Saturday, July 30, 2016

What's My Brew

Like others in our little Comeback group, I was raised very religiously. We were Pentecostals, so we were different: in the world but not of the world (see John 17 and Titus 3). We didn't do a lot of things; smoking and drinking, for example, were verboten. Movies too. And fun parks. Dancing was probably the worst.

For the most part, I didn't mind the restrictions, and speaking of minds, I made up my own on most issues as I grew up. I went to a movie and decided that it wasn't really evil. Same with fun parks although I was chastised for that in particular. But for the most part, I liked and still like the basic values of my evangelical upbringing.

I am quite honest and truthful. And sober of course. I have tried pot — just a few times for something to do — but wouldn't think of making it a habit, for I value sobriety.

Good Christians don't drink, however. Or at least that's what I thought.

I still think that to some degree: that good people drink only moderately.

Therefore, when I went to uni, I did bible study and evangelism instead of boozing and partying. So I never developed much of a taste for beer. I do have it every now and then with a salty snack or pizza or some such, and I can like it that way, but I don't have much of a taste for just beer on its own and probably only consume about two 12-packs a year and with some help from my friends at that.

Wine? Well that was another beverage that I tried as an adult and still a devout Christian one at that. I drink it — a little bit. Usually before or during dinner two or three times per week. Small glasses of red. It's good for me, but I could easily do without it in my life.

Then there's that ubiquitous drink — coffee. Although not against my religious convictions, I didn't start drinking it until I was in my fifties. I recall trying it as a teenager when my sainted mother made me a cup. Instant coffee. Blech! So bad that I eschewed it for the next three and a half decades.

Then, at age 53, I decided to finally be an adult. I began with loads of cream and sugar but soon settled into a sugarless version, still with plenty of cream. I have one in the morning, usually within about 5 minutes of awaking, thanks to the Tassimo machine which we keep in my upstairs den. I don't even have to go to the kitchen: just walk across the hall and start it up. On some nights, I even remember to pre-fill it with water and get the pod and mug ready to brew, which may bring my morning wait time down to three or four minutes instead of five or six.

But that's it. One mug unless we go out for breakfast, which we do about once a month.

My real weakness is Coke. Diet Coke. Almost ice cold coke. It just feels very good on my throat, which I swear almost always seems to be low grade sore.

Sore throat. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.


15 comments:

Marie Smith said...

Isn't it interesting how the teachngs of our childhood can resonate with us for the rest of our lives.

Hope you enjoyed your morning coffee.

I gave up diet coke six years ago. I had headaches which were caused by the aspartame. I missed it terribly at first but not the headaches. Ice water is the new beverage of choice.

Must have my morning coffee, with lots of cream...my real vice.

Jayne said...

I never drank coffee until adulthood either, but now cherish my morning cuppa.

KGMom said...

Oh, AC--what a sweet mix of humor and youthful nostalgia.
Amazing how the forces that shape our childhood continue to influence us as adults even though we long have abandoned the rational for the prohibitions.
And here I was expecting you to select tea as your beverage!

Anvilcloud said...

I don't especially care for tea although I often join Sue (so to speak) in a cuppa at lunch.

TexWisGirl said...

i have drank coffee since i was about 10 yrs old. a spot of milk in it is preferred but i can drink it black. don't drink beer. yuck. drink wine with meals a lot. mixed drinks, too. not to excess, though. wasn't raised on sodas but about twice a year, i'll have a diet coke just to burn thru the crud in my throat, too. :)

Jim said...

I guess I am doomed! I like beer, alone, or with food, especially chocolate. I like a good,(is there bad) sweet red wine, sometimes in too large of quantities. I smoked pot, once, didn't like the feeling it gave me, but I did smoke cigarettes and a pipe all through adulthood until 2000. The cost of tobacco go to the point that it was just more economical to stop! Then there's Coke, Diet Coke. I love the stuff! My lady friend tries constantly to convince me that Pepsi is better!! No way, Jose! And coffee, black, no cream or sugar, (for sissies :) ). A bee line from my bedroom to the Keurig in the kitchen is the first thing I do. Get it turned on, go brush my teeth, take meds, etc, then back to the kitchen. Maybe I should just move the machine into the bathroom! It would save steps. Now you know almost all my vices! Well, except one; being addicted to the internet! LOL!

Country Gal said...

I have smoked pot and cigarettes and drank and it all caught up with me in the end but now I am healthy . Tea is my thing as my parents and family are all British . Coffee I only have one of a day with milk and half a teaspoon of sugar as cream is to hard on my tummy and I don't drink any kind of pop any more as I had to give it up years ago due to it was causing problems with my tummy , my hubs had to stop drinking the dark pop to as it was causing his tummy harm as well dark pop can eat at your tummy lining eventually and cause ulcers in the gut and the intestines not to mention bad for the blood sugars even if it is diet which is just as bad as regular as the artificial sweeteners are even worse . I mean have you seen what pop will do as it eats away at the crud on old pennies, and they use is to clean stuff off of old pipes to YIKES ! but then each to his own I say ! We all have our do's and dont's ?! Thanks for sharing , have a good day !

Ginger said...

What a fun and interesting post! It has been amazing to me how much we have all learned about one another just by writing about beverages.

Dale said...

Coffee. Four or five cups a day sometimes. I like beer too, on a hot day. Wine with supper. I'd like more of that, but it's too fattening. Too much sugar. Have you noted the sugar content in pop? It's crazy!

Thanks for sharing, JR!

I thought you were atheist.

Vicki Lane said...

Interesting. I've never smoked cigarettes. And I almost never drink sodas or pop or whatever you call them (I call them soft drinks.) But I drink coffee and wine almost every day. And hard liquor now and then. Beer with curry or Mexican food. So far, so good.

Ruth said...

I might have learned to like coffee too if I there had been an option besides instant. The coffee in the big percolators at church suppers was pretty vile too.

Mage said...

We like our Diet Coke too. :)

Hugs.

Tabor said...

I loved coke and still like it, but rarely drink it because of the high sugar. I avoid diet drinks because my doctor told me they ruin the renal glands over time and harm the kidneys. So I eat sugared drinks instead, in moderation. I also started coffee later in life and now drink it each morning and tea after dinner many evenings. I do love my wine and have at least one glass with dinner most times.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I'm not a coffee, beer, wine or hard liquor drinker. Just never understood why anyone would want to drink something that tastes bad! But I have gone through several stages of being addicted to diet dr pepper, and now have finally gone to real pop. The aspartame poison theory has become the fodder of health news and I believe it.

Jenn Jilks said...

One of my clients is Pentacostal and he proclaims his faith when I visit. It's quite a heavy duty faith.
He is dying and has come to terms with it. He keeps telling me God has everything under control, and I don't tell him that I think he is just keeping positive, and he has had a good life, and been a good man.
My husband, with prostate cancer, and I live every day and enjoy it as much as we can. Same difference.