Lou in Texas

[Lou]

Greetings to all from a long-time lurker and new member of BL. I'm Louis Johnson from Texas. A few salient facts about me:

* Life-long Baptist and member of Southern Baptist churches, long wed emotionally to the SBC but much (MUCH) less so in the past dozen years or so.
* Graduate of Hardin-Simmons University with my BA in Bible & Psychology; I did not attend seminary.
* All my liberal friends say I'm conservative, and all my conservative friends say I'm liberal, so feel free to choose whatever theological label you think best fits.
* In vocational church ministry since 1979; pastor of the same small neighborhood church in Abilene TX since 1991.
* Avid reader of books in all genres. (I'm currently plodding my way through volume 2 of Edmund Morris' mammoth trilogy on the life of Theodore Roosevelt; the latest by Malcolm Gladwell is next in line).
* Fan of the works of C.S. Lewis, N.T. Wright, Philip Yancey, and (*GASP*) Donald Miller.
* Unapologetic coffee snob. (When you grow up within a faith tradition that frowns on all the other vices but this one, you're entitled to become such.)

I might not participate in board discussions a great deal, but I finally registered so that if I'm ever inclined to do so I'll have that opportunity. Thanks to all!

[Neil Heath]

Welcome, Lou! If you're a longtime lurker you know us already. I'm glad we get to know you, too.

[Haruo]

Welcome, Lou!

What sort of coffee does a Texas coffee snob like? I ask as a Seattleite not greatly enamoured of Starbucks' roasting results.

[Lou]

Haruo, although I do enjoy Starbucks coffee (if you drink it strong, black, and unsweetened like I do, the $2.25 price--including sales tax--of a large cup is not unreasonable), I've heard others express opinions similar to yours. I enjoy darker roasts, and that is what they do best. Starbucks does now brew something they call 'blonde roast' coffee, which I suppose is about as light a roast as you can get.

There is a locally-owned caffeine dispensary where I meet with our church staff on a weekly basis. I am on friendly terms with the owner, and on those mornings she grinds and brews some dark-roast Guatemalan beans that she knows I enjoy. As they say, it's not what you know, but who you know...

[Lamar Wadsworth]

Welcome, Lou--look forward to your participation. Feel free to start new threads or comment on existing ones.