I'm sitting here now, stairing at a computer screen, about to run up to the post office and pick up a parcel... but yes. Where to start? Oh well... let's start at the beginning.

On Saturday morning at 1:15am, I had a second hard drive fail in my brand new $4000 web server. This is a bit of a problem. The server is built using RAID5, and has inbuilt alarms and monitoring software. However, the monitor that was supposed to tell me about the drive failure on Tuesday didn't. One of my host's technitions was in the DS on Friday night, and he left me a message on my work voicemail, but I didn't check that because I was away at a conference. If I'd known, I would have restarted the machine, and (probably) wouldn't be in the mess I'm in now.

RAID5 is designed to handle a single drive failure. So, with two drives down, all of the data is gone. But that's OK right? There are backups...

... yes... backups. So how many of you have heard the phrase - the backup works until you have to restore. Well, that's the case here. I have backups, but they are not restorable from. My SQL database backups weren't being created properly, and so there is no data in them, and my file backups were just plain not happening (or so it seems). The last complete backup I have is from 2nd Feb, when I migrated servers. So yes... hmm... interesting times shall we say.

It's sort of one of those 'comedy of errors' - one thing goes wrong that then leads another 55 to go wrong, and all in all, you end up with a big mess. All of my layers of redundancy that were good and in the test cases were "working" stopped. Lessons are learnt in these times. I intend to take them. 

Oh yeah - did I mention I was supposed to be at Annual Conference with PY this weekend too? I was... until I came down for repairs... got back up to Lawson at hmm... 8:00?

... and then... I was talking to my boss, and we walked back to our room, and my wife passed out. I'm not going to go into the details here, but she did it again last night, and we're having tests done today, but we don't know what it is, and it seems quite worrying. If you know me (personally) and would like more details, phone.

I was reading Lamentations again this morning. I've been a bit slack recently (generally) - but I wanted to today. Once again, I was confronted by the writers desperate condition. He was knocked down - taken out for the count so to speak. He recognises that God is in control of his affliction, and it comes to him as a result of his sin. Despite all of this, he has the courage and strength to say:

I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him.
Let him bury his face in the dust — there may yet be hope.
Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.
For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men. 

Lamentations 3:24 - 33 

I was reminded this morning that despite my slightly desperate place, I should have the same attitude as this man - but far more certain. I know that the Lord will redeem me. I know that his love is sure. I know that he has and will continue to show compassion. There will be trials; there will be suffering; there will be hardship; but the Lord's love will prevail. He will redeem me on the last day, and I will worship Him for eternity. Hallelujah!