 I think my ministry at CC Young was the most memorable and spiritual experience I could have had. Being with the residents and their families, being with those who were dying in the hospice area, those are what brought the greatest satisfaction to me. The person that had journeyed the entire time was Dr. Joan LeBar, all the way from seminary through ordination and even as I did my appointment at CC Young. But there were other ministers who journeyed along the way and that was Walt Perky and Terry Parsons. But the lady were just as involved in my ministry and they were the ones that really did the encouraging, especially Richard Stanford. Well, my plans include, as I told at my retirement party, was to supervise honeydew projects for my husband, to have the opportunity to visit my family in Florida and to be able to go be with the grandchildren without having to ask for time off. I believe I'm living out my witness as training to be an ombudsman for the state of Texas, which is the advocate for those who have no one to be their advocate, their voice. And I see future projects of the need for end of life education, Sunday school curriculum, to be developed and I see a need for an older adult ministry education program to teach persons how to be with the older adults and communicate with them. Well, since most of my ministry has been spent outside the bounds of the North Texas Conference, I'd say that the ability to experience and see the church worldwide, I've been fortunate to be able to travel on behalf of the church, representing both agencies, various agencies of the church and the church in general to places on almost all the continents of the globe and to experience the work of the church, both its breadth and depth, have been really significant to me. Well, clearly, I'd just like to thank my colleagues in the North Texas Conference as well as the various bishops that I've been able to serve with and who have appointed me beyond the local church for these years. In particular, though, I'd also like to just thank William Boyd Smith, who was a mentor to me early in my ministry and who I believe taught me how to be in ministry and how to do ministry well. At this point, I think I'm going to probably take a break from the church. I've looked and sort of reflected on how much time I've spent in church meetings and worship services and involvement in the church and I think it'll be time to sort of take a break, step back and sort of refresh on more of a personal spiritual journey, as well as I want to explore being involved perhaps more in some of my various activities that I enjoy. Take up a little golf perhaps and also explore being more intentional about my work as a sugar artist and sort of enjoying doing that and just not having to sort of report to anyone at any point in time. So I think that's what I'm looking forward to. I think the way I've lived out my call and my witness is I trust it's been through the way I've both lived my life and the way I've conducted myself in my work. I've tried to be clear that what I think I do is part of my call, even though that might not be in a pulpit every Sunday, it is still my call, it's still a vital part of the work of the church and as I often say to my current staff and I've said to various staffs with whom I've worked, I believe that being involved in administration is ministry and I seek to live out my ministry in that sort of way. The thing that's meant the most to me is to watch the children grow and mature, ask questions that are thought provoking not only for me but for them also and just seeing them grow up, seeing them go through confirmation, seeing them go from the preschool up until first, second grade. It's just a real thrill to see those kids grow and mature. You cannot do children's ministry unless you have the support of parents, so I'm sure I should thank the parents first for supporting the ministry but I'd really like to thank Dr. Allegria and the congregation at Duncanville for being so supportive of children and children's programs and the ministries and all the many things that we do. I did begin my ministry in Northwest Texas conference and there are many strong United Methodist women from that conference who always were encouraging and helpful and let me know I could do what I can do. My husband and I will be moving to Katy, Texas. We're going to be living with our daughter for a little while until we get acclimated but we're going to be able to be very close to her and it's just a real blessing to be able to do that. We're going to do a lot of traveling also. Through the years that I've been in ministry, not only as a consecrated diagonal minister but as just a member of the local church, I always felt that my servanthood doing whatever was needed, whatever was called for, you know, taking part in mission trips, being part of the ministry within the church to reach out to the community, I think that's where my witness has shown and especially in those behind the scenes things that happen at church, people don't always realize how much setup goes into a lot of the events and just being there to do whatever was needed and whatever was necessary to make sure that ministry could happen. I believe what's helped me most and what has meant the most to me is loving and serving the people and the people of particularly Pleasant Valley Church where I was for eight years and then Lovers Lane where I am now has meant a great deal to me. I've been able to serve with pastors from all across the country, all across the globe and it's been a great deal to serve people likewise, from all over the country. The Lord said he came not to be served but to serve, so that's what we try to live by at Lovers Lane and certainly what I've hoped I've lived up to. In fulfillment of ministry, I think the most important person in my life has been my wife, Sissy. My dear family, we've got two boys and two girls and a son-in-law. We're both grandpa and grandma wannabes but it's meant so much to have the support and love of the family. In a professional sense what's meant the most to me has been knowing and hearing from Carol Woods, my first DS and Cammie Gaston, my current DS. Their love and guidance has meant so much to me. Additionally, I want to thank the pastors who have meant the most, Mark Craig and Paul Goodrich and Stan Copeland. I guess my mentor pastor, Renee Lawson and Jack Gibson have meant the most to me. Jack particularly, who received my call and led me into ministry. He's the man who claims he's got one foot already in heaven and he's a lover and we love him. God bless them all. Well actually I'm going to be remaining part-time at Lovers Lane Church and I haven't ever experienced part-time ministry. I don't know that there is such a thing but I'm going to try to do that honorably for Stan and for the church. I obviously want to spend more time with my family. My wife's one of those where we're kind of partners in ministry. And I've heard it said many times pastor we're really glad you're here but we really love Sissy. So I'm going to love Sissy and my family in retirement. Well it's pastor congregational care at Lovers Lane. Pastoral care has been my passion, it's been my charge. And there have been so many sacred moments that the people have shared with me. In their toughest times and their times of joy and those sacred moments all add up to something very special, very special for every pastor. And I'm so very thankful for that and for them. I think to see the transforming power of Jesus Christ in different people as I've ministered to them or reached out to them in some way. I think probably the most profound experience I ever had was a man who was a grandson of one of the members of my church. One night he killed his ex-wife and I became involved in a relationship with him. When I first met him he was just full of rage and anger and stuff. And after I got to know him over the years he has really turned to Christ and is a firm believer as he unfortunately sits on death row. But he believes and knows that because he's repented and he loves the Lord that he's got a good outcome ahead of him. And then to see it in the children that I've been working with as I grow and mature and I've got one little girl who's just always asking questions and difficult questions. And responding to those and seeing her filled with the spirit of the Lord and the joy of the Lord. Like some children I haven't seen she's really very special. First of all God because I couldn't be here without him. God has just been everything to me. He's my life and my breath and he's given me the strength and the courage to do things I never dreamed I would do. And of course there's been my family and friends and pastors and fellow clergy and members of my church who have encouraged me and helped give me strength to go ahead and do all the things I needed to do. Well I don't really plan on returning a whole lot. I want us to take time to smell the roses. I'm going to go live in the country. I have six acres in East Texas. And I plan on continuing ministry on my own as well as I'm going to work part time for two East Texas churches. So I won't be completely out of the business which is a positive thing for me. I can't imagine not serving God in some capacity even in retirement. I've tried to set an example of being obedient to Christ and living a holy and sacrificial life for him. I think what most people usually say about me is that there's an amazing passion inside of me when I discuss anything that concerns Jesus Christ. And I hope I don't ever lose that. So that's what I want to continue to do is to have that passion and still set the example of what it really means to not only preach the scriptures but live the scriptures. I think not only the people but the ability to share God's gift and be God's servant to the people. All the people and helping them find their way to Christ. That's been the most important. So many wonderful people I'd like to thank. Of course my mentor but above all the Fisterich family. They just made the transition from seminary to ministry so easy and I love them and I have a group of people that follow me. So I've seen them within the last couple of months and I love when they walk through the doors of the churches in South Dallas. So that's been my foundation. I want to be wife, mother, grandmother but I doubt that that will happen because I am always wife, mother and grandmother and it is to more than just my immediate family. I have a number of young people that God has just put in my path that I've loved and my children joke about the fact that they have brothers and sisters that they don't know anything about. So retirement, kind of a bit of sweet. I'm not quite sure what's going to happen with that. I might redefine that word. With every fiber of my being I've sought to be an obedient disciple of Christ and to carry that not only at home but abroad. In ministry, mission. I've loved people. I've prayed for people by the side of the road and that is my passion is prayer. And I just have a firm belief that God loves all of us so much that sometimes we need to do what the older folks said. Learn how to prop each other up on every leaning side. So I walk in that and that is my witness to a Christ that had no place to even lay his head. I am his servant. I think the things that have meant most to me have been meeting the different church members and getting to know them. I have especially joined teaching Bible studies with groups. It was always amazing to me when we come across something in a Bible study and you can just kind of see light bulbs flashing in their minds or above their heads. They uncovered this new idea that made the understanding of the Scriptures easier or more plain to them. First I would have to thank my wife. When I was discouraged, she lifted me up and there have been a lot of pastoral mentors along the way. Ray Henney was a great mentor. He really taught me what ministry was all about. And then there's been David Shover and Glenn Vickers and just Gary Reagan and a whole host of other ministers that are now retired. And some have gone to the Kingdom, but they have been a lot to me over the years. My main plan, or at least according to what my wife wants, is we have plans to be able to travel and go see our 11 grandchildren. That we haven't been able to do because they have sporting events on weekends and it's hard to make it back to church on Sunday mornings if you are expected to be there every Sunday. So I've been doing some gardening the last few years and I'm going to attempt a small garden this year and maybe expand it. I grow mostly tomatoes and jalapenos and canned jalapenos and make salsa and things like that. I think I've lived out my witness primarily and trying to be a living witness to God's love, especially in the church camps that I worked at as either a counselor or a director. At last count I think there were 26 of them and I tried to share God's love with those children and youth. We just had some very special times at camp and I think my gift really has been more in teaching maybe than any other field and I've enjoyed teaching a lot. I enjoy preaching but sometimes my sermons are more like teaching I think. I guess my favorite scripture is the one in Romans 8 that says that there is nothing that can separate you from the love of Christ, the love of God and Christ Jesus. And I think I've been a witness to that, to families and times of grief and other times and to children and other people. So I think that has been my witness. I think that among the things that have meant a lot to me are the people that I've gotten to know over the years. There are a lot of times in ministry you wonder whether you're really accomplishing anything or not but when you see someone's life change and you somehow know that you are a piece of that, that God was able to use you in a way that affected that change, it becomes really exciting. Well, I would begin with my wife, Camille, without whom I would not be where I am today. She's certainly been a partner in ministry and I've been blessed to have a wife who has felt called to be a pastor's wife, which is kind of a unique thing and I value that very highly. I'm very grateful for people in the local churches. Every church has been somebody and sometimes multiple people who have come and said, it doesn't matter who's been here before as pastor, while you're here, we're on your team and we'll be supportive of you. Well, so far I have done some volunteer work at a couple of churches in Houston and the plan is this summer I'll go on staff part time at Cornerstone United Methodist and be a part time associate. And I've been involved in teaching Sunday school and teaching some of Dave Ramsey's courses and thoroughly love the life change I see in people's lives through those kinds of opportunities, so I'm sure I'll continue those as well. Becoming a pastor, having the opportunity both to teach and to preach, to walk hand in hand with real ministries and the lives of people as they do missions and evangelism and all kinds of outreach, making a difference in the community in which we live. One of the most exciting things was one family of the church had discovered their neighbor who'd lived there for years had been living without running water, without a working kitchen or bathroom. The church came together, totally remodeled the bathroom in the kitchen, made it possible to have running water again, put her in contact with some social services that could meet some of her needs that she wasn't even aware were available to her. And I think it made an impact not only on her but on the families that were able to be a part of that kind of ministry and that kind of word kind of spread on the community, great vine and it's good for the Lord to get that kind of glory when God's people are doing ministry that really makes a difference that lasts in people's lives. The thing that has meant most to me in my ministry and the conference has been the ability to work with people and my desire was to stay within the smaller churches where you have the interaction and the conference has allowed me to do that for 40 years. First of all, I want to thank my wife and family. We got married a month and a half after I took my first appointment. Fantastic person to help and fill in an area where I haven't been able to feel confident. And then my family, my children, owned through seminary and people like Richie Hogg who is the most influential influence on me and then our first appointments and the Gibson's going with my wife and me and we always remember the Gibson's and then all those other ministers throughout the years that we have been able to have wonderful relationships with and the people in the churches, some really fantastic people over the years. I don't consider retirement to be something that one does. I perceive myself and who I am as a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ and in the past decades I have followed Jesus in the ministry and I will continue to follow him after retirement. I feel that I have been put into opportunity where I can preach and I can teach and then I can try to live in a way such that what I'm saying is given an illustration. It's more than just saying things, it's saying what I believe. And we've been through family crises in the past couple of years. It seems like an rapid succession and being able to see how Christians handle those situations by in addition to teaching about them and preaching about them, doing practical applications of what I've said. And also there's really wonderful opportunities that we have had throughout the ministry and a huge number of them working in crisis situations. The church, a pastor for so long, Salem Cancer has had an ethnic minority and low income, low education neighborhood and being able to work with those people and other types of caring. We've been deeply involved in scouting for a long, long time and a lot of other examples of things that we've been involved in that I think are really examples of how we can minister as Christ's disciples in this world. What has been most important to me and that which has really been special was serving for 25 years as the conference representative on the Texas Conference of Churches, the ecumenical organization in the state of Texas. We were able to do significant work through the ecumenical community in Texas and it has been really wonderful. All of it has been wonderful. Of course I am grateful for the companionship of Marty, my wife. We had the wonderful opportunity to serve together at Arapaho United Methodist Church and we did that for 10 years and that was really wonderful. I also have a tremendous amount of gratitude for Professor Harold Beck. He served as my mentor when I was studying scriptures at Boston University School of Theology. What will I do in retirement is yet to be defined. I suppose although there are some pieces and parts that are in place I'm being trained to be an interim pastor. I'm looking forward to that. I think that's going to be most enjoyable for sure. And then I've read a thousand books and it's probably time for me to write one so I hope to carve out enough time so that I can get that done. I think I would enjoy that process of reflection and study in a different way. And then I expect to do some more fly fishing and that'll be fun too. I am clear as to how I have lived out my witness. In Galatians Paul wrote something that has meant everything to me when he said, It's no longer I but Christ who lives in me and the faith I live is the faith of the Son of God. That passage has meant the world because it has been my spiritual foundation. And so when I bear witness to the gospel it's with the church and specifically the churches I have served as we have been in covenant with each other. And as we've truly lived out the essence of Shalom which means that we're all doing everything we can to uphold the will of God, the will of God that holds us together. I have loved being a United Methodist minister. I can't imagine doing anything except that.