God's Chosen Path

The Casino

    I left my campsite with my mind racing, all the while looking at my gas gauge - about a hundred and fifty miles. I really didn't know what to do. God said that I would have a meal and a warm place to sleep that night; I believed Him, but again I didn't know how.
    I thought about filling up, with my $12, but the Holy Spirit told me not to; I had to wait. I kept driving and thinking and then it hit me - what about the casino? I could at least get some water and pop, and have a warm place to sort out my thoughts. I was really stuck.
     I went inside the casino and immediately got something to drink - a few waters that I guzzled and a Mountain Dew. I looked around, and then my eyes almost popped out of my head, I saw a payphone right outside of the restroom. Looking at it, I was a bit disappointed, it had some cords and cleaning equipment on it, like it wasn't functional. I asked one of the workers if it were working and he said he didn't think so.
     He moved his equipment aside, and I picked up the phone, it had a dial tone. I called my buddy collect and he got hold of my mom. I hadn't spoken to my mom in months and didn't know how the conversation would go - she didn't know where I was.
    She said she would get back to me, so I played a game (one cent per pull) to kill time. Finally a young man came to get me, she was on the phone. She said that she would put me up for the night at the hotel and send me three hundred dollars.
     I really didn't expect either - it was God.  She also said it was a good thing I got hold of her, because she was going to Africa the next day. I got a cheesebuger and fries and went to my room. I took a long, hot shower and cleaned my toe.
    The skin on my toe looked and felt loose. It still wasn't hurting but I didn't know what to do. I never knew anyone with toe problems and was very ignorant.
     I got a good night's sleep and pigged out at the free breakfast. I picked up the money, which was another obstacle. Without a credit card or a cell phone I was almost nonexistent. Why, oh why, do they need all this information about us?
    I got the money and bought some supplies, along with some gauze for my toe. Now, on to Lake St. Mary - today was the day!
     God told me a few things before I got to Lake St. Mary - 1) I would discover the truth 2) it wouldn't cost me anything (I read it cost $35 to get in). So I wasn't expecting much, as I just wanted to finish the journey. As I drove in, I saw a uniformed woman but nobody was taking money. It was out of season and I was supposed to put money in the donation box. (I didn't know this at the time until I met a young man around the lake.)
    I went and scouted the lake. And after talking to the young man, I went back to the famous, gorgeous view of the lake with Goose Island in the middle of the lake and the snow-capped mountains in the background - I was in awe. (If you google St. Mary Lake that is the view you will most likely see.  Also, btw, God calls it Lake St. Mary.)
     So no fireworks went off, or nothing to announce my arrival. I sat down and stared at the scenery for a while. I figured out that it wasn't about the destination, it was all about the journey.
    I had another problem now - where do I go? I knew for at least a year that I had to go to Lake St. Mary, and that's all I knew. God wasn't speaking to me, and I was lost.
     I figured that since I didn't go to Castle Rock, Colorado that that was where I supposed to go. When I spoke to my mom she said that I had a cousin (her cousin) whom I had never met in Castle Rock. I initially was gonna go to Calvary Castle Rock Church to see Pastor Dave Love, because I thought God wanted me to, but now I could visit Cousin Chuck.
     Chuck had had a bad motorcycle accident and was a paraplegic - thirty plus years ago. He overcame this and had a successful life. Regardless, it would be good to see family.

Note - I figured out why God didn't want me telling anyone and had me destroy me cell phone.  Isn't it interesting that my mom was leaving for Africa the next day?  She doesn't, as far as I know, do much traveling, especially since my dad has passed.  I wasn't mad or anything before I left; I was just doing as God had asked me.  Honestly, would anyone believe me?  I do think it is interesting that I didn't take a propane grill (my buddy gave me one before I left).  I really didn't have the room.  I cooked the unleavened bread over a campfire, and seasoned it with salt, maybe pepper, but I know I had salt.  God knew what He was doing - I didn't have a clue.