Big Decisions!

Big Decisions!

July 14, 2022

I retired on June 30, 2022.  I am still not sure I was ready to hang up a 44-year career.  But, I did. 

Maybe the big decisions in life are like that.  We can be mostly confident most of the time.  But occasionally, there is a twinge of uncertainty that makes us wonder if we have chosen the better part.  But, here I am! 

There was a wonderful “Retirement Reception” on June 19, a moving truck loading us up on June 20, and the same moving truck unloading us on June 28.  It really felt like I was retiring.

After a week of being without our belongings, I went back to officiate at one more funeral and one more wedding.  My last official day on the job was June 30.  However, the wedding took me through July 2. 

On the morning of Sunday, July 3, I realized my job was finished and my career was over.  I was not leading worship or sharing a message.  Finally, retirement was beginning to seem more real. 

At the same time, I was not ready for what was coming next.  Our new home (actually it is about 20 years old!) is filled with construction folks doing a variety of remodeling projects.  We love our contractor and he is doing excellent work.  But, we are still weeks from wrapping up the projects.   

So rather than live in the basement with construction projects all around, we decided to visit our daughters and son-in-law in Oklahoma.  It has been a fun couple of weeks to be with family.  At the same time, temperatures have been close to 110 degrees most of the time.  The heat has not been fun!

To say the least, we have been on an adventure I could not have fully imagined.  There has been some unexpected joy while we have stayed with family and friends.  There has also been some unexpected sadness in leaving behind people and places that have been such an important part of our lives.

I feel a bit like a nomad right now.  There is no one place to call home, no one people to call friends, no one environment to call sacred space.  On the other hand, there is no work to preoccupy my mind, there is no busyness to distract my heart, and there are no demands to sidetrack my soul.

I have noticed something though; my temporary nomadic life-style has become an adventure in which I am desiring more of Jesus.  I have a sharper focus upon and a keener awareness of Jesus’ presence and power.

I am reminded that there was a day when Jesus no longer just wandered from village to village.  Jesus’ life was suddenly about much more than teaching and preaching or helping and healing.

There came a moment when Jesus was much more focused upon and much more aware of what the Father was desiring in His life.  In Luke 9:51 we hear; “When the days drew near for him (Jesus) to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

Jesus makes a decision to be even more focused upon the Father’s will and way for His life.  Luke tells us Jesus “…set his face to go to Jerusalem…”  Jerusalem was the place where Jesus’ life and death and living again would change the world!

Sometimes the decisions we make can change our lives in dramatic ways.  A career change, a relationship change, or a change in where we live can become opportunities to draw nearer to the Lord God. 

The decisions we make can bring a new adventure, a new opportunity, and a renewed relationship with Jesus.  The decisions we make can give us a renewed sense of purpose and a clearer sense of direction.  When that happens, our heart will be filled with delight in the Lord’s presence.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug

Note:  Please take some time today to invite a friend to subscribe to my blog.