When Retirement Isn’t What You Expected

When my kids were young, I worked a lot of evening and night shifts, primarily so I could provide support for my youngest son, Danny, who has Down syndrome. I spent those early chapters of my adult life as a mother and nurse and held many short-term nursing jobs at schools, camps, and churches.

Looking back, I can see that so much of my spiritual growth has been because of my son, and I am grateful beyond words. I knew from the beginning that he was a gift, but the extent of that gift took time to unfold, extending into my retirement years.

As Danny reached adulthood and I began looking at his options, the only thing that made sense was to have a family setting that would not only accommodate his needs but also provide a meaningful and productive space for him to work and be successful. My daughter and her husband shared this vision and were fully invested in making it work.

We bought a farm from the 1800s that was solid and full of potential but in need of a lot of upgrades. After a lifetime of work, I was ready to sit on the beautiful porch, dabble in flower gardens, watch the animals, and listen to the stream. To me, retirement meant relaxation, but God’s idea was different.

Today, I spend my days in our little dairy store, where you’ll find me hard at work before and after hours, making labels, sorting and boxing eggs, and printing signs. Each day, I greet 50-100 people who come to buy milk and eggs. Many are families who are trying to source their food locally, find clean sources for their family’s nutrition, and learn about where their food comes from.

I interact with people of various lifestyles from every walk of life, and we often take a few minutes to encourage each other, share what God is doing, or ask for prayer. I get to talk with expectant mothers and young parents about the joys of parenthood and the bumps and turns along the way. I certainly get my workout in by lifting milk crates and restocking shelves all day long. And I realize how lonely many people are, and the kind words or laughter they get along with their fresh milk may be as important to their diet as the goods they purchase.

Meanwhile, Danny is living his best life gathering eggs and taking care of the chickens, goats, ducks, and geese. He cuts the grass with his zero-turn mower and spends hours weed trimming around the pastures. He loves to help with deliveries and is a joyful greeter to customers visiting the store.

While it doesn’t look anything like my expectations, my retired life is teaching me that God has a beautiful and gracious way of stretching and molding our plans into His own purpose, blessing us abundantly in the process. In 2019, we put in an offer on a farm, and as we waited, not knowing if it would become ours, the Lord gave me this verse.

“The LORD your God will bless the land that HE will give you.” Deuteronomy 28:8

Over the years and still to this day, I am reminded of the gift He has provided and continues to bless.

If you’re in a position where retirement isn’t what you expected, take heart. God knows where you are, and his ways are always best. So trust him and watch for His blessings along the way.