A girl and her coffee

Have you ever had something that just lights up your day and you don’t know how to really explain it for others to “get it.” Well, for me, it’s my coffee. Yes, I said it, my coffee. There is such comfort and joy in really sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee for me and it brings me back to a time in my life where it was turned completely upside down.

During one of the most devastating times in our family’s life God brought me to my coffee in a new way better than I had ever experienced it before. 

We had evacuated from Hurricane Katrina to my Aunt and Uncle’s house in DeFuniak Springs, FL. After we knew we had lost everything my aunt notified their local radio station that our family needed clothing as we had lost everything in the hurricane. I didn’t realize she had done this until we were running an errand to town and she informed me that she was going to pick up some stuff that was donated for us. Of course, at this time, I am an emotional wreck. I was questioning God and why would He let all of this happen to us and all of the Gulfcoast. I was questioning how we were going to get through all of this. How were we going to get our family up and going again. This was an unbelievable stress and grief that I had never felt before.
That day, He answered me in such a suttle way…with a coffee mug. I’ll get back to that in a bit.

Our Navy family friend lost a loved one during the Hurricane. They lived on the waterfront where the Hurricane made landfall. She had shared her story of their loss with us and it really made me think about what was going on and how the change in perspective hit me. 

As I walked into the surf shop, a light in the window caught my attention. The glass shelves just glowed from across the room. I just felt the need to go see what was in the window since I couldn’t see from the sunshining on the glass. As I got closer to the window I could see the different items across the glass shelves but one item kept “glowing.” When I got close enough to see what it was, it was a tall coffee mug. I had to see what the words were on it. It had a hand drawn rustic scene of wildflowers and the simple words, LIFE IS GOOD.  Yes, Lord, yes. I am listening. That moment will forever be etched in my memory that God told me through a coffee mug…..that HE gave us life, and Life is Good. All of our belongings is just stuff…stuff is replaceable, we are not. I bought that mug that day. It was my first personal purchase after losing everything and such a beautiful reminder of what God has given us….through the storm, we still have life. Hold onto that as you go through life storms. You are still alive and God’s got you. 

This picture is of that special mug. If I could find a replacement It would be a miracle, as I have searched over the years. I am just grateful that I took this one when it broke.