These are the first words I've ever typed on my new computer that I just took possession of this afternoon. Michael Fonville, one of our WCS tech gurus, ordered this DELL laptop for me and loaded it with the needed programs while shifting the necessary stuff from my ex, a COMPAQ model. Michael gave me a ten minute crash course after school and here I am. I need to make a confession- I feel a little guilty! I'll never forget earlier in my teaching career when in the middle of an 8th grade US History class, one of my female students blurted out, "My dad stayed married to my mom until he found some one prettier." Tonight, I feel like her father. My old model is sitting in a backpack a few feet away from me, outdated and over the hill. It served me well. I've read the useful life expectancy of a laptop is only three years and mine made it to three and a half. But it's hard to say goodbye to an old friend- we've been through so much together!
I'm already amazed at my new model, even after only minutes of usage. It's so fast...and clean and exciting! But it's never been to China or Cambodia or Singapore or Vietnam like my old one. It wasn't there on those bus rides from Saigon to Can Tho or banging around in the overhead Korean Air Lines luggage compartments on the fourteen hour flights and it didn't have to pass through unfriendly security in Moscow. It wasn't around when I was hammering out those daily mission trip updates from Asia or the one thousand plus blogs since April of 2010. We have no history together yet, but we will. There will be an adjustment period but we'll make it work. We have to; there's no going back. The box has been opened, the files have been transferred, and the check has been written. The long haul has begun.
There's an excitement when we take the first step of odyssey into the unknown. Last night, one of my former players put on Jesus Christ in baptism. Her life has changed forever in ways she cannot begin to comprehend as she made the best decision of her young life. As a new creation in Jesus, her existence in regards to her past is like my changing laptops- some things can go with you but some you leave behind. Every day will bring unique challenges but we won't be alone; she has the Holy Spirit and an additional family to lean on while I have the owner's manual and Michael. We'll make it- she may stumble here and there and I'll get some viruses in spite of a most careful approach to my new technological best friend. But, both of our journeys have commenced and there's no turning back- proud of you, LC!
Applicable quote of the day:
"Courage means to keep working a relationship, to continue seeking solutions to difficult problems, and to stay focused during stressful periods."
Denis Waitley
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com
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