A Story of a Foolish Husband...🙋🏼♂️
Do you ever imagine what it would feel like to sleep in your car overnight?
Yeah, me either but on a recent getaway with my wife, intending to bring some much-needed relaxation, we were three minutes from spending the opening night in the car.
And to make matters worse–it’s because I didn’t listen to my wife.
Before I tell you what happened, here is my defense.
Once upon a time, there was a world where a young mom and dad drove three young children to a faraway land. Then, when the hard-working dad got weary from the long journey, he would pull his 1991 red Ford Aerostar minivan into a destination of rest called a hotel.
There he would drive his beautiful bride up to the door and let her out to purchase a place of rest for the night. No reservations were made. No call ahead. Just a young family of five on an incredible journey pulling off the road and finding a place to pillow their head for the night before continuing their journey southward to Florida.
Now fast forward about 27 years.
My wife and I have a beautiful little Airbnb cabin reserved where we had planned to relax for a few days. The only problem, we couldn’t get in until Sunday.
My brain says, “No problem. Once upon a time, as a young lad, I journeyed south with my parents. I remember dad growing weary from the long journey and pulling off and getting a hotel. So I’ll do the same.”
My wife’s brain doesn’t think that. Her brain has the latest update, and I’m still functioning on an old system.
We made it down to our destination, and I, just like my dad 27 years before, pulled up to the hotel and let my beautiful wife out to check us in.
I went up and turned around, and she was already walking back out. “Wow, check-in is much faster nowadays,” my outdated brain thought, but then my husband senses went off. I noticed her head shaking “no” while looking down.
That’s not a good sign.
“They are full,” she said.
And so was the next place. And the next place. And the next place.
Everywhere within a 45-minute range of Nashville, Tennesse was booked. If an opening came up online, it was gone before you could book it.
Even with an outdated brain, I knew this was not good.
The first night of a relaxing getaway with my wife and we were going to be sleeping in our car at the backside of a Walmart parking lot–because of me.
I don’t know that my situation was as dire as David’s when Saul tried to kill him, but I did whisper a prayer to God. My motives may have been more fear of my wife killing me than faith, but I whispered a prayer.
Meanwhile, my wife diligently kept an eye online, and when a new listing popped up, she would try to book it, and finally, one landed. We had a room!
I was going to live to see another day!
When my wife checked in, the man told her she had booked within three minutes of a cancelation!
Now because I know my wife let me be clear. At no time was my life in danger!
She laughed at my way of thinking, and we joked about it. I’m pretty sure if we had ended up in the van, we could have made it a great memory–but thankfully, we didn’t have to!
I don’t know if I will ever meet the family that canceled their room that night, but I owe them a big thank you!
I learned a valuable lesson that night. Well, two lessons.
Always listen to your wife and always make reservations at a hotel when traveling.
Here is the truth, though.
The stubborn outdated brain of mine is thinking this, “Maybe that’s just how it is near Nashville.”
“Maybe we will be okay next time…”
🤦♂️