A Sense of Belonging

I'm back! I'll admit that the main reason why I've been away from Blogger for so long is two-fold. The first reason is that for the past 18 months of my life, I've been pretty much swamped with school work. However, I'm a graduated woman now! Yes, I do still have more schooling left yet, but I'm taking a semester off for right now. The second reason is that I was having the most terrible time trying to change my background on this thing. Today was a new day though, and I was determined to get it to work! And voila! I got it. :) So I'm back. That's not what I want to talk about though...

Today I had an epiphany. I mean, there's things that I've always known, but it just takes certain moments to get me to really understand them. I went to Starbucks this morning before I headed off to work and as I walked through the doors, the usual friendly face of the Barista who usually helps me when I come in, greeted me with, "Hey there, Bri!...a Cinnamon Dolce Latte for you this morning?" I responded with a smile and a "Yes please!"

Up until this moment, I wasn't sure why it always made me so happy to have the baristas at Starbucks know me by name, but this morning was different. This morning I realized that the reason why it makes me so happy is because it makes me feel important. It makes me feel like I belong. There's just something special about having someone know you by name (and an added bonus when they know your drink order!) I was able to be comforted in knowing that the sweet Barista isn't the only one who knows me by name.

That seemingly simple moment at Starbucks this morning reminded me that I have an awesome God who not only knows me by name, who not only knows my drink order at Starbucks, who not only knows that it's extremely difficult for me to get out of bed at 6:00 am in the morning, but He knows how many hairs I have on my head and He knows that more than anything in the world, I want to feel special. And thankfully, I'm loved and cherished more than I can even fathom by Him. So even though it is easy for me to forget that, it was a great reminder this morning. All thanks to a delicious cup of coffee and a sweet barista.

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!”

- Psalm 139:13-17