Are you a “regular” at a local restaurant, nursery, grocery store, or coffee shop?

In our small town, I am a regular at our local coffee shop. I FEEL known there. I AM known there.

I recently saw a barista that used to work at our coffee shop. Amber was dressed as a shepherd in the live nativity on Main Street and she said, “Catherine, I miss my regulars like you. I loved knowing what your order was when you walked in the door.” (Jasmine Green tea, half- n – half, and honey.) She also knew that I didn’t like my tea steeped too long and would quickly get it to my table so I could pull out the tea leaves from the kettle.

But it isn’t just Amber. It’s the owners as well. When we came in last week one of our kiddos said, “ If you can find Mr. John (the owner) he knows how to refill our teapot and carry it back to the table for me so I don’t burn myself.”

Even our children like to be known.

The owners know EVERY one of our children’s names. Uh hem- that IS A LOT OF NAMES!

It makes me think of a a parable that I have a vivid memory of from Luke 15.

It s a vivid memory because I had the joy of teaching it once a week for about 10 weeks one summer when I was a camp counselor at a Bible camp near Anchorage, AK 20+ years ago. I had a simple drawing of a sheep having lost it’s way and I would share with the precious girls in my cabin how very much God cares for each and every one of us!

³ “Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Luke 15:3-7

God knows YOUR name. AND HE knows just how you like your coffee/ tea. ☕️