My First Visit To Starbucks….good.

I must admit. I’ve never been to a Starbucks before. I’ve driven past tons of them and know tons of people that love them. But I’ve never been a coffee drinker. My dad and stepdad are and I used to smell it most mornings. Then my wife got into the cappuccinos for a while. But more of the gas station variety than the “legit” variety. But since I wasn’t a big coffee guy, I just didn’t have a big desire go to there.

But I had my friend Pat call and tell me he was going to be in the metro area and we’d not connected in quite a while. So we decided to meet for an early breakfast this morning. He suggested “for coffee.” Of course I said “sure!” and suggested the Starbucks over close to where he was staying. I admitted I wasn’t a big coffee drinker, but he told me that “all the church planting bloggers are big coffee drinkers!” He’s right, I’ve heard the name “Starbucks” on blogs and in sermons more and more and more lately. So they must be doing something right.

I met him there this morning and he snickered when I opted for the safe choice of hot chocolate (coupled w/ the chocolate-cream cheese muffin). I figured if I didn’t like coffee, why spend $4 to hold onto a cup of hot liquid I wouldn’t drink? One of the nice ladies behind the counter offered for me to try the Peppermint Mocha. I said sure and went with that. But all in all, it was good. And a nice environment as well after hearing about what a great place Starbucks is to hang out. I might have to go check out the one here in Clinton now!

So now Rick can smile and say I have been to one of his most favorite places in the world. But I’m not buying a coffee maker anytime soon! Pat is planting a church in Oxford, MS. He’d been the Junior High Student Minister at The Orchard in Tupelo for a few years. And now they’re planting a church (a branch of the Orchard? haha!) in the next year. Pat is a gifted man w/ tremendous desire to see people connected w/ Jesus. I look for powerful things to happen through his leadership there in Oxford. It was really good to be able to talk w/ him and talk over the loud but snappy music at Starbucks. If they had free wireless I might go there more often!