Friday, 8 January, 2010
[Almost caught up]
Psalm 96
I take the Psalm for January 8 from the book of Lesser Feasts and Fasts. This day we honor Harriet Bedell.
Reading over the brief particulars of her life, it reminded Sistertech of her own early ministry to those who were traumatized from earlier encounters with personal computers and the scourge of the earth, the DOS operating system. This was in the late 80’s folks and DOS was not the kind of thing one foisted upon the innocent computing neophyte. Blessed Harriet seems to have been attentive to the needs of those to whom she was called. She evidently worked with Native Americans in Florida and did her best (all things considered) to help them use their indigenous skills to meet the challenges of living in the “modern” world.
Blessed Harriet was not the kind of missionary to boot up a PC, run a few DOS commands and leave those whom she was called upon to help staring at the C:\ prompt. For her example of humility and sensitivity, Sistertech is grateful.
1O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvellous works among all the peoples.
I thank Rob deMallac for declaring to me the glories of Ubuntu lo, these many years ago now. I guess we’re all missionaries of one kind or another.
4For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
5For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Theologically, Sistertech has always been curious about this “plural” thing going on here with “gods”. The Documentation is clear about the singularity of The One In Charge. But even in the Doc (for short) gods (plural) are mentioned. Well, it’s above my paid grade so I don’t worry about it much.
What does seem spot on is this distinction between “idols” and The One In Charge. I used to see this worshipping of idols frequently in my house calls. “They guy in the Big Box Store said that <the-program-that-shall-remain-unmentionable> was what we needed to make the phone list for the babysitter.” Really! In my snarkier moods I almost thought these people deserved their idols. I had to go through an attitude adjustment on that one.
Now, I’m not pointing fingers…well, yes, I am pointing just a wee bit. Sistertech is ready to confess her own past dalliance with idols. Year after year, upgrade after upgrade, from Mac to PC, and PC after PC. When I think about idols what really comes to mind are the lower level software programs. The same old idols. Software promises made but hardly ever kept. And yet what did I do? I kept bowing down no matter how feckless the software had proved itself to be. It really gets my computer jumpers twisted up in knots when I think about…now what is it called? It’ll come to me in a…yes. About the money I threw away sacrificing to mere idols.
The Psalmist reminds us “The One in Charge made the heavens”. This isn’t liver chopping folks. It takes a real deity to make the heavens, and in addition, to make them heavenly. But what’s this got to do with computing? It’s clear to anyone who has given it the considerable attention it deserves, that The One In Charge made The Computer. I admit that perhaps I’m deluding myself. It’s hard to tell. Since I’m in winking distance from The One In Charge, it never occurs to me that there are others who are In Charge. Sub-contractors, yes.
6Honour and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
I might get busted for saying this, but I don’t think The One In Charge is at all unhappy about The Steve. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if The Steve and The Linux aren’t all part of The Plan. (The Microsoft may be involved, but not in a nice way. I’m just sayin’.)