In my second job, I have a lot of mental free time; stocking
grocery shelves is a pretty solitary, automatic process. In the past two weeks, random French words
and phrases have been popping into my head while I work. The words themselves are random. The reason why they pop is less so: after 18 months of prayer and waiting, we
have a plan for reaching the south of France towards the end of 2015. Let me be completely honest here – we are all
completely thrilled to have this opportunity to manage a coffee & tea shop. In the south of France. For 2 years.
Which induces a lot of panic.
Because of the three of us going, only I have had any experience with
the French language. Two adult children
and an eighth grader ago (you do the math, I’m not telling)! Allez! Lundi,
mardi, mercredi! Je m’apelle Amy! I have even tried to express myself in
complete (toddler) sentences: Je suis fatigue
(I am tired). One word in particular has resonated in my
head: aujord’hui . Today.
I’m not very good at “today”. I plan.
I project. I research, organize,
prepare, dream, look at tomorrow, think about next month, wonder what life will
be like when I’m 16…25…40…65. When I was
in fourth grade, I walked to school every day in my imaginary business suit,
carrying my imaginary briefcase to a fabulous office job in the big city
instead of chattering with all of the other kids on the sidewalk about the
latest bands, fashions or playground drama.
Do you get the picture? Yeah, I
was THAT kid. For a while, I was also
THAT adult. Over time, though, I began
to realize that I spent so much time looking for the “right” path, the “right”
choice, the “right” time that I didn’t enjoy the things that were happening to
me maintenant (right now).
Coffee is all about today.
It’s a commodity, so the price changes on a daily basis. Fresh-ground coffee is always better, and
fresh-roasted is better yet. (For the
two, possibly three coffee roasters who might read this blog, yes, you actually
need 24 hours to de-gas beans, so don’t drink coffee roasted today). Coffee shops have daily specials. The person with whom you grab that cup is probably
a decision you made today, too. Your
conversation definitely is! And that’s
the “today” that I want to be better at, being with someone in the moment. To be so confident in God’s provision and
plan that I stop worrying about where my career is going, what my portfolio
looks like, or if I have the right friends that I actually know my co-workers,
give generously, and have friends. I want to have – no, I want to take time to
grab a cup with a friend and listen. Aujord’hui.
Today. What about you?
