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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781477211779 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 06/07/2012 |
| Pages: | 148 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.34(d) |
Read an Excerpt
Rainbows and Rodents
By Cindy Smale
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Cindy SmaleAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-1177-9
Chapter One
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. —Ephesians 6:12
It was a fall afternoon with the wind blowing just enough to rustle the fallen leaves on the ground. I causally strolled through the woods to my favorite place of solitude. I love the massive white oak that hovers above the forest floor. Its branches reach nearly forty-five feet into the skies. If my calculations are correct, the tree is 250 years old, give or take a few years.
I have thanked God many times for thinking of me and planting the white oak tree 250 years before I was born. God knew I would own this land one day and how much peace and joy I would absorb while sitting quietly beneath the white oak tree.
Standing a few feet from my white oak are two benches made of rough sawn boards and logs. My husband and I tackled the project together. The benches provide a nice place for us to enjoy quiet time in the woods. At times while sitting on the benches, my mind travels to years gone by, and I cannot help but wonder if American Indians camped under the tree or if covered wagons ever passed beneath it.
I think about the many birds and squirrels who have taken up residence in the massive branches of the white oak over the years. Letting my mind wander endlessly beneath the tree provides freedom from the stress in my life. I often imagine the white oak's roots soaking up my problems, and when I leave, I feel cleansed from chaos.
One day, I took my Bible along as I visited my place of solitude. The sun was peeking through the clouds even though the weather forecast said there was a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms. Most of the trees surrounding the white oak had turned over their colored leaves as if they were bowls ready to gather up the predicted rain. I sat down on the bench facing the west and took a deep breath. The smell of rain was in the air although there was no dampness around. It had been a dry summer, and under the fallen leaves lay a floor of dust.
To my left and right, I heard squirrels chattering above the soft breeze. They were busy harvesting their winter crop of nuts. Perched in a hickory tree, a few feet from the white oak, a squirrel appeared upset with me for entering his territory. He barked loudly for several minutes while I gazed upon the beautiful palette of leaves displayed before me. He finally gave up, and I concluded he had finished giving me a piece of his mind or had successfully warned all the other forest animals I was in their neighborhood.
After enjoying the scenery set before me, I opened my Bible to the book of Acts and began reading chapter two. I had previously underlined verses seventeen through twenty-one. We had studied this passage at church, and I wanted to give the verses more thought.
In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all my people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire, and billows of smoke.
Just as I finished reading the verses, the winds increased and blew the pages of my Bible, causing me to lose my place. The sun disappeared behind the clouds.
Suspecting the rain would soon descend on me like an old friend popping in for an unannounced visit, I murmured a complaint. I wanted rain but did not want to leave my peaceful retreat or the company of the white oak. I retracted my complaint, knowing we really needed the rain and the white oak appeared to be considerably thirsty. Some of its leaves had turned brown, and its usual vivid fall adornment seemed to be duller this year.
I found my place again in the book of Acts just as I heard a tree branch break behind me. Startled at the sound, I turned to see a shadow, and then a glowing bright light defeated the shadow. I searched for sunrays peeking through the cloud cover but saw no hint of filtering light. I heard a loud vibration similar to the sound of marching footsteps. Scanning the field, I expected to see our four quarter horses galloping toward me. The horses were not around.
Concentrating on the direction from which the sound came, I realized it was above me. Feeling frightened, I closed my eyes and crouched down beside the bench. I considered the sound might be an approaching tornado but then reminded myself that the noise did not resemble the sound of a train, as some say. The vibration grew louder like the sound of an army marching to war.
I gradually opened my eyes. I heard the rustling of leaves beside me. I glanced to my left and saw a snake dashing toward me. The little light streaming through the canopy of leaves reflected the various shades of brown on the snake's skin. Focusing on the length of the snake and the shades of brown on his skin, I noticed his tail. Three feet of intimidation ending in rattles made my heart race rapidly. I moved swiftly to escape his path of travel. I ran to the other bench and jumped on top of it. The reptile changed its course and followed me.
My knowledge about snakes led me to believe they only attacked when feeling threatened. I was no threat to the snake, but like the squirrel I encountered earlier, he seemed angry that I had invaded his territory.
My plans to jump from the bench and flee were interrupted by something I heard behind me crashing to the ground. The force shook the bench I stood on. As I turned to look, the reptile lay on the ground in pieces, his blood scattered upon the dust and leaves.
I screamed, for in front of me stood a man, large in stature and solidly built, hovering over the snake. He held a large, silver sword in his right hand, which reflected the iridescent colors of a rainbow. Blood spotted his feet and the hem of his clothing. Expecting to be the next creature slaughtered by the sword, I jumped to the ground a few feet away from him and said with little courage, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus Christ." I stood before him trembling, tears streaming down my face.
He looked at me with a sense of compassion and authority. Carefully and gently, he laid his sword down and said, "Do not fear. There is no need to rebuke me. Jesus Christ is the one who sent me. I am your protector. I have known you since birth. I am with you when you fall asleep and when you rise. I follow you wherever you go and will be beside you all your appointed days. I am an angel, a servant of the most High God, and I revealed myself to you because it is a part of God's plan. All of your purpose has not yet been fulfilled. The snake's bite would have ended your life, and you would have died below your white oak tree. This snake entertained an evil spirit sent to kill, steal, and destroy you."
Falling prostrate on the dusty forest floor, I prayed as if my life depended on it. I asked God to wake me from this frightening dream. My heart pounded so loudly each beat seemed to drown out the words of my prayer. I considered my next move as I heard the sound of the marching again. Looking toward the sky, I saw the winds blowing and wrestling with the canopy of leaves above my head. The solid mighty oak swung violently at the force of the winds blowing through its branches. Focusing on the treetops, I witnessed many angels hovering in the skies. There were hundreds of them. I realized the source of the marching-to-war sound I had been hearing; it was this army of angels waving their wings.
I felt a gentle and soft touch clasp my arm. The angel touched my right shoulder and upper arm near my new tattoo, the rainbow-colored angel wings. The angel pulled me up from the forest floor. I was close enough to see his wings rise and fall with each breath he expelled. As I looked into his eyes, my eyes asked for permission to touch his wings. He nodded to me with acknowledgment of my unspoken question. I reached behind him and touched his feathers; they felt like the softness of down. My heartbeat slowed a bit, and my breathing returned to a normal pattern.
I asked if this moment was the rapture and if he had come to take me home. He smiled and said, "The time has not yet come. The Lord will return soon enough, and you shall have your heart's desire to be with him in heaven, but today is not the day." He continued, "My mission was to destroy the rodent of deception that came to take your life."
I asked, "Who are you?"
"My name is Shamar, your angel of protection."
He took my hand and led me to the bench. Motioning for me to sit, he handed me my Bible, which I had dropped in all the commotion. I glanced at his sword that lay on the ground next to the snake. He turned and picked up the sword, and again I noticed the radiant colors of the rainbow on it. He placed the sword in a sheath that lay between his wings.
The strap holding the sheath that ran across his massive chest had an intriguing design with the dominant color of red. Because I had never seen such prominent intricacies in a design, I asked him about it.
He replied, "Each line in the pattern depicts an event in your life. The horizontal lines represent events that have occurred, and vertical lines represent events to come." I noticed there were fewer vertical lines than horizontal, and as our eyes met, the words of understanding remained unspoken between us.
Shamar touched my Bible, and the pages blew open to the book of Revelations, chapter 5. He instructed me to read verses eleven through thirteen:
Then I looked and heard the voice of angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and elders. In a loud voice they sang, "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!"
After I read the verses, Shamar stated, "Angels like me are many, just as it is stated in God's Holy Word. From this point forward, you are given the ability to recognize and meet six more angels. Each one represents one of the seven colors in a rainbow. I represent the color red, and I pursue all danger that pursues you." He continued, "Record the messages you receive from each angel and share them when the time is right. You will learn of battles that are occurring between good and evil, every hour of every day, in expanses beyond your sight and knowledge. Record what is revealed to you."
I started to ask why I was given this assignment, but before I could finish my question, Shamar disappeared, fading before my eyes. I wondered if I would ever see him again. Many questions raced through my mind.
I scanned the surrounding forest. The winds had settled in silence, the sound of marching had faded, and raindrops fell through the canopy of leaves. The rain, softly and methodically, settled the dust on the forest floor while my white oak tree drank each drop as if it were the last drink in a desert land.
Picking up my Bible, I scanned the forest once again. Before me on the ground, I saw a path etched in the dirt where the snake had pursued me. The remains of the snake were gone. The blood that had stained the forest floor vanished as well. Not understanding what I had witnessed, I stored the information in my heart and vowed not to share it with anyone.
Chapter Two
And the one who sat there had an appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. —Revelation 4:3
As I walked out of the woods and into the pasture, I witnessed the sun peeking through the eastern sky, and there before my eyes hung a magnificent double rainbow. Streaks of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet reached from one horizon to the other. The colors triumphantly blended yet stood individually apart as they formed an expansive arch across the sky. The double bows were vivid and clear.
The lower rainbow trumped the other with its vivid colors outshining the rainbow above it. The upper rainbow contained the same colors, but they were displayed inversely. I was disappointed I did not have a camera in hand to capture God's Rembrandt. I heard a line in movie once stating that God does not show off. Admiring the rainbow, I laughed inwardly at that statement.
I love to see God's promises written across the sky in the form of a rainbow. He has allowed me to see double rainbows at important crossroads in my life, and I can count those instances on one hand. This day too became a crossroad for me. In my heart, I knew something was different and life would never be the same.
I have heard other people's stories about meeting angels. My friend, Leon, describes a story of how an angel cared for him until emergency crews arrived when he was in an auto accident. It is an amazing story, and hearing it described by him would give most people goose bumps.
I replayed my meeting with Shamar repeatedly in my mind. Knowing no one would believe me, I chose not to share the events of my day with anyone, not even my husband. I planned to record our conversation on paper as Shamar suggested—and then wait.
The rainbow faded by the time I reached the house. After one last glance at the sky, I went inside. I checked the clock hanging on the living room wall and knew I had a few hours before my husband, Rick, arrived home.
I could not remember the last time I had written anything significant in my journal. I dug through the basket next to my living room chair and pulled out my journal lying beneath my Harley Davidson parts book. My motorcycle had taken priority over recording my thoughts lately.
I opened the pages of my journal and saw that the last time I had recorded in it was nearly two years ago. There were more blank pages than filled pages, and I thought about how easy it was for me to get distracted with unimportant things in my life.
My thoughts drifted back to Shamar, so I recorded in my journal everything he said to me. I wrote about the snake, the sound of marching, the army of angels in the sky, and within minutes, I had filled several pages with my description of the day's events.
After closing my journal, I went to the bedroom and buried it in the bottom of my sock drawer. It was the most unlikely spot someone would find it.
Feeling exhausted from all I had witnessed and heard, I lay on the bed to rest. I closed my eyes and surprisingly slept soundly, until I heard one of my dogs barking outside.
Chapter Three
.... I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings.... and they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." —Isaiah 6:1-2, 3
Angels gathered throughout the temple. Thousands upon thousands came to observe Shamar and six other angels. The seven came to present themselves to Yahweh. Legions of angels and heavenly creatures congregated several feet behind the seven. They were there in support of the news Shamar brought before Yahweh.
Each of the seven angels wore a belt or sash, and each displayed a different color. Shamar's belt was red with an intricate, unusual pattern. The belt crossed his broad chest and held a polished sheath that carried his sword.
Next to Shamar, to his left, was an angel with an orange belt. The belt was seven inches thick and encircled the waist of his glowing eggshell-colored garment. The garment was longer than the garments of the other angels, falling to just above his ankles. His stature was different in appearance from the others. He stood a few inches shorter, and his body was noticeably smaller than the other six.
This angel did not carry a weapon, but in his left arm, he carried a book that appeared to be a diary or a journal. In his right hand, he held a writing instrument. The instrument was eighteen inches long, and the tip automatically changed colors as he used the tool to write in his book. Each word recorded in his book was written in a separate color, the colors of a rainbow.
The book had a lock on it, and the angel wore a golden key around his neck held by a silver chain. The key would rise and fall with each breath the angel surrendered. There was an indention in his chest where the key boldly rested, and upon the key was inscribed a name.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Rainbows and Rodents by Cindy Smale Copyright © 2012 by Cindy Smale. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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