“I’m done,” he said.

by Jan Cline
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My husband has been a farmer for 34 years. He has worked very hard at his profession. I’ve been encouraging him to retire. I continued to hear, “one more year.” Then we would make time to travel.

Then one day, he came home, took off his boots and announced he was ready at last.

Just like that.

But he was worried about what to do with his time. I wasn’t. I mentally pulled out my honey-do list and sighed. “I wouldn’t worry about not having things to do.”

So, we put our lake cabin up for sale and bought a nice 5^th wheel.

Isn’t that what everyone does?

Talk about whirlwind life change. I had been so settled into the idea of “one more year”, that I hadn’t really thought through how life might evolve. We have a new home, a boat, a cabin, a trip to NC once a year to see our daughter, soccer games for grandkids, and farming in between. That was it. Plenty. More than most people.

We were grateful. And still are. And grateful to be done.

Now my husband has the bug to travel. As I write this we are nestled in the woods at an RV park in beautiful Montana, enjoying the peace and quiet, taking naps, walking the dog, and doing whatever we feel like doing. No schedule, no worries except how and when to plan the next trip. On our list is Mount Rushmore, Gold Beach, CA, Fort Stevens, WA, and Yellowstone. Maybe not all right away, but, you know.

I guess this is retirement. I hope I have time to write.

Are any of you retired? How did you handle it?

Blessings and safe travels!

Jan

3 Ways to Protect your Reach

by Jan Cline
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As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve been training to gain back some muscle and strength. It’s coming, slow but sure.

So I had a chance to test my new muscles and slightly leaner frame a few weeks ago when I golfed with some friends. I walked without tiring as much as before, I swung the club harder, hit the ball farther…and then you know what happened?

I strained my back.

Couldn’t finish the game.

What happened?!

I didn’t account for my new extended reach. I forgot to tell my back to expect the unexpected.

Here’s some things that taught me:

1. Don’t take your growth for granted.

Don’t automatically assume your improvement is going to take care of itself. Pay attention to how it will relate to the rest of your life, your work, your craft. Everything you do must work together, but you must plan for that.

2. Balance is the key to stay healthy.

You can’t just reach for the tallest mountain without having a well-rounded mind, body, and spirit. Keep one area stronger than the other, and you’ll find your “back” tweaking when you push beyond your limits. Take inventory. Is everything ready?

3. Stretch consistently

This is one thing I neglected to do that day my back couldn’t keep up with the rest of my body. If it’s a big job you are facing, you’ll need to have stretched more. Are you about to tackle a big chunk of writing, or preparing to mentor someone, or give a speech? Don’t attempt the challenge without stretching accordingly. Pray, rest, practice.

Now some of this sounds sort of obscure. But I think you’ll know how to apply it to your situation. Just be careful. Don’t hurt yourself.

But keep reaching.

Blessings,

Jan

Did You Forget Your Senses?

by Jan Cline
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Love to travel. There is so much to see and so little time to see it all. It amazes me how different places have different smells, sounds and visuals.

I took this picture on a street in Salzburg, Austria. Best shopping I’ve ever seen – the neatest clothes and accessories. But the smells and sounds….so different. I’ll never forget them. The tantalizing bakeries on every corner. (yes, I tried them all!) The sound of shoes and boots on the cobblestone streets, the rain spattering the umbrellas. All that I remember.

Our senses are important.

We forget to utilize them when we really should, and miss out on the enhanced experience. Our moods, our conversations and learning styles all depend on our senses to make them come alive. Yet do we take the time to stop and absorb and filter all the goodies our senses pour into us?

If you study the picture, I sure you will think of other sensory details it might suggest. Next time you’re in Salzburg, or on a mountain ridge, or just in your own backyard, take a few minutes to drink it all in. Smell it, see it, taste it and feel it. These are the best things to burn into our memories – not all the junk we are exposed to.

Do you take full advantage of your senses? Was there a special place you recall doing that?

Blessings,

Jan

How Did You Get Up There?

by Jan Cline
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Do you ever feel like this mountain goat? Alone on a cliff, overlooking somewhere you would rather be? The view is great and you could actually enjoy it for a long time. And then, the landscape beyond beckons and you want to just climb down and go investigate.

But now there’s that big ol rock to shimmy down. It’s steep, scary, and you wonder how you got up there in the first place. Whose bright idea was this? Sure, you accomplished a great feat to get there, but now you want to go where the grass is green and the water is cool and blue. It’s down there, and you are up here.

What now?

Do you back down the way you came or do you look for another route to reach your dream destination, you know, the other dream destination?

Or you can sit down and ask yourself some questions.

Do I really need to go down there? Sure, it looks like a great place, but is it really where you are supposed to be? Or are you supposed to linger for a while on the mountain top? I’m sure Jesus wanted to get away from his stint on the mountain. Matthew 4:5 – 6 But there was a work to be done, and He stayed till it was time to go.
What is God trying to show me up here? Am I just here to admire the view? To be satisfied that I’ve done a very hard thing? Is the fact that you are on top the whole point? You have a big view, but are you seeing the big picture?
What did you learn from your journey that you need to take back down with you? What did you learn from it that you need to leave there on the mountain? It’s often the journey that is the most life changing, not the view.

I can’t answer these questions for you. I struggle to answer them for myself. We aren’t always afraid to go higher, but we are often afraid to go deeper.

What is your preference? The view or the journey? Higher or deeper?

Does It Move You?

by Jan Cline
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In my travels I have seen many great sights and wonders of creation – God’s and man’s. I have stood on a precibis over the Grand Canyon, I have sat in a pew in a grand cathedral, I have gazed at beautiful desert sunsets and been amazed at rock formations only God could design. All have moved me to tears, made me feel small, or sparked emotions like awe and respect and compassion. They are experiences not often found.

That’s what creation does. Moves us.

But what does observing the suffering or pain of another human spark in us? Have we grown so used to seeing mankind’s faults, we forget to see their beauty, or have compassion for their pain? It seems to take a lot to move us in these days.

We don’t have to travel far from home to find a wondrous creation. We are His creation, and those around us should move us to certain emotions. If we are void of that emotion, we are hiding our hearts and missing out on the lessons of charity God intends us to learn.

When was the last time you recognized or were impressed by genuine humility? When was the last time you felt an emotional attachment to your fellow man so strong you had to risk being vulnerable to reach out? What does it take to move you to charity -even if it’s just close to home?

Blessings!