Mid-May Musings

It's a beautiful Monday morning in May here in the Ozarks. It is sunny and calm. I am sitting in the shade on the deck with my coffee and computer and life is good.

I'm still working on this retirement gig and trying to figure it all out. I've had several veteran retirees ask me what hobbies I have, if I like golf or fishing, how am I spending my time, etc.

Most days I just try to make sure I get a good walk in (3 or 4 miles). Some days I think about running (Hey, it's the thought that counts, right?). I read a little more than in the past. If I can't think of anything else to do and the weather isn't bad, I take the little motorcycle (Honda CM400) out for a ride in the country.

Eventually, I might get bored with doing nothing and feel that I need to have some purpose in life, but I'm good for right now.

The biggest drawback that I'm discovering is that my friends (the very few that I have) are still working. If I want to take a trip to St. Louis for a Cardinal's day game (or even a week night evening game), everybody has this thing they call a "job" to go to and I am left to decide if I want to make the trip alone or skip the drive and watch it on TV (which is what I've done, twice now). I think next time I'll just go ahead and make the trip, enjoy the ballpark atmosphere and the obligatory ballpark dog (or two) and the quiet time in the car.

After I upgrade to a more roadworthy size motorcycle, that will be a much better solo road trip!

On the ministry front, February and April were busy months, March and May--not so much. I did preach at a local church the first Sunday of May, substituted for a Sunday school class yesterday and have a family wedding to go to next weekend. So, it's not like I haven't had things to do. June has a couple of activities; preaching the 7th, a camp for the 3rd weekend and a couple of other non-ministry events.

I suppose that I do need to find a way to connect with more people. Although the quiet isolation is fine for me, it doesn't work very well in the life of a Jesus follower that needs to spread the Word. Eventually, I'm going to need to have some personal interaction with ... people.

I am sure that I'll figure it out ... eventually.
For today, I'm going to finish my coffee, take a walk and then see what happens next.
I hope that your day is as uncomplicated and as worry free as mine.

Be well,
John <><

PS  At some point this past weekend, Blogger analytics shows that I went over 100,000 page views on my humble little blog. 
Thank you for reading.

It's About ... Time!

Several months ago I was in the grocery store when I ran into somebody that I knew. This mom of several active kids (that knew I had lost a lot of weight) looked in my cart and said, "It costs a lot more to eat healthy, doesn't it?"

My response was that it doesn't cost a lot more, but it does take a lot more time.

I got to see that this wasn't the response that she wanted to hear. In her world, time was a more precious commodity than money.

I was thinking about this past event because recently a checkout clerk commented that I was her healthiest customer of the day!

For me, the best way to maintain a healthy diet is to prepare your own food. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where the meat, dairy and fresh produce is located. Stay away from the boxed foods and ready-to-eat stuff. It does take more time to prepare meals but at least you know what you are eating and you keep control of the fats, sugars and proteins.

This is a bit of good news/bad news.

The bad news is that I can't control how much money you have to spend on groceries.
The good news is that we all get the same 24 hours in a day.

There are no rich nor poor when it comes to time.
24 hours.
Nobody gets more time.
Nobody gets less time.
The only difference is in how we manage the 24 hours in our day.

I remember a time when I used cook meat for the week on the weekend. I would grill burgers, brats, pork steaks...whatever on Saturday afternoon and we would reheat and eat after work during the week. I know some people always make double portions and freeze half for the next week. Some people meal share and prepare a meal for their family and another on one night and have somebody else do the same for them on different night.
We have all found ways of multitasking that work for us--folding laundry while watching TV, listening to recorded books while exercising or driving, etc.

Sure, money does give you more options. You can always go out or you can hire somebody to cook and clean for you, but you still only get 24 hours.

24 hours to eat, sleep, exercise, work, play, write, build or maintain relationships, make plans.
We are all equally endowed where time is concerned.
How will you spend your 24 hours today?

Be wise.
Be well,

John <><

90 Days

At some point today, it dawned on me that today is my 90th day of retirement.

I can say that there has not been a single day that I've wished I was at work. I rarely think of work or the people that I once worked with. I have made contact with a few of them, but rarely.

I met one controller to watch the Blues get beat by his team (the Wild). Chris and I have had dinner with another retiree and her husband a few times. I'm meeting a guy tomorrow and I've sent an occasional text to harass a misguided Cub fan.

All-in-all, I'm sleeping better, eating better, exercising more regularly and loving life. I've stayed pretty busy on the ministry front and managed a few magic shows, as well.

Next week I'm planning on a couple of baseball games--Tuesday night at the Springfield Cardinals and a Thursday day game in St. Louis against the Cubs.

Life. Is. Good!

John <><