The Table

I wrote about this a few years ago on face book but cant find the post so I am re-doing it. This is our family table. Many stories to tell about this table. First of all it when our family began to grow we needed a larger table. So my brother and husband built this table. It was previously an old church door. The legs are made from old porch posts. My brother now deceased was a very talented carpenter, however he had lost his eye sight due to diabetes and so when this table was built he was blind. He did it by touch and Deahl would help him as he put it together. That makes it special in itself.

Someone gave us an antique church pew that is 10 foot long for one of the benches and the other bench was built by my best friends husband David Strange who died last year from cancer.

This table has been a huge part of our family. It has been the center of family game night, family devotions. Many pages of homework has been completed on this table. Many sentences have been written at this table. Placement papers signed for many children, service plans, behavior contracts, and adoption papers. It has held thanksgiving dinners for the multitudes and been the base for school projects, from volcanos to piniatas. It has held cookies for cookie exchanges and bake sales hosted birthday parties and been the folding place for many loads of laundry.

All of this makes this a beloved piece of furniture in our home. But the one thing that makes it the most treasured in our home is this...

every child that has even been a part of our family has signed the underside of this table. There are now over 60 signatures. Some have been here more than once. Many are faded from time. Foster children that have left only to come back at a later date. Many are grown and married. A few we have lost contact with. Sadly some are in prison due to poor choices and a failed system. Many have changed their name to Rooks now. Some come back to visit and they always look under the table to try and find their name among the many.

These children (most now adults) no matter where they are now always have a place at the table, as we do with Jesus. We just have to accept it.