I am sitting here with my first morning coffee. All four of the little green lights on my new modem are in line, as if in the military, quietly awaiting commands.

Almost a month ago I was in this same place when the lights on this Dell and the modem suddenly shut down, and I felt a little like unplugging life supports must feel.

I didn't realize how much I depend on this wonderful invention. When I would hear something about the coming presidential election, I'd think I'd get more details from it, then remember that I couldn't, and a restlessness and not so quiet impatience would set in. When I read about how complaining the children in the wilderness became, I would think how unappreciative they were, and be glad I'm not like that. When asked what my best qualities are, almost always I enjoyed telling people what a patient person I am.

Obviously our Lord had some work to do on me, and not so obviously, He set out about it much differently that I would have. I think it began one frigid night when the driver's side car door lock froze, and when I shoved a heated key into it, the already improperly working little gremlin became just what God could use to show me my patience isn't as great as I want to believe it is.

The lock problem began about four weeks ago, and it's still not repaired. The mechanic couldn't even get that door open. He ordered the new parts, but so much is going on at work it is hard to correlate his work schedule and mine, and another week will go by before we can.

I am trying to see something good in this. and I think I found it in the back of my upper legs, and numbers on my bathroom scales. A week or so ago I noticed my legs kind of hurt back there ,and wondered if arthritis had set in, but one day I realized how much calisthenics I'm doing getting in and out of the car from the other side of it. Remembering to use the safety grab bar as I swing myself over the middle console thing has greatly improved my form.

But the most fun about this aggravating inconvenience is seeing the puzzled looks on other drivers' faces. The last time I was at the mechanic's shop, and trying to get out of the car, some little lady walking her restless little dog who was wrapping his leash around her skinny little legs, was so puzzled by it all, she couldn't quite figure it out. But I had already made a few stops on my way to the garage, and was fresh out of repeating: "My car door is broken." As I walked into the garage, she continued standing out there, staring at my car.

I hadn't weighed lately, and was more than a little smug this a.m. Without even trying, I've lost four pounds. I turned down a nursing job I just didn't feel O.K. about, and my son had more surgery, but is doing really well. Eventually the house repairs will get done. I really thought I was handling all these things rather well, but now understand that God really is in charge of even the small details of our lives, and that includes broken car door locks.

In checking family blogs, and those of other bloggers, I see that everybody has important things to deal with, but the most important of them all is little Cameron getting well. Compared to that, nothing, absolutely nothing else matters. Please keep praying for him.