Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” 1 Timothy 6:13
I like coffee…a lot. Coffee has been a best friend of the Taylor tribe for as long as I can remember. I grew up with my Daddy’s words, “Dewayne, get me a cup of coffee” ringing in my ears. One of my favorite memories of my parents is Daddy coming home about 4:00 pm and Momma having a fresh pot of coffee waiting. She would pour up two cups and they would sit under the tree in the back yard and visit and drink coffee. Now I am one of those coffee drinkers who likes their coffee bold and strong. Someone said drinking weak coffee is like drinking brown dishwater. I agree.
Now this is one area that my wife Judy and I don’t quite agree on. She likes her coffee, well, mild. You might say I like man coffee and she likes lady coffee and that works because I am a man and she is a lady. The only time that doesn’t work is when I am downstairs and the only coffee there is her lady coffee. It is something called breakfast blend and it is pretty mild. So, when I am downstairs, what am I to do? Well, I stumbled on the answer awhile back. Less.
That’s right…less. You see we have one of those Keurig coffeemakers. I know, I know…you purest coffee drinkers out there are probably gagging, but it is a good compromise for flavor and a fast cup of coffee. One of the features on the Keurig is that you can easily adjust the amount of water in the cup. You can set it on anywhere from four to twelve ounces. So, if the coffee is a little on the lady side, well, I just set it to use less water. Less water equates to stronger coffee. Boom…problem solved.
You see, when it comes to how big the cup of coffee, sometimes more water is just more. The coffee may still look black (which is how I drink it) but the amount of water vastly affects the flavor. More water equals less flavor. And that is not only true in coffee (or tea I suppose…though I am not a hot tea drinker) it is true in life. Sometimes we just think if we can pour in more of this or more of that we will be happier. Often, we are not any happier…we are just a lot busier. Often, we are not any happier…we are just further into debt. Often, we are not any happier…we are just in greater need for a larger wardrobe.
Along with more is better (and often it is not) comes the thought that, “If I only had…” and in our “culture of much”, that is often thought and often believed. Well, take it from someone who often looked for happiness at Best Buy or Target…it just isn’t so. The thing that can make life worth living is not found in a store…it is found in the people we love most…that matter the most. The thing that makes life worth living is not found in a store…it is found by looking to the Heavenly Father. The fact is, He made all things for us to enjoy…yup, it’s in the Bible. But keep in mind that He has given us nothing to worship. That belongs to Him and Him alone.
Remember, you can adjust your coffee flavor in your Keurig with the amount of water you choose. If you like stronger coffee…more isn’t better…it’s just more. And when it comes to life, learn to appreciate, to love those around you. Take the time to enjoy them. In that case more is not only more…it is abundant. And when you need to add some richness to life, you’ll find no better source than God. He loves you so much and wants you to experience life to the fullest. In fact, He said, “I have come that you might have the life that is truly life.” And to help you along the way, He will be right there beside you, ready to help, ready to assure, ready to let you know, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 