Here I am sipping on a Caffe Americano and sitting among the Belton crowd @Texas Java coffeehouse. Texas Java is a nice, friendly-family atmosphere where mostly teenagers and young adults hang out. Their coffee is fair. The food selection is nominal because they only offer bakery, ice cream and other sugar goodies. An appeal to their audience, but talking to the boss man the other day brought hope that a more fuller food menu is on it’s way–soup, salad, and sandwich adding to the Java experience. But what Texas Java has captured is the cultural commodity of community–the JavaXperience.
As I was sitting, I began pondering on the story where Paul is in Athens. And in this story, Paul begins having spiritual conversations with the Jews and God-fearing Greeks in the synagogue (churches of the day) as well as in the marketplace, where a few philosophers reside. And my thoughts began thinking how coffeehouses are perfect places to get a jolt of spiritual conversations while sipping on a nice cup of java. You see, one reason why I so enjoy the smell of this JavaXperience is that of spiritual conversations. People are thirsty to connect and coffeehouses are like an oasis in the desert of individuality. Most coffeehouse is where a group of seekers gather to have conversations about life & spirituality, and sometimes, Christ. And out of these conversations, a community of belonging begins to form.
And then my mind raced back to the beginning of my visit, the time is 1845 (6:45 pm). I walk in to a room full of people chattering about life. As I walked toward the counter, I notice a few people gathered discussing a book. I reach the counter and am greeted by name. I place the order of a Caffee Americano. And one of the workers graciously gives me my drink for free (blessing me with his shift drink). I smiled and said, “Thank you.” I go and sit down at a table, pull out my Macbook and begin working on some Army stuff. A few JavaXperiences…
A gentleman comes to me and sits down. He used to be in the Army. Now he is going to school in the social work program. He shares with me his desire to start a non-profit organization called, “Adopt-a-Pet.” Intrigued. I briefly listened to his course of action in putting together his non-profit organization. I couldn’t help but notice his passion to help the surrounding community bless the soldiers. I made a few recommendations to his plan helping him with the next step after putting together his non-profit organization–in the area of marketing. As he went back to work, I couldn’t help but admire his creativity and passion.
Another conversation, a young lady dropped by. We briefly caught up on what is going on with our lives. We talked about getting together (along with her husband) to pray about having a coffeehouse service at Ft. Hood. I began sharing my story of the last few weeks of searching, hoping that God would let this coffeehouse service fall by the way side. Partly, I am way too busy attempting to set up Couples’ and Single’s Retreats for the next six months. And I am a little apprehensive in starting something else new–Christ, conversations & java. But…will it be the JavaXperience, I wonder?
