Surprise Guest – What would you do?

Who’s hanging out in your lobby? I bear-ly know who they are

Okay, bad pun. As many know, I work at a hotel as Night Auditor. We’ve had many a guest (and non-guests) that have hung out on our lobby over night. I’ve had a former rock band member fall asleep in our lobby – three nights in a row. I’ve had spouses who just don’t want to go to their room (or maybe can’t – I don’t ask). I’ve had neighbors that just want to use the business center and work-work-work, and I’ve had homeless looking for a respite from rain-heat-cold-anything. The best are guests who just want to hang around and talk – which with me, always gets back to the Bible. Some pretty cool conversations.

But I think the famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park takes the prize. First, they say they have a ghost. Seen the pictures – not convinced. Maybe the ghost story is a product of the vibe that came to the hotel because Stephen King stayed one night there and it inspired the book/movie The Shining. But this week, they had a new wanderer. A bear. And in our modern world – it was caught on a phone video and that video has gone viral. (The video can be seen here ).

A bear! He seems to just be meandering through. But it’s a Bear!

We might be headed back east, and be in a rural setting. We love this possibility and the location – but Lisa has already voiced concerns about snakes and spiders 🕷. Imagine what would happen if a bear just meandered up. I’ve been close to a few when hiking in the Shenandoah, not too close – but phone pic close. But in the lobby?

How does this connect to ‘Muddy Shoes’? Well, glad you asked. As I’ve stated, this life gets messy, and things happen that aren’t always in our plans. We could be doing our job, serving others, just cruising on our journey – and then a dangerous beast appears and changes everything. The beast may be cancer, a broken relationship, a loss by death or even relocation, loss of a job, or just about anything. Basically, we learn quickly that we are not in control. The beasts of circumstances, spiritual warfare, doubt, and more are quick to show us that we control very little in this journey called life. Stephen Furtick once said …

The only way God can show us He’s in control is to put us in situations we can’t control.

God is not caught off guard by the beasts in our lives. He doesn’t scratch His head and wonder what to do. He is in control and We are not. James MacDonald said it this way …

God brings tests into your life because your faith in Him – your belief that He is in control and He is good – can be proved only when life is hard.

If He is good, and He is – and if He is in control, and He is – than we can trust Him.

For if you are not really trusting Him, maybe you don’t believe He is really good or really in control. I’m gonna let that just hang there. Think about that today.

What do you really believe? And when animals, four or two legs, mess up your life, will you trust God that it’s gonna be okay?

Have a blessed weekend – todd