Cuppa Joe...

Good morning to the blogosphere. I'm the Assistant Author of this blog, and you'll find my submissions listed under DisplacedTexan.

I would also like to welcome everyone to the launch of BlessfulWritings. Out of the two of us, Oreganowinger is the actual author, in that she is writing books and doing research and pursuing a serious calling. I on the other hand am not a real author, but I DO play one on TV.

But seriously, what you'll see from me is one male perspective on faith and family, as well as a bit of comic relief.

Since this is the first day of National Caffeine Awareness month, I'm posting about one of my own personal vices. While caffeine is not usually considered "bad," we must remember that the Lord does not want us to allow anything worldly to control our lives. If we are afflicted with an addiction, be it caffeine, alcohol, gambling or drugs, we should pray that the Lord give us the strength to overcome the addiction.

Now, my favorite author does not drink caffeine in large amounts, but I most certainly do. Below is an excerpt from a Yahoo news article I found this morning, as well as a link to caffeineawareness.org.

Take the quiz and use the caffeine calculator. Find out if you wish to rethink the amount of Joe in your cup.

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"Today kicks off Caffeine Awareness Month and we're buzzing with excitement at the thought of 31 days dedicated to our favorite addiction. In the spirit of the event, we wonder, are you aware of caffeine? Statistics suggest you are, since 90% of Americans consume caffeine daily, and it's the most widely-used drug in the world. Great! Our job is done: We're all aware of caffeine. But after another delicious cup of joe and some high-speed research, we discovered that we're supposed to be aware that caffeine is bad -- or at least that it has negative effects. While there are conflicting reports about its long-term effects on health, there's no denying that trimethylxanthine has immediate effects on the body. It releases dopamine in the brain, triggering feelings of pleasure and reward, just like food, sex, and many other drugs. Caffeine is a psychoactive drug, after all -- a stimulant, like cocaine and methamphetamines -- and it can be addictive and even fatal in large doses. But is it really that bad? Humans have consumed caffeine [for centuries], and just look how far we've come since then. Can that really be a coincidence?"

Take the quiz! http://www.caffeineawareness.org/