Saturday without deadlines

Our Breakfast nook is so bright and we have our birdbath and hummingbird feeder to watch in the mornings.

Laura and I are going through some emotions as the reality of retirement settles in. I have no sermon to preach tomorrow, and Laura is a few weeks away from not a six week, but a permanent end to her teaching career. We felt a bit lost last night realizing that our circle of friends in church are preparing for going on without me. I, of course, have been thinking about this longer than Laura and have a great sense of excitement for the transition.

Been observing and learning for my partnership in an Ebay store with my friend Jack and his son Eric. Friday and Saturday are prime time for visiting garage sales, community sales, and estate sales. It's fun. Buy low, sell reasonably higher. Jack bought an old Millers Fall Egg Beater Drill in excellent condition for a few dollars and had a happy buyer by this evening at 65 plus shipping.

Our new home is a delight, we have so far to go to get unpacked and decorated, and much from my office to pass on to others. Been trying to get room for the cars and golf cart. Not fun, but necessary. Update, we achieved getting two cars and a golf cart under roof at 8pm this evening

The pool has lost 10 degrees with this cool spell and the wind has poured mesquite pods by the peck that triggers my constant skimming. I love it, but not fun this time of year.

Blessings to all who check in here. Life is good.

Not Whistling Pastor!

Home away from home for 13+ years. It was a great place to work and live.

Cleaned out my office today, turned in the keys, tomorrow is last day off, and the last day of April. I am retired.

Now even more boxes to sort through than ever, but thankfully we have lots of storage space here on Champagne Dr.

Not ready to share emotions, just know that something is ending and something is beginning.

Back on line after a blackout

Eden giving us a nice clock plaque for our years here.

We just got our home internet restored, what an adventure in dealing with utilities is a move. Found out that Southwest Gas has zero physical presence in this valley. All by phone or nothing, and the electricity is headed in the same direction.

Preached my last message as Pastor of SLCC last Sunday, a great service all through, special music, etc.

Cleaning out the office this week, including my antique pew made after the Civil War. Soon be over, and then I relax a few weeks, and formulate some plans and ideas in how I can continue in Kingdom work, as a writer/teacher perhaps.

Lasts and Firsts

The bow tie look of the youngest child...me. Oneonta NY, 1959.

Last night I completed my last Bible Study as Pastor of Sun Lakes Community Church, 10 days until the office is empty and I embark on the post full time pastor part of my life. I am not retiring, I am teaching outside the institution. I fulfilled a commitment I made decades ago to be a pastor all my life. Now the pastor part will be voluntary, and the teacher part will be in the freedom to depart from the traditional concepts of my church family, if need and conscience lead me that way.

People always have said that most denominations agree on 95% of the doctrines of the Bible. Maybe, but there are times when the prevailing traditions have become disharmonious with the message that the church needs to be awakened. If my time left allows me to be a small part of clearing the air, then I will be thankful.

The Move Marathon, the Move Sprint

We have a house full of our furniture and a garage full of our stuff, and hopefully the two shall be reunited over the next few weeks, not to mention a two car and one golf cart garage.

Two days of non stop packing and moving after two plus weeks of box filling, followed by two straight days of old house cleaning and the never ending attempt to empty every room.

Good and effective movers, no damage, helpful and quick friends who moved the junk and flowers. It is almost done. We are grateful.

Forgive my excitement

A belated tribute to Siblings Day, Oneonta New York, 1958 or 59?
I like moving. Not the work part but the new surroundings part. It was wired into my life by my own family of origin. We lived in two different houses in Kentucky, two different houses in New York, four years in Alabama, and four in Mississippi during my 18 years at home.

In college for four years in a dorm, three different homes in grad school, four years in Crystal Springs, three years in two homes in Jackson,
seven years in Moss Point, seven years in two homes in Mesa, Gilbert, seven years in Mesa Queen Creek, thirteen years in Sun Lakes and now to Sun Lakes next phase home.

Heaven will be my permanent home, right now moving is exciting.

Amid half filled boxes and frayed psyches

Any move is hard, moving locally is harder because you think you can do lots of it yourself, which is what we are trying to do, and it is getting toward crunch time when the mover comes on Thursday. It will get done, this house will be empty and clean for the new owners. We have put alot into this home they will enjoy.

April is great month spoiled!

Ke'e Beach, Kauai on a rare day when we got there first.

This is a play on the great golf quote, "Golf is a good walk spoiled". Don't know who to credit. But anyhow, April is the heart of springtime, and the blossoms, and fragrances, and calm sunny days with moderate temperatures are the best days of the year for sitting outside and walking.

Right up until you face the monster called the I.R.S. If you have any kind of ownership in anything then the long form is a necessity and a huge confusing burden on the taxpayers. It ruins my month most years. Lately I have taken to postponing until a later date and risking fines if my math and guesstimates are wrong. This year I have some help on the way, a friend in accounting.

The whole buying and selling house ordeal has its own set of deadlines and government hoops designed to remind you that they really think they own you and everything you buy and sell anyway. Sheesh!

I will not let these burdens stop me from enjoying the life God has given me, the good things of each day, and the changes ahead as I shut down my office at my place of service, and open my office for my post pastoral ministry life.

One of the neat things about our new home is the location at the edge of a golf course and just north of a horse property subdivision. In AZ they pack homes in developments very close together. Some a close as 10 ft, most about 15 ft. This home has 20 yards of easement on the east, and 60 yards to the south to the next homes. We have this private area serviced by the HOA that buffers us and creates the quietest back yard a person could hope for in a city.

Life Change, New Home

Today we made some plans to make our new home ours with a few upgrades, and just walked around seeing what lights come on with what switches. We measured and checked keys and doors and kitchen items. All fun and all part of a life change.