WAWA (WARM COOKIES)

AuthorSTEVE CASE

I’ve been getting my gasoline at Wawa lately. I find myself driving by other gas stations in favor of Wawa. This is for several reason. First I’m impressed by any marketing genius who can make a go of a business called Wawa. They have cheap gas, clean restrooms, courteous staff, cookies, coffee and I’ve actually seen people cleaning the fountain-drink dispensers. A few weeks ago I had my first sub from Wawa. Some sort of chipotle popcorn chicken number that was quite tasty.

Wawa is fairly new to Florida. Up-north there are places where Wawa and another gas/convenient store called Sheetz have a rivalry going. Sort of like Krispy Kreme verses Dunkin or FSU vs UF or Steelers vs Browns. I will give it to Sheetz on the grab-and-go coffee and sweet tea. If Wawa ever comes out with their own brand of coffee in a can I will probably move in.

I was filling my tank the other day and spotted a sign that said, “All lattes any size 1.99.” I never had a Wawa latte so i thought I would give it a shot. If you have never been to a Wawa here’s how it works. You walk in and step up to a touch screen. You tap food or drink, then you tap what kind you want, hot or cold, large or small, extra expresso or whipped cream etc. The machine prints you a receipt with a number and when they call your number you grab your food and go.

So I’m in my local Wawa. It is seven o’clock AM on a cool Sunday morning.

I touch LARGE,

and REGULAR

and ICE

and NO WHIPPED CREAM

and was tempted to touch EXTRA EXPRESSO but I did not.

I touched the FINISHED button and think I am done. Nope. There on the screen is one amazing question.

“Would you like a warm chocolate chip cookie with that?

I don’t know a whole lot of people who would answer “No” to that question. I don’t care what the THAT in the question is. Maybe you just bought a high powered circular saw at Home Depot...if the next question is “Would you like a warm chocolate chip cookie with that?” Most people would say “Yes”.

I would love to try this at church. Here’s your bulletin. Would you like a warm chocolate chip cookie with that? Yes. Yes, I would.

Here...take and eat this. It is my body which was broken for you. Take and drink this. It is my blood which was shed for you. Would you like a warm chocolate chip cookie with that?

Having a good day? Having a bad day? God says, “I want to make it just a little better. Would you like a warm chocolate chip cookie with that?” Yes, God. Yes I would.”

Leaders of foreign countries could sit down with each other and discuss how to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons. “Here’s our proposal for disarmament. Would you like a warm chocolate chip cookie with that?”

Warm chocolate chip cookies are like God’s love. You can’t offer one in anger or hate. You can be a vindictive judgmental and damning creator and still say, “Here’s the life I want for you....would you like a warm chocolate chip cookie with that?”

Warm Chocolate Chip cookies = God’s unconditional love. Yes, I would like some please. Yes, I could really use it. My week has been a bad week. My school work has been stressing me out. The world seems like it’s ready to rip itself apart. Yes, I would like a warm chocolate chip cookie. (Cookie=God’s love.)

God is love. Love is God. It says so in the Bible. It frightens me how many people have a view of God as carrying around his big bucket of lightning bolts. What if we saw a God with a kiss-the-cook apron and a plate of cookies?

GOD: “Here is a life. It’s yours. You can do ANYTHING you want to with it. It’s entirely your call....would you like a warm chocolate chip cookie with that?”