"Jeremy," the woman said to her son, "I have this feeling that something nice is happening and I also think someone is watching us, but I don't see anyone around here. Do you see anyone, my son?"
"No, mother," he replied. "There is just you and me."
In the greatest kingdom that ever was or ever will be lives the greatest king of all times. There are millions of people who seek counsel and help from this wise, wonderful ruler.
Thousands and thousands of angels are at his command to serve. Many angels are giant-size and very, very strong, having huge beautiful wings with which to fly through-out the universe. There are multitudes of fighting angels that help win wars when people pray. Angels come to help when danger is present and minister to lonely sick people. Then there are special praise angels who play harps and other musical instruments in praise to the Great King. Praise angels sing a lot.
Zion is a boy-like angel, who really loves to sing to the good King. He does other things, too. When he appears as perhaps he will one day, you will see a gold baby trumpet tied on a golden cord that wraps around the white tunic which partly covers his long white pants.
When Zion flies above the fields and forests playing his little trumpet, trees clap their hands and bushes sway to the sounds coming from his musical instrument. Dogs stop barking. Horses and cows stop eating grass in the pasture and listen to the angel play his trumpet.
Squirrels quit scampering about. Rabbits quit hopping with their young to give attention to the beautiful music that Zion brings. Birds fly happily. Some of them descend to the ground and side-step to the music. All the creatures great and small love the little angel and his trumpet. One day Zion was called to appear before the Great King of all Kings. When he arrived, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head in adoration.
The Great King said, "Arise, Zion."
"Your most excellent majesty," said the little angel in excitation. "What would you have me to do, seeing I am one of the least of your servants?"
"Size is not important but your service is," returned the Great King. "I have an important mission for you. The calls for help from a widow, Mrs. Hahn, on Blackberry Hill must be answered. Her son, Jeremy, has a bad leg, causing him to fall often. He needs a good angel to protect him everyday. Now fly immediately to Blackberry Hill and do what you can to help the boy and his mother.
Zion flew to Blackberry Hill. There he found Jeremy and his mother sitting in the porch swing.
He sat on a tree limb by the porch watching the two people who did not know he was there because he was invisible.
Mrs. Hahn busied herself with the basket of apples she was peeling to bake an apple crisp for their supper.
I must play my trumpet thought Zion and he flew out near the orchard and began to play. The tree branches clapped and the flowers growing near by swayed to the lovely strains of music coming from the angel's instrument.
"What a wonderful strange day!" Mrs. Hahn said. "Am I hearing things now? I think I hear the best music I have ever heard. Jeremy, do you hear music?"
"Yes, Mother," the boy answered, "But where is it coming from?"
"Let us go see," Mother said. Mrs. Hahn helped her crippled child down the steps and she led him out the garden path to find the source of the music. When they came near the orchard, the music ceased.
"Oh, dear," she said, "Will we ever know who played that wonderful music?"
"Maybe," replied the six-year old boy. Disappointed, the two of them made their way slowly back to the porch. Zion had seen them on the way back and he was there behind Jeremy to stop him if he started to fall.
The days and weeks that followed were good for the woman and her son. No longer did the Great King hear her constant pleas for help. Each day Mrs. Hahn felt more sure that everything would be all right. She quit worrying about Jeremy getting hurt when she wasn't at his side. Even though much of the land where the woman and her son lived was rocky with cliffs at the north end of the property she knew in her heart that some unseen one was there to protect them.
"Perhaps there is an angel from Heaven around here," she said to the child. "That would explain the beautiful music that we heard each morning."
"What are angels?" the little boy asked. "They are heavenly messengers of God who come to earth to help people like us," Mrs. Hahn said. "Remember when you would fall most every day and bruise yourself on the rocks. Look at you now! There is not a bruise or cut anywhere on your body."
"Yea," returned Jeremy. "Isn't it neat to have my very own angel?"
Zion sat on the fence post, smiling. Of course neither the woman or her son could see him. He was not ready to reveal himself yet. One day he might let the two see what he looked like.
It was late summer and the afternoon was quite hot but the heat did not bother Zion. He was not affected by heat, cold or any earthly condition. Of course should anything give him trouble he could fly away.
Jeremy had fallen asleep. He always took a long nap in the afternoon.
He will be fine thought Zion. I will fly about the country side and he did. The angel played on his baby trumpet to the delight of many folks who looked up, trying to see where the music was coming from.
Suddenly the little angel heard the whining of a dog in distress. Looking down, he saw a brown and white collie caught in the blackberry brambles that had grown thick. Poor thing thought Zion and swooped down to free him. He did it carefully because the prickly bushes hurt the dog. When the collie was free again, he wagged his tail and ran away.
Zion spread his wings and ascended above the trees. Soon he was flying over a lake where three girls were riding in a boat. They were laughing, singing and having fun until one girl fell out of the boat.
"Help! Help! she cried out "I can't swim!" The other two girls began to scream for help as one threw the styrofoam cooler toward her. The helpless girl could not reach the cooler. An air-filled cushion went into the water. She missed the cushion also.
"I don't know how to save her," said one girl, "But I can't let her drown!"
Into the water the girl dived and swam to her friend. She caught her friend by the blouse she was wearing and tried to pull her toward the boat but the water was rough and the poor girl fell away.
It was Zion's chance for doing good. He went down into the water, lifted the girl and pushed her to the friend. Then he pushed the two of them to their boat.
"I thought I would drown," said the girl. "Then I felt as if someone was lifting and pushing me.
"I felt a push, too," returned the friend. " I wonder what if was that was pushing us."
When all three girls were safe, the little angel flew upward again. He played his tiny trumpet making music for the wild animals in the forest. Soon he was flying to Blackberry Hill.
It was late summer now. The grass grew more slowly The nights were getting cooler. The roses and lilacs were gone. Ripe apples were falling to the ground and Mrs. Hahn was canning apples to make into pies and cakes in the winter. The pantry shelf was already filled with quart jars of apple butter.
Jeremy and his mother were thinking of school to start soon. His book pack was filled with school supplies.
"Will I like school?" the boy asked his mother.
"Yes, I think you will like school," she replied, "Because you like people and you like to learn new things. Then you will make new friends."
"What if someone laughs at my foot and leg in this brace?" Jeremy was a bit fearful.
"Don't worry, dear," assured his mother. "Most children will be nice but if someone laughs just smile and say that God made me that way and I'm special. He had a reason even if I don't know why."
"Okay," returned the Hahn boy.
School started and Jeremy was delighted to go. He found his teacher pleasant and helpful. When children laughed as he limped along, he didn't mind because there was so much he liked about school. Although he walked with a limp he never fell.
Zion stayed near Jeremy wherever he went - to the store, to church, to school or just limping about on Blackberry Hill where he lived. He did things to help Jeremy. When the boy needed colored leaves to take to school for show-and-tell, Zion threw the prettiest leaves to the ground within Jeremy's reach.
The little angel watched Jeremy all through the autumn days. Then there was Thanksgiving.
Finally, Christmas time arrived. Mrs. Hahn and her son planned their celebration for this special time of the year. Jeremy's mother found a small pine tree on their land and brought it home and the two Hahns decorated the evergreen. They strung popcorn to drape over the tree with paper chains and other ornaments. The tree was a wonderful sight.
"We have an evergreen tree," said the mother. "This reminds us that we shall live forever in Heaven."
"It is so beautiful," admired Jeremy.
"Yes, it really is," returned the woman. "We will sit near the tree and sing carols."
That is the way it was that Christmas Eve. Mrs. Hahn and her son sang many carols.
Outside there was a thick blanket of snow and soft, snow flakes were still falling to the ground.
There came a quick knock at the door. Jeremy and his mother looked at each other, puzzled as to who would be out there in the cold as they had not expected anyone.
"Who could that be?" said the woman as she turned on the porch light. She opened the door a wee bit.
There on the cold porch stood a blond-haired boy in a torn green sweat shirt, thin white jeans and worn sneakers. He was trembling.
"My lands!" exclaimed Jeremy's mother pulling the child inside. "You'll catch your death of cold. Warm by our fire while I get you a cup of hot tea."
She hastened to the kitchen and was soon by the fireplace with a steaming cup of tea and a fat apple-sauce muffin.
The lad ate very fast. He was so hungry.
"What is your name, dear?" asked Mrs. Hahn.
"I am called Little Zion," he replied.
"That's a nice name," said Jeremy.
"It is a lovely name," joined the woman. She desired to ask more questions and would do that later but the moment was sweet and precious. It was like having a very special guest on this Christmas Eve.
The decorations and lights on the little pine tree shone more brightly as the fire cracked and flames danced in the fire place.
When the visitor finished eating, he gladly joined in the singing of carols with his unusually sweet smooth voice. Jeremy's mother told him so.
"Thank you," the stranger returned. "I like to sing. I sing often."
"Let's play a game," suggested Jeremy.
"How about the game - I SEE A THING said Mrs. Hahn.
Jeremy often played I SEE A THING with his mother. The woman explained. Little Zion listened politely but he knew the game.
The three had a delightful Christmas Eve and Mrs. Hahn prepared the guest room for Zion. In the morning she would ask him about his parents.
They all went to bed.
Jeremy's mother arose early to make a good breakfast for her guest, her son and herself. She waked Jeremy. Then she knocked on the bedroom door where Zion slept. When there was no answer, she peeped in.
"My lands!" cried the woman. "Little Zion is gone. The bed is made."
"Maybe he is outside," said Jeremy.
"No, my son," said his mother closing the door. "This is a strange Christmas morning and last evening was wonderful in a strange way."
Jeremy remembered that there were presents under the tree that had come days before from his grandparents. He ran to open his gifts.
The woman stood watching her boy tear into the bright wrappings. There was a new red and blue sweater, blue gloves, a toy airplane and a box of cookies.
His mother held out a long box. "Honey, here is my gift to you."
Jeremy opened the box and saw a big yellow fire truck with a siren, bell, hose and everything to make it grand. Two tiny firemen sat in the cab of the truck.
"Wow!" exclaimed Jeremy. Suddenly his eyes shifted toward their beautiful tree and shining brighter than everything in the room was a little horn. It was a gold trumpet.
"Where did that come from?" he asked his mother. "I-I don't know," she replied. "Perhaps the little stranger left it."
Jeremy limped over to the tree and took the tiny trumpet. When he began to blow on the instrument, his lame leg began to tremble. He looked down and saw his foot, which had been turned in, straighten out. Then the trumpet vanished.
"Your foot!" exclaimed his mother. "It's wonderful! It's okay now!"
"Hey, wow!" cried Jeremy jumping up and down. This he had never done before. "I am healed, mother!"
Mrs. Hahn took her son's hand and the two danced all over the room, into the kitchen and back.
The boy in the ragged clothes had left on their Christmas tree the very best gift of all the gifts this year.
"Merry Christmas, Jeremy! the widow said.
"God is good!" returned her son who was now normal as anyone. It was the best Christmas ever.
Zion watched through the window and say how happy Jeremy and his mother were that day. He smiled. Then he spread his wings and flew away with his own little trumpet hanging from the cord around his waist. He would fly to the Great King for another assignment. This mission to Blackberry Hill had ended.
Questions or comments? Email the Author at mbell@cdp.com
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