This morning, we got up before 6 am to see what we could see after a nighttime of snow. This particular Sunday morning involves packing, making sure the house is clean and prepared for a week in hibernation, a breakfast of champions, and loading up to head to Kansas City for the week of necessary but not so much fun.

But, in the middle of it all, I am married to Sam.

He walked downstairs in his robe in the darkness, looked out the window, and saw a snow drift at the steps of the kitchen porch and decided then and there it needed to be shoveled.

20 minutes later, he came back inside, tennis shoes caked in snow, robe frozen. Yes…ROBE.

Oh, Sam.

He sat down, huffing and puffing and asked for a hot cup of coffee and a warm apple pastry. Unusual request, that warm apple pastry, at the Scofield house of eggs and yogurt, UNLESS you happen to open your kitchen porch door to discover a gift of apple and raspberry pastries.

Did you know that angels can bake?! Or at least know where the baker bakes? And did you know that angels have a way of delivering the sweetest messages, either via sugar and yum or via handwritten words, or both?!

I finished cleaning up a few things and went upstairs to get ready and pack the suitcase. And when I came back downstairs an hour later, Sam said, “Look outside.”

Bigger than Dallas, our friend and neighbor had “roared in like a Lyon” and was scooping the whole drive, preparing the way for our departure. When this Lyon scoops, he BULLDOZES.

Did you know angels can travel by front end loader?

We had to stop by Sam’s office on the way out of this snowy town. As Sam finished up a last minute necessity, I noticed a mug on his desk. “Where did you get that mug?!”

“It was on my desk one morning, filled with candy. I don’t know who left it for me.”

Did you know angels secretly forget their coffee mugs on purpose?

It’s a very bright Sunday morning as we travel this stretch of highway post-snow storm in March. The heater warms our toes and our eyes squint in the frozen diamond gleam that blankets the fields as we pass by. Beside me, a pink gift bag is filled to the brim with every snack known to mankind, compliments of a couple in the BNW club.

Did you know some angels come in pairs, know everything there is to know about choosing just the right snacks, and even belong to secret not-so-secret society BNW clubs, AKA Best Neighbors in the World?

Earlier this week, I received this text message:

Angels also come in family groups, because not only does God create and train angels, angels train younger angels to grow up and be God”s angels, and THEY LIVE IN SMALL TOWN USA.

On this Sunday morning, I am grateful for angels, sent by God in this season we find ourselves in, who live in small town USA and send us off for a big, scary week with guardian angel house watching, kindness, breakfast, encouragement, a clear driveway, prayer support, delivered dinner, and more love than a 15 foot snow drift.
Jesus was blunt: “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.” -Mark 10:27 MSG