The Sweetest Mother's Day Gift!

Mmmm, Coffee.  I can already see you smiling! The readers of Her View From Home appear to run on the stuff. Which beverage, I wondered, is consumed more than any other across the planet? Google told me it is tea. Tea? Not here, not in this group anyway. I’m not near the coffee hound as the rest of you or anyone in my family for that matter but I agree there is no finer way to share some thoughts with a good friend than over a brimming cup of joe.

One of the most delicious things about coffee is the friendships that grow across the table. And one of the most delicious things about friendships is sharing. I consider my circle of women friends to be one of my most valuable assets and no small part of friendship is the great stuff we learn in those coffee conversations. (Ok, the wine conversations are pretty awesome, too, but surely I digress!)

My dear friend Pat McGill from Lake Okoboji, Iowa shared this wonderful thought with me this week. Pat is a speaker and opens all her Women Up! sessions with this piece. It was written by her friend Dean Dziedzic who is part of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota Foundation.

On this Sunday morning, I want to re-share it with all of you.

“Choose a “blessings cup” to drink your coffee and have your special prayer of the day.

Question:  Why don’t we treat God like coffee?

As Christians, we all understand that it is important to have God in our lives. We also know that we should have prayer in our life on a consistent basis. Just imagine if we treated God as importantly as we treat coffee.

  • We get up in the morning and we instantly need our coffee. The nice aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Wouldn’t it be nice to have God fill the room and have such a prominent presence anywhere, anytime?
  • It seems we don’t care the cost of that freshly brewed coffee when we are out and about. In fact, the better the brand, whether it is Starbucks or Caribou, the more we are apt to pay. Wouldn’t it be nice to put God first and have Him in our lives? Just imagine the absolute best of the best right there waiting for us to reach out to Him. Plus, the best part of the whole deal is that He already paid the price by dying on the cross for all our sins.
  • We all have our special insulated mug to keep our coffee warm. We make sure we keep it clean in a special place, also making sure it fits perfectly into our cup holders in our car. Wouldn’t it be nice to place such value in God each and every day? Maybe a special place in our heart every day that insulates our life from all the pain, suffering and temptations. He will be there to guide us in such a manner that we will always recognize His good word.
  • Coffee has a way of connecting people. It’s nice to sit down and visit, relax, get to know a person better over a cup of coffee. Wouldn’t it be great if we envisioned God as the common denominator of uniting people? Maybe something that is universally accepted where we can all set our differences aside and try to relate to our neighbors better.
  • The next time you see, smell, have, or want that next great cup of coffee, think about it as a special symbol of God in all our lives. Accept the challenge to keep God active in our lives, so that we can build a better and more satisfying relationship to love and honor Him.”

Pretty awesome thought isn’t it? Thanks, Pat, and thank you, Dean, for sharing such a delightful way for us to remember!

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Betty Streff

Betty Streff began her career as a customer service representative for a large corporation in Omaha. Four years later she found herself to be a farm wife in a small rural community with limited opportunities for women. After a humbling self assessment, she listed her assets as talents for sketching, sewing, and the natural ability to strike up conversations with complete strangers. Using these and her optimistic nature, she began stitching up some bibs and pillows for a craft show, who wouldn't? Over the next 25 years she became a serial entrepreneur obsessed with studying faith, spirituality, leadership, motivation, and management as she developed her businesses. Betty has spent the last few years working in corporate America in the hospitality and manufacturing world and she continues to immerse herself in the study of what makes people tick. The explosive growth in the relatively recent science of positive psychology fascinates her. Betty devours everything she can find on the subject and is especially intrigued with people who thrive no matter the circumstances and in discovering ways that happiness and optimism can be learned. She is currently exploring ways of sharing and cultivating the exciting possibilities with both individuals and businesses. She and her husband Steve have been married 45 years and are blessed with 2 incredible daughters, 2 fantastic sons-in-law and 6 amazing grandchildren.

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