The Mystery of "Sync" Solved

I'm going to share something my family knows well, but few others do. I'm really, really, really bad at figuring out technology.

For example, we finally had to get one of those boxes that records tv shows because I couldn't remember how to operate the DVR. The advertisements promised that it was easy to record your favorite shows. They had me at "easy."

I had to go down to the cable store to exchange the cable box and was surprised when I didn't get a manual. I asked (nay, begged) the salesperson to PLEASE give me some sort of written directions for this new box. And she said there wasn't any, because it was so easy.

I looked at her and laughed out loud! "Ha!" I said. "You have no idea what I can NOT understand. I'm the queen of making easy things difficult."

Hence my experience with my I-pod. A few years ago my husband bought me this cute little I-pod Shuffle when I thought I was going to start running. I figured out how to buy songs on I-tunes and they automatically got on my library when I pressed "buy." My teenage son showed me how to get them from the library to the I-pod. My husband showed me how to put some podcasts on the I-pod. And I should have figured out how to do it by watching them. But I didn't.

Last fall, I needed to put some conference calls on my I-pod. I could get them to my I-tunes library, but I couldn't get them on the shuffle. I worked for hours, thinking surely, I should be able to do this myself. I e-mailed friends for help. I Googled instructions. I searched the I-tunes help pages. But nothing made sense. I actually cried over this, I was so completely frustrated with myself.

Finally, in annoyance at my own ineptitude, and after months of trying on my own, I asked my husband for help.

To his credit, he kept a straight face and said, "You sync it and they will be on the Shuffle." Within seconds it was done.

I couldn't believe it. For some reason, no matter how many times I read the instructions, I thought it should have been harder. I knew how to sync songs, but I thought the conference call recordings were different. I DON'T KNOW WHY I THOUGHT THAT!

This has bothered me for a month. I can't figure out why I couldn't get it. Then I realized that I sometimes I make life and faith too hard. I try on my own to solve problems, look on the Internet for answers, ask friends, and read books looking for answers.

When all along all I needed to do was sync my heart with God's heart. When I quiet all the internal fussing down, and put myself in a position to listen instead of talk, God speaks.

What an amazing gift God gives us when we look to Him for answers. He actually answers us in a way we can understand. When we expect Him to. When we listen for His answers.

It's simple, really. But in this super-complicated world, I expect it to be harder. I expect it to take more work on my part. God knew I needed it easy.

So, I've finally figured out how to put songs, podcasts and recorded conference calls on my I-pod. Now if I can just figure out that recording box the cable salesperson said was easy.

In His Love,

Glynnis