Monday, May 31, 2010

Suites, Private Pools, and Harley Joe!

There are many things I think when traveling...some I never blog about. I suppose this is due to the fact that I usually leave my computer at home while on vacation. This week it is an ADVENTURE (not vacation) and blogging will probably maintain my sanity levels while Loverbrains is working long hours.

What things do I think you ask? Well, like how you spend time teaching your kids to pick things up and put them away and how they decide to OBEY and pick up nasty things from parking lots and restrooms. GAG! Or, how they ask embarrassing questions about anatomy in public restrooms that ECHO! Or, how much fun are bathroom blowers (after you get past the stage where they scare the kid to death)! Yeah, DEEP thoughts...deep thoughts!

First time we have ever had a suite...very cozy...very WONDERFUL...sort of privacy.
We even enjoyed a private pool...well, not really...but no one else was using it at the time.
My real thoughts are with Joe...a scary biker dude we met at a busy rest stop. I'm a pretty bold chica...I know this doesn't shock most of you...but especially when I'm securely with my Loverbrains...I talk to just about any poor stranger who will stand still for it. This guy was in full Harley duds...with a sunburned nose and cheeks...and a worn and tired feel about him.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Mt. 11:28

Anyhew...we were eating our refrigerator clean-out lunch...meaning I had a loaf of bread, bologna, cheese and blueberries...not fun really. I didn't even have napkins or condiments. We were under a mini shelter...from the blazing sun...on a humid day. It rained on and off the whole trip.

I stepped over and said...,"Hey you're welcome to join us. We don't have anything exciting, just sandwiches...but would you care to join us?" He looked surprised and hesitated and then accepted. He said he'd checked out the vending machine and it was junk (true, true). He didn't want to stick his fingers in the food...so asked if I'd make the sandwiches. *Smile...and he really opened up to us. I learned lots about him...born in Poland, ex-marine, heavy drinker, etc. etc. He sort of wanted to know why we were being nice to him. He said that most people that talked to him were old couples....not young families.

That was our opening to tell him about our personal relationship with Jesus Christ...and how we try to live our lives for His glory...as we think He would live...as HE DIED. Such conversations rarely go as far as I'd like...and Joe didn't say a whole lot. But ya never know what seeds were planted or what seeds we watered, etc. (Mt. 13) I waved to him as we went into the "potties" and he roared off on his HOG. It POURED the rest of the way up past the Chicago split. And I prayed silently for him...that the searching he's doing will lead him to the ONLY WAY, TRUTH and LIFE! (Jn. 14:6)

4 comments:

Karen said...

That's awesome, Bobbi...

Pastor D said...

You make me cry, kid. If I could have any wish for my children, it would be for them to be like you really are. Thanks for reaching out to Harley Joe!

Love,
Dad

Barbara H. said...

I LOVE suites! Our first ever hotel experiences had all of us crammed in one room with an extra portable bed fit in there somewhere. Now that my husband's accumulated some points through his travels, we can rent two rooms, at least, if not a suite. So much nicer! And it's nice that the pools are usually not filled with people during week days unless a bunch of teens are there.

Your reaching out to Joe is a rebuke to me. I might see him and even pray for him, but, to my shame, I probably wouldn't work up the gumption to say much, much less invite him to lunch. I should -- but I probably would not have thought of it.

Kayren said...

You're awesome, Bobbi. I know that's not why you did it (for yourself) but you're great, and a great example.