No coffee!

One of my favorite musical theater moments comes from one of my least favorite musicals, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". In the musical number "Coffee Break" an office full of workers express their despair and dismay that their is "No coffee! No coffee!". An entire musical number is dedicated to their plight. It is is one of the funniest moments in the play.

Good writers of comedy understand that people laugh when they see truth exaggerated. They laugh because they see themselves or someone they know in the comedic character, but most often they won't admit it! "Coffee Break" exaggerates our national coffee addiction. Many of us would recognize our own reaction to "No coffee!", albeit a hyperbolic one. Of course, it might not seem funny first thing in the morning!

So why do I bring this up? It's the week the Christian calendar refers to as Holy Week. The week leading up to Easter, the celebration of Christ's resurrection. The final week of Lent, a time of reflection meant to prepare our hearts to celebrate Easter. It's a tradition to "give up" during Lent as a way to remind ourselves to be in reflection. This year I gave up coffee.

I have occasionally mentioned that to people and their reaction would fit right in "Coffee Break"! To them the thought of "No coffee!" seemed a monumental sacrifice. My sacrifice was so abysmally small compared to His. Even so, I did it because I don't want anything so insignificant to have a place of control in my life. I did it because I dreaded the thought of giving up coffee. That should not be! Do I love coffee more than Christ? How silly!

Have I missed coffee? Sometimes. But not as much as I thought I would. Will I enjoy having coffee on Sunday? Absolutely! But not for coffee's sake. I will enjoy it because I can live without it. I will enjoy it as a way to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and to celebrate His place in my life. A place that I don't want to be overshadowed by something so insignificant as a beverage!

No coffee! No problem. Not now.