A COUPLE BLESSINGS

Blessing #1 - We got our laptop when Tim entered his master's program, just a month after Devon was born. At six years old, it was an antique in the world of technology, but it did the things we needed it to, so we've kept using it. Tim, however, was ready for an upgrade to something with a little more storage space, that worked a little faster, etc. A new computer wasn't a need and it wasn't in the budget, so we kept putting it off.

Well, early in last school year Tim was offered an extra job, a project he'd be working on with some other teachers. It was just an hour or two here and there for the course of the school year. He asked how I felt about it and said he'd like to use the extra money to buy a new computer. Sounded like a good plan to me, so he accepted the extra work load.

Rewind about two weeks. Tim was trying to get rid of a virus on our laptop and everything kinda flopped. We were computer-less for a few days, then a friend got it running again. However, it was kinda wonky and our router somehow died in the process, rendering us without wireless internet. We don't have a desk in our house and all our computer stuff is wired under my nightstand. So, for the last two weeks we've had to do all our computer stuff on the bed or bedroom floor in order to keep the computer hooked up. A bit of a hassle.

Well, a couple days after the computer died, Tim's check for extra work came in. Perfect timing! So, Tim was able to head to the store earlier this week to buy a new computer. I was content with the old one, but the new one is definitely much speedier. Plus, it has a built-in webcam, which means I can use video for Skyping with my sister's family. Tried that for the first time yesterday and it's going to be a fun option! I wouldn't have chosen to get a new computer, but I'm certainly enjoying Tim's decision on the issue. The new router got delivered a few days ago, so we have wireless internet again and we're not banished to the bedroom floor for computer stuff. The old computer is running, which means we have the option of family members being online at the same time.

That extra work was just enough to pay for the computer Tim wanted and the router we ended up needing, and the timing couldn't have been better!

Blessing #2 - No story to lead up to this one, so I'll cut to the chase. We were given a new (to us) car to replace Tim's car. It's fifteen (yes, I said fifteen) years newer than the car he's been driving and will be more fuel efficient. When you consider that Tim drives 300 miles a week for work nine months of the year, traipses around the metro area officiating basketball about four months of the year, and that we both use his car for running errands that don't require the space in our van, then you can see why a car with better gas mileage will be a blessing!

Cool stuff, huh? Sometimes blessings are the result of patience and hard work and other times it's because of someone else's generosity.

Know that there is blessing in perseverance. A computer that we paid cash for is much easier to enjoy than one that was put on a credit card for instant gratification and is accumulating interest while it gets paid off. It feels good to reach a goal!

Know that there is blessing in being generous. It doesn't matter if you bring someone cut flowers from your yard in an empty tin can, buy them a car, deliver a bunch of hand-me-downs for their kids, pay their rent, or any of the other gazillion things you can do. It feels good to make someone else's life a little better!

Of course, you know it's a blessing to be on the receiving end of generosity. Enjoy it when it comes your way, but keep your focus on sending it out.