I'm a little teapot

My friend very kindly made me a lovely coffee last week. I was fascinated at how the filter could fit snugly inside a pot that was rounded. She managed to keep the sarcasm out of her voice when she explained that the inside of the pot was straight  and the curves were just for show. I suddenly loved that coffee pot. It was designed to look fat even though inside it was thin.       The first time I used a cafetiere I couldn't understand why the tray for the coffee was so shallow. I spread the grounds carefully around the central pole trying not so spill it over the spring. Plunging the plunger into the hot water, I watched as the coffee floated to the top of the water. I concluded this kitchen aid was very badly designed. Since then someone has explained to me how a cafetiere works.                                                                   Many people are interested in their outward appearance, they enhance it in order to make themselves more attractive and will usually affirm that those improvements are for themselves and not for anyone else.Yet we all know that it's what's inside a person that really matters. However curved that pot looks, the thing that makes it successful is the tight fitting straight plunger within. The Bible explains to us that man looks on the outward appearance but that God looks at the heart. In a world that values the outward, don't forget that your heart needs to be straight and able to filter out dregs. If you've got a lovely outside to go with your heart I am happy for you, but please rejoice in your good heart more. People can't see it, but what you pour out will be much more tasteful.

 

 

Shake the can.

This afternoon I was spraying some blocks of wood with gold aerosol paint. For a change, I thought I would read the instructions before I did it, rather than afterwards. I was notified of the need to shake the can well for 1 minute listening for the rattle of the mixing ball.
As I had just come in from work I felt in need of a cup of coffee to help me through the task. 
I discovered it is not possible to hold a cup of coffee securely in one hand and vigorously shake an aerosol can with the other, without spilling the coffee. I tried it twice, 
In the Bible in Psalm 16 there is a verse that reads " I am always aware of the Lord's presence, he is near and nothing can shake me." I thought of it today.  
My aerosol arm had a destabilizing effect on my coffee cup arm. I have discovered that there are many things in this world that can shake us. We hear the rattle of our lives getting mixed up and it can be difficult to keep a grip on the coffee cup of of life and hold it steady. It's at times like that, when being certain God is near me, has kept me grounded.

Half a cup of coffee

This afternoon when I came in from work I noticed I had left a mug, half full of black coffee, on the kitchen table. I was quite surprised, as I rarely leave a coffee unfinished. (I wish I could have written....I rarely leave a mug on the table, but that would be disingenuous.) I should have been suspicious when the coffee took longer to reach my mouth than it normally does but by the time I'd taken a swig of the cold gravy that my husband had left on the table, it was too late.                 It reminded me of the time my brother bit the ear off a chocolate bear and then surprised me by asking me if I wanted to finish it off. I bit off the bear's head.  So who would make brown soap in the shape of a bear? I swallowed it. My brother was not going to have the satisfaction of thinking he'd beaten me. When I was about eight years old, I learned an important lesson about truth,  I had gone to my friend's house for tea and we had macaroni cheese. My Father had always taught us to "eat what's set before you" (Luke 10 verse 8) so I ate the macaroni cheese. I then excused myself from the table, ran upstairs and vomited the meal down the toilet. When I came down, Mrs Simmons said, "Did you enjoy your meal Shirley?" I smiled and said, "Oh yes thank you Mrs Simmons, it was lovely."  About two months later I went round to Katie's house again. Mrs Simmons served the meal. "I've made macaroni cheese for you dear, I remembered it was your favourite."  I ate what was set before me and then rushed off to the bathroom. I don't remember ever accepting an  invitation to Katie Simmons' house after that.  I do however remember, that telling lies can have dreadful consequences.