Tuesday 11 October 2011

Annal 75: Tale from the Starbucks

Something about me screams of a coffee addiction.  I'm not sure what it is, since I would definitely not put myself in the place of a coffee addict.  I like coffee, I enjoy a cup or two in the morning, sometimes I will have one during the day or in the evening, but that is about it.  Of course, when I was teaching last year I drank a lot of coffee.  This could be where the idea of an addict comes from.  And it could be why I received $100 in Starbucks gift cards at the end of the year.  And $50 worth of Starbucks gift cards for my birthday.  Not that I mind.  I'm a student, which means Starbucks coffees are the things I dream of, and now have the ability to buy.

Which brings me to today's blog. 

The events from this blurb actually occurred on Friday.  I was heading to my morning class and decided to stop by Starbucks (only the second time I have gone to this coffee shop this semester... impressive, I know).  As my sister and I were heading home for Thanksgiving, I had allowed my coffee and cream resources to deplete, and I'm afraid my morning cup of tea just didn't have the same effect.

It was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining, I was wearing this blue jacket I absolutely love, I was getting ready to head home, and I had a hair appointment for after class.  All of these blended into a glorious mix of euphoria.

And for once the day got even better.

I pulled up to the curb a little after another truck did.  I got out of my car a little after the guy got out of his truck.  Even though the man had more than enough time to sneak through the door of Starbucks and get in line, he didn't.  He held the door open, waited for me, said "After you," and smiled as I walked through.

Maybe some of you get this treatment all the time, but I don't (I blame this, like many things, on the small, rural community I have lived in for the last few years). 

It made my day.

Nothing more came of this.  I didn't break into a conversation with the gentleman, amazing him with my charm and wit.  And that was fine with me.

Because somebody saw me.

My name in Hebrew actually means "God is looking," or "Yahweh sees."  Despite this I have a knack for forgetting that God is truly omniscient and omnipresent.  He sees me, and not just me on the outside, but everything within me.  At the end of a week where I felt crummy, undesirable, and unworthy, God gave me a little reminder that He has not forgotten me.

He reminded me that He sees.

Will I still have crummy weeks?  No doubt there.  Will I still battle with how I'm viewed by others, especially the opposite sex?  Of course.

But I will remember the Starbucks incident.

And I will remember how God used it to remind me that He sees me.

Such is the life of a Christian single.

3 comments:

  1. This is perfect. I love this story. And I love how God's eyes follow us throughout each and every day and if we are looking...and watching out for...we'll spot these moments that on the surface seem ordinary or coincidental but if you look with those God eyes of yours, one sees that it is so much more. Just what we needed, a lovely reminder.

    I will always remember one encounter I had after having a horrible week, depressed about being single etc....There I was doing something very routine: grocery shopping...and walking down the aisle I passed this guy...I don't even remember looking up at him as I passed by so absorbed in my own thoughts that I was...and then I heard, "Excuse me." I turned around and he said, "Wow, I just have to tell you, your beautiful." I was so shocked, I mumbled my thanks and maybe smiled or something and then quickly walked away. Yeahh...So in retrospect maybe I could have handled it a little more suavely, however the chance encounter lifted my spirits and I just knew it was a God reminder. Absolutely. A little encouragement for a single gals' soul :)

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  2. It's nice to know that God hasn't forgotten about us singles, isn't it?

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  3. Love this day of yours too. :)

    Nothing better than being "seen" by someone. It doesn't change your value but I love how it reminded you of how He sees you.

    You have such a beautiful heart.

    xMiss365

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