OK, who told McDonald's they have great coffee? I'm serious...who told them? Who in their right pallet could honestly say that McNasty has great coffee? It doesn't even register up to good, much less great. It's honestly McGross! Call it either 'black sludge' or 'colored water', but please don't call that excuse of a beverage, coffee! The really sad thing is, there are millions of people that only want this mess (I mean coffee)...and they REALLY like it! Day in and day out, all across our world, gazillions of cups of this McAwful stuff is sold. We settle for so little, when so much more is actually at our fingertips.Take where I live for example...our coffee shop is just 2 blocks from the local Mickey D's. If the wonderful citizens of this great metropolis (please) would only venture an additional 2 small blocks, they would have a caffeine experience that would totally erase any remaining aftertaste from their past purchases at any fast food disaster. Yet for the most of us, delusions of grandeur are clouded by the false oasis' that exist when we allow ourselves to be tricked into thinking "I have it all, I don't need anything or anyone else, so why bother!"
I remember a story that my Dad used to tell of a young man that fit this exact description. Surrounded by wealth and fame, not realizing it was all a facade. He had to have new everything...X-Box 360, I-pod, newest models of Blackberry's, even if his contract wasn't up for renewal, a new Hummer, and the list actually went on and on. But one day he met this older man who had something the young man had not yet acquired. "How much?", the younger man asked..."Can't really put a price on it" the older man replied. "I'll give you anything, name your price, I must have it...tell me what I must do to get it!" he insisted. Amazed by his determination, the wise man calmly told him "The item you so persistently desire, is priceless, a mere pricetag simply cannot be placed on it. However, if you will sell all, yes I said all, of your belongings and give the money you make to the poor in this city, then I will give this item to you...here it is!" Stunned by offer, the young man couldn't believe his ears. The chance of a lifetime, was so within his reach...the one thing he never had...was his, finally his, for the taking. But it came at a price...a price of sacrifice...a price he was not sure he was willing to make. Slowly the expression on the young man's face changed from anxious & excited to sorrowful & depressed. The sad young man turned and walked away...away from the one thing that would change his life...forever.
Why do we find ourselves in situations where we are 'so close, but yet so far'? You see, my Dad was a great storyteller. I could often find myself lost for days in those stories. And he always had at least one. One for every situation that life handed to us. His way of taking scripture and sharing it in such a way was his trademark preaching style. It was several years later that I realized his story of the rich young man was really the story of Jesus and the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-30). The older I get, the more I see this exact situation play out day after day in so many people's lives. Settling for what we have...passing up on what we could have.
"Father, help me to never be satisfied...help me to reach...to see..to be...amen."
Isn't it time to stop being satisfied with the status quo...satisfied with McDisgusting... when Dad's Favorite Blend is just 2 small blocks away...
6 comments:
Hey! Angela just shared with me the fact that you now have a blog! Hooray!
Great post! McNasty coffee is an apt illustration for this all too common way of life. I've seen it in so many different ways, and I keep coming back to the idea that people are most strongly motivated by fear. Forsaking the open, familiar arms of ole' Ronald and driving another block for the perfect cuppa joe can be downright frightening for people who have learned to make it through life by worshipping their "tried and true" habits. Like opossums in headlights, they are blinded and majorly freaked by change. Their fear drives them to accept the poorest choice (to stay right where they are). Without this fear, they would clearly see that there is a much more desirable path...the one that leads to Dad's Place.
As for the rich young ruler, it is recorded in Mark 14: 51-52 that an anonymous man in a simple linen garment and nothing else was approaching Jesus as Jesus was arrested. When the guards siezed the man, he fled "leaving his garment behind." I know it is unlikely, but I like to think that this was the rich young ruler, coming back after giving up all of his possessions. I wonder if that could be worked into another ingenius story. I bet it could.
Brother Jim,
I am so excited to have you enter into this amazingly fun world of blogging. I have learned so much from everyone around me that it has been eye opening. We have new friends, and a new church. We have felt connected for the first time in the six years we have lived here. I hope that you will get the same reception. I know that I will enjoy reading your daily musings. I have given you a shout out welcome on my blog....enjoy!
Mr. Jim! WHo knew you had a blog?!?! Not me! Luckily I was reading someone else's blog and saw a link to "I espressoed myself" adn thought"Hm... that looks like something I would like.." and it was YOU! Long time no see, and MAN, I miss your coffee!! There is nothing like it in AL!
I hate "Mc Nasty",I would never go there for coffee or otherwise had I not three children begging for their food.We have been to your place once,not being coffee drinkers ourselves we got a drink and some cheesecake.It was delish.Just droppin by to say Hi,otherwise.
Hi Jim! This is Lee Ann, Taylor's (aka, the OTHER coffee junkie)'s wife. Excited to see your blog! I've never liked McCoffee myself. Thanks for sharing the story.
Hello holy king of mudslides - great blog - now all we gotta do is figure out how to download the fine pleasures of Dad's Place coffee - maybe a coffee printer - Only if Star Trek replicators weren't so many centuries away!
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