I love my coffee. I look forward to mornings not only because the birds sing me a sweet hello and the sun greets me aglow in my favorite shade of pink; I look forward to waking up with Folgers in my cup. Hazelnut is my favorite flavor, but a hearty dose of regular fills my tank too.
Recently I bought a percolator. I got tired of replacing those Mr. Coffee drip machines once a year and decided to give the old fashion method a try. It's not the kind of percolator you'd put on the burner of a stove top. It is electric and it makes the best coffee ever. Well, maybe not as good as Starbucks, but it is certainly better than the Mr. Counter Top Coffee I used to brew.
Every Thursday I meet my dear friend and spiritual director at a local coffee spot for a steamy cup of Hazelnut, a warm freshly baked Cinnamon Crunch Bagel and a couple of hours of intimate conversation.
We share stories of our children and of their children. We discuss our marriages - how they demand our best efforts, grow us into maturity, allow us to feel safe, and give us fertile ground for practicing forgiveness, self-control, communication skills and humility.
Sometimes we will dissect and discuss a book we have both read or make arrangements to read a particular book together.
Recently I bought a percolator. I got tired of replacing those Mr. Coffee drip machines once a year and decided to give the old fashion method a try. It's not the kind of percolator you'd put on the burner of a stove top. It is electric and it makes the best coffee ever. Well, maybe not as good as Starbucks, but it is certainly better than the Mr. Counter Top Coffee I used to brew.
Every Thursday I meet my dear friend and spiritual director at a local coffee spot for a steamy cup of Hazelnut, a warm freshly baked Cinnamon Crunch Bagel and a couple of hours of intimate conversation.
We share stories of our children and of their children. We discuss our marriages - how they demand our best efforts, grow us into maturity, allow us to feel safe, and give us fertile ground for practicing forgiveness, self-control, communication skills and humility.
Sometimes we will dissect and discuss a book we have both read or make arrangements to read a particular book together. It is not unusual for my friend to be reading four or more books at a time. She has a personal library that holds as many volumes as the little Wyoming library I used to take my children to when they were toddlers. And more amazing to me is that she knows the contents of every one of those volumes.
I am very grateful for our relationship and the way she makes me accountable to maintaining it. If we haven't talked for a while, she will call. Or if we haven't met for coffee, she will ask me to get out my calendar and pen in a date. She is good at keeping me connected.
It is easy for me to busy myself away from connection to others. Oh I have many friends and I am involved with my family daily..... but I don't always connect at the intimate levels real relationship depends upon. My friend knows this and wants to spend time with me anyway. Now that's something worthy of attention.
She tells me when I need to take a good look at myself and address something that is throwing me off balance. And because she is courageous to risk telling me the stuff that is not so great to hear, I can trust that she is telling me the truth when she tells me how wonderful I Am.
I hope there is someone in your life calling you to accountability and growth. I hope you look forward to morning coffee, or morning's song, or morning's glow. I hope you have someone who risks enough to allow you to grow into who your really are.
No comments:
Post a Comment