Retiring Not Biblical?

I awoke this morning to a preacher talking about retirement not being in the Bible anywhere and that working is our occupation and we should never stop working unless we are ill.  I remembered how hard work was and every hateful job I had.  I went in anyway daily, confronted the evils, worked hard, pushed back stuff to help those discriminated against, facing hard opposition, being ostracized and generally being what one personnel director called "a change agent."

I was given a hard time by those who supervised me, was never rewarded for my efforts, but continued to be a change agent for good wherever I could on my city job.  Finally, one of the subcontractors that I oversaw under our department, gave me a break.  He recommended me for a job that was so much better and paid more.  I was now under the Federal government in a pilot program.  I had a great boss that trained me well, set me up with some accounts and helped me become what he called "a tiger in the field."  He gave me glowing reviews.  When that job ended I tried to find a new job, started going to church again, and finally got back into the government, but there was some goodness and good people and friendships to be made in this new department with the county government.  My boss was easy going and never put up any obstacles to keep me from doing well on the job.  I made a big mistake however, when overlooked for a promotion. I left in anger to go work for a subcontractor.   This was a mistake, and again I found myself in a hell with a demonic task master.  I had to quit.  My health had deteriorated and my life was miserable.

For nearly 10 years I didn't work. I found churches in revival and submerged myself in God. During those years God softened me, taught me how to be a loving wife, a homemaker, a good mother and grandmother.  I was spirit-filled and surrounded by wonderful, spiritual women.  I also went into ministry.  My life was spent ministering to the Lord and others.  Those were beautiful, exciting years. My marriage improved.  I had the perfect Christian life.  But after a while I began to miss working and having a daily job to go to.  I was lonely at home during the day.  So I prayed the Lord would give me a job that was ministry.  He gave me a dream about that job and I went about looking for it.  I tried a few new full-time jobs (which didn't work out) and also a part-time independent contractor position with a school system that did work.  When all the other jobs failed I continued to love this part-time job.

When my husband passed I approached the superintendent of the school system for an opportunity to work full-time.  He and my female director arranged it.  My director negotiated the salary God had shown me I would be paid in this "ministry job" that I had prayed for.  God had even shown me that a man and a woman would discuss the salary and make the offer, and that is how it happened.  God also showed me in that dream that my office would have a sunny window.

I had a full-time job that I was allowed to continued to work from home.  I had a great home office in our new home (but no sunny window) and I did the additional things the superintendent requested I do for him.  This was perfect.  This was my ministry job the Lord had promised. But alas, nothing good last forever on this earth.  My nice director left and the superintendent hired a demonic overlord who became my new boss.  I think she envied my work from home job and actually said to me, "If I can't work from home..."   She didn't finish the sentiment, but I knew what she was saying.  When she found an office for me she put me in it.  It was a small storage room, but there was a sunny window.  The God dream for my "ministry job" was confirmed.  All of the description of it had come to pass.  So I continued to do my job and love it.

However, the new boss made it difficult for me to function.  She purposely put obstacles in the way to make me fail.  But I had learned very early in my professional life how to work around obstacles and be successful.  I worked under these conditions for a year. Finally, the new boss decided to make me quit.  She took $10,000 from my salary and when that didn't work she gave me a bad review and discontinued my contract.  I was forced to retire after only three years in the "ministry job" God had shown me in the dream.  After it was all over I realized I had worked 10 years doing that job - 7 years part-time and 3 years full-time.  I didn't realize that the part-time job was the "ministry job."  I had received many accolades from my previous two directors for a job well done.  They were lovely to work for.  When I first started  I was one of two Black people working in a professional position in this suburban school system, a forerunner, that helped the administration change and hire more Black people - principals, teachers and administrators.  The last who would orchestrate my demise.

The Lord helped me to retire on half of my previous income and helped me make right decisions about keeping my home and to budget so I could live comfortably and travel with my savings.  I haven't thought about trying to return to work and I have no pressures any more to do so.  When my savings run out my grown children will be able to help supplement my retirement income.

Also I have found other retired friends to form a club and develop new friendships, and fun things to do together.  Most are Christians and this makes for a good group.

So this morning I remembered all those things and asked the Lord if the preacher was right, and if retirement was not Biblical what could I do?  God brought to mind the work of my organizer/cleaner and what a ministry she has helping me with my house work.  She is a godsend.  Then I got up, made my bed, surveyed the work I needed to continue in my closet with organizing my shoes, walked down the hall.  I saw how rushed my daughter was getting out of the house at 6:00 am to her morning exercise, and on to work early after a long day yesterday, and I made her bed- something I don't usually do.  I came downstairs tended to my little dog, saw the dirty blender that I knew I would wash in the sink for my daughter who had made a morning smoothie for breakfast.  Then I read my e-mails and found an article on the benefits of journaling and decided to write all this down.  :-)

So is retirement Biblical?  Well, I believe we can lessen our workload.  I think we all should.  God is not like the devil, a slave master.  Being "driven" and working for and trying to please a demonic boss, company, government or system that ruins your health and puts you in hell is not a good outcome.  God's plans for us are not evil. (Jer 29:11)  But when we are in an evil situation, we must learn to work as unto the Lord, with His help and involvement, and remember that for His children all things work together for good. (Rom 8:28)  This is God's plan and is how we survive.  God has shown me the purpose of all the hardships.  He says long suffering builds character.  (Romans 4:5) However, who would choose to continue working under a slave master when God opens a door to retirement and release.

Now I am released, free to do what I want and what God directs me to, which are the same now.  I am still on this earth and I will occupy until He comes.

In My Closet

I studied Intagram yesterday for ideas to organize and store my purses and bags.  My closet is already so full none of the ideas would work there.  So I went to bed with closet organization on my mind and the Lord showed me that I have some space for large and small purses.  I need to re-organize what is already in those spaces and better utilize the area.

So when I woke up I pulled some things down and made a little space for the big bags!  Today that is my work to do.  Pulling down stuff and making better use of the space!

I did what the Lord showed me in the dream.  All my bags and purses are organized!  I aslso organized my scarves and hung them on a special hanger for scarves and belts.  I am so excited about how my closet is looking.  Tomorrow I will neatly arrange shoes that need to be in the closet.  I see where they can go.   Just think.  I was so overwhemed by the discord, disarray and disorganization.  It was affecting my psyche.  Now my rooms are peaceful.  I love going in to sleep.

It is amazing how good God is.  He cares about the things that concern us.  Even the little things. And He gives us solutions. He is a good Father.

So Thankful!

Dear Lord,

I am so thankful that you are my God.  You visit me on days I don't expect you and warm my heart with your love and Presence.  You answer my prayers at just the right time.  Thank you for the protection you extend to my little family, to all that we have, and to our future, our faith and the hope you have put in us.
Amen

Happy, Happy Happy! I'm organized.

I have an organizer!  She organized my dresser drawers, put away all my clean clothes that were sitting around in baskets, unpacked clean clothes from suitcases from my last trip.  She moved suitcases and shoes that I wear infrequenty to storage in rooms behind my walk-in-closet.  Then she dusted my room. Wow! My bedroom looks amazing!

This inspires me to organize and clean my dressing room next.  Then organize my closet.  I've got to figure out how to organize my purses and bags.

Anyway, today I am washing clothes that were worn and strewed around the room on furniture, on the floor, on the bed, etc.  I am folding things neatly and will put these things away in my neat. organized drawers.  I actually have three dressers almost full!

I own too many clothes and shoes, so after I wash everything I will go through and decide what to keep and what to give away.  I am organized and it feels so good.  I want to sing and dance to the Happy Song. :-)

My organizer already said we will spring clean and do windows and seals.

The Good News

What is the Good News?  God, our Creator, wants to be your Heavenly Father.  He has provided the Way through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the only way to God.  Every other claim is false.  You can't get there by good works or religion of any kind.  It is by the sacrifice of the only begotten Son on the cross and the shedding of His Blood for our sins and for our sinful nature that we are saved.

◄ John 14:6 ►

New International Version Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth  and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Romans 10:15
And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"  

So my feet are beautiful for I bring the Good News.

My Greatest Desire in Life!

My greatest desire in life has been fulfilled.  I have a young woman to help me clean my house and torganize my stuff.   Years ago on a retreat we were asked what did we desire most.  I had a demanding job that took every last bit of energy and I said, "I want a big hous, wth lot of spacee and someone toclean it.  That desire was answered by a mouse.

I had a mouse invasion when I came back from vacation.   I needed help cleaning and organizing.  I had to buy D-con pelletts and that stuff works. We neve had mice before.

My daughter saw the mouse twice in the wee hurs ofthe morning.  It had found the dog food and chewed a hole in it and my pantry and laundry room closet was full of the mouse droppings.  I pulled everything outI and began cleaning.  Then it seemed they moved from there to my kitchen d rawers.  Cleaned them three times and the last time I put in the D-con.  I saw  green droppings, evidence that the mouse or mice were eating good.  Waited a few days and no new signs.    But I needed help.

The young woman came over and organized the laundry room closet and cleaned the lower cabinet that held my garbage cans.   My junky closet is so organized now.  She cleaned and stacked  my milk crates to hold hats and scarves.  My coats are hung nicely.  I did some work too. My pantry is clean and organized and I am a happy camper. She also straightened my red hats in the front hall closet and has her eyes on improving that one..  She is a great organizer.  Can't wait until she comes back.

Next time she comes we will tackle my bedroom walk-in closet and storage space.  Then we will clean the areas I can't get to any more.  Lik under beds, behind dressers, inside windows and seals, baseboards and dusty corners,, and all that stuff. After that she will come regularly to clean my house and keep it clean.  She loves her work and I love having her.  She is a dream come true.