A Monumental Day

Day 299 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

This is a monumental picture today. Not because of the content necessarily, but by the one that took the picture, the same one that sent it. My mother. My brother gave her a cell phone a few months ago, which she is still figuring out the nuances of, like making calls and answering calls. I love my mom, but when it comes to technology if it has more than a on/ off button it is over her head. For an example: she figured out over the past 12 months or so how to program her VCR (yes, VCR) to record certain shows at certain times, AKA program the timer. For the previous 25 years or so she had me set it for her, even after a power outage she would ask me to come out and reset the programming. So, you can see that she is not rally tech savvy.

Since she received the cell phone from my brother I have been trying to show her how to send text messages. Now that the water is encroaching on her property again I showed her how to send picture messages, several times. I showed her once again a couple of days ago when we went out to get some of her things she didn't want to risk losing to flood waters if they got to her house. I walked her through each step at least a couple of times, but she did not really seem that interested in learning. I told her that instead of explaining to me where the water level was that she could just message me a picture and show me.

Fast forward to today at about 8:15 this morning and the picture above showed up in a message on my phone. I was blown away. Not by the water level, but that she actually sent me a picture message. I thought, "Yes, she figured it out". I found out later that she had actually gotten a neighbor kid to help her with it, but anyway it was a milestone moment for the less than technologically adept mom'o'mine.

I think I will once again start pushing the idea of a DVR to replace her VCR now that she is making leaps into the 21st century. Maybe I should help her with baby steps though and not rush it too fast. Even though a DVR is much easier to work than a VCR, for her it would be like me trying to learn Spanish in a single 5 minute class. But, anything is possible and she might pick it up rather quickly. She is not one to try new things very readily.

On a serious note, please do pray for her and her neighborhood as the flood waters encroach. As of right now we are supposed to be fairly rain free for a few days, but then it is supposed to start again. Pray that the water stays at bay and that she remains safe through this time. She is well supplied, so food and drink are not a need, but safety and well being is. Right now she would need to be reached by a john boat or a really high sitting truck, neither of which I have immediate access to. I know that God will do what is best and I totally trust Him. So please pray for her and that God will reveal Himself to her in new ways through this time.