My espresso machine broke...

I love coffee. Strong and pure. I hate flavored coffee... hazelnut sucks, raspberry is obnoxious, I like straight coffee. I love espresso shots. The only other type I like is a sugar-free vanilla, breve, latte.

For Christmas, a few years back, I received from my family a Starbucks Barista Espresso Machine. It was great, used it every day, made my wife lattes, used it for Thanksgiving when the entire Biasells were eating at our house, and many other times. It was a valued piece of my morning structure. Well, it broke. Seems I blew out the gaskets on the boiler. It is out of warrenty, would cost almost $200 to fix. So I couldn't afford to replace it with the same same. So for my birthday I asked for a cheap Target, Mr. Coffee kind of espresso machine, to which I got one. It is not as good. But it makes a good shot of espresso which I like.

A good shot of espresso gives one the full flavor of coffee. No other flavors added. No fluff, no augmentation of flavor, just the coffee bean delivered in the medium of water. I started thinking this morning, after a few shots, (which is why this may be a dumb post) that I like a faith that is basic, no fluff, no augmentations, it isn't about the froth of the milk but the crema of the coffee. I have been told that good espresso must have good crema. The Barista used to give great crema! The mixture of gases and oils which emulsifies to give a good foam and keeps the flavor in is what I look for in a great cup of coffee. And I look for it in the life of a believer. The mixture of the SPIRIT and the yielded life of the DISCIPLE will always produce a great crema.

I think that the more stuff added the less the real flavor comes through. Then it is no longer about the coffee but the accoutrements. We add all this stuff on top so we don't taste it anymore. It is no longer coffee but coffee is nothing more than an ingredient. We get the buzz but not the full flavor. The buzz is a by-product not the full intent. I long for the fullness of the Spirit in a fellowship and not just the buzz. We hype up the buzz too much instead of the life with Christ. Sometimes I think people are more attracted to the stuff instead of Christ. Whether it is new stuff or old stuff it is still just stuff. I prefer Christ straight... strong and pure.

Time for another cup...