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Nothing forces change like a lack of continued service.

On the computer side, that means that soon my Windows version will be obsolete.  In past years, I have appreciated what a particular version of Windows could do for me.  Since I’m not a MAC user, I realize that there are often great threats to the system that I use.

At the same time, I  become used to what my programs can do for me.  I tend to exploit them to the extreme.  I know what I can do, and what more could be done.  Unfortunately, there are those who use that exploring spirit to find ways to be malicious.

So, Windows XP is about to lose its support system to keep that malicious threat at bay.  I can stay away from those who create problems by not using the internet.  In our current communications state, that is going to be next to impossible. 

The alternatives are costly.  Some exploration shows that I could maintain my current state for awhile, but eventually . . .

I guess that’s how many of us live our lives.  We are warned of upcoming disaster.  We are even told how to avoid that disaster.  And we continue on, thinking what we are doing will be just fine.  Until . . .

Yesterday was a beautiful day.  Our church service was buoyed in spirit by the sunshine.  Indeed, this was the day that the Lord made, we rejoiced and were glad in it.

At the same time, the difference in temperature meant that water began to flow.  The end of our street is notorious for plugging up the drains.  And so the water grew down a block or two.

Well, actually the water did not grow.  It accumulated.  In such a manner that trucks were dispatched to suck up the overflow.  I’m sure the pumping station was examined.  The road was blocked off.

I’m interested to see the results this morning.  If nothing else, I can rejoice as I see the ice glistening in these temperatures that are just below zero!  

Anyone who has worked in a Board governed organization will know how much a Board can make a difference.  Particularly in churches, the tenor and direction of a Board gives direction for ministry.

Yesterday I met with our new Board of Elders.  To call them elder is a misnomer – particularly as I age!  There is one who is half my age, another who is one third my age, and another  who is a little older than I.  Not a bad mix.

And mix we did.  This was really a get to know each other time.  The minutes reflect that we did set up things like officers and read minutes.  But the real benefit was coming together, listening to each other, agreeing and disagreeing and walking away with a sense of anticipation.

How a Board will function depends over time.  But when the time begins with a sense of hope, you are in a good place.

And we are in a good place.

As we have moved into our marriage, things have settled.

Enough that we are now able to feel like patterns are emerging.  One area of patterning is our finances.

We came together with a good sense of budgeting and the worth of  money.  For the first few months the spending patterns were a bit out of whack.  A wedding ceremony was paid for, moving costs expended and even new items for the house were bought.

These are not usual expenses. 

But now we are into a few patterns.  Life is much easier, in some senses, when you can plug a few numbers into an EXCEL spreadsheet and see some patterns. 

So, that is what is emerging.  Another day or two of inputting and analysis . . . and we shall see what we shall see!!