New angel I named “Cindy”
I’ve decorated with outdoor Christmas lights for as long as we’ve owned a house. Lights complement our celebration of the season while hinting to passersby that Jesus is our reason for the season.
Of course, lights alone are a pretty subtle hint. Plenty who don’t believe in Jesus decorate their house with Christmas lights. Like many well-worn symbols in our world, a Christmas lights display presumes no belief by the homeowner.
For several years, I wanted to add something to our outdoor lights display that would more emphatically represent the true meaning of Christmas, that the Messiah has now come. A manger scene would do it but our next door neighbors already have a very nice, front-lit, cut out manger scene. Rather, I wanted something simpler and also unique from theirs so our two, side by side houses could present the same message differently. If just one figure, what?
A couple grapevine angels in our church’s Christmas decorations a few years ago first sparked my interest in a heralding Christmas angel. Technically, heavenly angels appeared to shepherds in the field outside Bethlehem to announce the Savior’s arrival as reported in Luke 2:8-20. Note the angelic heralds were the only really “supernatural” indication that something was up that first Christmas night.
Inspiration: Grapevine angels at church
Works for me!
While I figured grapevine material like the angels at Church would withstand the outdoor elements, these were not only hard to find but more expensive than we were prepared to spend. Then we found one in a store constructed from wire and lights that was perfect but also pricey. We balked to buy but also found it on Amazon, stuck in my wish list and there it sat for three or so years.
My wife’s sudden death in April after a too-brief battle with leukemia triggered something in me. As shopping for this angel was something we did together, finally getting one this first Christmas helped me to keep her sweet spirit close as I grieved her passing.
Drum roll please as I hereby introduce my Christmas angel, named “Cindy” in honor of my beloved wife to herald the arrival of the Messiah “moving into the neighborhood” to redeem us and gather us all to himself.
I believe she is with our Savior now and, soon enough I will join her. Meanwhile, I pray my Christmas angel, “Cindy” sparks something in your heart to seek the Savior “she” announces.
God sent angels as yet another way to tell us how much we matter to him.