February 15th - Coffee Habits

 The story...

A guy named John introduced me to the coffee habit. We were traveling together on a canoe trip within the boundary waters bordering Canada and Minnesota - I was 40 years old.  It was hard to resist on a cold morning, sitting on a log near the fire - there wasn't much else to drink but water.  The coffee experience was real good from the beginning - kind of like the favorite Ad-Man commercial: "Hey Mikey, he likes it!"  Sure, I knew people, like my dad, who really enjoyed their coffee; yet, I resisted.  How many times did I hear him ask for one more cup of coffee when I wanted to get going?  My new habit surprised me - the smell, the warmth, the familiar taste, the clarity, the alertness, the new social opportunities... 

Yes, I like my daily morning coffee habit - performed the same way most mornings.  Empty the old filter/grounds, drain the dregs, fill the pot, adjust the new filter, open the coffee container, scoop twice, level the coffee, push the button, and wait to hear the sound that lets me know that the percolation's complete.  At the risk of creeping some of you out, I believe we've owned this coffee container for years yet only washed the inside a few time.  For sure, I empty it down to a scoop or two before I fill it back up half way and shake it to amalgamate.  It's a new mix - some old, some new, and sometimes a new brand of coffee.

Yes, this photo might be an appropriate metaphor for the only church in town.  The grounds are a mix of the old, the new, and even an occasional different brand - they're all coffee.  They're secure in the container yet don't stay there.  Power transforms them into a coffee that's shared and enjoyed within community.  Coffee's often there when the town gets together, connects, communicates and maybe actually loves.

Just for today...

How about performing a personal habit inventory?  If you don't know how to add or change habits, consider reading James Clear's book - Atomic Habits.     

"Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God in Christ."  Micah 6:8 (NASB)

"Cup's just so; body warming up - Tastes like before; Habits ready to roll."  Am I a Poet?