It is a year since my father died. As many will know, Dad was a carpenter and working with wood was his joy. Just a few weeks before he died he was still in his workshop. At this point he was making small wooden crosses; though he was now very frail, it was a simple job that he could still manage. He made the crosses to give away to anyone who came to see him, including those who helped to care for him. A few weeks ago, I met one of those people. She had given a couple of the crosses to her parents. Her father had taken one of these and had recently inlaid it with a silver cross.

I found it fascinating and rather wonderful that a year after his death, one of the crosses made by Dad is speaking to its owner, calling out a new creative act from him. It is a wonderful example of how small acts that we do can have consequences, hopefully for the good, long after we have passed by. Wearing my vicar’s collar, I would call this an act of the Holy Spirit.