betrayed by a friend.

you know...i really enjoy my coffee.  i even consider my morning coffee one of my most trusted allies.  but on sunday mornings...my coffee betrays me.

i take a travel cup of delicious coffee (lovingly prepared by my kind husband) with me to church.  i boldly drink it in the foyer (i realize that my travel cup makes me look like i am too good for the icky church coffee...and i just don't care.)

i enjoy my steamy treat all the way in to service and sometimes i even take a few sips at my seat.  (sometimes the ushers look at me like they are about to enforce the 'no food or drink in the sanctuary' rule...but then they weigh the value of their life with the fact that they would be wrenching coffee from the hands of this poor overworked mother of 4 preschoolers...aaaand they reconsider.)  my travel cup doesn't spill anyway... (it's been tested by all 4 of my little quality control team).

anyway...so worship starts and i enjoy adoring my Jesus uninterrupted...until it hits me.


i have the nastiest breath in the world.  i can't belt out 'blessed be your glorious name' with breath like this...the whole row might pass out.  and praying for someone...that is completely out of the question.  i wouldn't dream of impairing someone's worship experience by getting in their face and giving them a word from God with stench that is coming from my mouth. i tried gum...but who am i kidding...gum only gives you mint flavored coffee breath.  ick.


so...no more coffee on sunday mornings. i can give it up in order to adore and serve my Father more freely.

but that is just an external thing. 

Jesus said we need to make sure that the inside of our cups are clean. 
what in my heart is keeping me from worshipping and serving freely?  hmmmm...something to search out this week...