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     I was six years old when I had my first celestial experience. I was born and raised in southern Minnesota on a farm. We are a large family with seven girls and 4 boys who all looked out for one another. Unlike most folks, our favorite time of year was winter. The winter months in Minnesota were met with an air of anticipation and anxiety.  Snow drifts could reach over 40 feet high and temperatures dip down to minus 40 degrees. We used to press our noses against the window panes to look out for the first sight of the crystal flakes which fell gracefully from a wintry sky. Ice hockey, snowball fights and igloo type forts were our favorite pastime.

     All the farmers’ children attended the local country school. It was a one and half mile walk from our farm. One of my brothers and three sisters trekked the journey day in and day out. There were two routes we could take on the way home from school. The first included following the paved road off onto a dirt road that led to our farm, or cutting across neighbor’s fields and the ‘muddy creek’. Normally, we had followed the same path, but on that particular day, I decided to cut across our neighbor’s crops to get home.

     It was the early part of March, and although the air was still very cold, the earth was warming up in expectation to Spring. In general, I had to wait a half an hour for my siblings, because as a first grader, I got out earlier than they did. On that day, I decided to leave without them and off I went. Also, I had taken the shortcut by cutting across the crops and walking across the creek. As I walked across, oblivious to anything around me-I heard a loud crack!

     To my amazement, I saw a brilliant, shining bright light. Then I heard the most beautiful music, and angels hovered over me with their wings wide open.  I was very warm and had no feeling that I was totally submerged in water.  I don’t know where I was, but I was exceedingly happy to the point of euphoria. Next thing I knew, I was spitting up water over my brother’s shoulder. Apparently, he left school early and had taken the same path as me. While he crossed the creek, he saw me floating between the cracked ice and water and pulled me out by my hair.

     I know now that I had experienced an out of body experience. I had died in that muddy creek and had gone to a place close to Heaven. Simply put-it wasn’t my time to go. My angels had not only protected me from the freezing water, but also, instructed my brother to leave class and fish me out of permanent death. I am now 86 years old and can remember that day as a 6 year old as if it was yesterday. Since then, I have always been connected to my angels-then and now.