Two salt of the earth, East Glasgow mums (one of five, one of three) with whom I spent the longest single period of time in the forest and who were such a delight to be with.  Neither had had the educational opportunities I've enjoyed, and each was hard working, loving and brim full of common sense.  Each had a bit of a rough time whilst in hospital and I spent a bit of time offering them support.

We had some really interesting conversations - one of them asked me how I decided to be a minister and was totally open to my 'Damascus road' experience sense of call in a way that many Christians have not been; indeed she seemed delighted by such a possibility.  The other asked me what I thought happened to people who had euthanasia, and if they went to hell.  Not only was I able to share my thoughts - about a God of love, that no human has the right to pronounce on the eternal fate of others, that I would not want euthanasia myself - but we opened up wider topics of suicide and survivor guilt.  The final morning we had a three way conversation on a topic that was directly affecting one of the families in which practical common sense and non-judgemental minister views were equally valued.

It was a genuine privilege to meet these two 'sparrows,' the "common or garden" birds which seem plentiful and perhaps, too easily, as lesser than those with university degrees.  Instinctively they understood what ministerial live involved - and unwittingly they enriched my hospital stay immensely.  Each gave me a hug before she left, our paths diverging, but the moments we shared were precious.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one falls to the ground but your Father knows it.

Consider the birds of the field... not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.

Thank you, God, for sparrows and the delight they bring if we only have eyes to see.  Please bless these two East Glasgow sparrows as she flies into her future.