Lessons from a Coffee Maker

Ok, so it's really not the coffee maker that I am learning from but it makes for a good title. :)

I have a friend named Melisa Vye. I met her last year at WCC. We took some classes together and also served together on Student Union. Shortly after meeting Melisa there were certain qualities that she has that really stood out to me. One is that she is such an encouraging person. She is always leaving little happy notes in people's mailboxes or speaking words of encouragement into their lives. I have been the recipient of many such happy notes and words of encouragement!

Melisa is a single mom of two little boys. I never tire of listening to the stories Melisa has to share about her sons. The love and the patience that she has with her children are amazing to me. I admire how she strives to be a godly example to her boys. I also love how she can smile even in the face of the many difficult things that are a part of parenting.

In April Melisa and I both went with a group from WCC to New Orleans to help with the clean up efforts. I learned so much from Melisa during the two weeks that I spent traveling and working with her on the New Orleans trip. The most prominant lesson in my mind is about prayer. Melisa is a huge example to me of a prayerful woman. No matter how large or small the issue Melisa's first instinct is to bring it before the Lord in prayer. That is the kind of person that I want to be. I see so much strength in Melisa and she is not shy in sharing that the source of that strength is God. I admire my friend Melissa very much.

So you may be wondering where the coffee maker comes into all of this. Well, last week I was talking with someone about how I make coffee in the morning by boiling water and pouring it through a filter into my mug. Melisa happened to be listening and decided that I needed to have a coffee maker. Yesterday morning she found me before chapel and presented me with a gift. A brand new coffee maker! I hugged her twice before I remembered that she isn't into hugging all that much. Melisa is the kind of person who is watching for people who are in need. If she sees a need she does what she can to meet it. I definately was not desperate to have a coffee maker but I was very grateful for Melisa's gift.

I want to encourage you all to look for ways to be a blessing in someone's life. It may not mean buying them a coffe maker, it could just mean a little happy note or a word of encouragement. I know that Melisa, in her quiet way, has helped me to realise that I need to be more active in this.