From “Story of the Week” a weekly newsletter
published by author, Joan Wester Anderson
Used by permission
A few years ago Meredith Mulock took her three young children to a park in the mountains of Colorado. At the edge of the park was a hill with boulders that the older two thought would be great to climb. They ran ahead as Meredith carried the baby (strollers were not allowed on the trolley so she had left hers in the car.) My four year old son Weston followed my older daughter up the hill before I was half way across the park, Meredith recalls. I became a little worried about the boulders because they looked bigger as I walked closer. However, by the time she had reached the bottom of the hill, she realized that the boulders were unusually large and probably hadnt moved in hundreds of years, so she shouldn’t worry. But she did anyway, just a little. She also kept an eye on her watch, as they were all scheduled for a trolley ride in about fifteen minutes.
The children, however, were enjoying the climb, with no thought of any danger or time passing. But eventually, it was almost time for the trolley to pull up. Kids, Meredith called. Come down. Its time to go!
Oh, Mom, this is so fun! called Merediths daughter. Cant we stay for awhile?
Nowell miss the ride! Come down! Meredith repeated. But the children decided to ignore her for just a few minutes more.
Meredith was getting upset. How could she climb up on the boulders while holding the baby (who seemed to be getting heavier by the minute?) And what if—far-fetched, yes, but possible—a boulder DID loosen and roll down on them?
Then, out of nowhere this older gentleman came, and began to climb the hill. He reached the children, easily picked up Weston and carried him down the hill as my daughter followed. I did not see him close up but thanked him from a distance as the trolley was pulling up, Meredith says.
When Meredith and the children returned from the trolley ride, she saw the elderly man again, and realized he was wearing a uniform, and was obviously a park attendant. He approached them quickly.
Just a few seconds after you left on the trolley, a huge boulder came crashing down the hill, the man told Meredith. It landed right where your little boy was standing. He pointed to the hill and Meredith gasped. Where there had been no boulder, there was now a huge rock. It would have surely crushed Weston, if this man had not come along, climbed up and retrieved him.
Oh, thank you so much! Meredith turned to the man again. She noticed he was wearing an angel pin on his lapel. Strange, she thought. Strange that he could have carried Weston with such ease And she had been to this park many times, and had never noticed any attendants there
The man did not disappear dramatically, but simply walked away. Nor did Meredith think much more about the incident, as she was gathering her children for the hike back to the car. It wasnt until later that she began to examine everything through spiritual eyes. Whether he was an angel or a park attendant sent by God, he saved my son, she says. And God let me know He was involved by the sign of the angel pin. She remains grateful for the heavenly watchfulness, whatever the way it came.
If you enjoy Joan’s Story of the Week, you’ll love her latest book, In the Arms of Angels. We highly recommend it!