Becky Crenshaw

Dear iPhone Auto Correct,

I know that we have had a rough friendship over the years.  We have struggled with a love/hate relationship of sorts.  But today I am writing you to set the record straight and to ask for your forgiveness.

First of all, for the record, let me begin by saying how thankful I am for the little things you do.  You are quick to complete my thought before I finish and have always helped me correct my “yoi” to “you” or my “achool” to “school” or my “iwth” to “with”.  Thank you for automatically capitalizing the names of states, cities and days and months of the year.  Without you they would remain lowercase and common, sharing the same stage with “cat” and “sand” or “have.”   You always come to the rescue when I try to add an “e” to “truly” or “curly”.  And thank for completely spelling out 5 & 6 syllable words like “intentionality” and “evangelical”.  I would have abbreviated them, I would have!  So thank you.  I really am grateful for those things.  Truly I am.

Saying all of that, I must tell you how flustered I’ve been, too.  If you are smart enough to correct your own name (iphone to iPhone), I have to ask about the times you have gravely let me down.  Like the numerous times you have let me send a text stating how much “I live” someone instead of how much “I love” them.  And I want to talk about “whoo hoo!”  You refuse to let me type “whoo hoo!”  Don’t you know that “whoo hoo” is a common form of expression in America that desperately needs to be in your data base? Stop changing my “hoo” to “too”!  I don’t say “whoo too”!  And what about that time that “I was going to the poop” and “not the pool”?  Oh my word!  Couldn’t you have stopped that mess?  And what about this…

Couldn’t you have helped me out here, too?  I sounded crazy.

But I am here today to make amends with you, Auto Correct.  To ask your forgiveness for all of the horrible things I have said about you under my breath. To reconcile with you, once and for all.

Because for all of the things you have done wrong, one thing you have done very right.   You recognize something that many people don’t understand.  You capitalize the proper noun who has completely changed my life.

Auto correct, I forgive you today, because you recognize The Holy Spirit as a person… giving Him appropriate place in your data base as proper noun.  Because He is a person.  He is not an “it”.  Or a force like in Star Wars.

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity and it is in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit that we are commissioned to go and make disciples in the Great Commission. The Holy Spirit has a mind and emotions and experiences grief and joy, just like all of us.

He is my Counselor and Teacher, reminding me of Scripture in and out of season.  He gives me comfort when my heart is broken and convicts me when I go astray.  He leads me back and instructs me in reading God’s Word.

Thank you for recognizing Him.  For not only puts the P in Proper Noun, but He puts the P in Power – empowering me as a tender wife to Brent, a patient mother, a better friend and a minister of the Gospel.  He is the One who whispers encouragement to my soul and gives me peace in the midst of a chaotic day.  It is the Holy Spirit who gives me wisdom to instruct my children when a friend has hurt their feelings or the patience to break up a fight between my sons without getting in the middle of it myself.  He helps me in all of my weaknesses, too. It was the Holy Spirit who gave me peace during the year my mom was sick with cancer and it was the Holy Spirit who was interceding for us, pleading to the Father on our behalf when we so desperately wanted babies and I thought I’d never be a mom.

He is a Proper Noun.  You are right!  Worthy of capitalization and worthy of full submission.  And today, I yield myself to Him — laying down my rights and agenda to listen to what He has planned for me instead.

So Auto Correct, I forgive you.  And I hope you can forgive me, too.  Thank you for capitalizing this life-changing Person.  I hope we can work out our future squabbles in a civil way from here forward.  (I do hope you’ll consider the whole “whoo hoo” thing.  That would mean a lot.)  OK!  Have a great day.

I Live You,

Becky

Scripture References Used Today:

Matthew 29:19; John 14:16-17&26 ; Romans 8:27 ; Ephesians 4:30 ; Isaiah 63:10 ;

Luke 10:21 ; John 16:8 ; Romans 8:14 ; John 16:13 : Romans 8:26