Lessons From the Coffee Pot

No rich smell of coffee reached my senses as I stumbled through the kitchen. 

My caffeine deprived system trying to register the day, the mess all at once. 

That is when my eye sight cleared enough to see. 

My coffee pot. 

In pieces. 

With no rich, aromatic coffee smells emanating from it. 

No beautiful perking sounds. 

Just pieces and parts on the counter. 

I knew this might be happening.
I had inside information and I failed to act. 

Yesterday, it was a 2 pot kind of a day. 

After 20 years of marriage my farmer bought a timer and makes my coffee.

Such a gift!

So fun. 

But that morning we needed more than the one pot. 

And so, I made another. 

Per usual, I got distracted and after a time remembered there was more 

hot, steamy liquid ready! 

As a good hostess I poured my house guest her cup first. 

The look on her face alerted me to a lack of coffee bliss. 

The coffee was cold.

I touched that percolator. 

The usually hot exterior was stone cold. 

I fiddled with the cord. 

I checked the outlet for power. 

I stared at my friend. 

Could it be? 

Could the coffee pot be unusable? 

It's usefulness finished? 

God bless her she gulped the rest of the cold, dark fluid. 

I rushed to the stove to warm my cup. 

The days needs usurped anymore discussion of the fate of the percolator. 

Until. . . we went grocery shopping. 

My dear friend suggested we stop at the Kitchen Store to purchase a new Percolator. 

I declined. 

Me. 

I declined the offer. 

Stating that I felt my farmer should look at it. 

He should see if it really needs to be replaced. 

Those percolators are not cheap. 

I wasn't willing to give up on my constant companion. 

My friend, being the wise woman, just shook her head; knowingly. 

She doesn't understand I thought. 

My other dear friends bought this pot for me. 

My other one failed the day Eleanor came into this world. 

Thinking back. 

They didn't ask. 

They just bought it. 

I came home from the hospital to delicious, freshly brewed coffee. 

It's been almost 10 years since that day. 

10 years of of perked coffee. 

The top long broken off. 

The contacts for the cord rusty and delicate. 

But this morning; when I stumble to the kitchen. 

I am greeted with parts and pieces. 

I could have had a delicious, hot, steamy, aromatic cup of coffee in my hands. 

But I had said, "No" to a gift. 

I call my farmer to share my shock and horror at 

the insides of the coffee maker on my counter. 

And my great distress at no hot coffee this morning. 

His words were compelling;  harsh in a loving way. 

I had been offered a gift and I had turned it down. 

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

My friend had offered a gift. 

I was unwilling to accept. 

It's hard to accept sometimes. 

Even after all these months of God's lessons in accepting from others. 

It is still hard. 

So this morning I drink a cup of coffee from the Keurig. 

It is not the same. 

But it does the job. 

A warm cup of java in my hands. 

My way to start each day. 

The Keurig a gift as well. 

A sweet gift given. 

I think on these events. 

The giver of the gift sought the joy in giving; in meeting a need. 

God's gift of love is given so freely. 

To all. 

Offered at the cost of, "yes". 

May you all know the joy of receiving the best gift ever given. 

All you need to do is say, "yes".