Retirement Abundance
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
As people get older, things and people start to be taken away. One’s health and the health of those we love is in decline. When you are young, the first thing in the newspaper you turn to are comics. When you hit a certain age, the first thing you turn to in the paper are the obituaries. When we retire, even if we are blessed with comfortable funds, we are still described as being “on a fixed income.” You can add to this negative list, but please don’t. This list is one of fear and scarcity. As people of faith, even amidst loss, there is abundance, here on earth, as well as in heaven.
Don Johnson (who I’ve said before, is not the one from Miami Vice), addresses the issue of aging well in his article, “7 Habits That Keep Me Vibrant At 70.” Don Johnson calls us to “Develop a mindset of abundance.” When decline enters your mind, you need to focus on the honest abundance that remains in your life. A fixed income may be limited, but it probably keeps the wolf from the door which is a blessing. When one has a friend or loved one who dies, the perspective of abundance is vital. Who remains in your life, providing comfort, hope, and meaning? Give me even one name and you are contemplating from a place of abundance. For the few who cannot come up with a name, fear not, knowing God’s name puts you in the position of abundance.
Johnson challenges us, to “Have goals.” Over thirty years ago, there was couple in the congregation I served who finally got to retire. He worked for over 40 years for the Chicago Tribune, working his way up to Vice-President of Distribution. If you are from Chicago in the 60’s, 70’s, and most of the 80’s and received the Tribune, you owe this guy and big thank you for getting your paper to you on time and in good condition. The day after his retirement party they move up to Northern Wisconsin, turning their vacation home into their main home. That night they went to be happy to be retired.
The next morning their 40 plus year marriage was nearly destroyed when she happened to open her eyes at 3:00 AM and saw her husband, wide awake, sitting in the chair next to the bed, leaning forward expectantly, and saying, “About time you woke up, what are we going to do today.” That same morning they were in my office, with his wife saying, “If you don’t help us get a plan for his retirement, I just might kill him!” I am happy to confirm, he went on to have a long retirement and they remained happily married. When we live from a place of abundance and with a retirement plan, God will guide us through the inevitable ups and downs of aging and remain faithful in this life and the next.
