Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[Spec.com]

From what’s on your fork to smaller portions, here are a few foodie trends to watch for in 2008:

* Caffeine: It’s not only available in super premium-priced products such as kopi luwak (also called civet coffee), but caffeine-coated foods from bagels to potato chips and doughnuts continue to be launched.

Read about it here.

[From me]

Caffeine is something besides coffee and Mt. Dew?  What is the world coming to?

[From PRN Newswire]

The first annual HealthSaver Caffeinated Cities Survey, commissioned by HealthSaver, a national emerging health care discount service, found that the most caffeinated city in the country is Chicago, followed by Tampa, Miami, Phoenix and Atlanta.

The least caffeinated cities are San Francisco/Oakland, followed closely by Philadelphia, New York, Detroit and Baltimore. The survey considered numerous caffeine sources, including coffee, tea, sodas, energy drinks, chocolate, pain relievers and caffeine pills.

Seattle ranked No. 1 in coffee consumption, with 58 percent of residents surveyed saying this elixir of alertness would be the most difficult caffeine product to give up.

Read about it here.

[From me]

Where is Charlotte?  I tried my best!

What do you think?

This week I delivered my 757th message. I have a confession to make. I have been speaking “caffeine enhanced.” If that means I need an asterisk next to my name then so be it. I brew a pot of Starbucks every Sunday before I speak. I just had to get that off my chest.

I love coffee. I didn’t always like it. I’m really a fairly new convert to the coffee drinking community. But that is why I do like it, it is a community. Cassandra got me started drinking those cheap gas station cappuccinos. Then when we moved to Atlanta we would go to Starbucks for a Mocca or latte. I started getting coffee at QT (Quick Trips) on my way into the church. Then I started meeting people @ Starbucks as a way of connecting. Jason Burns was a master at this.

People go to Starbucks, Barnes and Noble cafe, Caribou coffee, Tullies, Seattle’s Best, and others to be around people. If not why not go to the gas station or make it at home. When people go into these places on a regular basis the employees and regulars get to know each other. It is community. It is fun and refreshing. I love going to Starbucks because people genuinely like me there and I like them. I ask about their families and try to build relationships. I’m not trying to notch another salvation on my belt. I really like the people there. They make me feel good. I’d like to think I make their day brighter also. (I must because they give me a lot of free coffee)

Our church is a Red Cross shelter and Starbucks Corporation sent cases of free coffee to give out to those displaced by Katrina. I’m sure it is a good gesture on their part to do so. But I like going to Starbucks because I like to be around people. People who really like to be around me. It is cool to get in spiritual converstaions with unchurched people. It is cool to pray in pubic with Todd, the new UMC church planter. I realize Starbucks and other coffee shops aren’t Christian organizations, but I dare say there is more spiritual stuff going on there then in most churches!