When technology doesn't work

Ever have one of those days that no matter what you do nothing works right? Well I am having one of those days today. The fact that I work from home away from the corporate environment, while it is a blessing, can and usually is very challenging. When I connected into our VPN everything seemed normal, but when I attempted to open Microsoft Office it just freezes and says it is unavailable. While it is frustrating I consider it a blessing from God telling me to slow down and enjoy life. I have begun to do that more often as I age like a fine wine. I may not be that old, but I am getting older and as I get older the Lord is blessing me with more wisdom. I guess that is why I am getting more and more gray hairs. :) Better to have gray hair than no hair at all. LOL

Last night during our prayer meeting at church we were streaming live video in from a service in Kansas City. As great as technology is when it works it definately is a pain in the butt when it doesn't work right. It is really challenging to get into the flow of a worship service streaming over the Internet when it freezes up due to bandwidth issues. Even though I couldn't get into it like I wanted to, I do want to give God praise. It is just awesome that we are blessed with the technology and ability to watch a church service across the country and see it live in front of us. Even if it doesn't always work right, it is still a miracle and I give God praise for that. I can guarantee you that people like Smith Wigglesworth or John G. Lake would have marveled at the ability to do such a thing. They had to do it the old fashioned way by perservering and traveling to minister. It makes you think that we have actually become a very lazy generation.

To think that the kids at our schools have cell phones, laptops, wireless internet wherever they go and unlimited text message plans blows my mind. We didn't even have the Internet available until after I graduated High School, the only cell phones available were considered "brick" or "bag" phones and were not easy to lug around. The only thing close to the Internet we had was the card catalog in the Library on a computer database. :) I can only imagine the changes that have occurred since my parents went to High School let alone the changes my Grandfathers have experienced since they were in school. With all this technology we often times are too busy to slow down and too busy to enjoy life. When we get too busy to spend time with our Heavenly Father then our lives are out of balance and we are walking in dangerous territory. We should never be too busy to spend time with God Almighty.

I just learned yesterday that they are going to let President Obama carry his Blackberry. He will be the first president ever to have a cell phone with him during office. He is also the first president ever that will have a laptop on his desk in the oval office. I am sorry to say, but they originally said it was a security issue for him to carry a blackberry and now he will be allowed to carry one. I personally don't think it is a good idea based on people being able to track him, but also every email, etc that he sends out will be public record and therefore he has no privacy and that is dangerous territory to be in as well. It won't surprise me if they some how change privacy rules for him that will make all of his records private. I won't get on my soap box, but if it happens I can say "I told you so. "

So when life isn't going as you anticipate it should, slow down a bit and spend some time thanking God for your family, the life that you have and the blessing it is to have technology when it does work. I plan on spending some quality time with my son and enjoying the ability to not check emails for a while, but I still have a job to do and must get some emails sent out today.

Have a blessed weekend and live life to the fullest!

Coach Stretch