Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Empty Nester/Retirement (from work) (09/10/09)
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TITLE: A New Purpose | Previous Challenge Entry
By Dalyn Woods
09/17/09 -
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Harry spent nearly half the morning poring over the paper, reading out loud the items he found particularly outrageous, and drinking an entire pot of coffee. Meanwhile, I waited, rather impatiently, to get started on my day. As a career homemaker, I still had a job and he was keeping me from getting it done.
On Tuesday, he decided to accompany me to the grocery store. I was on a mission, he was on an expedition.
Wednesday was particularly interesting, but that’s a whole other story!
By Thursday, when I came home from the doctor’s office to find the contents of all the kitchen cabinets stacked precariously on the counters, the table and even the floor, I no longer made any effort to hide my annoyance.
I felt somewhat guilty on Friday as Harry spent the day on outside chores. I thought my volcanic explosion the previous day had really hurt his feelings, but that abated as he constantly appeared to keep me apprised of his current project -- washing the car, sweeping the sidewalk, weeding the front flower bed…
It was half way through Saturday before I realized that I hadn’t tripped over Harry all day. He had gone outside earlier to mow the lawn, but I no longer heard the mower. I peered out the kitchen window and spotted him in front of the garage, but he wasn’t alone. A red-headed, freckled-faced boy was eagerly applying a wrench to the mower blade. Apparently Kyle, our 10-year-old neighbor, had wandered over and Harry had immediately engaged him. I flashed back to similar scenes with our boys. Harry could make the most mundane tasks an adventure.
Over the last few weeks we’ve settled into a routine. I’ve learned to slow down, my own retirement of sorts, and leisurely share a cup of coffee over the morning paper. Once I was ready to share my domain, I realized that working together we’re able to get all the chores done in half the time. Harry volunteered to do my least favorite chores and he actually did have some pretty good ideas.
After lunch and a brief nap (another aspect of retirement I’m learning to embrace!) Harry wanders out to the garage to begin setting up some project or another. Around 3:00 Kyle appears, tentatively at first, as if certain that this new found grandfather figure would soon abandoned him as all other male role models had. I enjoy providing milk and cookies to my two guys – something I haven’t done since our own children were in elementary school. I hear snatches of their conversations, about school, sports, moms, life and faith. Harry always had a special gift for drawing spiritual applications from everyday situations.
From time to time Kyle brings friends with him and Harry seamlessly includes a third or fourth boy into the day’s activity. This gave me the idea to have a Bible Club one Saturday a month. Word has spread and we’ve grown to quite a crowd. Harry says God never retires his vessels, he just has a new purpose for them.
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