Free Coffee

FREE COFFEE
by Louise Bergmann DuMont

A bright orange placard boldly announced its offer from the entry of the pastry shop -- FREE COFFEE!

My friend, who loves coffee nearly as much as I do, froze in front of the sign with unpleasant smirk.

“Sure... they give you a free coffee but it probably tastes like yesterday’s dishwater.”

“My, aren’t we cynical?” I asked smiling. “You didn’t complain when the department store was doing free make-overs or when the grocery store handed out free samples of cold cuts.”

Marilyn did not return my smile. “That’s different. In those cases you were supposed to try a product so you could decide whether or not to buy it. The coffee shop is giving away coffee – no strings attached. That can’t be good.”

“But it might be great coffee! Maybe the shop is just saying ‘thanks for coming into our store.’”

My friend shrugged her shoulders and when she spoke there was no conviction in her voice. “Maybe, but I doubt it,” she said.

For a moment we stared at the sign, unable to stay or go. Finally I offered my comments.

“I think society is way too eager to trash a thing just because its free. Remember that old saying, ‘The best things in life are free.”

My friend’s hand flew out as if she were brushing away an annoying fly.

“I’m sure you’ve heard another old saying, ‘There’s no free ride.’ If the coffee is actually good, I’ll bet there are strings attached to this deal.” Her gaze moved down the street and she pointed in the same direction, “Let’s go to that other café.”

I made no move to walk away. “One of my friends at work had a yard sale last week. They put out a huge box of things that they felt were decent items, but not things that everyone needed, and attached a sign that read, ‘FREE – Help Yourself.’ Noon came and went and no one even looked in the box. His wife suggested they change the sign to read “Your Choice - 25¢.” The next two people who came to the sale looked through the box and both made an offer on the lot of it. They ended up splitting the contents and were happy as clams that they got a bargain.”

“So you’re saying that the things they bought were actually worth something, but somehow it didn’t seem that way until they had to pay for it?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I know that a lot of people have trouble with salvation because it’s a free gift to us from God. They don’t realize its real value, simply because they aren’t the ones who have to pay for it. But that doesn’t make it any less valuable. The Father paid a high price for our salvation when he offered up the life of His Son. Even though we don’t pay for it, we are the ones who benefit from God’s love.”

“I see your point. Maybe this storeowner uses the best coffee beans in town and he’s being generous to his customers.”

My friend and I decided to give the free coffee a try. Turns out I was right – the coffee was EXCELLENT!!!

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift … of life.

Rev 22:11

Too Much of a Good Thing

Too Much of a Good Thing
by Louise Bergmann DuMont

This past winter a coworker began mixing small amounts of cinnamon with the ground coffee. The addition was minimal, but the coffee’s spicy flavor made our breakfast breaks especially pleasant.

This same coworker took a vacation recently and a different individual was called upon to prepare the morning brew. He must have felt that if a little cinnamon tasted good, a lot of cinnamon would taste even better. What started out as an interesting, flavor enhanced experiment turned into a bitter, dump-this-down-the-drain-quick elixir. Trust me – more is not always better.

A friend’s youngster pointed this out to me again just last week. His mom and I were having a cup of coffee when he came running into the house. His eyes sparkled like 4th of July firecrackers.

~~~~~~~~~~
“Mom, mom – I know a joke.”

“Really. Where did you hear this joke?”

“Kyle told it to me. Can I tell it to you... please?”

“Sure – go ahead,” his mom said smiling.

“How do you know that an elephant was in your refrigerator?”

The two of us grinned at each other as we recognized the age-old joke. Winking at me, his mother played along. “I don’t know, Andy. How would I know if an elephant had been in our refrigerator?”

Andy bounced up and down with unrestrained excitement as he delivered the punch line.

“You’d know because you could see his footsteps in the peanut butter!!!”

We both broke out in a laugh as my friend gave her son a hug. It was fun to see another generation delight in the same jokes we once enjoyed – but the story doesn’t end there. A few minutes later, Andy was back.

“Mom, Mom... I got a joke for you.”

“Another one?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

Her son quickly launched into the same joke. My friend smiled patiently, patted her son on the head and shooed him off to play while we finished our discussion.

Not a minute later Andy was back and a minute after that he was back yet again.

“Mom, I got a joke for you.”

Tension rode my friend’s face. “Andy, is this the same joke you told us the last three times?”

His smile turned downward as he stammered his answer.

“Y-y-es…”

His mom’s face softened. “Honey, you can’t keep telling the same joke over and over.”

Andy’s eyes grew large and he turned his face toward hers.

“But you thought I was funny. It made you laugh!”

“Yes, but it isn’t funny when you tell the same joke over and over.”

“Oh.” The twinkle left his eyes.

How about we go to the library tomorrow and find some new elephant joke books. OK?” my friend offered.
“OK.”

His mom caught Andy’s arm before he could run back off to play. “Honey, you don’t have to tell me jokes to make me smile. All you have to do is give me a hug.”

Andy’s grin returned as he wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck.

~~~~~~~~~~

We all occasionally yearn for extra love and attention. This can lead us to think that doing more good will earn us additional accolades. It is only when we recognize that God’s love is never dependent upon what we do, that we can spice our words and life in the appropriately measure – adding enough to provide a unique and rich flavor – but not so much as to make everyone sick.

“It is not good to eat too much honey...” Proverbs 25:27a

Searching

Searching
by Louise Bergmann DuMont

Soup cans, pasta boxes, granola bars and water bottles lay scattered about our kitchen like wounded soldiers after a battle. With one hand on my hip and my foot tapping a frustrated beat, I stared at the now empty shelves of my pantry.

“Where could it be?” I faced the bare walls with a wrinkled brow.

“What are you looking for?” my husband asked as he came into the room.

“That bag of gourmet coffee beans we bought a few days ago. I know we didn’t use them.”

John leaned over and rummaged through a stack of items in front of the dishwasher. From under the macaroni and cheese he pulled a can of store brand coffee.

I wrinkled my nose.

“That is definitely not it.”

“I know, but it looks like this is all we’ve got.” John put the can down next to the coffee maker and walked away.

I looked at the mess and allowed my gaze to drift out the window. The sun had risen to an azure sky, a small wren chipped to his friend in our cedar tree, and a squirrel ran madly about gathering who-knows-what. For just a moment, I imagined giving up the search for my special coffee. I could easily settle for a pot of canned coffee and spend my Saturday puttering in the backyard.

An unwanted sigh escaped my lips as I began placing items back on the pantry shelves. How could I settle for something of lesser quality, when the best was somewhere within my reach? It took about a half hour to restore my pantry to its former self. Then my thoughts returned to the task at hand.

OK, girl – think! Where did you put that coffee???

I opened each cabinet in my kitchen and poked through its contents – eventually arriving at our appliance cupboard. I no sooner opened the door when I saw the coffee bag.

Of course! I put the beans next to the coffee grinder!

The bean’s russet wrapper welcomed me into its presence like summer sunshine. I pulled the coffee and the grinder from the shelf and had a pot of rich brown liquid brewing on my counter within minutes. Its scent drew my husband right to the kitchen.

“Wow. That smells great. I guess you found the gourmet beans.”

“Yes I did – but only because I kept looking.”

A grin grew on John’s face as he filled a large mug with the fragrant brew. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing for both of us that you didn’t give up.”

Some things in life are worth pursuing. Good coffee ranks high on my list. A trust worthy friend is another significant quest. But at the very top of my list, is my search for God’s will. When I’m walking with God, I know He’ll stand by me no matter what circumstances come my way.

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.”

II Chronicles 15:1-5a