"Get up. Arrow prayer. Has my son found his P.E.kit okay? Yes!! Kiss goodbye. Off he ambles. He has all the time in the world. Husband emerges from bathroom, daughter stirs in her bed. I’m off to meet my tutor. Traffic not as bad as I feared. Just make it for 10.30. Good chat. We talk about the course, Pastoral and Practical Theology. How’s the placement going? Great, Learning loads, No time for reading though! Write an essay – that’s got to wait until the end of term. What about the next stage? Half way though the course so you need to think about the sort of parish you’d like to go to. Where do I start? What should I think about? Time to go. Be in touch soon. Back home for lunch. Then off to placement. Arrive at chaplaincy. All is calm, but that’s before the storm. Then it breaks – one’s cut upon the health care wing. Got to tell another her niece has been murdered...
Loads more arrows sent heavenward. Another’s angry because her meds have been messed up. Someone else can’t see the point of going on, being locked up for most of the day. They’re screaming and bawling across the yard again, but that’s only because they are having a chat. Take message over to one of the wings. Hear bell. Get out of the way. Officers are running towards me. Keep out of the way. Back to chaplaincy quickly. Debrief. Regroup. Pray. Prepare for Communion Service, assuming the excitement has died down and they can come over. They arrive. Lovely atmosphere. Very peaceful, unlike earlier. Interesting talk. Powerful prayer time. Hugs and tears all round. Officers are back. Time to go. They move slowly, grabbing every last second of company before going behind the door. Clear up. Put chalice and paten away. Check its locked. Time to go home. Out through the gate. They’re screaming and bawling again. Officer’s voice tells them to be quiet. In the car. It’s dark now. Quick stop off at Co-Op for milk and bread. Home. Husband already cooking meal. Kids complaining about school. I complain about school and prepare lessons to teach tomorrow. After meal sit down to read book. Drift off. Husband wakes me and sends me to bed.
Ask myself why? Because I want to. Because I need to. Because I enjoy it, Because God has called me to this chaos. Because it’s me becoming the person God wants me to be. More prayer, as I drift off to sleep."
Lesley
Please read my earlier blog on reflections here.
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