Charlie and Katie were in Michigan visiting Charlie's family between Christmas and New Years. Charlie and Katie are young, in love, and Caleb and Sonja's friends. I snagged them for a 9:30 brunch on Saturday morning, inviting Charlie's mom, Pat, to join us.
Acacia and kids were also visiting us. Charlie was Caleb's best man and Katie stood up for Sonja, so we were all together a year ago for the wedding. In fact, that was the beginning of "Charlie and Katie." The reunion was great fun.
We sat around the dining room table sharing our stories, getting to know each other better and enjoying sweet fellowship. The house was Christmasy, the music on, the food simple, but good. I had imagined everyone would be busy and have other places to be, so I was thrilled as we lingered over food and memories of the year.
As time passed I realized I was practicing a new art of mine. I was raised in a good Dutch home. Normal for us was to finish the meal, women get up to clean the table and kitchen, men retire to the TV room to watch football. I have been working for the past few years to change the mealtime culture to include more rest, more story telling, more sweet fellowship around the table.
On this particular morning I realized I didn't want to move for fear of breaking the spell of sweet fellowship. Getting up to take dishes to the kitchen might signal the need to move on. The grandkids were, by now, busy with the craft box making us things, the adults content to sip coffee and relax. So we sat around those dirty dishes and the warming milk for two and a half hours. When we finally moved Katie and Charlie washed the dishes, Al put things away, and I continued getting to know my new friend, Pat.
This was a morning kissed with the presence and peace of Christ. A gift on Christmas Saturday. And a success in my journey of making mealtimes sacred times of sharing and sweet fellowship. God is good!
Acacia and kids were also visiting us. Charlie was Caleb's best man and Katie stood up for Sonja, so we were all together a year ago for the wedding. In fact, that was the beginning of "Charlie and Katie." The reunion was great fun.
We sat around the dining room table sharing our stories, getting to know each other better and enjoying sweet fellowship. The house was Christmasy, the music on, the food simple, but good. I had imagined everyone would be busy and have other places to be, so I was thrilled as we lingered over food and memories of the year.
As time passed I realized I was practicing a new art of mine. I was raised in a good Dutch home. Normal for us was to finish the meal, women get up to clean the table and kitchen, men retire to the TV room to watch football. I have been working for the past few years to change the mealtime culture to include more rest, more story telling, more sweet fellowship around the table.
On this particular morning I realized I didn't want to move for fear of breaking the spell of sweet fellowship. Getting up to take dishes to the kitchen might signal the need to move on. The grandkids were, by now, busy with the craft box making us things, the adults content to sip coffee and relax. So we sat around those dirty dishes and the warming milk for two and a half hours. When we finally moved Katie and Charlie washed the dishes, Al put things away, and I continued getting to know my new friend, Pat.
This was a morning kissed with the presence and peace of Christ. A gift on Christmas Saturday. And a success in my journey of making mealtimes sacred times of sharing and sweet fellowship. God is good!
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