My Starbuck's card has become vintage. The young woman at the drive-thru window took my card to charge my grande chai hot tea with cream, my drink of choice every weekday morning on the way to work. She glanced at my card and stopped. The relaxing red and green illustration of a young man and woman leisurely driving through the country in a convertible made her pause and comment that she liked my card, and that she had never seen one like it before. Instantly, I felt dated, but I quickly chose to receive her comment as a sign that I have become vintage—characterized by excellence, maturity, and enduring appeal; in other words, classic. I received the card as a gift many years ago and have continued to add money to it whenever it gets low. I even have it registered in case I lose it or it gets stolen. This card is a reminder of something good. I enjoy the few moments I spend each morning visiting with the Starbuck's employees, many whom I have come to know quite well, and savoring my hot tea with cream for the next hour and a half. My card may be old, but to me it is a symbol of acceptance and refreshment.
During the Bible study portion of your small group meeting, consider challenging your group members to revel in the excellence, maturity, and enduring appeal of their walk with Christ. At the end of the lesson, ask each person to bring to the next meeting an item, song, journal entry, and/or memory that is evidence of his or her experience with the content. At the beginning of the next meeting, ask each person to share the significance of the item that he or she brought. Consider embracing this routine for an entire book study. Once an item or memory is associated with God's truth, awareness of it in the future will most likely have a positive effect.
