Yes, and many of you know it to be true... I think coffee is a close friend of pretty much 98% of all the moms I know. Some of my friends never even drank coffee before they had kids, now they dare not start their day without the dearly beloved cup of java!
I have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with coffee. I have loved coffee ever since I was a little one and my grandfather would share some of his with me while we shared a french toast breakfast at the Officer's Club. That was only a spark that began a lifetime love for coffee and the search for "the perfect cup". It so happens that I prefer my coffee strong, with robust flavor, real cream and sugar (sometimes with chocolate, other times with vanilla and cinnamon). Many of you know I am a bit of a coffee snob, I reject and ignore all weak or fluffy imitations of "real coffee". We have even left the boring old drip coffee maker behind in preference to the French Press and Italian Espresso Maker... I even have a battery-powered milk frother... thirsty yet? Just let me know when you want to come over for a cup!
But as I was thinking about my coffee, my sweet and yummy companion, I realized that I have a closer friend in the Lord. As I eagerly reach for my coffee every morning, why is it that I do not, with as much passion and consistency, reach for the Word of God first upon every waking? It is stronger, more robust and flavorful than any cup of coffee I will ever be able to conjure up, and it does more to nourish my soul than any cup of water steeped in ground up beans ever will! And then I wondered, am I as much of a "snob" when choosing between the things of this world and the things of God as I am when I choose between the brands of coffee I will drink? And while I have fancy coffee-making gear, do I have to recognize how blessed I am to hold in my hand my own copy of the Scriptures, to have access to solid Biblical commentaries, to sit under amazing preaching and regularly enjoy true, deep fellowship?
I don't think I am over-spiritualizing coffee... I think the Lord has generously chosen to speak to us through His Creation, drawing us to dwell on Him even in the "simple" (and often overlooked) areas of life. I am so thankful that the Lord does choose to reveal Himself to us in the seemingly mundane things, for most of my day is spent in a somewhat "survival-mode" of sorts with regard to the physical demands of raising so many blessed littles. It is a comfort to me that Lord draws my thoughts to Him as I try to work out a stain from one of my husband's shirts, or tidy up the living room, or make dinner or do dishes, change diapers, wipe counters, etc. I probably do most of my deepest spiritual thinking when I am pulling weeds... but more on that another time..
As much as coffee is my friend, I need to remember that my closest friend is Jesus. Every sip of coffee can remind me to take a moment and sit down before His Word and sip in the truths therein. When I have a day where I sense I will need a second cup of the "good stuff", it will serve as a reminder that what I probably need more than the caffeine and the sugar is some extra fellowship in the Word with my Savior.
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