It’s Saturday morning; I got up early since I always wake up early. I made coffee and got my Bible. I wanted to read about how the Lord fights our battles for us. I went to the coffee pot, filled it full of water (12 cups) and then, I thought, “Wait, Brian isn’t here, I guess I better make ½ a pot of coffee today.” And instantly, I thought about widows. I thought of all the widows in the world who go to the coffee pot to make a full pot and realize, for the first time, that maybe they only need to make ½ a pot of coffee for the day and for the rest of the days of their lives. I prayed for the widows, for strength, for peace – for help for their hearts. It must be so hard as they realize all the little things that change: the coffee pot amount, the pillows on the bed, the list at the grocery store, the yard that won’t get done, or the dinners that won’t be cooked anymore. God help their tender hearts as they learn to carry on. I talked to my 80-year old grandmother last night; she was outside in Washington State, using her friend’s drill in “reverse”, taking out some screws in an old futon bed so that the wood could be burned in her community fire pit. I was sitting in Atlanta traffic talking to her on my cell phone. It was 7:00 my time, which meant it was 4:00 her time. It was like spring for me in Atlanta at the end of March, and it was like Fall for her in Washington – the temperature varying 20 degrees between us. It was 50 something for her and 70 something for me. She said, “Dad would laugh at me trying to do this.” She has always called my Grandpa – DAD – and he always called her MOM. I guess I was still thinking about her when I made my ½ a pot of coffee this morning.
Brian was on a camping trip with his students. Brian, some other teachers, some parents and about 12 students were on a hiking and camping trip on Mount Yonah up in North Georgia. Brian was excited, as Mount Yonah was the same Mountain that he trained on when he was an Airborne Ranger in the Army. He’d scaled the rocks and rappelled down the cliffs more times than he could count in an Airborne Ranger unit, and now, ten years later, as an 8th grade math teacher, he was still ‘Leading the Way’ (as the Rangers motto is RANGERS LEAD THE WAY), but this time it was for our youth, the next generation – and that held as much or more significance to him as protecting the country did. Actually, I think both tasks are equal, because leading the next generation IS another form of protecting the country.
Anyway, Brian was on his camping trip, and I was up early making coffee, realizing that ½ a pot would be enough for me today. I prayed for the widows though, and I ask you to do the same, Warrior Moms, whenever you think about them, whenever you happen to be making a ½ a pot of coffee. As I get older, I find that it’s the little moments - when I see outside myself and reflect on the needs of others in the world that cause me to pray – that really matter.
HALF A POT OF COFFEE
½ a pot of coffee today
What other changes will there be
I wonder as I stand here
And need the Savior here with me..
Who will mow the lawn
And cook the dinner I like best
I wonder how I’ll sleep at night
And give my dear heart rest
Sadness seems to be evident
Each day but strength comes in
Slowly – surely
I know it is from Him
Sometimes I’d like to give up
Forget about this living
It’s too hard to think about
Trying again – let alone – Winning
There are some things down here
That simply are too hard
And Hallmark tries to capture it
In words within a card
And it’s nice when friends think of me
And send a card and note
It helps to know I’m not alone
In the sea amid the boats
But really other than time
Given me by the Lord
Will my heart begin to rise
From its place upon the floor
The writer of this poem
Knows about deep sorrow
And thank God there’s precious saints
Praying for me
And my tomorrows
½ a pot of coffee
That pretty much sums it up
As I pour the black awakening
I ask God to fill my cup
LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her website, https://kristinaseymour.com/. God loves to share His story of love and grace through us all, and Kristina believes that everyone has a story to tell.
Originally published Tuesday, 08 January 2019.
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