HALF MY LIFE (Part One)

An interesting landmark in my life just passed and it almost went unnoticed. I started working for AT&T (Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages) when I was 27 years old (and five months to be exact).  July 3rd marked my 27 1/2 year anniversary.  That means I've been an employee of, associated with, devoted most of my waking hours to AT&T for over half my life!  More of my life has been devoted to selling yellow pages than to NOT selling yellow pages.  To quote the classic old Tennessee Ernie Ford song (that came out the year I was born), I feel like  "I owe my soul to the company store."  And maybe the saddest thing about that, is in 10 years or so, there may not be a yellow pages directory (at least in a physical form).  It will cease to exist.  It will become extinct.  Poof!  Nothing!  I've poured over half my life into...nothing!

Certainly it hasn't been fruitless (or pointless).  It's provided for my family very well.  I've learned outstanding sales and marketing skills.  I've been able to help hundreds of businesses grow.  As the company has adapted I've been forced to learn countless computer skills.  I'm highly proficient at Microsoft Excel (until the next version comes out ;).  Most memorably, I've made several life-long friends there.

But then I look at all the data I've stored in my brain that is now (or will soon be) totally useless (the data AND my brain). Information on products we no longer sell.  Systems we no longer employ.  All those countless sales presentations I had to memorize and be able to regurgitate ad nauseam that are no longer the latest and greatest way to present the product.  The devotion and dedication to being a top salesman, to developing my abilities, my knowledge of the product, and pouring myself into my job.  Not to mention all the addresses and phone numbers that are still rattling around in my head pertaining to old offices from where we've long since moved (909 S. Meridian, 205 NW 63, 879-5000, 949-...uh, I think I finally forgot that one).  So much stuff.  So much importance.  So temporal.

Fortunately, about twelve years ago I started leading worship.  First one church, then another.  Part-time positions; but the full time worship leader.  Pouring my life into other peoples' lives through music and through relationships.  It was a definite turning point in my life.  If I retire from AT&T soon (and I plan on it) and can lead worship for another fifteen years or more (and I plan on it), I can surpass the nearly three decades of work with AT&T with three decades of being a Worship Pastor.  So much stuff.  So much importance.  So eternal.

Music is nothing new to me.  I've always done it.  Singing, performing, writing.  That's been going on for over forty years.  But the devotion and dedication to being a lead worshipper, to developing my abilities, my knowledge of the music, and pouring myself into the 'job' of music didn't happen until I stepped up to be a leader.  It was all kind of a fun hobby until that time.  Until I applied myself; until I made up my mind to make it something more; until I got serious about it...only then could I call myself a worship leader.  Only then did my outward actions match my inward desires.  Only then could I fulfill that calling.

I believe God calls everyone to some level of service.  It's not always to be on a staff, and certainly not to preach or be the 'music guy'. But the calling is no less significant.  And God's expectations of you and His plans for you are just as important as any He has for me.  Put quite simply, when we look back at our lives, into what have we poured the 'majority' of our time and efforts.  Has it had any eternal significance?  If not, what are we waiting on? How long do we let the things of life get in the way of life?

Occupations change and certainly the importance of them do also.  A year ago I would have been 'king of the world' as the CEO of BP.  Now that ship has sunk in Titanic proportions (I hear now he's running for Mayor of Atlantis ;).  Looking back, did the 'do do bird' expert suddenly just become a 'do do'?  When did the telegraph operator finally 'STOP' or cry out for help ...---...?  When does an old salesman finally quit putting all his efforts and his life into a dying book and devote his days to a living book?  When do we start focusing on 'important' things instead of 'impotent' things? There's no better GIFT or TIME than the PRESENT!

"St. Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go..."
I've done a few things, but I need to do mo'e!