Retirement

I'd always heard that retirement was a big adjustment, but I never understood that until now. It's wonderful but weird to have so much free time!

This afternoon I was reading a book in the church library called "The Compass," and it quoted A.W. Tozer as saying that the choices that Christians must make from day to day fall into one of 4 categories:

1. Those for which God has said an emphatic "No"

2. Those for which God has said an emphatic "Yes"

3. Those he leaves to your own sanctified preferences

4. Those that require special guidance from the Lord

I figure the Bible tells me #1 and #2.

Substitute teaching turned out to be #3, and I prefer not to, even though Mike Shaw keeps trying to hire me. The use of my afternoons seems to fall under #3 also, as best as I can discern.

The use of my mornings was #4. It never would have occurred to me that I should stay home three mornings a week, so God had to really speak to me about that. I'm very glad he did. Walking in what I receive about #4 should help me know #1 and #2 (because I'll be in the Word so much), and also #3, because otherwise I could very easily get #3 and #4 mixed up, which in fact, I did temporarily!

Retirement is not as simple as I thought it would be!