I am now almost 3 months into my retirement. I must say that I like it. I was not sure I would because I had worked every day for 40+ years except for my yearly vacation and a few holidays. Money is doing OK although I have had times when I have had to fill the gas tank more often than before I retired (I went to Greenville 4 times one week). Being paid once a month is a new thing for me so that has been an adjustment.
I am volunteering regularly with Mobile Meals of Spartanburg but have turned down some volunteer opportunities because they sounded too much like work but just not getting paid for it. It is important to me that I am doing something that helps people more than just helping an organization. I am still trying to find the right balance between doing enough and not doing anything but sit in a chair and read.
Over time I may increase my "output" but right now, I am having lots of fun trolling the library and Barnes & Noble; taking the grandchildren here and there; reading books by the score (although NOTHING deep or meaningful - everything just purely for fun and enjoyment); taking care of my cat, which I didn't particularly want but the grandchildren did and could not have at their apartment.
I am finding retirement to be everything I want it to be which is a good thing. Maybe that is because I chose to retire and was not forced to retire. And also because I like me and spending my days with me suits me just fine!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thanksgiving
I love the fall of the year...the beautiful colors of the trees, the crisp morning air, and Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. Christmas has become so commercial and the "I want..." is the loudest voice heard. There are public battles over religious displays in stores and government offices and whether it is appropriate for someone to say Merry Christmas rather than Happy Holidays. Kinda gives one the bah-humbugs.
New Years is about parties, drinking and making resolutions that can be broken soon. Easter is about Spring and eggs and bunnies - not much Jesus to be found in any of that.
But Thanksgiving is a time of reflection; a time to join with family and friends around the dinner table and just celebrate being together. It doesn't seem to upset the "separationists" (as in separation of church and state) if someone thanks God for his provision during the past year.
Even our "pagan" Christmas is about giving to others; New Years is about starting over with a clean slate and Spring is about new birth or re-birth. Sounds to me like pretty deep theology even for those who don't want to ever mention Christ or God in connection with these holidays.
God gave the greatest gift to mankind by sending His Son to earth as an act of love. It is through Him that we can have new life and a clean slate through the forgiveness of our sins by His blood shed on Calvary's cross. In addition, EVERY good and perfect gift comes from Him. Every beat of my heart, every breath I take, every, everything that I have in my life - salvation, people, stuff, health, income - all of it is because of God's graciousness to me. And for that I WILL say "Thank You, Lord!"
To set aside a time of reflection and thanksgiving should be part of my day, each day. But just in case the busyness of life gets in the way, Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to do it.
Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. Christmas has become so commercial and the "I want..." is the loudest voice heard. There are public battles over religious displays in stores and government offices and whether it is appropriate for someone to say Merry Christmas rather than Happy Holidays. Kinda gives one the bah-humbugs.
New Years is about parties, drinking and making resolutions that can be broken soon. Easter is about Spring and eggs and bunnies - not much Jesus to be found in any of that.
But Thanksgiving is a time of reflection; a time to join with family and friends around the dinner table and just celebrate being together. It doesn't seem to upset the "separationists" (as in separation of church and state) if someone thanks God for his provision during the past year.
Even our "pagan" Christmas is about giving to others; New Years is about starting over with a clean slate and Spring is about new birth or re-birth. Sounds to me like pretty deep theology even for those who don't want to ever mention Christ or God in connection with these holidays.
God gave the greatest gift to mankind by sending His Son to earth as an act of love. It is through Him that we can have new life and a clean slate through the forgiveness of our sins by His blood shed on Calvary's cross. In addition, EVERY good and perfect gift comes from Him. Every beat of my heart, every breath I take, every, everything that I have in my life - salvation, people, stuff, health, income - all of it is because of God's graciousness to me. And for that I WILL say "Thank You, Lord!"
To set aside a time of reflection and thanksgiving should be part of my day, each day. But just in case the busyness of life gets in the way, Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to do it.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Hurting People
As part of the prayer team, I get to hear about a lot of the hurts people are going through. I talked to Sarah yesterday at NewSpring, Greenville, who is longing for love. She is a 20 something, obese, sexually promiscuous woman who has a 2 year old son but has never been in a relationship with a guy; all her encounters with men are just for sex. She also said she had been abused by her step-father when she was a child.
I prayed with Sarah and got her a Bible and talked to her a little about Jesus and life as a believer but then we parted and I don't know if any of it "took". Sometimes that makes me feel so impotent. I know the answer to all their questions is Jesus and I know He has to draw people to Himself for them to be healed of all that is wrong in their lives. That was true in my own life and I know it will be true in their lives. But sometimes it would be nice to see the lights go on, to know they get it.
At least it is good that those who are hurting are putting themselves in the position to hear of the love of Jesus by actually being in church on Sunday.
I prayed with Sarah and got her a Bible and talked to her a little about Jesus and life as a believer but then we parted and I don't know if any of it "took". Sometimes that makes me feel so impotent. I know the answer to all their questions is Jesus and I know He has to draw people to Himself for them to be healed of all that is wrong in their lives. That was true in my own life and I know it will be true in their lives. But sometimes it would be nice to see the lights go on, to know they get it.
At least it is good that those who are hurting are putting themselves in the position to hear of the love of Jesus by actually being in church on Sunday.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Courage
One of my favorite passages from Daniel is the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace. When they refused to bow down to the golden image Nebuchadnezzar had set up, they were told they would be burned alive.
Their response? "If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out your your hand, O king. But IF NOT (emphasis mine), be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
This passage always causes me to search my heart. Even if I pray fervently and do all the "right" things but God chooses not to deliver me from whatever confronts me, will I still trust Him? Will I still acknowledge that He is in control? Or what if it is something that touches my child or grandchildren? Often it is easier to accept things that happen to me but not to someone else.
But what if it got to the point in this country that being a Christ follower means imprisonment or torture or even death? Well, death is easy...I'm ready for that and going home to Jesus is the ultimate ending to life. But what if I was treated like Joseph who was sold into slavery and wrongly imprisoned. Or David who had to run for his life from King Saul. Or Stephen who was stoned. Or Paul who was beaten. Or believers today in China or Iraq or Myanmar or a host of other countries around the world. And of course Jesus who went to the cross after He was abused to the point of death!
Do I have the courage to stand for and continue to trust Christ no matter what? I pray, Father, that it would be so!
Their response? "If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out your your hand, O king. But IF NOT (emphasis mine), be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
This passage always causes me to search my heart. Even if I pray fervently and do all the "right" things but God chooses not to deliver me from whatever confronts me, will I still trust Him? Will I still acknowledge that He is in control? Or what if it is something that touches my child or grandchildren? Often it is easier to accept things that happen to me but not to someone else.
But what if it got to the point in this country that being a Christ follower means imprisonment or torture or even death? Well, death is easy...I'm ready for that and going home to Jesus is the ultimate ending to life. But what if I was treated like Joseph who was sold into slavery and wrongly imprisoned. Or David who had to run for his life from King Saul. Or Stephen who was stoned. Or Paul who was beaten. Or believers today in China or Iraq or Myanmar or a host of other countries around the world. And of course Jesus who went to the cross after He was abused to the point of death!
Do I have the courage to stand for and continue to trust Christ no matter what? I pray, Father, that it would be so!
Lying Prophets
I read something the other day written by a young man who professes to follow Christ. He is single and wrote "God told me" a particular woman was God's choice for him. They started seeing each other but she broke it off but he's not gonna give up. Made me think that maybe he will be arrested later as a stalker.
Of course he may be pursuing her in a very gentlemanly, casual, non-harassing way and may be prepared to give the relationship the time and space it needs to actually determine if she will see him again. There was no indication of what he is doing to try to convince her God told him she's the "one". And she may well be the one for him but I wonder if God really told him or if his eyes or hormones told him.
That made me think about how casually people in the Church say, "God told me..." Many televangelists speak for God about health, wealth and all good things coming our way if we'll just sow a seed (always money) into their particular ministry. Sometimes people who have a determined attitude about what should or should not happen in a particular area of the Church or how particular people should act will say, "God told me..."
But back in the day of Jeremiah when the prophets were preaching health and prosperity, God called them lying prophets. The Bible tells us that in days of old God spoke through the prophets but now speaks to us through Jesus. So unless the "prophet" is quoting Jesus from Scripture when he says, "God told me..." I'm not sure I would believe him. I sure would hate to stand before God one day and have Him say, "I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them." In other words, they are liars.
Of course he may be pursuing her in a very gentlemanly, casual, non-harassing way and may be prepared to give the relationship the time and space it needs to actually determine if she will see him again. There was no indication of what he is doing to try to convince her God told him she's the "one". And she may well be the one for him but I wonder if God really told him or if his eyes or hormones told him.
That made me think about how casually people in the Church say, "God told me..." Many televangelists speak for God about health, wealth and all good things coming our way if we'll just sow a seed (always money) into their particular ministry. Sometimes people who have a determined attitude about what should or should not happen in a particular area of the Church or how particular people should act will say, "God told me..."
But back in the day of Jeremiah when the prophets were preaching health and prosperity, God called them lying prophets. The Bible tells us that in days of old God spoke through the prophets but now speaks to us through Jesus. So unless the "prophet" is quoting Jesus from Scripture when he says, "God told me..." I'm not sure I would believe him. I sure would hate to stand before God one day and have Him say, "I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them." In other words, they are liars.
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