Too much of a good thing!

So I’m in Thailand, right?  And there are just some things you cant get here.  And one of those things is the Holiday Starbucks drinks.  My personal favorite, is the White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha.  I’m telling you, I’d marry that drink if I could!

So it’s Thanksgiving time and I’ve been wondering past a Starbucks anytime I’m near one (we only have 3) to just check and see if they have any of the holiday flavors in.  I continually see people posting on FB about how amazing they are and how they’ve missed them so much.  So of course this just makes me crave them even more! 

Well, at 3pm the other day, I went past the Starbucks inside the mall and I saw a “now serving” note written on their chalkboard!  I got SO excited that in only read what it said briefly and saw the words “white chocolate” on there!  I could barely contain myself and I ran into the store to order my “holiday” drink! 

I decided I’d really treat myself and get the Grande size but get decaf since it was past my caffeine cut-off time of the day (2pm being the absolute latest!).  I ordered it non-fat with no whip so I wouldnt have to feel too guilty about it.  But they didn’t have decaf.  Ok, I could deal.  I might not sleep great but it’d be worth it, right?!

So I got my drink and every sip was breathtaking!  I was still so caught up in the White Chocolate that I still never noticed that it was just that, White Chocolate.  No peppermint and no special holiday drink.  But really, I didnt care!  It was incredibly sweet and since living in Thailand for so long, I actually dont drink sugar in my coffee anymore.  I still do milk, but no sugar.  So this thing was like a rush of power to my brain! 

I decided I would enjoy it better at home and asked for a bag to put it in while I drove home on the bike.

So as I’m walking through the mall, I’m sipping it and just thinking about how great it is.  And I’m thinking about how happy it’s making me!  And I think to myself, “ya know, it wouldnt matter what happens when I walk outside, I’ll be happy because I have this drink!!”  And I thought, “it could be raining.  I wouldnt care.  My bike could be locked up because I parked in a wrong spot, but I wouldnt care.  I would have this coffee to enjoy while I waited to get my bike, or waited on the rain to stop or whatever it might be- NOTHING can take away this great mood because I have this White Chocolate Mocha that is making everything in the world OK!”.

And as those final thoughts were rolling off my mind, I got so convicted!!  I realized, I shouldnt be thinking these things just because I have this stupid coffee drink!  I should be thinking that way ALL the time because I have Christ in my life!!  I should be that confident and excited about Him that nothing in life should throw me or sway me because I have the Rock in my life and I know that everything will be OK with HIM and Him alone!  I was so hit by that and couldnt believe how for those past 10 minutes I had rolled my entire existence of Happiness into this paper Starbucks coffee cup!

And well, I guess God really wanted to make sure I got the lesson, because let me tell you . . .  After those few minutes of bliss with that coffee, boy did I pay for it!!  Despite the fact that I went to bed at 9pm, I didn’t fall asleep until midnight.  And for those 3 hours of trying to fall asleep, I had acid reflux from all that sugar in the drink!  Then, after sleeping just 3 hours, I was wide awake again at 3am.  Once I fell asleep again finally, I only slept for another 3 hours and was wide awake again.  Then, all the next day I had a pounding headache like I was hungover, I was dehydrated and I had acid reflux all day long!!

Ok Lord, I hear you!!   =)