Month: November 2011

Posted on in 2011 Posts

If Your Table Could Talk, What Would it Have to Say?

I remember when I was first married our first dining room table was a round aluminum umbrella table that should be used outside.  We threw a table cloth over its frame to cover the hole in the middle for the umbrella and put some sturdier chairs around it so that no one entering our home would realize right away that it was not a real kitchen table.  As we started having children, having a nicer table became more important to me.  I needed to make sure that there was room for each family member around the table, as well as room for a friend or two that decided to stop by and dine with us. So over the years, we went from the umbrella table, to a round table for 4, and now to an oblong table that seats 8.

So what is so important about a table anyway?  Most of us don’t even use them anymore unless we are entertaining or it is a special occasion like a holiday, birthday or something.  Many people are even forgoing their formal dining rooms in their homes and replacing that space with an office or library.  I think the table is so very important in our home that when I have gone looking for a new home, if it doesn’t have space to put a really long table in it, I have walked away and gone onto the next one.

To me, tables unify a family.  It brings everyone to one central location and puts them on an even plane.  For us shorter people, those that typically might tower over us, are now looking us eye to eye.  If everyone is sitting at the table for a meal and someone decides not to sit there, it is an instant act of discord or disunity, is it not?  I remember fixing a meal, setting the table and then arguing with the kids to come sit with us as a family instead of sitting in front of the TV night after night for many years while raising my kids.  When everyone is sitting at a table looking at each other, it opens the lines of communication.  And for some odd reason, it feels safe.  Just having that little piece of wood there between us, provides us with enough personal space that we don’t feel threatened or invaded.

Jesus used tables a lot in the Bible.  It was mentioned on more than one occasion about someone going and preparing a table.  A prepared table, or set table, is an invitation to those entering to come and sit down a while and enjoy one another’s company.  Have you ever been to a wedding and had assigned seats for the meal?  I don’t know about you, but until I see the name place at the table with my name on it, I am in a panic.  What if they forgot to put me at a table?  But once I see it, I instantly feel welcome and a part of the big day.

Jesus also welcomed the tax collectors and sinners to sit at His table with Him when others could not understand.  He realized that these particular people didn’t really need healing in a physical sense as others did.  However, Jesus knew they needed spiritual healing instead.  By inviting them to His table, He was able to talk with those who otherwise would not have seen the need to take the time to get to know Him.  It was a very unthreatening environment and enjoying a meal together around a table breaks down barriers that might otherwise be in the way.

Saturday, we had about 17 people here for lunch to celebrate Thanksgiving.  It was very important to me for us to all be at one table so in order to accommodate, Jim added a couple of leaves into our regular table and put another table on the end of that to make sure all of the chairs were basically around one big central space.   As we sat around the table, eating our holiday meal, it felt as though for that moment, all masks were gone and we were one.

Our table has many stories to tell if it could talk.  It has heard the stories of missionaries, the heartaches of good friends, and the struggles of our children as they passed from childhood into becoming the adults they are today.  It could also boast of lots of times of laughter where some even laughed until they cried on more than one occasion.  It will be sad if we move to another home and replace our table with another.  It has been through some good as well as bad times with us…it’s almost like it has been part of the family.  But our family is growing and therefore, so must our table!   When the kids and our friends aren’t here and it’s just Jim and I day to day, we’ll probably appear like the Richie Rich family with him at one end and me at the other end of a very long table.  However, I’m not going to look at it anymore as a lonely or sad thing.  I’m going to look at each chair as a symbol of each child or loved one that I expect to be sitting there at our next family get together.  I won’t look at them and be sad that they are gone; rather, I will look at the seats with great anticipation of the next time we are all gathered once again to celebrate another occasion.

So what stories does your table have to tell?  Who can you invite in the weeks ahead to come sit, eat, and get to know you a little better than before?  It’s really not about the food or beauty of the table settings; rather, it’s about taking the time for loved ones and friends.  Relationships are the important things in life.  So go prepare your table and invite some friends over this holiday season!  You’ll be glad you did!

Luke 24: 30-35 (NKJV)  30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Posted on in 2011 Posts

Today, I Choose To Be Thankful!

Me, Grandpa Walsh, and Daddy Bill…waiting on the traditional dressing!

It has always been important for me to be able to cook Thanksgiving dinner as well as my mom so that one day I might carry on her traditions.  My first year of marriage, I was determined to have my parents over for dinner with me having prepared an entire Thanksgiving feast just for practice.  Mom came over the night before and helped me put the dressing together.  Then the next day, she came a little early to help out where she could, so I asked her to make the gravy.  She started looking around and finally asked me where I had put the giblets. “Giblets?  I don’t know, what’s that?” Well, you’ve probably guessed it; although my first turkey was very moist and tasty, I had forgotten to take the bag of giblets out of the middle of it before I cooked it!  Just minor details…after a few laughs, it all worked out OK.

Over the years, Mom continued to pop in to help and offer advice on the dressing or other items that I was preparing.  I have learned that even though she didn’t have an exact recipe for her wonderful dressing, there was a certain technique to getting it right year after year.  Last year, my mom was no longer with us to come and offer advice or help make the gravy.  I felt it was very important now more than ever that I pass along the family wisdom to my children so that they too, might be able to carry on our traditions once I am gone.  With that in mind, last year, I asked my son to get up early and help with the dressing making.  He’s the one in the family that might actually make it again someday.  It was a special time as I carefully explained the art of Grandma’s dressing and was excited that he was enthusiastic about learning the family secrets.  I cherish special times with my loved ones like that and am thankful that God has put each one into my life.  I imagine that my mom probably felt the same when I was eager to learn as well.

Reflecting this Thanksgiving season, I am reminded especially as Americans, we have so much to be thankful for in even the little things we take for granted.  Even though our nation is in tough times right now, we can be thankful that we are free and among the wealthiest people on this earth despite what our government budget looks like today.  I was driving through some small towns last week and although we are said to be the wealthiest nation, I was disturbed to see several homeless people on the side of the road digging through trash barrels as I drove by.  I might expect this in downtown Cincinnati, but not in the smaller rural communities for some reason.  For the last week there has even been a gentleman standing on a street just down from my home with a sign reading “unemployed, will work for food”.  Sometimes I feel led to give what I can to those alongside the road and other times I drive on by in fear or disbelief that they are actually homeless.  In today’s world, you just never know who you can trust so I wonder how many people who are truly in need that I pass by because of those who have falsely proclaimed to have need when they really weren’t needy at all.

Where do we draw the line?  Do we just give to everyone with their hand out and hope that they are sincere?  Or do we just pick and choose the ones we will give to by how we have determined to size up their need?  I know there are several people who have enjoyed middle to upper class lifestyles and are now finding themselves unemployed and without money for groceries next week.  If I were to look at them, I would think that by the clothes they wear and the cars they drive, they are not in need.  However, in today’s world, we really can’t make that determination. Joblessness is affecting people from all walks of life.  Of course, someone who owns a home, cars and other valuables are in a lot better shape than someone living on the streets, but it doesn’t diminish the fact that times are tough for a lot of people.

One day as I was out showing a client homes to buy, we came up on a dad with three kids who were walking through the house we were there to see.  It was a scene that is becoming all too familiar and I cautioned my buyer to stay in the car until we determined the mindset of the man there.  The kids were bringing things out of the house, mostly clothing, and putting it into the trunk of their tiny car.  Thankfully the man was not angry as some are about their circumstances and told us to come on in to look at the house.  My heart broke as I walked through this house that used to be called home for this family.  The kids were walking kind of aimlessly through the structure looking through what was left of their once prized possessions now strewn across the floors while trying to determine what they were going to need in the next several months.  There were TV’s on the walls, exercise equipment, furniture, toys and even treasured photographs lying around they were leaving behind.  I think this family was realizing that all of those things weren’t near as important as they once were.

I don’t know what happened to that family, but I know this scene is replaying every day across America.  We can read about it in the news reports but it doesn’t really become real until we are literally face to face with the reality of people losing their homes.  Perhaps you know someone personally who has lived through this scenario.  I suspect each one of us knows of someone since it is so widespread.

During this holiday season, I may not have all of the answers to homelessness and unemployment but one thing is for sure–I am thankful.  I am thankful that I am not currently losing my home or living on the streets like those who have crossed my path lately.   I am thankful for my salvation, for my husband who cherishes me, for my family who loves me, for good friends, for our home, our jobs, and for a refrigerator with food in it.  This Thanksgiving, we will have an empty seat at our table as my son serves our military in Afghanistan.  I am thankful for his service but I will be even more thankful when he returns home safe and sound.  For now, I will just hold onto the memories of last year’s special time with Rob and be thankful that we shared that time together.

As a nation in trouble, I pray that we will be a people of prayer.  I hope that those reading today will take a minute to pray for our nation, for our loved ones, for our economy, for our military, and praise God for the blessings He has bestowed on His people today.  Perhaps it is good our nation is suffering a bit.  It seems like when times are good, we forget to look to God.  However, when we and our loved ones are suffering through hard times, I would hope we would be reminded to look up and ask God to intervene.  I hope that each one of us will pray for God to show us how we can help those in need around us while thanking Him all the while that we personally can be used in some small way.

The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV), if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

May we choose to give thanks and praise for all things this holiday season and never forget the One who makes it all possible! Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on in 2011 Posts

When Life Feels Like it’s Spinning Out of Control…

We all love being in control, don’t we?  There are times in all of our lives though that it seems like all we do is wander aimlessly and no matter how hard we pray, nothing happens.  When we pray and God doesn’t answer immediately or even for years in some circumstances, we start falling into that “things are definitely out of control” mode and begin to panic.  When in reality, if we are praying and trusting God for answers, things are not out of control at all.  God hears our prayers and honors them–He is in total control once we’ve prayed. Satan would just like for us to think God’s not listening and that things out of control.

Today I was driving down the road following a big white Cadillac.  It was moving rather slowly and my first reaction was to be annoyed with their speed.  I was trying to make it on time for an appointment and they were starting to make it impossible to be on time.  I had an agenda and they were in my way!  However, as I looked closer, it appeared from the back of the car that there was in fact no one driving the vehicle!  There was not one head of a driver or passenger to be seen above the front seat head rests anywhere.  I quickly turned my frustrations of their slowness into laughing. I couldn’t see anyone driving, but I knew since the vehicle was stopping, starting and turning on turn signals 500 feet before they turned, someone was behind the wheel.  I don’t know why it is funny, but it just is because you know there is some little old man or old woman behind that wheel and they’re probably sitting on a pillow!

I realized with this scenario that I could choose to be entertained and laugh or I could be upset.  The one thing I knew was that I was no longer in control of my schedule; rather the person in front of me was.  There was nowhere I could go but just stay in the lane I knew would eventually get me there—the one I thought was going to get me there on time.

How many times are our plans and agendas stopped or slowed down by things we cannot control like slow moving vehicles in our path?  We have all been  in situations where we had a plan for our lives, prayed about it, stepped out in faith, and now things just aren’t working out as we had hoped.  Why is it when we pray about things that God doesn’t just make them happen? He seemed to say, “OK,” when we were making the plans, but now it just seems that He doesn’t care or isn’t listening as nothing seems to be going our way.   Boy this is the time where the enemy arises and puts all kinds of questions and doubts in our minds.  He really wants us to believe that God doesn’t care. If he is allowed, he will turn our focus onto things that really don’t matter in the big scheme of things, while taking our focus off of what God is actually doing in our circumstances.

I have recently been learning how to knit and to say the least, the experience has been interesting.  My goal is to make dishcloths like what my mom used to knit every Christmas for her kids and grandkids to have in their kitchens every year.  As I started following the pattern yesterday to make my first one, it just wasn’t looking right.  It’s supposed to end up square when it’s done but it was beginning to take on the shape of, of, of, I’m not sure what.  I was pretty sure it wasn’t looking like a dishcloth, though!  However, as I continue to work the pattern row by row, slowly but surely, it is starting to take form and I do believe when it is done, I may have a dishcloth!  It might not be perfect, but with a little practice, I bet the next one is wonderful!

Reflecting on today’s happenings, I am reminded that even when I can’t see God behind the wheel of my life, I have to have faith that He is there.  He sends signals here and there with unexpected happenings and/or blessing and we just have to teach ourselves to focus on those signs along the way and trust.  We may look at our dishcloths in life and think it is never going to be right even when we thought we were following the pattern exactly.  The same goes for our lives.  We can read God’s Word and pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us, but we have to have faith that the outcome will be what God perfectly designed for our lives, even when it looks nothing like we imagined.

If we could always see the driver and the final outcome of our life’s dilemmas, why would we need God?  God uses these dry times in our lives to teach us and help us grow closer to Him.  Instead of panic and dismay, my prayer for you today is that even when you have that out of control feeling and think that life has thrown you another lemon, I hope you will find laughter instead of the turmoil that comes when we feel out of control and unloved by God. Have faith, He is still driving. As a matter of fact, the outcome He has planned for your situation is going to be a masterpiece.  Perhaps if it were a washcloth, it would win a blue ribbon at the county fair for workmanship!

Don’t allow the enemy to rob you of your joy.  Stay focused and trust that God has things under control.  Rather, laugh at your enemy that he has once again tried to cause you to stray and once again failed.  For when we are able to give up total control and trust, we can once again find the supernatural peace
and joy that only God can give.  Your answers may not come today nor even tomorrow, but rest assured they will come in God’s time. May His peace and joy be yours today while you wait and trust the Creator of the Universe to work it all out!

1 Peter 1:6-9   In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen,you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.