Alas, my computer would not let me access the hotel internet, claiming it was not a trusted source. I have gotten that message before, but it went on to say (paraphrasing) "Did you notice the site did not ask for your room number and pass code? Someone is pretending to be us and will steal every penny from all your accounts if you bypass this warning. Do not do so!"
I called the front desk who sent up two "engineers." They were the hotel mechanics, I think, but they were two very nice young men. They were quite honest in saying they had no clue what this unusual warning meant. They gave me the number of the computer folks (IT) for the hotel, who quickly gave me a safe pass code, and I was all set to work on my book. The engineers waited, to be sure my problem was solved before they left.
"What kind of work do you do?" asked the engineers.
"I'm an author," I said, "Want a bookmark?"
I gave them each a bookmark, which I have with me since I will be doing a talk on one of my books in NY at my folk's assisted living center. The bookmarks have my picture, and photos of a bunch of my books, along with my Amazon Author web site. The engineers were ecstatic. I showed them the book (Joe) that is currently #1. They asked me to sign their bookmarks, and told me they planned to buy my books as gifts for their horse-loving relatives.
They told me they felt like they were in the presence of greatness. I was tickled to death over their exuberant excitement. We all shook hands, and they left, clutching their signed bookmarks. I would not be the one to dissuade them of that notion of being with a star. It seemed to make them feel even better than it made me feel to be regarded as one.
It takes so little to make a day joyful. Sadly the reverse is true as well. When there are important parts of life out of whack, Satan brings them to mind and works overtime to steal our joy. I am trying very hard to fight the tendency to dwell in those areas, because I do not desire to give the devil victory in my life. However, some blows are hard to withstand, and I still find myself, despite my best intentions crying out, "Not this too, O Lord! Couldn't I have just had this?" Doubt creeps in along with discouragement.
Charles Spurgeon said,
Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith. If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test... It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but that is true faith which holds by the Lord's faithfulness when friends are gone, when the body is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our Father's countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," is heaven-born faith.
With this in mind, I faced the new day. The sun rose and I looked out from the 17th floor window of my hotel over my son's apartment building, and his beautiful city. I prayed for him, a sweet and gentle joy in my life, and for his dear wife. Both treated me with much love and kindness when I saw them last night. I will dwell there, nursing my heaven-born faith.
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