June 8 – “Big Brother Computer”

I woke up excited today.  I had a task to perform.  I knew just how to do it.  I understood all the limits.  It would make Chris happy.  I was ready … to water the grass.  OK, so it's not that big a deal.  But hey, I miss my wife, so I'm making the best of it.   I started on the back yard, and found out right away I wasn't as prepared as I thought.  Where to place the sprinkler?  How high does it need to squirt?  How long did she say she leaves it going?  That was the hardest question for me.  How long.  Well, I decided up front how long.  The problem was I kept forgetting to go move it.  Some places got 20 minutes, others 30 or more.  Oh, well, as hot as it's been, I figured the grass would appreciate it.  Finished up the front yard around 10:00.  Just before it started raining.  Hard.  And lightning.  Chris texted me from Houston.  The place where her Dad was having cataract surgery lost power and was operating on an emergency generator.  Nathan was going to take the jet ski to the shop, but he called to say he was waiting for the weather to pass.  Smart move.  It was a downpour.  There you go, grass.  Merry Christmas.   We got a mysterious call the other day from the pharmacy.  It was their computer telling us we had a prescription ready to be picked up.  None of us knew what that was for, so we ignored it.  Then last night I called in for a refill of my nerve pain medication, and the computer told me that I was an idiot and that prescription had already been filled.  Didn't actually say that, but made me feel that way.  So I called in an different one that I was almost ready to run out of.  Same computer.  Same message.  Already filled and ready to be picked up.  Now that was weird.  Then during the rainstorm this morning my phone rang again.  It was the pharmacy computer.  I had a prescription ready to pick up.  It sounded a bit nicer this time.  It added, "If you have already picked it up, please disregard this reminder."  I was intrigued.  After the rains subsided, I went over to Randall's to check it out.  Seems that they have an automatic renewal system.  When the computer thinks it's about time for a refill, it calls you and reminds you.  It also notifies the human pharmacist to have it ready.  I'm not so sure how I feel about that.  Thanks for taking care of me Brother Computer.  Big Brother Computer.   Just found out that Chris is staying an extra day at least in Bay City.  Her Mom is having some problems, so Chris is trying to convince her to go to the doctor tomorrow.  Wonder where Mom will want to go for supper?   Psalms 65:9 says, "You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly.  The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it."   Father, thanks for the rain today.  And thanks for the lesson in humility.  There are a lot of things bigger than me.  And wiser.  And stronger.  But you are bigger than them all.  Amen.