A Soldier's Thoughts

(My buddy Scott should arrive home from Iraq any day and so in honor of his return I wanted to post something he wrote back in the spring for our old church in Converse, TX. For more details on Scott and his homecoming, check out his wife Gina's blog here. Thanks to all of you who prayed for his safety while he was gone. Enjoy.)

"Men of Grace, it is an honor to write to you from Mahmudiyah, Iraq. I am serving with the 10th Mountain Division in the suburbs south of Baghdad. Darren asked me to write to you about what God has shown me this year.

If I wrote about everything God has shown me this year, this might be a long message. Instead, I'll write about what God has shown me this week, which might still be a bit lengthy. Perhaps referring to what God has "shown" me is a use of the wrong tense. "Showing" might be a more accurate choice of words. But actually, I feel like I am resisting the thing He is showing me right now.

Before I elaborate, I should provide a bit of background for the thoughts I want to share. This week, I was reading in Matthew where Jesus says that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In any other time of my life, that would've seemed like a good idea, and an idea not altogether difficult to carry out into action.

But that was before I had any actual enemies. That was before I lived in a place where people would gladly kill me. That was before I soaked my uniform in another man's blood or attended the memorial of a fellow soldier who will never make it home.

That these are our enemies, I have no doubt. But the people I have the hardest time loving are those who spend their time and energy plotting to kill not me, but each other.

On Easter, some who I consider my enemies, detonated a large bomb outside of the local hospital. Though there were no American injuries,15 Iraqis were killed, including some of their doctors as well as patients. Many more people were injured. Of these, 17 came to our aid station seeking care for significant injuries. One of those patients was a 9-year-old girl with a huge hole in her leg as well as an arterial bleed. She was screaming in a combination of pain and absolute terror. I don't think I know words to describe just how terrible her scream was. We could do nothing to comfort her because we could not speak her language. We could neither answer the questions of her parents, nor provide any explanation as we whisked her off in a helicopter for further care. All we could do was work to get her stabilized while listening to her scream.

I will never forget her scream.

Another of our patients that day might lose his leg. His son was killed in the blast, though he did not know it yet.

Still another patient from another day was severely injured in a blast that killed her husband and 3 year old son.

There were others, but you get the idea. I don't relate these events to impress you with my war stories, but rather to help you understand these enemies of mine.

Surely, Jesus didn't mean that I should actually love people like them.

When I think about those we politely call "insurgents," my reaction is akin to that of Conan the Barbarian who found fulfillment in one thing: "to crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."

But Jesus says to love them. I don't know how.

It seems that it would be a big victory for me if I could just stop hating these people who bombed a hospital and who, twice this week, bombed an outdoor marketplace. I have prayed about this often over the course of the last seven days.

Did Jesus really mean that we should love these men who are, seemingly, the embodiment of pure evil? I want to think not.

But then I am reminded of my savior on a cross asking "Father forgive them." I also know that I "don't have a high priest who can't be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus knew what it was to have enemies and He was, no doubt, tempted to hate them. But He was without sin.

Ultimately, I know that my nature will not allow me to love these people apart from Christ. In my heart, I know that they don't deserve my love or Christ's. However, I know that God loves me, and I definitely don't deserve it either.

I haven't learned how to love these insurgents who are trying to kill me, my comrades, and their own countrymen. Truthfully, I am not sure that I will ever learn to do this.

Deep down, I don't know that I even want to.

But there is one thing this experience has done for me: I have a much deeper respect, admiration, and appreciation for what Christ did for us on the cross. He loved me, and millions more like me who go against His commandments every day. We are not worthy of His love, much less his sacrifice.

So I am trying to learn to love Christ, and praying that He will enable me to love someday like He does.

I will close this message like I close much of my correspondence from Iraq. As a Soldier, it is not my job to critique our policies in Iraq. I wish that decisions could be made by Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen instead of Democrats, Republicans, and opinion polls

However, this I do know: our Soldiers are doing some incredible things in this country across the world from you. There are many amazing people here who put themselves in danger every single day to try to bring freedom to this land and its people. In return, we ask only for your prayers. Prayers for our safety, prayers for our morale, prayers for those who do not yet know Jesus, and prayers for people like me to learn to love those who seem so unlovable… unlovable just like you and me."

-sdc

In Good Company - Part 2

Quarrytech - Late Summer 2006

Quarrytech - Fall 2003

What a fun ride it has been! I've got to thank the two owners, Jay Heck and J.R. Heck for giving me the opportunity four years ago to come and help them build Quarrytech into a South Texas powerhouse. They have been unbelievably generous over the years, paying us all way more than anybody else would have, treating us to beach trips, lavish dinners,numerous bonuses, and time off. In addition, they have always bent over backwards to supply us with the highest quality equipment to ensure that we are able to do our jobs without the hassles of repeated equipment failure. It's been fun to work for two guys whose faith has compelled them to spread the wealth around rather than hoarding it for themselves.

In Good Company - Part 1

Thomas, getting 'er done in New Braunfels, TX

Nicknames: Longshanks, X-Factor, Bones, T-Train
Songs: Hard Working Man - Brooks & Dunn, Jole Blon - Waylon Jennings

In one Word: Loyal

Tom is the kind of guy who can build, fix, or modify anything. I keep telling him that when the Chinese, or whomever, invade us, that my family is moving with his up into the mountains in [secret location] where we will live off the land and form a resistance movement. A hard working and talented guy, Tom has been a great co-worker over the past couple of years.

Shawn, happy to be standing on a frozen lake in Colorado moments before we set off on a four mile hike through the snow that nearly did us in.

Nicknames: Sunday Morning, Mr. Automatic

Songs: Easy - The Commodores, Boom - P.O.D., Copenhagen - Robert Earl Keen

In One Word: Steadfast

Shawn is the most reliable and constant guy I have ever worked with. He is like Tim Duncan, quietly and steadily banking 10 footers off the glass day in and day out. I will miss his easy going personality and infectious laugh. I can imagine Shawn sitting on his front porch calmly chewing tobacco and drinking ice tea during a category 5 hurricane saying something like "how bout that?", as the world crashes down all around him.

Bobby, on cloud 9 in southwestern Oklahoma.

Nicknames: Mr. Boucher, The Comeback Kid
Songs: Heart of Gold - Neil Young, Against the Wind - Bob Seger, Rusty Cage - Johnny Cash

In Three Words: Tough as Nails

If you can imagine it, Bobby has experienced it. Life keeps dealing him blow after blow and Bobby keeps getting back up long after most guys would have given up or died. Three stories filed under the category "Dog" will illustrate what I'm talking about. The first year I worked with Bobby, one of his dogs was kidnapped and taken to Pennsylvania by a heartbroken elderly man whose own dog had recently passed away. With the help of friends, Bobby was able to track down his dog and fly it back home.
Last year, on the company beach trip his son Dylan ended up in the hospital after a pit bull bit his knee. And finally, earlier this year his dog killed a monkey in the front yard. Yes, read that last sentence again, bearing in mind that we live in Texas. His dog killed a monkey!

As tragedy after tragedy far more serious than a kidnapped dog or dead monkey has entered Bobby's life, he has risen with a resolve and inner reservoir of strength that has left me amazed. And just like Job, he has refused to curse God, his faith stronger rather than weaker after all he has been through. I have seen Bobby work hard all day, time after time on days when most guys in his situation would just have called in sick. More importantly, Bobby is an all-star dad who gives 110% to his kids as well as his job. I am humbled to work with him, his example will live in my heart as long as I live.

Nate, pausing to watch Shawn's 4x4 hijinks after a hard day's work clearing brush.

Nickname: Nate Dogg
Song: Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

In One Word: Creative

Nate is a computer, marketing and PR genius. He is slowly transforming the look and presentation of the company. Nate's sharp wit and sense of humor keep us all laughing whenever we are in the office. And whenever anybody has a computer question the response is always, "call Nate, he'll know." Nate's computer skills, business savvy and humor will take him far in life.

Brett, auditioning for "When Animals Attack!" in southern Cali.

Nicknames: Friday Night, Dyno-mite!
Songs: Get Down Tonight - KC and The Sunshine Band, Bang a Gong (Get it On) - T. Rex

In one Word: Encouraging

Brett is the life of the party, always clownin' around and making everybody laugh. On the toughest days, he'll drive by whistling and hollering or doing something to lift your spirits. Also incredibly devoted to his teammates, if Brett's around - you know somebody's got your back.

The people you work with end up being like a second family - you laugh, cry, fight, and experience large portions of life together. In our case, "like a band of gypsies [we've rolled] down the highway" spending many a day together in far away places, working our tails off, enjoying the scenery, eating like kings, and trying not to let the "sound of our own wheels drive us crazy."

From Iraq

I am constantly amazed at how different our war experience is from that of the WWII generation. We have a major war going on right now but aside from the daily rants of self serving politicians and talking heads and the odd bumper sticker you'd never know it. In the place of rations and sacrifice, we have a booming economy and an excess of everything. Instead of individuals laying down personal comfort for the common good, we have the usual every man for himself in the race for more. It is the War That is Easy to Ignore. And yet as we go about the daily routines of our life, 300,000+ of our fellow citizens are in harm's way serving the rest us. One of them is my buddy Scott (see Dec 25th post).

Scott's grandmother died last week, a hard loss to endure at any time, but especially hard when you are halfway around the world and separated from the rest of your family. However, Scott is a humble, selfless man prone to action rather than complaining. One of the tough who get going during the hard times. He would never complain or feel sorry for himself but I know he would appreciate our prayers during this difficult time. If you are reading this would you please pray both for his encouragement during this time and for his safety while traveling around Iraq. And while you're at it throw in an extra one for his wife Gina and their two young daughters as well. Thanks.

Scott sent me a song that he wrote about his grandmother after she died and I would like to post it here to both honor him and his grandmother.

When I Close My Eyes
for Grandma Carow

Shriveled hands hang down from arms that once were strong
Thin white hair is now where brown hair once belonged
My fragile legs lack the strength to stand
But I know I'll walk again when I'm in the promised land

And when I close my eyes I'll see my Father
My eyes will see once again
I will run into the arms of Jesus
When I close these earthly eyes

Do not cry for me for I know to die is gain
I've lived this life for so long and now there's only pain
I must go to the healing arms of Jesus
When I close these earthly eyes

And when I close my eyes I'll see my Father
My eyes will see once again
I will run into the arms of Jesus
When I close these earthly eyes

 Where I go
 I know
 There's a mansion waiting for me
 When I look up
 I'll see
 Brilliant colors that I've never seen
 I'll join a choir of angels
 And our songs will fill the skies
 When I close these earthly eyes

And when I close these eyes I'll see my Father
My eyes will see clearly once again
I will run down a street made of gold with my Jesus
When I close these earthly eyes


sdc

Brown Coffee: The Interview

Back in early December, after a coffee tasting at his house, I had an e-mail interview with Aaron Blanco, the owner of Brown Coffee Co. At the time I was only planning on using excerpts of the interview for the piece I wrote about him last week but found his answers so entertaining I decided to run the entire interview in a separate post. Enjoy.

JW: Do you remember the first time you drank coffee?

AB: I can remember Sunday nights after church as a young boy stealing sips
of the dregs from the cups of my parents and other adults who came
over our house for coffee and donuts. It was no doubt terrible,
rather forgettable coffee and was always laden with lots of "creamer"
and sugar. (Did you know that non-dairy creamer is flammable??? Just
a thought...) Those were my earliest rememberable experiences with
it. If you're wondering when the first time I ever really "used"
coffee then it was during college. My roommate and I would go to
Denny's to study (read:hang out with girls) and what can I say?
Everyone was doing it. So I piled tons of cream and sugar into mine
and sucked it down. Yummy.

JW: Coffee, like beer and cigarretes, is not something you immediately like your first time, what kept you drinking it in the beginning?

AB: Huh? Wha? I loved beer and cigarettes as a kid! I mean, er... That
question reminds me of a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip I once saw.
Calvin had somehow gotten ahold of some cigarettes and he and his
tiger buddy decided to try it out. As they both turned green and
began to choke on smoke, Hobbes says to Calvin, "You think this'd be
an easy habit to break."

Peer pressure kept me refueling. Plain and simple.

JW: How did you go from being a coffee drinker to someone interested in the entire process behind the cup?

AB: I'm not really sure what took me from just barely being able to
tolerate the stuff to trying to drink it for something besides just
fuel. I've always kind of been a purist in all the things I pursue in
life: music, spirituality, food (particularly,tasting the authentic
cuisines of the world the way they were meant to be tasted) and
what not. I suppose maybe one day I kind of realized that coffee was
something that was occupying lots of my semi-conscious time--meaning,
I was drinking lots of coffee without giving it much thought. Why not
try to figure out the story behind the story on coffee. There was
always so much romance behind the concept of nursing a cup of coffee
for hours among friends, discussing the issues of the day. I was
enthralled by the great concept of the coffeehouse in all its
revolutionary glory--whatever that meant!

Then I moved to California to finish college and that's where it
really kicked into high gear. The year was 1994 and the coffee house
as social hangout place was a refined art in counter cultural enclaves
like Santa Cruz. My and my buddies really got into the whole espresso
and coffee scene which was really starting to blossom there...well
before much of the rest of the country was getting into it. I would
go into a bookstore and start looking for coffee books while I drank
my coffee. I guess it all kinda went downhill from there.

JW: How long did you work at Starbucks, and overall how was the experience?

AB: It's funny--I actually begged my first manager at Starbucks to give me
a job for like two or three months before he finally caved. I walked
into the Starbucks in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania in December 2001, no
pro coffee experience, having just a love for coffee and the belief
that I could maybe figure it all out quickly enough before they
learned I didn't actually have any marketable coffee skills. He kept
telling me to come back: after the Holidays; in a couple weeks; next
Thursday, etc. Finally he gave me an interview and I can remember
being so excited when my phone rang and the Caller I.D. read:
"Starbucks Coffee." I think I saved that Caller I.D. record for a few
months after that.

I can say that my time with Starbucks was very good. I started at
that store as a lowly barista, making something like $7.25 and hour
with a wife, a child and another one on the way. I knew I had to do
something with myself and quick. I had heard Starbucks was a pretty
good place to work and I can tell you that I am living proof that they
put their trust in people who worked hard to make a name for
themselves and who took care of the coffee and the customers well.
Less than one year later I was opening the doors to a brand new
Starbucks in Lionville, Pennsylvania, only this time I was the
Manager.

In all I worked for Big Green for just over three and a half years.
Starbucks, for all its ubiquity, is still, in my opinion, a world
class organization. Even though they get disrespected in "indie
coffee" circles a lot, the fact is you can't argue with success.
Starbucks has probably forgotten more about coffee than many other
coffee companies will ever know. I'm proud of my time there and what
I was able to accomplish.

JW: Do you have a favorite or memorable story from your time as a barista?

AB: Way, way too many good times to recount here and now. One funny story
is the story of Aaron the newbie barista at Chadds Ford Starbucks.
This is the story of me in the shower, in the bed, driving to the
grocery store, etc., physically reviewing the motions it would take to
make a Frappuccino, trying to recall the steps and recipes so that I
didn't screw up. I can remember being thankful that it was a cold,
blustery Saturday morning because that meant less people would be
coming in and ordering Frappuccinos. I felt that way for about a
month. Then I realized, it's just liquid, syrup, ice, blend and pour.
Not rocket science, dude.

JW: What made you take the plunge and start your own coffee company?

AB: Revenge, mostly. When I got sued by Starbucks for embezz...er, I
mean, wait a second. Just kidding. Seriously, I kinda realized
pretty early on in my Starbucks life that coffee was a worthy subject
for me to want to explore and grow into professionally for a long
time, if not for the rest of my working life. When my time with Big
Green came to an end I knew I still wanted to be around coffee. I
knew I had learned some skills and a little knowledge and figured it
made clear sense to keep pushing forward with coffee. I secured (what
seemed like a) HUGE loan from my in-laws (not that much in real
business terms, though) and went down to the county courhouse and
bought the name, The Brown Coffee Company. (That name's a whole
'nuther story in itself...) I guess I figured coffee just wasn't
through with me yet, so I stuck with it. I haven't had a single
second of regret so far.


JW: With thousands of coffee companies in America, what sets Brown Coffee Co. apart from the others?

AB: It's funny you ask that. I was just brainstorming that very question
with a friend this morning. We asked that exact question and listed
several strength areas as well as some that were "gaps" that needed
attention. Some of the gaps came from folks just plain not knowing
we're even out there.

That said, we kinda came to a place this morning where we realized
that if you decide to try Brown, you'll actually be taking the first
steps of a great culinary adventure. I know that sounds way over the
top but that's really and truly how I feel about the coffees I have
the honor of representing to my customers. Great coffee IS a culinary
experience, just like experiencing a great wine or a fabulous single
malt scotch. It's kind of like your own little coffee passport and
you get to try exotic and crazy good coffees you never knew even
existed before you stumbled upon my little website. Now all of a
sudden here's this wild-eyed mad scientist kind of guy talking about
blueberries in this coffee and stewed tomatoes presenting themselves
in that. And you read all these descriptions--I know how it must come
across to people!--and you're like, "This guy is off his rocker a
little bit with the coffee thing."

...and then they take the chance and order a bag of coffee from Brown
and they realize that it is indeed different from the commodity grade
stuff being peddled in diners and donut shops across the land. People
who are willing to just crack open the door to the concept of coffee
as a beautiful adventure will recognize that we're not building Brown
on hype or smoke and mirrors. They'll see that we're dead red serious
about sourcing killer coffees that will rock your face off and have
you thinking about them long after you've downed your last sip.

We're not a cheap coffee company, that's for sure. Our coffees aren't
cheap in either sense of the word. But I kind of adopted a saying for
Brown that my sister once told me: Anything that costs you little is
probably worth little. There's a whole lecture from me about why the
great coffees of the world are way, way undervalued, even at $20--25 a
pound. We'll save that one for another time. Suffice it to say that
I believe Brown exists in part to help change those conversations
people are having around coffee from, "Why would anyone pay so much
for COFFEE?" to, "Why aren't more people interested in drinking
amazing coffee like this?" If you drink it just as an economic
factor, you might as well just be drinking tap water. Brown aims to
help people get the whole super premium coffee thing in a way that is
accessible and not really as intimidating as you might think.

JW: Most people probably equate high quality coffee with Starbucks. How is your coffee different than Starbucks coffee?

AB: I sorta struggle to think of how it might be considered similar except
maybe on price and on the principle that Starbucks tries to source the
best coffee their size will allow them to.

Basically, the main difference in Brown versus Starbucks might be
roast styles and philosophies. Starbucks is from (what is now
considered) the old school: the classic Pacific Northwest mentality
of dark roasted and robust cups to stand up to those drizzly, dreary
PNW winters. It's not better or worse; it's just different than
Brown. I tend to use a much lighter touch with my roasting to
empasize not the roast I put to it, but the characteristics that
particular coffee from that particular place may want to present to
me. I guess most people don't realize that coffee is a fruit and as
such it has stages of ripeness and "bestness" if you will. My goal is
to find coffees that are at their peak of ripeness, when they are
actually sweetest, and to roast them delicately enough to allow that
natural sweetness to work its way into your cup. The more "invisible"
I as a roaster can be, the better chance the consumer has of
experiencing great coffee that was roasted a few days ago just for
them, versus [enter any big coffee chain name here], where the coffee
was roasted weeks, sometimes even months ago and has sat in some store
or on some grocery shelf or, worse, in some dank grocery warehouse
waiting to be shoved onto a shelf by some overnight stock boy who
couldn't care less about the coffee aside from just making the bags
stand up straight.

How's that for differences? Mainly, it's just that my tiny size
allows me a greater sense of being nimble and being "artisinal" and
geeky about quirky coffees, whereas a big chain might be more stuck in
having to please the oceans of customers with "consistency."

JW: My favorite coffee of yours is the Finca Vista Hermosa from Guatemala. It was the first coffee from Brown that I had and it's also a sentimental favorite as I recently had the pleasure of meeting the man who grows it. How did you meet Edwin and describe your business relationship with him.

AB: Edwin Martinez is the next in line to operate Finca Vista Hermosa, a
coffee plantation in Guatemala. He grew up there and still spends
about half the year there--the other half being in Bellingham,Washington.
He's a swell guy whose coffee is something of what I would consider a cult
favorite among coffee nerds like myself. He and I found ourselves frequenting
a certain uber geeky online coffee forum and I think I might have actually
tricked him into thinking Brown was a real company, a legitimate business! :)
I forget the exact circumstances but we began to collaborate online on some certain
coffee discussions and one day he left me his phone number and I just
called him up. Before long I was asking him if I could buy his coffee
and that was probably one of the best purchases I have ever made (and
probably one of the smallest for him!). He also represents a small
farm in Honduras with exceptionally sweet and very cool coffee and I
will be buying some of that coffee soon as well.

Every year Edwin, his wife Nina and their Guatemala family host
travelers on their plantation in the form of missions trips. Last
year they hosted a small group of coffee roasters and had such a good
time that this year not only are they hosting a roaster's trip but
also a trip of coffee baristas, which I will be going on.

JW: What are you most looking forward to on your upcoming trip to Guatemala?

AB: This will be my first trip to a coffee plantation. I've read about
them and have seen pictures and videos of them. But I think to
actually be there, to meet the people who are growing, picking,
processing and preparing the coffee to be sent off around the
world...that will be special. Mostly those folks have no clue how
their coffee is being prepared and served in cafes. It will be really
something to get to thank them personally for all their hard work.

I'm also getting pretty excited about a little project Edwin has asked
me to consider staying an extra week to help him with. Something
about a GPS mapping project and he wants me to help with the writing
of the reports and whatnot. It's all really technical and not worth
me boring everyone with here and now. But I'm excited about it in my
own coffeegeek way.

JW: What is the most interesting thing about coffee that most people don't know?

AB: Hmmmm....hard to say what most people might find interesting. One fun
tidbit is that ripe coffee cherries grow on tree branches to about the
size of a cherry and when you pick them off the tree they are sweet
and tart like a cranberry. Okay, so that's not very interesting. How
about the fact that as a fruit, it seems kind of interesting to me
that we actually are concerned with the seeds of the fruit, the pits
if you will, which are the coffee beans we roast, grind and brew.
This is wholly opposite of any other fruit I can think of, such as the
avocado, the apple, the cherry and so forth, where we actually eat the
fruit and discard the seeds/pits. Just par for the course in the
bizarro world of coffee, I guess.

JW: What is your favorite food to eat with coffee?

AB: Yes. ;) Different stuff pairs well with different coffees. I can
remember first sitting in on a coffee tasting where the presenter gave
us a cup of Sulawesi coffee and a wedge of brie cheese. Skeptical, we
all tried them together and were slackjawed at how well they paired.
So maybe my point with that is to be adventurous and try different
things and see what you might find.

JW: What region of the world consistently produces the greatest coffee?

AB: Well, I don't know. Which is your favorite child, Jeremy? I think
the answer to that depends on how one chooses to define "greatest."
Most consistently excellent? Highest prices paid for it? Most
exotic? Every major growing region produces something unique and
special...that is not meant to sound diplomatic, the way some would
describe their children when one is an honors student and another is,
well, "unique and special." I think the thing to consider is how much
more detailed and complex the process of tasting coffees and
identifying greatness in coffee is becoming as it relates to
geography. What I mean is this. Did you know for instance that in
Guatemala alone there are something like 300 distinct microclimates?
They are areas that have disinctly unique weather patterns that have a
direct effect on how the coffee grown in each microclimate will taste.
Add to that customs and processes of how the trees and the land
around them are cared for, how the beans are processed, fermented,
milled, stored, dried, bagged, shipped to market, exported,
warehoused, roasted, ground and brewed and you have an infinitely
complex matrix of how great or not so great a coffee can be when it
gets to its final destination.

But as I was saying about geography, there is a lot of work underway
to continue defining geographic denominations in smaller and smaller
ways as it pertains to coffee, even down to the farm, or a particular
slope of a hill, at a particular elevation and so forth, that will
produce a lot (a "lot" is a size designation, not slang for a whole
buncha) of coffee. Each micromini climate and set of circumstances
can produce strikingly different coffee. Do one thing differently and
one coffee might well present characteristics typcial of coffee grown
two continents away. And some coffee retailers are content to foist
upon their unsuspecting customers the arcane and simplistic
designations such as, "El Salvador," or, "Brazil" or "Kenya." Would
you buy wine that way? Hardly. So why do that to coffee?

Whoah. I hit a major tangent! I guess "greatness" in coffee can be
defined with such ever increasing minutiae of terms and processes and
in so many places that it's nearly impossible for me to say one place
is the best over and over again.

If, however, you're asking the question to give your readers a tip on
which of Brown's coffee to buy first, I'd simply say, "Costa Rica."
It's pleasant and non-threatening/non-intimidating enough and you can
work your way onward from there.

JW: How does it feel to watch people enjoy your coffee?

AB: Do they? Oh, I hadn't noticed. :)

Honestly, it's a little embarrassing. For them, mostly, probably,
because I think I stare at them so wildly as they're about to take
their first sip that it must be a little unnerving. And obviously
it's very gratifying to see someone appreciate your work. In that
sense, however, I think I'd almost prefer to NOT be around when people
try my stuff, especially for the first time, because of the sort of
unspoken pressure to smile, nod and say something like, "Wow, this is
really, really, really great, Aaron!" when in fact it may be the most
potently powerful and unexpectedly strong cup of coffee they've ever
had and that they're not at all used to or prepared to drink all of
without adding tons of milk and sugar or water. I'd almost rather
prefer you try it on your own, and then if you like it you can tell me
later. If not...there's a lot of other coffee out there. Something's
bound to tickle your fancy.

Spotlight on Excellence: The Brown Coffee Co.

"Nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world." - Amos Lee

When things are done with excellence, whether designing buildings, digging ditches, or roasting coffee; we enter into the realm of the sacred. Because we worship and are to reflect God, who does all things to perfection, it is our privelege to join Him in the pursuit of perfection. We will never achieve it here on earth, or possibly ever, but that knowledge, in some strange way, actually sets us free to pursue it that much harder, with giddy delight, free as children. I think of my son grunting and exerting with all his might as he "helps" me move a heavy object, delighted to be helping me, and me, my heart bursting with pride and love for my son, the hard worker. And so it is with us, our hearts full of God's love, seeking to bring little reflections of His light and love into the world through excellence. Because we live in a world that is full of mediocrity, and ourselves feel the pull of the siren song, "good enough", I believe we must shout aloud and champion the excellence that we do run across. With all the energy and vehemence usually reserved for protesting the shoddy, unjust and subpar, we who have tasted the eminent must cry out. This crying out starts with our very relationship with God and continues on down the line from transcendant art to exceptional service and yes to something as insignifigant as coffee. Now I want to make it clear that I am not trying to pull some cheap trick that devalues God by tying him to a product. However, I believe that when Jesus came to earth and humbled himself, "taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness", he elevated all of life. Jesus, who has given dignity and honor to shepherds, fishermen, and carpenters, has elevated every vocation to the realm of the sacred when they are done with excellence and as a gift for Him.

Having said that I would like to shout aloud that I have for the past seven months been drinking some of the finest coffee ever to wash down my thirsty gullet. But before I talk about the coffee, a bit of context is necessary to shed light on where I am coming from. I first started drinking coffee when I was fourteen in an attempt to be more like my grandfather. He was an incredible man worthy of imitation, always working on a cup somewhere, and when you hugged him you were enveloped in the wonderful aroma of coffee that surrounded him. So despite the horrific taste of coffee in those early years, I kept at it convinced that somehow in some small way it would make me more like him. Over the past twenty years I have evolved from a ton of cream and sugar in a styrofoam cup guy to a black and bitter in a styrofoam cup guy to a ritualistic black and bitter in very special mug with the occasional luxurious trip to Starbucks sort of guy. Then in June I met Aaron Blanco who supplies our church with coffee on Sunday mornings. That first cup didn't do much for me as I was conditioned to equate bitterness and a heavy roast with quality, however my wife went nuts over the coffee and week after week kept raving about how good it was. So we bought a pound from Aaron and let's just say, I haven't been the same since. He has ruined me. The amount of water that I must now drink to offset the enormous amounts of caffeine that I ingest is staggering and umm...inconvenient. As usual I went overboard, became a total coffee lush and am now seeking some form of balance in my day to day life.

Aaron Blanco recently celebrated the one year anniversary of The Brown Coffee Company that he owns and runs. I've said in these pages before that I love over the top people, those who go the extra mile, who go way beyond what would be acceptable or "good enough". Aaron is one of those people. After working his way up through Starbucks, he turned down a job as District Manager because it would have "taken [him] too far away from the coffee." So instead he went out on a limb and started his own coffee company. Aaron loves coffee, the entire process from the farm to the cup. He keeps an incredibly interesting and wide ranging blog about all things coffee that I have linked on the sidebar of this page. He recently organized and ran the Texas Barista Jam, a meeting of some of the finest coffee minds in Texas and is currently organizing a trip next month to the farm in Guatemala where they grow my favorite coffee, Guatemala Huehuetenango, Finca Vista Hermosa.

Earlier this month, Aaron invited me over to his house for a coffee tasting, called cupping, where we pitted four of the world's finest coffee's against two of his. It was gourmand heaven for this newbie to the world of exceptional coffees. One of the coffees we tried sells for 30 dollars a pound! Coffee cupping as they call it is an unusual way to experience the essence of what a coffee is all about. It is the process the buyer for a coffee company goes through as he pits various coffee beans against each other to determine their worth. Rather than going into a detailed explanation I will give you the laymans' version now and post photos along with an interview some time next month. Hot water is poured into small cups directly over the ground coffee where it sits for four minutes and develops a crust. You break the crust with a spoon while your nose is as close to the cup as possible and inhale the "essence" of the coffee in it's rawest form. This essence contains smells ranging from chocolate to tomatoes, strawberries, and cinnamon. I now believe those stuffy wine guys, you really can taste and smell some of these things. After inhaling the essence, you taste the coffee by sucking a spoonful into your mouth. The goal is to take it in with such force that it becomes a fine mist and coats the back of your throat with coffee. I never really got this part down despite my best efforts. As you are doing all of this you are taking down copious notes detailing everything from acidity, to flavor, fragrance and aftertaste. Then you score everything on a pretty simple scale in six categories and voila, you have a winner. Despite talking very little, Aaron and I both discovered many of the same flavors and scored five out of the six coffees very close. The coffees from the Brown Coffee Company going head to head against four of the best coffees in the world scored 3rd and 5th on my sheet. And no, I won't say who scored first because I'm partial to Brown, although just to show you what a standup guy Aaron is, he freely praises all four of the other coffee companies on his blog. Aaron believes in roasting the beans very lightly to allow all the complexities and flavors of the bean to come through. You can actually suppress and overpower the bean by roasting it too long, but that is how the majority of the coffee we drink in America is roasted. Because of his light touch in the roasting process, Brown's coffee is unusually clean, more sweet than bitter, and doesn't leave you with an aftertaste that has you scrambling for the breath mints. I want to honor Aaron for his pursuit of perfection. I hope you will give his coffee a try and come back here to post a review.

The Brown Coffee Company can be found online at www.browncoffeeco.com

Christmas in Baghdad

(I received this e-mail from my buddy Scott the other day and am reprinting it with his permission. I met Scott and his wife Gina at our church in San Antonio while Scott was attending physical therapy school. A former tank commander, Scott always felt uneasy about attending school far from the action while his fomer tankmates were in harm's way. Despite having two young girls, one born just this summer, Scott was eager to do his part. Scott's selflessness and optimism are wonderful to be around. This Christmas let's remember Scott, his wife Gina and their two little girls in our prayers as well as the hundreds of thousands of families just like theirs.)

Merry Christmas!

It's hard to believe that I've been away from home for more than four months already. I have experienced a great number of things that I could probably never see at home. Some of these experiences, I could do without. Others have been amazing. Through the whole time, my wife has been fantastic. I cannot imagine a finer woman with whom to share this time. She has constantly kept me aware of the things that are happening with our girls. She sends daily reminders of my family by email and with her numerous care packages. And I get to live vicariously through the adventures of Flat Daddy. For those who don't know of Flat Daddy, check out the website that Gina has been keeping: http://web.mac.com/carow2n/iWeb/Site

I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of American people this Christmas. This month I have received packages and Christmas cards from strangers almost on a daily basis. Of course, I have received much from friends and family as well, but it is great to know that there are people at home who appreciate what we're doing here.

So, what are we doing? I have found myself traveling a lot more than I ever thought I would. I am the physical therapist serving a brigade, which consists of about 3500 of the finest Soldiers in the Army. They are spread across a fairly large area Southwest of Baghdad. I travel on a weekly basis to see our guys who are located at different Forward Operating Bases. I have really enjoyed getting out and seeing different people and places here. The main thing I notice when we drive around our area is that there are children playing outside everywhere. For the most part, they have nothing to play with, but they are always playing. Inevitably, this reminds me of my own children who are playing without me these days. Lexi says we are here because there are little girls in Iraq who aren't allowed to be happy. Unfortunately, there is a little more to it than that, but seeing these children has made me realize that these kids deserve a chance to experience freedom and to pursue their dreams just like my kids do.

We had church this morning and it was great. It was a nice break from our routine which has been pretty busy lately. It was also a good time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. As I find myself far from home this Christmas, I still have much to be thankful for. I am thankful for an opportunity to serve our country, especially in this time of conflict. I am thankful for my beautiful wife and daughters. Mostly, I am thankful for a baby in a manger, and I am thankful that the same God who I trust in Iraq is watching my family at home.

There are brave Soldiers putting their lives at risk every day over here. In return, we only ask for your prayers for our safety. Have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

sdc

An Articulate Mind

The summer after Jen and I met in Kenya, we went to Tanzania where we met three people you will hear about in this blog, Walter, John, and Marilyn.

Even though we were about the same age, John and I were years apart in maturity, myself stuck at age thirteen and he, already advancing well into his mid thirties while still physically seventeen. The difference can clearly be seen in the photos in Jen's scrapbook. John engaged in serious discussion with a Tanzanian, me making faces at the camera, John hard at work, me making faces at the camera, on and on it goes. Jen and I noticed that in several group photos, John can be seen in the background talking with the locals which, apparently, was why we all went there in the first place.

I first started reading John's thoughts on myspace and ate them up. He recently shut down that site and opened one up on blogspot. I have linked it on the side bar under ahavafriend. He just started it so there's only three posts but this is one you will definetly want to check out from time to time.

And John if you read this, I am begging, b-e-g-g-i-n-g you to retell Pigs on a Plane. That was one for the ages.