Second Times A Charm...

Well...Hopefully it's true. This is my 2nd New computer in less than a week. In case you have had better things to keep track of, let me remind you that my old church computer bit the dust on my Tahoe "study leave" trip. So I went old school, back to pencil and paper, and actually got a lot done. Amazing how that works, but that doesn't work forever, so last week I went to Circuit City and purchased a Gateway laptop (never been a fan, but cheap is an effective selling point for a church budget) Then yesterday my New computer which I was just getting used to, decided it did not want to turn on. Bummer. (putting it lightly) After much coaxing it did allow me to reload Vista (yes I realize this is a problem in itself) and wall-la we were back in business, well almost. Now it would turn on, but it was looking kinda warped, and it would not recognize the fact that it did posses a wireless card. Not a good thing.
So today I took it back to the people in the red shirts, and they kindly let me pick out a new laptop. No questions asked, which makes you think I am not the only one who has had to return this laptop. And because they were out of the cheap Cow computer I got to get a more expensive HP for less ;) This is a selling point for anyone!

All that to say I am happy to have a working computer and my fingers are crossed that this one will work longer than a week.

Morning Rituals

I can still recall watching my Nana sit in her chair with her Bible open on her lap, it was the only time I was not allowed to bug her. I have that Bible now, with it's hand made cross stitched cover . While it is not the Bible I use day to day I cherish it, because she did. I like looking at the verses she chose to highlight and underline in her colored pens.

Nana's quite time, used to frustrate me, I was used to being the center of my Nana's world. Now looking back I can see why she cherished it so much. I have developed a similar pattern in my own life. A time set aside for just me and God. I look forward to it, and I hate when it gets interrupted.

Our morning rituals may look different, but at the heart I believe they are the same. I am pretty sure that what I always thought was just my Nana reading the Bible and me having to be quiet was really so much more than that. For me these times have become a time of deep conversations, challenging thoughts, and new insights. It is a developing love affair with my God.
I have a hard time imagining that these times were any less special for my Nana. I am so thankful for her living example of what faithfulness looked like. It is from people like her along with the Dunhams (who shared their home with me for a few months) who woke up early each morning to spend time together in prayer, the Wednesday morning Spring Lakes prayer group who pray daily for those they love and countless others who have showed me time and time again what depth I can have in my relationship with the living God. I love these people, who all have their own rituals and have taught me the value of time spent in prayer.