I've been away...but I am back--I think.  It's my desire to faithfully blog again after a  time away adjusting to a whole new life, featuring semi-retirement, grandchildren, some exploring and traveling,  and the establishment of my new ministry here on the Central Coast.

Here's what I am learning after eighteen months here...

1.  It's okay to relax.  Too much of my life I have been hounded by the tyranny of the urgent.  Even now I have to fight off the urge to be productive so people will take notice of me.  The luxury of discretionary time is one I'm learning to steward--I'll keep you posted on how well I'm doing.

2.  It's fun to read books not related to my work.  I am reading lots of fiction                      recommended by friends and other meaningful books about the human condition.  It helps me keep my aging mind sharp, and reminds me of the skills needed to be a good writer--a latent goal of my mine.

3.  Family matters.  Eight grandchildren nearby and four over 2000 miles away challenge me to remember the importance of being a good grandpa, an assignment I relish, but a skill I am still refining through practice.

4.  A good wife is a valuable treasure.  I love growing old with Beverly.  She continues to brighten every day with her beauty--both outward and inward.

5.  The desire for ministry is still burning in my soul.  Counseling, teaching, mentoring, working with the homeless, missionary work in Haiti--all these and more keep me fulfilled, and motivated to invest my gifts in serving those around me.


Your season of life may be different but I would like to think that these five things are significant for you as you determine what matters most.  Getting older has the added benefit of providing a filter for processing things that would steal from our daily quest for significance.  I am glad for my sixty-seven years,  Here's to staying in the school of learning!