"It's National Coffee Day"

I hope you woke up to a hot cup of your favorite blend, swirling it around in your special mug while savoring the aroma, cozy in your favorite chair, glancing out at your beautiful garden or listening to your favorite morning music, and taking a sip.  A slight chill shivers you, but the warm coffee quickly permeates your insides and all is right with the world.

No? Not you?  Let me tell you about my morning coffee routine.  My husband gets to the coffee pot first, oh around 4:30 a.m. or so.  He throws the grounds in the sink or sometimes on the sink. (I guess it is too far to the trash can), puts a new filter in, leaves the filters out  (sometimes they get wet and messed up), scoops his coffee in, pours the water in, (although there have been times he has forgotten to put the coffee pot back), puts in his sugar and creamer, then heads to work.  By the end of the week, I am searching for coffee mugs, a whole set of them rolling around the floor boards of the SUV. When I finally stroll downstairs about 45 minuets later, the creamer has been sitting out, there is coffee grounds sprinkled around, BUT,  the coffee is still warm and inviting and that is all that matters at 5:15 a.m.  Upstairs I go to get ready for work and that  first cup does its job of waking me up and moving me out the door. 

September 29th marks a special day, NATIONAL COFFEE DAY.  You did need a good reason to go to Starbucks, right?  (It exists...therefore I go...)  Savor your coffee today, every drop.  Have some coffee cake or some coffee ice cream.  Call that friend and treat them to a cup.   Tip your favorite Barrista a little extra today.  Grind your own beans!  Sneak in a little Bailey's tonight...Just enjoy.

To honor a favorite brew

I'll espresso a poem for you.

Percolate up some steamy prose,

For the drink that stops the dose.

Pour me a cup of strong "Joe"

Fill my mug to almost over flow.

No sugar in my special blend,

But creamer, I like to amend.

Vanilla bean or Hazelnut taste

No drop I dare not waste.

Mr. Coffee, my morning routine;

Bring it on--that jolt of caffeine. 

Feeling a mid-morning slump?

What can bring me over this hump?

A coffee break time in need

Now wired 'till afternoon deeds.

  On any corner one will find

The place with the favorite grind.

White chocolate mocha, no whip

A Frappachino, green straw to sip.

Triple shot, a boost to the nerve

I'm pumped through my evening reserve.

Until Kona comes breezing on through

A carafe full, with dessert for two.

Now,  it's the time to unwind

But sleep is not something I find

Could it be the java O.D.?

             Maybe de-caff  next time for me.    CV

 

One More Picture...

Romans 8:38-39  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord

I John 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Psalm 62:5-8

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation,  my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him,

for God is our refuge.

Just thought I would add one more picture, no explanation needed. 

God Bless our troops, God Bless America. 

Pictures of the Week: A Blogging "Assignment"

As a special education paramour, I assist a deaf student mainstreamed in high school.  Attending each class he is assigned to; this year my last class of the day is an elective, photography.  On Fridays, the class is assigned to write in a  "word doc",  thoughts and feelings provoked by "Pictures of the Week" at the site: http://www.time.com/time/potw.

So, I thought I would give it a try myself, only with spiritual thoughts if possible.  Last night, I viewed each picture, picked out the ones (10) that gave me reason to pause and now I will post a blog--  "assignment."

Picture 1

Standing behind the construction zone of the memorial being built at Ground Zero, this woman takes in the progress, though for many New Yorkers, their own personal memorial is etched forever upon their hearts.

Joshua built a memorial for his people, the Israelites, to remember all God had brought them through:

Joshua 4:8  So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down.

A physical memorial is important for those who are left. It helps us to be active in our grief and move forward ourselves as we honor our loved ones.  

Picture 2

   Adorned with beautiful artistic scrolls in one-toned tattoos and bold jewelery, these hands remain empty.  I glance down at my own worn hands, one nail black and blue from a garden hoe that missed the weed, age spots freckling the tops  and my skin lose and wrinkly.   Short nails and dry patches of eczema that I consistently need to attend to,...well,  I really do not like my hands much these days. .  Yet God has seen fit to use my hands and I am thankful to offer them.
.

  Psalm 90:17

 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
   establish the work of our hands for us—
   yes, establish the work of our hands

Picture 3

A plane crashes  in the wilderness. A search party backpacks in. Supplies parachute down for the recovery.

 Phil. 4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,  an ever-present help in trouble. 

Picture 4  

                                                                    Ecclesiastes 3:8

 A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace. 

Picture 5

 A motor race as seen by air, the participants move across the landscape leaving a wake of dust behind them.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 




Picture 6

The orange line is the border between  India and Pakistan, strung with lights and visible from the International Space Station.  

Psalm 147:12-14

Extol the LORD, Jerusalem;
   praise your God, Zion.
 He strengthens the bars of your gates
   and blesses your people within you.
He grants peace to your borders
   and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

Picture 7

Texas ablaze with the long-suffering drought.

Isaiah 43

Israel’s Only Savior

 ¹ But now, this is what the LORD says—
   he who created you, Jacob,
   he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
   I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
   Cush and Seba in your stead.
⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
   and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
   nations in exchange for your life.
⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
   I will bring your children from the east
   and gather you from the west.
⁶ I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
   and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
   and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
⁷ everyone who is called by my name,
   whom I created for my glory,
   whom I formed and made.”

 

Picture 8  This is Bastrop, Texas.  Our friends Steve and Debbie live here.  They were evacuated all week, but today we found out that their house is OK.  Thank You Lord.  (Do you see the cross?)

Isaiah 61

The Year of the LORD’s Favor

 ¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
   to proclaim freedom for the captives
   and release from darkness for the prisoners,
² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
   and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
 ³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
   instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
   instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
   instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
   a planting of the LORD
   for the display of his splendor.

Picture 9

When we catch the "wind" of the Holy Spirit, and we abide in His will, sometimes we' re not to sure where He  is leading us.  Some of us wobble side to side, trying to do our own thing, some wait forever to pull their chute while others stretch their feet out, ready to hit the ground running.  Where ever you are in your "jump", aren't you glad God is patient and guides you over the right landing spot?   I hope you listened to all the right directions! 

John 3:8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

One more picture I chose remains, but I am saving that one for a post tomorrow on 9-11.  

Please share your own thoughts and feelings about these pics.  It is fun to hear different perspectives on art.