Loving the family table

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Gone are the days when I could intercept my toddlers, strap them into a high chair, and hold them captive for a family meal … however brief or slimy. In those days I longed for when our grown children would cheerfully set the table, helpfully carry steaming bowls of food, and engage in lively conversation as we lingered around the table. I still long for those family meal moments.

That day of grown children has come, and our family table is sabotaged by new obstacles taking the place of peas on the floor and fits in the chair. Every season of mothering includes challenges to the family table. We are meant to love the family table, because the family table feeds us love.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)

Our families desperately need more time together with Jesus. As we gather and experience God’s love as a group, our we nourish bonds between us, and our bond grows stronger with the Lord. It’s worth it to plan for and guard times around the family table. Sweet mama-friend, if you aim for never missing a day, never using styrofoam, and never serving a pizza, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. With a few well-placed serving pieces, you and your dear ones can have and love the family table.

Loving the family table

How to set a family table you’ll love

  1. Cover your table with flexibility. Let go of a hard-nosed schedules and certain sets of dishes that qualify as “civilized.”
  2. Provide an attitude of “welcome” as the platter. Invite your family to enjoy the food God provides & you prepare.
  3. Use forks to take a stab at practicing manners in a safe setting. Let the table be a place to model and encourage.
  4. Stir conversation gently with spoonfuls of humor, inquiry, and heaps of listening. Be glad when it spills over.
  5. Cut away the gristle of the world as your loved ones gather together and savor the best parts of life together.
  6. Let prayer be the aroma that draws your family to the table and fills their souls with the taste of blessings.
  7. As a centerpiece, be sure there is a fresh arrangement of love. Without love in the middle, it’s just food on a table.

Peas may fly and phones may vibrate, but it’s well worth the effort and the commitment to love the family table. You will love the benefits from getting to the table together whenever you can.

Why you’ll love the family table

  1. Cultivate conversation between generations
  2. Maintain awareness of each other’s lives
  3. Train children in loving behavior towards others
  4. Reclaim the ability to unplug & engage
  5. Practice serving one another
  6. Nurture gratitude for God’s provision
  7. Enjoy physical benefits of sitting & eating well

There’s so much to love about the family table, because the family table helps us love. The peas on the floor and the text messages that wait will be a small price to pay for the blessings you’ll gain. As you gather, taste God’s goodness and savor His love right there at your own family table.

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Julie Sanders
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