Usually called retirement I left my last day of paid employment on 23 December 2021 after 49 years, 7 months and 6 days. I am still technically on the payroll as some accrued leave is paid out till March 2022. For all intents and purposes I am as it is commonly called “retired.”
My final staff meeting had me lead devotions based on 1 Samuel 7 especially verse 12 – “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”.
That verse appeared on Prayermate that day in Spurgeons daily morning devotions. A coincidence? I think not.
On 30 November I had what I thought was a routine blood test. Next day I received a call from the doctor telling me to go straight to hospital. That drive had my life flashing before me as I pondered what was so serious that a routine blood test required immediate investigation.
Death is not something I fear. I trust my future to Christ. However I have so many plans for the future and serving God is one of them. Seeing grandchildren grow is another.
I have seen God at work through my grandson who has challenged leukemia since he was 19 months old and how he and his parents together with outstanding medical care have maintained his life despite four years of uncertainty. I don’t think I could endure what he has been through is another thought that has come to me in that month.
But my life has changed. No more structures around work. Plans to volunteer in Tanzania and looking at what my days bring.
So really this blog after many years of not posting a thing (since 2017 when all I had were good intentions and no time) is to record what retirement looks like and how I manage.
On New Year’s Eve 2021 I reflected how hard 2021 has been personally. I write this after the 2022 AGM at church. But back in 2021, the last thing I needed was to be a warden. Try as I might I could not avoid it. It provided a lot of work and looking back, satisfaction in working with two other extraordinary people to get so much done in a year. Our Acting Senior Minister was amazing and he really provided a leadership style that got a lot out of everyone serving in 2021. Even though we were locked down from June to November a lot did get done.
Work kept me busy. My 4dpw part time role really saw me doing full time plus hours as I planned my exit and needed to complete an accumulation of eight years work to leave the agency with some systems going forward. A new accounting system introduced from December 2021 had to be bedded down. Development of a human resource system to replace a lever arch file. New email system and other systems as well as training the new person responsible for finances and a Chartered Accountant we contracted to assist us with complexity.
On new years eve I wrote in my journal (which started in late December) “This has been the hardest year of my life by far. Its like a confluence of events that have converged simultaneously. None of them on their own were challenging apart from the situation of our grandson and praying for him and trying to stand beside his parents interstate during lockdown and helpless to do much other than pray and provide moral support.
So 2021 ended with things I am grateful for as noted in the journal:
- God’s faithfulness to me
- A wife who has cared for me and our children
- Our four kids as they have shown resilence in the face of COVID
- For the way son and daughter in law have cared for and sacrificed for their son
- For a new grandson born in the last week of the year
- For Corinne’s wedding and a husband who is very caring of her and has supported her during difficult times
- For Anglican Aid and all it has taught me especially helping my spiritual growth. For my church and an amazing effort in raising funds for the building
- Friends at Alstonville who have we have spent time with while living in Bangalow
- For an amazing health system for my grandson and latterly for myself.
- For life. I take it for granted but was reminded when I received a call to go to A&E that every breath is God’s gift
- For being able to complete years 1 and 2 of the PTC course
- For plans to serve the diocese of Mara
- For being able to leave Anglican Aid in good hands with Tim
AfricaEddie 