July 17, 1834
The first time I beheld my charge was when I delivered his soul at the time of his conception. To hold this fragile light and to know that I would be responsible in keeping this light away from darkness scared me but also empowered me.
It humbled me that the Lord had selected me personally to look after this child. I, the youngest of the host of guardian angels, was charged with protecting this child of destiny. To know that this child would have a life filled with hardships and pitfalls that could steal him from me. It frightened me, the responsibility of comforting and guiding him all his life. Never to force for that is not God's will.
I gently lay this precious soul in the body just created through the love of this man and woman. Praying to the Lord to give me strength and courage to help my ward. Looking in the faces of his mother and father I saw love and I hoped that this child would be welcome and touched by this love.
March 10, 1835
Today my Josiah will be born; how I have waited for this day. I have guarded him since that night, holding and comforting him in his mother's womb, and now I will see him take his first breath and cry his thanks to the Lord.
I hover over the birthing bed to watch his birth and lay a comforting hand on his mother's brow to give her the strength needed. The midwife encouraged and comforted Josiah's mother while his father sat holding her hand. The love flowing between them and my ward was a blessing to watch.
One final push and he was here! How he cried out his thanks was only matched by my thanks for his birth. Mother, father and midwife were laughing at this joyous sound and I joined them, for everything seemed brighter now that he was here.
The midwife wrapped Josiah in a blanket to place him in his mother's arms. She asked, "Rebecca, what do you name your child?"
Josiah's mother looked down into her son's face and kissed him. Lifting her face and with eyes sparkling with love she smiled and said, "Josiah Isaac Sanchez."
I watched as both Mother and Father kissed their son, watched in joy as he wiggled and yawned as sleep overtook him. The midwife took the sleeping child and cleaned him gently, not waking him, before placing him in the cradle near his mother.
Once Rebecca and Josiah's father were asleep, I materialized so that I could pick up this child of mine. His blue eyes opened, looking into mine, and it seemed for a moment I was touched by a power that bound my being to this child. A connection that was so strong that nothing would ever break it, even death. I never heard of this happening to any of the other guarding angels, but for a moment it was like a long lost brother was welcoming me.
He seemed to be waiting for something so I formally introduced myself. "Well, Mr. Sanchez, we haven't been formally introduced as yet; my name sir is Ezra and I am please to make your acquaintance. I am your guardian angel and don't you fear for I will never leave you." Gently, I placed him back in his crib and kissed him goodnight. I took my first watch as he fell into peaceful sleep.
May 21, 1841
I watched as the little six year-old huddled crying in the corner of the hayloft, hiding from what was happening in the house. Taking a breath I let myself gain physical form and settled beside my young charge. He looked at me with his beautiful blue eyes and I neither saw nor felt any fear from him. As I gently wiped away his tears with a handkerchief I asked him, "Josiah, what's wrong?"
"Momma is hurting awful bad and they won't let me see her," was the sad little response.
Picking up my little charge and cuddling him in my lap I told him, "Well Josiah, your Mother is hurting because your little sister is about to be born."
"I don't want her if she's hurting Momma," was fierce little reply.
Shifting him so I could looking him in the eye, I told him, "This is not a bad hurt, but a good hurt. Once your sister is born your mother will be so happy and she will want you there to meet your sister. But you won't be able to if you are hiding in this hayloft."
Clear blue eyes looked into mine and asked, "So she's not hurting Momma?"
I gave him my solemn vow, "I promise you as your guardian angel that your sister is not really hurting your Mother."
My charge looked into my eyes and smiled his sweet smile and asked me, "Are you going to be my sister's guardian angel?"
His sister and everyone else were looked after by hosts of angels, for God loves all his children. But, for those who faced a life full of dangers and trials they were given extra guidance. How can I explain to this young soul that he will face a life full of hardship and pain? "No child, I'm yours, but others will be in there for her and she also will have you."
"Me?" I watched as his eyes grow large and a smile appeared on his face. He seemed to like the idea of being responsible for his sister and becoming her big brother. I watched as the flames of responsibly were ignited in Josiah. I felt a hand on my shoulder for a job well done, for I had unknowingly guided him to a path the Lord had wished.
I cuddled the child close to reward him for his bravery and set him on his feet. "Well Mr. Sanchez, a gentleman doesn't keep a lady waiting. Shouldn't you go and greet your sister?"
Grinning he hugged me once and replied, "Thank you, Ezra!" He then turned and climbed down to return to the little house and his family.
October 12, 1847
Today my twelve-year-old Josiah had to bury his mother. He was being so very brave and grown up so that he could be there for his sister Hannah. But, I knew that he wanted to wail his grief to the heavens and allow the flood of tears to be released from his soul at the loss. His father was so wrapped up in grief and lost that he had shut out his children from his heart.
I could see my fellow angels at work trying to alleviate some of the pain in the crowd, while Rebecca tried to get her husband to open his heart for their children. Her attempts were lost on him and she turned to eyes towards me as I hugged my Josiah to give him my strength. "Ezra, I can't reach him. Please looked after both of my children for I fear that their lives will become very harsh."
Looking at her I could only be honest and replied, "Rebecca, Josiah is my responsibility, but I will try to help Hannah as much as I can."
Smiling her gratitude she kissed first her husband and then both of her children before being called back to heaven. I knew that she would help me guard her child during the long year ahead and I looked forward to it.
April 17, 1855
I comforted my charge; after eight years of physical and emotional abuse my Josiah stood up to his father and hit him. I know I should have been mortified that this had happened but I was not. I was PROUD of him and what he had accomplished. I pulled him from the dangerous path he was walking for he was allowing his temper to run his life instead of his heart. The number of times I tried to pull him out of trouble were too numerous to mention. Then last night in his drunken rage he hit a stranger and thought he killed him. That gave me an opportunity to talk to him. The police led him away to spend the night in jail and it was there I took my physical form for the third time.
I had to wait till the deputy left before I appeared. Settling with my back against the wall I asked him. "What brings you to this fine establishment of law enforcement?"
He turned startled to find someone else in the cell that he thought was empty. No sign of recognition was in his gaze as his conscience was still hazed by drink. He sat rather unsteadily on the remaining cot and looked at me. All I wanted to do was to cuddle my charge and whisper that everything would be all right, but I ccouldn't do it this time. It was time that he took responsibility for himself and faced the ramifications of his actions. "I almost killed a man tonight," was the broken reply.
Cocking my head to the side I asked, "Why? Did he try to kill you?"
Shaking his head Josiah replied, "No. He was only trying to defend his sister from my advances." He was staring at his hands as if he couldn't understand how they could do such a thing.
Knowing that I had to get him to realize what was wrong with him I asked, "Then why did you hit him?"
Locking eyes with me he answered brokenly, "Because, I was angry ... I wanted to hurt someone and he was there."
I had to make him realize that what he had done was against God and I could feel the evil that had wrapped around my charge trying to claim him. I could not stand by and watch that happen and I vowed that the Devil would not win. Time to reach the good and kind man in this child of anger and pain. I calmly told him, "You were angry and decided to hurt him? You're a man not a boy and therefore should be able to control yourself. You're a big man next time you might kill someone or worse yet cause damage that would cause not only the person you hit suffering but his family as well."
He sat quietly allowing me to chastise him for what he had done. His shoulders slumped and dejection had set in as all the untrue things that his father had told him over the last eight years took root. I COULDN'T allow that to happen. Crouching down in front of Josiah I cupped his face and lifted it up so that I could see his eyes. "YOU are not stupid nor are you unworthy. Whoever told you that lied to you. YOU are a good man. YOU are worthy to be loved and respected. The person who told you that you weren't is wrong, but you can't continue down this path you are walking. If you do it will lead to evil and the Devil."
He looked at me like a lost child unsure what to do. I asked him, "It's time for you to decide what you want in life and take steps to do it. Perhaps you would like to do the same work as your father?"
His eyes flashed in anger as I mention him and he pulled out of my hands. "NO! I don't want to be like my father," he snarled.
Settling back onto by haunches I calmly told him, "But you are."
A stricken look flashed across his face as he realized that was indeed what he was doing. Following in his father's footsteps of bigotry, drunkenness and physical outbursts of temper. I turned away from him to lie down on the cot, turning my face to watch him as he thought through what I'd told him. I watched as my charge sat and examined his actions during the last five years and came to terms with what he had done. A firmness and determination of spirit rose from the ashes of his crushed soul to be born again. He resolved never to become a man like his father but instead a man that his mother would be proud of.
Once he had made this resolution I got him to lay down to sleep off the rest of the alcohol in his system and returned to my post. A hand clapped my shoulder and I turned around to behold Archangel Michael. Smiling he said, "You have done well, Ezra."
The next morning Josiah awoke and asked the deputy what had become of the other prisoner that shared a cell with him last night. The deputy told him there was no other prisoner and he was the only one they had. Josiah was then informed that the young man had dropped all charges and he was free to go.
Deciding that today would be a good day to start to take responsibility for his actions, Josiah asked the deputy to escort him to the young man that he assaulted to apologize for his behavior. The young man was scared when Josiah showed up at his door, but nevertheless accepted Josiah's apology and his vow that he would never do such a thing again.
Josiah then confronted his father and told him that he was leaving, it was time that he made his own decisions. His father, not liking that his son seemed to have grown a backbone overnight, picked up a candleholder from the altar and was about to hit my charge. I screamed a warning that somehow Josiah heard so that he could defend himself. Catching the downward slash of the candleholder with his left arm he then let lose with a vicious right cross that knocked his father to the ground. Standing looking down at the man who gave him life my charge told him, "DON'T YOU DARE ever hit me or Hannah again. If I find out that you have laid ONE FINGER on her I will come back and make sure that you NEVER do that again. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
His father looked up from the ground, shocked, and a little fearful at the strength of his son and the knowledge that Josiah meant every word he said.
Josiah then packed his few belongs and left his father after kissing his sister and promising to write to her.
February 05, 1875
The first five years after leaving his father, Josiah spent traveling around the world. Signing up on a number of shipping vessels to see and learn about different cultures and beliefs. Reading every book that came his way including the ones his father had disapproved of. While on his travels Josiah met and courted women from all walks of life, learning from them while loving them. He still had a temper, but now he used it to protect those that couldn't protect themselves. Every day Josiah looked upon the world taking joy in learning and thus gave me joy in return. To see the world from his eyes made me realize the greatness of the Lord's works.
After seeing the sights of Europe, Africa, India and the Mediterranean the call to return home was strong. His curiosity about the various Native Cultures drove him to see and understand how they looked upon this world and the next. His mind was once more open upon the spiritual aspect that he'd closed off since leaving his father. Like a favorite book left forgotten, he picked it up and relished the story of wonder once again. He spent the next couple of years learning about the different teachings of the Lord, trying to find his place with each but finding them too narrow minded for his beliefs and experiences.
When the Civil War started to raging and he retreated to the swamplands of Florida to spend time with the natives tribes living there. Helping those who sought to escape from this sorrowful event by offering them sanctuary and comfort. It was here that he learned the art of war and how to protect those that came seeking his protection. I hated that my gentle giant had to learn this terrible art, but I knew that it was needed.
Then he found a woman of great beauty of mind, soul, and body and had fallen madly, passionately in love. Within the year they were married he didn't care that the woman he fell in love with was an escaped slave, for he saw beyond her skin tone to see the soul beneath. They were happy and the people around them took joy in their happiness.
No children blessed their union due to the rapes Isabel suffered at such a young age. Those rapes also lead to her death due to a terrible wasting sickness. A year after the Civil War ended Isabel died, but all through the long illness she and Josiah never cursed the Lord for doing this to them. Instead each day they thanked him for giving them one more day. They both continued to help those less fortunate than themselves.
After he burying his beloved wife Josiah received word that his sister was in need of him. It had been fifteen years since he had seen his sister. He had sent and receive numerous of letters from Hannah over the years, but for the last six years mail was disrupted by the civil war that raged around him so he had not received any news from her. Now a letter arrived from a family friend telling him that Hannah was ill and needed him. Traveling as fast as he could to Vista City, he was unprepared to face what he encountered.
I was with him when he finally saw his sister in a mission that cared for the insane. I comforted him that night as he cried himself to sleep after drinking red-eye to stop the pain. Josiah blamed himself for what happened to her at the hands of their father. I thanked God that Josiah's father was long dead for he would had cheerfully have killed him. But, I also felt the tread of evil that had done this terrible deed and knew that evil wanted to claim my Josiah as its own. That I couldn't allow.
He stayed with her for two long years, slowly killing himself trying to find a cure for her and I didn't know how to help him. Then Tess appeared to me and told me that Josiah and my other five charges had to go to Four Corners. On one hand I was curious as to why they needed to be there and on the other hand I was happy that they would finally get to meet one another to help each other in their darkest hour.
Each night I whispered in his ear to go to Four Corners and to rebuild the church there. It took four months of me whispering and pleading for him to go and finally one morning he did.
Nathan, my fourth charge, had already lived in Four Corners a year after the Civil War ended, working as a healer. I knew that the meeting of the two kindred spirits would help each man. Nathan would gain patience and tolerance while Josiah would relearn gentleness. To watch as each of my charges seemed to know each other at some level and how they enjoyed each other's company brought me joy. I could sense the growing evil that swirled around them and the desire to turn them to evil, but their friendship made them strong enough to fight its pull.
As the weeks passed I worked at pulling my charges together and fighting the evil that seemed to surround them. It seemed that the Devil didn't want my charges together and tried everything to stop it, but Tess helped me to steer them to Four Corners and each other. To a destiny that was unclear and cloudy to me, but I somehow knew that it would be Magnificent.
The End
Next story: Nathan's Heavenly Helper
