Retirement

"So what are you going to do with yourself when you retire?" That is a fair question. I've been thinking about that and have made a plan. I admit it's a somewhat loose and general plan, but this is retirement, after all.

1.  I will need to oversee the construction and progress of the addition that is being built onto Dawn's house. There will be decisions to be made, shopping to be done, all kinds of meetings with the builder, talking it out with Dawn, and I'm sure there are lots more things I don't even know about yet.

2.  I will need to go through all my stuff and organize, throw away, give away, decide what to do with a basement, shed, 2 garages and a house full of stuff. That is going to take time to sit with items and decide what to do with everything.

3.  I anticipate having more time that's available to spend with my children and grandchildren. As the kids have gotten older, they are involved in more activities, and it's harder to find time to spend with them when I have to try to fit them in around my work schedule.

4.  I feel a need to grieve more fully. There have been mornings when I sit in my chair and can't stop the flow of tears. But because I have to go to work, I force myself to put those tears on the back burner. I really don't know what this will look like, but I want to embrace it and learn through it.

5.  I don't anticipate that I will cease ministering to people as the Lord provides opportunity. I desire to be open and available to whatever the Lord brings my way. I know I'm flawed with lots of cracks, but I hope the Lord shines brightly through me. 2 Corinthians 4:7 ~ "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

6.  God has blessed me with many friends, and I hope I will now be able to spend more time with them. I have several trips planned this spring, with the tickets already bought. I will be flying to South Carolina the end of March to spend a week with my sister. Then at the end of April, I will be flying to Richland, Washington to spend two weeks with my friends there.

Retirement is bitter sweet. It will be the end of a significant chapter in my life. I've worked in the church office for over 26 years, so this will be a big change. But I am excited about it.

I've been amused by the fact that I turn 70 on Wednesday. How did I get this old? So this is my new life verse:

Psalm 90:10 ~ "The length of our days is 70 years..."

But the verse goes on to say ..."or 80 if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."

Then this week in my reading, I came across Psalm 73:25-28. The Message says it like this: "You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock hard and faithful. I'm in the very presence of God. Oh, how refreshing it is! I've made God my home. God, I'm telling the world what You do."