"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."
~~C. S. Lewis


Hi all,

Welcome to another exciting issue of JABB!  By which I mean... welcome to an issue of JABB that I threw together at the last minute.  ;-)  I hope you're all enjoying November thus far and staying warm!  So hard to believe the year is nearing its end but... we have quite a 2014 ahead of us.  Or, rather, the Dyelanders do and we can live vicariously through em.  Yay!  But, in the meantime, things are going along pretty normally for them so this is a pretty normal newsletter.  Enjoy!

God bless,
Jenni
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Recently, we found ourselves with an extra hour thanks to Daylight Saving time.  I assume Dyeland probably observes this so I started to wonder... what did they all do with their extra hour?  I'm thinking this...

Monica spent her extra hour mastering new and exciting ways to prepare coffee... while Arthur smiled goofily beside her because the novelty of that reunion still hasn't worn off.  He continued to smile even as he taste-tested some of her experimental blends... one of which ended up tasting like burnt rubber.  She'll be tweaking that one...

Max perused online jewelry stores and read up on engagement rings.  Not that he's planning to pop the question to Rose terribly soon.  But a boy can dream...

Adam delivered a stirring motivational speech to his turkeys, assuring them that they have nothing to fear from Thanksgiving.  He also informed them that if Tess makes any cracks to the contrary, they are perfectly welcome to peck at the tires on her "purple baby."

Andrew spent his extra hour jotting notes about Jesus Christ Superstar over breakfast at the Cafe and thinking of creative but truthful ways to answer LJA's repeated queries of "What ya doing?" because...

JenniAnn spent her hour staring dreamily at Andrew and wondering why, every five minutes or so, his face would light up and he'd ignore his stack of waffles in favor of scribbling in a notebook.

Catherine and Vincent spent the hour reading aloud to Jacob... because he's growing up so fast and an hour is precious.

Rose spent her hour wondering why Max asked her what her favorite gem stone is...

Violeta passed her extra hour asking JenniAnn and Kemara a bunch of questions that she's too embarrassed to ask Andrew.  Violeta is now very glad she doesn't have to go through puberty.  And Andrew is *very* glad about having JenniAnn and Kemara around to field Violeta's questions!

And at some point during the hour, all of them sent up a prayer of thanksgiving to God because they all know their lives are pretty darn awesome.
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And now...
 
Advice from the Angel of Angels

Dear Angel of Angels,

I hope it's okay to write you.  One of my new friends suggested I do.  So here I am.

Boy... my life's taken quite a turn!  A little over a month ago I was sitting down to dinner when I saw her.  Monica.  Again.  Since then, she's introduced me to many of her friends: her fellow angels, a bunch of people who live in a place that seems like something right out of Narnia or Arthurian legend or something, and, unbelievably, vampires.  But they don't seem like movie vampires.  Pretty mundane, really.  They play video games.  And work for a living.  Sorry.  I'm going off point.

I guess I feel overwhelmed.  And I'm wondering what business do I have among these people?  I'm just an aide worker.  I don't have special powers.  I won't live forever.  I live in a one bedroom apartment with a leaky faucet.  I know this has to be right because why would God have arranged it otherwise?  And I do feel like He did.  But I can't get over feeling like I don't really belong among these people.  I've heard you're very wise so maybe you could lend me some of your wisdom, sir?

Thank you,
The New Guy
 

Dear New Guy,

Repeat after me: there is no such thing as "just an aide worker."  People come to you for help in finding shelter, food, health care, and employment and you have given of yourself time and again to give them a start on a better, more joyful life.  None of these are small things.  And remember what you've read in the Bible, son.  Our Father has brought miracles from the humblest of people: shepherds, carpenters, farmers, and, yes, even bureaucrats.  You are living the life He has chosen for you and you are living it well.  Do not let your self doubts ruin that. 

You would do well to speak to the angels, the Dyelanders, and, yes, the vampires.  I think you may very well find that none of them has felt consistently worthy of the life they have been gifted with.  But they are.  You are.  God does not make mistakes.

Take heart and embrace your new life,
The Angel of Angels

PS- Andrew will be by this afternoon to fix that faucet... along with a couple of his admirers.  Just smile and nod.



Dear Angel of Angels,

Hi again!  I wrote to you before (as "A Very Blessed Protege").  A lot has happened since then and I'm not sure what to make of part of it.  I am so, so grateful to still be working with my awesome supervisor and I've also made friends with some of his friends.  I really like them.  Love them actually!  But I'm still splitting time with the Records department and when my supervisor there overheard me gushing, she gave me a look and then asked to see me in her office.  She told me that angels aren't supposed to get too chummy with humans.  I'm sure she's wrong.  I *know* she's wrong, actually.  But I don't want to make her mad.  What do I say?

Thanks,
Still Very Blessed

Dear Very Blessed,

Your supervisor is correct... in some cases that do not include your own.  Obviously we would have some problems if a Search and Rescue angel decided to turn their mission into a shopping trip with their rescuee.  However, you are not in S&R.  You are training to become an angel of death and you will never understand the import of death for humans until you understand their lives and how they live.  That includes their reliance on friendship... a reliance we also share.  John Donne once wrote that "No man is an island" and I would add that no angel is, either.  (If you do not know this poem, consult Andrew, any of the AODs, or Vincent and they will set you right.  It is a must read for angels and AODs, in particular.)  We were all born in love and need love throughout our lives.  I suspect your Records supervisor may be missing you and knows that you may soon be moving further from her department.  You would do well to remind her that your friendships on earth and in Dyeland is no way diminish your attachment to her.  Assure her that she will still see you even as your AOD training continues.  Friendships are forever here.

With friendship,
The Angel of Angels

Dear Angel of Angels,

I want to start this by saying that I am very grateful for all the blessings my work as an AOD has brought me.  In particular, I feel blessed to have been reunited with Andrew and a now grown-up JenniAnn and to have gotten to know so many of their friends.  I am so happy that they have each other and that I get to be part of that.

But it can be hard.

When I'm Home, I feel nothing but joy and peace and love as we all do.  But every so often, when I'm with them in Dyeland or on Earth, I feel a twinge of grief.  On Halloween, I was watching Andrew and JenniAnn do the Jitterbug and I kept laughing (they need just a little work on that one!) but I also felt melancholy.  I used to dance that with Sophia...  I know I still can when I'm Home.  And I know she lived a good, long, happy life.  I know she is eternally free from pain and confusion and knows only love now.  So why do I feel this way?

Thanks,
Torn

Dear Torn,

Angels of death are known for their compassion, my friend.  You are no exception.  I would not be the least surprised to learn that some of your melancholy stems from knowing that, in time, Andrew will be where you are, feeling what you are.  It is a realization that, understandably, causes you sadness because you care for your friends.

I know sometimes we struggle to accept the very same truths that we ourselves share so readily with others.  So now I will give you a little speech that I know you have beautifully and gently given to many an assignment: Neither all the faith in the world nor even all the knowledge we possess about our Home will fully take away the pain of continuing on in a world (or worlds) devoid of someone we love.  You miss Sophia and now find yourself watching a variation of the story you two shared play out again.  This brings both happiness and pain.  God can and does speak to you through both.  In the happiness, He reminds you that Sophia lives on not only in Heaven but in the laughter and the determination of her godchild.  In the pain, He helps you to feel something of what your assignments do and this has made you an even better, more patient, more compassionate angel of death.  He is very pleased.  But He can tell you that better Himself.  Turn around, Eli.

Wishing you comfort and knowing you will find it,
The Angel of Angels

Dear Angel of Angels,

You have a really awesome voice.  How do I make my voice awesome?

Hopefully,
Squeaky

Dear Squeaky,

You have the voice God gave you.  Be proud of it!  We can't all sound like the fellow who voiced Mufasa. 

Your friend,
The Angel of Angels

Dear Angel of Angels,

How do I thank my friends for, once again, proving that Halloween isn't all bad?

Sincerely,
Reformed Halloween Hater

Dear Reformed,

They know you appreciate their efforts and consideration, Andrew.  But if you are so inclined, I have reason to believe a pre-Thanksgiving party at Serendipity would be met with widespread enthusiasm on the part of your friends.  I'm reminded of another celebration there a little less than a year ago.  What miracles have come to pass since then!  You deserve to celebrate all you have accomplished and experienced together in the past year.  Have fun!

Amusedly,
The Angel of Angels





This newsletter is dedicated to John for helping us to realize the value of time.  From Andrew's repeated reminders that we never know how much time we have to Jeff's living the same lesson to Todd's devotion to, uh, calendars...  I think we all were reminded through John's life and his work to make every minute count.

JABB TOC

JABB 398

(Photo Credits: The photographs used on this page are from Touched by an Angel and owned by CBS Productions, Caroline Productions, and Moon Water Productions. They are not being used to seek profit.)