On our way to Myrtle Beach
One neat thing about reserving your room with certain specific hotel chains
nowadays is that you can accrue points, and once you've accumulated enough, you
can redeem them for an overnight stay in any of their hotels worldwide. This
seems like a very attractive deal... Until your reservation is not honoured...
Six months prior to our proposed stay, we had reserved a hotel in Myrtle Beach
to be paid for with our accumulation of points. As we made our way north towards
the acclaimed city, we were already anticipating our walk along the renowned
beaches, our swim in the celebrated waters, even our visit to an alligator farm.
When we reached the hotel however, our dream turned into a nightmare.
Our first step into the hotel lobby should have forewarned us. We were greeted
with a strong smell of fresh tobacco smoke, despite the clearly-visible
no-smoking sign posted on the door. We didn't think anything of it, however, and
we approached the desk with smiles on our faces.
"Can I help you?" The manager asked in a none-too-pleasant voice.
"Absolutely!" I said. I couldn't keep my cheerfulness at having finally reached
our destination out of my voice. "We have reservations."
The lady's face blanched. "Under what name?" She demanded.
Her expression turned even sourer when I stated my name. What could I have said
to provoke such a reaction? Was my name that offensive to her?
"I cannot honour your reservation!" She blurted out rudely.
My face must have registered my shock: "Why not?"
"You used points to reserve this room," was her bitter response, "and we didn't
receive your reservations from the main office in the proper way." I couldn't
help noting that her voice had raised an octave.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
No response was forthcoming. Instead, she had moved away and was searching
through her papers while another employee was busily punching a computer
keyboard. We could overhear her employee exclaim: "They're lucky. We still have
a room available!"
It was several minutes later, a time span filled with huffing and puffing, and
angry glares that might have been warranted if we had just escaped from prison,
when she finally declared: "We can't honour your reservation. We didn't get it
the proper way. You can have a room, though not the one you reserved, but you'll
have to pay..."
We left the hotel frustrated and upset. In fact, I was ready to rent a billboard
in town, and I already knew what logo it would sport: "If you want to rent a
piranha-invested room, reeking of a swamp, go to "…" Be aware that only plain,
cold cash is accepted, and reservations are not honoured."
I caught myself at this point in my thoughts, and I realized I was carrying a
grudge. Unforgiveness had started to creep into my soul, and if left unchecked,
it would linger with me for years to come.
"Jesus please come to my help," I prayed. "I am so upset! Unforgiveness has
started to invade my soul. Please forgive me and fill me with your grace. Help
me to forgive the way you forgive. Thank you so much, my Lord and Master. In
Jesus' name. Amen"
As soon as I had said this simple prayer, relief flooded my soul and forgiveness
was forthcoming. I was then able to talk about my experience with a smile on my
lips and laughter in my soul. It had all been pretty silly, really!
We eventually were refunded all of our points, and we have the possibility of
redeeming them for a free stay in another hotel at another time. We also found a
hotel room. As rooms in Myrtle Beach are hard to find at that time of year, it
was a couple of hours away. We decided, though, that it didn't matter. It would
put us two hours closer to our next destination: The Appalachians. It would mean
more hiking and exploring time-just the thing for my mountain goat family!
In life, it is always better to approach delicate situations with a smile, to
laugh over events that could otherwise turn us into unforgivable, grieving
monsters.
"Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offence.
Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of
what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be
without it." (Col 3:13-14 The Message)
"Do you still have a room for me? I have reservations."
"It all depends. Will it be cash or points?"
"I only have grace to offer!"
Rob Chaffart
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