There’s music in my head during my final days as president of Wheat Ridge, too. I wish I could tell you that it’s a hymn verse or some other sacred or significant composition. It’s not. If you are an aging cartoon buff, you likely enjoyed the adventures of Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes gang as a kid. If you’re old enough, perhaps you remember the theme music from these cartoons. At the end of each show, the music leads to sign off That’s All Folks!! spoken by Bugs or sometimes by other characters. How sad it was to hear these words knowing that 30 minutes of fun and laughter with these wacky characters had come to an end.
Of course, I am already experiencing some inevitable sadness as I prepare to “sign-off” after 23 wonderful years as a member of the Wheat Ridge Ministries team. I will miss working alongside my colleagues and friends on the staff and board of directors. I’ll miss the regular opportunities to visit with the generous friends and supporters of our ministry. And I’ll miss the joy of talking with inspired leaders and visiting the new ministries Wheat Ridge helped seed. It’s been quite a ride!
While there’s no denying some sadness during this time of transition, I’m also looking forward with considerable joy that’s captured well by this revised version of Bugs’ sign-off: That’s NOT All Folks!! It’s certainly not all for Wheat Ridge Ministries. By God’s grace, a great new leader will be joining the Wheat Ridge team as president in the person of Mr. Paul Miles. He is a gifted leader and churchman! Paul and our dedicated staff, guided and cared for by our wise and talented board of directors, will continue to creatively grow the impact of Wheat Ridge in pursuit of a vision that increasing numbers of individuals around the world experience health and hope in Christ’s name. This will be possible because of the continuing generosity and encouragement of the large host of friends and donors like you who understand the importance of seeding new ministries and who provide the resources needed for this to happen.
God willing, That’s NOT All, Folks!! will also be a good description of the next phase of my life. While I’ll always look to do whatever I can to further the mission of Wheat Ridge, I also look forward to experiencing some new ways to serve. I hope to pay forward the blessings of remarkable opportunities and learning experiences from which I have benefitted during the past 41 years of service to the church. And, of course, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my wife, Deb, and being helpful as she continues her outstanding career as an artist and teacher.
I look forward to staying in touch with you, the readers of these reflections over the years, in whatever ways God’s plans make possible, as we continue to move through the transitions of life. Thank you, again, for reading these reflections throughout the years, for praying for the ministry of Wheat Ridge, and for allowing me the privilege of serving as a leader of our ministry. What a blessing we all have to look forward to a future together on earth, and eventually in heaven, made possible by our loving Christ who cries loud and clear from the cross and the empty tomb to each of us and to all God’s children, That’s NOT All, Folks!!
