May 19 – “Upgrades”

Chris went to what she thought was going to be a Wednesday Club picnic yesterday at Kempner Park.  As it turned out, she was the only one who showed up.  Literally the only one.  She did see a family with small children playing and one other lady who just seemed to be taking a walk, but no one she knew.  Guess she didn’t get the memo …

While she was gone I decided to try again to start the process of upgrading the Bible software on my computer.  I use it virtually every day, and since the advent of Windows 10 it has been crashing two or three times every time I open it.  I did some checking and found out the software I had was three or four generations removed from being the newest.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but in this case, the reason for the software’s latest upgrade was … drumroll here … the advent of Windows 10.  None of the earlier versions was working properly so they completely redid their operating system.  It gets worse.  The most recent upgrade – the one that works with Windows 10 – can only be loaded as an upgrade to their former most recent upgrade, which meant I would have to upgrade first to that one, and then to the newest.  Crazy stuff. 

Now I started last month sometime trying to connect with the company to get the information I needed to make the upgrades.  I started with emails, because I never could find a phone number on their website.  Response was erratic at best, and usually obviously computer generated.  I did get one that promised to call me back.  That never happened.  So yesterday I began again.  This time I had a phone number, embedded at the bottom of one of the emails.  I made the call and … got a computer.  I had three choices: tech support (Not at all what would help me), sales, and customer service.  I gave both of those others a try.  Straight to voice mail after strongly suggesting I revert to emailing them.  I dutifully left a message both places.  I even went back to that one email from the person who promised to call me back, and sent her another request, outlining my frustrations.  And then, I waited. 

About an hour later I was trying to figure out how to use our new TV to show song videos so we can sing at home group tonight when the phone rang.  Surely not?  Yup.  It was the software people returning my call.  Customer service.  Once we connected, she was very helpful in getting me set up.  The first upgrade would be downloaded and the main one (the one that solved all the world’s problems with Windows 10) would be shipped in a thumb drive within a couple of weeks.  Seems they go back through my records and individually build the program to match what I have purchased through the years.  Then they test it before they send it.  Sounded good to me.  It also sounded when they realized I had been sent a “birthday code.”  Apparently they were giving big breaks to the old guys.  My code ended up taking $65 off the cost.  That was a huge help. 

While we were talking another call tried to break through my phone.  I ignored it, and they left a voice mail. And my email got a hit as well.  As soon as I finished the transaction I listened to the voice mail.  It was from the software company, assuring me that they would call back.  And the email was from the person I had just emailed earlier, assuring me that she would personally call me.  I suppose it must have been a really slow day at the office. 

So … It took about an hour to download the update, but I now have the preliminary update installed and waiting to be updated by the even newer update that is being shipped.  Haven’t had a chance to use the program yet other than a quick perusal to make sure the Hebrew and Greek packages were there.  They used to have problems getting their computers to recognize and send the Greek and Hebrew characters.    All was well on the foreign language front, though.  So far it doesn’t appear that I will have to learn anything new and confusing.  But as I said, the newer new update is “in the mail …”

Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

Father, thank you for the creative resources available to help study your word.  Help me to learn quickly.  Amen.