Footsteps & Retirement

Today is a day full of much reflecting…wondering….remembering….marveling…as today is my husband’s last day of full time employment with his current employer. How in the world did I/we arrive at this destination on the calendar that seemed SO far off when we were but in our mid 20’s….marriage…kids…relocating to another county….all of the experiences that come in between those wonderful events.

Other than babysitting in my teen years, my first true job “in the world” was working part time hours at a children’s zoo. My husband’s first job was at a McDonald’s near his home. From there he had numerous other jobs until he landed a full time position with a community bank in Saginaw, which is where we met….fell in love…got married…well, that’s another story in itself. For today, it’s notable that by his coming to work at the bank, we met and now some 40 plus years later we remain a couple (older, slower & graying), celebrating HIS last day working for a major insurance company as one of their in-house claims adjusters–looking at crashed cars via photos/emails every day….to approve/disapprove estimates for repair or totalled status. 

How did we get here? Psalm 37:23 says “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives”. Goodness, do I ever believe these words and certainly have witnessed some twisting and winding steps laid on our path through this life as we know it….

• As I fondly recalled, God bringing my husband to work at the bank where I’d been employed for several years before  meeting him
• Driving us to Covenant Hospital two times to bring our children into the world
• Carrying furniture & boxes into our present home when we relocated in January 1989–can you spell c-o-l-d? And tired.
• Walking our daughter down the wedding aisle…twice…(that’s another story, too)
• Making pizza deliveries without complaining–due to a downturn in business affecting his employment
• Learning a new management position with an auto oil change company during the day…delivering pizza at night and on the weekends–without complaining
• Sitting, beaming with tear filled eyes as our son watched “his” bride come down their marriage aisle
• Every time we drove to football and basketball games near and far to watch our kids participate in school sports
• Every time he helped with one of our aging parents…his grandmother, his brother as he lay fading with the throes of cancer
• Every time he’s willingly volunteered for numerous jobs at our church, above all, being a prayer warrior for every staff member and our church family
• Playing inside or outside with our grandchildren…playground, bikes, snowmen, car washes, tea parties, making pizzas….nighttime book reading & prayers
• Delivering groceries to families who need a little extra help each week

Realistically, this is not an exhaustive list of where God has used my husband and I know that more “memories” will be added as he steps out of full time employment into a waiting world of free etched on a relaxed calendar. The lack of showing up Monday through Friday will now be replaced with some things he enjoys and will have more time to pursue….perhaps more day play dates with grandkids as their schedules allow…day trips here and there…chasing down a wrecked car that can be repaired and “flipped”…providing extra income and satisfaction from using gifts and talents to figure out needed repairs…all which ignite excitement…defining ”it’s all about the ‘hunt’…..

I love how Proverbs 16:9 affirms what the  penned: “A man’s mind plans his way (as he journeys through life), but the Lord directs his steps and establishes them”. (Amplified)

Friends have been teasing us about all of the 24/7 time we will have together now with his retirement…well, my response is “we will be learning new dance steps”…which really means not bumping into each other in the kitchen as we often have a habit of doing without always being gracious about our gentle collisions….hmmm, guess I better brush up on bible verses to remind me about being patient, kind, gentle…..Lord willing, we have MANY more steps to lay down on the paths being laid out for us…and I don’t want to misstep or miss out on those future adventures because of a stubbed toe or bruised feelings!