Sometimes things that seem unrelated aren’t really at all. For example:

1. My computer died.

2. I braided my hair.

I’m having a hard time blogging lately, and it is precisely because my computer died. All of the systems I had in place to make blogging easier, faster and more fun are all enclosed in the gray tomb still underneath the yellow table, now gathering fluffs of dust, until I am able and willing to make the long arduous trek to the stressful shiny city to go speak to some genius in a bar. How am I here now, you ask? Well, thanks to some generous grandparents, we finally got ourselves a new family computer after decades of hand-me-downs that would limp along until the next one showed up. But this machine is all new and I don’t know what happened to the features I was used to (Really, Apple? Your new Pages application stinks!!), and, besides, Tom has kept me plodding along on getting my book ready. Seriously, if it weren’t for my husband, that little ditty would still be on the “oh I hope someday to publish something somehow in some manner” shelf of dreams…AND it’d still be on my dead computer that by some manner bordering on impossible he was able to retrieve it from.

So my computer died and I braided my hair. Because when the thing you spend your free time on–or even your stolen time–is suddenly unavailable you end up with this weird little void. No “quick” Google search. No “just a peek” at social media. No “I’m just gonna look up…” or “Wonder what’s happening to…” or “What’s in my inbox” or, by far the most terrifying of moments: “I’m bored! Ack! What is this feeling?! What do I DOOOOOO???!!!!”

Recently, I had picked up this little used book on being chic or something like that, and found it somewhat similar to my message on being present. One of the chapters was on different ways to do hair, and I had just told my daughters that I was about to give up on growing it long (oh, the moaning of lament!). Fine, I figured. I’ll try one of the styles without Pinterest pictures to help me (grumble, grumble, stupid computer…).

So I did. It involved braids. It was cute. Despite my attitude. Hm.

You know, sometimes a media or computer fast is purposeful and planned. And sometimes that sort of fast is prodded by the Lord when you may not be willing to cut off that hand. Either way, when it happens, the void may surprise you and leave you a little perplexed. Take it as an opportunity to check your heart and your time. Take it as an invitation to bake bread, take a bike ride, or–yes–even try braids.

You may end up with something more beautiful. Even if you can’t currently post pictures of it.

Blessings,