Thankful

Running a coffee shop is a very random thing. There is no discernible pattern to how business will flow from week to week. Some days the caffeine zombies attack at dawn with a relentless stream of bodies like a trail of ants flowing through the shop. Other days they hold back and bide their time, waiting to attack at 8:30 with an overwhelming wave striving to pillage our precious stores of muffins and lattes.

All your caffeine are belong to us!

Today was the latter, which left me with a quiet, contemplative morning of introspection. As many of you know I like to walk and pray, its a luxury I don't get much these days. As I was walking in short laps up and down the counter this morning I noticed that I couldn't think of much to say. It was nice and peaceful, my heart was light and I found myself giving thanks for the many ways God has been blessing.

Last winter my prayers were very different, I had lots to say and most of it was very chaotic.

”Lord help us!”

“Lord provide for us!”

“Lord what is the stinking deal?”

We were short of everything: cash, time, sleep and patience to say the least. I wanted to quit, cry , scream and kick someone all at the same time. If you have ever actually screamed at God (and lived to tell the tale) then you know what my state of mind was like. Our Father is patient though and in the few lucid moments I had with His Word He took me to scripture after scripture. In the end I learned a little about real faith, real trials and a real walk of dependence upon Him. The funny thing is that not much has really changed. Business is better, we are even expanding our hours but we are still short of everything. What has changed is that instead of frenzy there is peace and trust.

I have not arrived, but I did have a great morning and for that I can say “Thanks God!”