My Morning Cup of Joe

On By Beth AlisanIn Lessons

I love my morning cup of coffee and . . . so does my Labrador.  Who can blame her.  The strong aroma wafting from my mug is an open invitation to her nose.  Usually, she only gets a sniff.  However, if I carelessly set my mug too close to the edge of the coffee table and turn away, the sniff is followed by a long pink tongue reaching out and taking a taste.  My “cup of joe” which had moments earlier been ripe for the drinking is now tainted.  With a sigh, I stand up, return to the kitchen, dump my coffee down the drain, wash the mug, and pour a new cup. 

One morning when I caught Adi’s nose in my mug, I found myself comparing contaminated coffee to contaminated thinking.  In both cases the cause is carelessness on my part.  Discontent, envy, criticalness, etc. wait for that unguarded moment to creep in and pollute my heart and mind.  Unlike my coffee that must be poured down the drain, I am grateful for my Savior, who with a heartfelt prayer of repentance, can cleanse my heart and mind of those contaminating thoughts.  Thoughts that left unbridled would sicken my relationships Him and others.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. NLT

Psalm 51:7, NLT

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord

Acts 3:19, NIV 1984

© 2024, Lessons from a Lab, Beth Alisan.  All Rights Reserved.

33 thoughts on “My Morning Cup of Joe”

  2. This reminds me of Proverbs 23:7 – “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he…” I really love how you weave so much truth into your days with Adi and Summer. Everything I “taste” becomes a part of my heart. I need to be so careful! Your blog was a wonderful reminder to me today. Thank you, Beth!

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  3. Your post reminds me of what happens when you pull Woody’s string on the movie Toy Story: “Somebody’s poisoned the water hole!”

    And, just like in Adi’s case, it often happens in an unguarded moment.

    This also reminds me of the verse, “Watch over your heart with all diligence.”

    Great thoughts, Beth. A new installment of Buck’s adventures with Jesus publishes tomorrow.

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  4. Wow–another great lesson from Adi! I can’t blame her either for craving a sip of coffee. It’s my favorite beverage! Also love Acts 3:19 with its promise of refreshing from God when we turn to him in repentance. What a merciful and gracious God he is! Thank you for the uplift, Beth!

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  7. Wonderful reflection! I was reminded of the verse from scripture: Philippians 4:8. God reminds us to dwell on these higher things because that enables our hearts and minds to seek purity. When we fill up on the ‘good stuff’, we don’t have as much room left for the not so good stuff. Purity of heart is only possible with God, but He is always guiding us on the best path. We are only human after all, so when that coffee cup of life gets muddled, He is right there to give us a fresh start.

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    1. “When we fill up on the good stuff, we don’t have as much room left for the not so good stuff” Well said Linda! Philippians 4:8 is well known in our household. It is the verse I taught my girls when they were young to use as a measuring tool for the books, music, and movies they selected.

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  8. A wonderful warm and homey picture you describe in words and pictures, Beth! And I’m quite sure Adi’s tongue in your coffee is purer than some of the thoughts of mine I must capture and filter. Made me think of 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

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    1. Thank you GW! 2 Corinthians 10:5 is the perfect addition to this lesson. When my girls were studying ancient history, we learned that at the time of the Greek physician Galen, dogs were brought into sick wards to lick the wounds of patients as there was healing qualities in their saliva. That said, I have no desire to test the validity of that by sharing a cup of coffee with Adi. LOL Have a lovely weekend.

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  9. as I read, I automatically moved my coffee “in”.
    I was reminded of Hebrews 2:1 to pay “attention to what you have heard lest you drift”. Those unguarded moments …argh…too many stories come to mind. Good thots Beth

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      1. Sigh. ..Buddy will try anything at least 3 times. plants, any drink or food he sees us eat or drink. Bugs are fair game, part of the couch and wooden table legs, He has not thought of climbing the chairs unto the table because every chair is off limits near any table. He knows which 3 pieces of furniture are ok and whines when we sit there (his spot..(which the grandkids love to do). Poor bud.

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      2. Oh my Buddy certainly has a broad palette and knows how to make a lasting impression on your home. Down here we have the invasive stink bugs. As puppies both our dogs “tried” them and got sprayed in the mouth. It was such a bad experience they never tried another bug after that.

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  10. I have never had a dog interested in my coffee, but your Adi is unique and I love her innocent looking face alongside the mug with her photo on it! What a blessing to know that when we confess our sins, Jesus doesn’t dump our relationship down the drain, but He lovingly washes us and restores us to Him.

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    1. I love how you worded that Pastor Pete- “Jesus doesn’t dump our relationship down the drain.” It carries the metaphor through to completion.
      You know Summer has never even taken a second look at my coffee cup. Our cat on the other hand is notorious for sticking her nose at the top then turning away with a distasted look on her face.

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