for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under [and including] heaven

-Walking through the park on a particularly cold, grey day and feeling a little grumpy about it all. As I walked, trying to shake off my tiredness, I thought I should just try the whole "St. Anna" prayer to cheer me up. Well, I began in my mind: "Thanks be to God for this day. (sigh) For all that is above me (lots of grey sky), for all that is below me (cold, dark, wet ground...)" and quickly realized that this was not really helping. Remembering that God would much more prefer an honest prayer to a cheery one when I just wasn't all that cheery, I was comforted. And so I grumbled to God, knowing that God is gracious enough to accept even my grumblings. And that is grace.

-Incredible timing, and feeling Someone bigger than me at work.

-Copious amounts of hot, cinnamon-infused coffee to keep me warm and alert and wishing for a sandwich, but not having the conviction to go out in the rain to seek it. Roberta texted saying she was on her way to the office. I replied that I'd just made fresh coffee and she said that sandwiches were on the way.

-A little boy in Religious Education at the primary school saying that his news was that he was very sad (but didn't say why). At the end of the lesson, sort of out of nowhere he said, "I've been told that when someone you love dies, they can still see you from Heaven. Is this true?" Chris and I replied that we really did think this was true, and he smiled to himself.