Angels of The One
By Jo Dora Webster
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Ann had led a life of great challenge on the earth. She had proved herself equal with the help of The One to living life as a transwoman. Her quiet honesty and grace had earned her a place in the lives of many. When life seemed at its lowest ebb, The One had directed Sarah, who was fortunate to be born a woman, into Ann's life. When both families had forsaken them, Ann and Sarah had become family, sisters to each other. Sarah was taken from life long before Ann and The One had used her as a messenger. She even was allowed to give Ann messages from The One. Finally, Ann had come to the end of her life spent helping others.
Sarah hugged her adopted sister, Ann, as she came thru the pearly gates.
“Ann! It is so good to see you again, finally! Little sister I am so proud of you.”
“Thanks Sis! It is so good to see you again!”
“Ann, The One has need of you but not as a messenger as I have done.”
“Sarah, what does The One require of me?”
“Ann, The One needs you to right what once went wrong.”
“Huh! Sarah, I just got here. Don’t I get a chance to look around and meet again some of the people that I’ve been parted from for so long?”
“Ann, you are needed immediately. There just isn’t time now but you’ll have your reunions as soon as you can be spared.”
“Sarah, I don’t want to be parted from you either.”
“We are going to be working together on this. I put a good word for you with The One. You are going to used to give second chances to those who need them. While you are out among them to make second chances possible, I will be instructed by The One concerning our assignments. I will also with help, guide the guest, whose place you will be taking temporarily, to allow The One to work thru their lives as well when they return to earth. I will hear your prayers when you need help and come to you to offer some guidance."
“I yield to The One. May it be to me according to the will of The One.”
And Ann vanished covered in the glory of The One.
Ann took in her surroundings. She was sitting by a pool on a bench. She looked twice and recognized it from archeological studies and reconstructions as the famous pool of Siloam. As she gazed into her reflection it was not her own. Instead looking back at her was a man dressed as though he had stepped out of the pages of the bible. She caught her breath and wondered at the possibilities. The man who she had replaced was now a temporary guest in Heaven like the Apostle Paul had once been a temporary guest in Heaven. She hoped that Sarah would clear up the rules a bit for her. It was clear to Ann that she might be sent to any time and place and person that The One chose to send her.
She certainly needed Sarah's guidance so she prepared to pray. She bowed her head and saw him bow his head at the same time in the reflection at the pool. From within the Spirit realm, Ann could perciever herself as an angel again and could interact with other angels like Angel Sarah. And within her mind both she and Sarah faced each other and Sarah began to speak to her.
“I know! A million questions and I heard the ones that you were just asking so I will try to give you the answers now that I know them. We both are getting on the job training for this task. Anytime you need me, you can bow your head and I will come into your mind. I won’t stay there constantly because you don’t need a backseat driver and I have other tasks to do to aid in our joint mission. Leaping into a man for a temporary stay should be something you can cope with since you had to portray a man for 30 years of your life on earth.” Sarah caught her breath and continued, “is there anything else that you would like to cover?”
“Who am I, now, Sarah?”
“Ann, you are Joshua, a blacksmith, who specializes in making tools and nails. You have a wife, Miriam who you love very much and a transwoman daughter, who was named Timon originally but she would rather be called Tamar. Tamar began living as her true gender as a precocious child. Before puberty could touch her you sent her to become a eunuch because you realized that the child might take her own life if her body betrayed her by becoming masculine in spite of her best efforts to the contrary. You reasoned that even if Tamar chose to live as Timon that a life as a eunuch could be a good one for the nobility treated their servants well and he had already resigned himself that his line would not continue. Tamar learned to be a seamstress from her mother, Miriam. Together they had invented some amazing undergarments that allowed Tamar to look like the other women of the village when clothed.”
“It appears that Tamar is very fortunate to have Joshua and Miriam as parents. Why am I here? “
“Tamar’s parents are resigned to the inevitable on their daughter’s condition but they do not accept the condition and are looking for a miracle. What Miriam needs is to completely accept her daughter and Tamar needs her faith in herself and in The One to be renewed. You see in a few days, Jesus will be coming to this village and will be willing to make Tamar whole if only she has the faith.”
Ann was speechless. She had vowed her will be yielded to The One but she had no idea that she might be used for such a task.
“Ann, It goes without saying that you must not interfere with the mission of Jesus. In the original history, Tamar had already given up hope so she did not have the faith to trust Jesus for the gift. When Jesus asked her to wash in the Pool of Siloam, she did not. Rather than mention her failure, history had not recorded her life at all. If she can believe in Jesus enough to do what he says, then she could become a whole woman and actually be a wife and mother.”
“Be it unto me as you have said. Be close for I don’t know when I might need you, Sarah”
“I’m only a prayer away, Ann. Maranatha.”
Ann broke away from the spirit realm to experiance life thru Joshua's eyes. He knew something about being a man since he had been Ian but the man whose body she wore for now was strong and heavily muscled. A Man’s man. Observing the towel and the sack holding soiled clothing, he reasoned that he had taken a bath prior to starting his work day. she saw the stables with the forge in the distance so she knew where to go to work. Joshua thanked the SCA and the lessons that he had obtained in the basics of blacksmithing.
When he arrived at the forge he found that Joshua had been a very good record keeper and that told him exactly what orders were placed and he started the fabrication of the things he would need to fill the orders.
It wasn’t long before a beautiful young woman came to the stable carrying a picture of cold water from deep in the well and a loaf of bread with a pot of honey.
“Greetings, my beloved daughter!” Joshua shouted while she was still a far off.
Tamar paused for a moment in shock and a great big smile spread across her face as she quickened her pace. She placed the things she carried on the nearby table and curtseyed respectfully to her father.
“Come here, Tamar” and Joshua wrapped his arms around his daughter in a great big bear hug. “ I love you, my daughter”
Tamar cried tears of joy and said “I love you too, Daddy”
As they disentangled, Tamar really wanted to know what had caused this change of heart since she had never been called daughter or Tamar before by her daddy.
Joshua sat down and bid Tamar curl up in his massive lap. “I’ve received a revelation from The One that I should always have treated you as my daughter. While I can not undo what I have done, I ask your forgiveness, Tamar.”
Tamar could not see for the tears but she responded,” Daddy, I forgive you. Thank you for letting me be your daughter.”
Joshua replied, “ You are welcome, sweetheart. Please go to your mother ask her leave that you attend me in the stable today for I have need of you. I await your return, daughter.”
Tamar dried her eyes on the hem of her skirt and got off of her daddy’s lap. “ I go as I am sent, father.”
Joshua gave her leave to go. “Return quickly, daughter. There is much expected this day.”
Tamar took off towards the house at a rapid pace and singing a psalm in praise of The One.
Joshua smiled at how well that had gone and remembered the time when at last Ann's Daddy had accepted her as his daughter. Not only could Joshua begin to instill faith in Tamar in herself and in The One, but his daughter could help identify all of the people in the village to Joshua so he would know what orders to give them when they came for them.
Tamar came out of breath to her Mother who greeted her with concern. “My Child, what is the matter that you come here with such haste. Catch your breath and then tell me, Child.”
“Oh Mother, Father sends me to beg a boon of you to allow me to spend the day with him in the stable. And mother, Daddy called me Tamar his daughter and asked me to forgive him for not doing so before.”
“My child, if your father says you are Tamar his daughter then that’s exactly who you are! Tamar you are granted my leave to attend to your father for his comfort this day. Go quickly child to your home and wear something befitting the daughter of Joshua so that your father will be proud of you before the others in the village.”
“Thank you, Mother. I go as you direct.” And Tamar left to go to her home. Tamar was of age according to the Jewish law so Joshua reasoned that if his child chose to go thru life as Timon then he had a dwelling place and if she were to go thru life as Tamar then she would have the home for a dowry. Even though it was Tamar, that she lived as, she had a bit of what she would have had as Timon. Tamar quickly changed and started the walk back to the stable.
Tamar was soon in sight of the stable and when Joshua saw her far off he cried out “Tamar!” and opened his arms to her. Tamar ran and jumped into her Daddy’s arms and she kissed him on the cheek.
Joshua smiled at Tamar. “All I need you to do, Tamar, is to look your most beautiful and keep me company today. And I would like us to play a game. Tamar when you see one of our towns people a far off, I would like for you to tell me all about them as though I had never met them before. Can you do that for me, Sweetheart?” “Oh yes, Daddy, I would love to do that for you.”
So Joshua got thru the day, making the things on his list. As someone went by the stable, Tamar would introduce them to Joshua unknown to them. Tamar went off to the well to draw more water as needed. Most of all Joshua got to teach his daughter about faith in The One and faith in herself.
By the time that Miriam ordinarily started the evening meal, Joshua was pretty confident that he knew all the towns’ people so he allowed Tamar to go home to help her mother with the meal preparations but asked her to return to fetch him when the meal was ready. Joshua reasoned that with Tamar as an escort that he wouldn’t be lost going to Joshua’s home. Tamar soon returned and walked with her father home.
Joshua greeted his wife Miriam warmly, “Greetings, Miriam! You have done a wonderful job preparing our evening meal. You are so good to me after toiling yourself all day making the clothes that the women desire and brings them beauty.” Greetings, Joshua! I am wondering where you have hidden my husband because you seem like a completely new man. But I like this man that you have become, my beloved, so I feel I should keep you just the way you are.”
“My wife, we will talk more of this after the evening meal. But now let us give thanks to The One for the abundance of what we have to eat.”
Joshua lifted his hands towards heaven and prayed to The One and when he had concluded, they all began eating. The meal passed pleasantly as they ate in silence. While Joshua would have preferred conversation, he needed to try to respect the traditions of the house as much as he could. Tamar cleared the table and took care of the dirty dishes and fed the remains of the meal to the oxen at the stable on her way to her home. Tamar hurried so that she would arrive home before sundown because that would begin the Sabbath.
Miriam looked to her husband with concern, “The evening meal has passed, my husband so I must ask this. Have you taken leave of your senses treating our child like that and raising her hopes?”
“You called Tamar, “her” are you showing your true feelings as well, Miriam?”
“Joshua, there is no denying that she is our daughter so of course I called Tamar “her” and its much more easier than talking around to avoid the pronoun. But you do not answer the question, my husband.”
“Miriam, I was visited by an angel today and she told me things that have caused me to see our daughter in a different light. First, The one accepted Tamar as a daughter from the day she was born imbuing her with a female spirit. “
“That does make a difference, Joshua. Were I visited by an angel, then I would change in an instant as well to reflect the will of The One. Please continue.”
“Have you heard the stories of Jesus of Nazareth who goes about healing and preaching about The One?”
“Yes, there are many things said about Jesus but none can deny the wonderful things that have been done for those who have put their faith in Jesus.”
“I was told that Jesus was on the way to our village. If she has the faith to do what Jesus tells her then she might be made whole.”
“Then our Timon would be truly gone, but The One would have given us a daughter that could bear our grandchildren. Blessed be The One!”
“My wife, If you hear of a disturbance in the town, send Tamar so that she can meet Jesus. Build up her faith in herself and in The One. We will see if The One will work a miracle in our midst.”
“Be it unto me according as you have said, my husband. I look to The One to provide something wonderful for our daughter.”
“I tire, my wife. Miriam let us be close tonight as we sleep. I place no duty upon you this night but to be near me.”
“Joshua, you should be visited by an angel more often if it make you this agreeable. Come let us enjoy our warmth together as we rest.”
When Miriam had gone to sleep in the arms of her husband, Joshua, He prayed to bring himself into the spirit realm where Angel Sarah could speak with Angel Ann.
Sarah came and greeted her, ”Ann, I can see why The One wanted you for this. You have brought creativity to the task that you have been given.”
“Thank you, Sarah. I did the things that I hoped would have helped me if I were in the place of Tamar. Will Jesus be entering the village tomorrow?”
“Yes as it turns out so this may be over quickly for you and you can go on to your next assignment.”
“I hope that they are all as fulfilling as this one has been so far. How are you and your friend doing with Joshua in the waiting room?”
“He’ll be ready to be her father when he gets back to his life. It is fortunate that he will have the benefit of a real miracle and a whole daughter when Jesus helps her. He will no longer have to take things by faith. Much greater is the faith of Miriam who believes now before the miracle has happened for them yet. Sleep now, Sis! You have a big day ahead of you.”
“Bye for now, Sarah” Ann relaxed so that she would lapse into sleep back in the mortal realm and be ready for the next day. Joshua and Miriam looked contented as they slept cuddled together.
The Sabbath day continued early for Joshua as he left Miriam to sleep while he got his own breakfast and went out to go worship early in the morning.
Later on both Miriam and Tamar began their day. Tamar made the mundane preparation for the day and cared for her mother, Miriam.
“Tamar, my daughter, Have you heard the news that Jesus of Nazareth may be coming thru our town today?”
Tamar replied, “No mother, I had not heard. I have heard of the miracles that people say that he does.”
“Have faith my daughter! The One looks on the weak vessels of this earth to confound the wise. Besides you can be my eyes and ears if Jesus does come and I have to stay with our goods.”
“I will Mother.” Tamar smiled and hoped for a miracle for herself.
Miriam noticed a gathering of unknown men outside and told Tamar to go to the well with a jar of water. And Miriam whispered to her, “If on your way you see Jesus, stop and offer him and those who travel with him something to drink.”
Tamar whispered back, “Yes Mother” and she went to the well.
Tamar drew the water out of the well and filled the jar and inserted the dipper and began to carry it back toward her parents home. As she drew nearer she saw that a man was surrounded with men that were his traveling companions. She heard shouts of “Jesus is here!” She did as her mother instructed and walked to the group of Men and as she overheard their conversation it became obvious which one was called Jesus.
She came up to Jesus and curtseyed and offered him the dipper. “Teacher, would you like something to drink?”
Before Jesus could drink one of the townspeople, a busybody named Marah who was standing by Jesus, pushed the dipper and jar away from Jesus and the jar burst on the ground and all the water was lost. It was little wonder that Marah's name meant bitter.
Marah screamed, “Jesus, this is an evil person! He was named Timon by his parents but he claimed that he was really a girl and began to dress in women’s garments and call himself, Tamar. He has brought disgrace on his parents who live in this village.”
Tamar collected herself and said, “Teacher, I am a woman with a problem.”
Jesus’ companions were beside themselves so one of them named Judas asked Jesus, ”Teacher, who sinned: this woman or her parents, causing her to be born with this problem?"
Jesus rolled his eyes and looked at Judas and said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.”
Jesus turned to the rest of his companions and continued, ”We need to be energetically at work for The One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world's Light."
Tamar stood there and with each word that Jesus had said her faith rose. This Jesus was unlike any man that she had known before. She could not believe that Jesus had said that she wasn’t a sinner for being born like that. She was glad that Jesus had said that her parents had not sinned either.
Jesus turned to Tamar and said, "Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam"
Tamar knew in her heart that if she did as she was commanded that she would receive a miracle. She gladly went to the Pool of Siloam. Ordinarily she went in the dead of night to wash because of her problem but she had the faith that by doing what Jesus said that something wonderful would happen. So she removed her clothing and went down into the pool and washed. When she had washed she felt something penetrate every part of her being and she had been made whole.
One of the girls of the village handed her a towel to dry herself who said, “I was sent with this towel to give you when my mother heard that you were commanded to wash at this pool.” Tamar thanked her and dried herself.
As she dried herself she could not believe how beautiful she was now and that she possessed all those attributes that she had lacked before. The special undergarments were no longer necessary because she was whole. She dressed herself and because she bathed in the daylight there was no doubt by anyone that she had been made whole.
Soon the town was buzzing.
Her relatives and those knew of her gathered around her in amazement. Tamar heard them ask, "Is this really Timon who presented himself as Tamar?
Tamar smiled when she heard some of them say, "It's her all right!"
Tamar could not believe it when others objected, "It's not the same woman at all. It just looks like her."
Tamar said, "It's me, Tamar, the very one."
Then they asked the question on everyone’s mind,, "How did you become whole?"
Tamar told them, "A man named Jesus told me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' I did what he said. When I washed, I was whole."
Tamar heard someone ask, "So where is he?"
Tamar just shook her head sadly and told them, "I don't know."
A bunch of the religious people were among the crowd that had gathered. They surrounded, Tamar. They marched Tamar to the Pharisees. From what Tamar could gather from what they had said on the way is that they were upset that today when Jesus made Tamar whole was the Sabbath.
The Pharisees grilled her again on how she had come to be made whole. Tamar said, "I washed, and now I am whole."
Some of the Pharisees said, "Obviously, this man, Jesus, can't be from The One. He doesn't keep the Sabbath."
Others countered, "How can a bad man do miraculous things like this?" There was a split in their ranks.
They came back at Tamar and asked her, "You're the expert. He made you whole. What do you say about him?"
Tamar considered it and said, "Jesus is a prophet."
Some of them said, “I don’t believe that Tamar ever had a problem. Let’s get the parents, They can tell us the truth about Tamar.”
They sent a religious crowd to the home of Joshua and Miriam. Joshua had not long gotten home from going to worship. Joshua bowed his head and prayed. In prayer, It was not Joshua but the spirit of the Angel Ann that was perceived within the spirit realm. As a spirit she could communicate with the Angel Sarah as well.
Ann looked at Sarah and grinned, “Jesus did it! Tamar has been made whole! Now when am I going to be finished here?”
Sarah smiled, ”Patience, dear. You have to keep your wife and daughter safe while the excitement from this miracle dies down.”
Joshua concluded his prayer when he heard a group at the door. Joshua opened the door for them and they told him. “We have instructions to escort both you and your wife to the religious leaders.” Joshua wrapped a protective arm around his wife and whispered to her, “Just tell the truth, Miriam. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The group led both him and his wife to the religious leaders.
When Joshua and Miriam arrived with their daughter, Tamar, standing before the religious leaders.
The religious leaders asked Joshua and Miriam, "Is this your daughter, Tamar, the one you say was born with a problem? So how is it that she now is whole?"
Joshua spoke for the two of them and said, "We know she is our daughter, and we know she was born with a problem. But we don't know how she came to be made whole—haven't a clue about who made her whole. Why don't you ask her? She's a grown woman and can speak for herself."
Joshua decided to tell them that because both of them were intimidated by the Jewish leaders, who had already decided that anyone who took a stand that this was the Messiah would be kicked out of the meeting place. Joshua reasoned that it was better to avoid trouble now and so there would not be an action that would be difficult to resolve later after things cooled down.
They let Joshua and Miriam go home but they kept Tamar since they didn’t have Jesus to question.
They called Tamar back a second time and told her, "Give credit to The One. We know this man, Jesus, is an impostor."
Tamar replied, "I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I had a problem . . . Now I am whole."
One more time the religious leaders said, "What did he do to you? How did he make you whole?"
Tamar was a little frustrated and said, "I've told you over and over and you haven't listened. Why do you want to hear it again? Are you so eager to become his disciples?"
With that they jumped all over her. "You might be a disciple of that man, Jesus, but we're disciples of Moses. We know for sure that God spoke to Moses, but we have no idea where this man even comes from."
Tamar answered, "This is amazing! You claim to know nothing about him, but the fact is, he made me whole! It's well known that God isn't at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. That someone made whole a woman born with a problem has never been heard of—ever. If this man didn't come from God, he wouldn't be able to do anything."
The religious leaders said, "You're nothing but dirt! How dare you take that tone with us!" Then they threw Tamar out in the street.
Jesus heard that they had thrown Tamar out, and went and found her. He asked her, "Do you believe in the Son of The One?"
Tamar said, "Point him out to me, Jesus, so that I can believe in him."
Jesus said, "You're looking right at him. Don't you recognize me?"
"Master, I believe," Tamar said, and worshiped him.
Tamar’s parents were making preparations to make ready the room that Timon had occupied in their home until becoming of age to make it over so that it would be a suitable place for their daughter to live. While her daughter had been living in the home of her own, it was only because she did so by expectations that she actually was Timon. When the miracle happened as she had faith that it would, it would not be proper for an unmarried daughter to live on her own so she would be expected to live with her parents until she was betrothed. Miriam put the finishing touches on the room and closed it up so that Tamar would not see her surprise till later.
Tamar finally came home after spending time with Jesus. She was glowing even with the treatment that she had received at the hands of the religious leaders. Miriam led Tamar to her room and opened the door.
Tamar squealed with joy when Miriam told her, “Tamar, this is your room now!” Miriam hugged Tamar and kissed her on the cheek.
Joshua said, “My beloved daughter, Tamar, you’ve come home.” Joshua gave Tamar a great big hug and suddenly, The spirit of the angel Ann inhabiting Joshua's body, was surrounded by the glory of The One and she vanished leaving Joshua, both mind and body, back in his rightful place.
Ann woke and found herself in a room of brilliant white. She could not help but weep tears of joy now that she didn’t have Joshua’s body to dampen the emotion.
Sarah hugged Ann and told her, “I’d like you to meet my friend who has been helping me in Heaven with our guest.”
Ann looked up and saw a woman who was tall and beautiful with the look of wisdom in her eyes and a great big unmistakable smile and ran to hug her calling out, “Martha! My sister!” which was answered by, “Ann! My sister!” Gone was the ravages of Down’s syndrome from Ann's sister Martha, because she had been made whole. Ann and Martha hugged and kissed and drew Sarah in as well. Ann now had her two sisters together with her, one born from Ann's parents and the other by adoption but both unmistakably her sisters. Brushing the tears of joy from her eyes, Ann caught her breath as they broke the hug so that they could face each other. Ann shouted with joy, “I’ve come home!”
Sarah leaned over and whispered to Martha, "Ann doesn't understand that The One may call us at anytime for further service." Martha whispered back,"I yield to The One. What about Ann?" Sarah replied, "Let her enjoy herself. She must renew herself in preparation for the next assignment." The three sisters celebrated their time together, for they had not been together in this way, ever.
"Joshua's Daughter" includes a recasting of Tamar for the blind man of The Message, John 9. In both cases they are born with congenital problems and both have to deal with the consequnces of recieving a miracle. Although the Bible is silent on Harry Benjamin Syndrome there are parallels which can be drawn to tell the story of Tamar in "Joshua's Daughter".
