An angel shares her prayers with mom and son

Talk about it

An angel came to visit me at work the other day. I’m not sure where her wings were hidden, but I know they were somewhere under her winter coat.

It was on a Friday morning, and by Friday I am pretty fried out at work. So when the person at the front desk beeped me to say I had an unexpected visitor, I’m ashamed to say I was a bit irritated. I didn’t have time to stop, but I went downstairs and there she was: an elderly woman named Florence. She stopped in to give me a beautiful prayer shawl knitted with her own two hands.

Florence told me that for every small ball she knitted, she said an “Our Father” prayer for my baby, Joey, and me. There are nearly 1,000 balls on the shawl. That means she said nearly 1,000 prayers for us. She wrapped the shawl around me and told me, “This prayer shawl is a comforting reminder of God’s unending love for you.”

She reminded me that God hears all prayers and answers all prayers. I had met Florence via e-mail just a couple of weeks before this meeting. She had been reading my “Life of a working mom” columns and e-mailed me, concerned because Joey doesn’t have a father.

I e-mailed Florence back and told her I’m also worried. I want Joey to have a dad. I told her something many people may not know because they are quick to judge single mothers: Single mothers don’t want to be alone.

You don’t need to ask them why they are single mothers or have them explain their story. Just know that if you see a woman raising a child on her own, it’s for a good reason, and it was best for baby.

Just like so many of you, as little girls we dreamed of growing up and marrying a nice man and having a family together. Being a single mother is not part of the dream. So give single parents credit for having the courage to go it alone.

I don’t think women should stay in relationships that are unsafe or unhealthy out of fear of being alone or fear of what society may say about them. I believe a bad father is worse than no father.

As a single mom, I have taken my share of verbal bashing from people, but I remain strong because my son is worth it. I explained to Florence that this is not how I had pictured my life going. But regardless, Joey is the best thing that has happened in my life.

And even if God dropped down from the sky tomorrow and told me I could have everything I ever wanted — a nice husband, three children, a home with a yard and a dog — but I would have to give up Joey, I would say “absolutely not.”

Joey is my son. He is the love of my life. I would gladly travel down this broken road again to be with him. God never looks down from heaven saying “I never saw that coming.”

I made a mistake trusting the wrong person, but my son is not a mistake. I agree my son needs a father, and I trust that is going to happen. I have faith. I always have and I always will.

When I told my story to this stranger, this angel named Florence, she said she would pray for us. She reminded me of so many amazing people here in the Northland who are kind, caring and generous.

Florence and I had only about 10 minutes together, and then it was time for me to go back to work. I watched as she slowly made her way to the door, and my heart was flooded with love. I felt humbled by God’s love and embarrassed that I initially was irritated by an unexpected visitor. I only hope I can be as amazing as Florence someday.

Later that night when I got home, I took the prayer shawl out of the gift bag and found a note that said Florence had been knitting the shawl for the past five months! She had said

1,000 prayers not knowing for whom she was kitting the shawl. In the end, she decided to give it to my baby and me.

Miracles happen every day. And on that Friday, an angel came to visit me at work and changed my life.

Julie Moravchik is news director at KQDS-TV, FOX 21. You can reach her at jmoravchik@kqdsfox21.tv or post a comment to her column on the Scrapbook page of duluthnewstribune.com. You can write to her at 2001 London Road, Duluth, MN 55812-2126.

Tags: julie moravchik, life of a working mom, scrapbook, advice, parenting, family