My computer is becoming a serious source of irritation in my life. Not just the ordinary, I hate technology moments we all have, but I’m going to have to wipe the hard drive and start over sort of drama.
To be fair, it’s not even a real computer, it’s a netbook. I’ve had it for just over two years and I have used this little machine hard. Its logged as many travel miles as I have and, for a PC, has been a truly trouble free machine. And up until the past few months, I’ve been thrilled with its performance. It’s always booted up quickly and gone from application to application with lightening speed. It’s definitely been the favorite out of all computers I’ve ever had.
As I said, a few months ago that all began to change. At first I thought it probably had something to do with a virus or spyware or even cookies. But I’ve run every diagnostic in the book and it’s free from digital disease.
One thing all my diagnostic digging did reveal was a very full machine. Its open memory space is rapidly disappearing. Where once it had room to perform, now its life is cramped and overloaded. Its performance has dramatically decreased and if it were a person I’d even go so far as to say it’s chronically cranky. Its bad tempered disposition is due to the fact that I’m expecting it to do things it was never designed to do.
Because it was originally so efficient, I kept piling more and more on it. Moving all my work life to its hard drive because it performed so well. And, until it became overloaded, it just quietly processed my requests. Now, my only option is to wipe its hard drive and start over. And, to be totally honest, I really don’t have the time to spare.
Why? Well it seems I suffer from the same sort of malady as my darling digital offspring. While I considered what to do with this machine, God began to draw some obvious parallels within my own life. This has been a banner year for me, but with my successes have come a dump truck full of opportunities.
For some, that would be a good thing. For me, the queen of I-can’t-say-no, it’s developed into a nightmare. My own life has become overloaded and my performance has begun to suffer. Where once I finished projects early, now I struggle to complete them on time. I’m suddenly driven by deadlines and distracted by details. And the only answer is take a little time this upcoming holiday season and do a serious reboot to my life.
I’m in the process of plugging back in to my Creator and letting Him remind me of the special things He designed me to do. I'm looking forward to wiping my life free of everything I wasn't designed to do. So where do you stand coming into this holiday season? I encourage you to use the time to readjust your life back in line as we all spend the season celebrating God's love.
What a great post full of wisdom. I love the way God uses this types of things to get us to relate to what He wants us to understand.
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy, and sluggish performance due to overload is a bad feeling. I know you'll clean up your netbook and defrag your life, and be better and more productive than ever :)
ReplyDeleteBut I hate that you have to wipe out your hard drive, but sometimes that's the only thing to do. I feel your pain!
When we look at Jonah we discover that what we often take as punishment is usually God's redemptive acts in our life. Good sermon illustration: thanks.
ReplyDeleteYou have voiced what many of us feel. Priorities often need adjustment just like PC's. Thanks for reminding us.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Edie. Thanks for reminding me that wiping out the good things in exchange for the best is a way of worship.
ReplyDeleteConvicting, because you're right, Edie.
ReplyDeleteI hate what you're going through with your computer, but I love what you said--and how you said it!
ReplyDeleteWisdom, humor, conviction, application...it's all in there. (And with beautiful syntax, I might add!)
Love you, my precious friend. Praying we'll both do a better job of letting Him get our lives under control.
I am right there with ya!
ReplyDeleteHad to buy (and learn to use) a new laptop in the spring, in the middle of a very busy season. I feel for you! Thanks for the reminder that it's best to check with God as I set my priorities - can you email this every week? : )
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