Back to blogging. The tables turned

The date of my last blog entry gives away the fact that the last three weeks have occupied all of my spare energy. I have been torn between wanting to blog something about the fact that my mum died on 21 Jan, and not putting stuff that's too personal online. I know people use blogs as therapy, but that's not my style.

As friends and family will know, mum died quite suddenly, in the midst of what seemed a very good recovery from surgery. Mum fell just before Christmas, breaking her femur, close to the hip joint. Surgery followed (on Christmas Day!) to fit a dynamic hip screw. All seemed to be well after 2 weeks in hospital, so she came home to us at Morecambe for a week. Having negotiated the house successfully, I tooker her and Dad home. A week later she collapsed and died.

It's been a bit odd being on the family side of arranging a funeral. I think I have taken somewhere around 400-450 during my ordained life, but this was different. Half of me knew the questions that would need to be addressed; this time it was me and Dad answering. In the event we had excellent support and care from Chilwell Road Methodist Church in Beeston, Nottingham. Mum was a member there, and her minister, Chris Gray, arranged the service with us. I was able to say something, and Jono played for one of the songs (Be Still for the Presence of the Lord, which was a favourite of Mum's.)

What I hadn't realised what just how tiring it all is. Obviously you don't sleep quite so well, but once we got the other side of the funeral and the tea that followed, I felt more tired than I can remember. It's certainly given me a very different perspective on the bereaved people I will have to deal with in the future. You can't imagine it until it happens, I suppose.

Thanks to everyone who has sent messages, cards and greetings. Our church community has been great, too. Hopefully we will be business as usual before too long.