Should we JUDGE a Tim Hortons coffee in church?

As a regular church go-er, you notice patterns. Theres the family that always looks amazing, perfect hair and ironed clothing. Theres the adorable kids who always dance their hearts out to worship and make everyone around them smile ear to ear. Theres the elderly members who decides to move their chairs out of formation to ensure maximum viewing potential. And thentheres that small demographic that always seem 10 minutes late while holding a delicious smelling Tim Hortons coffee. Hmm.

Do you think people notice? Oh yes. Do you think people judge? Definitely.

So a few weeks ago I walk into the auditorium of our church 10 minutes late with my Tim Hortons peppermint tea in hand. Oops. I casually sit in one of the last rows to avoid judge-y eyes BUT proceed to kick over my tea when taking off my coat. All eyes on the late, Tim Horton carrying, mess making Leah.

Thats when I decided to change my tune, or more specifically, remember my story.

I want to draw attention to the fact that our stories, the ones were living out daily, are pretty much a secret to everyone else. We do all have that small group of friends that get to hear us overshare on personal issues BUT for the most part, its a secret.

For instance, I have an autoimmune disease. I deal with Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD), an immunological condition in which mast cells inappropriately and excessively release chemical mediators, resulting in a range of chronic symptoms, sometimes including anaphylaxis or near-anaphylaxis attacks. Primary symptoms include cardiovascular, dermatological, gastrointestinal, neurological and respiratory problems (wiki) . ALSO, just to keep things interesting, doctors are now telling me I most likely have Fibromyalgia (FM), a condition characterised by chronic widespread pain and heightened pain response to pressure. Other symptoms include feeling tired to a degree that normal activities are affected, sleep problems, troubles with memory, restless legs syndrome, bowel or bladder problems, numbness and tingling, and sensitivity to noise, lights or temperature, depression and anxiety (wiki ).

AND you know what helps me in the mornings..Tim Hortons Peppermint Tea! It gets me from point A to point B. I want to be a part of our church community, I want to teach Sunday school and continue to thoroughly enjoy each Sunday. I want to be there. My health tries to prevent it and a simple stop and $1.70 later, just helps.

I want the congregation to remember grace. We need to put judge-y eyes on the back-burner and put grace first. Maybe a new mom has had an unbelievably hard week and has been looking forward to her Sunday morning coffee. Maybe someone deals with chronic anxiety and having a warm drink in hand works as a security blanket. Maybe someone just woke up 10 minutes late and is therefore 10 minutes late to the service. Thats okay too!

Its all within the beauty of grace.