Sunday 5 January 2014

Romans 8:28

 

 
I want to share with you a very surprising thing that happened to me on this Christmas Eve.
 
Now it may not seem like a big deal to those of you who do not follow my post regularly.
 
But to those of you who do, you will remember the long drawn out story concerning my laptop and the not so nice dealings I was having with the company where I had bought it and had purchased a warranty.
 
A short version of it is this:
Somehow (please don't ask how, because I don't know) I managed to lose everything on my computer;
all files, documents, pictures, programs.
 You name it-I lost it!
But, by sheer luck, I somehow was able to reset the laptop and continue using it and adding new pictures, files, etc. 
However, I still could not retrieve anything from the last year and a half that was lost.
 
I called the company and they agreed to see if they could restore everything I'd lost if I would drive the five hours South of here to get it to them.
I did.
They estimated it would take two weeks.
After four weeks I called, and called, and called to find out what was going on and when I would get my laptop back.
I was finally contacted and told at that time that all that I had managed to lose was indeed lost and gone forever...
I was greatly disappointed, but I knew there was a good chance that this was a possibility.
However, in two days when my laptop arrived, there was nothing on it!
There was no Internet or any programs uploaded Nothing.
And all of the new photos and documents were also inaccessible now.
I couldn't believe it!
 
I had paid almost two hundred dollars for the warranties and this was the service I received in return.
 I started all over again calling a new customer service person and being told they would call me back.
Then after never hearing back from that man I would call another one.
Instead of being apologetic to me they first informed me that it wasn't possible that they could have done anything  to my laptop!
After all, they where all experts.
 
What were they insinuating? That I purposely sabotaged by own computer? Sure I wanted to spend many frustrated hours and days on the phone talking to one person and then another.
Did they really think that I was that lonely?
Or that I for some unknown reason just wanted to give there company a bad name?
 
One of the customer service fellows even wanted me to be informed that the service they had performed on my laptop was specially reserved for their business customers only and the cost was over a thousand dollars, so I shouldn't be complaining.
 
Somehow all of these stories just didn't jive!
 
Experts, thousand dollar services, yet I get a laptop returned to me that is not even usable.
~PLEASE~
 
Honestly, I know this short version seems really, really long and I'm no where near done yet.
So if you need to warm up that coffee or tea, now is a good time to do so.
 
Yes, this is the short version!
I'm leaving out the petty insults and other details that just aren't worth rehashing.

Coffee warmed?
 
Good, now back to my story (true story).
Because I was persistent they finally agreed that they would look again at my laptop if I wanted to drive the five hours one-way South again to bring it  in.
This, my friends was the middle of December.
I live above the North shores of Lake Superior and at this time of the year Winter snow squalls often come up on the lake causing Hwy. 17 North to be closed to all traffic!
 
In fact my Blogger friend, Laurie, who lives in the Soo was keeping me informed as to whether it was safe to travel and whether the highway would be opened again or not.

Now this is where I'm going to shorten the story.
Before I went I called ahead and talked to a FEMALE  Dept. Manager who was the only kind, professional, and helpful person I had spoken to in this store. 
 I believe to this day that she is the only reason that my situation was FINALLY resolved.

We safely made it to the store. The technician who was supposed to be there to look at my laptop wasn't, so I ended up leaving it again.
This was Dec.13th.

NOW IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE READ THIS.
IT IS THE CRUX OF THE STORY!!

On the eve of Dec.24th the local delivery lady knocked on my door and handed me the box containing the long awaited laptop.

It had been in the back of the cold truck so Tim suggested that I should let it warm before turning it on.
I don't think I can even begin to describe to you the level of emotions that I was experiencing when the time came to push that power button, ladies.

It. Was. Christmas Eve. After. All.

If I turned it on and they still hadn't managed to fix it I knew I would most likely be filled with some very un-nice thoughts!
I almost didn't bother......

But, with bated breath I bravely pushed the power button.
And this is what is the miracle of it all.....

~EVERYTHING WAS RESTORED~

The whole year and a half of files, photos, etc. that they said the THOUSAND DOLLAR EXPERTS could not restore was all there again in it's original state!

I don't know how this happened....
I know it had to be done at the local level.
But to me it was truly a Christmas miracle.
I now have all the photos of my children and grandchildren restored!
My youngest sons wedding photos restored!
Our last trip to the Yukon, also, restored!
I could just go on and on.....

I don't know why I had to go through this two month ordeal of frustration and all the headache that came with it; especially trying to maintain my blog on Tim's out-dated computer this whole time!
 
 It has really given me cause to stop and consider God's purpose for it all as I move forward into the new year.
I feel like I was living Genesis 50:20
As for you, you want evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result.....
Now I just wonder what this result will be?
I only hope and pray that I can somehow use this crazy thing called the Internet to bring glory to our Saviour!



 












30 comments:

  1. I LOVE this story no matter what the version of it is! How wonderous is that? I am soo happy for you! I don't know how you stayed soo persistent (I think 1 long trip would have done me in) When I think of the YEARS worth of pictures that are on mine I am going to tell my hubby today to back them all up to a disk so that if such a fate were to befall me I wouldn't be just hysterical. Sooo all's well that ends well....YAY! Enjoy your day!

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  2. Amen! I feel as if I could join you in a Glory Jig. What a wonderful Christmas present! (Now, you're going to leave well enough alone, but I would now be contacting the President of the Company to inform him of this news. One: I would want his good employee to be praised and 2. I would want his poor employees to be warned. ) Enjoy those photos, get Carbonite or a exterior hard drive. You'll be glad that you did.

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  3. you have been through a nightmare , that truly was a Christmas miracle that it was repaired and delivered Christmas Eve , where is customer service gone? Does no one care anymore, I'm so sorry this happened, it really must have ruined the weeks up to Christmas for you, thank goodness its behind you! Take care sweet lady,

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  4. So glad to hear the files restored! I so agree, write a letter to the company president, maybe two letters to make sure they get the message.

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  5. First of all that is a favorite verse of mine :) and Yippeeee to have everything back like it was, it sure took a long time but you finally achieved your goal. You many want to use an online backup from now on so it can't happen again.

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  6. Wow that is a totally amazing story and I am so glad you got it back and every thing was restored. I think this is the best news to hear this and some how someone fixed it.
    I like your Romans 8:28 and it does work out.
    Enjoy your computer! So glad you shared about it.

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  7. What a wonderful story.

    Romans 8:28 is one of my all time favorite verses.

    Have a wonderful 2014 ~ FlowerLady

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  8. Wow, what a nightmare story! I have never heard of tech help this bad! And the claim of the help worth $1,000, you can practically buy 2 new computers for that amount!
    It is a miracle that you got it back with all your precious photos and words in place...I do believe that God works through any medium He chooses, to spread His Word and Works. Many times you have been a Blessing to me and others through your words on the Internet.
    Thank you for sharing this story and the happy ending.
    Much love to you and a very Happy New Year! xo

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  9. I'm SO happy for you! Now, go get a backup service so this will never happen again. LOL!

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  10. One good person is all it takes, wonderful news, joy/elation/happiness beyond belief. Can I make a small/medium/LARGE suggestion? Please get an external hard drive, they can be small portable ones, and back up everything there. $99 to $169 in your area!!!This would be the Christmas Gift beyond anything else. Take care in that cold. greetings from Jean. p.sI love a long story, no good abbreviating it.

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  11. Kimberly,

    After complete frustration dealing with your laptop, and the company who was suppose to fix it. It was a total miracle to have it fixed,and everything restored on Christmas Eve.
    Great post!!! I still think I would have a word with the company's executives.

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  12. This is a lovely post, Kimberly...and I am so happy everything worked out for you! I love that verse, too, and keep it close to my heart...

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  13. Awesome news Kimberly! God's love never ceases to amaze me..I say love..really it is grace. Thank you for the verse. Have a blessed week ahead.

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  14. Oh my goodness! What a nightmare, and yet it ended up being a dream come true. So amazing! I'm so happy for you that all was made right.

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  15. Wow, so happy it s back, good for you. What a nightmare turned out ok, Blessings Francine.

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  16. Wow, so happy it s back, good for you. What a nightmare turned out ok, Blessings Francine.

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  17. I think you have done just that...Giving God the glory for ALL THINGS!
    What a merry Christmas present to you--
    and what a powerful testimony. God knows the desires of our heart, and He knows that this testimony of how His attention to even the littlest details of our lives...matters so much this side of heaven.
    So happy for you Kimberly.
    ...I'm currently waiting to get all my files back off my external hard-drive. It too is a long story.
    ;) Pat

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  18. I'm so happy for you that everything is restored...what a Christmas gift! Take care and stay warm and enjoy your computer!

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  19. Wow, what an ordeal you have gone through! I'm so glad to hear that it has been resolved, though, and on Christmas Eve. God is good!

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  20. Most certainly a Christmas Miracle! I hope you backed up all those photos now! :)

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  21. Oh, I'm SO glad your things were saved. Please back them up elsewhere and go ahead and make photo books from some of the photos.

    We don't always know why things happen to us, do we?

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  22. I was so happy when you said it was all found. You have reminded me that I need to back up my files. I am so glad you didn't lose everything. What a great ending to a stressful story. I lost my blog once and know that panicked feeling.

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  23. I'm glad you were persistent. I know that our local computer whizzos can pull data off a defunct computer for about 25 bucks...they did it for my dad and saved all his pics and club information, but that's not fixing the computer..just saving what's on it. I'm glad you were able to finally connect with someone who knew what they were doing!

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  24. What a great story of hope and the power of persistence! I bet that they downloaded your entire hard drive the first time, recovered the missing data files, and then forgot to put it back on the reformatted or new hard drive. Don't you just hate it when tech people try to make you feel stupid? Grrrr!!!! Now, please, go and get yourself an external hard drive and start doing regular backups of your files!

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  25. Wow! I am so glad that you got all your information back, I hate how stores feel that one they have your money they don't have to live up to warranties and an expectation of good service. So frustrating! Now, can you back up that information on an external hard drive or maybe even copy your photos and documents on a thumb drive? That way you can always restore those items because you will have them stored on a backup device.

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  26. I could feel your relief - your joy!

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  27. Hooray! I am glad for you! Now if I could only retrieve all my old emails that disappeared a year ago!

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  28. Happy Dance - amen - amen..I feel your thrill...

    Hugs

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  29. Wow---what a story of persistence... You DID it... What a fantastic Christmas Even you must have had...

    I love stories with happy endings.... Glad you got everything back. NOW--buy an external drive and back your stuff up!!!!

    Happy 2014.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  30. Somehow I missed this post but what a wonderful testament to our Lord's good timing. All good things come to him who waits upon the Lord. I am so happy for you Kim and know how sad you must have felt to have thought you had lost your loved ones photos for ever. I'm glad Laurie was keeping you up to date with the weather - she does that for me too and I only live down the hall from her, LOL Love, Chris

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All of your comments are read and much appreciated.
You are dear and lovely friends!