Fall Preparations

The corn stalks are swishing in the wind – no they are actually being invaded by small gray bandits.  My fall pumpkin scene with faded corn stalks and dried corn is serving as meals for the squirrels.

 The old timers and also the Farmer’s Almanac say that we will have a bad winter because of the abundance of squirrels scrounging for food and also the many large wooly caterpillars.  It is entertaining to watch the gray bandits as they nibble on the corn as if to store up enough sustenance to prepare for the cold weather.

How do I prepare to feed on the nourishment of the word of God to help me sustain the winter of my life?  Am I diligently searching for the nuggets of truth found in God’s word and then feeding on the abundant supply he has provided?  He has not only provided me with a seasonal landscape of brick red, orange and gold leaves, plump pumpkins, colorful mums and harvested corn stalks but also the cool weather and shorter days to allow me more time to read and reflect on his provision.

The summer has been busy with gardening, canning and freezing the produce to enjoy in winter.   God’s word is my daily nourishment to feed my soul and also to prepare for what is ahead.  How am I preparing for the “winter” of my life when I may not feel the warmth of the sun and wonder if the showers of blessings have ceased?

Proverbs 6:6
Take a lesson from the ants, you lazy fellow. Learn from their ways and be wise! 7 For though they have no king to make them work, 8 yet they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.9 But you—all you do is sleep. When will you wake up? 10 “Let me sleep a little longer!” Sure, just a little more! 11 And as you sleep, poverty creeps upon you like a robber and destroys you; want attacks you in full armor.

Retirement

Spring time in the mountains at Butternut Golf Course.

Playing golf is much more relaxing and much more fun than cleaning house, washing windows or weeding the flower or vegetable garden.

This is how I planned to spend retirement after a wonderful twenty-five years working at Young Harris College.  

How many retirees have said, “I don’t know how I had time to work!”
Well, it is true.  I have been much more busy than expected since retirement two years ago.  I really don’t know how I had time to work a full time job and also keep up with cooking, housework, and volunteering at church and community.
My scheduled now includes the above as well as golf, gardening, canning, freezing, volunteering at church food cottage and writing a book with my husband about God’s strength in our weakness.  Neither golf nor gardening were in my schedule back then and my house was cleaner when I was gainfully employed.  The common thought is “Well, I can do that tomorrow or the next day!”
Playing golf was always my dream but because of work I never had time to learn much less play.  Now my husband and I try to play golf at least once a week.  My golf pro son gives me a lesson when we visit his family in MI or he visits us.  Improvement is twenty-two strokes getting to the first hole to about seven.  My first comment was that I got more exercise than others since I had more swings with the club. Recently I accomplished my first birdie (one under par)!
Back to Eden gardening became a passion after visiting Evergreen friends in Indiana in November 2012.  My husband built a fortress seven feet high around our garden.  Neighbors thought he was building a house when the first posts went in the ground.  God blessed our efforts and we had an abundant harvest – much more than expected – I canned and froze vegetables all summer long.
I promised my husband that I would not volunteer for anything the first year of retirement.  He knows how I like to get involved.  My freedom to sleep in the first few months was great.  Time to read my Bible much more than my regular thirty minutes was wonderful.  A regular exercise program helped me keep active and fit.  Then my husband got us involved working at our church’s food cottage.  A couple of volunteers were out for the winter and he was asked if we could fill in for them November through April.  Not a problem!  Now two years later I am still volunteering in the office of the Food Cottage.  But what a blessing this work has been and some really wonderful people to work with.
My husband and I have been composing stories about our lives and ministry to leave for our children and grandchildren and retirement was supposed to be the time to “write it.”  Joining a writing club was my attempt to jump start the process.   However, this seemed to add another meeting and travel time was stealing from my time at the computer.

 

Finally I resigned from two of my volunteer activities and am focusing more on my writing.  Joining COMPEL with Proverbs 31 Ministries  has already helped me “write it.”  Blogging is my attempt to get my creative writing juices flowing so that the “book” will be not only historical for my descendants but also showing how HIS story influenced our lives and blessed us much more that we could think or imagine!
Blessings,
Pat