top 10 most expensive laptops

Here’s the list of most expensive laptop in the world!

10. Acer Ferrari 1100: $3000
The Acer Ferrari looks like the Italian Supercar built with ultralight design, wear resistant carbon-fiber chassis. for the specs it has AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core CPU, 4GB of RAM and a draft-n WiFi where you will get the perfomance cars like Ferrari. Pretty good price that is $ 3000 but the design is very worthy to be purchased for the performance and appearance.

Acer Ferrari 1100

9. Dell M6400: $3000
This Dell notebook is very powerful. This laptop has an Intel Core 2 Duo Quad Core Extreme Edition processors for ripping complex analysis and boasts 16GB of fast 1066MHz DDR3 memory for large data and have 1GB of graphics memory. High performance laptop like this do not come from the low price dell of course. The price of this notebook reaches $ 3,000.

Dell M6400

8. Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660: $3500
This is the laptop that can handle HD DVD. Featured With a 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 240 GB RAID 0 HDD and Nvidia GeForce Go 7600. This is the only laptop computer that has a HD DVD player with 17 inch screen with 1920 × 1200 resolution. The price reach $ 3,500 but this laptop has a good design and feature for those of you who like the entertainment.

Toshiba Qosmio G35 AV660

7. Lenovo ThinkPad W700DS: $4500
Different from the normal 17 inch display, this laptop has a secondary pull out (like drawn) display that can pull from the primary display and is very useful for Excel and CAD programs for graphs and numbers. Displays can be highly functioning well, especially on Skype or instant messenger. This laptop is equipped by 2.53 GHz Core 2 Quad Extreme QX9000, 4GB RAM, dual 250GB 5200RPM hard hardrives. The prices reached $ 4,500.

Lenovo ThinkPad W700DS

6. Alienware Area 51: $5000
For the lovers of pc game, this laptop is too sophisticated if specifically used for gaming. Sylish and sleek design equipped with Intel Core 2 Extreme packs in technology and the NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GT in a dual GPU SLI  configuration with dedicated 1 GB for graphic perfomance.
This laptop has 1 TB of storage in a high speed RAID 0 configuration, and other storage options are equipped with a smart bay sistem and can record HD TV and film with its use build in TV Tuner card. This is a product with a very reasonable price of $ 5000 worth to be purchased.

Alienware Area 51

5. Rock Extreme SL8: $5000
This is the world’s fastest computer with specs Intel Core 2 Quad Processor, NVIDIA 9800M GPUs in SLI and staggering 8GB of RAM. Equipped with a blue ray can display up to high definition. All those who have this laptops must be very proud of this. The cost is $ 5000 but very worth it compared to its feature. Maybe this is the most expensive laptop that caused by its functionality.

Rock Extreme SL8

4. Voodoo Envy H:171: $8500
If you want a laptop with high performance, this is the best laptop. Already optimized and the specifications are Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 processor, a chunky 4GB of RAM, twin Nvidia Quadro FX Go 2500M graphics chipset, 1.3MP webcam, dual 250GB hard disks, 7-in-1 memory card reader, dual layer DVD RW drive and a high resolution 17-inch 1920×1200 display. And the chassis can be replaced with 25 colors and can choose one of 14 tattoos in accordance with the options available. The price of this laptop is $ 8,500.

Voodoo Envy H:171

3. Ego for Bentley: $20,000
By seeing the picture above I do not think this might be a laptop for men. The authenticity of the Bentley logo, very stylish and worthy to carry. This laptop can match the color of the bentley car. These laptops are usually bought by rich women who have money to cost $ 20,000 for appearance only. specification of the laptop is only 64 bit for vista and 160 GB HDD.

Ego for Bentley

2. Tulip E-Go Diamond: $355,000
This laptop impression is as “most Luxurious laptop in the world” and yes, that is. Because this laptop is designed with a touch of chrome and alike unique women bag shape. The grip can be replaced with white gold and diamonds. That’s way the price reached $ 355,000. Specifications are not far above the average with 12-inch antiglare screen display (anti-reflection so light), 2GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, integrated webcam, Bluetooth 2.0, and DVD burner.

Tulip E-Go Diamond

1. Luvaglio One Million Dollar Laptop: $1,000,000
Like what the title said the laptop is a million dollars worth. This laptop is made to order and only designed for only one in the world and can be ordered with the customer specification whether it is made from wood, metal or iron. This laptop is designed to allow the user to upgrade their component himself. The laptop is equipped with 128 GB solid state drive, mp3 player, a built-in USB stick and equipped with “integrated screen cleaning feature.”

Luvaglio One Million Dollar Laptop

Resources --> http://www.worldinterestingfacts.com/lifestyle/top-10-most-expensive-laptop-computers-in-the-world-that-you-may-want-to-put-beside-your-business-folders.html

Top 10 computer brands

These are the top 10 computer brands according to a vote held :D


1. Hewlett-Packard
2. Apple
3. Dell
4. Acer
5. Toshiba
6. Sony
7. Asus
8. IBM
9. Sun Microsystems
10. Compaq


Resources --> http://www.the-top-tens.com/lists/best-computer-brands.asp

Internet Broadband

In recent years, great strides have been made in the development of telecommunications infrastructure in Indonesia so that there is now an enticing array of alternative services providing ever-quicker Internet access for consumers in Indonesia. The internet in Indonesia was launched in 1998 and reached 134,000 subscribers. In 2004 that figure had grown to 1.3 million!and In 2010, there were 30 million Internet users in Indonesia, about 13 percent of the population. Broadband use is only about 18 percent of all internet users in Indonesia.
Poll Results from the Expat Forum show that expats are using the following methods to connect to the Internet in Indonesia:

• Dial Up Connection 14.58%
• Premium Dial-Up 2.08%
• Broadband Cable 41.67%
• Satellite-based Internet Access 6.25%
• DSL and ADSL 33.33%
• Wireless (wavelan, laser link and microwave) 20.83%
• Wi-Fi Hot Spots 14.58%
• Other 4.17%

Dial Up Connections

During the early days of the Internet in Indonesia, dial-up connections were the only option for consumers seeking to connect to the Internet. Dial-up services rely on a modem, phone line and ISP subscription to connect users to the Internet. ISPs are Internet Service Providers, who in Indonesia provide email, web hosting and related services. Dial-up connections utilize “narrowband”, phone wires which were originally designed to carry only voice transmissions. While newer modems have a maximum transmission speed of 56 kbps, with the uncertain quality of phone lines in Indonesia the transmission in many areas is still limited to 19,200 kbps or even 9,800 kbps.
While there may be many ISPs with licenses to operate in Indonesia, there are only a few big players that offer stable services. Several ISPs are more popular than others due to wider bandwidth, better customer service and better pricing. Several international ISPs also offer services or local access numbers in Indonesia (AOL and AT&T), with US dollar fees.
For current information on the internet (in Indonesia), visit this website www.apjii.or.id
One of the biggest differences between ISPs is their bandwidth management. Most ISPs purchase bandwidth from Indosat, the Indonesian international telecommunications firm. While the cost of connection to the Internet backbone (bandwidth) is paid in US dollars, the subscriber fees for local ISPs are in rupiah. With the historic volatility of the rupiah/dollar exchange rate, the ISPs are usually cautious about buying more bandwidth than they can afford given their subscriber base.
Ideally, as an ISP adds new customers, they should increase their bandwidth accordingly. If you see your connection deteriorating with time, complain to the customer service desk at your ISP or consider moving to another ISP which has better bandwidth management.
With a dial-up connection, you will find it more difficult to connect during high-traffic hours - early morning, lunchtime and late afternoon. You may have to try several of the ISP's access numbers repeatedly until you can find one that you can get through on. Some services, like Indonet, offer reduced rates in the late evening, when traffic is lowest.
Frequent disconnects are another common complaint of dial-up service. If this is occurring with your connection, it may in fact be the fault of your phone line or your modem, not your ISP. Have your modem tested and get the phone company to check your phone line. In some cases, the phone company can also 'boost' transmission speed over your phone line.
As one visitor to the Expat Forum described the situation ... “The problem with dial-ups is not usually the ISP, but the appaling quality of the Telkom phone lines. They are all single pair (as opposed to dual-pair in US or triple pair in UK) copper wire lines, using the same cable for voice, signal, ring tone and electrical power. The line is therefore “dirty” with all kinds of spurious noises which interfere with the ISP server's signals, making it repeat each block many times before your computer can understand it clearly. Most US and UK lines are now fibre-optic, which is like a CD compared with a 78 rpm record.”

Choosing an ISP

Not all ISPs are created equal! When comparing various ISPs to try to determine which to subscribe to - look at the following factors:

• Do an informal polling of friends or on the Expat Forum to see which ISP they currently use and recommend. Ask them about problems they have had with ISPs they used in the past. There are lots of threads on the forum regarding this questions, just do a search.
• Ask various ISPs what their bandwidth is and their current ratio of users to bandwidth. Be forewarned, however, that the ISP's bandwidth isn't the only determining factor of speed. Your phone line, the congestion in phone lines in your neighborhood, your computer, your modem, your RAM and numerous other factors must be considered as well. In addition, the number of routers and servers and other mysterious equipment at the ISP can further slow down or speed up the connection. Larger bandwidth doesn't necessarily mean faster connections if the ratio of users to bandwidth is high or the lack of servers/routers create bottlenecks in transmissions.
• Find out if the ISP offers cable, ADSL, satellite or wireless connection as options to dial-up.
• Ask about value packages where you receive one or more email addresses with a set number of hours of usage/connection. ISPs usually offer a basic monthly fee for a set number of hours, with additional fees charged per hour for usage over the hours covered in the package.
• Ask if your ISP has roaming facilities so that you can connect from local numbers in various cities around Indonesia. Also, ask if they have a web-based email server that allows you to access your email account directly from their website. If they do, you can view, answer and send email from anywhere in the world, without having to call your Jakarta access number to get/send your email.
• Call the customer service desk at the ISPs you are considering and see if anyone can speak with you in English (or your foreign language). If you have any problems in the future, you're going to want to be able to communicate with the ISP's customer service staff to work the problem out.
• Ask if your ISP has MultiLink capability. This is the ability (if you have two phone lines) to piggy-back two modems together. Windows Dial-Up Networking has this as standard but it is not supported by all ISPs (they need to allow simultaneous dial-up from the same account). This will effectively give you twice the speed. Not something you will want to use all the time but may be useful for periods of high bandwidth usage.

Your Phone Bill and the Internet

Don't forget that perhaps the largest expense when using traditional dial-up service is the cost of your phone bill. In addition to your Internet access bill from your ISP, the phone company will charge you for time used (pulsa) on the phone lines as well. This appears in your monthly phone bill. Usually your phone bill will be higher than the ISP bill (by 1 1/2), depending on the time of day you connect. Evening connections are cheaper than office hour connections - so surf in the evening, when possible, to reduce your phone bill charges.

Premium Dial-Up Services

Several of the ISPs offer premium dial-up services to their customers. What you get for the increased cost (per minute or hour) is more successful dial-ups (less busy signals) and lower rate of users to bandwidth, thus faster access. The cost comparison is around Rp 20,000/month for traditional dial-up as compared to Rp 130,000/month for premium dial-up services. Ask your ISP if they offer this service. (prices 2/2011)

Broadband Internet Connections

Simply, broadband Internet connections can be seen as those that don't utilize traditional phone lines with their 'narrow bands' for transmitting data. Broadband services include co-axial or fiber-optic cable, satellite, microwave, and infra-red links access methods. There are more than a dozen ISPs offering some sort of broadband access to their customers in Indonesia.
Broadband is most suited for people who utilize their Internet connection at least four to five hours a day or for a group of users. Otherwise the cost may be prohibitive.
More information on service providers, services and tarrifs for Mobile Broadband Providers in Indonesia

Broadband Cable Connections

Several cable companies offer broadband connections to the Internet through co-axial cable with multimedia capabilities. Your connection to the Internet is through a television (or other) cable, instead of a phone line. Broadband cable is capable of carrying multiple channels of rich video, voice and high-speed data, simultaneously. With cable TV connections, you must subscribe to the cable television programming before you can receive the broadband internet connection.
The first companies offering this service utilized ATM systems with a cable modem cost of $370 and up. When it became apparent that this system was inadequate for the growing number of ISPs/subscribers, and with the advent of new technology, most of the multimedia cable networks throughout the world switched over to the DOCSIS system (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications). This is the worldwide cable modem standard supported by all major equipment manufacturers. When a cable company uses DOCSIS, the customer has the option of more suppliers to purchase/lease the modem from. We bring this historical reference up here in case you're one of the people faced with replacing your old ATM modem - so you know why the cable company is urging you to do it.
While some cable companies claim that their network is capable of transmitting 10 mbps or more, you need to accept these numbers cautiously. Yes, the cable company's cables and fiber optic lines may be capable of transmission at that speed, but once you connect through their system to your ISP, you are limited by your ISP's bandwidth to the Internet. It's not so much the provider, when it's cable; it's how many users and how they use the net that are on your particular segment that matters.
Some Broadband Service providers:
Indonet Broadband (for Kabelvision subscribers)Indosat
First Media FastNet

Advantages of cable internet connection

• Connection is always on - 24 hours a day! No need to dial-up to your ISP, no busy signals from the ISP and no slow transmissions due to poor phone lines/connections and no unexpected disconnects. No expensive phone bill. Be forewarned that 24-hour access doesn't mean that the system doesn't have problems and get shut down for repairs/upgrading occasionally.
• One charge per month for unlimited access - fees don't increase with usage. But, you have the added fee of the cable TV subscription. But it's usually still cheaper than the phone bill!
• Quicker access. While some cable companies set the cable modem configuration up to 256 kbps for personal connections, the ISP is only set for 64 kbps, which is the maximum personal connection offered. While this may not be considered a 'standard cable connection' overseas, you must remember - the standards are still being set in Indonesia as telecommunications infrastructure develops. Another major factor is the expensive international connection rates charged to ISPs.
• The cable can be connected to more than one computer in the house. Someone can be watching TV in one room, while another member of the family is surfing the Internet on a computer, or two (or more) persons can be connected to the Internet simultaneously. Multiple connections within one house/office necessitate additional equipment installation (and costs).
• No need for a second phone line for your modem connection or missing phone calls because your single phone line is being used for the Internet.
• You cable provider may offer a choice of ISPs - some ISPs have better bandwidth than others.

Disadvantages of cable internet connection

• You can only subscribe if the cables are already laid in your neighborhood.
• Must purchase a cable modem to connect your PC to the co-axial cable system, as well as a 10BaseT Network Interface Card (NIC) or USB-to-Ethernet adapter, depending on the installation package.
• If you have connection problems, it is likely that the complaint will be bounced back and forth from the cable company to your ISP's customer service department several times until the problem is worked out.
• As the popularity of cable Internet grows and the cable connection's bandwidth is shared by more and more subscribers, the speed is slowing down to near-dial-up connection speed in some cases. If you live in a complex/area where many watch cable television in the evenings, expect your internet connection to slow to a snail's pace during high viewing hours.
• Monthly costs may be too high for the casual user. An easy way to calculate which is cheaper is by multiplying your monthly dial-up ISP charges by a factor of 1.5 (for the telephone bill). If the combined total is greater than the cost of subscribing to the cable TV and the internet, then it may be cost effective to have a broadband connection.
• Always-on cable connections make it easier for hackers to access your computer. But you can install a firewall or other security software to safeguard your PC.

Note: Be sure that your cable company uses the DOCSIS cable modem and not the ATM system, as the ATM system is being phased out. As early subscribers to Kabelvision found out, if you buy an ATM cable modem, you will have to replace it with a DOCSIS modem at some point in the future. Kabelvision is still going to maintain the ATM platform as well.

Cable Connection Costs

Costs differ for personal or corporate subscribers. For corporate subscribers, broadband cable companies offer packages with different bandwidth alternatives, either shared or dedicated. Needless to say, the larger the bandwidth, the higher the cost and the greater the number of users the slower the access speed.

How cable connections work

Basically your connection to your ISP from your home/office initially runs through the cable company's co-axial cable network. From the cable company's system the connection to your chosen ISP is via fiber optic cable which is capable of transmitting data at 100 mbps. Once you have accessed your ISP, your connection then utilizes their bandwidth to the Internet. Levels of service and speed differ from ISP to ISP.
Most cable companies offer their subscribers several ISPs to choose from. Each ISP has different rates and differing packages of service, some including the cost of the cable modem and some offering the cable modem for lease. Again, ask friends who utilize the cable company which ISP they are using and which has the best reputation and level of service.
Some offices and apartment towers, especially within the Golden Triangle, offer cable broadband connections to their tenants. When choosing lease space, ask the building management about these facilities. Other companies have chosen to open small offices in Serviced Offices to enable them to take advantage of the already existing broadband connection.
Over a dozen ISPs now offer broadband services in Indonesia, contact your ISP to see what they offer.

Satellite-based Internet Access

Marketed primarily to business customers due to its high cost, broadband internet access via satellite is considered to be one of the faster connections available. A recent estimate stated that perhaps 10% of all satellite transponder space in Indonesia will soon be used by ISPs for satellite-based broadband internet access.
The hardware needed to connect to the satellite receiver includes a transmitter, usually a small parabola/satellite dish which is used to download data. Depending on the service provider, you may, or may not, still utilize an ISP's bandwidth for uplinks, limiting your speed. Costs vary from USD1,000 to USD5,000 for handheld/portable transmitters.
Some office and apartment buildings in Jakarta offer broadband satellite access to their tenants. They connect your office's PCs through a LAN operated by the building management, who has purchased the necessary transmitter equipment for connection via satellite to the Internet. As with other kinds of access, the speed will depend on the whether your bandwidth is dedicated or shared, and number of users on the bandwidth.
Contact your ISP to see if they offer satellite access, or call PT Telkom, or Inmarsat for further information.

Digital Subscriber Line Connection (DSL and ADSL)

Known as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) these lines are a part of Telkom's Multi-Media Access project which offers high-speed/always-on Internet access in parts of the greater Jakarta metropolitan area.
High-speed data transfer over regular phone lines is difficult (if not impossible) in Indonesia, because it requires telephone lines of high quality which are fine-tuned for high-speed data transfer and a sophisticated infrastructure. Most existing phone lines do not meet this criteria.
If your residence/office is within five kilometers of a telephone switching office, and if your neighborhood is already covered by ADSL service, you maybe able to get a DSL line installed. Check with PT Telkom (Tel. 147) to see if your location qualifies.
ADSL uses the same copper wires that run from your phone operator's switching office into your house/office. However, the circuits have been fine-tuned so that the same phone line can also transfer digital data at high speed. You can continue to use the same line for phone conversations and fax transmission while your PC is accessing the Internet.
Providers usually offer different classes of ADSL services - and the monthly subscription cost varies depending on the speed, with a one time registration cost. Additional fees per minute may be changed, depending on the level of your traffic.
Unfortunately, just like in dial-up connections, you will be charged for both the phone bill and the Internet access connection. You still need to subscribe to an ISP to use this service. Contact your ISP to find out if they offer ADSL connections services utilizing Telkom's ADSL lines.
Some ADSL providers:
IndoNet
Telekom Speedy


Resources --> http://www.expat.or.id/info/internetaccess.html

A Safari User’s Switch to Chrome

By Alex Layne

I’ve used Safari as my default browser since 2008, but lately I’ve decided to give Google Chrome a shot at becoming my new standby. The main reason I chose to give Chrome a chance was that one of the sites I use every day loads like molasses in Safari, yet loads quickly in Chrome.
Since I know some of you are going to mention Firefox, I’ll tell you right now that I’ve ruled it out. It just doesn’t feel right to me. I’ll use Firefox on Windows, but on a Mac it’s just… weird. Feel free to disagree in the comments.
Interface

I suppose Chrome has an attractive interface, but I do think it looks better on Windows, partly because it feels designed for it rather than OS X (look at Chrome’s bookmarks manager and you’ll see what I mean). It just looks better with Aero.
Some aspects of Chrome’s tabs implementation annoy me. Mostly, I’m pretty happy with them, but there are two drawbacks. One being that, because the tabs take up the title bar, there’s less room to drag the window. This isn’t a problem for people who maximize their browser windows, but I like to keep my windows a certain size and I move them around a lot, since I’m always dragging images onto my desktop.
Another side effect of having the tabs in the title bar means that Chrome’s title bar doesn’t really function like one; you never actually see the full title of a web page unless it fits within the tab, which seems like a small complaint, but it’s still annoying.
Features

There were several features I missed from Safari when I switched to Chrome. Probably the one I missed most was Safari’s Reader view, which lets you reformat a long passage of text in an attractive drop-down that cuts out the clutter.
Fortunately, there’s an extension for Chrome that mimics Reader, and actually surpasses it in some ways. The extension’s called iReader and is available in the Chrome extensions gallery. When you hit the arrow keys to scroll through something in Reader for Safari, the cursor doesn’t disappear like it does in normal web pages, but it does in the iReader extension, which is less distracting for me.
Speaking of extensions, there aren’t any extensions I’ve come across for Chrome that aren’t available for Safari, or that I absolutely can’t live without. The opposite isn’t true. In fact, one of the unofficial Safari extensions that I love, isn’t available for Chrome, and it looks like that’ll be the case for some time.
Performance

It’s almost a crapshoot here. I can tell you that using Chrome feels faster than using Safari, but only a little. They both use the same rendering engine, WebKit, but they use different JavaScript engines, and from what I’ve learned about both Safari’s Nitro and Chrome’s V8, V8 is superior, but the difference in speed is also small.
On the interface performance side, I’ve noticed that when I have about six tabs open in Chrome, dragging the tabs around gets laggy. I don’t experience this lag with Safari, which I think has the best implementation of tab-dragging in any browser.
Bugs

I can generally say that I’ve experienced more bugs in Chrome than I have in Safari. For instance, in Chrome, almost every time I go back to a Google search result from, say, a Wikipedia page, the page doesn’t display and I’m left with the cute little dead tab face, then I have to re-enter the search in Google. It’s almost a deal-breaker for me.
There are other bugs, of course, but none that are as annoying or pervasive as the above.
Security

Chrome wins here, bar none. Safari is notorious for being a vector of vulnerability attacks, having famously been hacked in just 10 seconds at the annual Pwn2Own contest in 2009, while Chrome was the only browser that wasn’t hacked. However, security isn’t enough to make me switch to Chrome, as there’s very little chance I’d get a virus anyway, since there aren’t many viruses developed for the Mac and I’m a pretty safe surfer.
Will I stay with Chrome?

After using Chrome for a couple of weeks and getting accustomed to all its quirks on the Mac, I’ve decided to switch back to Safari. There just isn’t enough reason for me to stick with Chrome, and the Google search bug mentioned above is a huge annoyance, one that outweighs the poor performance of Safari on the one page that had me considering a switch to begin with.

Resources --> http://gigaom.com/apple/a-safari-users-switch-to-chrome/

Chosen for God's purpose

Read Jeremiah 1:4-10
The Lord said, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." - Jeremiah 1:5


When you were a child, did you want to hear the story of how you were born? This is the story my mother used to tell me: In 1975 in South Korea, a policeman found me abandoned in a ditch filled with ice. I was brought to an orphanage, where my adoptive mother later chose from rows and rows of babies.
I hated the stories and never repeated it to anyone. I felt ashamed that I had been abandoned as a new born. I wasn't special enough for my birth parents to keep me and not even important enough to leave on someone's doorstep.


Through the joys and heartaches of growing up with my adoptive family, I can now reflect on my humble beginnings and understand that God chose me for my adoptive family. God knew I needed them as much as they needed me


God often uses people whom the world would not choose to influence others. Moses was "slow of speech and tongue" (Ex. 4:10) Jeremiah was "only a child" (Jer 1: 6); the woman at the well was a social outcast; Rahab was a prostitute. God chooses such people to show us that no matter where we begin, if we allow God to form us and mold us, we can make a difference in the world for God


Prayer: Dear God, use us to lead people to you. Amen


Resources --> Upper Room; September 5, 2010; Angela Steed (Florida)

Complain! Complain!

Read Philippians 2:14-18
Do everything without complaining - Philippians 2:14


The lines in the grocery store were long. There were only two cashiers, while six other registers stood unattended. It was the end of the workday for most of those standing in the lines. Frustration set in, and I stood there and complained like others. "They need more cashiers!" "Whatever happened to customer service?"


While relaxing later that evening, I watched the evening news. One of the stories was about a mission on skid row that was giving away clothing, shoes, and school supplies to children in need. Many homeless and low-income parents had camped out for up to four days on a sidewalk on behalf of their children. And I had complained about standing 15 minutes in a grocery store line! What kind of Christian witness did I show to others?


Our patience and peacefulness can shine like a light in a dark and perverse world. Are you shining brightly, or is your light clouded by complaints? Each of us can choose to shine brightly for God.


Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive us for complaining, and help us to be patient and show your kindness in difficult situations. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.


Resources --> Upper Room; September 28, 2010; Jacqueline Leaycraft (California)

One Day At A Time

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18


Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. - Matthew 6:34


My father was in the hospital, critically ill. My husband had just lost his job. My thoughts were consumed with present and future loss. I was brokenhearted when I imagined my life without my father and I thought of my children loss of his job, and we feared loss of our income. I wanted to wake up every morning filled with thanksgiving for a new day, but instead I found myself filled with dread and sadness. Not only was I anxious about tomorrow; I was worried about today as well. How could I focus on God's gift of today when i didn't like what today offered?


Sometimes we find ourselves in frightening circumstances. Jesus' words quoted above encouraged us not to wish our circumstances away by dreaming about a future time or to make matters worse by worrying about what else might go wrong. Instead, Jesus says that we are to seek the Lord even in the midst of crisis. When we are in sad or overwhelming situations, God promises to be with us. By focusing on today, we discover that God provides the strength and courage we need. We don't have to worry about tomorrow because God will meet us there when tomorrow comes.


Prayer: God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, be with those who especially need your courage and strength. Amen.


Resources --> Upper Room; September 24, 2010; Susan J. Foster (Connecticut)