Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart

Retirement Strategies and Avocations

Our Contributors' Advice on Harvest Year's

Retirement Strategies and Avocations

I have an admiration for those people with service

oriented avocations. Ignore the attacks waged by

socialists. The health care field is a very worthy

endeavor. This applies to 1aboratory technicians,

nurses, and physical therapists, as well as to

physicians. Was not Jesus himself referred to as "the

great physician?" Other service vocations which are

certainly worthwhile are teachers, firemen, police,

automobile mechanics, transportation workers -- the

list goes on and on. But notice I did not mention the

plethora of paid church ministers. I agree with the

apostle Paul that "they which preach the

gospel

should

live the

gospel."

(emphasis mine). Also, I realize the

need for "Barnabas-type" ministries on a full time basis.

But, young reader, I ask you to avoid the pitfall of

reasoning, "If I can't be a pulpit minister, or a youth

minister, or an involvement minister, .or a minister of

music, then maybe I can become the family-life-center

minister."

One mistake I have made in preparation (or lack

thereof) for retirement has been to confuse saving with

materialism. I was so afraid of being like the fool of

Luke

that I went to the other extreme, and did not

follow the practical advice taught in the parable of the

ten virgins (Matthew 25). While Jesus' message in the

latter is toward our spiritual preparation for his second

coming, I can see myself in the actual situation of not

bringing sufficient oil to last the evening. People are

living longer, and the cost of health care is increasing