Monthly Archives: November 2012

In the Hands of My God

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My God is tall and strong.
Usually he walks taking great strides
but today
My God is treading carefully,
his hands cupped together
in front of his chest,
gently carrying something
that is clearly precious to him.

He steps carefully
so as not to disturb
the cherished bundle
that he keeps
close to his heart.

I look closer,
trying to see what My God is carrying
with such tenderness.

It’s Danny.

My God is carrying Danny
with care,
with love,
protecting him,
keeping him safe.

This illness is not something
that Danny has to endure alone.
My God is with Danny
every step of the way,
carrying him.

Danny is safe
in the loving hands of My God.

© Claire Murray

My Hiding Place

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I am about four years old.
I am in the family home
where I grew up
in Derry.
In the corner of the living room
is a coffee table
that my Daddy made.
I am lying underneath it.

This is my hiding place.

Jesus comes into the living room
and kneels down on the floor
beside the coffee table.
He stretches out his hand to me.
I take it and try to smile.
I fail.

“What’s up?”, Jesus asks.
“I’m sad,” I reply,
“I just feel really heavy inside.
I don’t know why
and I don’t know what to do about it.”

Jesus squeezes my hand.
“It’s okay to feel sad, you know.
We all feel it sometimes
and we don’t always know why.
It’s hard,
but it’s part of being human.
Don’t be afraid of it.
Allow yourself to feel the sadness
and it will pass. “

I wriggle out from my hiding place
and crawl over to sit beside Jesus.
We sit on the floor,
his arm around my shoulder
and rest
together.

© Claire Murray

Homework

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As I sit in the living room,
trying to still myself to prayer,
I become aware
of happy sounds
coming from the kitchen
where Aoife is doing her homework.

As Aoife sits there,
doing her RE homework,
she is surrounded
by Bible, books, laptop and pens.
Aoife sings, hums and whistles,
her clicking pen
providing occasional percussion accompaniment.

My God nudges me, smiles and says,
“Can you hear Aoife in the kitchen?
She’s so happy sitting there,
studying away.
Aoife thinks that she’s alone.
She doesn’t realize
that I’m there,
right beside her,
right inside her,
relishing this teenage celebration of life!

Consciously,
Aoife is oblivious to my presence,
and denies my existence, even!
Yet part of her senses me
and responds,
causing her spirit to soar.

Aoife, without realizing it,
is enjoying my company!”

© Claire Murray

Cleaning Lady

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I called into St Malachy’s church this morning
on my way to work.
A cleaning lady was busily occupied in the chapel
lifting kneelers
and mopping the floor.
I offered to move to a different seat,
concerned that I might be getting in her way.
She replied,
“You’re alright. This is God’s house!”
and went on about her work.

A sense of welcome
flooded over me
and I felt invited to allow myself
to let go of all of the worries, anxieties,
self-doubts and responsibilities
that form so much of my adult life.
I felt invited to allow myself
to snuggle up beside My God
and to allow myself to become His wee girl,
loved, welcome
and safe in His arms.

I experienced a deep sense of peace.

A short time later as I left the chapel
to continue my journey to work
the cleaning lady commented,
“I hope I’m not chasing you out, love?”
and I thought to myself
that the cleaning lady was wholly mistaken;
she couldn’t have made me feel
more welcome!
©Claire Murray

At Your Granny’s

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There’s a Belfast saying that I love;
“Eat up; you’re at your Granny’s!”
It’s usually said by someone
who is considerably older than you
and who cares about you.
But what I love about this saying
is the fact
that the person who says it
may not even be your Granny!

What the person really means is:
“I’m delighted to see you!
Sit down
and have a rest,
just for a wee while,
and allow me to spoil you;
you deserve it!”

Sometimes when I enter the house of My God
I feel as if My God is saying to me,
“Eat up; you’re at your Granny’s!”
So I sit, at peace,
in the presence of My God
and allow My God
to spoil me!

© Claire Murray