Powdered Donuts

I  awakened this morning as I do most mornings to walk the dogs, make the coffee, feed the dogs, check the weather, check the news and fix my first cup of coffee.  Except this morning I decided to do something different, something out of the ordinary.  I decided we needed powdered donuts and a newspaper. 

Something different, something nice to start a hopeful lazy Saturday.  The donuts were wonderful and the coffee was smooth!  I can’t remember the last time we had a quiet Saturday morning around the dining room table eating sweet goodness, drinking smooth, bold, hot coffee and reading the paper and watching the birds and squirrels outside. NICE!  Something different!

What I did this morning was different, a break from a normal morning routine, and it was fun.  During my foray to the grocery, I noticed people out and about shopping for staple items, and then there was the guy buying a big bag of charcoal for his cooker on the back of his pick-up truck.  Where ever he was going, they were going to have some great food!

This little deviation from the norm felt a little odd, and a little uncomfortable.   I did have to get fully dressed, locate my wallet, money, car keys and shoes.  But the discomfort only lasted a few minutes and was all gone by the time I bit into my first donut!  When Karen and Jessica awoke and spotted the treats they smiled and enjoyed.  Simple things bring great blessings!

This is how it is with God and discipleship.  I don’t think we are all called to perform great and treacherous missions for God.  We read of those missionaries who give their lives in service to God and I am awed and then humbled by their service and sacrifice.  Maybe that is what holds us back,  we think we are unworthy of such sacrifices in the name of Christ.  Thinking of this sort can bring paralysis to oneself and to the larger community eventually leading to a sense of helpless hopelessness and then fear – fear of change – paralyzed to change, almost frozen in time!

Maybe it is as simple as donuts and a newspaper – a slight deviation from the norm.  Small simple acts, in faith, for God, for others, will stir the spirit, if only to bring a smile to a face so early in the morning.  This is the essence of discipleship, small acts directed to serve others, building one upon the other over time building trust and hope! 

To think, we get all of this from a few powered donuts, a newspaper and a cup of coffee on a cloudy Saturday morning!  God is Good All The Time.

May our God of Peace, Grace and Mercy be with you always!

Amen.