Cause My Momma Taught Me Better Than That!

Alright, I've gotta vent a little bit. I know I am not the Master of Etiquette, but, Glen Burnie, you really need some help! These past 2 years at Starbucks have shown me a lot. I feel a sense of urgency. I need to help you. If any of these requests seem outrageous to you, it's because you have a guilty conscience; and YOU really need to listen and learn. So, attention please. Here we go:

1. If you do not purchase something from a business (ie. Starbucks), it is not okay to walk in, skip the register, and bark at the person making drinks to get you 3 free Venti ice waters.

2. It is also not okay to just get a free ice water, then go over to the condiment bar and make your own lemonade from our lemon juice packets and sugar shakers. YOU are the reason we keep the lemon juice and honey packets behind the bar now!

3. If, for whatever reason, you so feel inclined to shave your beard in the bathroom sink of a public restroom, CLEAN UP YOUR MESS. I don't get paid enough money to clean the film of beard hair and toothpaste out of the sink (and off the mirror?!). It's Starbucks, not Hampton Inn.

4. When nature calls, there's no stopping it. I am aware of this fact. You can, however, control where nature's devastation occurs. Keep your rainstorms off of the bathroom floor. Keep your hurricanes from being smeared all over the back of the toilet seat. Should mother nature get a little messy, do your part to help out and take care of the environment... CLEAN UP :)

5. I'm not sure why you would think to do this in the Starbucks bathroom, but please don't take your pregnancy test there. And PRETTY PLEASE don't leave it laying on the floor. I'm willing to bet that if you are taking a pregnancy test in a Starbucks bathroom, then you are probably not in a situation where you need to be having children yet. Smart decisions, people... smart decisions!

Alright, Glen Burnie. Just a few simple rules to help transform you into a classier bunch of people. Now go implement them... and apologize to your baristas.

Please Don't Fight These Hands That Are Holding You...

Yesterday, in Bible Study, we talked about quite a few things, had some great discussions, and even laughed a lot! When I walked away, there was one thing that stayed with me. My friend was talking about how she, much like myself, did not have a personal testimony of radical transformation. Whenever I am asked to share my testimony, I become unsettled, because I feel like I have nothing to offer... nothing that inspires! Well, she then went on to share how she learned that she does have a great testimony... one that clearly exhibits God's protection. She is absolutely right! I became a Christian at a young age, and looking back, I am very grateful for that. When I think about the environment I grew up in (i.e.. MY high school), the things I saw and experienced, some of the people I hung out with, etc., it becomes very clear that God was shielding me along the way. There is no other way I wouldn't have repeatedly fallen victim to my surroundings! By no means am I anywhere near the person I strive to be, but God has certainly helped me jump over some of the hurdles along the way. So, while my story may be short and simple, it is a great testimony to our Daddy's protection!