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Today’s Blog Post
The Story of EZZY JR, the Little Train that could and My Retirement
There are times that I feel what I am going through is impossible. There are so many obstacles that I have no idea how I will make it through. Have you ever felt like that? You think about what you are and who you are and what you are doing.. it is almost impossible to deal with! How could you ever make a difference!??
But then do you remember when you were a little gaffer away back when and you first heard the story of “The Little Train that could”? You know the one that looked at the huge mountain up ahead and also knew the load that he was carrying… and when he started out he said, “I think I can… I think I can… I think I can…”. Then after he made it to the top happily, he chugged down the other side saying happily, “I knew I could… I knew I could…. I knew I could…”
Well yesterday it happened again for me.
First – The setting
Yesterday it was lunch time in Mississauga, Ontario. We had pulled into a strip mall parking lot just off Mississauga Road. And being lunch time it was time for local laborers and business men to eat. The parking lot was filled with muscle trucks and power vehicles that were all telling the world what they could do with their paint jobs.
Then nestled in among the big dudes was this little vehicle with an attitude. As I looked at it I was sure that it was smiling. Its name it “Ezzy JR” as you can see in the one photo.
All of you know that it takes a big muscle truck to get the job done. It needs to carry all the equipment that is necessary to do the work. You know the kind… ladders on top… equipment inside and all the right tools to do it right.
Well the little vehicle with the attitude was ready for work too. Even though it was small, it was mighty. Even though the other working vehicles were bigger and tougher – this little guy was ready to work.
As I was taking the photos of the Little Car with the attitude, a fellow came out to speak with me. His nickname is “Easy” from what I have surmised… with his full name is Isidro Pereira. “Easy” had stopped for lunch at Tim Hortons in the small strip mall. “Easy” and I talked about his “EZZY JR”. I was amazed at the idea that this little car could carry so much. A short meeting but very good!
Isidro (Easy) Pereira has a business of “G.I. Home Inspections” in Mississauga. He has to be a busy man with all of the homes in this huge community. And he has to be ready to go.
From looking at his Web Site at http://www.gihomeinspections.com/ and the photos shown on the site, he does a thorough job.
Isidro (Easy) Pereira told me that the little vehicle and the way that it is painted gets him a lot of business.
Way to go Isidro (Easy) Pereira – you impressed me… BIG TIME with your little EZZY JR snuggled in among the big work vehicles.
There was some small humor in the whole presentation of EZZY JR as well. There on the passenger door was a sticker that just had to have a photo taken. It reads, “No Fat Chicks, Car Will Scrape”. Isidro (Easy) Pereira told me his son put that on the car for his dad. And it isn’t hard to see that any FAT Person would not likely get into the vehicle, let alone get out… and EZZY JR would scrape its bottom! Too funny!
Shifting gears… but with same idea of EZZY JR and the way that its attitude presented itself…
Yesterday afternoon, after meeting EZZY and Easy, I entered a very important meeting at the International Office of the PAOC (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada) http://www.paoc.org/ for which I am an Ordained Minister.
I am a Retired Minister. That retirement took place almost four years ago now. What should be an “easy” thing in everyone’s life, escaping your old work place and getting on with the freedom of your new relaxed life style… was not so easy for me. You don’t just unplug from being a Minister and leave all the people that you loved so much – behind you. There were lots of struggles… and a huge mountain up ahead in each week, for the rest of my life.
That is why the Little Train story along with EZZY JR fit so well into yesterday.
As I entered retirement I knew what I was facing each day. Then I started meeting with other men and women that were about to retire or had just retired as well.
Conversations took place about what we were facing and we all started realizing that some of these issues we were facing, we were not facing it well! Some were in terrible shape and not ready for what they were taking on. The shock of leaving what you loved so much was way too big. The fact that they were struggling with real issues of their everyday life was overwhelming for some of them.
Some were doing okay, while others were struggling.
The part that left a deeper impression on me was that among our fellow Ministers there was not a lot of knowledge about how these faithful ministers were doing. Everyone younger was so busy that the last thing they could think about was how the Older, Retired Guys were doing.
The Older, Retired Guys never said much. Many just quietly suffered and because of business of the others there was little connection or understanding. But the Older, Retired Guys understood – they were all young once as well… and had little time to think about the Older, Retired Guys around them.
I was EZZY JR in a Muscle Truck parking lot now. Retired and not nearly as powerful and good looking as the big guys around me… what you would say and do likely would not have much impression on any one at all in my world.
But about a year ago I had written a short article about what was happening in my world as a newly retired Minister. I was honest about what I was facing. Some folk read it and thought about what I placed in my short account.
Another friend of mine, Ken Powell, did a similar thing as he is facing his retirement in his life at this time. He is still working but faces some of these issues that I addressed in my account.
WELL… you won’t believe what took place!
Yesterday my friend Ken and I met with some of the Leaders in our PAOC at the International Office to take part in a working group entitled the “Retirement Think Tank”. We discussed some of the big issues that our Ordained Ministers are facing today. And the best part is that someone is listening now!
As I listened to different thoughts and accounts shared in the meeting, I also thought of little EZZY JR sitting among the Big Muscle vehicles. EZZY JR could be afraid of the problems he would encounter that day… but wasn’t and why should I be.
So today I can report with a new found hope… someone is listening to the concerns we have about a hidden group of Older, Retired Guys… that face some real issues.
Thank you to my friend Ken Powell who has contributed his thoughts and sense of direction.
Thank you to Rev. David Hazzard, a great, young leader in the PAOC International Office.
Thank you also to Rev. Jim Poirier in Manitoba and Rev. Darcy McCalister in British Columbia for taking part in this Think Tank – and most of all hearing what is being said.
When I put the words together in my story over a year ago, as did Ken Powell, I had no idea what could happen.
EZZY JR and Isidro (Easy) Pereira need to be given credit as well.
I just know that the story my mom first read to me that said… “I think I can… I think I can… I think I can…”. Then afterwards “I knew I could… I knew I could…. I knew I could…”
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource:
http://www.gihomeinspections.com/
http://www.paoc.org/
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