I spent most of yesterday afternoon working on a forum that I run. It was time-consuming, frustrating, hard, long and tiring…did I mention frustrating? Worst thing is…some people will not be happy. They won’t like it. The Admin staff and I decided that some changes needed to be made for the sake of the homeschooling community that frequents the forum. We didn’t do it to annoy people or make their time on the forum harder, even though it may seem that way to people at times.
Tehee, I remember nearly 10 years ago when my husband first wanted to connect our dinky computer to the Internet. I did not want it at all…I thought it would one day be used as an instrument of the enemy and I didn’t want any part of it. Well, sure enough here we are- blog, website, forums, email and just about anything else one can think of. But, I’ve had my fair share of computer crashes, dumps and horrid things go wrong. Nothing is more frustrating that losing everything on the computer- or not being able to access one’s information at call. I recall saying many a time, “I hate having my life on the computer!” as I could not access my homeschool records or planning after a PC crash. I did however, learn to back up my work well. Change is a necessary evil with all things Internet…not always desired but necessary.
My, the homeschooling movement has changed a lot over the years. Let me tell you a little story. A few years ago, I had a home-based business supplying books to fellow home-schoolers. At first, people (I hope you know I speak very generally here) were patient and quite content to wait 3 months for an order to come in from the States- it was just the way it was. Slowly, over the years though, as online ordering became easier, a few people found it easier and quicker to order their supplies straight from them States themselves. I didn’t have a problem with that as they could get it quicker- sometimes even cheaper than what I could supply them with! (Sad, isn’t it?) Well, business grows and time goes on…
So, I started ordering more stock to have on hand here, which is risky for a small business but on the occasion where I would run out of a book or resource, people simply could not wait for their curriculum to arrive by air mail…they needed it now. They could get it quicker themselves via the ‘net. I started to go crazy by trying to meet the continually changing needs of the homeschool community that I served and meet the needs of my family. I couldn’t do it- something had to go. Obviously, it wasn’t going to be homeschooling so HomeGrownKids closed down. But I have noticed how much the emergence of the Internet has totally changed our society…and our homeschool society.
I think it’s wonderful that so many Christians and homeschoolers have embraced technology and use it as their tool. I think that the Internet, in general, has allowed for the generosity of some people to shine. I mean honestly, how much legally free stuff can one get on the ‘net? It’s incredible…this truly is the Super Information Highway-the Information Age. People share their time, the gifts, their knowledge, their energy, their whole being…for the good of others. Sure some people are making money on the Internet- good on ’em. Other’s are not…they just enjoy serving others.
It’s good to remember where we were 10 years ago and to think ahead as to where we’ll be in another 10 years. Time has a way of changing things, doesn’t it? Our perspective changes when we start to see things in the light of eternity…when we try to look at the Big Picture (God’s Kingdom).
I know blogs are important and it is incredibly frustrating when something goes wrong. However, there are many biblical principles that one can try to live by. We can show our character through these time: are we thankful for the many free opportunities we are given or do we grumble? Are we quick to judge, quick to form opinions and hasty with our words and actions? Or are we allowing the Lord to develop patience in our lives?
PRO 15:18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.
ECC 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
Eph 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Patience is very easy to display when things are going well eh? But the true mark of patience is when things don’t go our way. Patience is a Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5;22) and as believers, we should all be growing in this area. ?I am extraordinarily patient provided I get my own way in the end.? is something that Margaret Thatcher has said. Does this sound like you?
But how do we display patience when we want our blog up and running? Well, patience is persevering toward a goal, enduring trials and expectantly waiting for a promise to be fulfilled. We can do that with HSB. They have our best interest at heart, I’m sure. They have a goal – to get us all up and running as soon as possible. We can try to be patient during this trial while we wait expectantly for the goal/promise to be fulfilled. (Hope I’m not sounding heretical here)
During this wait, we can do something proactive!
1) Be thankful. Take this time to enjoy your family and other things around you…giving thanks to God for ALL things.
2) Seek another purpose for a time…ask God to show you something else to do in the blogging time.
3) Encourage each other to be patient, to give thanks and to persevere.
