Blue Glasses

 "Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours." Teresa of Avila

Our church does "coffee hour" after the service each week. There is..........coffee (imagine that). But also a wide variety of pastries, fruit/veggies, cheese/crackers. And sometimes cake.

I realized as I was enjoying my lemon bar this week that coffee hour is a way the church meets a physical need BEFORE meeting the spiritual need.

Coffee hour says "We know you are hungry. We want you to stay and linger and fellowship, and to make that happen here are snacks."

Coffee hour says "Community is important to us."

Coffee hour says "Everyone is welcome."

Coffee hour is typically a little chaotic. Definitely noisy. It mimics life in a lot of ways.

I watch as people mingle intergenerationally. I watch as people choose to sit with the unsheltered. I watch as our children/youth bring joy to the elderly.

A few weeks ago, a teen in our church and I were discussing coffee hour. Can you believe we both went to previous churches where after church people just rushed out? Without a cookie?

Where attending church was a box checked off in an hour?

In the midst of our conversation, he abruptly stopped and said "Ms. Michele - where are your blue glasses? What happened to them? When did that happen?"

As my eyes seem to be aging along with the rest of me, I carry my reading glasses with me always. And I keep them, somewhat safely, on the top of my head. I can't read my phone, paperwork, the hymnal at church - anything without them.

I'm going to confess being a little teary as this young man was the first person (and only) to notice my blue glasses broke. I loved them. They cost a whopping $1.25 but because of their bright color I can sometimes find them when I inevitably put them down.

I thanked him for noticing and shared about how it seems for $1.25 they just aren't very durable.

In that blue glasses moment, I felt truly seen at church.

Coffee hour gives us time each week to linger and really SEE each other. How did that surgery go? How's your dog/garden/kid? What happened to your blue glasses?

I think this is how Jesus walked. He didn't rush to heal or check boxes - he spent time with people. He lingered. Over cake. He truly saw the heart of people.

And when we make space to see each other's hearts - there's a wide berth for differences.

Mama Warriors, this morning as I shuffle between all the things - the dishes, the laundry, the school, the dog...........I'm reminded that much of motherhood is unseen.

And let's face it, unappreciated. No one says "thanks mom" that they find milk in the fridge. No one says "thanks mom" that clothes arrive in a basket clean and ready for her to put away. No one says "thanks mom" that our home isn't growing mold or drowning in dust.

It's important that we see each other.

That we speak truth and life to each other.

That we make our own coffee hours and linger with each other.

That we notice details like blue glasses.