Bye bye coffee...sniff sniff...April 24, 2008 Youth Group News

Bye-bye coffee...sniff, sniff
I finally did it. And I don't like it. And I hope it won't be for long. But I was having some physical symptoms that may be alleviated by giving up caffeine, my beloved cup 'o coffee, that black sea of morning magic that makes my day worth jittering all the way through. OK, I hear ya, I should have given it up for Lent... but I just wasn't ready to live without it.

I wonder if this is how the disciples felt when Jesus said he was going away. The disciples clung on in fear, unsure of how they could cope without their daily dose of Jesus. But Jesus reminds them that the same Spirit that lives in him, will come to live in them when the Paraclete comes. (I just love that name for the Holy Spirit, it makes me think of a talking bird with track shoes on).

I hear a call to find that Spirit, the one that wakes me up without caffeine, the one that abides within, who speaks to me, who runs the race with me. The Spirit who nudges me to let go of addictions and attachments and realize that my true hunger is for God. What are you addicted to? Maybe it's an unhealthy relationship, a drug, perfection, work, approval, something that gives you god-like energy but bears bad fruit. The challenge for us is to wean ourselves from those energies and begin to feed on the Spirit that produces abundant life. Change is uncomfortable, withdrawal is uncomfortable, but it's all a part of the process that brings us into new life.

In this week when we celebrate Earth Day, we all are being called to look at our lifestyles and how they effect the world. Waking up to face the problems in the world around us is not fun, (especially without coffee) but we have the hope of seeing our sorrows turn to joy and new life springing from ashes--or coffee grounds--if we are willing to admit our unhealthy habits and give into the Way that the Spirit is calling us.