The Next Adventure - May 29, 2012

Eight months from Sunday, Art will retire from the church he has pastored since 1979. It has, in a very real sense, been his life’s work. When we came to Tennessee, we were barely into our thirties. Three of our five children were born here. The church we began, as a fellowship of Christ-followers, has in a spiritual and emotional sense been our extended family. In many ways, the ties that unite the Body of Christ are stronger than those that bind us to our genetic family, for they last beyond the grave. They are deeper, because the Christ-life is just that - a new life that changes one completely, from the inside out. Jesus rightly spoke of it as a new birth - regeneration. Over the past thirty-four years we have bonded with hundreds of fellow-travelers on the path toward what the Apostle Paul called “. . . the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” - the Kingdom of God. While we trust that somehow we helped them along the way, we know that He has ministered mightily to us through the people we have known as our church family. And now it is time to leave them to the care of a new minister. We know this will not be easy.

In recent years our church has experienced a period of growth and change. When it became obvious that we would need to either build or start a daughter church, Art and I realized that the issue of his age would need to be addressed and factored into the plan. We sought counsel from our district superintendent, Fred King, and while we were talking to him, we realized that the church really needed to have a long-term pastor in place before taking on a large building program. Art realized then that it was time for a change, not only for us, but for the church. It has grown so fast in recent years, that it is turning into a new church, and it needs a younger man at the helm, one who can lead them into the future.

At that point we both had peace from the Lord that this was the right decision. Several times in the past we had faced crises and considered moving on, but the Lord had never given Art the freedom to do so. Now, when things were going very well, and there was no crisis, He seemed to be saying that it was time to finish our work here. In February of 2013 I would turn 66 and we could both receive social security, so that seemed to be a good target date. After we got back from the district office, we told the church of our plan to retire in 17 months.

In the meantime, the church was considering scaling back the building program to allow for modest growth, and to be able to build without a large debt. Art decided that they should know of our decision before making a final decision. In the end, they did decide on the more modest plan. We are now in the midst of that program and it will be finished before we leave in February.

A Paper Towel Tube - July 12, 2012

There is a paper towel tube sitting on my kitchen counter. Why? Because something in me says it should be good for something. Cut it in half, fill with hard candy, wrap in tissue and tie the ends with ribbon, and you have a favor for the children’s Christmas. Paint red, cut into 1” circles, dip the edges into glue, then glitter, add a ribbon loop and you have a Christmas ornament. Or just save it, along with the toilet tissue rolls, in case a call is issued for Vacation Bible School for just such a treasure.
Do you see why downsizing possessions is hard for me? My youngest child is twenty-seven, the grandchildren live far away, and still I think of these things.

Getting rid of most of my possessions as we downsize for retirement is quite a challenge. And yet, I look forward to the freedom that I will gain. I just need to work on another of my weaknesses - procrastination! I’m declaring a goal of working on downsizing for at least an hour a day, beginning today.

Sabbath Rest - August 25, 2012

This morning I watched the day begin. When I awaken early, I like to come out into the living area, sit in my recliner, leave the interior lights off and meditate in the semi-darkness, watching the dawn creep over the field behind the house. Today I decided to go outside instead of watching from indoors.

I have been more and more drawn outdoors lately, away from all the “stuff” that has accumulated in my life and made it complicated. Somehow it is totally different out in the yard. The sounds of the insects and birds are louder; you can feel the real temperature, humidity, and wind; and you feel closer to God. Everyone knows this, but we seldom take the time to experience it. Today I did.

I had gone to bed last night troubled and discouraged, with many things on my mind. The night’s rest had revived me somewhat, but I was not yet ready to take up all those concerns again. I needed peace. Sitting alone, looking out over the early-morning mists rising off the late-summer fields, looking for glimmers of morning light over the tops of the tall trees in the east, I waited, and listened, and rested in God.

Even though I know that as a child of God, my worth lies only in His love and acceptance of me, and in the work of Christ on my behalf, I still tend to measure my worth by what I do. Each morning, I say, “Lord, what do you want me to do today?” I too seldom simply rest and enjoy His presence, in quiet fellowship. In just a few months, we are going to retire, and leave many of the responsibilities that have given life its meaning for me. My children are raised and doing well on their own. I do not want to live without purpose, and I have been struggling with that. “Lord, what is next? What do you want me to DO?” This morning a quiet answer came to me, “There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” (Heb. 4:9) He wants me to learn to rest in Him, no matter what issues and situations surround me, no matter how little I know of His will for the future. He wants me to rest.

We are in our sixties, and it occurred to me that we are in our seventh decade of life. We haven’t taken real weekly sabbaths as we should have for a long time. Perhaps now is the time to really rest and have more time for prayer and fellowship with Him. Maybe Christ is saying to us, “Come ye apart and rest awhile.”

Why is that so hard for me? Relationships have always been hard for me. If I weren’t a Christian, I would probably be a hermit. It’s hard work for me to make the effort to get to know others and to let them into my life. I crave solitude. Am I afraid of becoming less busy? of having no agenda? Am I afraid of becoming more intimate with God, who already knows me completely anyway? I need to grow in my understanding of Sabbath rest.