Lutheran pastor, here.

[Pani Rose]

Becky, I hope I have not hijacked this thread.  I just meant to give encouragement, so I would like to ad something to it.

I was injured at work in '93, developed RSD with Dystonic spasms from the injury - God litteraly placed me back home with my kids.  However, I was bedfast pretty much for ten years.  Then about '03, I began getting better, '05 this kind of 'fog' lifted, which I think was because all of the heavy medications they had me on was finally out of my body, and I was able to start driving in '06. 

Then in 2006. my husband ended up in congestive heart failure, with a quadruple bypass.  He never had trouble with heart failure again, but never seem to completely recover from the bypass, and was never able to return to work.  Then in '08, he went into renal failure, totally unexpectedly, he was comotos and God did some amazing work.  He was on hemo dialysis for a year, and really could not function, even doing much as far as Church services.  NOW, he is on paritineal dialysis, and better yet, he uses a machine called a 'cycler' to which he hooks up at night.  It does his exchanges, the drains, and come morning he is up, off, and going, doing whatever needs to be done.  So until God sees fit to restart his kidneys function - of which he still has a good bit of  - or receives a transplant, God is taking care of him this way. Now, he never misses a beat, he can go all day doing whatever God asks of him, with plenty of energy to accomplish all his tasks.

God is good!

I can truly say that God makes a way where there seems to be no way.  The only fear we need is of God himself, for in him there is no fear. 

Have a blessed day.  Our grandaughter is being Baptized today

[Credo Catholic]

(here in the Amen corner)  AMEN!!

[Intercessor]

Pani Rose, your joy, after all that suffering, is a testimony to all of us.

You and your special husband show the rest of us how to follow Christ with a generous heart and unclenched fists.

PM, as a Lutheran pastor, I'm sure you know much about following Christ.  I look forward to learning from you as you share your journey here.

In His love,
Becky

[Lucapa]

"What options come to mind in terms of fulltime service in the Church, including the ability to sort of 'keep doing it' even after retirement? For me, I guess the 1st one that comes to my mind is TEACHING, and not necessarily at the college level, but even secondary education. I'd appreciate some help, tho, adding to that list."

I don't know if Lutheran Pastor is still checking this thread, but, if so, I'll throw in my $.02. I converted to Catholicism under similar circumstances, and I have not been able to find work in a Catholic setting -- not in a college (I have a PhD in Theology), not in a high school, and, despite previous pastoral experience in a mainline Protestant church, not in a parish. I have spoken with a number of Catholic persons about this situation -- from college professors to parish priests to religious -- and their typical response is along the lines of "something will work out eventually." Actually, that's not entirely accurate, as several Catholic college teachers have told me that I should more or less give up any hopes of working in a Catholic college, as a convert will often find too many administrative and/or political roadblocks to overcome ("liberals" will worry that he or she is too conversative, "conservatives" will worry that he or she remains too Protestant). I suppose teaching in a Catholic high school remains a possibilty -- I have yet to try that road -- but I have been turned down for a handful of parish positions. Indeed, despite an MDiv and other ostensibly useful qualifications, I have not even received an interview from a parish. So, I would say that Lutheran Pastor's concerns are absolutely valid. I agree, of course, that he should continue to talk with others about his situation, and, naturally, prayer is a must. But I'm not sure he should convert without lining up work first, particularly if he has small children at home. I mean, converting is a big deal in and of itself. Not being able to put food on the table will only make it more challenging.

As for myself, I have found a teaching position at a Protestant college. That's the good news. However, given the current economy, this post remains year-to-year. So, like Lutheran Pastor, I tend to find myself worrying about what will happen if I lose my employment in a Protestant setting. And that's an ironic position to be in.