Reluctant Retiree

Every news report, almost every TV commercial, and most of my mail uses the phrase, “in these uncertain times”. If they don’t use that specific phrase, they will use one just like it. For example how many times have you heard or read “challenging circumstances” or “rapidly changing events” in recent days.

In my 70 years of life, times and events have always been uncertain, challenging and rapidly changing. It seems like I am always trying to “flatten the curve” so I can somehow slowdown and catch a breath. I don’t know about you, but everyone around me seems to be in the same sort of mindset.

What can we do to slow things down? How do we maintain a right view of the events around us? Who can we trust to tell us something that is both encouaging and true.

If you have been reading this blog, it will not surprise you that I find all these things in Jesus. He is my anchor in challenging times. He is my Rock and Deliverer. He leads me in truth and gives me hope in uncertain times. He will do the same for you.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” These are the words of Jesus in John 14:27 ESV

I have a practice of walking every morning. Because the weather is unpredictable, I check several sources before heading outside.

When I first went outside this morning I thought I was overdressed. The temperature was warmer than expected and the air was calm. Thirty minutes later a strong wind came up and it was swirling. No matter what direction I was headed, I was walking into the wind.

Suddenly, I was glad to have those extra layers of clothing. I went out walking in the afternoon, and the wind had only gotten stronger and colder.

The changing winds remind me of pop culture. New ideas come and go, but it seems that people get caught up in them nonetheless. Social media adds to this phenomenon. Just a little while ago it was popular to film yourself leaving a moving vehicle to dance alongside of it. It seems a new social challenge is made popular every week.

Most of these trends are harmless and pass quickly. Others, however, change our thoughts, values and behaviors. These can be disturbing or even dangerous. Keeping with the Kardasians can make you believe that superficiality is glamorous. Fame, no matter how it is achieved, becomes the goal.

Most people find that following the social media winds leads to emptiness and sorrow. Feeding your soul with truth and meaningful activity provides much longer term joy and fulfillment.

Serving others blesses them as well as your own heart. Searching for the truth strengthens the soul and brings true happiness.

“Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, shout for joy, all you upright in heart.” Psalm 32:11

Most people look forward to Spring. After the harshness of winter, the warmer temperatures and the chance to get ouside more is welcome. Flowers start to blossom, leaves return to trees, and the grass turns green again. What’s not to like?

This year is different. We are called to shelter in place, stay home. What a huge dissapointment and a waste of sunshine!

One of the permitted activities is walking. So I am making good use of the opportunity to walk several times a day. I maintain the appropriate social distancing. Frankly that is not too hard as few other people are out.

Besides the exercise, I am finding another surprising benefit. I’ve had the joy of meeting and talking to many of my neighbors. We just speak loudly so our voices carry over the required distances. Some of these neighbors are suffering or lonely. We have brought food to some but most just enjoy the company to offset the loneliness.

These interactions also bring us surprising joy, in the casual conversations and mutual blessings. So let’s all get up and go for a walk.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

The best thing about growing up in Southern California was access to the beach. I wasn’t a surfer, primarily because I couldn’t afford a surfboard. At least that was my public reason for not surfing. The real reason was probably that I had no real sense of balance.

Regardless, I loved to go to the beach whenever I could. I loved everything about it including the water, the sand and the sun. The activities were endless with bodysurfing, tackle football, frisbee, and swimming.

As I got older the activity decreased, but I still love the beach. Now I love to go to just sit quietly and watch/listen to the waves. There is something so peaceful about it. Looking out to the vastness of the seas and listening to the rhythm of the waves seems to connect me to God and His creation.

I begin to understand how Big He is to have created and still oversee vast oceans. As I look at ships on the horizon I can picure how small I am in relation to everything else. And yet, God says that He knows me and delights in me. How can this be? My heart can only respond in love and adoration.

Where do you find a connection to God and His creation?

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

At the time of this blog, all but nine states have issued a”shelter in place” or”stay home” order of some kind. We all hope and pray that this type of protection, along with others, has its desired effect of slowing and stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

This got me thinking about what other kinds of shelter am I trusting in to protect me. First, we live in an apartment complex. I have no idea how strongly this building was constructed or whether it can hold up against weather threats, for instance. Based upon experience, I am pretty sure that property management will not protect us against dangers.

Secondly, as a retiree I rely on the shelters of 401Ks, IRAs, and Social Security. During the pandemic, we have already seen stock prices plummet, endangering the shelter that these have provided. The whims of government could alter the shelter of Social Security some day.

Friends and family provide some shelter. However they have shelter needs as well, so they can’t always respond.

The point is that we all rely on certain forms of shelter. The efficacy and security of these shelters is inconsistent at best. So what can we trust to provide consistent effective shelter through life’s storms.

For me, the only shelter that I can trust is Jesus. He remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He rules heaven and earth. Yet, He knows me and loves me. He promises that He will provide for me and protect me. He is my shelter. You can trust Him to be your shelter too.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust'” Psalm 91:1-2 ESV

As I write this we are at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Around the world lives have been dramatically impacted. Schools are closed and businesses are shuttered. Unemployment claims have skyrocketed. Thousands have died and hundreds of thousands have fallen ill from the virus.

We are all asking questions. How long will the pandemic last? How many people will die from this disease? Will I get it? If I do get it, will I die?

These are serious questions with serious consequences. I sure don’t have the answers.

One thing we have to ask ourselves is what am I willing to do so that I don’t get the COVID19 virus? Is social distancing enough or must I stay home and away from everybody? Should I wear a mask and when?

I’ve struggled with these questions. My wife and I moved to this area specifically to be near our kids and grandkids. Now we don’t see either and it may be weeks before we do. As a personal note I am willing to take the risk of visiting them but my wife is not. Thank God for online media tools that make it possible to see them and talk with them.

How do we get through this when there is no end in sight? For me, my hope and faith is in God. He is not surprised by these events and He is able to bring me safely through to the other side. He is a shield about me, my rock, my fortress, and my help in times of trouble. I pray that you can find some comfort in these times, but even more than that, I pray that you find hope in the true comfort of Jesus.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:3 ESV

If we are careful observers of people, we can see or hear them make several small invitations to us throughout the day. For example:

The grocery clerk’s smile and happy countenance is an invitation to smile and enjoy the interchange, making both of our lives a little more pleasant.

A smile and a hug from a loved one at the beginning of the day is an invitation to a deeper shared relationship.

A friend leaning in to listen to your story is an invitation to share more of yourself with him or her.

God sends us many big and small invitations to us each day like:

The sound of birds chirping in the morning.

Gentle rain to water fields of flowers and crops.

The beauty of towering mountains and the rhythm of ocean waves washing ashore.

The warm sunlight after a series of cold days.

A gentle stirring in our soul to look up, be positive or help someone in need.

These are His gentle invitations to join Him in the good things He offers us. Taking a moment each day to think about these invitations and perhaps thank Him for them will help us through the day and draw us closer to Him.

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” Romans 1:19 ESV

I can make a legitimate claim to being an April Fool. I was born on April 1, 1950, seventy years ago today. Go ahead and tell me how my parents were fooled or one of many other jokes that I have heard over the years. In fact give it your best shot to try and tell me a new joke about my birthday. Write in the comments section. I would love to hear it.

Besides being born on April 1st, I can lay claim to the “Fool” title by having done many less than intelligent things in the past. I was part of a group that reenacted cruel judgments at our school’s 49er Days. Besides the obvious poor taste, which I do regret and apologize for, the reenactments scared the daylights out of children. Then there was the time that I moved a friends car from the front of her house.

I don’t know that my foolish actions were the logical result of my birthday or some other personal deficiency. However, I am grateful that God doesn’t consider me unredeemable. In fact He says;

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”

I have been redeemed by God and you can be too. We don’t have to remain in our weak or foolish state. If we let Him, God will redeem us where we are and bring us wisdom and strength in Him.

You’ve heard it said that suffering or trouble reveals our true character. We’ve all seen or heard of heroic acts in the face of great danger. But we’ve also witnessed people fall apart at the slightest inconvenience, like the raged induced rants of someone for whom a pickle was inadverantly put on their hamburger at the fast food restaurant.

In these days of the coronavirus, many people are suffering greatly with losses of loved ones or jobs, as well as those who have contracted the disease. My heart and prayers go out to these dear ones and I am constantly looking for ways to help those who need it. And I admire those who are on the frontlines battling this disease. They have my sincere admiration, praise, thanks and prayers.

Thus far however, many of us are merely inconvienced by such things as “shelter in place” and social distancing, among other restrictions. Most people can handle this type of “suffering” pretty patiently and cordially. Others are outraged at these limitations or consummed by the danger “out there”.

How we react is evidence of what is going on inside; in our hearts, minds and spirits. It is possible to be concerned about the pandemic and still react peacefully and with strength.

For me, that strength derives from faith in a sovereign and powerful God. Although we don’t know how the virus originated or why it is spreading so fast, it is pretty evident that selfish actions of a few people have been the driving forces. Those who refuse to practice social distancing, frequent handwashing, etc. have endangered all of us.

I choose to keep my eyes on God and run the race He has given me. I am asking Him to keep me safe and give me patience during the pandemic. I pray for the welfare of your family as well.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

Part of the problem that I have with retirement is what I call the struggle for significance. I believe that God endows our hearts with a desire to be significant in some way. Many of us try to satisfy that desire with money, food, attention or fame, friends or lovers, and/or success. I am sure that you, like me, have tried or are trying one or more of these avenues. In retirement most of these avenues are no longer available to us.

The problem is that they never satisfy us anyway, even if we do achieve our goals. That’s because the only thing that will satisfy us is the one who created the desire, God. Now we may think that this some kind of cruel joke, but actually it is driven by His love for us.

You see, He created us out of His love and wants nothing more than for us to love Him in return. We can show Him that we love Him only by putting these other struggles behind us and put Him first. If we do that, He promises to give us a future of significance and hope.

Take a moment to consider what this means for you and how you should respond to His love for you.

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 ESV

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11