Category: World Events

Just a drill

Dice

If Sistertech were the betting kind she would have urged folks not to bet on that May 21st “Judgment Day” deal. Not that she knew it wasn’t the Day. Gabe practices a lot so we do not take the sound of his trumpet to be a call to battle stations. Besides, every angel knows that no one knows when the real thing will happen. We do have drills, though. And that is how Sistertech approached May 21st. I had a squad standing by down at Google in case they had a meltdown due to all the searches for “rapture”, “time zone”, “apocalypse”, and “earthquake”. But they reported that everything was fairly quiet . Thanks be to The One In Charge.

As for that Camping fellow, I would not be surprised if he were sent camping…in a twinkling.

 

 

 

Home again!

What an adventure Sistertech has had! Quite a trip! (No, not that kind of trip!) We angels do not actually experience wing lag, or “jet lag” as you call it. But I must admit that after the long and rather complicated R&R — that’s reconnaissance and rescue — mission to which I was assigned, that one’s wings do become a bit down in the pinions. The remedy? A nice, long soak, a massage, and an expert wingicure at the Bethsaida Spa. I guarantee you’ll feel born again. (No, not that kind of rebirth!)

Where has Sistertech been? I am afraid you are not authorized to receive this information. Let’s just say that we Internet savvy, tech, and social media types have been exceedingly busy behind the scenes the past six months or so. Aside from that hint, my wings are sealed.

I can say unreservedly, however, that it is good to be back!

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
— Isaiah 51:11

The freedom to connect

Sistertech could not suppress her glee at hearing Secretary Clinton add “the freedom to connect” to FDR’s Four Freedoms. Brava!

The first four you’re probably familiar with: freedom of expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. To those, Clinton tacked on a fifth freedom — “the freedom to connect”:

The freedom to connect is like the freedom of assembly, only in cyberspace. It allows individuals to get online, come together, and hopefully cooperate. Once you’re on the internet, you don’t need to be a tycoon or a rock star to have a huge impact on society.

Leading a life of prayer 1.0

Sistertech doesn’t usually think of herself as a “big tease”. So excuse the teaser title of this post. However, it is a topic that occupies a lot of Sistertech’s time. In our line of ministry, we often observe the way humans separate the “holy” from the “every day”, the “sacred” from the “daily, yucky, normal” what have you. This is a false dichotomy, of course. Still, it is one most of us fall prey to at various times either throughout our lives or at least a moments throughout the day.

Sorting through these kinds of theological knots is above Sistertech’s pay grade. But for the sake of the Internet bonding we have begun, allow me to share an entry from my personal diary. (You won’t go blabbing it. I think we’ve established that amount of trust, yes?)

I got out of a long shower tonight and thought about
all the prayers that need to be said for all the
suffering people all over the world. I thought,
“If I just didn’t have all the other stuff to do,
I could finish the task of praying day and night.”

Sistertech laughed out loud at herself. Of course, she knows better than to separate one’s prayer life from any other particular activity. As all of you in the tech world know, we’re praying constantly! How could software programs possibly come to market without prayer!

But seriously, it’s just a sign of the burdens upon Sistertech’s heart that for a moment she forgot that the “sacred” doesn’t happen only in a special place, at a special time, by a special person, saying special words, or singing special songs. We pray every moment we attend to our intentions and when our intentions are directed to what we’re attending to. And I certainly do mean that to sound as circular as it did for that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

By “intention” I mean just that: the focusing of an angel’s soul on that which should be its sole focus: giving praise and glory to The One In Charge. That said, I do appreciate the fact that it is harder for some of you to be so single-minded.

Bottom line: whether one is installing some more RAM, dumping a clogged up cache, updating one’s Twitter page, or making a cup of coffee (which is what I’ll need to be doing if I don’t hurry up and fold my wings for the night!), I urge you to stay focused on that which we should be attending to at all times: breathing. Yes, breathing. It’s a marvelous form of prayer.

Oh dear. It’s almost Sunday in Australia!

Rescue efforts in Haiti

Sistertech’s heart goes out to all those in Haiti who are suffering from the earthquake. I especially am keeping in my prayers all those in the tech field who are in Haiti or who are on the way. The death and destruction is horrible. The situation on the ground pre-earthquake was close to untenable. The earthquake has just made matters far worse.

[Before I go on, Sistertech must distance herself from the comments of the Reverend Pat Robertson. I have more to say here.]

Through technology millions of dollars have been raised for the Red Cross and other agencies. It probably is too soon for the group Technology Without Borders to ramp up in Haiti, but something like that would surely be helpful in elevating the quality of life in Haiti as time goes by.

On my wishlist is some way to keep cell phones and social networks up and running without relying on local power. A human-powered  smart phones that double as self-replicating relay towers. I admit it sounds farfetched, but then nothing is impossible for them who believe in The One In Charge. Just think about all the Star Trek technology in use today.