Winter holidays are a wonderful perk for retirement. Another perk for “maturity” is reversing the role of children and parents ­— as in the children carrying their parents on winter holidays.

This winter morning I am a long distance west of Brandon enjoying the warmth of a Hampton Inn in Grand Junction, Colorado. We are to meet our children in Breckenridge for a round of snow skiing. We’ve already traveled through a bounty of snow and with the temperature of 15 degrees, the snow will most likely stay and accumulate. 

Even though the time change makes everything two hours earlier, my programmed brain still wakes in central standard time. That’s not always of benefit to fellow travelers who enjoy a bit more sleep. 

To remedy that this morning, I slipped into the bathroom, turned on the light and cushioned the commode with a set of towels. From that vantage I could enjoy the inspired word of God and clean my spiritual filter for the day ahead. 

The Psalms are always beneficial to the reader and they were my go-to place this morning. As I turned to Psalm 32, my eyes noticed the back of the bathroom door. It was at first glance just a frosted etching on glass, but with a longer look said: “It’s a happy day in a happy place.” I smiled at the positive thought the hotel chain was suggesting. 

As I returned to my reading, it said, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” I stopped to savor the depth of God’s word and the merit it passed on to me. 

The Hampton suggested their happy place, but mine was wrapped in the good news of God’s forgiveness of my sin.

Letters to Camille Anding can be sent to P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven, MS, 39602, or e-mailed to camille@datalane.net.