The Real vs. The Imitation

It shouldn't, but it always surprises me when I taste something real after I have had the imitation for a while.

I won't lie. I have gone to McDonald's and had their coffee drinks. They aren't bad. The cold ones are sort of like a milk shake... a milk shake with coffee-flavor added. I've had a few of these, but then:

A few minutes ago I ordered a small vanilla latte from Mad Goat Coffee. The picture I have posted here is after I have had my first sip. It is sublime. (Is that a good word to describe it? I am not sure.) It is blissful. It is tasty. It is coffee... not coffee-flavor added. It is the real stuff.

I am almost done sipping through it already. I am tempted to take another picture, just simply because it is almost gone... oh... I might as well... hang on...

There it is. Mostly finished... OH, and you can see my partially finished post while you are at it.

The enjoyment of this coffee left me thinking about the clear difference between the real and the imitation. As I mentioned, I don't mind that McCoffee stuff, but there is a clear difference when you taste the real thing. I know there have been times that I have grabbed one of those fast food blended drinks and thought, "This isn't that bad." But now I am sitting here wondering how I ever thought that there was a true comparison.

I don't want to make a stretch of illustration here, but this is true of churches as well. There are some great churches out there: The music team is amazing. The preaching is inspiring. The fellowship is uplifting... and so on.  But then you walk into something real, and you suddenly think, "How did I think the other thing was the real thing?"

It the book, Love into Light, the author is talking about how churches could benefit from having people who struggle with same sex attraction as a part of the community.  He goes on to say:

I fear that many Christians view their brothers and sisters who battle with SSA (Same Sex Attraction) as a threat to the community. Therefore, many SSA strugglers are phobic about homophobia. They agonize alone, for fear of rejection. However, the community needs their transparency - and they need the community. God surprises us with unexpected insights when the unspeakable is spoken. Our serene picture of community is shattered; the reality is more earthy, disappointing, and fruitful.

I love that: "... the reality is more earthy, disappointing, and fruitful." Almost sounds like a cup of coffee, doesn't it?

I hope that Edgewood Church has the great privelege of joining in community with those who struggle with SSA. I pray that God guides them to Edgewood. What can I say, I like the real stuff better.

coffee house

I am not sure what this says about me, but if I could, I would sit in a coffee house several hours a day. I sat at Mad Goat Coffee in Danville yesterday for about 4 hours. I didn't even realize I had been there that long until I was ready to leave. (Actually, I guess I should say, "I didn't even realize I had been here that long..." ...considering that I am currently in Mad Goat as I am typing this.)

If I could just find a job that would allow me to read, study, and write throughout most of my day... that would be bliss. I get giddy just thinking about the prospect. What jobs are there like that? ... jobs that could actually support a family? I am guessing that teacher and pastor of a small local church are not the occupations to choose from in order to have extra time to read and think...

If there is anyone out there in the world that would like to hire me to read books and drink coffee, please comment on this post.

:)

Something I will miss when I move.

Every Sunday morning I meet my friend Lee at Liquid Highway. Originally we were supposed to work through a book together, but that never panned out. We have a good time anyway, encouraging each other and drinking some good coffee. Liquid Highway is one place that I will miss once I move.

Afternoon Work

My favorite thing about working at home (...not yard work or home repair work, it is the doing some teacher-prep work, while sitting at my desk.) is the afternoon coffee.

 

(Cheesecake courtesy Lee Smith)

Coffee! Coffee! Coffee!

(CBS) "Coffee has a complicated reputation, reports CBS News Correspondent Elizabeth Kaledin. It's popular worldwide, but over the years, caffeine -- its main ingredient -- has been linked to some cancers, jitteriness, insomnia and -- since many of us can't live without it -- addiction.

But there's new research about our favorite pick-me-up that may "perk" up its image: a study that finds drinking coffee cuts the risk of a disease now plaguing adult Americans: Type 2 diabetes.

"We found that heavy coffee consumption substantially reduced the risk of Type 2 diabetes in both men and women," said Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health.

By "heavy" coffee consumption -- researchers mean 6 or more cups a day -- but what they found was startling. Among the thousands of men and women followed for the study, male coffee drinkers had a 50 percent reduction in diabetes risk. The risk for women was reduced by 30 percent.

Even those who drank decaf saw some benefit.

"Contrary to what was initially thought, coffee is not bad for you. In fact, it may be good for you," said Dr. Peter Martin.

The reason, according to Dr. Martin, who heads up the Institute for Coffee Studies at Vanderbilt University, is that coffee is not just about caffeine.

It's a complex brew of many compounds, among them something called chlorogenic acid, that may ward off Type 2 diabetes

"It increases the body's capacity to dispose of glucose, which is sugar in the blood," Martin said.

The study results are not an invitation to start drinking six cups of coffee a day if you don't already -- it will still keep you up at night. But at least now you won't be kept awake worrying that the coffee you're drinking is only doing you harm. "


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