Gratitude ~ Diners

Greetings Dear Reader,

My earliest memory of a diner is sitting in one with my Grandfather.  He would order his eggs over easy and eat around the yolk.  Then he would gingerly place the yolk on a corner of toast and eat them together.  I still do this.

Wherever I have lived I have sought out a diner.  It takes time for me to find the right one but I always find it.  My current diner has been “my diner” for sixteen years.  I am deeply thankful for it.

My gratitude for diners goes beyond good food at a fair price.  I find it to be a solid reflection of the idea of community.  One can sense a community there; even get an aspect of it values and personality. 

A diner is one of the great aspects of independent business.  Someone chooses to get up early and cook food for others.  I once visited a diner that opened at four in the morning.  It did so because it was less than a block from the local police station.  The night shift would take a “dinner” break there and the day shift would go in for an early breakfast.  The diner served the community.

I am grateful for a hot meal at a fair price.  I am grateful for waitresses that call you “honey” even when they do not know your name.  I am filled with gratitude that anywhere I travel I can find a diner with unique but common flavor.  I try to always try what they recommend on my first visit. 

I think that when I am at a diner It fuels my desire to be kind to others.  It reminds me how hard people work and how many different flavors of life there are.  I am grateful for the reminder of the people who need love and kindness on the journey as they stop off for coffee and food.  I strive to give everyone I encounter a large plate of that kindness.

Johnny’s Café – John Fischer

Wasting the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

If you got nothing to say to folks at Johnny’s Café,

You got nothing to say at all.

Walk in any day and you’ll find a slice of life at your table;

One man leaving his wife another wishing he was able,

An old man trying to forget a young one looking for a label,

And the stories they tell you can’t tell if they’re true of they’re fable.

And the lady pouring coffee she knows the regulars by name.

If she doesn’t know you she calls you “honey” just the same.

And we all love to hear it,

Even if she has to fake it,

‘Cause it’s nice to think that someone really cares;

Someone cares.

Go spend the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

If you got nothing to say to folks at Johnny’s Café,

You got nothing to say at all.

Half a mile down the road you’ll find a church with a steeple.

And on Sundays the pews are full of well-dressed beautiful people.

There’s a leading politician whose wife is a musician in the choir.

A corporation head who is trying to get a little bit higher.

And the preacher pouring sermons he knows the regulars by name.

If he doesn’t know you he’ll shake your hand just the same.

And we all love to hear it,

Even if we have to fake it,

But it would be nice if someone really cared;

Someone cared.

Go spend the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

Now if Jesus were here I think we’d find him today down at Johnny’s café.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Every Diner – Earning the Right to be Heard

Greetings Dear Reader,

I remember the first time I ate at my current favorite diner.  My past favorite diner had closed and I had been vetting diners for over a year.  I sat down at the counter and the server poured me a cup of coffee.  She said her name was Marianna (the middle “a” is an “ah” sound).  When I repeated it correctly she looked me in the eye and said, “You can stay.”

Ten years down the road Marianna stops what she is doing and gives me a big hug when I get to the diner.  She asks me to pray for her and her family.  I am a regular and get to talk about the things the other regulars talk about as they eat their eggs and nurse their coffee.

Yesterday my dear friend Tom asked a very salient question.  I am going to give an honest answer here.  Tom asked, “If you were eating with someone, say right after church, and they ‘tipped’ by writing a bible passage or leaving a note about being saved rather than an actual monetary tip, what would you say to that person? The reason I ask is because it is generally accepted as true that the post-church Sunday crowd tend to be the worst tippers, and the most likely to leave evangelical materials in lieu of tips.”

Here is my answer directly but I wish to develop it further. I agree that in some cases your observation is true. I feel that it is a horrid thing and have been to meals with someone who picked up the check and thought this way. I called him on it trying to explain what a poor example it set of the truth of the Gospel. When he stood on his position I covered the tip. I have heard a pastor address this with a congregation explaining how wrong it is. It is unfortunate that Christ followers like so many other groups get judged by the worst of their kind.

It is true that the majority of Christ followers are not like this.  The ones that do neglect the needs of others and instead force the Gospel on others in insulting ways make it harder for the rest of us.  That said, those of us who wish to truly follow Christ realize that we must earn the right to be heard.

Simply said, my life must communicate Christ long before I say anything.  Jesus reaches into the lives of people and meets them where they are.  He wants to use his followers to do that.  This means that I must be vigilant in assuring that my interactions with everyone reflect my desire to earn the right to be heard.

It also means that I must at times make up for the failures of my fellow followers.  One waitress stiffed by a church goer is too many.  One moment of graceless unkindness is too long.  It is vital that those who believe live that belief before everyone.  We fail.  I fail and retard my progress in earning the right to be heard.

Every moment is an opportunity to show the guy asking for help with his Jumble© that he matters.  Every meal is a chance treat people with respect and love.  It is an opportunity to set a humble example of how those who embrace Christ should behave toward others.

Sad Café – The Eagles

Out in the shiny night, the rain was softly falling

The tracks that ran down the boulevard had all been washed away

Out of the silver light, the past came softly calling

And I remember the times we spent inside the Sad Cafe

Oh, it seemed like a holy place, protected by amazing grace

And we would sing right out loud, the things we could not say

We thought we could change this world with words like "love" and "freedom"

We were part of the lonely crowd Inside the Sad Cafe

Oh, expecting to fly,

We would meet on that shore in the

Sweet by and by

Some of their dreams came true, some just passed away

And some of the stayed behind inside the Sad Cafe.

The clouds rolled in and hid that shore

Now that Glory Train, it don't stop here no more

Now I look at the years gone by, and wonder at the powers that be.

I don't know why fortune smiles on some and let's the rest go free

Maybe the time has drawn the faces I recall

But things in this life change very slowly, if they ever change at all

There's no use in asking why, it just turned out that way

So meet me at midnight baby inside the Sad Cafe.

Why don't you meet me at midnight baby,

Inside the Sad Cafe

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Every Diner – Artisan Coffee

Greetings Dear Reader,

A good cup of coffee is a beautiful piece of creation.  My favorite diner serves excellent simple coffee that is hot and ever-flowing.  It is just coffee.  It is freshly brewed.  It is neither too strong nor too weak. 

Artist - Mike Breach

It amazes me how large a roll coffee plays in our lives.  When the church I attend moved into its new building the pastor poured coffee onto the platform to remind us that the “church” is not the building.  We make coffee our morning goal.  We make it the excuse for our weariness.  We become dependent on it. 

As we have evolved our coffee from hot water filtered through ground beans we have made coffee more prominent than it should be in our lives.  There is nothing wrong with good coffee.  There is nothing wrong with making taste like an Italian desert or a doughnut. 

What matters is that it and everything else that is a trapping of life retains it proper place.  What matters is that we keep our proper perspective.  A good cup of coffee has its place in the diner and at church.  It must never be the star.  That position is for Jesus.

It is too easy to put other things before Christ is working out our faith.  It is easy to get distracted and forget why we are part of the Church.  We have a journey to complete.  A good cup of coffee or any other comfort may be a part of the journey.  It is never, however, the goal.  It is never to be the priority.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every Diner – Churches and Diners

Greetings Dear Reader,

I love diners.  You go in. They greet you, welcome you, and see to your needs within the scope of their purpose.  I was at a local diner with my Son Maxim recently and the server was particularly vibrant.  I was inwardly distracted by some thoughts with which I was wrestling. 

She went out of her way to be kind.  Between that and good conversation with my Son my spirits were much improved.  I made a point of thanking the young lady for her kindness and pointed out that it had benefited me.  She gave me a quick hug and I could see that it had improved her day as well.

We go to diners to meet a need.  It is not just the food.  I always have eggs, bread, bacon, and potatoes in the house.  It is the atmosphere that brings me back to diners.  It is the welcome and attention.  This is what the church should offer.

The spiritual hunger is just as vital if not more so.  People go where they get their needs met.  People return to places that make them feel welcome and valued.  In many aspects churches should be diners.  Church should be a places that welcomes, meets real needs, and provides sustenance for those who come.

It is unique in that those in attendance can be both the server and the served.  We can meet the needs of others whilst getting our needs met as well.  When we fail on either end we damage the “business” we are trying to conduct.   

The vital difference being that it is not a business is primary.  It is life and death.  It is time and eternity.  It should be the one place where people know you and accept you.  It should be the place we are drawn to when we are hungry for God.  It should be the place that fills our cup and nourishes to go into the world.  It should be the place where we are known for who we are and safe to be that person.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name – Gary Portnay

Making your way in the world today

Takes everything you've got;

Taking a break from all your worries

Sure would help a lot.

Wouldn't you like to get away?

All those night when you've got no lights,

The check is in the mail;

And your little angel

Hung the cat up by its tail;

And your third fiancé didn't show;

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

You want to be where you can see,

Our troubles are all the same;

You want to be where everybody knows your name.

Roll out of bed, Mr. Coffee's dead;

The morning's looking bright;

And your shrink ran off to Europe,

And didn't even write;

And your husband wants to be a girl;

Be glad there's one place in the world

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

You want to go where people know,

People are all the same;

You want to go where everybody knows your name.

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every Diner – Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

Most of you know I have a favorite diner.  I eat breakfast there almost every Friday.  Occasionally a friend will join me in the early hours of the morning.  Most of the time my company is the rest of the regulars who seem to live there every morning. 

Most of know places like this.  The entire TV series Cheers was based on a place where everybody know your name.  We want to feel like there are places where people really care.  We want to know that if we are having hardship and we talk about it someone will listen.

Instead being good to each other we tend to pass by not seeing that every individual is a soul on the journey back to God.  The contrast that is always set up in my mind is that between what the church is supposed to be for others and what I experience in other places.  I do not think the church in America has become irrelevant but I fear it is headed that way.

I do not adhere to most things represented by a social gospel but I firmly believe that the Gospel must be enacted socially before it can be effective.  If I do not show you that I care then how will you see that Jesus cares?  This contrast taxes me often. 

Recently I have seen my own church fail miserably to be what it claims to be for its people.   I know that the leadership there is true to the things they believe.  I think that they would horrified to think that they have perpetuated a perception that they are other than faithfully living out the Gospel socially.  Were I not a believer I would have serious doubts based on things I have experienced over the last year.

I am not going to air my complaints publically but I need to spend some time reminding myself who I am supposed to be as a part of the Church that is commissioned to reach the world.  Feel free to discuss this with me as we walk.  Your input is always of great value Dear Reader.

Johnny’s Café – John Fischer

Wasting the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

If you got nothing to say to folks at Johnny’s Café,

You got nothing to say at all.

Walk in any day and you’ll find a slice of life at your table;

One man leaving his wife another wishing he was able,

An old man trying to forget a young one looking for a label,

And the stories they tell you can’t tell if they’re true of they’re fable.

And the lady pouring coffee she knows the regulars by name.

If she doesn't know you she calls you “honey” just the same.

And we all love to hear it,

Even if she has to fake it,

‘Cause it’s nice to think that someone really cares;

Someone cares.

Go spend the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

If you got nothing to say to folks at Johnny’s Café,

You got nothing to say at all.

Half a mile down the road you’ll find a church with a steeple.

And on Sundays the pews are full of well-dressed beautiful people.

There’s a leading politician whose wife is musician in the choir.

A corporation head who is trying to get a little bit higher.

And the preacher pouring sermons he knows the regulars by name.

If he doesn’t know you he’ll shake your hand just the same.

And we all love to hear it,

Even if we have to fake it,

But it would be nice if someone really cared;

Someone cared.

Go spend the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

Now if Jesus were here I think we’d find him today down at Johnny’s café.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Boxing Day

Greetings Dear Reader,

The day after Christmas in some places is the day that servants and tradesmen were traditionally give a “Christmas Box.”  It is a time when those who work to service the rest of us are honored. 

I wonder if we truly honor those who work when we are on holiday.  I am so thankful for people like my friend Vanessa, an ER nurse who work odd shifts, long hours, and holidays to care for the needs of others.  Many people were not with family so that we could have help in time of need.

My friend Vosco owns a diner.  He is open on Christmas day because he has so many regular customers who do not have family to go to for a meal.  He gives away Thanksgiving meals to senior citizens on Thanksgiving.  He should be honored that he works on holidays for the sake of others and not due to avarice.

As I ponder all the wonderful gifts my family gave me I prepare to go to that diner for my weekly breakfast out.  On a day when many will be out searching to return unwanted gifts and purchase the things they want I hope to show kindness and respect to those I encounter who serve.  I am content with what I have.  I want to give more.

I want the person who serves me to feel respected, valued, and appreciated.  I want the spirit of Christmas to stretch beyond the gifts and feasting.  I need to live the faith that I have by valuing those who work in service industries every time I encounter them.  Patience and kindness should be the rule.  Respected and valued should be the way we make them feel. 

My Christmas joy is useless if I do not carry it into the daily business of my life.  Mankind is my business.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store." 

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