Ending Well

            Steve, a long time employee at our shop, retired this week after working 15 years with us. He has worked in the printing industry for 50 years. Talk about changing with the times! Fifty years ago printing for businesses was just starting to take off. Over the 50 years Steve has seen how printing was done before the birth of the digital age, when typesetting, and the printing press were time consuming and laborious. Today, as with other industries, printing has adapted with the digital age.

            No longer (okay, very seldom) do customers bring in hand written text. Now all text, logos, and graphics are emailed to us or delivered on a thumb drive. We download and then design them so they are print ready. Instead of metal plates for the press, we use digital paper plates downloaded from a computer. More than that, electronic color and black and white copiers make high quality prints.

            I admire Steve for changing and not just adapting to the new technology. He embraced it and became skilled at designing and producing quality printed materials. He investigated and learned how to operate new technologies and equipment when other younger employees could not figure it out.

            Steve ended his career well. He was appreciated and sought after by customers, and was a wealth of high tech knowledge to his co-workers. He will be greatly missed now that he has retired.

            Ending well is important. It shows perseverance and adaptability.

            In our church I most admire the wisdom crowd, the seniors. Ours is a church with wonderful contemporary worship music, praising our Lord with passion and yes, . . . volume. I am moved to tears when I see worshippers in their 70’s or 80’s singing and clapping along with the praise band, drums and electric guitars. I know this type of music is not for everyone, which is why it is beautiful to have so many denominations and worship styles to choose from. God receives praise from many different styles and as long as we are worshipping in spirit and in truth, I’m sure the angels in heaven are praising along with us.

            Those who have walked with the Lord and attended church for longer than some of us have been alive have seen changes in worship styles and music through the decades. Being able to adapt and praise God with the new music shows a heart for the Lord.

            When I witness these saints of the faith worship along with the next generations, I hope that I will be as adaptable when Christ Tomlin and Hillsong United are no longer the contemporary choice for worship music.

Psalm 33:3 “Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”

Don’t you love when you end something well? Isn’t it inspiring to see people persevere and adapt to new technologies or worship styles?