On our way home from Colorado we stayed the night at the Western Inn in Council Bluffs, Iowa. From the outside this place looked like a dive and I was a wee bit nervous as Josh pulled up. Josh checked us in while I sat with the girls, he came and got us and gave me a key... yes, a real key, not the little card to which we've all become accustomed; my trepidation grew. We opened the door and I was delightfully surprised, it was quaint, clean and very modern with a mounted flat screen TV and an updated bathroom. I settled in and began to relax.
On the table between the two beds I found the following note...
To Our Guest
In the ancient time there was a prayer for "The Stranger within our gates"
Because this Hotel is a human institution to serve people, and not solely a money making organization, we hope that God will grant you peace and rest while you are under our roof.
May this room and motel be your "second" home. May those you love be near you in thoughts and dreams. Even though we may not get to know you, we hope that you will be comfortable and happy as if you were in your own house.
May the business that brought you our way prosper. May every call you make and every message you receive add to your joy. When you leave, may your journey be safe.
We are all travelers. From "birth till death" we travel between eternities. May these days be pleasant for you, profitable for society, helpful for those you meet, and a joy to those who know and love you best.
Needless to say, I felt the Spirit within those walls and slept very well.
