I have been sitting on the back deck of the Farmhouse at Whitestone. It is an absolutely perfect Spring afternoon.I can see over 4 miles of lake frontage and 4 islands.(Watts Bar Lake embayment of the Tennessee River) The Smokey Mountains are visible in the distance today. There is a nice breeze and it’s 75 degrees.
A big study by the University of Illinois says that looking at trees even through windows produced an uplifting effect both pscychologically and physically. The study also concluded that urban noise depleted the participants both psychologically and psysically.
The study collected evidence from ADD children in an attempt to alleviate their hyper-activity. These children were divided into two groups–half played outside in a park and half watched TV and played video games inside.
The clear conclusion of that part of the study was that children and adults who spent more time outside coped better with life and were better able to focus and were happier than those who stayed inside.
Whitestone is surrounded on the lakeside by 8000 feet of the Paint Rock Wildlife/Waterfowl Refuge. Away from the laleside are hills and trees.
Being outside today added sanity to my life. Nature seems to put smaller issues in perspective. God was at His creative best when He did East Tennessee.I suspect He was looking down on this region when He declared “This is good!”
Paul
The root word for hospitality is the same as hospital. Hospitality is simply taking care of real needs. The guests who come to the inn recently have had a greater need for rest and stress relief than I remember anytime in the past.
I see more clearly the connection between the words as our guests come to be
treated with attention and care. As preassure increases, those wounded by the outside world are seeking refuge;a place of safety and peace. Sometimes as I relate to our guests I feel like Doctor Paul!
Here is the link to the Biffar Blog http://biffarblog.wordpress.com/
Great pictorial of Wayne and Lura Biffar’s new home under construction at the Pointe at Whitestone
It is a complicated, complex world out there today. Figure our the U.S. tax code before tomorrow. try to grasp what is happening to our economy, figure out how business works, etc. (long list) I was reminded of a quote from Nicholas Butler,president of Columbia University in 19th-20th century “I have divided the world into three classes:the few who make things happen;the many who watch things happen; and the vast majority who have no idea what has happened.”
I’m in the third class today but by tomorrow I need to think life thru. Right now I think I will take a nap in prepration for profund thinking later.
Paul
Reunion! Easter always carries a different set of feelings since my son’s death in 1992. It means I will get to see him again.And that belief is not based on wishful thinking, but on historical facts and 700 eyewitness accounts.There is more historical evidence about the resurrection than many ancient events generally accepted. If we had hope only in this life we would be most miserable. But reunion with those we love is in our future.
Paul
A recurring theme amoung innkeepers and business owners as we discuss the difficult financial times we are experiencing is better management. Most of us agree that we are required to manage our business better today than in the past. In fact, we are being forced to do those things that we knew to do but just weren’t doing.
For us at Whitestone closer attention to management is producing good results. And more advertising is enabling us to be up in occupancy for the first quarter. It also hepled to have a great article in the April edition of Southern Living.
Some inns and some businesses will unfortuantly fail in this recession. But I am an optomist, and I believe good business practices and a passion for what we do will bring us thru. Today is a great opportunity to improve what we do and even expand our market share.
Paul
“Hard times” is a topic that everybody is talking about. Years ago the church I pastored had a day care center with an after-school program. Late one afternoon an elementary school student walked into my office, sighed deeply, and sat down in a big chair across from my desk.
“Times are really hard” he said wearily . I closed the book I was reading and responded sympathetically. “A lot of people are having a hard time” I assumed Johnny might aware of trouble at home or being bullied at school and I wanted to be supportive to his trouble. Johnny sighed again and explained “I don’t think I’ll ever get 9 times 6. Nines are really hard!”
So much for discussing hard times with a 3rd grader. At Whitestone we are experiencing a rather dramatic increase in occupancy over last year. In trying to analyze this and in talking to guests, they seem to be coming in part to escape the stress and pressures of these uncertain times. Whitestone truly is a “sanctruay for the soul”-a place set apart to relax and refresh for the journey. Come get away from “hard times” and we will even help you with 9 times 6 if you didn’t get it in the 3rd grade
Our Judeo-Christian heritage has an important tradition of places of safe refuge. The concept of cities of refuge was instituted in the nation of Israel by commands from God in the Old Testament book of Joshua.
Israel had divided Canaan into tribal territories. As God established this new society, He made provision for relief and refuge for those in need of protection.
If someone unintentionally harmed someone else without malice or premeditation, he could take refuge from anyone who wanted to avenge the accident. The principle was: If the outside world had become hostile, you could go to a city of refuge and be welcomed into safety. (Joshua 20)
Instruction was given to keep the 48 foot roads leading to the cities of refuge in good repair; all rivers were to be bridged; at every turn there were guideposts pointing to refuge.
The point is that people in trouble were to be given a safe haven where they could avoid the problems of the outside world. The tragic mistakes of the outside world couldn’t penetrate the gates of a city of refuge.
When designing Whitestone, I was conscious of the need for safe places of refuge. The entrance became very important as I thought about the concept of getting inside the sanctuary. Since drive-through barns are familiar sights in rural East Tennessee, we designed a big red barn as the main entrance to Whitestone. There are four suites in the barn. Jean and I lived in one for a year while we were building the Farmhouse.
Wince our operational mission is to be “a sanctuary for the soul,” the entrance through the barn was designed to separate the guest from the outside world. Regardless of the pressures and stresses of today’s chaos, the barn stands as a symbol of separation into our village of refuge.
The current upheaval in the United States applies pressure and uncertainty at almost all levels. Whitestone provides a reasonably-priced escape to “a sanctuary for the soul” where clarity and rest can prepare you for the road ahead. As one gust expressed it: “When we drove through the barn, a feeling swept over us both that we had entered a world apart.”
Our grace-based hospitality will nurture you in our sanctuary and help you find some peace and rest from the world outside. We are just down the road, but a world apart!
I have heard it both ways-I know it’s either God or the devil that’s in the details. Certainly it is attention to details that occupy a lot of my time. In my pervious life I was (at one time) a pastor, CEO of a home shopping TV channel, and the owner-operator of a 100 store discount bookstore chain. I didn’t get involved in the day to day details back then as much as I am involved at Whitestone Country Inn,
And it’s the details that distinguish a AAA 4 diamond inn from lessor designations. The difference in OK and exceptional requires a phrase I learned from a restaurant owner in New York-”constant gentle pressure”. Every day I count on the 50+ dedicated employees to implement my vision of “a sanctuary for the soul”.
As Whitestone welcomes weddings, Christmas parties, and anniversary getaways its the constant attention to the little things that leave guests with special memories of this special place. Nobody can do it all. But a great team working together makes everyday a joy to be the innkeeper of a AAA 4 diamond inn. I actaully enjoy being involved in the details rather than being insulated by other levels of management, It makes me feel useful!
Paul
We lived in various rooms at the inn for 5 years after we opened Whitestone. Jeam finally insisted on a personal refridgerator- one that did not have gallon jugs in it. The 85 acres adjacent to Whitestone became available and so we moved to our dream home in 2000.
The new drive-way was 4000 feet long and hilly and gravelled. One day as Jean was bumping up the driveway with Dakota, our then 4 year old grandson, he asked “Why doesn’t Pa pave the driveway?”. Jean said “he will pave it when he saves enough money”.
I didn’t know about that conversation but the next day Dakota bounced into my study with a small can. He proudly set it on my desk. “Pa, here is money for paving the drive. I wanted to give it to you so you can get it fixed!”. He was almost glowing with enthusiasm and joy. $2.32 I think I will always remember that amount. He was so pleased with his participation amd he had given all he had.
A year later when I did get the driveway paved I went to the kindergarten and got Dakota in order to watch the results of his generous heart. He was thrilled with the big machines amd with the smooth driveway. My prayer for him that day was that he would never loose the joy of giving. The Bible says it is more blessed to give than to receive. The Greek word for “blessed” means “happier, fortunate, to be envied”
I wish for all of us, especially at Christmas, that we could experience the joy of a 4 year old boy when he gave what he had to someone he loved who didn’t have the money to do something he thought should be done. Certainly the Gift of the first Christmas embodies that spirit. We had a need we could not meet and Someone gave all He had to see that our great need was met.
I hope you will give great gifts this Christmas. Some may be wrapped in colorful paper, but the best gifts will be love, forgiveness, time, attention, patience, and hugs to those you care about. There is a deep joy in giving that I hope you experience in this season that celebrates the greatest Gift of all time.
Paul
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