Picture This: Lions Fighting

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”  Revelation 5:5

As a family we have had angel encounters.  Not the wimpy, cutesy, beautiful winged creatures.  I'm talking big, warrior, sword carrying angel!  While my oldest son was in preschool, he often shared about how many angels were in our house, how big and strong they were, how large their swords were and what their hair looked like.  This isn't foreign to our wee one either. 

It was just a year ago that our wee one was getting discharged from the hospital from his battle with Kawasaki's Disease.  It was then that I had my first visible, memorable angel encounter.  I saw a man in my son's hospital room with my husband and youngest son.  This man looked official, so I didn't enter the room in an effort not to be a distraction.  Later during conversation, my husband said there was no man in the hospital room.  

During a recent lunch conversation, my husband asked our wee one if he had seen any angels.  He looked around while intentionally putting his pointer finger up to his chin and said, "hmmm".  Then all of the sudden the wee one says, "There he is.  Want some?"  He was offering his new angelic friend some pizza.  Scott continued to pursue the conversation with our wee one by asking him if he remembered being sick last year.  The wee one's reply was, "hot, hot, hot."  (He ran an extremely high fever for several days.)  Scott continued and asked, "Did you see angels when we were in the hospital?"  The wee one's answer was shocking and when Scott shared this with me tears rolled down this mommy's cheeks.  His answer was, "Lions.  Lions fighting."

Lions are both protectors and predators - depends on their heart, motive and circumstance.  I have no doubt that the vision my son saw was a lion from the Lord God protecting him against a predator lion who was trying to snatch him.  Our Protector is victorious always!

The interesting thing is that the visions of lions haven't stopped.  He occasionally shares, "lion scare me."  So, it appears that our battles, whatever they may be, are not done yet.  We are armed and ready, because our King, and amazing Father never slumbers and is always aware, alive and engaged in every detail of our lives.

Some friends of mine have introduced me to a refreshing way to look at the new year (thanks: Ann, Kara  and Tobitha!).  The days of New Year's Resolutions are gone.  Naming the year is so much better!  After some prayer over the last couple of days, I think I've landed on a name for 2011. 

Father,
I want to be more aware of where you're working so I can join in, experience you more and give you more of the glory You so richly deserve.
I want to be more alive:  living every moment to the fullest wherever I am and with my irreplaceable roles as most important.  Going through more healing and feeling all of it as we walk toward victory for His glory.
I want to be engaged intentionally with obedience, gratitude and more trust in Him with whatever He sets before me - the battles and the victories.
Father, all these things can only be done when I trust you and live victoriously in, for and through You!
So here's to 2011:  the year of living victoriously!

Happy New Year!