Thinking Of Retirement?

So often folks tell us that they look forward to being retired. They dream of no work, constant travel and sitting on beaches.  And I must agree that some parts of retirement are nice, if you can afford it.  Unfortunately, too many people don't measure the costs before they make that big decision.  Now, let me explain.  I am not complaining.  I am so fortunate that the Lord has blessed us.  We can still live on our retirement.  But I see so many others who can't.  And I understand why.  I have been retired now for ten years.  In that time I have never received an increase in my pension and I never will.  My social security has increased but so has medicare and that has wiped out most of my increases.  In fact, I have exactly $38 more a month to spend now than I did ten years ago.  Now where has that $38 gone?  Well my heating oil has gone from $1.259 to $3.949 in that time or about $180 more a month.  Gasoline has gone from $1.15 a gallon to the $3.75 it cost me this week.  When I retired I spent $2,216 a year for medical insurance.  This year it is costing me $8,400 with Obama Care.  Thank you President Obama for "reducing" my costs. I wish he wouldn't care so much about us in the middle class - his care is killing us. Today I bought a pound of coffee for $8.00 a pound that cost $2.66 a pound when I retired.  We still pay for a lawn service which now costs me $293 a year, or $24 a month more than ten years ago.  Maybe that is where my $38 more a month has gone.  But the lawn care is still my choice.  Oh yes, one more example, my school and county taxes are now $883 more than ten years ago and that is just about $74 more per month.  So how does a retiree make it go?  Maybe he makes good investments.  Guess again!  In school I taught the Rule of 72 which can be used to approximate the number of years that it takes for an investment with complex interest to double.  Back in the Carter years it was something like 72/12 = 6 years.  Not too bad for a retiree.  When I retired it was about 72/5 = 14.4 years and that is a little tougher, but still possible for some.  Today it is worse than 72/1 = 72+ years.  Impossible, unless maybe you are a child.  Now getting back to my opening statements, I am not complaining.  It is a challenge, but the Lord is good and we are adjusting.  But for many seniors it is becoming an almost impossible challenge and nobody really seems to care, except them.  Now, unfortunately, many are struggling in this terrible economy, especially families.  And I don't see things getting any better.  If you are close to retiring, be very careful and think and pray long about it.  Retirement may become a thing of the past in the years ahead.  If you have the means, be more aware of the needs of those around you.  We may need to help many more out.  And churches and their benevolence committees need to become more aware of senior needs and begin to help them with basic living needs.  That is what Christ would want us to do.  Personally, I think things will get much worse.  I think soon we'll see more civil disobedience and even riots.  Politicians will do nothing and maybe there is nothing that they could do now that we are so deep in debt.  The hope here on earth is for the church to become more active until the final help and relief appears with the return of Christ.  That is our ultimate hope and retirement.