It's Alive!
It's alive! My laptop's motherboard didn't get fried after all. Thanks Andy, for helping me isolate the problem this morning.
Last Friday night the laptop didn't start. I tried several times but it just would not boot up. I calmly told Nerissa about the problem while we waited for the rain to stop at the office lobby. I proceeded to perform troubleshooting procedures that I knew too well until the memory and hard drives were removed and checked. Hardware lights were on, fan was running, but no hard drive activity, just a black screen reflecting my sullen figure. I've seen these symptoms on this same laptop more than a year ago and it ended up with a motherboard replacement a few days before the warranty expired.
I didn't get depressed as I normally would. I didn't even try to check the problem any further. I knew it was coming. It was another one of God's wake up calls. He has done this several times in the past whenever He wanted to teach me a lesson the hard way, not because He enjoys seeing me suffer, but because I'm just too slow at picking up His cue.
Before this laptop's near-death experience I won two, not one, but two NASB Bibles during the marriage seminar that Nerissa and I attended. The second one we won the same night the laptop failed to start. This Bible was one which I really wanted -- an Ultra-thin reference Bible.
God just wanted me back. He has been constantly reminding me that I have neglected the serious and consistent study of His Word. Last week I also just arrived from Baguio after teaching students about "God's Word" and "How to Study God's Word". Upon realizing that last I just gave up being the problem-solver and tech guy. I could only silently say, "Yes, Lord, You got me again. I'm sorry." He made sure I was going to read my Bible. He made sure I wouldn't have any excuses anymore -- no laptop to work on the newsletter, no laptop to stalk old friends via facebook, no laptop to upload new camera photos, no laptop to "plan for ministry", no laptop to "study His Word via Bible software"...
The long weekend turned out to be a lovely time with God and His Word. "Saul, Saul... It is hard for you to kick against the goads." Experience has proven time and again that kicking against God's nudges is an exercise in futility for a follower of Christ.
Last weekend I have resigned to simply use an office issued PC. I was not going to spend money to buy a new laptop or have the motherboard repaired. I deserved the lesson. I just brought the laptop to the office this morning to copy the hard drive's data. God is so sweet He knows when His child has learned his lesson. I have learned my lesson. He gave back the laptop. The laptop still does not define my life, though my hands and my sight are on it at least three quarters of the time on any given day. Too much of a good thing gets bad when it stands between you and God. The Lord just wanted to see, and wanted me to see, that I can still give it up.
Thank You, Lord, for keeping me from straying too far from the road.
It's almost 8:00. I need to go home to my wife -- and leave the laptop on this desk.
Last Friday night the laptop didn't start. I tried several times but it just would not boot up. I calmly told Nerissa about the problem while we waited for the rain to stop at the office lobby. I proceeded to perform troubleshooting procedures that I knew too well until the memory and hard drives were removed and checked. Hardware lights were on, fan was running, but no hard drive activity, just a black screen reflecting my sullen figure. I've seen these symptoms on this same laptop more than a year ago and it ended up with a motherboard replacement a few days before the warranty expired. I didn't get depressed as I normally would. I didn't even try to check the problem any further. I knew it was coming. It was another one of God's wake up calls. He has done this several times in the past whenever He wanted to teach me a lesson the hard way, not because He enjoys seeing me suffer, but because I'm just too slow at picking up His cue.
Before this laptop's near-death experience I won two, not one, but two NASB Bibles during the marriage seminar that Nerissa and I attended. The second one we won the same night the laptop failed to start. This Bible was one which I really wanted -- an Ultra-thin reference Bible.
God just wanted me back. He has been constantly reminding me that I have neglected the serious and consistent study of His Word. Last week I also just arrived from Baguio after teaching students about "God's Word" and "How to Study God's Word". Upon realizing that last I just gave up being the problem-solver and tech guy. I could only silently say, "Yes, Lord, You got me again. I'm sorry." He made sure I was going to read my Bible. He made sure I wouldn't have any excuses anymore -- no laptop to work on the newsletter, no laptop to stalk old friends via facebook, no laptop to upload new camera photos, no laptop to "plan for ministry", no laptop to "study His Word via Bible software"...
The long weekend turned out to be a lovely time with God and His Word. "Saul, Saul... It is hard for you to kick against the goads." Experience has proven time and again that kicking against God's nudges is an exercise in futility for a follower of Christ.
Last weekend I have resigned to simply use an office issued PC. I was not going to spend money to buy a new laptop or have the motherboard repaired. I deserved the lesson. I just brought the laptop to the office this morning to copy the hard drive's data. God is so sweet He knows when His child has learned his lesson. I have learned my lesson. He gave back the laptop. The laptop still does not define my life, though my hands and my sight are on it at least three quarters of the time on any given day. Too much of a good thing gets bad when it stands between you and God. The Lord just wanted to see, and wanted me to see, that I can still give it up.
Thank You, Lord, for keeping me from straying too far from the road.
It's almost 8:00. I need to go home to my wife -- and leave the laptop on this desk.
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