Choosing Lent

Lent began yesterday with Ash Wednesday. Many follows choose to give something up during this time before Easter. Several attended Lenten services that were held last night and received the ashed-cross on their forehead. Some will continue to meet every Wednesday until Easter. For me, Ash Wednesday, and the Lenten season is a practice of the Christian calendar I’m still trying to embrace. For my personal reasons, strange as they may be, I struggle with Lent and the rituals surrounding it.

A Facebook friend shared a devotional link yesterday I am going to try and follow these next few weeks. I think I might be able to accomplish this devotional because, there’s not a lot to read. It’s online and the background music is rather soothing to me. Yeah, it’s embarrassing to admit how being faithful must sometimes be in small does and little steps. But here’s a moment of honesty slipping out.

In writing this to you, I learned this devotion is directed toward students. Well aren’t we all students? In life at least? So far yesterday & today’s devotion have not been more than 5 or 6 lines. That holds my wandering attention. It’s plainly written without long theological contemplative passages. So, if you’re a short attention spanner or struggle like me, maybe you’d like to choose to try and walk this journey with me ……

Here’s the link: http://www.d365.org/journeytothecross/

peace. (p.s. today’s devotion: the ability – and responsibility – to choose)

Tidbits to Chew On

This past week I’ve had the good future to have two very interesting conversations with a couple of my clients that I would like to share with you. I think both sets of information are important notes to pass along.

Of course, this is news parallels the good news bad news joke. One item is good information and the other is a warning-which could be taken as good information if you choose to be proactive about it. I’ll share the good first:

An online church donation link by All Saints Episcopal in Salt Lake City, UT (http://www.allsaintsslc.org) last fall has brought in an estimated 12% increase in donations. Rev. Michael Mayor also reported the link was very helpful when someone wished to make a memorial donation. Their check did not have to be sent in the mail. The giver merely went to the church website and made the donation online. BTW, reports are people use debit cards quite often in online donations so the giving on credit debate needs to be aware of this facet.

Many of you know my computer crashed after I moved to Baton Rouge. I LOVE my new Apple computer with dual Windows operating system but recovering old files and reestablishing them is never a fun task. One note I hadn’t shared about the details of my computer mishaps was I had just finished downloading a Windows update when the crash occurred. Talking with Rev. Dick Selby this week, I learned he and his wife experienced the exact same thing on each of their computers. This is quite alarming news as most viruses of this nature make it to the forefront of the news.

Maybe this was a coincidence. I tend to think it most likely wasn’t. I’m not aware of any safeguards but I will plead--- PLEASE, please back –up your documents, emails, contacts, etc. Keep a good back-up of information on a regular basis. I’ve been doing this for years and while I have some challenges with older software versus new software, I am going to be able to retrieve almost all of my data.

I’m heading off to send a note to Microsoft. Play safe out there in cyberland… peace.

Be Very, Very, Careful

Remember Elmer Fudd, the cartoon character. His double-barreled shotgun in hand and he turns to the screen and says, “Shhh. Be ve-wee ve-wee, care-vul, ‘cause we are hunting wabbits!”

Be very, very careful, because you may not be hunting rabbits, but they are hunting you. I’ve spent the last few blogs ranting about the predatory Internet. I apologize for doing the same this week, but I feel this is ve-wee,ve-wee Important!

A few of my clients have received letters from a business named Domain Registry of America. This letter urges them to renew their domain names as soon as possible to avoid risking their control of their name. Losing your domain name is not something anyone wants. Domain Registry of America knows that and that’s why they look so official and scary when they tell you your domain is about to expire.

Many of my clients are registered through my company. If you are my client, and not registered through me, I still know your domain registry company. NONE of YOU are registered through this company. They are luring you. Read the document to notice the carefully placed nonchalant word “switch” or “when you switch”. This word and sets of words is telling you that if you send them money, they become the registry. Every web domain name is registered to some company out there. Some are fairer than others. I don’t know how fair Domain Registry of America is or isn’t, but given the fact they are somewhat innocently sending you this information, I would treat them as the wolf in Gramma’s gown in the Red Riding Hood story and run away quickly!

Whenever you encounter any offer on the Internet or about the Internet, look over it with a fine tooth comb. If it seems too good to be true, IT IS! And as a reminder, keep a picture of Elmer next to your screen so you’ll always remember to be very, very careful.