Little faith...yet a miracle

I bought my first ever computer last January, an HP laptop. I also bought a sizable external hard drive, since I've heard people talk about the importance of "backing things up". At the end of Sept, about a week before I left to return to Richmond, my computer screen kept doing funny things....strange colors, lines cutting all thru it, etc, but then a couple of minutes later it would clear. Sometimes I had no problem at all. The weekend before I left to return to Richmond, I had a nearly non stop nagging feeling that I should back up (copy) my computer files onto my external hard drive. I kept putting this off. On Sat night the nagging was so bad that I got up during the middle of the night to just finally do it....but found that the electricity was off, so it was impossible. However, I promised myself I'd do it Sunday afternoon. I didn't really know exactly how to "back up" my stuff. I'd never done it before. But I did what seemed logical, and as far as I could tell my all the pictures on my computer and other important documents were copied onto the external hard drive. On the remaining 2 days before I left for Richmond, I spent a considerable amount of time working on my financial records so that my accountant friend at home could look over things. And I also downloaded all the pics that were currently on my camera's memory so that I'd have lots of room on my camera to take pictures of "my kids" at home.

Once I was home, my computer was acting up more and more, and then one night the screen was no longer legible at all and it wouldn't clear no matter what. Earlier in the evening, I'd try to send a couple of emails, including one to my accountant friend with all my updated financial stuff, but I couldn't get it to go out. I called the 800 # and spoke with a computer technician. He walked me thru various steps for over 1.5 hrs. When all was said and done, he said there was one thing left to try, but it may cause me to loose all my files. I was SO SO SO glad that the nagging....which I now understood was from God....caused me to copy my files. Unfortunately, the technicians last effort didn't help, and we were unable to tell if I had lost my files. Just before I hung up the phone with the technician, I said, "my email address book should be fine, right?" I don't know why that hadn't occurred to me until then. When the technician realized that I used Outlook Express which saves my emails onto my hard drive, he gulped hard and said that it was very likely that my email address book of over 700 people's emails, were gone. I was crushed. I've been using and adding to this email address book for over 10 years. And worst yet...all of you...who so faithfully support me....all your addresses were gone and it overwhelmed me to think of how it how long and how much work it would take to try to rebuild this data base. Then, another thought...the financial stuff I worked on and the pictures I downloaded were done AFTER I copied my files, therefore they were likely gone. And the email with my attached financial stuff hadn't gone thru. I cried hard that night and I was glad Kim was there to give me hug when needed and pass me tissues.

The next morning, I returned my computer (still under the 3 yr warranty) to where I purchased it. They sent it off to be repaired...and not likely be ready for about 2 weeks. Therefore, I would return without my computer and without knowing knowing exactly what was lost. Somehow I knew it would be OK, but it sure looked like an uphill battle in front of me. When I returned from my errands that day, I had a voice mail from my accountant friend. He said we didn't need to cancel out meeting, because the email actually got thru! WOW! This means all the hours I put into this document wasn't lost...he had a copy and therefore could give me a copy. This really encouraged me that God was still in control, and He would see me thru this difficult time. That night, after watching my favorite 7 yr old nephew play soccer, my family got together at our favorite pizza place. After hearing my computer woes, my sister said she had an laptop sitting in her closet that she wasn't using, and she'd be glad to loan it to me. Double WOW!

Last Thursday, 3 days after after returning to El Salvador, I hooked up my external hard drive to see exactly what I had somehow saved on it....especially since I didn't know what I was doing when I did it. I looked thru a couple of files...so good so far. Then it happened. I saw a file called Outlook Express. I clicked on it, and my entire email address book popped up- completely intact. I had saved it without even knowing that I had saved it. Wow doesn't cover this kind of awe. I don't even know if I was breathing. My jaw was probably hanging open, and I probably turned pale. I do know that tears were in my eyes. I truly couldn't believe what I was seeing. I dared not touch the computer at first, for fear that my precious info would vanish. When I finally got a grip on myself, I knew what I had to do next. I got out of the simple rolling secretary-like chair and got on my knees. Telling God thank-you seemed so lame and inadequate...yet it was all I could come up with. Hadn't I prayed and prayed for a miracle...for Him to somehow provide my lost emails...yet here He is providing it, and I can hardly believe my eyes. I have SO little faith....yet He provided a miracle anyhow. I know He loves me....shouldn't I have expected Him to provide this? Wow...what a boost that provided during this past week of transition! When I got off my knees...I ran out to find somebody to whom I could tell my good news...even if it was to somebody that couldn't understand a lick of English. Reminds me of The Good News and the excitement and need to tell someone. Anyhow, I was glad that Bobby and Britney were actually on their way to see me...and they jumped up and down with in my excitement.

You know, I've had another thought about this faith building moment. Even though my faith was small and I wasn't expecting a His sudden miracle, I don't think God's too discouraged with me. I think He was glad to give me this gift....just like we like to give surprise gifts to people at times. I think He just wants me to use this as a lesson as a building block for the next lesson that comes along.

And for those of you who haven't yet heard from me....now you know why. I've been somewhat email address-less. My current computer doesn't have Outlook Express on it, so I'm not yet too sure if/how I'll be able to copy this into a formal in which I can use it. If nothing else works, I know that I can re-load this onto my computer whenever I get it. So just hang on with me. I'm working on it whenever I can catch a spare moment.

Aint God good?!