God tells us we are 'fearfully and wonderfully made.' He made us...so He has a right to tell us how to behave. I spoke in an earlier Blog about the parts of the body and how they all fit together. I'm glad my 'ear' didn't experiment with seeing or smelling, or try to develop a heightened sense of touch. I envision putting my head underneath the shower nozzle to test the temperature 'by ear' because my 'ear' insisted that it was a great 'feeler' (and in this example assuming my 'ear' had also developed the ability to speak). Somewhat akin to sticking your tongue to the ice pole (Dumb & Dumber reference). I actually have accidentally tested the shower water with my head, when someone left it on. I think I'll let my fingers do the testing.
I also wrote before about ones' calling. How do we determine our life's calling or vocation? I find we too often go back to something we know (or have known in the past). What if Michael Jordan had tried baseball FIRST? What if Billy Joel's parents couldn't afford piano lessons (or a piano). Would he have become famous as the Mandolin Man? "Sing us a song, you're the Mandolin Man" doesn't have the same ring and I'm not aware of very many Mandolin Bars (unless you count Irish Pubs - shout out to the Flyin' Fiddler).
Perhaps we should force our kids to work a different job in a different industry every summer until they have matched their aptitude with a vocation. We're told it looks bad on a resume to change jobs alot. But I've also been told that folks that change jobs frequently wind up being more successful in the end. I do believe this: chasing after what we want is probably never going to be as fulfilling as chasing after what we're good at.
As for me, I stumbled into a sales job at Southwestern Bell (now AT&T) nearly 28 years ago (where they let their fingers do the walking) and didn't even stinkin' know what the job was. I wanted a steady job with good benefits (and that's what I got). Not much of a life plan or goals list, huh? I wound up being pretty good at it for lots of reasons, but mostly because I have the ability to persuade (I was pretty successful as a debater in highschool). I stuck with it because I had a family to support and no longer had the luxury of trying stuff out. But the talents one possesses can be used in a variety of areas and at enumerous companies or jobs and I'm not sure that I can claim that this job that has occupied half of my life (so far) was 'the one'.
I went to college at OBU because I wanted to be a Church Music Leader. Probably the right match for many of my aptitudes (and it was definitely a 'calling'), but it just wasn't the right fit at that time. When church music began to radically change about 15 years ago, I realized that it had BECOME the right fit and the right time for me (finally starting to answer that 'calling'). So for about a dozen years or more I've kind of straddled the fence between the corporate world and the church world, with a heavy dose of performing on the side. So depending on which half of the glass we're looking at, I've had the best of both worlds (or the worst of both worlds).
It's not that I'm a closet 'bivocational'! Both partners are aware of the other one. In fact, I'm not at all 'attracted' to the corporate side, but when the dance floor got thin lo those many years ago, I had to settle for the ugly fat 'Bell' chick (don't ever confuse 'southwestern bell' with 'southern belle' - two totally different broads). Not to mention that the 'Bell babe' was willing to commit.
Regarding the other relationship, it seems like over the years one of the other of us hasn't been willing to commit (either myself or the church) so this half in/half out state has continued. I have always hoped to one day be able to find that perfect union, that bilateral committment and be able to leave my 'first lover'. The good news (and we love to talk about the 'good news') is that the ailment can be cured. First step of course is admitting you have a problem; so here goes: "Hello, my name is Randy and I'm bivocational."
Now that THAT is out of the way, I can work towards leaving the bivocational lifestyle behind and concentrate on my true love: leading worship! It won't be politically correct (being hetero-vocational), but there'll be fewer meetings and fewer parades to have to attend. When someone asks what I do for a living, I won't have to suffer through that uncomfortable moment when I stutter and stammer, and make that quick decision on whether or not to 'out' myself. I can state emphatically "Yes, I like church bodies." I prefer singing to selling. I prefer overcoming a 'bunch of NOTES' to overcoming a 'bunch of NOs'. I sing loud, and I'm proud. I've finally chosen the narrow way, not the bi-way highway; it wasn't the easy way, but it was God's way. Yes, I'm a Worship Pastor. I tried it out when we were on the Feud, and it felt good. It felt right!
So, drum roll please, November 1st, the divorce will become final. Bell(e) and I will split the sheets! It was a good union for many, many years, but frankly we've begun to REALLY get on each other's nerves. I was never unfaithful...but I've definitely had a wandering eye (and I've sinned in my heart against the old gal many times). I'm not sure what the future holds but I know Who holds the future (pardon the cliche). Don't be sad...I'm getting a good settlement (and rolling it right over into an IRA).
Some of you may say, "Oh, he won all that money on the Feud, that's why he's quitting his day job!" Well, my fifth of it, minus the government's take won't last long, believe me. I actually made this decision before we ever set foot in Orlando. I wrote most of this blog in April.
It's just the right time (and has been for awhile now). God's been saying, "Go there." I'm just finally saying, "Yes."
Thank you, Ma Bell, for 333 months.
As usual, my thoughts are best described in a song.
Click here, then listen to: I Say, "Yes!"
(seventh song on my CD "You Sing One...You Sing 'Em All")
