October 2 – “Automatic Update”

What an odd start to the day.  I woke up – wide awake – at 4:44 a.m.  OK, not that unusual.  It has happened before, but I can usually convince my body that it was mistaken and manage another hour or so of sleep.  Not today.  It was just time to wake up.  I reached over for my phone to see if the Astros held on to their 2-0 lead, and as it turned on, it suddenly started saying hello to me in about ten different languages.  I forgot that it was set to automatically update to whatever the newest operating system is.  That meant I had to wade through all the explanations and all-new choices for security.  I have no idea what all I agreed to.  I just wanted to see if the Astros won.  When it finally allowed me to access the MLB app, I was told that it needed to be updated.  In fact, it let me in on another little secret.  I had 22 other apps that needed to be updated as well.  Oh, well, it was five in the morning.  What else did I have to do?  By this time I had totally given up on going back to sleep, so I got out of bed and started my morning routine while the updates finished. 

Finally the opening screen appeared, the one where all the apps appear, ready to be accessed.  I noticed that the ones that updated had a tiny blue dot next to them.  Guess that means they have the updaters seal of approval or something.  I checked in on the Astros.  They did win, 3-0.  Altuve got a couple of hits, so his batting title is pretty secure.  Marisnek had three hits, so Chris will be happy.  He and Gattis (who had at least one RBI) are Chris’ favorites.  So, satisfied with those results, I checked in on my email.  One was from Apple.  They told me I had enabled two-factor authentication, whatever that is.  Something about whenever I sign in from a different device I have to have two ID’s instead of just one.  I’m not even sure of the one.  Hope that doesn’t come back to cause trouble later on. 

There is also one other app on there that I never downloaded, so I know it was part of this update.  It was entitled, “Home.”  Sounds safe enough.  I touched it to see what it would do.  There were three things listed.  1. Control your Home.  I wasn’t aware that our home had been accumulating complaints against it for bad behavior.  2. Set It and Forget It.  “Automate common behaviors …”  Wait a minute.  Exactly what “common behaviors” am I going to be turning over to my phone?  Brushing my teeth?  3. Share Access.  Now I can allow “people I trust” to “access my home”  whenever I want.  Well, we don’t really need that one.  People I trust already know they can come in and out any time they want.  I was afraid to push the Get Started button on that one.  Maybe later.  Maybe when the sun rises. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Father, thank you for the technology that people have developed using the incredible brains you have given them.  Thank you as well that I don’t have to understand all of it.  Reminds me of how I don’t have to understand all there is of You.  I trust you.  Amen.