Due to Circumstances Beyond My Control

I didn't set out to become a lazy blogger or a Mon-Wed-Fri blogger, but the way my computer's been acting, I'm blogging right now in case I don't get another chance--EVER! From lunchtime Wednesday until 4:30 p.m. Thursday we couldn't get a connection. I was so busy working on my "message" for Sunday night, I decided not to call Embarq for tech support until I was through studying for the day. That strategy worked well. I got my thoughts in print by mid-afternoon and spent the next 90 minutes going through system checks with a very patient and congenial techie in Pennsylvania. He said he was glad to get a call like mine because they were being deluged with Floridians who wanted their Internet connections back, but in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Fay it's taking some time. We finally got my connection back, but lo and behold, this morning, same problem. I went ahead and cut, split, and stacked firewood until lunch. During lunch I ran a system restore and got my Internet again. I think I've got some security issues, but for the moment I'm content to post at least this brief update and share my computer with some malevolent worm or virus. By the way, in regard to my Sunday night message at Beulah Hill Baptist, any of my local readers would be welcome. I promise to embarrass you. Service is at 7:00 p.m. (Choir practice at 6-- ha, ha). Daddy asked me how my "sermon" is coming along. Ray asked if I was ready for my "lecture." Arrrgggh (as Amanda would say). Those words are like the "kiss of death." So what do I call it? I dunno. But I'll let you know after the fact.

Let us not forget that today is the last workday for teachers. Monday is the real thing. Thousands of students and hundreds of teachers got rid of a few butterflies with this week's Back-to-School Night. I didn't always like those nights, but after a few years I realized it actually reduced the stress of the first real day because at least we weren't meeting for the first time. Monday, computer willing, I'll have some opening day words of encouragement for those embarking on the 180-day journey once again.