Vol.1, No. 6

July 2, 2003

I don’t think there is much in this life that is better than that first cup of coffee in the morning.  Honestly, I cannot fathom a life without coffee – one of life’s greatest pleasures.  No matter when the first taste comes – in the wee hours is my favorite – it’s still such a wondrous event to hold that steaming cup of dark liquid (okay mine isn’t dark cause I use REAL CREAM) between my hands, drag it up to my nose where the intoxicating smell whiffs past, and then up to my lips for the first kiss of the day.  Ahhhhhhhhh – HEY what went wrong here!

Okay – here’s life’s lesson for you today, folks…. Fresh water won’t work on yesterday’s coffee grounds!  I’ve pulled a muscle in my lower back and have been limping and “cripping” around for days.  As any of you know who have “been there,” this one of the most painful things a person can try to cope with – even breathing hurts.  I’ve made it thru 3 days of work – stooping, lifting, stretching – but just barely.  Last night, I gave in to a soak in a hot tub, praying all the while that I would be able to get out of the tub – even getting my legs into my jeans is a side-show event!  I also gave in to 2 huge Advil tablets and actually felt pretty nearly normal this morning.  Able to slide thru my “yogurt” (aka yoga) stretches, morning swim, I confidently approached the coffee maker.  I poured in the water, pushed the button and went outside to water my balcony garden.

After a shower, I made my usual breakfast of banana, wheat, yogurt, walnuts and honey, then poured fresh cream into my cup in anticipation of my morning feast.  I knew I was in trouble when I picked up the coffee pot – it looked like weak tea!  THEN I realized what had happened – I’d forgotten to grind the coffee beans!  I valiantly tried to struggle thru breakfast with this hideous substitute for the real thing – for about 2 sips – and then threw it all down the drain and started all over.

As I waited for the 2^nd pot to perk, I felt the Lord nudging me that there was a message in this.  The Bible says that God’s mercies are “new every morning” – that means … are you ready?  Today’s problems won’t work with yesterday’s faith!  Just like I have to grind my coffee beans fresh each time I want coffee, l have to make sure that I have spent time grinding out my faith by reading the Word and soaking in prayer EVERY DAY.  Since nobody really knows exactly what each day holds, it’s up to each one of us to crank up our own spirits to make sure we’re equipped to handle what’s around the corner.  In my position, I can’t afford NOT to make it a daily “crank” or I end up with … well, weak tea!

Okay, you say, I ALREADY KNOW THIS – how elementary!  Weeeeeeeeell, I know how to make coffee pretty good, too, thank you very much, but I sure did forget to put the fresh beans in today!  And this little lesson sure did impress my Bible study girls – today’s problems won’t work with yesterday’s faith!

That’s it for today – gotta go make some afternoon coffee – WITH fresh beans!  And then, I think I’ll spend a little time revving up my faith – this is because  when I bent down to pick up my Bible, I pulled the muscle all over again!  HERE WE GO AGAIN!