Reluctant Retiree

I walk over 12 miles per day. I don’t say that to boast, as it is really not my idea. I came upon this routine quite unexpectedly.

I had surgery to remove a brain tumor last March. Two weeks later I was back in the hospital with a blood clot. The clot was related to the surgery and inactivity afterwards.

It was recommended that I try some moderate exercise to limit the potential of another clot. Since I had been in the hospital for many days, getting outside for walks seemed like a good idea. At the time I walked a short distance several times a day.

As the weeks and months passed, the distances got longer and I barely noticed. I did notice, however, that I was feeling better and was losing weight. As a side benefit, my blood sugar was declining.

So the time I spent walking and the distance I walked kept increasing to the 12 miles I mentioned earlier. My doctors and I are all happy.

This got me thinking about other areas of my life. Could I start with small improvements that could help me make big improvements in the future? So I have started to read books again, keeping my mind sharp and engaged. I’ve made adjustments in my diet, adding additional health benefits. I’ve also been prompted to think about God more during the day and give him thanks before going to bed at night. This has worked wonders for my attitude. And my wife is grateful for the few additional things I am doing around the house.

Brain surgery has inspired me to become a better man. And it all started with a few small steps, both literally and figuratively.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5 ESV

My wife and I consider time with our grandchildren to be one of our most important investments in retirement. We intentionally moved to the midwest to be close to five of our six grandkids. Unfortunately one granddaughter lives in California.

We want to have fun with them, sure, but we want to invest in their lives also. So we go to their games, concerts, and school programs to let them know that they are loved and supported. I have sports days with the boys where we try to play as many sports as we can in one day, including the sport of pigging out at a local restaurant. My wife has garden and craft days with the girls, including an online craft camp with the girl in California.

I have been sending daily encouraging text messages to the two oldest grandsons. We have deep conversations with each child to understand them more and offer some sage advice.

All of this takes a lot of time, but we enjoy the immediate joy and the potential for long-term positive impact on their lives. It is fun to watch your grandson run for a long touchdown or dominate a robotics competition. It is also a joy to watch your granddaughter sing her heart out at a school play.

These investments are worth the effort as we watch them grow up to be fine men and women.

Proverbs 5:1-2 says, “My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.”

FoxNews used to use the tag line “The No Spin Network”, implying that they gave the news without bias. We know, now more than ever, that this claim is impossible to perform. It seems that all news reporting comes tainted with the agenda and biases of the reporter and his or hers news company.

Headlines are written and spoken to garner attention. This is often done by misleading the listener or reader. I have been disappointed after reading a news story based upon the title, only to find that the story was about something else entirely.

So now it is incumbant upon us to understand the reporter’s leanings before we believe the report. Most of us are not so concerned with the truth anyway. We are just looking for information to support our own opinions, so we go to sources that have the same biases as we do.

This being the case, how do we ever cross the cultural divide to be able to understand people of different origins, ethnic, or religious backgrounds? Are we doomed to interminable misunderstandings and mistrust? Is there some way to break down walls between us?

The Bible says there is a way we can understand each other and begin to trust each other. Ephesians 2:14 says, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility”. We can trust Jesus to bring us peace with each other. He has broken down all dividing walls between us. He takes away the hostility. In him we are loved and exalted into one body.

Our attitudes are reflections of our character, values and beliefs.

Our attitudes also predetermine how we will react to circumstances. If we are angry or complaining we will not be able to react positively to the next thing that happens. However, if we are at peace with a measure of joy, the next circumstance will not be able to shake us.

So how can we have a positive attitude? Philippians 4:6-7 says, ” do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

So God promises peace to those who first pray with thanksgiving. Give up complaining, which does no good, by the way. Instead ask God to help you have a good attitude. Then you will have peace.

The news is all sad and foreboding these days. Everyone can use some good news. Don’t just wait for something good to happen. Instead find a way to encourage someone today.

Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Just a little encouragement can lead to love and good works

Every day we make thousands of decisions. Often one decision leads to another and another and so on. Many of these choices are decisions between doing a good thing or doing the wrong thing.

Making the choice to do the wrong thing can lead to a series of bad choices. For instance, if we tell a lie it often leads to a series of falsehoods to cover the original lie. The only way to break the chain of lies is to correct the original lie and tell the truth. This will probably hurt a bit, but it prevents a lot of pain in continuing the lie.

We all fall into this trap, whether it be lying, inappropriate relationships, procrastination, greed, or any number of other wrongs.

What can break this cycle? Integrity. Do what you know is right. That can be hard, if not impossible, in your own strength. I know that I am weak in a lot of areas. But I also know where to find strength to do the right thing.

Philippians 2:13 says, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Strength to do the right thing is found in God.

Everyone wants to build something that endures. We work on building our own reputation, stature, and legacy. Sometimes we try to build fame and fortune.

Unfortunately circumstances get in the way of opportunities to build. Pandemics happen that close off those opportunities. Racial and economic injustices threaten or close off more opportunities. There has to be some way of fighting through these obstacles.

Is government action or civil unrest the answer? Sometimes these movements can offer temporary progress. But the hearts of people need to be changed for long term or permanent change. No amount of self effort or outside influence will bring long term solutions.

Fortunately there is an answer. We have to turn to the one person who has the authority and power to change hearts, that is God. Hebrews 3:4 says, “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”

I consider myself a student of how people speak to each other. Unfortunately that hasn’t made me a good or effective communicator. I just study how people talk to each other.

For instance, yesterday I was talking with a friend of mine. He is a good and intelligent man. We are at the same stage of life. However, while we were talking, everything I began to speak about, he turned into a longer discourse about himself. I felt ignored.

At various times I have been convinced that many people talk just to speak. They have little concern that others are listening, understanding or caring about what they say. They just want to talk.

My weakness is using sarcasm and teasing in my speech patterns. I usually am not sensitive to how others are impacted by my words. I have hurt people often and am filled with regret for that.

Is there a better way to communicate with each other? Can we share meaningful conversations with each other that are mutually beneficial?

Paul suggests that we can and should. In Ephesians 4:29 he writes, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Let’s give this command a try in our lives.

In the last two days I have had three visits to three different doctors. It is interesting how closely you are examined before you can even enter the building these days. They take your temperature and you have to answer a battery of questions. If nothing else, it made we feel a little safer entering the doctors’ offices.

Wouldn’t we all be better off if someone took the same level of interest in other areas of our lives? Why isn’t someone asking me these types of questions?

• How is your mental state these days? Are you feeling anxious or worried?
• How is your family handling the health crisis? Are you encouraging one another or irritated by one another?
• How are you doing financially right now? Are you working? Is money stretched to the point you are stressed?
• How are your personal relationships going? Do you have meaningful visits with others?

I think that we don’t ask these types of questions because we are afraid of possible consequences. We don’t want to be caught up in someone else quagmire. We don’t want to commit time and resources to help.

I know of only one person who has been able to jump fully into helping others regardless of the consequences. That person is Jesus. He humbled himself completely and selflessly to bring salvation to every hurting soul. He knows our thoughts and our needs and was willing to put himself in harm’s way to give us what we really wanted and needed.

If you are hurting right now, you are not alone. Jesus knows your pain and is offering love to you. Try asking him for help. You will find that he understands and wants to help.

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:4-8 ESV

Change is inevitable. However sometimes it comes slowly over time and other times change happens suddenly.

I go out to walk most mornings about 5:30. Yesterday it was 44 degrees when I left home. This morning it was 67 degrees. I’m pretty sure ny body doesn’t know what happened to it.

That change was easy to adjust to. Other changes are harder to understand and accept. For instance, I am 70 and my mind and body are not in sync as to what I can and cannot do. My mind says I can do it but my body balks.

We are all going through a lot of changes these days. We have gone from strict stay at home orders to a loosening of restrictions. How we adjust to these changes depends, in large part, on our attitudes. If we grumble and complain the adjustments will take longer and be harder. If we have a positive attitude, then the adjustments will likely be shorter and easier.

I think the apostle Paul said it best when he wrote, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV