Angels Among Us

Lord have mercy, what was I thinking? Back in mid November, a crazy idea hit me like a brick in the head. An hour later, I was rummaging through an upstairs closet like a squirrel hunting for acorns, digging out a dusty set of old watercolor paints and some brushes. My bright idea? To handpaint everyone on my Christmas list their own personal Christmas angel this year.

Now, y’all know how it goes when you watch those YouTube art videos online. Those folks make everything look a lot easier than it truly is. One afternoon, as I sat at my desk eating a slice of pizza, I watched professional artists whipping up heavenly beings like they were making pots of morning coffee.

“Just dab a little paint on your brush,” one online artist said. “Now fill in the shape of her gown. Voila!”

I was mesmerized. Four videos later, I was convinced that I, too, could whip up some worthy Christmas angels.

“This doesn’t look so difficult,” I thought, feeling that I was ready to paint my own slice of heaven. “I can do this.”

That first evening, I tried two poses: one blonde angel holding up a big gold star above her head and another blowing a golden trumpet. I dipped my brush into some water and began to make art – all the while singing, “Angels We Have Heard On High.”

Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing over the plains, And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains. If I’m being honest here, and I am, I’m a better singer than I am an artist. My rst two angels looked scary – more like ghosts who had very rough landings. There was nothing divine about them. So my first two attempts weren’t exactly Sistine Chapel material, if you know what I mean. So back to the drawing board I went.

Did I mention that I’m not an artist? Thing is, I’m about as much of an artist as a mule is a racehorse. Sure, I used to watch Bob Ross paint his happy little clouds on PBS, and I’ve taken a handful of watercolor workshops over the years, but they are far, far in the distant past, and I haven’t kept up. Life has a way of pushing those creative endeavors to the back burner, right next to those fancy silver-plated serving dishes we never use.

But something kept pulling me back to the painting table. Maybe it was pure stubbornness, or maybe it was that little voice inside my head saying, “Show them you care enough to try.”

Last week, I stumbled across another video. This artist, with her lovely British accent, painted angels like she was swaing 9ies – quick and easy. Something clicked this time. My angels started looking a little more like celestial beings.

When my husband wandered downstairs a few minutes later and actually praised my work, I nearly fell out of my chair. Sure, he might’ve been buttering me up like a Christmas biscuit, but it was just the boost

Amber's Turquoise and Blue Angel continued from page

and encouragement I needed.

My creative juices continued to flow, and I added golden halos that sparkled on the paper like diamonds. My angels are a bit abstract, but with their flowing robes, large wings, and halos, there’s no mistaking what they are. Before I knew it, I was painting angels like a revival tent preacher shouting hallelujahs – tteen and counting. And here in the last few days before Christmas, I’m still painting them – pink ones, blue ones, golden ones, turquoise ones, purple ones… They are all different, and though I had high aspirations of gallery- worthy masterpieces, I’m happy with them.

Some of these heavenly messengers are already winging their way across the country, tucked into packages with love and prayers. Others are waiting patiently to be given to folks right here at home.

Was this whole angelpainting adventure a crazy notion? Yes! Again, what was I thinking? But sometimes the best gifts come from those wild ideas that pop into our heads like unexpected company. They’re the ones that say, “I cared enough to try something new, just for you.”

This Christmas season, when you unwrap something somebody made by hand, remember it’s not just the item you’re holding – it's a piece of their heart, wrapped up in hope and tied with love.