Don't Cry Over Spilled Coffee

I don’t cry over spilled milk.

No, I’m more likely to cry over spilled coffee. This type of incident happens much more often these days. And the precious commodity with powerful staining properties is spilled in much more creative ways.

There are those times (yes, more than once) that I didn’t line the coffeemaker up properly and only a fraction of the coffee ended up in the pot. The rest was enjoyed by the counter, floor, and in one instance, my grandmother's heirloom collection of cookbooks.

On more occasions than I can count, I’ve sipped a little too vigorously from a coffee cup with a lid and donned brewed perfume for the remainder of the workday. 

I’ve watched as a container of grounds exploded like fireworks on the Fourth of July all over my camper, as coffee spewed from my mouth during intense laughter, and as a knocked-over mug of coffee drenched my desk and a borrowed copy of The Christian Writer’s Market Guide 2022.

But it was a moment in my car several years ago that had the most impact. I simply spilled a mug of coffee, that was not meant for travel, on a library book. A book that had become, and still is, one of my favorite books. The incredible, late Tim Keller’s Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering had been sprinkled with more than a few tears as I poured through its pages. But tears dry clear. Coffee does not. My eyes began to water as I tried to save the drenched pages. I later sheepishly tried to return the book at the library counter. But with one look at the wrinkly brown disaster, I was given my answer. I walked out of there the proud owner of a damaged library book. And $20 poorer. I didn’t mind. It was a book I knew I’d read again. 

But little did I know, it’s borrowing days weren’t over. I leant it to a friend, who then leant it to a friend who needed it's encouraging words. The coffee book kept on blessing.

It's then that I realized that damaged books can still be used. Battered stories can have great impact. Foul chapters can be transformed into a sweet aroma. There can be purpose in our pain and suffering.

I have since been gifted a crisp sparkly new copy of this book. And I’m happy to report that no pages were harmed in the filming of the accompanying photo. I am now much more vigilant about lidded coffee transportation, so I don’t know how the occasional spillage continues to occur.

But this I do know; when we spill, it means we have something to spill. 

That in itself should be counted as joy. 

Besides, aren’t we supposed to pour into others?

And thankfully, graceful coffee drinking is not required.

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