The one where I talk about free coffee.

It's funny to see people's reaction when I tell them that I work at a church. You can see all over their face how quickly they are trying to process the information so they will react in the appropriate way. I always want to interrupt their thought process to explain.

1. No, I am not a pastor. I have never been to seminary nor am I ordaned.
2. Yes, it shocks me too that they never ask me to preach.
3. Why do I work? Because I like it.

I don't have to work. My husband works hard, really hard, which would allow me to stay at home a be a lady of leisure if I so desired. But the hub's job also forces him to travel...a lot. For me, being home alone with nothing but kids and a house to manage isn't a good thing. For me, working makes me happy. It's part-time, it doesn't interfere with my family time, and I get to work with some of the best people on the planet while we all help people find and follow God.

So what does free coffee have to do with any of this? Everything.

You see, even with part-time jobs that are fun and easy, as a mother you still question whether or not you should be working. A couple of months ago I began to doubt my choice. Was my selfish need to work hurting my kids? Was it distracting me from my first job as a mom? Would my kids grow up resentful that I chose to go to work?

And then one morning I woke up at 5:30AM to hand out free coffee.

Our church believes in showing God's love in a real and practical way to everyone. Everyone. Let me say it again. Everyone. Not just the people who show up on the weekends. Not just the people who put money into the offering bag. Everyone. Especially to people when they least expect it.

That's what we did one morning, bright and early, a few weeks back. Our staff handed out free coffee (including a cute little packet of sugar and creamer) to people headed off to work. To people dropping off their kids at school. To everyone.

So how do you hand out free coffee to people driving down a busy street going 50mph? You hold up signs like the haircut guy twirling his arrow on the corner. You run out into traffic and dance to get people's attention. You point and laugh and make a total fool of yourself.

And do you know what happens when you do that? People stop. They roll down their window, reach out for their free cup of coffee, and they smile. Showing God's love to others is fun. It's simple. It's worth getting up at 5:30AM for.

A friend of mine who was dropping off her son at school saw me running in the street, twirling my sign, and sent me a text. 

Saw you with the sign. What's the deal with the free coffee?

I laughed when I read it. I am sure that is what every, single person thought who saw us that morning. What's the deal with that? What are all of those obnoxious church people doing out there? We know that's what people thought. And we loved it.

So I responded back.

Just trying to show God's love this morning. It really is free! Stop back by and get some!

And then I hit send. But then I noticed my mistake:

Just trying to show God's love this morning. It really is free! Stop back by and get some!

Did you notice it? You see, I meant to write: The COFFEE really is free. But I left that part out by accident. When you read the text, it's sounds like I'm telling her that God's LOVE is free and she should stop back by and get some.

And then I laughed, because my mistake, my typo, wasn't really a mistake at all.

God's love really is free. And I am blessed to have a job where I get to help hand it out on a daily basis.

And that's why I work.