...somedays I am lost.

Fall 2009 ~
The Semester is well on its way. It seems always a bussle and yet in that noise it is always important to center ourselves and find what it is that makes us whole and who we are as individuals. Are you having troubles locating yourself somedays? Where are you really when you life is consummed with studying, classes, and friends. All of these things are very valuable to all of our lives, especially as college students. But we still need to find time for ourselves, for our own happiness with the creator. Find that place this week. CoffeeLoft.org is working at helping you find these things. The house at 417 N Pine is a place for you to excape. Or to follow your passions. let us help you on this journey we are all on. See you soon.
~Angelica

...just smile!

People throughout our lives impact who we are both for the good and sometimes for the worse. These individuals help to shape who we are and who we will become. Last Sunday we celebrated All Saints day. There was lots of discussion throughout the week on who our ‘cloud of witnesses’ are and how does that history influence our lives. As you think about the various people who have impacted your life. Flip the coin… You have influenced people in your life as well. How are you going to have an impact on someone else’s life? When thinking about Saints, I think of Mother Teresa. “Be smiling when you visit the poor. Even if you have nothing to give, smile to them, it costs nothing.” I think we should have this philosophy in engaging with all people we come in contact with. Just smile and treat others with kindness.
~peace and love~
Angelica

Carrot, Egg, or Coffee

Are you dealing with some rough issues? Have you had it up to your ears with finals and papers. Is you past haunting you? Does the future feel over whelming? This is a good story about dealing with the life struggles that we all go through. I hope you can find some understanding in your world after reading it. ~Angelica

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?'

'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Check out our website! New activities! www.coffeeloft.org

Happy Halloween!

Happy Fall!
This morning I was greeted with a blanket of green laid before my feet as I walked in the backdoor of the CoffeeLoft.org house. The tree in our back yard dumped all of its beautiful green leaves and it covers the yard/sidewalk completely. It was a very warm welcoming with the looming idea of snow being right around the corner. It reminded me of the seasons of our lives- although there are parts of it we might not be looking forward to we should always try and enjoy the beauty we see in all our lives… even if it might not seem like much at the time. So on this beautiful fall day I just want to send you a smile. Watch the leaves and know how important you are!! ~Angelica

a message of hope

New things take some adjusting and getting used to the rhythm of everything life holds for us. I found this poem in a book called “Sacred Journeys”, it has a message of hope, endurance, and strength. Have a great week and take a minute to relax and do something you love. We would love you to stop by CoffeeLoft.org and say hi, or grab a cup of coffee. Check out our website for activities. www.coffeeloft.org

God of new creating,
who beckons us
to the dance of birthing and sustains us
in our laboring,
here this prayer.

From fear of the unknown
deliver me.
From doubts of my creativity
deliver me.
From ridicule by those around me
deliver me.
From my excuses about my abilities,
my age, my education,
my looks, my status
deliver me.

With your promise of companionship
comfort me.
With your creative spirit
bless me.
With your pledge of sustenance
strengthen me.
With your embrace of all of me
Heal me and set me to motion.
… -Jan L. Rishardson


~peace hope and love~
Angelica

response to decisions made by the United Methodist Church

My brother, Aaron Laudermith has spoken out and made a decision in reaction to the decision made on April 30th by the United Methodist Church not to accept Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender persons as members of their church. I have not yet decided what action I am going to take, besides continuing to stand up for my LGBT family and friends. But I am also very hurt by this decision and something needs to be done in love to continue to reach out to people who don't understand that they are killing the body of the church and hurting Jesus' followers. People who believe that all persons are created equal and deserve equal rights in the church need to continue to reach out to our brothers and sisters in Christ and teach them to love with out discrimination. I have included the link to my brothers blog so you can read his feelings and reactions to this decision and I say dido. The second link will show you a video of the witness taken by people at General Conference on May 1st in reaction to the United Methodist decision on church membership.
http://www.capnsadventures.blogspot.com/

http://media.umcom.org/gc2008/video_archives/20080501_protest/20080501_Excerpt_Protest_sm.asx

~Reconciling the world~

There is so much variety in our ever-changing world. This variety makes the world indescribably amazing and shows us beauty everyday. We wouldn't want everyone to be the same because it would just be bland and boring. Sometimes we get frustrated when people don't agree with us or when people don't see the world the way we see it. And yet we are all God's creation made with our own unique beauty. It’s a pretty complicated world we live in and we do get frustrated with many things.
This week I was able to have the great privilege and honor to go to General Conference of the United Methodist Church. During the two weeks of Holy Conferencing many things are celebrated, prayed about, and many decisions will be made. One of the most sensitive items they are discussing and making decisions on is homosexuality. People feel very passionately about this on both sides of the issue. These loving children of God, from around the world are working very hard for one of the greatest challenges we all face in our lives – peace and understanding. During this time of what we may perceive as unfairness I am reminded of the parable of the workers in the field. I have always read this scripture and thought, this just isn’t fair. And you know I have grown to realize God’s Grace by our standards seems unfair. And that is the beauty in the miracle of God’s love and grace. God is open and available to everyone; no matter who you are; we are all children of God. "And the first shall be last and the last shall be first" Mathew 19:30

CoffeeLoft.org’s Reconciling Statement:In order to seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly; the CoffeeLoft.org community celebrates, affirms and embraces those who have often been marginalized because of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, gender identity/expression, family status or religious affiliation.

If you would like to talk more about my experience at General Conference and my experience of standing in solidarity with my brothers and sisters of Soul Force and Reconciling Ministries I would love to talk about it and share more.

Reconciling Ministry Network - http://www.rmnetwork.org/
Soul Force - http://www.soulforce.org/

~peace, hope and love to you all~
Angelica
www.coffeeloft.org - Check it out COFFEE LOFT COOKOUT THIS FRIDAY!!

“Sometimes a breakdown can be the beginning of a kind of breakthrough, a way of living in advance through a trauma that prepares you for a future of radical transformation.” ~Cherrie Moraga