Sandy Scherer's Blog
January 1, 2020
Angels don't always have wings
In a recent sermon, the preacher talked about angels and told a couple stories from people who’d had met them. This got me thinking about my encounters and I thought I’d start the new year out with my story.
The first time I met an angel was on a frigid winter night in late December. I had recently separated from my husband and was staying at a friend’s house while he and I worked on our marriage. I had to run to the store late one night. It was very dark and I was unfamiliar with the area. As I rounded the corner, I ran over a curb and busted a tire. I had never changed a tire before since my husband always took care of the cars. I managed to pull into a nearby gas station and asked if there was anyone who could help me. They said no. So I went back to my car, scared, alone, and without anyone to call (the woman whose house I was staying in was out of town).
I heard a tap on my window. When I looked up, I saw a young man of maybe fifteen smiling at me with three of his friends behind him. I rolled the window down and he asked if I needed help. I told him I did. He and his friends changed the tire so fast, it almost seemed magic. I offered to pay them, but they refused and walked away. Puzzled about what four fifteen-year-old boys would be doing out that late in sub-freezing temperatures, I looked back to see where they went. They were gone. Seemingly disappeared. I believe they were angels.
The next time I met an angel was while I was struggling financially after being laid off from work. I was working in a grocery store and barely able to make ends meet. I’d run short one week and didn’t have anything for dinner or breakfast and payday was the next day.
The electricity suddenly went out and all the registers went down. They came back up a few minutes later…all except mine. My boss told me to bag for a while. A lady came through the line with only a few groceries. She let me carry them to her car and when I put them inside, she handed me five dollars. It was not the stores policy to tip baggers and I told her so. She insisted I take it. I now had money to buy something for dinner and breakfast. Was she an angel? I believe so.
Have you ever encountered angels? I’d love to hear about it.
The first time I met an angel was on a frigid winter night in late December. I had recently separated from my husband and was staying at a friend’s house while he and I worked on our marriage. I had to run to the store late one night. It was very dark and I was unfamiliar with the area. As I rounded the corner, I ran over a curb and busted a tire. I had never changed a tire before since my husband always took care of the cars. I managed to pull into a nearby gas station and asked if there was anyone who could help me. They said no. So I went back to my car, scared, alone, and without anyone to call (the woman whose house I was staying in was out of town).
I heard a tap on my window. When I looked up, I saw a young man of maybe fifteen smiling at me with three of his friends behind him. I rolled the window down and he asked if I needed help. I told him I did. He and his friends changed the tire so fast, it almost seemed magic. I offered to pay them, but they refused and walked away. Puzzled about what four fifteen-year-old boys would be doing out that late in sub-freezing temperatures, I looked back to see where they went. They were gone. Seemingly disappeared. I believe they were angels.
The next time I met an angel was while I was struggling financially after being laid off from work. I was working in a grocery store and barely able to make ends meet. I’d run short one week and didn’t have anything for dinner or breakfast and payday was the next day.
The electricity suddenly went out and all the registers went down. They came back up a few minutes later…all except mine. My boss told me to bag for a while. A lady came through the line with only a few groceries. She let me carry them to her car and when I put them inside, she handed me five dollars. It was not the stores policy to tip baggers and I told her so. She insisted I take it. I now had money to buy something for dinner and breakfast. Was she an angel? I believe so.
Have you ever encountered angels? I’d love to hear about it.
December 21, 2019
The year God made it snow just for me
It was 1967 and we had recently moved to Austin, Texas. My dad was in the military so we moved a lot. Being an introvert, making friends was hard for me. I spent a lot of time in my room staring out the window daydreaming about the life I didn’t lead. A life where I was pretty, and popular, where I had lots of friends, and a boyfriend. (Any wonder I became a romance writer?)
When asked what I wanted for Christmas, I had no idea. You can’t buy those things anywhere…not even today on Amazon!
Three weeks before Christmas my parents decided to make a trip to Tennessee to visit my dad’s parents for the holiday. I guess my mom saw how unhappy I was and hit on an idea . “Wouldn’t it be nice if it snowed while we were in Tennessee?” (chances of a white Christmas in central Texas was about the same as a snowball’s chance in…well Texas)
Her plan worked. The idea of a white Christmas gave me hope. So I began praying. I prayed every night for the next three weeks.
Christmas Eve watched the forecast on the local news. It would be cold, but no snow expected. But I was unfazed. I prayed for snow when I went to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night, hopeful. I parted the blinds and peered out…all I could see was dry, gray ground and bare trees. I lay back down and gazed toward the ceiling to the loving eyes of my heavenly father and prayed again, “Please let us have a white Christmas.”
I awoke several hours later to my mother throwing open the door to my room and exclaiming, “Have you looked outside?”
I sat up and glanced around. The light coming in the windows seemed awfully bright. I lifted the blinds and was shocked to see white everywhere! It had snowed!!!
I ran got dressed and hurried outside. The snow wasn’t very deep, maybe 2 inches, but it was beautiful. Just enough that it covered everything except the streets, where it had melted, keeping everyone safe. I strolled out to the back yard where I could see down into the valley and was filled with such awe. I can remember the sight to this very day. I looked into the overcast sky and thanked God for His amazing gift.
Later, my uncle telephoned. “I’m sorry it didn’t snow,” he said. “But it did,” I replied. He didn’t believe me so I had to give he phone to my grandmother.
On the news they said that it hadn’t snowed anywhere in the state of Tennessee.
That evening, a relative came by. She had no idea that I’d been praying for snow. She said, “While we were out today the only place we saw snow was right here. If you even go a mile down the road, there’s no snow.”
As far as I know the only place it snowed in the entire state that Christmas was within sight of my Grandmother’s house.
When asked what I wanted for Christmas, I had no idea. You can’t buy those things anywhere…not even today on Amazon!
Three weeks before Christmas my parents decided to make a trip to Tennessee to visit my dad’s parents for the holiday. I guess my mom saw how unhappy I was and hit on an idea . “Wouldn’t it be nice if it snowed while we were in Tennessee?” (chances of a white Christmas in central Texas was about the same as a snowball’s chance in…well Texas)
Her plan worked. The idea of a white Christmas gave me hope. So I began praying. I prayed every night for the next three weeks.
Christmas Eve watched the forecast on the local news. It would be cold, but no snow expected. But I was unfazed. I prayed for snow when I went to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night, hopeful. I parted the blinds and peered out…all I could see was dry, gray ground and bare trees. I lay back down and gazed toward the ceiling to the loving eyes of my heavenly father and prayed again, “Please let us have a white Christmas.”
I awoke several hours later to my mother throwing open the door to my room and exclaiming, “Have you looked outside?”
I sat up and glanced around. The light coming in the windows seemed awfully bright. I lifted the blinds and was shocked to see white everywhere! It had snowed!!!
I ran got dressed and hurried outside. The snow wasn’t very deep, maybe 2 inches, but it was beautiful. Just enough that it covered everything except the streets, where it had melted, keeping everyone safe. I strolled out to the back yard where I could see down into the valley and was filled with such awe. I can remember the sight to this very day. I looked into the overcast sky and thanked God for His amazing gift.
Later, my uncle telephoned. “I’m sorry it didn’t snow,” he said. “But it did,” I replied. He didn’t believe me so I had to give he phone to my grandmother.
On the news they said that it hadn’t snowed anywhere in the state of Tennessee.
That evening, a relative came by. She had no idea that I’d been praying for snow. She said, “While we were out today the only place we saw snow was right here. If you even go a mile down the road, there’s no snow.”
As far as I know the only place it snowed in the entire state that Christmas was within sight of my Grandmother’s house.
December 15, 2019
Why does God sometimes seem silent when we need Him most?
One day last week I read Luke 6:12: "One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night." In the morning, he chose the 12 disciples.
I've often wondered, why all night? Personally, I can't think of enough to say that it would take that long. And I doubt Jesus did either. I suspect He spent most of that time listening...or trying to. So why did it take all night?
I'm guessing because Jesus was not just God, but a human as well and sometimes it's hard to hear God when you're just a man. So, why does God seem silent when we need Him most? I have no idea. But I am comforted by the fact that even Jesus had that problem.
What do you think?
I've often wondered, why all night? Personally, I can't think of enough to say that it would take that long. And I doubt Jesus did either. I suspect He spent most of that time listening...or trying to. So why did it take all night?
I'm guessing because Jesus was not just God, but a human as well and sometimes it's hard to hear God when you're just a man. So, why does God seem silent when we need Him most? I have no idea. But I am comforted by the fact that even Jesus had that problem.
What do you think?
November 24, 2019
How I got started
Often people ask writers how they got started. For me, it was a long process. My dad was in the military during the cold war, so we moved around a LOT! And being an introvert, making friends took a lot of time and courage. So I made up stories in my head.
The first time I wrote one down on paper, was in the seventh grade for a short story writing contest. Several months later I found out that I'd won. The teacher said I should become a writer. I ignored her.
The second time I wrote a short story was in my senior year of high school. The paper came back with an A++ and superlatives all over it. The teacher said I should become a writer. Again, I ignored her.
Then one weekend, when my daughter was in college she had to study for a biology exam and write a paper for English. We had some things we wanted to do that weekend, and since she was a biology major, she asked me to write the paper. A week later she called me and said, "Thanks a lot, mom." "Did I fail?" I asked. "No, you got an A+++. But now I have to avoid the teacher because she thinks I should become a writer."
Okay, so I'm slow!
Have you ever had to be hit over the head with what God is calling you to do?
The first time I wrote one down on paper, was in the seventh grade for a short story writing contest. Several months later I found out that I'd won. The teacher said I should become a writer. I ignored her.
The second time I wrote a short story was in my senior year of high school. The paper came back with an A++ and superlatives all over it. The teacher said I should become a writer. Again, I ignored her.
Then one weekend, when my daughter was in college she had to study for a biology exam and write a paper for English. We had some things we wanted to do that weekend, and since she was a biology major, she asked me to write the paper. A week later she called me and said, "Thanks a lot, mom." "Did I fail?" I asked. "No, you got an A+++. But now I have to avoid the teacher because she thinks I should become a writer."
Okay, so I'm slow!
Have you ever had to be hit over the head with what God is calling you to do?
