Upgrade

I have been upgraded.

Oops, I mean my computer has been upgraded. I am still the same, which is what poses the problem.

A few weeks ago when I mentioned signing up for an online course that needed particular system requirements, my brother sprang into action. He quickly deduced that he would upgrade his computer and give me his “old” one. Yesterday he brought over the tower thingy, a large flat screen monitor, a new wireless mouse, and a sound system. I already had the keyboard.

In no time flat, John had everything plugged in ready to go. Tomorrow I get a lesson in file transfers from the HP laptop I was using. Today is dedicated to organizing my computer desk—which had become the repository for everything from bug spray to photos to greeting cards—and getting acquainted with Microsoft 7.

This morning I managed the high-tech endeavor of adjusting the height of my monitor by stacking it on the subwoofer of the sound system. It’s a little high, but I suppose that is better than a little low.

Already I have some questions having to do with John’s enhanced security system, which disallows most of the things I want to do on the Internet. The computer tells me I need Java Script enabled, but that box is selected already. I imagine that I will need further help to be able to sign into the course I’ll be taking, which starts today, and start to learn the intricacies of Blackboard.

Oh, yes, this Certificate in Lay Ministry course is offered by Whitworth University in Spokane. I honestly don’t know why I am taking it, other than the gut level “Yes!” I felt when I saw its availability online. I’ll learn more about Bible study, church history, reformed theology, and the inner workings of the Presbyterian Church USA. It’s all fascinating stuff to me, and I’m sure God will teach and bless me through it.

And while I’m struggling with my new computer upgrade, I have this sneaking suspicion that the certificate course will be God’s upgrade to prepare me for service yet unknown. At least then my computer and I will have something in common.