Monday, August 17, 2015

As simple as a cup of coffee.....


I have been drinking coffee since I was a little girl.

It's a bit of a ritual some would say.

I have fond memories of going to my grandparents house and drinking coffee (which was essentially milk, sugar and a splash of the real thing) with my grandpa while he read the paper and I read the comics. I felt sophisticated and all grown up.

I also have the best memories of my mom in the coffee context. When I was old enough, I woke up early on the weekends to make the coffee for the house. In high school, I would pick my mom up from her teaching job and we would head to the local Cracker Barrel for afternoon coffee and dessert. In these moments we talked about life, love and the future. Towards the end of her life these particular coffee dates became more and more important to me.

I meet my girlfriends for coffee to unload the burdens of common life and my dad and I schedule coffee as often as we can spare. Just like those coffee dates with my mom, I cling to these times with my dad as times when I can glean wisdom and life lessons as well as some old memories.

 
I happened to fall head over hells for a non-coffee drinker (how did that happen?!?!?!?), but our kids both enjoy a good cup of joe. Both were thrilled that we went on mission trips to 2 coffee-heavy continents (Africa and Eastern Europe). We have moved from drip coffee to a daily press and have sampled different balances and undertones, much like wine tasters in Napa Valley.

So, what is the point of this? Well, I realized today that coffee itself plays a large role in my daily ritual. First thing in the morning, I share a cup of coffee with God as I dive into His Word and talk to Him through prayer. We keep the coffee flowing on Sunday mornings in small group as we live life together and share our heartaches, triumphs, prayers and praise. A call from a friend in need has resulted, more than once, in an impromptu trip to the local coffee shop for fellowship and encouragement. You see, this simple yet complex drink has played a role in the giving and receiving of many blessings.

Knowing that something so small can be profound in our lives, why not use it to bless others?

Start with using your daily cup as a signal to open the Word. Even if you don't normally have quiet time, or struggle to find the time, try sitting down with God's Word just for a moment. Come into it with an expectant heart and you will not walk away empty handed.

Next, you can take it a step farther and send an encouraging note to a friend. I suggest email as a phone call or text could be a bit too early for some :). You could even send some encouragement to the whole web in the form of a picture on Instagram (this happens to be my favorite way to end quiet time). It can simply be a few verses from your morning reading or a quote you enjoyed. You can even repost encouraging pictures from others pages as well. Just focus on the positive in these pictures to help spread hope and encouragement to others.

Now it's your turn....

Think about the ways that your morning rituals impact your life, then think about how you can impact the lives of others. Maybe coffee isn't your gig and we coffee lovers won't hold that against you! But we all have something to contribute and lend to others each and every day. It is the accumulation of these daily impacts that make up our legacy. What will yours be?


Michelle



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