An Introvert's Vacation, Part 2

For the sake of brevity and because those of you who read this blog are some of the smartest people around, we are going to pick up right where we left off in Part 1.

Art was not done by the time I got back to Portales. I ended up getting there something like 18 hours before I had planned to. That was going to be perfect. We would be able to get away from Portales a few hours earlier that we had originally thought and could make a contact in Moriarty, NM. Unfortunately, The legal system was determined to make sure they had their pound of flesh for an indiscretion Art had committed over a decade ago. So not only was I 18 hours early, he ended up being over 24 hours later than we had expected.

So much for a no agenda vacation. Lesson 1: If you go on a "no agenda" vacation, the people you are visiting have to understand that. Otherwise it is not fair to them since your agenda might not fit with theirs. It ends up making it "all about me" rather than "not about me at all" and that may satisfy something in us, but does not meet our deepest, spiritual need. I did pull it off one time though--sort of almost anyway. I mentioned I was also early to Prosper, TX. I have a friend I used to work with who now lives in a nearby town. I gave Eraldo a call and visited with him on the telephone for ten minutes or so. Had I wanted to see him face to face that would not have worked, but it was good to catch up with him a little.

I did mention Portales is not a place people go on purpose. There I was with 24 hours before I could leave. I had passed a Bed and Breakfast on the way into town. I have never been to one of those so I thought I would check it out since I needed a place to stay anyway. I looked them up on the internet and called. Pastor Jerry's voicemail answered telling me he would get back to me when he picked up the message. A couple hours later I decided to just drive over there and see if they had a room. I was met with a freshly poured, concrete, front porch and a pile of lumber. A young man hanging gutters or something told me he thought they were out of town. FYI, Jerry left me a voicemail about ten days later telling me they had just returned from Germany, but if I was ever in Portales again to please keep them in mind. Did I mention Portales is not a place anyone goes on purpose?

What to do? What to do? I should have taken more time between Lubbock and Portales. Better yet, I should have accepted the invitation to stay another night in Prosper, TX. Some say hindsight is 20/20. Do not believe it, but it is better than foresight. Lesson 2: When someone wants to offer you hospitality, even if it does not fit your plans, accept it. I even have scripture on that. It is Matthew 10:11 if you want the reference. I even knew that. I am beginning to think I am better when I have someone around to remind me of things I know, but do not think of at the right time. My wife would be happy to do that, but everyone knows God cannot talk to you through your wife. (Oh, please, it's a joke folks.)

There is a fairly new Holiday Inn Express on the edge of Portales. Do not ask me why. They must see something there I do not. Well, both the older motels in town are in really bad shape. At this point, I am still not sure if I even need to spend the night. Art might get out any time. So I check at the desk. King suite $99.00. I do not need to spend $99.00 for a night in a motel. Next door to the Holiday Inn Express is a Super 8 motel or one of that ilk anyway. $59.00 for the night. That is more like it. Well, except for the fact I know the Holy Spirit is telling me not to check in there. But it's $40.00 cheaper. Not only less expensive, cheaper. Within about half an hour I am in a full-blown crisis. It's $40.00 less to stay at the Super 8. I have pretty much realized I am going to have to spend the night. I am not supposed to be having a crisis. I am supposed to be doing whatever I want to do. I am having a crisis anyway.

I text message a friend I know is available and tell him about the crisis. He throws words I have told him back in my face. I hate when that happens. Not really, but it makes better reading. He texts, "It is never a problem to know what God wants when you get yourself out of the way." Lesson 3: Do not text people who might remember something you told them. (said sardonically).

I go back to the desk at the Holiday Inn Express and check in. Why am I here God? The Super 8 is $40.00 cheaper. Lesson 4: God wants to bless me (and you) more than I understand. $40.00 is nothing to Him. Holiday Inn Express is a nicer chain than Super 8. Oh, and the breakfast is much better as well.

To make a long story short, if it is not already too late, we got on the road the next day about 6:30 PM, again a full 24 hours later than we had intended. It was dark before we got to Albuquerque. It was just before dawn when we went through Flagstaff, AZ. I pretty much missed Arizona both directions. Oh, well, I may make it back again sometime. The trip was almost without incident. The deer I hit on the way down the mountain from Flagstaff was feeling no pain since he had been hit sometime earlier and there was not much for me to hit except a small pile of--well, you know.

There are several other lessons we might take from the trip, but they seem almost silly. Fill your gas tank in Arizona rather than California. You will save at least 70 cents a gallon. Do not order hamburgers at McDonald's at breakfast time. They do not serve them then. Do not be in a hurry on Highway 166 on a Saturday afternoon. Some people are not. I am sure there are others, but none come to mind right now.