Wednesday, December 2, 2015

“Retirement Rest?”

Passage:  Psalm 16:5-6  “LORD, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future.  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed I have a beautiful inheritance.”

June 11, 2015 was my last official day of work as an educator.  After 37 years, two states, ten schools, and fifteen different positions later I walked out of the school without an identity badge and keys.  I felt like I was saying goodbye to more than just co-workers.  I felt like I was saying goodbye to myself.  This day had been in the decision stage for several months yet a wave of sadness came over me as the tears flowed wildly.

While I contended for several years with self-confidence and calling in this field, I knew I had made the right decision out of college to enter this crazy world of education.  And while my reasons for becoming a teacher differed from mostly everyone else, I realized as I headed home on that day without a job for the first time in a long time that I had been unbelievably blessed.  Within the boundary lines of those 37 years I had met incredible and inspiring kids, parents, and educators. 

Since that time I have had to make adjustments to my life, my days, and my time.  I will say it is getting easier and easier and I must chime in with others who have retired and say “ I don’t know how I got everything done when I worked.”  These few months have been so full yet anything but restful and relaxing.  

I love the above verse in Psalms.  It has been a source of help during transition times.  If I know God sets my boundary lines, if I know He holds my future, and if my inheritance is beautiful, then I can trust God’s leadership for the next journey. 

The words of an old children’s song that the girls used to sing says: 
“He’s still workin’ on me; To make me what I ought to be.  It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars; How loving and patient He must be; 'Cause He's still workin' on me!” 
(Written by Joel Hemphill; Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group)

So what comes next?  I’m not sure but it will be just right for me.

How can you trust God more in your life’s journey?

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