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Today, our good friend/cousin Kevin took Dave and I and Patty and Rhonda to see the Angel Tree! Oh my Lord! It is gorgeous, massive, and absolutely beautiful!
The tree is estimated to be 400-500 years old. It stands 66.5 ft (20 m) tall, measures 28 ft (8.5 m) in circumference, and produces shade that covers 17,200 square feet (1,600 m2). Its longest branch distance is 187 ft in length. Angel Oak was the 210th tree to be registered with the Live Oak Society.
I heard about this magnificent tree, but no picture or description prepares you for what the eye can see! It is massive and absolutely beautiful.
I couldn't help thinking about God's Glory and all the amazing gifts God has provided to me in my life. The list is so long. My marriage, my family, my grand children, my sisters, my extended family. My husband and I had great jobs for 34 and 36 years. He provided us the means to be financially free so that we were able to retire from our jobs at a very young age and enjoy life together. He provided us with a house and land at just the right time so that it didn't cost us an arm and a leg. He provided us with the best neighbors and neighborhood for our family to grow up in. He provided, food, shelter, clothing, and all the education each one of us needed to do what he wanted each one of us to do. We always had a vehicle to get us from here to there. And God provided us with amazing friends!
Shortly after my mother and father passed away in an automobile accident 25 plus years ago, I started my angel collection. I knew from the bible that God provides us with angels to protect us and boy oh boy do I need them. For one of my boys, I believe the angels had gray hair because he needed so much protection, but they were always there to get him through the tough stuff.
So what do we know about angels?
In the new testament, Paul tells us that God created all things, "visible and invisible," and specifically includes the angelic world with the phrase "whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities". (Colossians 1:16).
Angels don't exist in the same way that we do....the author of Hebrews suggests that all angels are "spirits" (Hebrews 1:13-14). When Jesus appears to his disciples, he asserts that "spirits" don't have bodies like he does. (Luke 24:39). In the bible, angels generally cannot be seen by humans unless God reveals them (Numbers 22:31, 2 Kings 6:17, Luke 2:13). However, from time to time, angels took on a bodily form and appeared to various people in scripture (Matthew 28:5, Hebrews 13:2).
Unlike God, who is omnipresent, angels are finite creatures limited to one place at a time. Daniel 10:12-14 (NIV) 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael (angel), one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” See he left the king of Persia and came to Daniel - one place at a time.
The bible clearly tells us that God sends angels to protect people: " He will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91:11-12).
Nope, the angels were not hanging out in the Angel tree! I just combined great beauty that the Lord provided and reflected with great thanksgiving on the angels that have been sent to protect me and my family over the years.
I like everyone else have come through extremely difficult times. With the help of God, the angels sent to protect me, my faith, family and friends and the desire to get to a better place have all contributed to where I am right now. I stand in great awe and thanksgiving for the Majesty of God and all of his protection.
Today, allow yourself time to bask in the gratefulness you have been given along with the protection provided!
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