This is kind of a Christmas story.

It's a reflection on angels and the meaning associated with giving, it's about Gloria in excelsis Deo and shepherds and proclamations of good news.

She first appeared before me on a mellow December evening, cast against an ebony sky. Something about her presence caught my attention. She looked wild, untamed even. Yet, at the same time she brought such a sense of peace. A yellow-gold aura of light outlined her form. I could not stop staring at her, feeling a wave, a calm and understanding, as though she was sharing a message directly with me.

I wonder if that's how the shepherds felt when the Christmas angel appeared before them in the fields. Luke 2:9 proclaims, "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified."

Would you be alarmed or would you feel in awe of the breathtaking sight? Would you be so drawn in by the angel's pure light and energy that any uneasiness would shift to certainty, so much so when, as described in Luke 2:13-14, "a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace to those on whom his favor rests,'" you knew your mission was to journey to Bethlehem to find the baby Jesus and share the good news?

I like to believe I would feel awestruck, followed by a swell of tranquility. That's what I kept thinking about while the angel watched over us that December evening, in Page, during the annual women's Christmas dinner. I've only experienced that kind of calm once before - an undescribable moment where everything just 'is,' maybe the way it's intended to be, without any underlying sense of agitation or impatience.

A gloria in excelsis Deo moment.

I'm not sure if that says something about the flux of life or if it's a testament to those angels who keep us protected and sheltered, shield us from the strains of ugly dissonance and darkness so we don't become jaded.

I have no doubt that on that evening, Dec. 6, 2023, I was exactly where I needed to be, with people I needed to be with. And I have no doubt that a divine hand placed me in a direct line with an alluring messenger.

The angel I locked eyes with that evening is outlined by an ornate white frame, the product of a God-given gift, painted by Lenore Kelly. I later told Lenore how I was mesmerized with the painting and could feel the celestial being speak to me. That's how powerful art and angels are and I'm grateful I will get to experience that power "on the daily."

I hope this Christmas season, the angels you have heard on high guide you and bring a sense of peace and compassion.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.