The red table cloth
We. are. snowed. in....right here in our little corner of the world. Gives me lots of time to reflect and remind myself of the beauty of "down time". I am not undertaking any major decluttering projects, though I thought about it. That thought was about to come to life, because I spotted the red table cloth as I walked through the downstairs.
The red table cloth. I have had it for a few years. It dons the table around the holidays and brings delight to my children, as it really has a festive beauty to it. I picked it up from its resting spot just a bit ago. After being laundered it made it as far as the entry to the closet which contains "the all things Christmas" tub, which is tucked under the stairs, where no one dares go! I started to fold it again, and thought of bravely returning it to its home, but then I didn't. Instead, I stopped and thought of the purpose that red cloth has. Its a pretty simple, no need for explanation, down to earth purpose. All it does is cover my table... Have you seen my table? I think those of you who have come into my house have seen the table, well maybe. Usually it is piled high with homeschool books, old dishes and a layer of leftover crumbs. Underneath all that is a table well endowed with a plethora of fork dings, scratches, finger nail polish and dents. It's worn and needs to be polished, if not refinished. I told Ryan when we bought this table after the tornado that we would never get rid of it. I had just enough foresight that we would do our best to take care of it, but being a realist I also understood the value of a good table being used. The days turned into years and more children found their space around it and family, young and old, gathered to it. We have dined, laughed, played, cried and lounged there. It's used and it's loved. As the saying goes, "if these walls could talk", I refer to my table in the same way. In fact, I look at it and not just smile at the moments spent around it, but also liken it to my life. I have a few scratches, been a little worn out, maybe even have a few dings. But as time goes on I hope all those imperfections are turning into something beautiful.
So why do I keep the red table cloth around? Isn't it ok to show that my table and I are not perfect? Absolutely! Here's what you need to know about the red table cloth and why it is also a treasure though. For a short time, just a season, it covers up my table, so others are not drawn to the flaws. In reality, I want others to see my real table and the real me, but I never want them to be drawn to the blemishes, I want the covering to be breath taking. I want them to say, "oh my, she has flaws, look at them, but have you seen the Beauty that covers her?" Jesus Christ came into the world to save seriously sinful people like me. He not only covers all my sin, but He has paid the price for it. Today and for all eternity. God had the foresight, the all knowingness, to understand that I would never be worthy on my own, apart from Him. I needed Him for eternity and He had it covered long before I ever knew it.
Oh the goodness found in a red table cloth, on this snowed in January day!
So you may come to my house in the winter months and see that red table cloth adorning a worn and tattered table, but you and I both can visualize what is underneath. You may very well come to my home, on any given day, and see a few people in the same condition. But boy do I hope that what you really see is a Love so big that it covers much more than what a red cloth draped over a table can. I hope it leads you to the One that delights in you, the One who enters into the mess with you, says, "that one, she's mine". I want you to consider letting Him cover you, taking away the pain, perhaps shame or guilt, the brokenness that has weathered your weary, wanton soul. I want you to know that He not only covers it but can make it beautiful. Maybe on the outside, like my table, then you may still look a little "used", but oh how breath taking it is to be renewed! I am not trading my table in for a new one, but my life can and is redeemable through Him. And this is my hope, on a dreary, frigid winter day, in our little turn in the road of rural Iowa, that you would be reminded or understand maybe for the first time, that no matter where you are, what you have done or what has been done to you, God is there and will meet you right where you are at, scars and all. It's my desire that when you sit at my table, which you are always welcome at, that you will not study the flaws and be disappointed by them. But maybe you will think of them, pondering your own life, and be drawn to Beauty. May it be so.
The red table cloth. I have had it for a few years. It dons the table around the holidays and brings delight to my children, as it really has a festive beauty to it. I picked it up from its resting spot just a bit ago. After being laundered it made it as far as the entry to the closet which contains "the all things Christmas" tub, which is tucked under the stairs, where no one dares go! I started to fold it again, and thought of bravely returning it to its home, but then I didn't. Instead, I stopped and thought of the purpose that red cloth has. Its a pretty simple, no need for explanation, down to earth purpose. All it does is cover my table... Have you seen my table? I think those of you who have come into my house have seen the table, well maybe. Usually it is piled high with homeschool books, old dishes and a layer of leftover crumbs. Underneath all that is a table well endowed with a plethora of fork dings, scratches, finger nail polish and dents. It's worn and needs to be polished, if not refinished. I told Ryan when we bought this table after the tornado that we would never get rid of it. I had just enough foresight that we would do our best to take care of it, but being a realist I also understood the value of a good table being used. The days turned into years and more children found their space around it and family, young and old, gathered to it. We have dined, laughed, played, cried and lounged there. It's used and it's loved. As the saying goes, "if these walls could talk", I refer to my table in the same way. In fact, I look at it and not just smile at the moments spent around it, but also liken it to my life. I have a few scratches, been a little worn out, maybe even have a few dings. But as time goes on I hope all those imperfections are turning into something beautiful.
So why do I keep the red table cloth around? Isn't it ok to show that my table and I are not perfect? Absolutely! Here's what you need to know about the red table cloth and why it is also a treasure though. For a short time, just a season, it covers up my table, so others are not drawn to the flaws. In reality, I want others to see my real table and the real me, but I never want them to be drawn to the blemishes, I want the covering to be breath taking. I want them to say, "oh my, she has flaws, look at them, but have you seen the Beauty that covers her?" Jesus Christ came into the world to save seriously sinful people like me. He not only covers all my sin, but He has paid the price for it. Today and for all eternity. God had the foresight, the all knowingness, to understand that I would never be worthy on my own, apart from Him. I needed Him for eternity and He had it covered long before I ever knew it.
Oh the goodness found in a red table cloth, on this snowed in January day!
So you may come to my house in the winter months and see that red table cloth adorning a worn and tattered table, but you and I both can visualize what is underneath. You may very well come to my home, on any given day, and see a few people in the same condition. But boy do I hope that what you really see is a Love so big that it covers much more than what a red cloth draped over a table can. I hope it leads you to the One that delights in you, the One who enters into the mess with you, says, "that one, she's mine". I want you to consider letting Him cover you, taking away the pain, perhaps shame or guilt, the brokenness that has weathered your weary, wanton soul. I want you to know that He not only covers it but can make it beautiful. Maybe on the outside, like my table, then you may still look a little "used", but oh how breath taking it is to be renewed! I am not trading my table in for a new one, but my life can and is redeemable through Him. And this is my hope, on a dreary, frigid winter day, in our little turn in the road of rural Iowa, that you would be reminded or understand maybe for the first time, that no matter where you are, what you have done or what has been done to you, God is there and will meet you right where you are at, scars and all. It's my desire that when you sit at my table, which you are always welcome at, that you will not study the flaws and be disappointed by them. But maybe you will think of them, pondering your own life, and be drawn to Beauty. May it be so.
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