A Double Chocolate Chip Frappucino Faith

   Since this is my first blog, I am very excited of the things to come with this only to testify how faithful God really is!!!

   Who would have thought that a Double Chocolate Chip Frappucino would ever change my world?

  Certainly not me!

  I have been blessed by the many customers and co-workers in my life that I see everyday. I truly never thought that I would be working at Starbucks as an older man, but God has truly blessed me with such a great chance to talk and minister to people over the years since being at Starbucks, that at times I can't help but get excited. I have come across many walks of life and certainly many characters. But there is one that always "strikes my heart" everytime he walks in the door.

  His name................Owen.

  Now many people that I work with would only see Owen as a 4 year old boy that just gets his Double Chocolate Chip Frappucino with his chocolate chip cookie as a customer and nothing more. I have gotten to know Owen to the point, he's almost like a little brother to me. In moments of anger or sadness, Owen has and will always put a smile on my face. He loves and hugs without question. He acts so shy and crazy, he is almost a miniture Jekyll and Hyde. I also have gotten to know Owen's parents Jeff and DeDe very well over the years time. They all love and serve God with a passion that can only be measured by their Faith.

  Owen has taught me some awesome lessons in faith and what it means to have a relationship with Our Father.

  Big "O" as I call him has a great relationship with his parents that it's almost jealous to me. But it's so awesome to see how much he loves his mom and dad. I was having a horrible day at work and even though I knew that he was coming to see me that day, it still wasn't comforting me in the thought. I had been making coffee, lattes and frappucino's all day and after the 2000th drink, it gets really old.

  Big "O" comes strolling in with his bashful smile until I call him over and tell him to come see me. He runs into my arms as if we haven't seen each other in years. He hugs me so tight around the neck, that their are moments when I could possibly lose the ability to breathe. I make his drink, The Double Chocolate Chip Frappucino, the same drink he has been getting ever since I have known him. Big "O" says, "Jeremy, I want a cookie please. Okay bubba." After I made his drink, I sat with Jeff, DeDe and Owen like I normally do and just have a moment of fellowship with them. DeDe had sensed something was wrong and asked "are you okay?" Yeah, I'm fine. Just having a rough day." I had been dealing with some very powerful emotions and they were getting the best of me. "O" comes walking over and gives me a hug and starts laughing for no reason. I couldn't help but laugh with him.

 He doesn't sit still in the chair for more than a second. First his feet is in the air or he has buried his head between the pillows of the chairs we were sitting in. He's such a goober!!! He leaned over into my ear and whispered something that I will never forget. He said "Jesus loves you and me, mommy and daddy forever."  Now that may not seem like much more than the ramblings of a child, but to me it was so much more.

  I see how close "O" grabs and clings onto Jeff and DeDe. He knows nothing else other than them. He has "faith" that his parents will always be there for him through thick and thin. He doesn't question them, unless he has a question. He believes in "faith" that they will always protect him with their lives. He believes everything that comes from their mouth.

  As a child of God, we want nothing more that to have a great relationship with Our Heavenly Father. But because "we" get in the way of that "faith" it makes it harder for us to take the focus off ourselves and focus on God. We are to simply believe and have "faith" in every good thing that God has for us.

  Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

  God has so much for us in store if we just learn a couple of things. The first, just believe. That is the key to our walk with Christ and to build a relationship with our Heavenly Father. The second, walk in love. Pray, do not persecute. Faith, Hope and Love, and the greastest of these is Love.  The third, recieve the gift that Jesus has given to us. The gift is eternal salvation through Him, the one who died for every man, woman and child. These are "child like qualities. A child believes everything that you say. They are always loving and they love to receive gifts. "O" likes it when he gets a "TRANSFORMER" from time to time.

  Big "O" teaches me something new everytime he walks in the door. The best part is that when He teaches me something, it's like Jesus is sitting in my lap and telling me a story. "O" just believes and loves with a heart that I could never imagine. "O" will always be a part of me no matter where I go. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are always with me wherever I go. The impact that God has had on my life has been so extreme, that there have been times of just "pure wonder."

  So everytime I make "O" his drink, I think about what he is going to teach me. His Faith could teach so many adults. He is so much sweeter than the drink itself.

  Now what would happen if we made it a Java Chip Frappucino?

Oh yeah......................a four year old on coffee!?!