View from October 2008

The stock market has crashed.

This means that I can no longer depend on my 401(k) as a source of income.

At the current stock levels, either God must move in my favor, or I must return to work in four to six months. God has always moved in the past. Possibly His next move will be to provide a job...that pays money and stills honors him.

I note that Rockwell Collins declined to fund a Serve The City grant application that would have placed money directly to flood-impacted persons to get them reestablished in homes. The did find the money to fund several sexual deviation organizations. Hmmmm.

Current View of Retirement

The further time passes from "work" the more I realize that it was just wage slavery...trading hours of my life for mere lucre.

This week I:

• Brought the books for Serve The City up to date.
• Chaired a board meeting for His Hands Free Medical Clinic. God continues to improve our finances and flow of volunteers.
  
• Attended a meeting of the Linn County Association of Evangelicals. At the meeting, I was approached by a pastor of one of the largest Lutheran churches in town, who recognized my Halftime involvement and introduced me to a representative of a local Christian music station, who, in turn, asked me for some help. I was also approached by a STC volunteer for advice and wanted to set up a meeting to expand her role. I was also approached by the current president of LCAE for help in securing a source of income for the founder.
  
• I was approached, via email, by the pastor of a smaller "planted" church, for advice on grant applications.
• I have been working on income taxes.

Separately, I have been asked to become a deacon at New Covenant. I will be a deacon "at-large" so that I can meet the one-year-on-the-deacon-board requirement to chair the board starting in June 2009.

I have also been asked to give a testimony at a Halftime Collaborative Day meeting and to facilitate a brainstorming project at that meeting.

I have also been asked to represent His Hands at one church's mission weekend.

Why list all this? The list shows the great variety of activities open to those in retirement. I get a lot of satisfaction from being an elder statesman / guru. I just have to keep focused on God, recognize that this is all his doing, and avoid pride and bragging.

Keep Alive Post

This is just to keep this blog alive.