"Up above me wayward angels, a blur of wings and grace. One for courage, one for safety, one for just in case."    Mary Chapin Carpenter

I pulled out a CD I hadn’t listened to for a long time. Yesterday ‘regular’ radio seemed unusually inane and MPR is in the midst of the pledge drive so….well, you get the picture. So I pulled out Mary Chapin Carpenter and listened to her throaty, haunting cross between country, folk and rock….always with deep lyrics that make you sit up and take notice.

On this particular disc the song that always grabs me is "Between Here and Gone", a melancholy ballad that explores the many ways we live in the now and the not yet. There are all kinds of images of journey, earthly life and heavenly life. It is a multi-layered piece of poetry, words that make you wonder what she was thinking or had experienced that made her write such lyrics.

The bridge of the song, which I’ve printed above, reminds me of the blessings we offer one another on any given day." I pray that you will have the courage it takes to get through this. Please keep this child safe as they test these boundaries. May you have the courage to know what to do and to do it. Safe travels, my friend." So much courage and safety is needed every day.

But then there are the "just in case" angels we call upon, the "just in case"prayers we offer……. just in case this doesn’t work out….just in case this diagnosis is not the one we want to hear….just in case there is no good decision, no better choice……just in case it may not get easier…..just in case I was wrong…..just in case I can’t control this…..so many times for "just in case".

May you be surrounded today by angels who bring you courage when you need it, by those who keep you and those you love safe this day…….and by that one wayward angel who walks with us, just in case.