That the generation to come might know, even
the children yet to be born, That they may arise and tell them to their
children, That they should put their
confidence in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments…
Psalms 78:6-7
When I look at my kitchen table I am reminded of many
memories. I guess we have had that table
about 12 years or so. We have spent many
moments together at that table, homeschooling, eating, visiting, doing crafts,
and we are not finished with it yet.
Of course when it was brand new, I tried to make sure no one
wrote on it, scratched it, or nicked it, but with four kids, it didn’t take
long for it to get its first scratch.
That first scratch was soon followed by paint, marker, pen marks, fork
scratching, and the list goes on. Now
those marks are precious reminders to me of how life used to be. They serve as reminders of sweet days, when
at the time I might have been ready to pull my hair out. They are reminders of days gone by that make
us remember to be grateful for the moments we have because we realize how fast
they are passing.
We also have eaten many holiday
meals around that table. Sometimes we
had extended family join us and sometimes it was just our family, enjoying a
special meal on a special day together.
I remember one Thanksgiving in particular. It was just us. The kids were having fun, playing in the
woods together. It was cold and dreary
and while they were at the woods playing, big soft snowflakes began to
fall. They had so much fun. Then they came home to gather around the
table for a warm holiday meal.
This table is also a place where
many words of wisdom have been imparted.
Here their father, while eating a meal together, shared advice with his
children who soaked up every word he said. With the busyness of life, sometimes the
moments we got to spend together all in one place were few and far
between. Just having dad at the table brought
a whole new dynamic to the meal, and everyone hung on his words. In Deuteronomy God tells us to teach our
children about Him and His love. He
instructs us as parents to talk about this with our children as we sit at
home. The kitchen table is the perfect
place to talk about the goodness of God.
The scratched up imperfect table
is beautiful to me. It has character and
personality that makes it different from any other table in the world. It holds the scars of our family, good and
bad, and I love it all. I used to want
to refinish it and cover up all the blemishes, but now I know I will never
change it. I want my children to come
back someday with their own children and gather around that table, scratches
and all. I want them to look at it and
remember the conversations, laughter, and the warmth shared there. It is a symbol of togetherness, unity, and
love.
As you look at your kitchen table,
remember what a symbol it is. Remember
all the history it holds and all that has transpired there. Let it be a treasure to you instead of an
eyesore. The value of an object is not
always in the beauty, but in the meaning it holds for us. Our lives can be thought of in much the same
way. We are scarred and imperfect. We have blemishes and dents, but God still
treasures us. He sees the value beneath
the finish. Thank Him for accepting you,
nicks and all.
Love GOD, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got! Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 MSG
