For anybody who missed me, or this blog post anywho, this past Monday I have an extremely good reason for being AWOL. My computer/internet router/modem gave up the ghost at an extremely awkward moment.
Let’s back up to last Thursday evening. I received an email from The Upper Room devotional folks about one of the submissions I sent to them about a month ago. They said it needed a better takeaway for them to publish it and pay me $30 for it.
Thursday evening I finally had some free time from driving all over Texas that week for work. I had an idea for yet another devotional I thought they might like so I wrote that one out and submitted it via their online form.
Then I went back and wrote three sentences to close out that other devo they were interested in. About half way through that process the electricity went out in my apartment building. At least I think it went out in the whole building.
My apartment was dark but the other buildings I can see from my windows were still lit up. The battery on my computer kept me in business so I kept completing the form while I anticipated the juice would flow yet again to my home base.
The good news is my lights came back on about a half hour after they went out. The bad news is my router never regained consciousness. That meant I was without internet access to send that devo to the nice folks in the upper room. No not the room over my apartment. I could have walked it up there.
No problem, I thinks, I’m scheduled to drive to El Paso tomorrow. I’ll simply take my computer and send it from my motel room.
I made sure I asked if there was a password to access the internet before I left the front desk.
“Nope. Just click on our logo.” The kindly fellow stated assuredly. He obviously had no clue who he was speaking to. Bank computers shut off when I walk near them to get change made.
Sure enough, I tried everything I could think of to get that useless internet thingy to work on my computer to no avail. So I called the front desk and explained my dilemma.
Next thing I know I’m talking to some geek in their technical support department. 46 minutes later I discover I have too many IP numbers within my computer to be of much help to a nice enough geek.
He promises me that if I wait 5-10 minutes I’ll be able to hook up to the internet. Finally something went right for me. I was back in the 21st century and sent my devo submission back to TUR (The Upper Room).
By then I was more than ready to become unconscious myself. So I did just that after a shower that worked just fine for me.
I think somebody must really need the message from that devo about being used by God no matter what your background is. A few days later they sent me an email that said they like it and will let me know when they’ll use it. Perhaps if they read my blog they’ll know what I went through with it and post it post-haste.
In the meantime I found a phone number for the internet company I pay my bills to. I found myself back in El Paso Monday afternoon explaining my dilemma to them.
Their first question to me was, “Is the switch turned on?”
I only thought about throwing my phone across the motel room. I assured them I turned it off and on several times from different outlets with the same dark results.
They eventually agreed to ship me a new router to replace my dead one I used for over eight years.
Fast forward to this week Thursday (yesterday). I’m actually eating supper in my apartment for a very rare instance. I hear some rustling near my front door that included what could have been one knock, then silence.
I heard someone walk up the stairs to that upper room so I peeked out my peep hole. A shadowy figure raced by toward the front of the building followed by the unmistakable sound of a diesel engine starting up and racing away.
I opened my door to find a box there that hadn’t been there before. I was barely home a few minutes so I knew it wasn’t there very long. I can deduce some things fairly quickly after I’ve eaten half of my supper.
My brand spanking new router made it home while I was actually there. Which was good since I don’t know how long it would have stayed there all by itself.
After I finished my meal I decided to see if I could set it up all by my lonesome without calling some geek somewhere.
Two passwords and about a half dozen failed attempts later I tracked down a phone number that came with the packaging.
I don’t know what possessed me but I decided to try one last time to connect to the internet by the only means I thought possible. It must have been the Holy Spirit within me because the computer actually worked like it is designed to function. Glory Hallelujah!!!
Now to take advantage of an extremely rare Friday off to catch up on some computer related items before I drive again on Saturday.
Now I’m wondering what the chances are that my Christmas books will actually get printed and shipped to me before Christmas. That’s probably too many miracles to expect for one Christmas season.
At least I know God is still in control. Whether I’m home to see it or not.
I’ll see you later. Wade
