Sandia Mountains, just outside of Albuquerque New Mexico
He commands His angels regarding you to guard you in all your paths … The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Psalm 91:11
Looking back, that my earliest initial experience was this one was probably no coincidence. I am going back a long ways in this encounter that I have carried and revisited through the years.
Trying to describe the purity, strength of love and character, and beauty I encountered that day is like trying to portray a beautiful sunrise by drawing it in the mud with a stick. The human lexicon of words comes up as utterly inadequate in this regard. I’ll do my best.
The day was sunny and the temperature agreeable. There were mountains all around and a very large stream cutting through this valley place my father had brought us for a picnic. So far as I recall, we were the only people there - my parents, my three brothers, and myself. I recall well the sight of my parents around a BBQ grill next to the stream and also that my father was having a hard time getting the coals started. My younger brother and I were on our own playing downstream around a gentle bend of a large stream – being strictly told by our mother to stay out of the water.
My brother and I were preoccupied with splashing around in the water with sticks and in that way, from the stream’s edge, stirring up the muck – rustling out minnows and such from their watery world. The stream bank upon which we both knelt with our sticks was maybe a foot above the water’s edge and was a straight, short muddy drop down: so we were bending over the edge splashing about in the water with sticks.
Suddenly, my brother leaned too far over with his stick and – Splash! Head first - in he went. As I recall, the water wasn’t but perhaps a foot deep and not too rapid. But to a toddler, even this could be fatal. Though he didn’t really seem to be in any immediate danger the current was taking him out a bit, my brother was yelling and splashing around in a panic and that got results.
My parent’s, who were about 75 yards away upstream, and had been focused on getting the BBQ started, heard my brother’s plight and my mother came running at a sprint (she was so young then) while my dad stood at the grill slack-jawed, holding a can of starter fluid, and watched.
There, in an instant, my mother jumped in the stream and snatched my crying brother up out of the water and, holding him close, admonished me for allowing him to get too close to the edge. I, like my dad, just stood there watching. She left me standing there and went back to where my father was and there began an argument over why he didn’t react as fast as she had (my parents actually got along very well almost all the time). My brother was calmed and stowed in the car that was parked nearby. The BBQ idea was abandoned and I noted they were packing up the car in a hurry to call it a day. I was still standing at the grassy edge of the stream where we had been playing. I looked down stream again (opposite direction from my parent’s location) and there They were - two giant men standing side by side staring down directly and intently at me. They were as tall as the trees that bordered both sides of the stream– which were maybe 25 to 35 feet.
The first aspect of these two that I noticed was the almost blinding ultra-pure whiteness of the robes they wore. I mean you could stand out in an open desert on a cloudless day and paint a huge canvas totally white and it would look gray and drab next to the robes of these two angelic men. Nothing I’ve seen since compares to the purity of the whiteness of their robes. Not a blemish, wrinkle, or stain – and absolutely radiant of hue – not radiant as in glowing – but radiant in that the purity of it stood out sharply even in this naturally beautiful setting. Also, I want to make it clear that they weren’t “glowing” or radiating light but were radiant because of the level of purity in their countenances. Not that their clothes were without color. One wore a sash-like belt of brown and the other a similar belt of green about their waist.
The facial complexions of these two angels were robust and fair (Caucasian like – to say lightly tanned and rosy – like that of two young men in peak health). Both had wavy, light-brown hair of shoulder length. They were clean shaven (as if they shaved!). If I were to subscribe such a thing as an earthly age (in appearance) I would say 25 or 30’ish as they appeared tireless and full of vitality and strength. I am employing the most accurate words I can muster to describe this rare sight. What really stood out – what totally caught and kept my attention about these two was their facial demeanor and the power of that emotion they projected to me. It was the sort of Good stuff that you just don’t get here on earth – anywhere.
As I said, they were looking down at me smiling and our eyes met and held there a few immortal moments. From their eyes came the strongest radiance of love, familiarity, and humor – yes, that’s right – good humor. No worry or issues at all. They looked down at me as if they knew me standing there all of 4 or 5 years old – and they looked for the world as if they were about to laugh – in a good natured way. Such an encounter is imparts a life-long impression as my photo-like recollection as this is yet vivid and always brings me a measure of renewed hope and joy when I revisit this day.
They were standing in the middle of the stream – just around a bend and at a vantage point that put them where my family could not see them because the trees obscured that line of vision. They said nothing; they didn’t move, but stood and stared down at me smiling – both of them: eye-to-eye contact with angels! I just stared up at them, meeting their gaze, for maybe ten or twenty seconds. My feelings were amazement and an exhilarating kind of joy as one who is beholding something of extreme and penetrating beauty. Excited about this, I turned and I yelled to my mother to come see this site. She was in a bit of a sour mood as her and my dad were yet arguing some and instead she responded and yelled to me to come and get in the car as they were about packed up and ready to leave.
When I looked back – you guessed it: the two were gone, just the meandering stream and the lovely mountains beyond as before. I instantly felt the inner pain of loss; where’d this wonderful treasure go? They were gone. Fortunately, my mind and soul took a snapshot of that event that I relate to you here. I made it a point to remember this all my life.
I recall sitting in the backseat of that old car and my brother was sleeping but I was wide awake thinking of this event. My mom and dad’s argument was abating and when things got silent I told her about what I had seen. To my utter vexation she didn’t take me serious at all. I waited a moment and I told her again, and insisted that it was true – but she still didn’t take me seriously and had other things on her mind. After all, I was just a kid. Well, somewhat put off, I resolutely decided to keep it to myself for the time and sat back in that car, the wonderment and enchantment of this event was yet fully upon me – and I tell you it always has been since that day. I decided then that this was my treasure and nobody could take it from me.
Now years later, my dear dad’s passed on and my mother’s country-girl ability to sprint and leap into streams has turned to a slow and pained elderly walk – but she finally believes my story. I hope you do to. These angels are the sort of company you want to be in – here and the in our here after.
Reflecting upon this, a scripture comes to mind: Jesus said
“Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed."
(John 20:29)
I would have to admit that this and other events in my life have certainly strengthened my Christian faith. Maybe I needed this whereas other believer’s faith is strong enough not to need to see and experience God and His family and angels. Whatever the case be, I will tell the stories as they occurred. Maybe I witnessed this so I could tell you about it.