A BLUE SKY HOLIDAY

Sitting here in my parked car, on my birthday, I’m looking at a tiny house with a purple door. I can hardly contain my excitement as I’m about to spend the next eighteen hours in what looks like a livable dollhouse.

My night away at this Airbnb is a birthday gift from two people who are dear to my heart—my daughter Jessie and my good friend Karen N. A whole house to myself, with two tiny bedrooms up a small, circular staircase.

Checking my phone for the secret code that opens the front door I see I’ve gotten an email. Opening my email app I sit frozen in my seat by what I see, tears of amazement pricking my eyes. To anyone else it’s just spam from Blue Sky insurance. To me it’s a personal word from God.

Back in 2007 my husband Terry and I were discouraged and burnt out from working to get our business off the ground. Life in our household looked bleak when the song “Bad Day” by Daniel Powter hit the airwaves. For Terry, this song was a personal reminder to him from God to hang on.

One particular line in the song goes, “Will you need a blue sky holiday?” We teased about waiting on our “blue sky holiday.”

A week later I received a junk mail brochure. The whole front pictured a blue sky with clouds, saying, “Answers to your questions about Blue Sky.” We knew that God was speaking to us and encouraging us not to give up. A week after that as Terry and I ate Chinese, my fortune cookie’s “Learn Chinese” word was, yep, you got it—”blue sky.”

Over the years the phrase “blue sky” has continued to remind me of God’s love and encouragement, of good memories, and of how tangibly God speaks to us.

Now, as I sit in my car and see the Blue Sky email, tears come to my eyes. What are the odds that fifteen years after our blue sky experiences I “happen” to get that email just now, ready to begin my birthday escape? I get the front door open and the alarm off, then I stand and cry, both because God has tangibly spoken to me and because it’s made me miss Terry.

I explore the house before carrying anything in. I’ve brought enough stuff for a week. All the clothes I brought would fit in a Kroger bag, this is the good stuff! My laptop, my tablet, a book (besides all the ones on my Kindle, which I also have). Two birthday gifts to open later, and a beautiful Starbucks mug and yellow Fiesta saucer to eat breakfast on. Bottled water, pastries for breakfast, my pillow, house shoes, two throw cushions, and my beautiful throw quilt that Karen N. made me. Yes, I want my creature comforts!

Weather cancels Jessie’s plans to join me for supper so my good friend Jan C. comes, and we run pick up Arbys.

Later, I settle in for the night. It throws me when there’s only a shower (I usually kneel on the side of the tub and hang my head over) so I wash my hair in the kitchen sink. As soon as I get the shampoo lathered in my hair the hot water runs out, so I wear a towel for the next 20 minutes until I have more hot water.

It’d be nice to have a fire in the fireplace but I don’t know how to turn it on (the careful instructions for everything don’t include this) so I settle on my bed upstairs. I’ve read my birthday cards, opened my gifts, and played on my phone. Now it’s 9:52. I’m a little on the warm side but the night will cool down. We’ve had a high-wind advisory all day and there’s a storm that’s coming through in about forty-five minutes. I’m not happy about it but it’s okay, Jesus is here. And I can sleep in. YAHOO! I’ve looked forward for weeks to being able to sleep in, no alarm getting me up to write at 5:05 and no breakfast to fix at 7:00. Just sleep until I wake naturally, waking to daylight instead of darkness. Bliss!

The storm passes and I didn’t even have to go downstairs (though it’s possible I’m too sleepy by then to care). It feels weird being here alone at night in a strange neighborhood in someone else’s house.

At 5:05 a.m. my brother Nathan begins texting me from Thailand, where he’s visiting all our home places, not knowing that I’m sleeping in (or trying to). I love seeing his pictures and the updates.

Settling in to sleep my heart turns to Jesus and I’m marveling once again at my “blue sky” gift. Leaning over to the paper on my bedside table I write:

You make my heart pound. How can you be so good to me?
You have shown yourself and I am blown away.
How can anyone say, “There is no God”?
I can’t stop smiling.

But, it’s 5:20 am. I need to smile myself back to sleep.

I wake at 7:45 in my tiny house to the sun shining and birds singing—it’s like a Disney movie. There’s no one to think about except myself, at least for the next little bit. Writing in my journal is limited because my hand immediately goes to sleep and then begins aching (kind of spoiling the Disney story).

Thanks to getting the biggest Flat White Starbucks makes yesterday (free birthday drink) I’ve now got coffee to go with my almond croissant, and breakfast is in bed. I can’t remember the last time I had breakfast with Jesus. It’s just too amazing to believe!

Okay, it’s 9:12. I’ve been entertaining myself and now I’m going to get up. This is the lap of luxury. Well … I’m in the thinking-about-getting-up stage.

Check-out is at eleven and my friend Chong joins me to see my house and go to lunch with me. I take time (after locking the door and setting the alarm) to take some last pictures.

It was a perfect birthday. I enjoyed friends and time alone, though I could have done without the storms. I was aware of Jesus with me the whole time, hugging me and just being together. My heart is full and I smile just thinking about it. And now, off to another year!

(To see pictures on the official Airbnb website click HERE)