Week #33: Joy Comes in the Morning!
August 13, 2007
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This Week's Topic: Joy Comes in the Morning!
Hello! As I travel, I'd like to share one of my
favorite stories from a while ago and I trust it may be just the
reminder you need this week ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------- A
little over a year ago, I visited Colorado Springs for a speaking
engagement and a few meetings with my publisher – and learned an
amusing lesson. Steve, who works for my publishing company, and his
wife picked me up from the airport on the evening that I arrived, and
took me to dinner. We then headed to Glen Eyrie Castle and Conference
Center, where I’d be staying during my trip. Before arriving, I had
received a generous invitation from a staff member at Glen Eyrie to
stay at no expense in the biggest and nicest room at their Christian
retreat center nestled in the foothills near picturesque Pike’s Peak.
The property, a castle built by a civil war general for his wife,
established the city of Colorado Springs in the late 19th century. I’d
been told the location was beautiful, but it was dark when we arrived
and upon proceeding through the gate, I began to feel a bit
apprehensive. We drove along a winding road with no street lights and
small, dark cottages sprinkled here and there. It seemed like the scene
just before something crazy happens in a scary movie. We pulled up to
the home I’d be staying in. It was just after 10:00 pm. One light was
on in the house and I thought I saw a man sitting at a desk near a
front window. We walked up to the large, ornate wood door with a heavy
metal knocker. Taped to the center of the door was a note with
“Valorie” scribbled on the outside and a key inside. It instructed me
to the location of my room inside this bed-and-breakfast style cottage.
We walked through the foyer, then a long, stately dining room
with a fireplace and seating for 14 people, and finally a vast living
area with paintings of people I imagined were long gone. The lighting
was nearly non-existent and as we proceeded through the house, I
thought, “Where am I? Who else is in this house? Are the former
inhabitants still ‘with us’?” I knew I was being silly, but the
thoughts and questions were gaining speed. We arrived at my room – a
spacious pink bedroom with a long, hall entry way, an antique canopy
bed, living area, work area and a huge bathroom. Steve saw the
apprehension on my face. And his wife looked a little apprehensive
about leaving me there, too. “You don’t have to stay here,” he
assured me. “We can go the Hilton right now if you want.” I gazed
through one of the dozen, 10-feet high windows in the room. It was
pitch black outside so I couldn’t see a thing. But I wasn’t feeling
excited about staying. “It was such a generous offer that I would feel terrible about coming here and then leaving to check into a hotel,” I said. Just
then, I heard a motherly voice call out, “Val-or-ie?” I turned to find
a lovely, older couple – the home’s hosts – enter the room. The
husband, perhaps sensing a little tension by the way we were scoping
out the room, said lightly, “Don’t worry. There are no ghosts here. :)
It just looks like this because you came at night.” A little embarrassed, I said, “Oh, I’m sure it’s lovely in the daytime,” hoping I was right. The
host's wife proceeded to tell me a few things about the room and the
house. She said something about an unconventional wake-up call at 5:30
am, but I thought she was kidding. “Good night,” they said before
retiring to their room. “Well,” I said to Steve and his wife. “I’ll stay tonight and let’s see how it goes.” “I’ll
be back to pick you up in the morning,” he offered, “Just pack your
bags if you want to check into a hotel tomorrow, and we’ll take them
when I pick you up.” Uneasy, but undeterred, I readied for bed
and decided that my apprehension was unfounded (but left the hallway
light on for good measure :). Around 5:20 am, I was suddenly
awakened by the sound of a woman laughing – well, kind of cackling. It
was almost a giggle – little short, choppy bursts of laughter. The
first time I heard it, I thought it was a bit strange. The second time,
I thought, “Boy, something must really be funny.” I tried to go back to
sleep, but she wouldn’t stop her funny little giggles. “What could be that funny this early in the morning!?” I thought, now feeling a bit annoyed. Then
it occurred to me, the hostess warned me the night before that I would
get a wake up call around 5:30 in the morning – from wild turkeys
gobbling outside. I jumped out of bed and looked outside, only to see
huge, wild, black turkeys shuffling about on the lawn. In the
background was a spectacular mountain view and I could see the edges of
a large, stone castle peeking from behind the tall, evergreen trees on
the property. The scene from the 12, expansive windows in my room was
captivating. I took a deep breath of gratitude and inhaled the divine
beauty of nature. Then I laughed at myself for my reaction the night
before. During my three days at Glen Eyrie, I took walks,
meditated and enjoyed the scenic landscape and peaceful environment
that surrounded me. I gleaned a simple lesson from this story: Sometimes,
you have to persevere through the uncertainty of darkness to experience
the beautiful vision that comes when light is shed on a situation.
Things aren’t always as they seem, especially when we have a limited
view. In what area of your life are you apprehensive because you
can’t see what’s coming? Are you ready to bail out quickly before you
can see the whole picture? This week, I offer you a challenge: Refuse
to allow irrational fears to pressure you into making hasty decisions -
whether in your personal or professional life. “... Weeping may endure
for a night, but joy comes in the morning,” Psalm 30:5 promises. Stick
around and see what God has in store before you take it upon yourself
to “fix things.” When you finally see what morning looks like, you may
just find you were in the right place all along. Journaling assignment:
In
what area of your life are you tempted to make a premature decision? Is
God prompting you to wait a little while longer before showing you the
bigger picture? My challenge to you this week:
Be
patient. Refuse to make a hasty decision. Instead, endure a little
discomfort until you can see the bigger picture and make a more
informed decision.
Until next time ... Warm wishes,
 P.S. Encourage your friends and family by sharing this newsletter and invite others to subscribe! Just send them to
www.valorieburton.com, where they can enter their email address on the home page. Valorie
Burton, a life coach and speaker, is the author of Listen to Your Life,
Rich Minds, Rich Rewards, What's Really Holding You Back?, and her
latest, Why Not You?. Subscribe to her FREE, inspirational e-newsletter
at www.valorieburton.com.
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