We have been in our new to us home in Amarillo since February 18th. We have owned this new to us home since Feb 4th. So this means there has been 20 weeks of "remodeling" going on in this here place. OH MY GOSH Y'ALL. I do not know how people do this all the time. Anyway, we came back from a wonderful 10 day unplugged family camping/fishing trip, to a house that had a range installed. WHAT THE WHAT? first a microwave, then a sink, then we actually can cook? Mind you I haven't unpacked my kitchen truly, because there is no point, there is always dust, saw dust, dirt, whatever, but they were finally finished with all the things "dusty" mostly anyway. So I finally got to unpacking. I am so OCD. I had to get shelf paper to line my perfectly brand new alabaster white cabinets, and drawers, I don't want to scratch them! Once that was done, I could start unpacking! I finally got the essentials this morning, and so today I cooked our first meal(s). Simple, yet so satisfying. We had burritos for lunch, and then tonight it was breakfast for dinner.
Tonight was so different, than things have usually gone. Don't get me wrong, I have cooked(let's be real, sort of, I tried to make it work with a rotating oven and a crock pot), but we've eaten standing, outside on the patio, sitting in the floor, in the living room, WE'VE EATEN OUT SO MUCH I DO NOT LIKE IT. We are never at the table together. The kids had their little picnic table as the kitchen table forever.
What is it about having a family meal that is so special? Why is is important? I've known that it is, and have taken it for granted so many times. It was oh so apparent tonight at dinner.
THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGED
Daddy comes home, we play, we cook together, worship music is playing in the kitchen.....it's beautiful.... I yell at my kid who drops an egg everywhere, apologize for yelling, and encourage to continue to help cook..... my other one almost burns their hand, I apologize for snapping, ask them to set the table(with the paper goods of course, I'm not getting crazy the dishwasher isn't installed yet.) (THIS IS REAL LIFE) But most importantly we are together. working together. We each do our part. We sit, we pray, I cry, we eat, food gets all over said new floor...and WE TALK. Like actually talk, where we look one another in the eye, there are no phones at the table. What was the best part of your day? What was one thing you really didn't like today? What did you talk to God about today? The last time we did this my youngest couldn't really talk that well, and his answers were silence, or "fun mom". Tonight they both talked, we laughed, and I LOVED IT. My son, with so much excitement said the same thing repeatedly, that he loved about his day. As if he was telling a different part of the story. His favorite part of the day was feeding and playing with Rowdy dog, and the sprinkler, and Rowdy dog, and trampoline--repeat. My daughter says using her cookbook, and the water sprinkler, and then she says "Mom you are a good cook, I like cooking with you." I cooked biscuits, eggs, and bacon. I'm such a chef! It doesn't matter to kids, or to husbands for that matter, Just spend time together. Let them enter your world, and vise versa.OH how I have missed this time with my family. This one thing literally made a world of difference in this new to us place actually feeling like a HOME. It was the best part of my day, my favorite part. I wanted to write about this because there will come a time in the near(hopefully not so near) future that I feel like complaining about cleaning dishes, or cooking, or meal planning, or grocery shopping....but for now I am embracing this moment, these memories. This time. And I want you to be encouraged.
Friends, there's nothing like gathering around the table, whether it's with your friends, family, or a new friend(s). I can't wait for more time around our table, for conversation, for FOOD, friendship, real connection, blessings, and memories. The table is such an easy place to truly have relationship with one another. Jesus was such a good example of this, how many times was he at someones house at their table, sharing the gospel, loving on others? I hope you have a table, and you open it up to whomever the Lord asks you to.
Blessings,
Lovely.
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