Moments for the Heart

How would you define your relationship with coffee? For me, it is a love/hate/love-again partnership. If you know me, you know Carolyn adores the stuff. I have a corner of our kitchen devoted to coffee. I rarely touch it other than to make her wake-up juice. But lately, the dark concoction has hooked me again.

The Coffee Craze Begins

Growing up as a teen, the coffee house rage hit. This was in the early 90s. It seemed like they were popping up everywhere, usually attached to bookstores and gift shops. Back then Starbucks was just a small company in Seattle. By the time I graduated High School, anyone who was anyone was sipping an espresso and listening to anything from folk to grunge, depending on the location. And if you were an amateur, open mic night was your opportunity to become the next big thing. Jewel was one artist who got her start in a coffee house. I’m confident there are others; she is just the name that comes to mind right now. Jars of Clay is another one I grew to love during this time.

This Ain’t Your Grandfathers House

After Wednesday night service, we would usually head over to a local coffee house; on weekends as well, as we had friends who would tempt their fate at the mic. It was a fun time of fellowship with friends and getting to know what coffee was all about, other than the Folgers my grandfather drank. Then when Starbucks arrived, things became insane. You think the lines for Chick-Fil-A are crazy? Mind you, they didn’t have drive-thru back then. While, Starbucks wasn’t that big yet, we did have our spots. The one name I remember in SoCal is Coffee Klatch. (I think it’s still there today.)

Good-bye Darken Cup of Joe

I don’t know what happened, but within the past few years, I and coffee grew apart. I don’t know if I drank too much of it back then or if it was just one of those ‘I was younger, now I’m older’ phases, but for a while, I didn’t drink it. But then my wife got a Keurig for Christmas. It is nicer with a decanter on the side, so you don’t have to pour water into it each time you want a cup. You just put your K-cup in the receptacle and push the button. It also has a frother. That’s my wife’s favorite part. Ever since this contraption entered our home, I drink coffee almost daily. My drought has ended.

I don’t know what it is. Perhaps the novelty of the product. Or the taste of coffee has been resurrected. I have been a tea drinker for the past several years. Maybe I should buy some tea K-cups and test the theory. I love me some hot tea. Tea is my cup of tea.

How Tastes Change

It made me think of how we all go through seasons in our life where we have a taste for one thing, and then it just goes away for some reason or another. Then we grow comfortable with not having it in our life anymore. Like me and coffee. I was one of the ones who would answer the Twitter polls that ‘no, I don’t touch the stuff.’ Other than my Sunday morning cup, that was it. Then I started to laugh. Isn’t that how many of us treat our walk with Christ? We drink our cup on Sunday morning, but during the week, we don’t touch the stuff.

The Caffeine Strikes Back

But now that I have found the thing that fits my style and gets me excited about coffee again, I am back into a morning cup of joe. I am sitting here now, writing this blog with a cup beside me. Usually, I would have tea. Does this mean I won’t touch tea again? No, but I am in coffee mode lately and will sip every drop that I can until that craving settles or I find K-cups of Earl Grey in my spinner.

Taste and See

God wants the same. He desires us to get excited about Him. He wants us to find flavors of who He is and to drink it up. His Word even tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good. If that is not a great coffee reference,  I don’t know what is. There are plenty of other get-up-and-go references too. So, rise and shine and give God the glory, probably because coffee is percolating. Well, primarily because He is risen and deserves all the glory.

Coffee is good; God is great. And until Carolyn begins to complain that her K-cups are being used up faster than she anticipated, I will continue to fill my cup… that’s another scripture reference… proof that God loves coffee himself… Amen!!

If you desire to know more about God or need prayer, leave a comment below, email me at jeff@jeffsbrayauthor.com, or contact me on Twitter, FB Messenger, or Instagram. I am always available to listen. God bless you, friends.

Photo by Nick Hillier on Unsplash