August 30, 2011

Retired at 50

My husband is retiring tomorrow and he is only 50 years old.  Our current government has done away with his position in the Department of Agriculture.  Sure, this is not quite what we had planned for our future, but some great things are coming out of this change:  we have retirement, we have health insurance, and we have a whole new adventure to explore.  Below is my husband's goodbye letter to his friends and coworkers.  I'm very proud of his outlook and very thankful for the way God has blessed our family and cared for our needs.


Charlie Meek signing off from NRCS!

Effective August 31, I will be retiring from NRCS.  When I started my career as a student trainee in Cookeville, TN in May of 1981, I never dreamed such a wide array of opportunities and blessings would come my way.  I’m grateful to have worked in three different states (TN, GA, AL) and to have been a part of the conservation effort in numerous ways, especially serving the RC&D Program since 1996 for which I felt at home. 

As much as I have loved the positive aspects of working for SCS/NRCS, for some time I have felt a strong pull in my heart to serve God in a greater capacity and spend more time on our small farm experiencing what I view as real life, such as smelling fresh mowed hay stored in the barn or walking out to the barn in the wee hours of the morning and hearing a lamb bleating to its mom and saying hello world.   Thus the early retirement option sure seems to be a good fit so I’m going to jump and pursue some dreams.  Short term plans include additional involvement in ministry and service to others, expanding our small farm enterprise especially marketing lamb, and last but not least, I hope to continue to support the Northwest Alabama RC&D Council which I have been given the privilege to serve since February 2004. 

Stepping out the door I find myself with a lack of words to adequately thank family (especially my wife and son), co-workers within the NRCS family and NRCS partners (for which many became special friends) for your unwavering support.  You have made an amazing difference in my life and I can never thank you enough!  I’m confident those 30 years of support and friendship will be precious memories that will last till the Breathmaker calls me home.

If you wish to check in with our family and track some of our doings, you can follow my wife’s blog at http://ameekperspective.blogspot.com/ .   Also feel free to contact me via e-mail at meekcj2@gmail.com.

In His grip,

Charlie Meek                                                                                                                           Tuscumbia, AL

I think we will be seeing more of husband looking like this:



AND this:



Lamb, anyone?

Blessings!

Judy :)

Linking up with Grace Imparted at Imparting Grace.



Imparting Grace

2 comments:

  1. WOW, Judy! Now this is REAL news! I am glad that Charlie is able to view this so positively. I pray that he will be able to do many wonderful things with his time and that the time will be a blessing to all three of you! As for lamb. . . sign me up! :)

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  2. I'm very happy that Charlie has been able to take advantage of this opportunity, but we will miss him a lot in Winston County. He was a steadfast member of our Winston County Natural Resources Council and a major supporter of the Winston County Extension Office. Charlie always came through on promises to help with programs here in the county. Support came in the form of staff time, funding, and expertise. I admire the example he set in leading the Northwest RC&D Council, and hope that we still get to work together in the future. Thanks Charlie! Come see us soon. Mike Henshaw, Winston County Extension Office

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