystery of Christianity.” And I think that’s where the movie really disappointed me.

As a devotee of angels and their positions in the heavenly kingdom, I had hoped to see them in a real role here, perhaps interacting with the characters, announcing a miracle or gracing us with some significant truth.  Instead, unless I missed it, they only appeared in the form of statues at Rome monuments chosen as dumping grounds for murder victims—an undignified and pointless function. The “Angels” and “Demons” of the title really didn’t have anything to do with the movie at all.

Angels and Demons opened to lackluster reviews, and although it will likely be a financial success, revenue has already started to slide downhill. I believe that with a bit of mysticism, much more could have been accomplished.

One major note: The murder scenes are grisly and not acceptable for grade-schoolers or sensitive teens. This is most certainly not a family movie.

—I wanted to let you know that the Cayces had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, thanks to many of us. For those who are new to this list, some of us help a charitable organization in Arkansas, which ministers to the poorest of the poor. They sponsor clothing and food giveaways, and occasionally serve a meal. Joannie told me that they fed over 2000 people on Thanksgiving, and all the clothes were gone when the day was over. Now, of course, the Cayces are gearing up for Christmas. They especially need little toys (new or used) like Barbie dolls, Matchbox cars, crayons and other items so every child will have something. It’s always a challenge for us, and with the cost of necessities (to say nothing of postage), I know it’s hard. I mention it to keep you informed, but please remember that prayer is the most important gift you can give to people who work with the poor—and we can all do that! If you want to help, now or at any time, mail things to
Joann Cayce Charities (this is tax-deductible), 403 South Second Street, Thornton Arkansas 71766

—You might remember Antoinette Burney 2972 Pacific Ave. Apt. A. Long Beach , Calif. 90806. I have mentioned her before. She knits blankets for Native Americans at her end of the country, so if any of you are knitters with leftover yarn, send it out to her.

Here’s a quick angel story that appeared on December 4th in the Mansfield News Journal:

Dan and Kathy Miller had an unexpected guest for Thanksgiving last week—but the visitor was welcomed with open arms. “My husband and I were out cutting wood after dinner,” said Kathy. “When we turned around to walk back in, I just stopped and said to Dan, ‘Oh my God. Do you see what’s on our roof?’”

With warm-ish temps that day, most of the snow atop the Millers’ Lexington home had melted. The white stuff that remained on the back roof looked an awful lot like a shimmering apparition from Heaven.
“He said, ‘Yes, I see it. It’s an angel,’” Kathy said. “I said, ‘Yes it is.’ It was remarkable. You couldn’t miss it.”

Kathy said she immediately took Dan’s cell phone to snap a photo of the angelic silhouette and text it to her son. Her brief caption read, “Angel on the roof.”
“He called back and said, ‘I just can’t believe that. That’s so neat,’ ” Kathy said. “There was no other snow anywhere else on our roof. We took another picture of the other side of the house, which is actually more shaded, and there was no snow there, either.

“We’ve lived here 14 years, and we know where the sun comes up and goes down, and we’ve had snow on our roof countless times, but this is the first time we’ve ever seen anything like this.”

The snowy white figure remained long enough for the couple to take more pictures on both Thursday and Friday. “My husband went outside on Friday and then came back in and said, ‘Hey, I need the camera. It’s still here,’ ” she said. “It stayed there two full days, but then melted on Saturday.”

Kathy called the sight a humbling experience. “You have trouble not crying about it,” she said. “By all means, we do believe in Jesus and angels, absolutely. I almost didn’t say anything because it felt kind of personal, but people told us, you should let others see this.”

Kathy said she has no idea why the angel figure appeared. “I can’t say we have turmoil here, we have a very happy life,” she said. “And we’ve always felt good here, so I can t tell you it felt different with her there. It just felt like a blessing. I guess someone’s watching over us.” You can try to access the photo by clicking on
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200812040700/NEWS01/81203037

Back next week with our Christmas story.

Just a coincidence? The people who didn’t lose their lives when the bridge came crashing down, believe it was much more than that.

According to the Sudbury (Ontario) Star, the bridge was already under repair, as half of the overpass needed shoring up, but the bottom part was still open to traffic. The work had proceeded normally until, as Dave Kozachanko noticed that day, some metal beams jacking up the bridge appeared to be buckling on one side. By now, Dave was already on the lower part of the bridge, and suddenly heard a loud noise above him. “At first I figured it was the construction crew’s machines,” he says. But the sound got louder, and suddenly a cement beam began to fall. Dave floored his accelerator and the beam hit the back of his pickup.

People came running, drawn by the ominous noise. The site supervisor at first thought a compressor had blown up. He was still shaking as he realized an amazing twist of fate, “that if the workers had not been on coffee break, there no doubt would have been several deaths. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The repair of the bridge and nearby ramps will take awhile, officials agree, as they must first discover the cause of the collapse. But there are plenty of grateful people in Sudbury. “Coincidence, timing or another sign that miraculous events do occur—and that Angels are always with us—-you decide,” says one observer.

Suggested by Jennifer Luetge, Lively, Ontario