Google Gadgets arrived on my computer this week.  They jus t showed up, uninvited. All of a sudden a clock with hands, the weather in San Francisco, photos from my picture file, news of sorts, and a neat post-it-note kind of application appeared on my desktop.

This is not something that I would have asked for, and if feels like a nervy intrusion – even though I must use my Google Toolbar TEN times a day.

This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost.  It is the story of the spirit coming to the disciples.  It was kind of intrusive - to say the least!  The writer of Acts described it as a mighty rush of wind and tongues of fire upon their heads (we won’t tell the Google people about that one!).  It broke into their lives!

What I like about this application breaking into my life – well – breaking into my computer - is the clock.  For some reason 8:04 am has less of an impact on me located down in the corner of my screen than the same time on an analog (you’ll need to Google this for accuracy).  I tend to lose track of time when I write, so that second hand is great as a symbolic reminder that life is going by.

I’m getting a bit mixed up on the hands of the clock because our most prominent analog clock at home has a knife and fork for hands.   As Pam learns to tell time, we get things like “the knife is at 6 and the fork is on the 4”.  It’s getting like Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales for me.  It always a guess at what the temperature in Celsius really feels like and who knows what freezing is in Fahrenheit anymore!

Well, the application was easy enough to figure out how to change the weather to Regina, dump the US news sources, and delete the sports news!

“For everything there is a time, a matter for every season under heaven” – so don’t let it slip away.  Life is a gift, and at times there is unexpected blessing that come our way – like my new gadget. 

Let us pray this Pentecost “spirit of life, come unto me.” *

Enjoy life!  May Pentecostal surprises come your way.

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( Carolyn Mc Dade, Spirit of Life ,Voices United Hymn Book # 381)