Author Lisa Harris

ONE OF THOSE DAY. . .

I’m sure you’ve had one or two of “those days.” Days when nothing goes exactly the way it’s supposed to. And for me, it’s just noon!

I knew it was going to be a jam packed day, because it was Scott’s only free day this week. At five till seven Scott dropped off Gabriel at his ride, and I took the little ones to school, with Max the cat in tow who had an eight o’clock appointment at the vet. I met Scott at the mechanic where we waited to have his truck dropped off. There’s a problem with the brakes. Not something to mess around with.

I’m home by seven thirty, ready to whip out a chapter. I have a deadline on April first, but with it pretty much finished, I decided to try and write four chapters for my next deadline and finish the story this week. My in-laws arrive next week from the States, and I’d like to spend time with them before they head off to Zambia on a ministry trip with Scott, rather than spend the whole time working.

I sit down at my desk and turn on my laptop.

Nothing happens.

Strange. I’d worked till about ten thirty the night before and everything had been fine. I try plugging it in to the charger.

Nothing.

My laptop is dead.

To a writer with a deadline in five days, this is not a good thing. I try not to panic. Not only is the latest version of my story on the laptop, Scott needs to use it the rest of the week as he will be training people and needs to use the projector with the laptop.

I take some deep breathes as Scott tries to look at it. But there’s no mistaking the fact that it’s not turning on.

I head to Tzaneen, praying the whole way, while Scott gets the eight guys we hired to start working in the back of our house. Things grow so fast here that we have to get rid of all the brush that not only is a fire hazard, but a breeding ground for snakes as well. Not a pleasant thought.

Tzaneen is the closest town that can really be called a town. I rush into the computer store and declare my emergency. Now, normally, nothing gets done quickly here. We’re still waiting for the guys to come fix our flooded kitchen ceiling. They promised they’d be here at eight o’clock. Of course, they’re not here. And not only do things get done slowly, it usually takes at least two or three attempts. I prepared myself for the worst.

I hand the guy my computer, prepared to beg.

He opens it up and asks me what the problem is. It won’t boot up, I tell him. Dead as a door knob.

I can tell he’s confused, which bothers me. He’s the expert. Not me. He turns the computer around to show me, and my eyes widen. It was booting up.

Oh, yes. I do believe in miracles!

I head home feeling a huge burden lifted off of me.

So, it’s twelve now, and I have an hour and a half until Gabriel returns home--and one sentence written on my next chapter. I still need to feed eight hardworking guys, go back to Tzaneen and shop for groceries for the next two weeks, not to mention my two deadlines and my sweet kids, and husband. . .but one things keeps coming to mind.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

So rejoice today. Because God is good!

Lisa