About a year ago I wrote a bio for myself because apparently if you’re a writer you need one of those. Or 10. I have several of them now. Like that little black dress, one for every occasion. Truth is, I don’t even have a “little” black dress. I don’t even have a black dress! But, bio’s I have. There are several variations for various platforms but they all include grace, coffee, a sunrise and my grandson, of course.
My full bio goes like this:
My husband, Tommy, and I have been married for 27 years. We’ve had fun together but we’ve also stumbled and fumbled along the way. We did some of our best work in our 3 amazing gifts from God. I’m a mother in law of 2 stellar humans beings and the Gimi to one adorable little dude. I’m a homemaker, a traveler, a seeker, a writer, and a pilgrim. I love cooking and sharing good food with others who love good food. I use my camera to help tell stories – my story, other’s stories, God’s story. I’m an almost empty nester and a fellow struggler in need of God’s grace. Oh, and coffee. Grace and coffee. Then I’m good. Oh, and a sunrise. Grace, coffee and a sunrise. THEN I’m good. Oh, and my grandson. Grace, coffee, a sunrise and my grandson. … you get the picture. 🙂 I have many favorite scriptures but my “go to” scripture that brings me great hope is: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17
If you known me for any length of time you know how much I love sunrises. A sunrise is the essence of hope for me. It doesn’t even have to be grand. The fact that it rises again to bring another day is hope for me. I have taken photos of sunrises and sunsets all over the globe. Some of my favorites, though, have been right in my back yard. The home we live in now is the second home that has offered us a perfect view of God’s Eastern Masterpieces. If we have a say, not having a view of the sunrise in our backyard is a dealbreaker now for all future homes.
I put this video together a couple of years ago of some of my favorite sunrises. Enjoy.
As Sure As the Sun is by Ellie Holcomb, one of my favorites. The whole album is so good!
I didn’t start liking coffee until I was in my early 30’s. Well, it was 31 to be exact. We’d just had our 3rd child. There were 6 years in between our 2nd and 3rd. It was very different being a mom in my early 30’s than in my early 20’s. I was tired. Although, I was beyond thankful to have two amazing built in helpers with my 6 and 8 year old. Anyway, I think it was the first winter after Anna was born when my love for coffee began. I’d always loved the smell of it but it tasted awful to me. But when flavored coffee creamers entered the world, I was all in – hook, line and sinker. I’m better at drinking “coffee flavored coffee” now than I used to be but my husband used to ask me if I wanted some coffee with my cream.
Over the years my husband and I and our son became self-proclaimed coffee snobs. Our son even roasts his own beans. Our two daughters love coffee but they’re not so picky. We went from cheap Folgers to Folgers Gourmet (haha!) to coffee with a story (fair trade) and grinding our beans each day for the morning brew. We joked when our oldest daughter began dating a guy who didn’t like coffee that he clearly wasn’t “the one”. But he was (and is) and he now loves coffee. Our son married a hot chocolate girl. She hasn’t crossed over yet, and that’s really ok, but no one ever called us quitters. haha!
I have had the pleasure of drinking coffee in many forms and in many countries. Cafezinho in Brazil, Cafe Sua Da in Vietnam, Mochaccino’s and Long Blacks in New Zealand, Kopi O and Kopi C (sock coffee) in Singapore, Cappuccino and Espresso in Italy (the real deal!). Drinking good coffee with our family and friends is something I enjoy very much. I look forward to the stories that will be shared with a cuppa and those you love but some days, coffee is why I get out of bed.
Just like coffee, I found out that I loved grace and sunrises when I realized I needed them. When I realize my inadequacies and realize God’s sufficiency… in that, I find grace. When my heart hurts so badly that even coffee doesn’t taste good, a new sunrise reminds me that His mercies are new every morning. Sunrises remind me that there is hope.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
I in no way mean to downgrade grace to the level of coffee or even sunrises. Grace is the very reason I live to enjoy coffee sunrises. It’s the reason I breathe. Without the grace that Jesus made available to me when He chose to die on the cross, life would indeed me devoid of all things yummy and hope-filled. ALL I need is grace. Sunrises and coffee, well, they are the cherries on top.
And my grandson… well, he just makes me happy. The verdict is still out on whether he’ll be a coffee snob like his grandparents but he’s clearly a drink snob. Oh, how I love this boy.
Have you found Grace? What brings you hope? What are you holding on to that reminds you He is faithful to complete what He started?
“I am confident that the Creator, who has begun such a great work among you, will not stop in mid-design but will keep perfecting you until the day Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, returns to redeem the world.” Philippians 1:6 (The Voice)
~Andrea
Empty Plate . Full Heart 
I’m better at taking grace for myself than I am at giving it to those who hurt me. but I’m working on it.
LikeLike
That is me as well. I think the bigger issue for me, though, is that I had to come to terms with the fact that I needed grace just as much as the next person. There’s a lot that brought me to my knees in that last sentence so I don’t say it lightly.
LikeLiked by 1 person