July 4, 2003

God bless America and God bless A Marriott!

The way this trip has been it is genuinely AMAZING I was able to hear God at ALL! I have n ever had such a comedy of errors on a trip—not even my first Shachah trip when I met Aunty Magrate in 2000 and the enemy tried desperately to keep me away.

Tonight was the last in a series of crazy things—but all little things. It started when I arrived at my hotel. I was not expecting fancy by any means but I was expecting light in my room and a drawer without dirt in it I could blow out. And since there was an ashtray in there, it would have been nice had it been completely cleaned out. It was the most depressing place. I have seen housing projects more pleasant. I tried to call Priceline and they won’t let you speak to a person. So I called my credit card company. The first time I got some guy who thought the dispute office was open—I knew it wasn’t. SO I called back, fighting my tears. At this point I am sitting in my car on the phone because the room is miserable. At frost I thought I would stay just tonight and get a new place tomorrow, but then I realized that I could not bear one night in there. When I called back I got a woman. I told her the story and that the department I needed was closed. She talked to a supervisor who got on the phone with me. The women were very sympathetic—sexist but true statement! She said that what she could do for now is raise my credit limit $200 (I put this on a credit card with a TEENY limit) so I could get a hotel now and dispute it later to get that money back (which will do fid I have to take them to court. It was truly that bad—so was the desk clerk.). I was never so grateful for anything… well, actually it was in a list of recent gratitude in the midst of chaos. I went up to my room and got online to look up a hotel room. If you don’t book online you pay more, period. I decided to book a Courtyard Marriott. I love Courtyards and could not take a dive. I almost went to a Sheraton for $10 more but I went with CY primarily because I am a Rewards member and I get frequent flyer miles for being here! I copied down directions and went to the front office. I announced I was checking out. Miss Rude seemed not at all shocked and robotically informed me I would have to deal with the charges with Priceline. No doubt she has heard it before. That place ought to be shut down.

I left so thankful to be away from that oppressive place and found my way to Norwood, Massachusetts, farther into the south Boston suburbs. I found dinner at a pizza place—what I was craving—the asst. mgr had just moved back here from Texas where he was stationed in the army. Somehow that felt good to me in this craziness. I found my hotel—it is near an office park (I LOVE hotels near office parks). It has a fountain in the front and you have to go up a little hill into the trees to get to it. When I checked in they treated me like a human being (the lady at the dump actually snapped at me when I complained at the ridiculously phone charges of 5.37 per five minutes—ONLY in the local area which was small!—she said “if you would just let me finish giving you the details.”) Here they did not ask me what plates were on my car and give me a flyer with places I could not park. I found my room and lay my stuff down thanking God over and over for my room. I might as well be in the Biltmore or Four Seasons compared with the contrast. It is so wonderful. I took a bath and ate my dinner. I picked up brochures of touristy things to do. I have so many choices in Boston. My top choices are The House of the Seven Gables and Salem (Nathaniel Hawthorne, an author I love), the harbor and Plymouth Rock, and Emily Dickinson’s Homestead in Amherst—95 miles away. But Emily was my favorite poet—I wanted to BE her. I am no longer an isolated sad being, but she was still a great influence on me and I still love her poetry. Bobbin called and she really thinks I should too—she remembers me and Emmy. So I might try--you need reservations because it books up, but I will call maybe. More driving—but hey, after this week, I am not sure I want to be back in New England!! HA! Anyway, as a person with two degrees in English and who specialized in early American literature, I could probably spend a month here and not soak up all I love, so I have to pick the best I can for tomorrow.

I feel like the crud is over. The hotel was it. Robin thinks it was attacks. I told her I felt like I did nothing much at all at this conference. But you know, there was a lot that happened that was good. And today I met a team from Ventura! That is less than an hour from where I will live. I told them I would love to se about getting them to come minister at my church… I will talk to Darrell about it next month. They are older ladies, and very good—long history with Shachah—such cool stuff God is doing. Look more connections and now some near me! Go, God!

I gotta get myself to wind down a bit. It is after midnight—Robin called me at 11 my time—I was so proud of her, making late phone calls! It was good to talk to her. I am becoming such a mush about her. She prayed for me before we hung up and that was so nice. I will see her next week—the one time after, and then when I move. That seems so little after so long.

More later—still planning my day in MA. I might have to hit RI on Sunday or later tomorrow—we will see, but I am going to wind down and tune out a bit—see the sights and be with God.

Maybe I will get to eat too—I am convinced there is no food in New England, but that is another story from my adventure! If only I were not eating so badly when I do find food. That will be another good thing about not traveling… I ma truly sick of planes trains and automobiles—and hotels—except of course this one which is a great and glorious blessing tonight!

And I praise Him that He has kept me in all this chaos. It has all been little foxes, not roaring lions. But they did not destroy my vines, praise God!