“Oh Lord, don’t let it randomly shut off now!” Another deadline was hunting me down and my careworn pink laptop made tractor noises. Suddenly the screen lay even with the keyboard—again. Set back upright, the loose pieces on the side scraped my wrist. My cursor jumped around the monitor on its own, and I jumped to control my curser. Dolly, my computer, is just old.
When I made her mine, we had a chat. I punched in my login password as “dedicated” and told her that was what she was: to be used to serve and work, never to undermine or destroy. For years Dolly has worked hard on writings, flyers and brochures, photo editing, research, Bible studies, late night prepping for conferences, formatting tax files and schedules, and occasionally she aired a movie for time with friends. We try to work together to bless other people, no matter what.
My dear grandpa Bill passed away a couple months ago. My mom, sister, and I went a few days early before the memorial service so we could be available to support the family and love and sit around. You know. That’s how it works. However, Dolly doesn’t like to sit around. We decided these empty days would be ideal to format an already written biography of grandpa’s life, into a fully illustrated booklet to print for all his friends and family. After we got home from the printer’s, we both had a killer headache, but thought it would be pretty awesome to make Grandma a custom “thank you” card to mail to all these wonderful people who kept stopping by to encourage us all. After we got home from the printer’s again, Dolly sounded like a backhoe on steroids.
Even though we simply enjoy finding and meeting those needs with our little skills, apparently, we were being watched. And Dolly’s ill condition was being monitored. Someone saw that Dolly’s pulse was beginning to flat-line. I had known for months of her fatal prognosis and been praying that God would provide a new computer. I suppose I could have purchased one, but it didn’t seem right yet, with Dolly still so alive to me. And, God is so real to me. He hears your prayers, too.
As I was preparing to head home from Grandma’s, a hand grabbed my arm. I looked over my shoulder into tearful eyes and listened to a trembling voice call me aside and tell me they were overwhelmed with what we had done “from the goodness of your heart.” (It was really more like they saw what God does with a dedicated laptop from the goodness of His heart.) But, a $500 check slipped into my hand, as my jaw fell slack. “Get yourself a new computer, girl. Then drive that tractor over a cliff.”
Being the non-techie one in my family, my oldest brother Nathanael rescued me in tracking down a killer deal for a classy-looking, new laptop. He made sure she’s as good on the inside as she looks on the outside. She’s pearly white with chrome accents and a stunning brown keyboard. And, oddly, acts so quiet and calm. “Sceptre” treats me like royalty, lowered from a heavenly throne.
But a huge God in a gigantic heaven heard a tiny prayer and that’s what I’m talking about. Praise the Lord for ‘His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men.’ He is a rewarder of those that give up just a little and talk to Him about it. “Wait, I say, wait on the Lord” – and “take it to the Lord in prayer.” How can I forget His kindness and to be patient in waiting? Help me remember.
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