Retirement is Here

It will be three weeks ago tomorrow that I turned in my retirement letter to the appropriate offices. The decision is made. I think. Actually, I doubt there is any turning back at this point. I have a few mixed feelings but on the whole I am delighted that I will not have to watch the clock five days out of every week. It was getting difficult to do that. I have pushed myself most of my life and find it not all that attractive any longer. When I was sick last fall, it occured to me that there is more to life than a job that requires more of my time than I care to give. It was a satisfying job and one in which I felt God truly used me. I received a thank you card from one of this year's graduating seniors for a gift given to him at his open house. He had some very glowing words to say about the impact I had on his days in school. That was most humbling. I will miss those encounters. Even though I worked in a public high school, God afforded me so many opportunities to share my faith. I can't count the number of times, I took students into an adjoining room for prayer. With all the stresses of our culture, the broken homes and the drugs that pull to destroy their lives, there are many times that call for God to move in solving unsolvable situations. I count it a blessing to have seen Him work in teen's lives. I hope and pray I have sown seeds of salvation in many teenagers. Teens are the best. I love them and see such great joy in interacting with them.

Some folks have made comments like, "You finally know when it is time". Well, I think it is time. I haven't been very vocal about my decision because I find that others find it very easy to fill my time with this or that activity. Quite frankly, I wish to take this transition rather quietly, easily and carefully while listening to God's direction with what He wants for me to do with my time. Hopefully, He will grant me some time to rest and enjoy the freedom. I can find plenty to do right here in my home. I have eight children and seventeen grandchildren that can also enjoy a bit of interaction with the "mom". My youngest daughter is having her first baby and I so wish to be able to give her my time during this transition in her life. I realize that the numbers of baby grandchildren will be few from now on and I want to enjoy the ones that are still to come. With the other"in town" grandchildren who are growing up, there are more and more activities they would like grandma to attend. Now I will be able to do that without overextending myself.

In addition to those things, more independence opens the door for Ken and me to travel more. We have already enjoyed two wonderful trips this year and plan at least one more before year's end. Spending time with the love of my life is something we both enjoy but something we have had little time for over the years of rearing a large family and working to make ends meet the middle.

I suppose this is what one might call, the official announcement of retirement. Please don't rush to make me chairman of this committee or that because I will deny any such effort. I know God will in His time show me where I can best serve Him and then I will be willing and ready.