My Benevolent Benefactor

ARG. . .technology has held me hostage over the past couple days. Out of nowhere my laptop started acting "hinky" i.e. acting up. And then it died on me...the nerve! I mean it didn't even recognize my user password anymore:(

So after having a mental breakdown last Thursday night I took the necessary steps to try and calm down.
1) Did I pray? (check)
2) Did I cry? (check, check)
3) Did I pray some more (check, check, check)
4) Did I finally come to the realization that I may have to buy a new computer and that it's not the worst thing in the world because I will have the money for it, even if it will take a bite out of what I wanted to but on my credit card balance? (check, check, check, check)
and finally I prayed again.

See it goes with the negative philosophy that the second you pay something off it's going to break. And I don't like to give into that kind of self-pity, but it was very frustrating to have to think about taking my laptop in to be fixed, which I don't have the money for either, or potentially buying a new one. But what to do?

I was home by myself, my roommate being at work, so there was no one to commiserate with and so I sent out an text APW (All Points Whine) style, as apposed to an APB (All Points Bulletin) to my girls, Kali & Nicki. Knowing that there was nothing that they could do about it, but knowing that I also needed some sympathy.

Well, wouldn't you know it. Nicki actually had another option for me and asked me if I wanted her "old" one. We actually got ours around the same time, but she had gotten a new one for herself not long ago, which I had not known about prior to my disaster. To her it was just sitting in her closet, collecting dust and waiting for something useful to be done with it. It was also 2 models up from the one that I got in 2007. Needless to say I was surprised. I'm not a hinter like that, if I need something I'll ask, but I never would have known to ask a friend for something like that anyway, nor would I expect a friend to relinquish their computer so willingly. But she did, and I love her for it.

Looking back I did loose some information that I will miss, the videos from my Flip camera, like Sherri's devotion for Amber's bridal shower, and information on my MS One Note that I had saved for future plans. But other than that there wasn't anything major because I had all my photos, Bible Institute Assignments, SS lessons, and Devotions on my external hard drive. Whew!!!

This gesture was a definite answer to a prayer, even if it may seem silly to some out there. The reason I post this story as a testimony to account for the fact that my paying off my debt is something that the Lord is interested in and that He is capable of helping to provide for material things, as well as spiritual. I could still buy a new laptop if I wanted, but that would put my finances back from where I'm hoping to be in another year or so, and so unless something else goes horribly wrong I'll be happily using this one for the time being and then buy one when the money actually becomes available to me, rather than stack on more debt yet again. Even in the middle of doing the right thing tests sometimes come our way the key is in how you respond.

My Benevolent Benefactor was not just encompassed in Nicki and her generosity, but ultimately in the Lord who brought us together in friendship in the first place.

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.