Last night, I drove an hour to go to the Starbucks on 1100 Ken Pratt Blvd. in Longmont, CO. Of course there is a Starbucks on practically every corner in Denver but I made the trek up to Longmont because I wanted to go to THIS store. I used to work at this store. Twice. But at 8:00 last night, that store closed its doors for the last time.
This store is special to me. When it first came to Longmont, I was in college. It was the first Starbucks in town; when Starbucks stores just started to pop up. It has been the only store with no drive thru and where they still mark the drink orders on the cups (I hate the stickers - it seems to impersonal). I wanted to work there and one summer I did.
Then, after 12 years of teaching, I quit my teaching job in Nashville, TN and moved back to Colorado to start something new. I didn't have a clue what. My first step was to apply for a job at Starbucks. Did you know you can get health insurance with part-time work and a 401K? It would give me something to do while I figured things out. I ended up getting a job at the same store - 1100 Ken Pratt Blvd.
I cried. The first day of work there were tears. I felt like I was going backwards. This was not where I was supposed to be in life. I had a career. Did I really just give it all up to move into my parent's basement and work at Starbucks with 20-year-olds?
It didn't take long to realized that there were some amazing people who worked there. And that they weren't all 20-year-olds! I got to know some of the best ladies who were all there for various reasons. Several who attended the church I did and a girl who had also just moved to Longmont and was from Nashville. I ended up with a really great manager. I got to know some of our regular customers (and their drink orders). Every person taught me something. It was a well needed break. It was my mini retirement from teaching.
Then, after 12 years of teaching, I quit my teaching job in Nashville, TN and moved back to Colorado to start something new. I didn't have a clue what. My first step was to apply for a job at Starbucks. Did you know you can get health insurance with part-time work and a 401K? It would give me something to do while I figured things out. I ended up getting a job at the same store - 1100 Ken Pratt Blvd.
I cried. The first day of work there were tears. I felt like I was going backwards. This was not where I was supposed to be in life. I had a career. Did I really just give it all up to move into my parent's basement and work at Starbucks with 20-year-olds?
It didn't take long to realized that there were some amazing people who worked there. And that they weren't all 20-year-olds! I got to know some of the best ladies who were all there for various reasons. Several who attended the church I did and a girl who had also just moved to Longmont and was from Nashville. I ended up with a really great manager. I got to know some of our regular customers (and their drink orders). Every person taught me something. It was a well needed break. It was my mini retirement from teaching.
Speaking of retirement, the Starbucks job also helped me get the current job I am in. I work in the retirement industry and had to do a three part interview including a presentation on retirement. I took a conversation I had with one of those 20-something's who did not contribute to their 401K, and presented on THINGS YOU WOULD SAY TO A 20 SOMETHING ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR 401K. I did some storytelling about where I was in life, compared the levels of coffee drinkers to the levels of education about retirement and felt comfortable with my presentation. I ended up getting the job.
I didn't feel I should be at Starbucks but looking back, it was a great season in my life. One where I had fun, enjoyed making (and drinking) coffee and made some really great friends. At the Starbucks reunion last night, I was reminded that while you may not feel you are where you should be, God has you right where He wants you IN HIS TIME. Starbucks was the place for me AT THAT TIME. IN HIS TIME He may be setting you up for something greater, teaching you a few things or putting you around people who need you or around people you need. Something I need to remember as I look to where I am today.
You can't have everything you want right away. But you have everything you need for right now. -Ally Fallon
It's true. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. God is giving you just what you need and using you right where you are.
I didn't feel I should be at Starbucks but looking back, it was a great season in my life. One where I had fun, enjoyed making (and drinking) coffee and made some really great friends. At the Starbucks reunion last night, I was reminded that while you may not feel you are where you should be, God has you right where He wants you IN HIS TIME. Starbucks was the place for me AT THAT TIME. IN HIS TIME He may be setting you up for something greater, teaching you a few things or putting you around people who need you or around people you need. Something I need to remember as I look to where I am today.
You can't have everything you want right away. But you have everything you need for right now. -Ally Fallon
It's true. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. God is giving you just what you need and using you right where you are.
RSS Feed
