TGIF (08/16/2024)

Before retirement, TGIF meant that I’d reached the final day of classes or of work and was able to take a couple days “off.” After retirement, TGIF sort of lost its luster. Afterall, once I retired, every day was like the weekend. I didn’t need to be anywhere at a specific time. And the lack of demands began to pile up. Without those demands, with all that free time, I realized I was not being very productive. In fact, looking at myself I had to admit I made a rock look busy. And I found myself actually missing needing to be somewhere.

“Be careful what you pray for” I was often warned through the years. I finally came to understand the wisdom of those words. For years I had prayed for days without deadlines and lengthy “to do” lists. In time, I realized that retirement wasn’t for “nothing.” Retirement was for something different. I still need to have purpose. I still need to work on “being” by believing, belonging, and becoming.

And so, here I am, nine years into retirement. Every morning, I begin by believing, sitting with the LORD in prayer on my porch with my journal. I recognize the LORD’s call to be a child of the LORD, a disciple of Christ, a temple of the Spirit. I sit within that relationship, belonging to the LORD, recognizing that without that essential relationship I would not be and without that essential relationship I would have nothing to bring to other relationships. Grounding myself in that essential relationship provides the anchor I need to reach, to open up to grace, to trust, and to take the steps I am called to take this day. And I step into the day praying that my becoming who I am called to be will prevail.

Today it is Friday. And today I began by thanking the LORD for another day and for more grace. Today I asked the LORD for help as I continue my journey. “LORD, strengthen my believing mind and heart so that I might be a better servant to You. Draw me to yourself more closely so that my awareness of belonging to You fills my every fiber. And open my whole being to your transforming love as I surrender to You more fully and open myself to becoming your child, your disciple, your temple this day and all days.”

 Until tomorrow, let us all love well.