Moxxee Coffee

A little over a year ago, I wandered into a Charleston coffee shop with my buddy Derek, his then girlfriend Becca, and my wonderful wife. Jamie and I were enroute from Atlanta back to Morgantown, and we crashed for the night at Derek’s house. Interestingly, I remember the trip vividly as one during which I reconnected with an old friend from Morgantown, met a dedicated supporter of Nuru who I had never met before, and launched Nuru’s first week long campaign with Sevenly clothing company.

All of these events happened in this newly opened coffee shop called Moxxee. Moxxee is a little different from the typical coffee house. For one, they custom brew each cup of coffee, and secondly, they do so by use of Clover machines. There aren’t very many Clover machines in existence, but they definitely make for a unique coffee experience.

When I returned to Charleston last week for Derek’s wedding, I had Moxxee on my list of places to go. I wanted to see how the first year of business had treated Moxxee. Did they still brew high quality coffee? Were they still dedicated to creating a quality space for connection, contemplation, and community?

Well, I was answered upon my visit with a resounding yes. I stepped into the space twice over the course of the weekend, and both times I was greeted with a long line of other people waiting patiently for their coffee drink. Every seat in the space was taken, and people were engaged in deep conversations all around me. I loved seeing this space even more alive than I had experienced it one year prior.

If you ever find yourself in the greater Charleston, WV area, and you like coffee, I highly recommend making a stop at Moxxee and enjoying a delicious cup of coffee, espresso, or even a specialty drink. I love to see local businesses like this taking off and creating another generation of quality locally owned and operated businesses in the great state of West Virginia.

Meeting Larry Groce of Mountain Stage

I’ve never found myself around town during the times that Mountain Stage has had events at the Creative Arts Center in Morgantown, but I have a number of friends in the area who are musicians, and I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the music of Appalachia and around the US from the Carter Family to today.

On Saturday, as the groom and groomsmen were getting shaves in preparation for my friend Derek’s wedding, Larry Groce, the host of Mountain Stage came waltzing into the barber shop. Of course, we let him cut line amid our wedding preparation. He had to get out of town within the hour for a concert gig.

It was great meeting a person who has done much for music, for Appalachia in general, and for West Virginia specifically. It turns out that he lives about a block away from Derek in Charleston, and he was extremely conversant, pleasant, and down to earth.

Sometimes celebrities, whatever the status, can come across smug or condescending. Not Larry Groce. In fact, he had an air about him that seemed a celebration of many of the finer attributes of West Virginia.

And what made his visit even more fortuitous, was the fact that the groom and one of the groomsmen had dedicated themselves to playing multiple instruments (guitar, drums, mandolin, piano, vocal) and both were huge fans of Larry Groce himself. In face, Cameron, one of my long time friends and a groomsman, was able to get his photo taken with Mr. Groce.

I believe that all of our lives are filled with opportunities to meet remarkable people. We just need to open our eyes. Some are people like Larry Groce who have earned a degree of remarkability based on their fame or vocation. Others, are more remarkable because they choose to live their lives with an intentionality that is lacking in many. The only way to discover these people, in my opinion, is to live one’s own life with eyes wide open and with an intentionality with regard to discovering the remarkable gifts and nature innately present in every human being.

May we each keep our eyes peeled for the remarkable, and in our own intentionality and purpose may we begin to live our own forms of a remarkable life.

The Vintage Barber Shop

As part of my friend Derek’s pre-marriage festivities, he committed his groomsmen to making a trip to his favorite barber shop in Charleston, a place called The Vintage Barber Shop. It was like a walk down memory lane, at least for me. I remember going with my dad as a little boy to sit in the barber’s chair, get my hair cut, and listen to a wide variety of stories ranging from football to politics.

Derek first discovered the shop when the business was featured in the local paper. The owner is a fellow West Virginian from around the Clarksburg area named Justin Amos. Derek first visited the space in 2011, and fell in love with the space as well as the quality haircut and shave he received each time he visited.

The shop is adorned with equipment (including barber’s chairs) from a long gone era. I remember sitting in a barber chair very similar to the one’s in the shop as a small boy when I would visit Buck’s Barber Shop in South Parkersburg with my dad. This trip was a little different than my trips from yesteryear because this was the first time I had visited a barber shop for a shave.

It was quite an experience. Each one of Derek’s groomsmen received a shave in preparation for the wedding ceremony. As stressful as it may sound to have a stranger take a razor to one’s neck and face, the whole experience was actually relaxing. I think we all went under the knife with the understanding that we weren’t the first to be shaved by Justin, and Derek had survived and returned for multiple visits.  That being said, it was extremely relaxing to have a hot towel placed on my face in an effort to prepare my face for the blade.

Those who know me know I don’t often get hair-cuts (though, since 2008, I have significantly increased my frequency), but this shave was a really cool experience. It’s not one that I’m likely to repeat with regularity, but I would definitely recommend it to any guy who has not had a shave given by another person before. And if you happen to be reading this as a person living in the greater Charleston, WV area, I recommend checking out The Vintage Barber Shop and giving it a try. While we were there, we even ran into Larry Groce as he was getting a quick trim before heading to a Mount Stage event in Bristol, VA/TN.

Derek and Becca’s Wedding

Last weekend, I was able to be part of an incredible wedding celebration that featured an old roommate. It’s the second marriage ceremony I’ve been part of in the last month, and it is always a true honor to be involved in such an intimate ceremony and sacred commitment taking place among incredible friends.

This ceremony was an interesting coming together of lives and worlds. One of the  officiants for the wedding was none other then Ben Tuel, another of my former roommates. After graduating, Ben went to work for a ministry called YoungLife in Morgantown, Charleston, and now back in Morgantown again. During his time in ministry, he had met a number of students and witnessed their lives beginning to glow with a love for God and for neighbor. His favorite was a young woman named Becca Thomas, who is now Becca Roberts, my recent roommate’s bride.

As close as Ben was to Becca, I would have to say I felt equally close to Derek. Derek was a roommate of mine for over two years, and he and I have been part of many road trips to Atlanta, Charlotte, and places in-between. I watched Derek grow in both his zeal for God as well as his compassion toward others. During the time I lived with him, I had seen him dedicate time to serving people who were less fortunate in life, both locally and globally. Along with some friends he started a cold shelter for people who did not have homes in Morgantown. He also launched a nationwide tour and drove around the country  raising awareness about the millons of people in our world who lack the tools and knowledge to lift themselves out of extreme poverty.

This coming together of worlds is really what marriage is all about. Two lives are becoming united to serve God and others in ways that they couldn’t do so on their own. Becca and Derek are currently making their home in Charleston, WV, within site of the capitol. The Robertses have been working with high school students in a local church, River Ridge Church, and continue their efforts with YoungLife as Becca finishes her nursing degree at University of Charleston.

The ceremony was definitely memorable. Much like my friends Joel andHolly, Derek and Becca chose a locale that was picturesque, and contributed greatly to the solemnity and sacred air of the occasion. Friends and relatives from many different areas came together for the celebration, and I’m hopeful that this trend will continue throughout their marriage. May their home and their jointly-lived life be a place where many connect, come together, and experience rich hospitality and a wonderful sense of deep love. And further, may their love be an example that is emulated by the many people who cross their paths during their lives together.

River Ridge Church

It's been about seven years since my friend Matt Santen and his wife (along with a few other folks) moved from Morgantown to Charleston, WV to start a church in the West Virginia state capital. And today marks the first day I have been able to attend the Sunday morning worship time. It was doubly cool because my old roommate, Ben Tuel was leading worship as I walked in. I don't think I had ever heard him play guitar or sing before, so it was a pretty cool experience that way too.

I've been sleeping at Matt and his family's house each night when I leave the hospital. As Matt leaves to drop his kids off for school or to go to soccer practice, or whatever he's got going on, he or his wife drop me off at the hospital, where I spend my day with my dad. I'm extremely grateful for the fact that the Santen's have provided me with lodging each night, and been so accommodating with getting me to the hospital. (My car is still in Morgantown, so in some ways I'm stranded and dependent on the support of others. Of course this is totally ok--we can grow dependent on the autonomy that a car gives us, and that dependency may be more detrimental to our spiritual growth than it is helpful).

As I sat among the church, I couldn't help but think about the way God has been shaping all of our lives over the years. Ben and I became Christians around the same time. Matt used to be a Younglife leader in Morgantown, and then went on to be a pastoral intern at Chestnut Ridge Church back when I first started working for GCM. Now God has Ben and Matt (along with a few other peeps) leading a steadily growing church that has planted a second church in Teays Valley since it's inception.

I was also able to connect with another Morgantown friend who was transplanted to Charleston, Eric Crutchfield. Eric actually took me back to the hospital after church, but not before stopping at a hardee's to get my dad a thickburger. (I know what you are thinking, thickburgers and 4-way bypasses don't mix. Actually, you are right, but for the next month, they want my dad to eat anything he likes, just so he eats and gets his strength back).

If you live in the Charleston, WV area, and you are looking for a church, you should definitely check out River Ridge. I think you will love the community, the messages, and the worship. It's a pretty cool group of people.