Halos Made of a Gold Strand of Tinsel

I received my first angel ornament as a Christmas present in 1982.  Then, the ornament was just a wonderful way to remember 4 years as a Meredith Angel.  The person who gave the gift had no way of knowing that it would start a 32 year tradition of asking for and purchasing angel ornaments as memories of people and places.  The original is hanging near the top of our tree. With it are angels from Bermuda and Hawaii, homemade and expensive, stained glass to straw.  The list could go on and on since almost every ornament on the tree is an angel.  Each holds special memories.  Two things always top our tree:  an angel with head and hands of porcelain that was my first real purchase for my own Christmas tree (and still put away each year in the original box with a price tag from Globman's Department Store in Martinsville) and a halo made of a gold strand of tinsel with hanging stars.

 

There have been so many people who have entered my life and guided me on my faith journey - some for a short time, others for a lifetime.  Each has left a lasting impression on my heart and soul.  Some have taught me what true faith should be.  Others have shown me what it shouldn't be.  When I moved into the first apartment on my own in Richmond, I started searching for a United Methodist Church to make my church home.  I visited a number of churches in the West End of Henrico and have interesting stories I could share about those experiences.  Honestly, I visited Shady Grove a couple of times early in that journey, but it didn't feel right at the time.  I was still searching when I went back in December of 1992.  That afternoon, I put on my most ragged, comfortable clothes and pulled out all the craft stuff I was going to use to make Christmas presents.  Things were spread out all across the living and dining area of my little condo.  Soon there was a knock at the door, and before me stood two women who introduced themselves, said they were from Shady Grove, and handed me an African violet.  While I desperately tried to apologize for how I looked and the state of my home, Diana Atkins showed me nothing but the most unconditional acceptance.  It wouldn't be long before Diana had me cooking dinners for the Short Pump Ruritans, chairing the UMW bazaar, and joining her in all kinds of antics at church - one of which was an Advent drama about angels.  Our angels wore white sweatshirts, poster board angel wings, and halos made of a gold strand of tinsel with hanging stars.

 

Diana was one of the most authentic people I have ever known.  She battled cancer, dealt with a multitude of family issues, struggled as we all do, but through it all you knew Diana loved you and loved Jesus.  She would give all she had to please God - with no pretense or pride.  A hair stylist by trade, Diana had to do my hair for the first family portrait that Steve, Ashley, and I had taken.  And even though our wedding was an intimate gathering of family and friends, Diana was insistent on doing my hair again - with the same professionalism that she would have given to a bride having the most lavish of weddings. Only a few years would pass before Diana's health would take a turn for the worse, and soon she would be gone.

 

The day after I received word that Diana had died, I pulled a small, thick envelope from our mailbox.  I recognized the address, and was floored to find a tiny book about friendship inside from Diana.  She had written short notes on a few pages, placed stars by quotes she liked, and underlined words and phrases.  She was continuing to offer me her unconditional love even in death.

 

Diana always reminds me of what church should be: a place where you are loved no matter what the first impression may be, a place where others take the time to recognize your gifts and help you find ways to use them to serve others, a place where no matter what your backgrounds or circumstances in life you can laugh, learn, and love together.  The Rev. Dr. Russell Levenson, Jr., rector of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, TX, wrote in his sermon for the 2nd Sunday in Advent in 2011 that the lectionary reading about John the Baptist calls us "to be beside one another - building paths for each other and all the while, allowing Christ to increase."  That was Diana's lesson for me. As I put the tiny little book and halo made of a gold strand of tinsel on my Advent altar this year, I pray that my life may have the same impact on others.

Diana - angel on the right.