Retirement...Then What

We were blessed to attend my mother-in-law's retirement reception this last weekend along with my husband's brother and his children. (My sister-in-law had to work so she wasn't able to make it.) We had a great time visiting and playing with the four little first cousins. Here's a shot we snapped of the whole clan at the reception. My mother-in-law, Jo, had worked at the same place for over twenty years - whew! That makes me tired to think about.

Here's a better shot of the best ever niece and nephew - as least as far as David and I are concerned. Nathan and Benjamin loved playing with their favorite first cousins. Kathryn is eight and Daniel is six but there's not much physical evidence to prove any age difference. I feel this will be the case with my children as well. I'm asked daily if the boys are twins.

Saturday after the reception we all enjoyed a beautiful evening outside in the backyard. David and Daniel played catch. Daniel has the best arm of any six year old I've ever seen. I couldn't believe how hard he could throw the ball. Accuracy in aiming wasn't always his strong suit but he'll get there with a little more practice.

Kathryn had fun playing with Benjamin and Nathan and this wagon that my in-laws bought for the grandkids to play with when Kathryn was just a baby. I'd say they've gotten their moneys worth out of it.
Here's dad helping out with the wagon pushing. I mean here's Nathan pulling everyone along - that's how he sees it anyway.

For a while Kathryn pulled Benjamin around and he decided that as long as someone else was doing all the hard work he was just going to take it easy. It was so funny to see him just laid back and relaxed. You could tell he knew he was doing something cute.

This weekend I was reminded of my Dad's retirement party last March. Here we all are at his retirement reception along with my mom and grandmother (Dad's mom). Dad worked at the same place for nearly forty years. I guess he just found something that worked for him and stuck with it. Talk about stability!

My dad told everyone at his reception that he'd been asked the same question many times since announcing he was going to retire. He said that people wanted to know what he was going to do once he was retired. His first answer was that he and my mom had bought a new house and were going to be busy fixing it up to move into. Then whoever he was talking to would invariably ask "then what?" So then Dad would mention lots of time spent in his yard and with his grandboys. Then Dad said something quite profound. He said that once you're retired long enough you reach your final 'then what' on this earth - you die. It's the one thing we're all certain of. At that point comes life's biggest question - once you die 'then what?' Dad shared that he made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior when he was ten years old and from that point forward his eternity had been secure. I'm so blessed to know that I, my parents, grandmother, in-laws, and husband all have our final 'then what' irrevocably placed in the hands of our Heavenly Father.

"Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." James 4:14