The Joy of Lifelong Learning

Jane, a retired professor, always had a natural talent for creating art but never had time to pursue it while working full-time and raising her children. Now, as a retired single, she spends her days painting Florida Paradise Coast landscapes, minutes away from her senior living community.After losing his spouse, Bob found solace in the vibrant social scene of his retirement community. He joined gardening and book clubs, and he even hosts weekly poker nights with other retired singles.From exploring ancient ruins in Greece to observing wildlife on an African safari, Eva always dreamed of traveling the world. In her single retirement, she made it a reality through solo adventures and organized group trips with neighbors.Jane, Bob, and Eva are singles who are thriving in Floridas retirement scene, where over 40% of the population is age 50 and above. Instead of searching for romantic love, theyve embraced a sense of self-assurance and fulfillment in their solo journey, confidently handling anything life throws their way.Theres lots to celebrate as a retired single. Decorate your home exactly as you like and splurge on guilt-free pleasures. Being single means calling all the shots, with no compromises on plans or schedules. Discover hobbies and interests, and travel whenever and wherever without coordinating with a partner, and make connections with new people without strings attached. And when there are no bedtime negotiations, you can stay up late binge-watching shows and eating popcorn in bed.Benefits of Senior Communities for Retired SinglesYou may have heard misconceptions about what lifes like for singletons in senior living communities, like its lonely, difficult to make friends, or its only fun if youre part of a couple. In reality, at retirement communities like The Glenview at Pelican Bay, theres always something fun happeningactivities, clubs, and events for all interestsso youll never feel alone.Living among a diverse group of residents makes meeting new people a breezeyoull enjoy the company of neighbors who quickly become friends. Plus, friendly staff are close by to lend an ear or share a laugh. Its impossible to feel left out when there are plenty of other singles, and everyone is welcomed and included.When retiring single, you can also live large in a smaller space, enjoying all the advantages of living in a one-bedroom residence. Theyre more budget-friendly, easier to maintain, and can feel cozier and intimate. With clever design and organization, one-bedroom residences make optimizing space and promoting a more minimalist lifestyle easier. Plus, a smaller residence encourages you to spend more time engaging with neighbors and all the opportunities just outside your door.The Glenview offers a variety of luxury apartment floor plans so you can find the space that fits your needs whether youre a retiring single, sharing space with a friend or part of a couple. Our one-bedroom apartments are spacious with sophisticated features and finishes, with all the privileges and conveniences that come with living in our resort-style community.Single and Retired: What to Do For retired singles, life at The Glenview is anything but ordinary. Here, you can dine like royalty with our restaurant-style meals whipped up by our talented executive chef. Say goodbye to parking hassles with chauffeur services and valet parking. Enjoy the luxury of having your home cleaned and your linens refreshed weekly. Forget about fixing or replacing things yourselfweve got maintenance services to handle it. Treat yourself to some pampering with beauty, nail and barber services. Keep your finances in check with onsite full-service banking. Stay on top of your health and wellness with fitness programs designed just for you.Explore all our luxury senior community has to offer and the available residences to suit and celebrate single retirement life on your terms.

Who is your neighbor? Have you ever asked that question? Maybe you think of those who live on either side of your house or apartment. Being a neighbor, however, is more than that. The lawyers question to Jesus sets the stage for whats now a familiar story: The Good Samaritan.And behold, a lawyer stood up to put [Jesus] to the test, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? [Jesus] said to him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it? And he answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And [Jesus] said to him, You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live. But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Luke 10:25-29, ESVJesus tells a story of a man who fell among robbers and was left half dead. The attacked man was in dire need of attention and care. In the story, the first two figures to arrive on the scene a priest and a Levite passed by. They saw him and did nothing, perhaps to maintain their own religious cleanliness for temple ceremonies.A third person, however, approached, saw the man and had compassion. He was a Samaritan someone Jesus audience deemed outside of Gods community for a variety of reasons. Compassion led him to help. He stopped, changed his plans, bandaged the mans wounds and paid for his continued care.Jesus flips the script on his questioner in two ways. First, he makes an alleged enemy (the Samaritan) the hero the one who is faithful to Gods Law. Second, he asks his own question: Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers? The initial question Who is my neighbor? misses the point. Being a neighbor is what the lawyer could do, showing mercy to anyone within his proximity. You cant always choose your neighbors, but you can choose to love.In fact, Love one another, from John 13, is a biblical framework passage for Presbyterian Homes & Services. Our work of love extends to all people. Every day provides an opportunity to love older adults and fellow coworkers with the kind of love Jesus presents in the story of the Good Samaritan. Therefore, let us be neighbors to one another through loving acts. This will lead to life now and into the age to come.About Pastor Matt Anderson: I serve at Summerwood of Plymouth and Summerwood of Chanhassen. Ive been with PHS 3 years. I currently live in Plymouth, Minn., with my wife Liz. We have two adult children. When Im not busy leading Bible studies, preaching or doing visitations I enjoy playing guitar, gardening and reading.The Light for the Way series provides staff with an examination of a biblical reading to deepen our focus on scripture. Thank you for engaging with this series as we seek wisdom through prayer and reflection as a Christian Ministry.  

Prayer is an amazing topic. At times, it seems like we spend more time talking about prayer than the actual practice of praying.I heard about a man who came to his wife one day with an urgent prayer request from his friend. The man says to his wife that his friend, Fred, called him to pray for his wife Carol and the kids because they were in a car accident.The mans wife says, Is Carol okay? Are the kids okay? To which the man says, I dont know. Fred just asked me to pray. The mans wife says, Which hospital did they take Carol to? Were the other people in the car okay? The husband replies, I dont know. Fred just asked me to pray.Have you been there? You receive a request from a friend to pray, and you spend the entire time analyzing the situation instead of getting on your knees and praying. I get it. I do the same. I want more details.However, it may be best to stop and pray for the other person on the spot. Go ahead and get just enough information to offer a simple prayer.Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7, NIVOf course, you might be intimidated to pray for someone in public. Thats okay as well. If you are interested in the ministry of prayer at Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS), I would suggest that you seek out your campus pastor about training in the Praying Hands Ministry program. Your campus pastor will offer a seminar so you can pray confidently with others when they bring you a prayer request. You wont have to analyze the situation. You will be ready and engaged to pray.Come and prepare to pray for others, and we will develop a culture of prayer at PHS.About Campus Pastor John Cordova: I began serving at Lake Minnetonka Shores in February 2020, just before the Covid pandemic arrived. I fill the role of director of pastoral care, the greatest job ever. I live in Maple Grove with my wife of 40-plus years. We have raised three daughters, and they have given us three wonderful grandsons (hoping for a granddaughter in the future). If we are not with our grandkids, we spend our time socializing with our neighbors.The Light for the Way series provides staff with an examination of a biblical reading to deepen our focus on scripture. Thank you for engaging with this series as we seek wisdom through prayer and reflection as a Christian Ministry.