The Good in Good Friday

I know I have threatened this before, but the book I started 9 years ago is uploading to the publisher as we speak. If the proof is approved, I will have it out in a week or so. I have spent the past several days, several hours a day ripping my hair out. It saves on hair cutting bills, but is not really a good look on me. Usually, this is the time I need to go immerse myself in nature. God's creation has a very calming effect on me. But it has been either rainy or frigid the past few days so I have been stuck indoors, alone with Word Documents, and a barely passable understanding of how to use them.

Praise God for Brian, the computer guru, who took over my computer one day when I sent him a brief g-mail chat: "Do you have a moment before I jump off a cliff?" Fortunately, he did. He worked his magic in the most amazing way. He uses this astonishing application, I think it is called Team Help, where he can remotely take over my computer. While I sit and watch in dumbfounded amazement, an invisible hand is clicking and moving all my troublesome text and pictures around till the problem is solved. I watch closely, knowing I cannot always call on Brian. I must at some point learn how to do all this myself, but he works with such lightning speed that it is near impossible to follow and take notes so that I can replicate the process.

During the last session, even Brian was a little perturbed by some of the inexplicable and stupid aspects of Word Doc intricacies. He told me it would take some time to fix my mess, and I would need to bring my computer to him and we would work on it over the weekend. The invisible hand removed itself, Team Help signed off, and I blinked at the document before me. However, the spirit of Brian hovered near in the notes I had taken, however incomplete they were. They infused me with hope. Maybe I can do this.

At a much slower pace, and with much fear and trembling, I began to try to mimic what I had seen Brian do. I could scarcely believe it when I successfully resized the photo and the text flowed correctly around it. The floating caption that had vanished was found, and I dragged it to its proper place. I still had thirty photos to go, but I had successfully followed Brian's lead. Now on to the next one.

What a PERFECT story for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday! It was on Good Friday that our Lord and Savior, God 's own son, sacrificed Himself on our behalf. Remember how distraught the disciples were -- plunged into the darkness of despair and disillusion? All seemed lost to them on that terrible day. In their dismay, they could not cling to or remember or understand the Messiah's promises. God had apparently abandoned them in their minds. But then, three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared before them. He remained but a short time, infusing them with hope and promising that they would never be left alone again. He poured out His Holy Spirit upon them, and told them this Comforter would be with them always. Though invisible to them, they would never be left without His power and strength, and His instructions would guide them through all the trials and vicissitudes of life. Take heart, He whispered, for I have overcome the world!

By the end of the day I had successfully finished the final touches, with every photo now perfectly sized and placed exactly as I had hoped. I sent the document on to its final journey (I hope) for review before the book I have struggled over for nearly a decade, is given life.
Take heart, I whispered smiling, for I have overcome the Word Doc!

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John 11:25 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

1 Thessalonians 4:14 

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

John 6:40 

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Luke 14:14 

And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

1 Corinthians 6:14 

And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:11

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.