By Rev. Carlee Hallman
Even knowing the value and benefits of moving to a retirement community, the journey a person must travel in order to get there is an emotionally challenging one.
As a retired United Methodist minister, prayer was my source of strength through the whole process, and when I began to broach the subject of moving with my husband, Howard, it was natural to turn my reflections and questions into prayers.
After some indecision, we decided it was time to move while we were still in pretty good health, and would enjoy making new friends.
My husband and I looked around at other communities, but we decided on Asbury Methodist Village. One of the most important inducements was that we could continue to have a garden. Upon move-in, we immediately placed our garden bench and birdbath in their new location. Another plus was finding an apartment with a place for my hutch cupboard.
The whole business of selling the house and deciding what to take to smaller quarters and what to give up was not easy, but when we told our children of our decision to move, they were encouraging and were a big help with packing.
Now five years later, my husband has put my prayers on a website called Prayers for Moving On, and in a book available through Amazon called Moving On: Prayers for Relocating to a Retirement Community. We hope these will prove helpful to those considering this kind of move.
Below is a prayer of hope and thanksgiving from Moving On.
Contentment
Dear Lord, Our God,
here I sit on the balcony
of our apartment.
It is 75º: a perfect day!
My red geranium
soaks up the sun.
The floor needs sweeping
where petals have dropped,
but I don’t know where
the dust pan is.
I know, Lord, I could improvise,
but it is such a good excuse.
We are settling in.
When we go to dinner
we see old friends
and meet new ones.
You hold us up
in the midst of change.
