I do believe that this post breaks the longest hiatus from blogging I've had since I started nearly two years ago. I've watched a lot of other fellow bloggers go through times of relative inactivity, so I suppose that I was due. Anyway, some things have changed in my daily rhythms lately, which may or may not result in more posts. I'd like to think that it will, but I'm a little scared to make any promises.

I've ended my run with the righteous order of the green apron - at least for the time being. The location of the store I worked in was just too far away from home, which meant I wasn't spending enough time working the soil of this area. There have been rumors of a new storefront from the previously mentioned "order" right here in Ramona. If that comes to pass, I'll likely re-up with them, because it really is a killer way to meet people and be a part of their lives. Until then (and after then too, actually), I'll continue to hang out and drink coffee at the local joint - good people there.

As I was working my final few shifts over the past week, I realized with some amount of gratitude to God that I had been effective in my mission there. When I told many of my regular customers that they wouldn't be seeing me regularly any longer, for the most part they expressed a genuine sense of regret, and wished me well. Lest I sound like I have an outrageously inflated impression of myself, I do realize that my role in these peoples' lives was very very very small indeed. However, I do believe that I made a significant connection with them that went beyond handing them a cup of coffee or a latte. Heck, I heard that the day after my last shift, the eight-year old son of one of my regulars cried all the way home because he was bummed out. Truth is, I miss little Alex too.

The past eight months have demonstrated to me how easy it is to have an impact on people - if only a small one. At the risk of once again overly inflating something simple, I wonder if I haven't learned a lesson of Jesus here.

**Thank you Jesus, for letting me wear your name tag.**