Reflections for Wednesday{01/23} and a Little Tech News

Kingdom Living>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries

When reading this devotion it makes me realize that many times how you win someone to Christ Jesus is not throwing Bible verses toward them but your walk with Christ. As one friend told me years ago, "you have to get down in the trenches with them." I come to realize that when you show people that you are vulnerable in some areas in your life, that you too have weakness but by trusting in God you overcome them "day by day" they realize that you are not painting yourself as a Holy Roller. There is a difference between "religion" and being "Christ like". Christ love the sinner but not the sin. Just about every miracle Christ Jesus performed he let them know how much he loved them but he also told them to "sin no more".

I have written on this before but it bares repeating that we have let the lost know we are there from them but at the same time we have to realize that we are not better than anyone but at the same time we can not allow ourselves to lose our way because our job is to plant the seed, God saves them. If a person wish to hear the Gospel that is great news, if they do not, we have to realize that God has given us free will to follow him or not but we keep them lifted up in prayer. This task may be hard at times but I always keep this in mind, "they are not rejecting me, they are rejecting Christ Jesus.

Jesus has told us that our walk with him will not be easy, we will have obstacles we will have to come across time and time in our lives but the reward in having God in our lives outweigh not have God in our lives. We will make connections and sometimes we will lose friendships but in the end we have to do what our Father tells us to do because in the end he knows what we need in our lives, what people we need to socialize with and what principles we need to live by in order to have a fulfilling life.

Be Blessed, Be Safe,
& Have a Wonderful Wednesday.

My Wednesday tech Story Picks

• eBay CEO Meg Whitman to step down
• All Major Labels to Stream Free Music on Last.fm
• Former staffer: Apple currently averse to social apps, blogs

Netcast Picks for this Wednesday

netcast to help you know:

• Leo Laporte - The Tech Guy 422
• MacBreak Weekly 74: Hot Lips and Hawkeye

netcast to help you grow:

• Conclusion of: Kingdom First Living Vol. 2 -- P2
• The Power to Change Your Life

Inspiration tracks for today:
My Heart Goes Out......Warren Barfield
Be Connected.......Jackie McCullough

Reflections & a "little" Tech News

Designed By God>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries

When reading this devotion and the bible verses this truly spoke to my heart because sometimes I lose focus of my gift that God wants me to utilize. Sometimes I take my eyes off of what God wants me to do and I need to be guided by the "Shepard's staff" so to speak. I loved the part where the author writes,

"...As we observe the animals and people around us, we’re reminded that God made each of us unique for a purpose. One person’s natural tendency is to look up and see the “big picture,” while another looks down and focuses on details. Both are important. One is not better than the other."

That truly spoke to me because some followers of Christ Jesus are here to uplift people, some are here to teach, others are here to share the word of God. So many talents and yet we are supposed to use them as one. I love to learn new things but I know I will not become an expert at a certain vocation/task unless I truly have a passion for it and I am realizing that about myself more each day and that's okay with me. I realize that some things I pick up on quick and other things it will take time for me and by realizing this I am less critical of myself. God love me for me, no more...no less. Now this does not mean I just sit back and not try but to give it my all when it come to the gifts he has blessed me with because it is just not for me but for me to share with others and in doing so I learn along the way to make myself better.

Sometimes I am my own enemy and it is so cool that Christ Jesus reminds what is really important in my life, His love for me. If I keep my eyes on Him at all times, it does not matter what others think of me because by me living by God's principles whether if someone likes me, dislikes me, or hates me, God will in the end make them respect me because of how I carry myself.

Be Blessed, Be Safe,
& Have a Wonderful Thursday

Uplifting Songs for Thursday

It's Right and Good Religious..........Tramaine Hawkins/Walter Hawkins
All About Love Religious.....Steven Curtis Chapman

My Tech Story Picks for Thursday

• Should AT&T police the Internet?
• Poll: Businesses in U.S. warm to Vista
• Ex-Brocade CEO Sentenced to 21 Months

My audio picks for Thursday
netcast to help you grow
Conclusion of: Kingdom First Living Vol. 1 -- P6
{Enduring Truth}

Antichrist, America and Armageddon
{Harvest Online}

netcast to help you know
MacBreak Weekly 72: Keynote Analysis
{TWiT}

*photographer...Jonathan Andrew

Just When You Think Apple May Be Slipping...

Just when I thought Apple could not blow my socks off along comes the MacBook Air. Like I said in Twitter,

"I know I am a man but Steve Jobs, I think I love you."

I mean, I just watched the video demonstration of this machine and I'm afraid to get my hands on it because I know I will want one or two.

(okay darrenkeith, get a grip...where was I)

I do not know what Steve[Jobs] pays the men and women there but man oh man if I had the money I think just about every piece of gadget in our home would be Apple. I know it's early but I have to admit, even before getting my hands on this gem, that machine is so beautiful. Apple must really reward their employees really well because this company just keeps out doing themselves. And I know there are "Mac Bashers" out there but even they have to admit, Apple is on point with this machine. 13.3 screen, full size keyboard, LED screen and keyboard pad, it has the "pinch" features like the iPhone. I know it will come a time when Apple is not number #1 when it comes to innovation but for now, keep this up and pretty soon people will be using your OS more than windows.

Admit it, if you could have a machine where the operating systems is stable, the hardware is cool, the support is A+, why would you need Windows. I know, I know Windows still holds 95% of the market but with the fiasco of Vista (and why is there 4-5 versions of Vista Bill[Gates]?) anything is possible. Keep it up Steve and my just mortgage everything for your products...well, not everything but darn near everything.

{to watch the video, click here}

from Wired.com and AppleInsider.com

the first look at one of Apple's MacBooks? Who knows but if it is this will be so sweet. One thing I'm hoping is that I hope they will make a 15inch MacBook as least. This is a mock up picture from Wired but if this is true, very sweet indeed.

A Cool Little Tool For Firefox

My geek brother from another mother has a knack for finding great information in reference to tweaking your site, great software tools. This gem from Lifehacker is pretty cool. If you wish to save your Firefox preference this post from Lifehacker walks you through it pretty easily.

reflections & tech tid bits for Saturday

God Tears>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries

Reading this devotion this morning God brings to my mind a deeper revelation on Jesus' tears. Sometime we think that God is not sorrowful when we lose a loved one, we wonder where he is in all of this chaos and we may think that we did something wrong for this grief to happen in our lives. But reading this [devotion] today makes me realize that God wept when Adam and Eve cut themselves off from Him, God wept knowing that the world would now have to feel sickness, anger, jealousy, murder, disease...all of these things that He did not want for our lives. He wept knowing that He would have to send his our Son to the cross to die in our place knowing His son was not guilty of sin and God weeps knowing that even now how He is mocked.

When riding on the donkey through Jerusalem Jesus wept because he knew the same that were praising him were going to mock him as He hung on the cross for their sins, for MY sins. God weeps knowing that many things we will face while on this falling earth he can not interfere because he cannot violate his own law. Gave has giving us free will, He has not forced us to follow Him, to live by His principles but He also knows that even after we give our lives over to Him we will have heartache and pain whether we are the cause of it or not and that many times we will not understand why we must suffer.

But one thing I am so glad about is that once I gave my life to God, that I believed that Christ Jesus died on the Cross and that I believe and know in my heart that his Father raised him up from the grave that now whatever I go through now, I am free from the debt of my sins. There are going to be times in my life where I know that pain, suffering will come my way but knowing that my soul is with God and the Death cannot still that away from me, knowing that once I live this earth I will be with Jesus in paradise like the thief who repented right that on the spot when hanging on his own cross, knowing that by Jesus Christ dying on the cross that I can truly live here on earth because I do not have to worry where I'm going once I have breathed my last breath, that brings a smile on my face and my tears of sorrow turns into tears of joy.

Be Blessed, Be Safe,
& Have a wonderful Saturday

uplifting songs for today:
Praiz......................the take over
stephanie mills............the power of God

My Tech Story Picks for Saturday:
Hitachi to form hard drive company with Toshiba, Fujitsu?
Last days to save hundreds on Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac
Apple hoists "There's something in the air" Macworld banners
Grouply Closes $1.3 Million Round
DRM Is Dead, But Watermarks Rise From Its Ashes

My Audio Picks for Saturday
messages to help you grow:

Thru the Bible Questions & Answers
{thru the bible}

Reversing Generational Curses Part 1
{the urban alternative}

messages to help you know:
Jumping Monkeys 29: Suzanne Kantra of Martha Stewart Living
{megan morrone & leo laporte}

lab rats...Episode 104.3: CES 2008 Day 3
{lab rats}

Please Stop Microsoft...Just Stop It Now

Microsoft in some way is like the police...when they get it right nothing is said but when things go wrong you hear about it from New York to San Diego. I remember in 2006 I tried Microsoft's OneCare and I had to end up reformatting my entire hard drive and swore not to use it again. Now a article from CNET has confirmed that OneCare still has major problems and I wonder if they should leave this type of computer protection to the experts. I truly feel for Microsoft because it seems when it comes to security application they keep dropping the ball.

Maybe they should just concentrate on getting Vista stable so this OS will not end up like another Windows Me. Many computer experts say time and time again that whenever Microsoft purchases a product of a company it turns into lead. Microsoft, get your own house in order before trying to venture out to other avenues. I'm saying this out of love because I am tired of Microsoft being the butt of the computer world jokes.

Friday Reflections & Tech Nuggets

Scattered Fruit>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries

Last night I was having trouble with a function on my blog. As you well know, I sometimes give tech tips here and there but you also know I will tell you in a heartbeat that I do not know everything. My wonderful friend Jennifer (though I know she was dog tired...she's on the east coast) walked me through the process and I am so grateful.

From reading this devotion this morning for me it ties in because sometimes we have to be a student in order to become a great teacher and when you come across as someone who is a Mr. or Mrs. "Know It All" you lose focus, you may lose out on a great opportunity to learn something that can really benefit you in the long run. I have been taught, "never stop learning because the day that happens, that is when you grow old."

Jennifer taught me something last night. Though to others it may seems small but to me I am so grateful. When you let people know that you do not know everything, that you are willing to learn you open up a door of compassion and warmth. You allow people to know that just because you may be good in one area that you are still willing to be taught how humble you are and it's okay to become a "servant" to others from time to time. This is what Jesus Christ I believe was trying to teach his disciples that you have to have compassion, patience for others sometimes in order to move forward. There is nothing wrong with being a student from time to time because in the end that is what make strong leaders.

Be Blessed, Be Safe,
& Have a Wonderful Friday.

Inspiration tracks for Friday
He Reigns
{The Newsboys}

Mighty God
{The New Life Community Choir}
feat. {John P. Kee}


My Tech Story Picks for Friday

• Photophlow puts a fresh face on Flickr
• Amazon MP3 secures Sony BMG music, all four major labels
• Investors, observers uneasy as DoJ mulls XM-Sirius merger

My Audio Picks for Friday

messages 2 help U grow:
Conclusion of: Kingdom First Living Vol. 1,-- P4
(Enduring Truth)

The Importance of Right Choices
(Harvest Online)

message 2 help you know:
Windows Weekly 46: Statler and Waldorf on CES
Paul Thurrot & Leo Laporte

reflection & tech nuggets for Thursday

Apology Hotline>>>more
devotion from rbc ministries

At first reading this devotion a subtle sense of pride creped in whispering in my ear, "this doesn't apply to you DarrenKeith...move to another devotion to reflect on" but it does apply to me if not right now at this moment but it has happened to me. It's amazing how Christ Jesus know what we need whether we want to hear it or not. I can honestly say the more I read the Sermon on the Mount how true his teachings are right on point.

It has been time where I have wronged my wife and no matter how I try and read God's word, pray to God the Holy Spirit tells me, "you know you can't be open with your Father...you have some unfinished business to take care of so go do it." And that usually means to get up, go in there and sincerely ask for my wife forgiveness. It's amazing when doing that how a HUGE weight is lifted off my shoulder. And even if it may not receive a "I forgive you" at that moment, knowing I went out of my way to get forgiveness, I have done the best that I can.

I am learning each day that to forgive and to be ask to be forgiven is also good for me health wise because it allows me to move with my life, with my work, to focus clearly on God and myself. I am learning that when you allow a unforgiven heart to settle in your life, to hold on to those feelings that in the end it truly only effects you and not the party that has wrong you. I remember reciting this part of the Lord's Prayer(Matthew 6:9–13)

"And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us"

I have to be honest, I never really focus on that passage until I became older and really paid attention to it. I'm asking my Heavenly Father to forgive ME of my mistakes, MY wrong doings as I forgive people who has wrong me and what is going on when asking God this...

"Don't hold anything against me Lord of anything I have done wrong and I will not hold anything against the person who did me wrong and if I can't forgive them then do not forgive me."

When we hold grudges against people or if we are not man or woman enough to acknowledge our wrong doing it's like God presses the "pause" button on our lives until we get that matter straighten out. So the next time you pray the Lord's Prayer keep that in mind. I know I will.

Be Blessed, Be Safe,
& Have a Wonderful Thursday

My tech Story Picks for today:

• Roadblocks en route to free, legal music
• The Untold Story: How the iPhone Blew Up the Wireless Industry
• MySpace Subpoenaed In Megan Meier Case

My Audio Picks for Thursday:
Kingdom First Living Vol. 1, -- Part 4
(Enduring Truth)

Is the End of the World Near?
(Harvest.org)

Leo Laporte - The Tech Guy 416
(TWiT)


*check out wikipidea's passage on the Lord's Prayer

Reflection for Wednesday and Tech Tid Bits

Wounds That Heal>>>more
devotion from RBC Ministries
Inspiration tracks for today:
CeCe Winans...Hallelujah Praise
Dewayne Woods...Let Go

Reading this devotion hits home for me in two ways...when losing my son and losing my job. To truly know that I can go to my Lord and Savior and to listen to his wisdom for when to spend time to myself and when to share with others was a true blessing. Many people may not understand this devotion from Our Daily Bread and the passage Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:1-7 about "being thankful for suffering from time to time" and I'm not going to lie when you are going through the storms, the pain you can not see the reason behind it and what I have learned to ask my Heavenly Father is not "why" but "okay, what do I learn from this?"

I learned a big lesson when reading the book of Job because if you really pay attention God did not answer Job why he was putting Job through the pain and loss of his family, property but in the end it made Job stronger. I will never tell someone to just "suck it up" or "There is a reason for this tragedy in your life" because 1. I do not know and can not know how that person is feeling and 2. That person has a right to grief, to be angry, to lash out. Sometimes just being in their presence is what they need. One thing I have learned that at the time when I have went through tough times I did not understand why but later down the road I have come across someone that I know were going through trials and I try and be there for them. If I can answer the question "why" and if I don't know, I let them know as well. I do not wish pain on anyone but I have said this before...be honest with yourself most times we learn from our lows more than our highs.

If you get angry with God, that's okay because he created us and by our falling world we are going to have things go wrong in our lives at times that's not by our causing I will ask "why?" Sometimes God will tell us why and sometimes he will not but in the end it will be a tool for you and I to help others down the road.

Be Blessed, Be Safe
& have a Wonderful day

My Tech Stories Pick for Wednesday:
Handshakes, not the Internet, win N.H. for Clinton and McCain
Best Buy to double number of stores selling Apple's Mac line
iTunes movie rental fire gets a poke: Warner Bros, Fox, Disney, Paramount and Lions Gate all on board?

Audio Picks for Wednesday:
Christian and Tech Netcast to check out...

Finding the Potential in Passion
(FamilyLife Today) Dennis Rainey

Delighting in Your Spouse's Differences 2
(Focus on the Family) Dr. James Dobson

Episode 212: We have Products Galore from CES 2008!
(dl.tv) Roger Chang & Robert Heron

*and when you have time....

these messages from Back To The Bible has been really on point in reference to reading the bible...

Freshman Orientation
Sophomore--Building Skills
Junior--Focus on the Core

Blogged with Flock

Transferring Google Contacts to Outlook

I recently began using my iPod as a PDA which is pretty cool. I still have my Palm Vx and I use it but seeing the contacts, calender is kind of hard (I have to confess, I really need bifocals...ahh the joy of aging). I first had to upgrade my office suite to 2003 or higher, then I decided to tackle moving my Google contacts to Outlook and by surprised(this is what happens when you actually read) when clicking on Outlook Help it gave a simple walk through on how to transfer your contacts and here it is...

Transfer contacts between Outlook and Google Gmail

You can transfer your Google Gmail contacts to Microsoft Office Outlook. You can also export your Outlook contacts to Google Gmail.

What do you want to do?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Import your contacts from Google Gmail to Outlook
Export your contacts from Outlook to Google Gmail

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Import your contacts from Google Gmail to Outlook
Log on to your Google Gmail account.
In the left column, click Contacts.
On the right side of your screen, above the message count, click Export.
Click Outlook CSV (for import into Outlook clients).
Click Export Contacts.
When prompted to download the export file, click Save.
Choose a location on your computer to temporarily save the file. The default file name is gmail-to-outlook.csv.
Note You can delete this file after your contacts are imported into Outlook.

Click Save.
In Outlook, on the File menu, click Import and Export.
Click Import from another program or file, and then click Next.
Click Comma Separated Values (DOS), and then click Next.
In the Import a File box, browse to find the file you downloaded in step 8, and then double-click the file.
Click one of the following:
Replace duplicates with items imported
Allow duplicates to be created
Do not import duplicate items
Click Next.
In the folder list, click the Contacts folder where you want the imported contact information to go, and then click Next.
To add or remove fields to determine the way the contact information is saved in the new imported file, click Map Custom Fields.
Note The Map Custom Fields button in the Import a File dialog box might not be available when you try to import data from another program or file. In the The following actions will be performed box, select the Import check box, and then the Map Custom Fields button is available.

Additional help on mapping custom fields

In the From box, drag the field that you want to convert onto the Outlook field that is listed in the To box.
Note The Name field doesn't appear in the To box because Outlook reserves the first row of a named range or field names. If the range that you import does not contain field names, the first row of data will be interpreted as field names and will not be imported as data. To make sure that all of the data in the named range is imported, use the first row for field names.

To see additional records in the From box, click Previous or Next.
To remove all mapping, click Clear Map.
To reset the original mapping, click Default Map.
To display additional fields in the To box, click the plus sign (+) next to the field. For example, to display the Business Street and Business City fields, click the plus sign (+) next to Business Address.
Click Finish.
Top of Page

Export your contacts from Outlook to Google Gmail
Before you export contacts from Outlook, it helps to understand the difference between the Outlook Address Book and Outlook Contacts. Both are part of Outlook. However, the Address Book is a compilation of the different address lists you might store in Outlook, such as LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP): A protocol that provides access to Internet Directories.) Internet directories, the Global Address List (Global Address List: The address book that contains all user, group, and distribution list e-mail addresses in your organization. The administrator creates and maintains this address book. It may also contain public folder e-mail addresses.) (GAL), or other third-party address books. Contacts is just one of the address lists included in an Address Book. Only contacts can be exported directly from Outlook to Google Gmail.

In Outlook, on the File menu, click Import and Export.
Click Export to a file, and then click Next.
Click Comma Separated Value (DOS), and then click Next.
In the folder list, click the contacts folder you want to export, and then click Next.
Choose a location on your computer to temporarily save the file.
Note You can delete this file after your contacts are imported into Google Gmail.

Type a name for the exported file, and then click OK.
Click Next.
To add or remove fields to determine the way the contact information is saved in the new imported file, click Map Custom Fields.
Note The Map Custom Fields button in the Export to a File dialog box might not be available when you try to import data from another program or file. In the The following actions will be performed box, select the Export check box, and then the Map Custom Fields button is available.

Additional help on mapping custom fields

In the From box, drag the field that you want to convert onto the Outlook field that is listed in the To box.
Note The Name field doesn't appear in the To box, because Outlook reserves the first row of a named range or field names. If the range that you import does not contain field names, the first row of data will be interpreted as field names and will not be imported as data. To make sure that all of the data in the named range is imported, use the first row for field names.

To see additional records in the From box, click Previous or Next.
To remove all mapping, click Clear Map.
To reset the original mapping, click Default Map.
To display additional fields in the To box, click the plus sign (+) next to the field. For example, to display the Business Street and Business City fields, click the plus sign (+) next to Business Address.
Click Finish.
Log on to your Google Gmail account.
In the left column, click Contacts.
On the right side of your screen, above the message count, click Import.
Under Import Contacts, click Browse.
Select the file you exported in step 9.
Click Open.
Click Import Contacts.

Welcome back Amber

While looking over my Odeo podcast and by clicking through other blogs I came across the information that Amber MacArthur is no longer with Citytv. From reading her blog it's amazing how sometimes good people and good ideas fall to the wayside because of mainstream media. It seems that a little sigh of relief is coming from Amber in reference to her departure from Citytv. No one likes to lose a steady job and I'm sure many can relate to this but at the same time if you are not enjoying what you are doing days can be long and when leaving a job whether walking away on your own or being let go it kind be a breath of fresh although it may not seem like it at the time.

One idea I got from Amber is that I really need to utilize my blogs to also show my experience, my interests in reference to God's word, technology, and music (check out Amber's online resume) I learn something valuable each and every day.

Again I am sorry you lost your job at Citytv but at the same time welcome back and I know 2008 has something great in store for you.

A Useful Way For Our Cell Phone Camera

Let's be honest, most of us really do not use our camera on our cell phone but this small piece of information is really handy. >>>more

Information In Reference to Office 2003 SP3 Install

If anyone recently installed Service Pack 3 for Microsoft Office 2003 you may wish to read this article from Download Squad if you still need to access old files(i.e. Office 97). Many may not have files this old but it's always good to know what to do if you need to access them.

What Nintendo Got Right

I'm a geek but a simple geek and when it comes to gaming console I have fallen away from the whole genre...until this Christmas. I played Nintendo Wii with my grandson Casey, and I have to say, I want one. Why? Because for me they make gaming fun again. Come to think about it the last gaming console I really had fun with was a Nintendo. I have had a PlayStation, we have a PlayStation2 (and the only time I really use it when the grandson is over and if we do not play games like Star Wars, Crash Bandicoot I do not use unless to watch movies on it) and forget buying a PlayStation3 or an XBOX 360, I can't see myself paying that much for a gaming console. I have buddies that have these gaming console but I'm going to be honest, I do not like the sport games, especially WWF (my grandson has tried to teach me to play the game it makes me just sick and tired just thinking about it). If it's not a adventure game or just "fun" I'm not interested.

Christmas has sparked my love for video games with the Wii. Nintendo, known for Donkey Kong, Mario Brothers, games that make me want to go out and plunk down money. I'm from the old school. I pulled up old games for my grandson on the net (Space Invaders, Tempest, Battle Zone, Elevator Action, and of course Frogger & Ms. Pac Man)...games for me that makes time fly. I'm not taking away from the XBOX and PlayStation gamers but for me I do not want to take hours on top of hours learning to "this combination" and "that combination" to play a game. Some gadgets I want to learn, I need to learn but when it comes to gaming, I want to not think so hard, I just want to play and have fun.

Nintendo did right and what the other two companies(Microsoft and Sony) did wrong was two things...first the price of the console and two...they made their gaming cosole fun. Even with the low end of the Playstation 3 (40GB unit) the price is still $400 and the low end of and XBOX 360 is $350. The Wii is $100 less and most of their games are $10 less than the xbox 360 and playstation 3.

I'm not knocking the true gamers because that is your thing. The graphics in these games now blow me away and if I was into sports, adventure(well, I do like adventure games but I think to die hard gamers "Crash Bandicoot does not count) but some of us just want to turn on a game console, learn a few moves and have at the game. I guess the only bad thing is that Nintendo can't make them quick enough to stay on the shelves which is a shame because from what I'm hearing they lost $1 billion because of this but this should let the other two companies know that most of us just want to have fun and to be able to share with the entire family.

Nintendo, you got it right.

For more info on how Nintendo is running rings around its competitors check out...

With Wii and DS, Nintendo has two hit game devices