My Angel

I have a guardian angel.

And never have I been more convinced of it than this morning.

I've been sick all week, and just within the last two days, have more or less recovered. A shopping trip to Metta yesterday with a large assorted group of students, teachers, and visitors sealed my fate--that of getting better, I mean--and today, I had every intention of being in class, getting all my Friday chores done, and finishing packing for the camping trip this weekend. All of that before 1:30 this afternoon.

The camping trip (which is called a "picnic" around here) is for the IMM (Intensive Medical Missionary) students, also referred to as grade 9. Teachers are going as well, and we'll be camping up in the mountains. I almost didn't go, but it sounds like too much fun. I'm in.

However, I almost got stuck here all weekend.

I've been changing trash and putting clothes away and putting band-aids on little girls and cleaning up my room this morning. I finished packing right after breakfast, and I've mostly been out of my room since then. I came running back in after returning some clothespins to the line outside and planned to sit down with my computer and work on exams some more.

I hadn't even stepped on my mat yet and a fuzzy piece of wadded up hair caught my eye. There is no reason for me to notice it--I lose hair routinely and this would be nothing new. I came nigh stepping on it, but having seen it, stepped around it and sat cross-legged on my bed, with the fuzzy just hidden from view underneath my knee.

I was going to ignore it. However, my ever-growing sense of cleanliness began to grow guilt in me. Heidi, you really shouldn't leave your bed a mess like that. I know, it's only one fuzzy, but it's still one fuzzy. Are you really doing your best if you leave it there?

Point taken.

I lifted my knee up, located the fuzzy and picked it up and tossed it a little to get it off the bed. Imagine my surprise when the fuzzy wriggled in the air, hit the bed, and crawled away!

My mouth fell open. A scorpion. And I just picked the thing up.

Just two nights ago, Hannah stepped on a scorpion and has been in intense pain because of it. I've been stung before, and I well remember the agony. Visions of what would've happened if it got my finger when I picked it up--or worse yet, if I'd stepped on it or (gulp!) sat on it--flashed through my mind as I chased the little beast and made an end of it.

I can say only one thing.

I'm going to thoroughly enjoy this weekend.

And I'm so thankful for my guardian angel...who protects me when I unwittingly pick danger up with my very fingers.