The dinner table was a sacred place in my childhood home.
I longed for it to be the same for my children.
Then the littles came and dinner time was often stressful.
It seemed to be the "witching hour" for babies.
I was tired and so were they.
Just getting a decent meal on the table seemed near impossible.
As the children have grown, the dinner table has become that place of refuge that I always prayed it would be...and more!
It's become...
a place to connect and share our joys
At some point, years ago, we started sharing the highlights of our day. We can hardly start eating before Judson begins asking everyone what their, "part of the day" was. It's a sweet part of our dinner culture.
a place to shepherd hearts
There are picky eaters and whining and complaining and it is ALL an opportunity to train!
a place lean on God's grace
Our reality is that Ava has difficulty with food. There's a physical component to the challenge and a mental one as well. We are aware of it every time we sit down to eat. But again, it's an opportunity to lean hard into Christ and to lovingly care for her needs.
a place to hear God's word
For us, our time of devotion reading happens best around the table. It helps to have everyone sitting in one place...especially with little guys. One of the kids usually is the one to bring the Bible to the table. The routine of talking through a Bible lesson each night, provides security for them. They aren't sure what to do without it and we think that's pretty special.
It has evolved quite a bit over the years and I pray that God continues to show us how we can best use our dinner time to bring our family together and grow closer to him.
