I can remember the first table that I owned. It was from Ikea. I remember putting it together (and maybe playing in the box afterwards). It was small, but it was mine. Then came Kristin, we were married. A tiny table works in a tiny apartment. Many dinners were eaten there together. We laughed, and cried…and shared our days. We worked on projects there, opened up our Bibles there, and it was always decorated for every season, thanks to Kristin. Others were invited into our lives; good food and coffee stains, bad news, and times of grieving. It was a place where we connected and conversations happened.
We still have that table, we fold laundry on it in the basement. Little tiny socks and onesies were sorted there once upon a time. Now it’s buried under our growing load of laundry. I am not one to be sentimental for something as simple as a table. But I have to admit, it’s more than just a table to me.
Our family grew, and so did our table. It was time to get something larger… and more chairs! Instead of teeth marks from a puppy, our chairs now are covered in dry yogurt and apple sauce. It’s hard to have nice stuff with kids! My wife still decorates every season. Bibles are still opened, and hard conversations still happen there. We laugh, we cry, and our kids know it’s a place we gather. Others are invited into our lives. At this table, we eat, kids do homework, and lego creations are made. You see, it’s not just a table.
Kids grow older, life circumstance change, but God is always faithful. As we go and navigate through life, it seems that our table is a place where life is lived, and I must say, because of Jesus, in abundance! It’s not just a table to me. It’s a place where the gospel is lived out.
Check out this short video of some friends as they open the scriptures together as a family. You can tell it’s more than just a table to them too. So, what do you do around your table?
