Ah… the joys of sitting in a car dealership waiting for routine repair work.

I take Rebekah’s RAV-4 to Leith Toyota; it’s my go-to place, and I’m always very pleased with the service. The people are friendly, the work is efficient, they do great warrantee work, they are fair with their pricing, the showroom is comfortable, the coffee is… well… dealership coffee, and the atmosphere is always very positive.

But – and this is huge – the Internet connection there sucketh. Email works, that’s good; but I can’t get to my blog, and the sites I usually access to do my research are inaccessible. Grrrrr.

DREAM: This experience makes me think that community-wide high-speed wireless networks might be a great idea. Not just for people like me at car dealerships, but for those who (right now) don’t have access at home. I’m thinking about “Information Equality,” and I’m wondering if it might not be something we should address in terms of a level playing field – vis-a-vis opportunity – for all Americans.

I don’t know how practical this would be, what costs might be involved, what kind of hardware might be needed, or how such a project would work logistically. But we’re in the “Research Triangle” good grief – I’m quite sure some of the brainiacs I know could do this with their eyes closed and one hand tied behind their backs!

GLADITUDE: My other – fairly random – thought for today comes from Rebekah’s mispronunciation of a word during church this past Sunday. She was announcing the “passing of the peace,” during WFPC’s 9:00 worship hour. Then, instead of saying “gratitude,” she said “gladitude.” I don’t know about you, but I believe the word “gladitude” was in all likelihood coined in heaven and then providentially delivered to our congregation by Rebekah’s theologically apropos slip of the tongue.

I am both grateful and glad that I get to hang out with such a beautiful group of God’s children every Sunday morning. I come in gladness, and I rejoice in gratitude. God’s gifts bring the two concepts together.

“Gladitude! It’s my new word of the week.

In gladitude – DEREK