Colorado Red
After returning from Jordan, I soon took a job for a family friend doing traveling promotions for Branson Theatre, a prestigious title for brochure stuffer. This took me twice to beautiful Colorado, all expenses reimbursed. The first trip my Dad insisted that I needed him to go with me. He had made up his mind, so my independence bowed to fatherly protection. How I wish in hindsight I had found this refuge more often. We stayed at our first Days Inn in a small town, where we attended church in a converted gym on Sunday morning. The mix of old hymns and contemporary worship was perfect for this pair of God’s children. Dad had not been in church in years, with the exception of one or two visits to Indiana Ave Baptist Church (my college church) in Lubbock, TX, and my heart was thrilled to be by his side. We made the rest of our rounds and ended up with an ascent to the top of the Royal Gorge. The air was much too thin up there for this near asthmatic, but it was beautiful. My memory fails me, but I think we crossed the gorge in this little car on a string (cable). I just can’t imagine Dad’s 300 something pound frame on that thing. We bought some souvenirs, and we were off, from what was a fairly uneventful (calm) trip.
My next trip to Colorado on prestigious promotions at every local Wal-Mart entryway was not as smooth. I hope I’ve learned that going it alone is not the best thing to do. I guess that’s the like-an-only-child explorer in me, who used to take off across the countryside at the ripe old age of 4. I planned to stop at the first major town and stay at my beloved Days Inn. It was near midnight, and I remember wondering if hotels closed their doors at a certain time. Not being a veteran traveler, I should have checked ahead of time. I had never had trouble before. But now the roads were under a major reconstruction and every hotel in town was booked with construction workers. I resorted to going to the really nice looking Holiday Inn, knowing I would have to make up the difference from my hotel allowance. They had one standard room left. Swshoo!
Up the stairs in the indoor courtyard with my one bag, I eagerly entered my room with one double bed. But oh, they must have forgot to turn on the heater because it was cold. Now, there’s not many things in this world that I hate worse than being cold. That is one reason I’m so thankful God sent me to Jordan and not to Russia. So I turn the heat on high and wait. But nothing but cold air is blowing in my personal icebox.
I called the front desk, desperate, but calmly polite. A short man came to my room promptly to inspect my unit, and then informed me that I’d be changing rooms. He then led me to the executive suite! This room was huge, equipped with jacuzzi tub, kitchenette, and large living room. And it was warm.
After enjoying a nice rest, I moved on up the interstate. The day ended up on the mountain as I had planned. I found a lovely row of cabins next to a creek, with evergreen pines in the backdrop. My room had country decor, a fireplace, and a sliding glass door overlooking the creek. I got my complimentary firewood in the office, built a fire, and cracked the door just enough to hear the gentle roar outside, and settled in to a nice quiet time with the Lord.
Driving through this state is probably always beautiful, but it was especially so now, as the trees had turned a brilliant red. Local scientist said that they could not explain why this happens, because these trees do not have a red pigment. However, they did know that it occurs after having extreme hot temperatures followed by extreme cold temperatures (or vice versa-I can’t remember).
And so the next day should have taken me back down the interstate and toward home. But my little four cylinder mustang did not seem to like all this mountain climbing. Thus it ended up in the car hospital, and I payed for a room in an adjacent motel. I entered the smoke filled, teeny tiny room with bare white walls, but could only breathe for a couple of minutes. You see, smoke is one of the other things in this world that I really hate. I told the manager and he brought in an air purifier, but my nasal passages were quickly closing, and I had to get out quick. He generously gave me a refund, and some kind people drove me to an average hotel in town.
My car was fixed by morning, and I was back on the road. But not for long. It started to shimy and shake again, so I exited just in time to coast into a police station parking lot. I placed a note on the windshield, walked to an icky hotel down the way, and in surrender, called my Daddy.
As I waited for him and my Mom to come to my rescue, I packed my backpack and was off to climb the nearest rock. (I guess I had one bag and a backpack.) After ascending to the top, I settled in to listen to the Lord. I don’t recall now the verses that I read, and my notes are somewhere in a box in the shed, but I do remember the point of it all.
To my heart God spoke that just like He made those beautiful red trees that confounded the scientists, so was He making my life beautiful through the extremes of my circumstances.
Oh.
Knowing it was time to go, I headed back, arriving just in time to meet my precious parents. Mom, having a nack for adventure herself, wanted to stay and explore new things. However, Dad’s wisdom settled us in to another night in the not so lovely motel, in order to obtain a car dolly and be off in the morning. And we would be thankful later, as we heard on the news that a massive blizzard had been delayed by one day. We got out just in time. Swshoo!
“How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves.” Song of Solomon 1:15
