Sunday Coffee Cup - Clear Reminder

There aren't many clear glass coffee mugs. Today's Sunday Coffee Cup is the only clear mug we have in the house. It was a gift from some friends who stopped to visit with us on their way back home to Florida. There is some debate (read - my wife and I argue over it) as to if the gift was intentional or not.

The truth (read - my opinion) is that the mug belonged to our traveling friends and they accidentally left it with us. It is an orphaned mug. However, more importantly every time I see it I'm reminded of a more famous clear glass coffee mug - and a brand with a long history.

Remember these? They were the trademarked mugs of Nescafe instant coffee. Below is a flashback look at why this new 'modern' convenience was so popular. Enjoy.

The Other Side of Kim - Kim the Preacher

Some of you may know that I spent 15 years as a pastor with a mainline denomination. It's true. I want to let the readers here know about a new blog I'm running to focus on matters of a religious and spiritual nature.

My thought, as my life has change in the decade since I left ordained ministry, is that there are things I wish I had said from the pulpit. No regrets - just a former pastor's way of sharing about crazed religion, absurd theology and hilarious stories. Let me invite you to WishfulPreaching.com. 

You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook.

The 'price' of MBA Success. Is it worth it?

I have three 'kids' with 4 year college degrees and one who went (more or less) straight from high school into the world of employment.  Has the track to vocational success changed? I received an email last week from someone at MBA Online and they shared the info-graphic below. I found it interesting enough to post. What do you think?


Created by: MBAOnline.com

Sunday Coffee Cup – Tropical Reminder

I love the tropics. Give me 90 degree heat and 70% humidity, clear skies, crystal waters to relax in and I’m good – for a very long time. Lucky for my wife, she understands this and when we talk about vacations, the options never include heading north unless it is the peak of summer – and even then – I need a very good reason to not head to an island.

I love places like these: Bermuda, The Virgin Islands, Cozumel Mexico, The Bahamas, The Florida Keys, South Florida and in a pinch, I’ll even settle for the Carolina coast. Today’s Sunday Coffee Cup is for when I’m not at any of those places.

My mother gave us four mugs and matching saucers set for Christmas one year. They’re tropical. They make me smile and remind me of hot sun and bright sand. It isn’t anywhere near like being there, but it serves up a sizable cup of coffee and the occasion to remember and plan for tropical trips...like these.

Bermuda - Marley Beach

Bermuda

Bermuda - Witch's Island

Bermuda

Maho Bay Camps - US Virgin Islands

Cozumel 1976

Ahhhhh.... i remember them all!

Writer's Prompt - Reminder: "Blasphemy and Unicorns"

This strange tale was prompted by "The Tenth Daughter of Memory" and is purely a creative writing piece and should only be read as a fantastic tale.

Blasphemy and Unicorns

I'm not sure what prompted the man standing in the shadows to speak to me, but he did and I remember exactly what he said as his words rattled forth.


I tell you, sometimes, stories are more complex than they seem and truth more strange than you expect.


They say it was a spear that pierced his side that dark day, but we know different, we who slide to and fro through the shadows of humanity's denials. We are the substance of fantastical tales, of angels, demons, leprechauns, sprites and of fairy twists and turns. Ours is the story of how the divine is called to watch the human journey, to document their story and on rare occasion we are needed to brush that story back on course - not a defined course, but on at least a path of momentary preservation from a perilous extinction. That day we were simply watching another pinnacle of human cruelty acted out with a hill, a cross and the delicate flesh of God - the brush was about to take place, but not by us this time, by something much larger. 


The guard held the spear in his hand and other than a passing evaluation of the particular smoothness of the spear's tip, had no idea. He was following the simple instructions of his superior, "Grab that spear and thrust it into the Jew's side. I have no intent on waiting here all night for him to die. I have places to be." He was also following the direction of God.


We all know, though it may surprise you to hear, dear mortal, that Unicorns carry the very power of life in their veins. It is said and is true that unicorn tears can heal the flesh. It is said and is true that unicorns can ride on the breath of life and travel between heaven and earth in the beat of a monarch's wing. However, what is not said, never spoken about is the resurrection power of the fallen unicorn's horn. 


When a unicorn dies, which isn't very often, the life of the divine beast bursts into its horn, spiraling upward, deep into the ivory tip where it is driven by the spinning of life's essence, infinitely packed and powerful and then bursts into the heavens to be reabsorbed by the Divine. This moment is known as Cretaten.  What only I know is that, if by some precisely timed tragic and horrendous event, the horn is cut from the unicorn before the Cretatan is complete, the divine is captured in the horn. That horn would be of infinite value, and if it ever accidentally found itself somewhere, say perhaps fashioned into the tip of a common spear, it would be an unnatural weapon that would be more likely to transform life anew than kill. Such things could never happen, we would never allow it. However, it might be allowed to happen, even be planned, if a resurrection miracle was what was needed.


But, you didn't hear it from me.

Word Wednesday - Boldly

bold   [bohld] adjective, -er, -est.
1.not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring: a bold hero.

Ok...wait for it... "To boldly go where no man has gone before."

You knew it was coming. Right?

Sunday Coffee Cup - Old and Royal

Before the days of Starbucks, when cell phones came with shoulder straps and discount compact disks could be ordered from a foreign land known as Columbia – fine coffee came mail order from Gevalia.

Gevalia (not unlike its beefy cousin Omaha Steaks) was the market leading - direct to your home  -brand for fine coffee. Gevalia’s coffee could be had as a subscription, delivered directly to your door via the convenience and speed of the US postal service. All one had to do was fill out the paper order form, stamp it and mail it in (no pesky internet back in those days) and for those lucky customers who watched the limited special offerings, one could grab a free coffee maker or drink ware set.

Today’s Sunday Coffee Cup is the lone survivor of our Gevalia period. At some point we acquired a set of “limited edition imported fine porcelain mugs.” This one fossil remains, a remnant of Swedish descent bearing the gold seal and commission “”By Appointment to His Majesty The King of Sweden.”

Thus I hoist the standard of the royal coffee of old and hereby proclaim, “Dang! I’m getting old.”

(note: Gevalia appears to still be in the business of delivering coffee and stuff, only now via the web.)