Don and I traveled to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to attend a Convoy of Hope conference to help raise money for their upcoming projects. I was so excited and I really needed this week to get away and make a dent in this book that I have been playing around with. I have found myself doodling instead of writing and couldn't wait to enjoy the scenery and looked forward to a great view of this renowned Coeur d'Alene lake to give me inspiration. You know where this is going, right?
Well we checked in and it was the smallest room I have EVER stayed in. My bathroom and closet at home is bigger than the whole room! I was disappointed but did not speak it to Don. I am sure he was wondering as well. haha. I didn't want to be ungrateful. So I anxiously went to the window and looked out the beautiful wooden blinds and what did I see? You will NEVER believe it! Our room is one of six rooms out of the 350 in the resort that has windows to the INSIDE POOL! yes you heard me...INSIDE POOL! I was at that point unable to contain my excitement. I looked at Don in horror and he said, "Well lets hope it closes early?" It didn't. The lovely inside pool...which I will admit is quite exquisite opened at the blessed hour of 6am and closes at 11pm.
Have you ever wanted to yell out about an injustice and just complain? You have every right too...anyone else would, right? I wondered why I was the chosen one of the 6 unfortunate people to get this type of room at a hotel that I might add... is sold out? We turned on the TV very loud to mask the hall noise as well as the pool noise and tried to make the best of it. We laughed about it all. The distance from our door to the window is only about 20 feet and we sat on the bed as the bell boy barely could fit all of our luggage in our room. It was incredible!
I bit my tongue many times because what I wanted to do was just spew out things about the room that I didn't like. Now lets NOT forget that we are in one of the most beautiful places in the country for a week! Outside has smells I have never smelled before...that is called FRESH air! The scent of the trees and the beautiful surroundings is enough to make you swoon! Plus we are here to help the unfortunate starving and under-privileged people of the world with Convoy of Hope....and I am thinking of calling the front office to complain. I should be ASHAMED!!!
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
Galatians 5:22-23 The Message
I truly believe that God cares about even the little things in life and He is looking for every opportunity to bless us and sometimes we mess that up with our mouth or actions. This morning we noticed that the glass shower door does not close and when you use the shower water gets all over the floor. I told Don that I would call about it. I called the front desk at 6:20am because I just couldn't sleep anymore and Don went to play golf already. A very nice man named Jacob answered and I told him about the shower door and that it needed repaired and it looked like water damage already to the wall in the bathroom. I was friendly and nice and really wanted to continue the conversation about all the things that I didn't like but He surprised me when He asked me a question:" Mrs Gibson. How is your room overall?" I stammered. I had a zillion things at the tip of my tongue I could say; including the sight of the lovely elderly gentlemen that was sitting in the hot tub this morning eating a banana in a speedo and talking VERY loudly on his cell phone at 6:10am! But before I could say anything Jacob said, "The reason why I ask is that we had a lot of complaints from that area on the 2nd floor with noise from the pool and the hall...we had a few people call last night." I agreed with him and told him that the sound of screaming from the pool was a little bit hair-raising. He said to me, "Well we had a cancellation early this morning and I am going to move you up to the 17th floor Park Tower. You are so lucky to have called because it just happened. Would that be okay with you? It has a fabulous view of the lake and even a living room and a gas fireplace." I felt faint and managed to choke out, "Okay." We will call you in a few hours to let you know when it is ready. Is there anything else we can do for you today Mrs Gibson?" Ummmm no I think you did just fine. Thank you so much! I hung up the phone and was amazed and somewhat speechless. I wasn't lucky at all...I was blessed.
I am not saying that I live perfectly and that I deserve favor all the time....I do not. But God continually speaks to us in the little things and this morning I truly believe that He was telling me that having a heart of love and grace and extending mercy is His heart. We can find the negative in anything but what is hard is to realize is that if we put our focus on the wrong we will never see the fabulous positive things that are right in front of us. If we live God's way He will bring gifts into this life that is so sweet and meaningful...that you would have never believed it or even have thought to ask for it.
Excuse me now while I pack my things up with a smile on my face as I hum "I am moving on up to the eastside to the deluxe apartment in the sky. I finally got a piece of the piiiiiiiie". (The Jefferson's theme song) haha
Adjust That Crown
Jonna
