The past few weeks have been ‘interesting.’  Problems with operations, use of medications to battle one area in my health (following doctor’s orders) complicating some other one.

Doing better, more able to concentrate, read and write.  My devotions continued even though I had to step back for a bit in my writings, just couldn’t organize my thoughts well enough.

‘nuff of that.

Had an interesting experience a few weeks ago.  I got on the computer in the morning to find that I was now on Windows 10 – even though I had not requested it.

Since it was there I thought I might as well see what I can do with it.  However, it slowed down my computer, froze up all the time, downloading all ads and automatically playing those that were videos. 

After a few days I got tired of it and called Tech support, Century Link has a good staff and can help on most things so I don’t have to take the computer downtown and be without a computer for at least two weeks.

They cleaned up a lot of ‘junk.’ The computer was back to normal speed for all of about four days.  And then back to the freezing not even letting me close the pages without shutting down and restarting the computer.

So, I called them back and asked they try once again, also thinking we just might go back to Windows 7, where problems were minimal.

I was transferred from the call taker to the technician that would help me. 

Somehow, and to this day I STILL am not sure how it came about, I started talking on the phone to a technician who I thought was Century Link but wasn’t affiliated with them.

We talked at length about my situation; he advised me to install a different virus protector along with a couple other programs that would help resolve the problems.  I had heard of one of them but not the other, but the one I had heard of is a good product, so I said go ahead and do it – STILL thinking I was on the line to Century Link.

I had opened up access to the tech guy and he was in my computer working and checking the disc. 

I asked him if the cost of the software was to be charged to my phone bill or did I need to give a credit card – he needed a credit card.  I still thought I was talking with Century Link so gave it to him.

We were well into the process when he gave the name of his company and code word to use when dealing with them.

I asked, ‘isn’t this Century Link.’  ‘No,’ was the reply. 

I asked, ‘how did I get you?’  He wasn’t sure, but he said his firm did work for a number of different companies.

The bottom line was I hung up, shut down the computer and called tech support at Century Link, to find that was not a company they use – that they did their own work.

I went through the process of having them remove anything the other firm had done and asked them to remove Windows 10 and put Windows 7 back on.

If you have ever canceled a credit card transaction you know how difficult it can be. 

I explained to the credit card rep what happened and I thought I had been scammed.  She checked my account to find that while not posted yet, the card had been tied up for the amount of money I had agreed to pay.  She could not stop the payment.

So, over the next couple of hours I wrote down exactly what happened so when I challenged the charge I could complete the forms I had to fill out at the credit union saying why I canceled it.

From past experience I knew one of the things they ask us to do is to ‘work’ with the company we had originally charged the card to – so the next morning I called them. 

I do believe they are a legitimate firm so my computer is not at risk.  They listened to the tape of the call with their employee and they could hear I thought I was dealing with Century Link and not another firm.

They tried to get me to continue with them, even offering to reduce the costs.  I told them I just didn’t trust them. 

I had not been told at the start of the card who I was dealing with and none of us could figure out how it all happened.  The ‘only’ thing I can think of – and I really don’t recall if this is what happened – the call taker from Century Link told me he was putting me through to tech support and then hung up.  At that very moment the other firm called me.

The other firm DOES do work for different firms and the reason the caller had called me was I was somehow on a list of those that had used another software provider that was no longer in business.  Don’ know how I got on THAT list, but after talking to the ‘boss’ I was satisfied nothing nefarious was going on.

They refunded the money immediately so I didn’t have to go to the office and file all the paper work.

We get calls all the time of someone from India, claiming to be Jim or George or Mary, etc. was responding to our computer telling them there is a problem.  It is so obvious a scam I can’t believe people actually fall for it – but, obviously they do or the scammers would stop.

I thought for a bit, that they had become more sophisticated and were now using Americans to do the scam.  Fortunately, once Century Link worked over my computer – eight hours later, after I asked Century Link to take care of the problem, I was back on line, limited though my use was for a while.

Nahum 1:3-7  The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

⁴ He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

⁵ The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

⁶ Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

⁷ The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

The world is becoming more and more of a scary place.  We have gone away from God and do whatever pleases us, without regards to His Words AND His warnings.

We see deep seated hatred all around us, people are no longer caring what they say, how they say it nor who it might hurt.

What God has always declared as sin, we revel in it and changed the definition from sin, to freedom of choice. 

Anger is welling up, calm voices do not seem to have any power any longer.  No one is truly listening, intent on spewing their hatred onto others, and many are resorting to violence against those that they disagree with.

We are seeing more and more violence from ‘nature’ as fires and floods consume millions of acres and thousands of homes, people are losing their livelihoods and property and, what is even worse, people are dying as the result.

We send our young men to war and then forget them when they come back broken and in need of understanding and healing; yet, those that refuse to contribute to the rest of society are being well fed and cared for by the government.

Are values of become disjointed and undefined.  We have demanded that God be removed from all parts of our world and strike out at whoever may disagree.

We know that the destruction of minds, the hatred spewing out, and the anger is a direct result of our actions against God, our denial of not only His authority but even His existence.

We read that God is slow to anger – yet once He does He uses all areas of this world to discipline those that defy Him.  Not just as retribution and punishment, but from a sincere desire to get our attention so that we turn back to Him.

How much of the ‘natural’ disasters are actually allowed by God to get our attention?

Is He fulfilling the words of Nahum and other prophets, as well as the actions He had to take against His chosen people to get their attention?

If the world and particularly America turned back to Him would He calm the seas, bring forth water to our drying land and make country that was once fertile and productive but has turned to desert and wilderness these past few years be once again providing food for the people?

I don’t know.  I do know that the problems besetting this world are directly derived from the world’s insistence that they no longer need to consider God – and His patience is and has been wearing thin.

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that TRUST in him.

As Christians we have the ability and duty to stand firm for God in Christ.  We have the ability and duty to continue to share His Word and love to others.  We have the ability and duty to pray for our country and world that people would turn from their sins and come to God.

We have the ability and duty to lovingly lead the way to salvation and correct the problems in this world.

Later, Art :-)