I think retirement should include lots of golf (or whatever sport you prefer) and lots of time with friends. However, thanks to my dad's amazing example, I also think it should include a lot of time spent in ministry, whether that be volunteering for your Church's VBS, or going on overseas trips. My dad just got back from Ethiopia a few weeks ago. He went with a team and held eye glass clinics (giving away hundreds of free glasses), encouraged the pastors who live there, and shared Christ with the people. It was a great trip and many came to know Christ. Here he is at a church they visited.
When Chris and I get to retirement age, I want to be careful not to waste away the years simply doing things for ME. God will have given us tons of time on our hands and hopefully the money to support ourselves without having to work. That combo lends itself perfectly to missions. While I want Chris to play lots of golf and me to hang out with my friends...I don't want that to make up our entire retirement. We only have one life on this earth, and I want my last years of freedom to be used wisely.
4 comments:
Amen! Well said! I'm even hesitant to use the word "retired" when people ask me what I do because the word conjures up a life of predominately self-pleasure-seeking activites. It really means more time to spend in the morning with the Lord & then time to do ministry things in the day. Priceless!
Oops--I think I sounded too harsh there. :o( I don't think ALL fun hobbies are to be avoided (we sure have some!)--just that they're too often the priority in the retirement years.
Its strange, but i hardly think about retirement. I just wonder, will i be alive then? and what will we be going through? and in what ways will God be shifting us and challenging us?
Sometimes I think people are too focused on retirement. Saving up oodles of moo-la so they don't have a mortgage payment, or trying to pay down their house so that they have money when they are 80. (of course not your parents, but you know, i'm trying to understand the rationale of amassing wealth for retirement?)
too often the time is now, the need is now. later never happens.
(ok, and i should clarify, i am not an impulsive person, and I love planning, and I think we should absolutely be responsible and not careless with today. but i have a hard time knowing the balance. i should research it more in scripture, because i feel charged to give more, rather than 'tuck away' and sometimes it seems like people use the savings/retirement stuff as excuses for minimal 'faith living' today.
i have a question: when we die, what should we own?
I wholeheartedly agree! Kind of goes along with one of John Piper's books that Dad really likes: "Don't Waste Your Life."
We are all going to stand before God one day and give an account of our lives. I think that if we always have that in mind, it will really impact the way we live, no matter what phase of life we are in.
In regards to retirement, I think it's too easy to have the mentality: "I earned this" when justifying living mainly for pleasure after years of being in the work force. I think this is faulty thinking.
Good, challenging post. Thanks!
Post a Comment