The countdown clock is ticking for retirement version 2.0. When we accepted the position in which we are currently working, we knew that it was an interim engagement. Called to serve for 18 to 24 months, our 24 months will end at the end of this month. It has been a very good match from our point of view. Job sharing a single position means that we are working half time, which gives us time for retirement projects, spending time with our grandchildren, family events and celebrations and more. Working at the church has allowed us to keep active in our profession, make connections with colleagues, and do meaningful work. The extra income from the job has allowed us to set aside some savings and develop a bit of a cushion as we transition to what comes next.

Two years has, however, sped by. In many ways I’m sad to be moving on to whatever comes next. I don’t really know what comes next. On the one hand, it will be nice to have some time off. We haven’t had time for much vacation in the past two years. The trips we took during that time were rushed and we are longing for time to travel a bit more slowly and look around a bit.

The list of things that we plan to get done when we have time is growing. One thing about retirement, we won’t be bored. There are several projects we intend to tackle that will work best with full-time focus.

In the back of my mind, however, I know that I’ll keep looking for another place to serve. There is a shortage of pastors available to serve in part-time positions. However, our search needs to be confined to a small area because we are not available to move for a job. It might take some time for us to discern what comes next.

The wonderful thing about retirement, however, is that we will have time for that discernment. We don’t have to panic that we will be unemployed for a while. We have sufficient retirement income to cover our expenses. We have a comfortable home and a stocked pantry. We have the gift of health and energy.

A little over fifty years ago, I had a deeper sense of panic about a short-term job. I was lookin for summer work between my junior and senior years of college. I had not had to worry about summer employment in the past because my cousin and uncle always were looking for farm help during the summer and my father always had need of extra workers at his business. I had built-in summer job opportunities. However, this particular summer I had a specific location where I was looking for work and that location didn’t involve the farm or my home town. I had already lined up an apartment on the campus of our college. A building that housed several church offices had a small efficiency apartment where I could live and trade providing janitorial services for my rent. And we were planning our wedding. I needed to find a summer job that would put groceries on the table.

At first driving an ice cream truck seemed like a ticket. I was a good driver and I loved ice cream. However, at the interview it became clear that there was a lot of risk involved. The system required drivers to purchase inventory before heading out on their routes. the driver took the risk of unsold inventory. Profits were based on sales. It wouldn’t be a problem selling ice cream on sunny days, but a few days of rain or clouds could have an impact on income. When I put numbers to paper the income wasn’t going to be that much. I passed on the job. I thought that other jobs would appear, but I wasn’t getting interviews. I found a short-term guiding job that fit between the end of the school term and our wedding. I was starting to worry.

Then, at what seemed to me to be near the last minute, I got an interview for an hourly job at a large bakery. It was a union position with a good wage, reasonable days off, and a few benefits. I jumped at the opportunity. Work would begin three days after the wedding and I needed to shave my beard even though my job didn’t involve working with any of the production before the bread was sliced and bagged. I had a beard for the wedding and arrived at work for my first day clean shaven. It was hard work, but it was good work. I took racks of fresh-baked bread off of the line, rolled them through a large warehouse and lined them up for loading onto semi trucks. The racks needed to be lined up closely and if I got careless and my fingers got between the racks they would be pinched enough that I lost my fingernails - something that happened multiple times during the summer. The pace of the production line was relentless. I had to keep on my toes. If the rack had to go a long distance in the warehouse I had to sprint back to fill the next rack without allowing the line to back up. It took me a couple of days to get into the routine.

After that job, I have always found it easy to find the next job. I worked part time through college and graduate school and had additional part-time work through the first decade of my pastoral career. After that, we did a series of free-lance writing projects on the side. There has always been something.

And there will be something this time. I don’t think I’m ready to just stop working yet. For now, however, I’m not putting any energy into looking. There will be time for that later. There are a lot of things to do in the month to come. We have a week-long day camp and registrations are already ahead of last year. There are worship elements that need to be planned, staff and board meetings to attend, people to visit, emails to write, and classes to teach.

I am among the most fortunate people I know. I love the work I do. I’ll miss it when things change. And something new will come up. In the meantime, I get to practice patience - a skill I will need in increasing doses as I continue to grow older.

So it is back to work - for now.