There are Angels Amongst us
Day 12 – Made to Matter: 13 Soulful Stories from the Studio
Each December our Ladies of the Church have a gathering. You have the option to fill your own table, or purchase individual tickets. I choose to purchase a table for my family. There are 7 of us and my dear friend Kathy, who has been like a sister for years. I try to think of something unique each year to gift them. This year I decided to paint something special for them. I remember sitting at my table with brushes, paints, and blank canvases, wondering how to capture the essence of each woman who would be sitting at my table. Out of that quiet space, seven angels emerged, (cue the song 7 Spanish Angels) each one unique — clothed in colors that felt like the woman they represented, their wings brushed with light, full like their hearts that envelope you in love, their presence a reminder that beauty comes in many forms.
Those paintings weren’t about perfection; they were about reflection. Each angel was painted not to be identical, but to honor the individuality of the guests, to say: You are seen. You are valued. You carry light in your own way. When I look back at them now, I realize that they weren’t just paintings for a night of celebration — they became symbols of what happens when women gather and share their presence with one another.
The angels reminded me that we are all both fragile and strong, carrying invisible wings that help us through seasons of sorrow and joy alike. Sometimes, those wings feel tattered, and yet they still hold us up. Other times, they shimmer so brightly that they guide others without us even realizing it.
Painting them was also a reflection of the season I was in — a season where I needed to remember that heaven’s messengers come in many forms. Sometimes they appear in paint strokes, sometimes in kind words, sometimes in the steady companionship of a friend who simply shows up. The angels became my way of saying thank you, of putting gratitude into form and color.
When I look at those canvases now, I am reminded of the women who gathered that night, the laughter that echoed through the room, the quiet tears that came with shared prayers, and the beauty of knowing that none of us walk this path alone. I look forward to the inspiration for this year, as I decide on how to honor each that have a place at my table.
Thought to carry
You may not see your wings, but they are there — in your kindness, your presence, your quiet courage. And sometimes, you are the angel someone else has been praying for.
“Angels are often disguised as ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” — Anonymous
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” — Hebrews 13:2 NKJV
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