A day of mixed emotions today. On the happy side, Sara and I were celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary - one year more than my previous marriage and therefore quite a wonderful landmark, and I received an email this morning from one of my tutors to inform me that my latest essay which I had struggled with had been marked with 62% (22% above a pass mark). I had expected to simply scrape through in the low 40s at best. This was really the kind of encouragement which I really needed. Now for the sad bit - Sara and I drove up to Shrivenham Oxfordshire) near Swindon to attend the memorial service for my cousin, Michelle, who died of throat cancer last week aged just 39 leaving two young children aged 4 and 7. A really sad occasion but one which was beautifully marked with a great service officiated by Revd. Canon Richard Hancock, a young cleric who had a really empathetic approach and spoke in a wonderfully pragmatic and sympathetic manner. He ended his reflection (his name for his sermon) with the wonderfully uplifting words - "Michelle didn't spend her last year dying - she spent it living. How many of us can say the same?" He challenged us all to leave the church today and start living. We never know when we will be called to leave this Earth. We are called to live our lives to the glory of God. The Glory of God, according to St. Irenaeus is indeed "A human being fully alive". This is a sentiment I shall always remember and is, in the words of Canon Richard, the best memorial one can have for Michelle. After the service the children present let off a number of helium filled balloons and we all watched as they disappeared into the skies above. Lovely. That event was followed by a sandwich lunch in Shrivenham's Memorial Hall and a chance to catch up with family members and friends. It is such a pity that many of us only seem to get together at funerals these days. Those attending included my own namesake cousin, Michael, from Cleethorpes and my cousins Muriel and Amanda. It poured with rain again this evening and I attended a Joint PCC meeting in Pitton. Nothing particularly remarkable on the agenda. I feel more and more called to let others deal with the financial and other issues of the church and allow myself more time to concentrate on ministry. In bed by 10.30 p.m. after a day of very mixed emotions - some very sad and some very happy. Tomorrow is my birthday and Sara and I will celebrate both our anniversary and birthday by having an evening meal at the Water Margin.
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