Does God Really Care About the Mattress I Sleep On?

 This post was written by Ken about our recent experience replacing our mattress:

Does God really care about the mattress I sleep on?  Up until this past week I would have given a resounding "No!" in answer to that question.  However, after my experience the past couple of weeks,  I must change my opinion.  I would now answer a resounding "Yes!"

During the past two weeks I have been awakened twice in the middle of the night, with the matter of our bed's mattress on my mind.  If that had happened only once, it would have been a very unusual occurrence for me, but when it has happened twice . . .

Let me give you a little bit more background.  11 1/2 years ago, we purchased a Denver mattress Telluride No Flip Plus Mattress.  For a year or two, we have noticed the mattress has worn, making it uncomfortable.  

Several weeks ago, I finally got around to looking up our purchase invoice for the mattress.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that it came with a 15-year non- prorated warranty.  I couldn't believe our good fortune.  We then worked up the courage (neither of us relish mattress shopping.  It is just too difficult to tell if we will like the mattress by just laying on it for a few minutes in the store) to visit the furniture store where we bought the mattress.

I half expected the store manager to give some lame excuse as to why the warranty did not apply to our specific mattress.  Instead, he kindly instructed me how to show him visual proof, via a photograph, of the mattress' failure.  All I had to do was show the edge had give way by at least 1.5 inches.  I went home and performed the test, finding that the failure was just short of 2.0 inches.  I sent him a picture of my measurement and he agreed that the warranty applied in our case.

We then went back to the store to find the replacement mattress.  Logan, the guy who was helping us said that the replacement must come from the Doctor's Choice line of mattresses.  He showed us four options in that line.  As we were trying them out, Kay noticed a Telluride mattress in the store and pointed it out.  Logan quickly quashed the idea of looking at the Telluride by saying that the Telluride didn't fit the replacement requirements.  We chose to believe him and so continued our focus on finding a Doctor's Choice mattress that would meet our needs.  We struggled to agree on which one to get, but finally settled on one and asked to have it delivered.

After the delivery, as we tried sleeping on the replacement mattress, we both struggled.  It was too firm to allow us a good night's sleep.  However, the longer we slept on it, the more we adjusted, and began to sleep a little better.  After sleeping almost a week on the new mattress, one night I woke up in the middle of the night with the mattress warranty suddenly on my mind.  I couldn't quit thinking about it and I certainly couldn't go back to sleep.  After trying for a while, I finally got up and followed the promptings I was being given.  I went to the Denver Mattress Company's website and researched the matter.  I discovered that the "Doctor's Choice" line was their lowest quality line of mattresses and the "Telluride" was one of their premium lines.  I also found a telephone number I could call to get answers to my warranty questions.

The warranty pamphlet that came with the original mattress just said they woud "repair or replace" the mattress.  What does that mean?  I wondered.  Does it mean a quality-for- quality replacement or a dollar-for-dollar replacement?  It appeared Logan (the salesman) thought it should be a dollar-for-dollar replacement because the replacement mattress option he offered us cost almost exactly the same as the mattress we purchased over a decade ago.  As you can imagine, due to inflation, the cost of the Telluride Mattress was now almost double what it was back then.

Well, when I called the company's corporate help phone number, I got a very helpful young lady who kindly explained that the warranty was a quality for quality warranty.  Since we originally purchased a Telluride Plush mattress, and since they still manufactured that mattress (even though they have changed the construction method,) our warranty should allow us to receive a Telluride mattress as a warranty replacement.  My research that night showed that Logan had not been honest with us.

A night or two after talking to the lady at corporate headquarters, I was once again awakened in the middle of the night with the mattress warranty matter on my mind.  This time, after mulling the matter over some more, I was able to go back to sleep.  I then knew we needed to go back to the store and confront Logan regarding the matter.

We did just that yesterday.  Logan came up with some lame excuse, saying that he didn't think we would want a Telluride because its construction method has been changed since we bought our original Telluride mattress.  Anyway, I chose not to do a full "nose-to-nose" confrontation with him, letting him know that we believe he wasn't honest with us.  I chose to let the matter die with his explanation because he was now more than willing to let us choose a Telluride mattress for our replacement.

We still haven't made our final decision.  We are thinking over the options.  However, fortunately, we both are leaning toward the same option this time- a Telluride Luxury Firm mattress.

Yes, I DO think God cares about the mattress I sleep on.  He has clearly shown me that in the past two weeks.  I continue to be totally amazed that God cares enough about me (or any of us - His children) to get so involved in the mundane, unimportant matters in our lives.  To me, it one more example or reminder of His incredible "Hessed" (Hebrew word for mercy and lovingkindness) toward us.  I am more grateful to Him than I have words to properly express.  I love Him so much.

Update:  We have ordered the above-mentioned replacement mattress and are awaiting its arrival.  We hope it will work for us.