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November 30, 2007
Computer fun!
So I don't like spending money, especially larger amounts at one time, I guess I'm cheap or frugal... not sure which or maybe both. Anyway, I am grateful for finding what I needed. My laptop has gone though quite a bit lately. I had to sent it into Dell to get it completely rebuilt for some reason. Then the other day I spilled tea on it and when I would hit the "o" key, for example, the letters" oiplu" or some random assortment of numbers and letters would come on the screen. Once it dried out I though it was fixed but then my "k" kept, at random times, repeating itself. To fix that, I broke off the plastic part of the "k" and am now hitting a piece of plastic in place of the letter. It makes me chuckle how these things happen, better than I cry about it I guess! Another thing is that the wires have been exposed in my power cord for sometime. There were about 4 places of exposure, which I first covered with duct tape and later with electrical tape. There are a lot of little silver wires in there! The last few days my computer hasn't been able to turn on every time I've tried to use it. This is because of the power cord, I'm guessing. So, I was just at Bread Co. trying to get it to work. One of the workers noticed my problem and said he would tell his manager the outlet wasn't working, but I told him it could just be my power cord. I switched outlets and had the same problem again. UH!! What a week for this...finals coming up and all. Well I went to Circuit City and thankfully a gal was able to help me find what I needed. Apparently Kensington makes Power Adaptors. YAY! So now, quite a few dollars later, my computer is working and I'm blogging, avoiding studying, go figure. Now I'm the proud owner of a Kensington Wall Notebook Power Adapter which comes with a bunch of tips to make it compatible with a bunch of computers. So if you are in need of a "tip" for a Sony, Toshiba, IBM, Lenovo, Acer, Gateway, HP, Compaq, Fujitsu-Siemens, Gateway computer let me know and I can hook you up.
Posted by Miss Mark at 4:56 PM | Comments (1)
November 21, 2007
Why I'm Thankful
Lost Lamb
Be quiet, little lost lamb
Stop your fearful trembling
The heart of the Good Shepherd
Knows there is one lamb missing
From his safe, loving fold
He will come for you soon
His perfect vision sees
The tracks your small feet made
Across the verdant pasture
He knows the sweetness
Of the poisoned spring you chose
To quench a thirsting soul
Soon his footsteps will sound
Upon the rocky soil
His tender hands will move
The thorns that hold you fast
High upon his shoulder,
He will bear you home.
--Virginia Walden Hogue
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' Luke 15:4-5
It is easy for us to lose our way. We may start off with confidence. We think we know where we are and where we are headed. And, then, somewhere along the way in life we get lost. We find ourselves alone and we don't know where we are. We get confused and disoriented. We don't know how to find our way back, how to get 'on track' again.
Fortunately, God pays attention. God notices that we are lost. And, because of the great value God sees in us, God sets out to find us. God searches for us. God pursues us until we are found.
When God finds us, most of us expect God to say: 'Where have you been? I have been looking all over for you! Can't you follow directions? What's wrong with you? I don't want to have to come back out here again to find you. Try to pay attention from now on!'
But there is no hint of scolding, shaming, yelling or blaming in this text. When God finds us, God is full of joy. God picks us up and carries us home. God celebrates.
God pays attention. God notices when we are lost. God searches for us. And God celebrates when we are found. Recovery is the gift of being found by God.
I was lost, Lord.
Alone..
Disoriented. Confused. Afraid.
You found me.
I expected blame and rejection when you found me.
I expected you to be full of rage.
I expected you to see me as an inconvenience.
But you greeted me with joy.
With celebration!
Thank you for finding me.
Amen.
Dale and Juanita Ryan
Posted by Miss Mark at 8:16 AM | Comments (2)
November 10, 2007
Hebrews 12:2
"Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before
him endured the cross, scorning its shame" Hebrews 12:2
Shame does not coexist comfortably with joy. Experiences of shame eat
away at the spiritual and emotional foundations on which joy is built.
When we are consumed by shame, joy will keep its distance. But shame has
a way of getting to us. Our defenses against the clever tactics of shame
are not well developed.
Jesus is a powerful example to us of how to resist shame and make room
for joy. First, Jesus 'scorned' shame. He did not give it a stature which
it did not deserve. Experiences of shame did not define who he was. He
was not just the sum of the shame he had experienced in life. His identity
and person were securely rooted in God. So, he was able to experience shaming
experiences without internalizing the shame.
Secondly, Jesus had 'joy set before him'. Experiences of shame hurt
us. Shame is always hurtful. But we are not entirely defenseless. Jesus
drew strength to endure shame from the anticipation of joy. Shame can be
better endured if we allow ourselves to remember that God has plans for
us that include joy. We are not aimlessly adrift in life, headed nowhere,
wanderers in a meaningless maze. On the contrary, every day takes us closer
to the fulfillment of God's purposes. Justice and righteousness will reign
in the end. Jesus' followers share his conviction that joy, not shame,
is God's purpose in creation.
Today we can root ourselves in God's love for us. We can scorn the shame.
We can remind ourselves that God's plans for us include joy.
Help me to scorn shame, Lord.
Help me to root myself so completely in you
that shame has no power over me.
Help me to see the joy you have set before me, Lord.
Remind me today of your plans.
Help me to draw strength today
from the hope that your plans for me include joy.
Amen
He Was Heard by Michael Card
Art piece here
Posted by Miss Mark at 10:23 AM | Comments (1)