Retirement -- is it an adventure or a dead end?
By Debra Torres
I walked into the gift shop a bit unsure about my purchase. I wanted to buy a small gift for a friend who was retiring, but I wasn’t sure which direction to take with my selection.
You see, even though my friend was retiring after 25 years of service in a successful career as a college professor, I knew she wasn’t done.
She saw her retirement as a jumping off point into the next chapter of life that God had for her. And as I listened to some of her ideas of where God might be leading her – I sensed a mounting excitement.
My friend was ready to use the gifts, talents and years of experience that God had given her to now help others.
No, she wasn’t done with her life. In many cases, in this new adventure – I felt she was just at the beginning of something really good.
So, as I walked through the shop’s inviting displays of candles, sun catchers, and oversized coffee mugs, I stopped at the retirement display thinking I’d found what I was looking for.
But a quick perusal of the shelves, told me I was wrong.
I walked into the gift shop a bit unsure about my purchase. I wanted to buy a small gift for a friend who was retiring, but I wasn’t sure which direction to take with my selection.
You see, even though my friend was retiring after 25 years of service in a successful career as a college professor, I knew she wasn’t done.
She saw her retirement as a jumping off point into the next chapter of life that God had for her. And as I listened to some of her ideas of where God might be leading her – I sensed a mounting excitement.
My friend was ready to use the gifts, talents and years of experience that God had given her to now help others.
No, she wasn’t done with her life. In many cases, in this new adventure – I felt she was just at the beginning of something really good.
So, as I walked through the shop’s inviting displays of candles, sun catchers, and oversized coffee mugs, I stopped at the retirement display thinking I’d found what I was looking for.
But a quick perusal of the shelves, told me I was wrong.
In many cases, in this new adventure – I felt she was just at the beginning of something really good.
So, as I walked through the shop’s inviting displays of candles, sun catchers, and oversized coffee mugs, I stopped at the retirement display thinking I’d found what I was looking for.
But a quick perusal of the shelves, told me I was wrong.
I’ve heard a few people speak about their views of retirement for the Christian and I think that both were spot on.
So, as I walked through the shop’s inviting displays of candles, sun catchers, and oversized coffee mugs, I stopped at the retirement display thinking I’d found what I was looking for.
But a quick perusal of the shelves, told me I was wrong.
I’ve heard a few people speak about their views of retirement for the Christian and I think that both were spot on.
One pastor friend said that he felt retirement was a season for the Christian believer to use the years of wisdom and experience they had gained while working to now help others.
Another older man shared a story about a lady named Hazel, who was his Sunday school teacher when he was a little boy.
You see, Hazel felt that when she reached a certain age, she would retire from her work in the church -- and let someone else take the job.
Only there was one big problem with that – there was no one else. The man went on to say, “We’re not to quit. Death or the rapture are the things that will cease our labors.”
Another older man shared a story about a lady named Hazel, who was his Sunday school teacher when he was a little boy.
You see, Hazel felt that when she reached a certain age, she would retire from her work in the church -- and let someone else take the job.
Only there was one big problem with that – there was no one else. The man went on to say, “We’re not to quit. Death or the rapture are the things that will cease our labors.”
I have a friend who retired as a schoolteacher quite a few years ago. She loved children and knew she would miss them in her retirement until one day she spotted an ad for a YMCA Childwatch worker and knew that was something she could do.
I’ve always loved my friend’s perspective on retirement.
And an article about her in the YMCA’s newsletter said that her “… decision to work for the ... YMCA comes from a deep-rooted philosophy that retirement is not an end – but a beginning.” And my friend said this:“ ‘I’m retired from teaching but I’m not retired from life. I still have my life ahead of me. I think that retired people do have skills that they can contribute.’ "
Bob Buford, author of the book “Half Time” says this about retirement: “Regardless of where you are, I invite you … to discredit the view that the second half of your life will never measure up to the first.
"Instead of giving up and settling for life on its own terms, you are ready for new horizons, new challenges.
"You are ready to move from success to significance – to write your own epitaph – daring to believe that what you ultimately leave behind will be more important than anything you could have achieved in the first half of your life.”
I’ve always loved my friend’s perspective on retirement.
And an article about her in the YMCA’s newsletter said that her “… decision to work for the ... YMCA comes from a deep-rooted philosophy that retirement is not an end – but a beginning.” And my friend said this:“ ‘I’m retired from teaching but I’m not retired from life. I still have my life ahead of me. I think that retired people do have skills that they can contribute.’ "
Bob Buford, author of the book “Half Time” says this about retirement: “Regardless of where you are, I invite you … to discredit the view that the second half of your life will never measure up to the first.
"Instead of giving up and settling for life on its own terms, you are ready for new horizons, new challenges.
"You are ready to move from success to significance – to write your own epitaph – daring to believe that what you ultimately leave behind will be more important than anything you could have achieved in the first half of your life.”
Time was running out and I had walked through most of the gift shop and still hadn’t found the ideal gift for my retiring friend.
But then a small scripture plaque caught my eye.
It wasn’t a “Christian sounding” sort of decoration that spoke about love and joy, it was the real deal with God’s Word beautifully scripted over it.
It was exactly what I would want in my home at any season in life – and fit perfectly with retirement.
My friend was thrilled with her gift and told me the other day that although she’s not sure yet where God is leading her, she’s decided to call herself an F.A.J.C a “Free Agent for Jesus Christ” -- ready to follow when and where He leads.
How about you? What will you do with your “second half”?
But then a small scripture plaque caught my eye.
It wasn’t a “Christian sounding” sort of decoration that spoke about love and joy, it was the real deal with God’s Word beautifully scripted over it.
It was exactly what I would want in my home at any season in life – and fit perfectly with retirement.
My friend was thrilled with her gift and told me the other day that although she’s not sure yet where God is leading her, she’s decided to call herself an F.A.J.C a “Free Agent for Jesus Christ” -- ready to follow when and where He leads.
How about you? What will you do with your “second half”?
Here are some Bible verses that'll help you on your journey:
Psalm 92:12-14 English Standard Version
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Philippians 1:6 King James Version
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Philippians 1:6 King James Version
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: