Coffee and Orange Cranberry Scone...with you.

     I love coffee.  That is a fact that everyone knows.  I've had my times away from coffee (once for 3 years) but always come back.  Sometimes I've been "that guy" who uses creamer; but most of the time my coffee is black.  I usually use a "cup" that is actually a bit more like 2 cups!  Keeps me from having to get up and go to the kitchen so often.  At least that's what I tell myself.  Coffee is not so much a stimulant to stay awake but more like comforting companion.  Early mornings with the now shorter days are better with coffee.  Coffee is like an old friend with whom you can sit down and talk about everything with.  Now add in the orange cranberry scones!  It's like coffee to the 10th power!  I prefer them to be room temperature, not heated and with nothing on them.  The orange and cranberry balanced between the two of them.  Sometimes I even go radical and dunk them in the coffee!  Caffeine isn't an issue for me.  I can drink coffee before I go to bed and it makes no difference to my ability to go to sleep.  Now the scone...the sugar within isn't good for me.  It's a luxury that comes my way every now and then. 
      Mornings, especially early mornings, are one of my favorite times of the day.  Doesn't matter what the outside weather is or isn't; I just enjoy the mornings. There are people I'm connected with locally and long distance who have coffee the same time as I do.  We have "coffee time" with each other.  No, we don't go to each other's homes.  No, we don't have a group telephone call or video conference.  What we have is a time when we think about each other, pray for each other and drink coffee with our scones.  Some don't have the scones and sometimes neither do I.  BUT, we always have coffee.  We always have each other and we always have the presence of God in our time.  So, in the privacy of my family room, leaning back in my recliner, coffee cup in hand we have church.  We pray about whatever God puts on our hearts.  We meditate on His Word and will later share on our emails with each other.  It's comforting to know that others are praying for me even as I am praying for them. 
     There are many different kinds of coffee including decaf which I stay away from.  It's not really coffee but has coffee taste.  That's about it.  Decaf is fake coffee.  Though I've never tried, I'd love to one day have "the" recipe for great scones.  Making your own adds to the richness of the experience.  Some of my friends drink decaf and make their own scones.  Neither choice detracts from our relationship with each other and with God.  There is no competition about who has the best coffee or the best scone.  Both the element of non-competition and whether or not you have scones come up.  It's a personal thing.  There are actually times in the day when I don't drink coffee.  There are days when I go without scones.  However, there are no days I go without friends and no days I go without God in my life.  Key to the Christian life is the ability to connect not only with God but also with our fellow believers throughout the week.  None of this Sunday and maybe Wednesday night stuff.  Fellowship and encouragement grows the body whether you have coffee and orange cranberry scones or not.  It's just better with the coffee and scones.