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Listen while you read: "Anywhere With Jesus"1
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Psalm 23:5 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (NIV)
I have always loved coffee, but as my girls have grown to enjoy it too, I have come to love it even more! While growing up, I had a divided home: Dad was a pot-a-day coffee drinker, but my mom loved hot tea in the morning. My sweet grandma, Mary Helen Camp, was the one who whetted my appetite for the delicious brew when I was just a little girl and coffee was a somewhat forbidden adult treat. I remember her having her coffee cup sitting on a saucer so as to catch the overflow as she heaped sugar and cream into it. After she had stirred it just right, with the saucer catching the extra, she would let me drink the sweet concoction right from the saucer, since it had cooled enough for me to drink. It was heavenly, as I remember it! I felt privileged to partake in this treat as we all listened to Arthur Godfrey on the radio. In my childish mind, I determined that when I grew up, I would drink coffee from a cup, and like grandma, a saucer would catch the overflow. With the coming of giant mugs, I don't often drink from a cup with a saucer, but when I do, warm feelings of my sweet grandma come to mind.
As I think of that coffee of my youth, I wonder how much I would have loved my "Joe" if bitterness were the overflow from her cup. My grandma was a divorced woman when divorce was far less accepted than it is now. Because of her divorce, she found herself penniless, unskilled, and uneducated. She had to take jobs that nowadays would be considered menial, but throughout my life growing up, she was always there for my family and me. At best, in the eyes of onlookers, she was a pretty ordinary woman, or at worst, she was known as "that divorcee". She had many reasons to be bitter and to fill her cup with the biting resentment and hatred that betrayal and hurt sometimes bring. But she chose the better, which was love. For me, her cup always overflowed with love. I am so glad that I was there to drink of the overflow, and it was sweet!
Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NIV)
With what does the cup of your life overflow?
Prayer: Lord, help us to keep our overflow as sweet as possible. In Christ, we pray. Amen.
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About the author:
Jeanie Nihiser <jnihiserj@gmail.com>
Geneseo, New York, USA
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Beautiful story, Jeanie. My grandmother also used the cup and saucer, but in her case, the saucer was for her Chihuahua, who also loved coffee.
Hi Jeannie,
Do you know the poem “drinking from the saucer”? Your message twicked my noddle. Blessings.
Isn’t it truly a blessing from God to have a “my cup is half full” attitude. Even through tough times my parents instilled gratitude, which I passed down to children in turn. God is so good. Blessed be his name.
Hi Jeanie,
Thank you for sharing your precious memories which become more precious as we continue to remember.
God bless.
Jeanie, a lovely memory of that saucer of sweet coffee! When I “graduated” from sixth grade, my parents took me out for a donut, and my dad asked if I would like him to order me a cup of coffee to go with it. Wow! My very first step into a grown-up world! Your words reminded me of the 23rd Psalm….my cup overflows!
I really enjoyed your sweet story about your grandma and her coffee Jeanie. Yes, we need overflow our lives with sweet thoughts and actions just as our loving Lord does for us and we must not turn to any bitter behaviour.
Blessings for sharing your childhood memories and very good advice in your writing today.
Good morning, Jeanie,
Thank you for your memory of your Gramma and the coffee. She sounds like a beautiful person.
The love of Jesus makes such a difference, and your Gramma is proof of that!
God bless you.
Great message with a good reminder. Also reminded me of my youth. Mom served tea all week and coffee was only served, from a percolator, on Sunday. For coffee in a mug and no saucer, we use a fruit nappy. Fold a portion of a paper towel or napkin so it covers the bottom of the nappy to put your mug on in the nappy and it won’t slip or slide around, plus it soaks up any spillage.
Hi Jeanie,
Arthur Godfrey…one has to be a certain age to remember Arthur Godfrey.
My coffee story is the opposite of yours. I do have sweet memories of family but not connected with coffee. My Dad never drank it, and I do not! I remember he loved glazed donuts and milk for breakfast…or any time.
Thanks, once more for writing. Your devotionals always “speak” to me.
Good morning, Jeanie!
I loved your message about your grannie and your childhood memories of your introduction to coffee. My grannie was the same. She would drink coffee with fresh coconut milk and a teaspoon of brown sugar. I wasn’t allowed to partake in a full or even a 1/4 cup but often I would be allowed a little sip. I can still taste it today after reading your lovely devotional. Thank you.
Oh my! What a beautiful story for my Sunday morning. My understanding of God’s love in us is that the love that benefits the children most is the overflow from the love between parents. In your case – also from the overflow from your wonderful Grandmother. What a beautiful model’ of the love of God – and now that you’ve shared that, your overflow has deeply touched me this morning. Praise God for people like you who can put His love into words that can transfer His love into people like me. May all your days be blessed.
Amen and amen! Thanks for sharing this encouraging and touching devotional
with us. Blessings.