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A New Season of Life

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As I wrote last week, this past Sunday was my retirement Sunday. I had a great weekend with my children and grandchildren. We went to the beach and out for dinner on Saturday, and of course they were with us on Sunday for our final service. Our church, Shrewsbury First Assembly, honored and celebrated Kim and me with kind words, prayers, gifts, and a beautiful reception. And I was so blessed to have so many extended family members and friends from throughout the years join us that day.  Then came Monday and Tuesday and….suddenly, it all seemed so final! One season of life had ended and a new season had begun. Yes, I had been planning for this moment for over a year, yet it still seemed so sudden—and again, so final. By Tuesday, I was questioning whether or not I had made the right decision. Was this a good thing? Would I get used to this new life? Would I become anxious, depressed, bored, lonely, etc.? Would Kim and I make it financially? So many questions—and even fears—began to r...
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Retirement Sunday

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This coming Sunday, September 7, 2025, is my retirement Sunday here at First Assembly of God in Shrewsbury, NJ.  After over 40 years of church ministry, ten years here at First Assembly, and over a year of planning with my church board and assistant pastor, the day is upon me. This Sunday I’ll be preaching my final sermon as a “Senior Pastor.” And I’ll be moving from one season of life to another. After Sunday’s service I’ll officially be a “retired minister.”  That doesn’t mean I’ll be sitting around doing nothing. I do hope to still be involved in ministry, filling pulpits and helping churches as needed. I might do some writing. And in case you don’t already know, this past year I received my certification as a personal trainer. Right now the plan is to work at a local gym a few hours per week as well as run my own training business (Second Wind Personal Training). And of course, I’m hoping to get a bit more time with my kids and grandkids!  As most pastors can attest, ...
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Boxes of Books!

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As many of you know by now, I’m currently in the process of retiring from over 40 years of pastoral ministry. My final Sunday at First Assembly of God of Shrewsbury, NJ will be September 7, just over a week from now. Thus over the past few weeks, I’ve been dismantling my office, piece by piece and book by book. And, have I collected a lot of books! After all, in ministry one is constantly using books.  Some of those books were one time reads. Some were kept on hand for help with further study and sermon preparation. I had my share of commentaries, word study books, concordances, counseling books, leadership books, and more. Some I’ve given away. Some I’ve reshelved in another room in our church office for use by others. And there are a number that I’ve boxed up to bring home. Thus, both my office and my home now have boxes of books.   Admittedly, it’s not easy for me to part with books that have been on my shelves for so many years. In fact, the other day I found myself g...
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Getting Fueled for the Day

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Most mornings, I try to eat a good/healthy breakfast to get my day going.  For me that means eggs, toast, some fruit, including a banana, and of course coffee. My goal is to eat a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat so that I can avoid the morning crash I would face when eating merely a bagel and butter or a muffin or a bowl of cereal. I think of my breakfast as fuel for the day. It’s like putting gas in the tank so that I’ll have the energy and strength to do what needs to be done, at least in the first part of that day. In the same way, and even more so, I know I need to fuel not just my body but as well my heart, mind, and spirit. That’s where time spent reading the Bible comes in. Thus, each morning, I pull out my Bible (actually on my iPad), and pick up where I left off the day before, reading two passages of scripture, including one Psalm. Often I include a reading from a devotional book as well.  You see, my time spent reading the Bible is not merely an obligation, ...
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Still Holding Hands!

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The other day, as I was walking the boardwalk, I passed by an elderly couple walking hand-in-hand. I couldn’t help but stop and ask them how long they have been married. The husband simply said, “A very long time.” The wife, however, with a big smile on her face gave the real answer: “70 years!” I thought that was astounding. Here they were, married for 70 years, and still walking the boardwalk hand-in-hand! (Think of it, they must have been in their 90’s.) I let the couple know that about two weeks ago, Kim and I celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary!  To which the wife responded, “Mazel tov…may you have many more!”  At that moment, however, their 70 years of marriage made me feel like a newlywed—as if I was just starting out. I wish I could have sat down with them and heard their stories and learned how it was that after 70 years of marriage, they were still holding hands. I’m sure they would have had some pretty good advice.  As I reflect on my own 40 years of ma...
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Highs, Lows, and Buffalos!

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Over the past few weeks Kim and I got to spend quite a bit of time with our three grandsons, Jesse, Jack, and Caleb. As we did, we learned one of the dinner routines they often do as a family in order to create conversation around the dinner table, as well as keep the kids engaged during that time (after all, like most kids they hate sitting at the table for too long).  Their routine is called, “Highs, Lows, and Buffalos.”  One by one each family member first shares a “high”—that is, something from their day that was especially good or that they really enjoyed. Then they each share a “low”—i.e., something they had to do or that took place that they didn’t like at all. Then they share a “buffalo.” I’m not sure why it’s called a “buffalo,” but a “buffalo” is some sort of surprise that they experienced that day. (I guess if they came across a buffalo that would be quite a surprise!) So, during our time together with them, we would periodically all share our “highs, lows, and buff...
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Between the Shoulders

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This past week our son Jonathan’s family was with us. That meant that all three grandsons were here: Jesse, Jack, and Caleb. One evening, as the others were getting ready for bed (which is quite an event!), Caleb, who is now just over one year old, was with me on the couch as we waited for his mom or dad to come get him for bed. While we waited he and I played his little one year old games, like gently bonking heads or letting him clap my hands together. He has gotten to be quite animated and can be so much fun—and seems to love playing with his grandpa!   Suddenly Caleb laid his head down on my chest. He moved back and forth a few times, making me think he was just playing another game. Before I knew it, however, his head was down between my shoulders—i.e., on my chest—and he had fallen asleep. I was pleasantly surprised and quite glad that he would feel so comfortable with me that he would fall asleep on me in that way.  I immediately thought of one of my favorite verse...
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