This morning at the scrake of dawn, I drove out to see the little plot of land my father, or as they say here, “me Da'” , bought many years ago. It commands one of the most scenic views in Donegal, which National Geographic recently described as the most beautiful place on earth,
I drank it in for a few moments and then as I drove off was reminded of the mad Irishman in the movie Braveheart and like him………… “I had a word with the Almighty”
I noticed how many brand new homes were popping up all over the place on Horn Head. Mostly wealthy Germans no doubt. So I asked the Almighty my question,
“Why then were we refused building permission on our site?”
Me heavenly Da’ immediately answered the question with the other memorable line from the crazy Irishman,
“This is my island!”
In fact He went one step further bringing to my mind the apostle Paul’s words and reassuring me that,
“ALL things are yours” (1 Cor.3:21)
In a world where we are preoccupied with identifying ourselves as possessing men and material things, this other madman, Paul, turns things completely on their head and says it’s everyone else who is crazy because they’ve got the question upside down! It is not that we should be possessed by anyone or anything, for the reality is that ….”whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world or life or death or the present or the future….ALL things are yours and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” (1 Cor.3:22,23)
“Well of course!” I chuckled, recalling how our Father had arranged this current get away through an invitation from good friends to stay in their beautifully restored old Irish cottage.
After driving for about 5 minutes I pulled in to park at my favorite beach in the world. I got out and wandered down to the water’s edge. As I plunged into the cool, clear Atlantic water…….one of life’s greatest pleasures, even in the month of May, I noticed that but for me, the vast strand was deserted.
“Aye, and I arranged for you to have the whole beach to yourself this morning too.” Me Da’ joked.
As I took a few strokes toward Breachy Head, and noticed the caravans, I remembered that one of our other friends had recently purchased one and had said to me just a few days before, “If you’d ever like to stay there…. just let us know.”
I arrived home exhilarated but exhausted and lay down for a nap. A couple of hours later I awoke to Hilary singing along to the O Ireland album playing in the background,
“This land’s not your land
This land’s not my land
This old Ireland
This island in the sea
Don’t belong to you nor me
O for eyes to see it lies in His hands
It lies in His hands”
Ah! Me disgustingly extravagant Da’ s very fond of me…..and d’ye know somethin’?… He’s every bit as fond of you : – )
P.S. I honestly was on my own at the beach. Hilary took this photo of me there a few days before.
P.P.S. I was lead to a particular coffee shop in Belfast I’d never been in before, to finish this blog off. As I was about to leave, a cousin sitting at a nearby table spotted me and came over. Her greeting? “Ah You’re awful like yer Da’!”