Bitten

I have been bitten...bitten by the green-eyed monster.
It is true, I cannot deny it. I am envious of my son, James. Why, you ask?
Not because he is younger. I might want to redo my thirties, but definitely not my twenties.
Not because I am jealous of his job. He and Amanda are home parents for a group of boys and they are good at it, but I don’t want to do that.
It isn’t because he has more hair than I do. That will change eventually.
Nor is it because he has some skills or abilities that I do not have—although, I do admire his patience with people and his grasp of music.
No, I am jealous because he got a laptop computer yesterday. I don’t have a laptop computer. I have wanted one for a long time, but I do not have one yet. He, on the other hand, just bought one.

Earlier this week I did get to help him with his selection of laptops. Yesterday he called me from Austin right after it arrived at his house so I could be excited with him! And I did get to help him when he called two more times questions about software installation.

Now, perhaps, you think that I have been eating sour grapes, and I should just "get over it." You're thinking, "He just wants a new toy."

Well, I do enjoy new toys, especially electronic one or books, but that is not the reason I want a laptop. I have a growing list of excellent reasons why I need one:

• A laptop would be great a great tool in my teaching ministry. I could do presentations, show video clips, provide on screen notes. Interactive outlines would be great!
• When I am sick or have to spend extra time in bed for health reasons, a laptop would allow me to keep up with work, do lesson preparation, write blogs, and serve a number of other useful functions. etc. The last I time that I was stuck in bed several days because of a flare up of bursitis, I thought about loading my desktop computer, monitor and keyboard on the bed with me. Of course, there would not have left much room for me and I’m not sure the equipment would stand upright on the bed. Then, there would have been the problem at night when Patty wanted to come to bed. Everything would have had to be moved.
• A laptop would be extremely useful on trips. Patty and I could check our email. No standing in line waiting to use a computer at a motel. I could keep up with messages, stay in touch with family, and keep up work projects or Bible study lessons. You get the picture.
• It is obvious that a laptop would be very helpful for me.

Thus, I wrestle with the green-eyed monster who reminds me, “Your son who got a laptop before You.” Now that I think of it, my pastor has a laptop, and so does the worship pastor at church. Why even Sue, a coworker at Good Samaritan, has a personal laptop!

I guess I will have to wait a little longer for my laptop. While I am wait, though, I can add to my list of reasons I need a laptop! In the meantime, I need to stop blogging and work on my Bible study. Let’s see…I was supposed to be studying Heb 13:5 and Phil 4:11.

Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. (Heb 13:5b HCSB)

I've learned to be content in whatever situation I'm in. (Phil 4:11 GW)

Man, it would be great to be studying the Bible from a Laptop.