Lord,
today we drove to Derry
to see my parents.

It was a beautiful, autumnal day,
a day of blue sky
and fresh, green fields,
a day to watch for bunny rabbits
in passing fields,
a day to take our time
while my grown-up son, Fiachra,
did the driving
leaving me free
to simply enjoy the view
and drink a cup of tea
that I had brought with me.

As we approached the Glenshane Pass
I savoured the splendour
of the Sperrins
stretched out before me,
and bathed in gentle, autumn sunshine.

My heart soared.

Thank you, Lord,
for time-out
from my hectic life.

Thank you, Lord,
for a lovely, leisurely day
spent with my children,
(who are getting so grown up!)
and with my parents
who still enjoy good health
(along with sticky buns and ice cream!)

Thank you, Lord,
for a pleasant journey
that left me feeling so rested.
Thank you, Lord
for that time-out!

© Claire Murray, 12th Oct 2014

Lord,
the gospels are full of tales
of the many people
that you healed –
women and children,
friends and strangers,
even Romans and Samaritans.
You healed so many people!

Sometimes I wonder
about untold tales
of a different kind of healing altogether –
a healing of the spirit.
I wonder whether, sometimes,
you simply sat with a person
who was close to death
bringing to them
the gift of the grace
to accept their illness
and the courage
to surrender themselves
to God’s plan for them?

Did you ever simply
keep someone company
in their final hours
and give to them the gift
of a happy death?

© Claire Murray, 6th Oct 2014

I always think
that if a friend deserves
a gold star
and you don’t have one to hand
a Starbucks chocolate coin
is the perfect substitute.

Last week
when I sprained my ankle
and was feeling slightly under the weather
my friend Tina presented me
with a chocolate coin.

I was delighted!
This was a chocolate coin
on a massive scale
and its crowning glory
was a gold star
stamped on its centre!
To someone who is a huge fan
of chocolate coins and gold stars
this was a perfect present!

Today I give thanks to My God
for the thoughtfulness of friends
who reach out in kindness
bringing consolation in a difficult week
in the form of chocolate coins and gold stars.

© Claire Murray, 6th Oct 2014

During the week
I managed to sprain my ankle.
I limped through the week
watching, fascinated,
as people strolled past me,
thinking to myself,
“Wow!
They make walking look so easy!”
I spent the week
deprived of delightful little distractions
such as meeting my husband, Paul,
for lunch
or for coffee.

Yet this experience has reminded me
of how blessed I am.
Usually I enjoy good health,
walking briskly where I please
around Belfast city centre.
Usually I can perform
lots of tedious, necessary
everyday tasks
unaided.

I’m aware that my sprained ankle
is merely a temporary inconvenience,
something that will clear up
in a week or two .

Today I give thanks to My God
for the good health
that I usually enjoy
and for the healing
that I can already see
taking place in my ankle.

Today I give thanks to My God
for the insight
that this experience has given me.

Today I ask My God
to bless those
for whom walking with difficulty
is a permanent condition.
Today
I give thanks to My God
for giving me the grace to see
His hand at work
in this temporary inconvenience.

© Claire Murray, 5th Oct 2014