Occasionally when people see our dining room table for the first time, they do a double take and say something like "Hahaha. Pretty evident you have kids, huh?" What they are saying is that my table is pretty messy. It's covered in dried paint, superglue spots, dents, sticker remnants, scratches, permanent marker drawings, etc.
I'll admit when the kids were little and this table was brand new, I was pretty paranoid about it getting messed up. I wanted it to be perfect and clean since it's one of the first things people see when they walk into our house. However over the years, I've really grown to love its unique look.
A few nights ago I couldn't sleep, so I was just walking around the house praying/thinking as I sometimes do, when I sat down at our table... After sitting there for awhile, I began to pick out certain little spots and remember the craft/activity/project associated with each one. It was probably about midnight at that time and to be honest, I was getting a little emotional thinking about all of the good times we've shared together sitting around this somewhat cheap piece of wood from Big Lots.
As I continued to just sit and inspect the little stains, I couldn't help but smile. Specific memories started to flood my brain:
The birthday party spot
Megow mecca for art
The "more than occasional" location to check out new critters
Science Experiment Headquarters
Princess tea party castle
"School permission slip torture night" buddy
Bible time table (my fave)
Late-night friend sleep over snack station
Seasonal Central
Easter Eggs are my favorite activity!
Pen pal shipping/receiving dock
Where I witnessed each
of them learn to read
THE spot to build fun costumes
Where the first Megow kid original story was penned
A cast member in the best Mannequin Challenge ever
Homemade toy creation warehouse
Family Meeting Location
Doug (our dog)'s first adoption party
A runway to unveil new fashion trends
And finally a trap to catch Bigfoot
That quiet time at our table was a great reminder to not get stressed about how perfect or clean my house might be. It was also something that helped remind me that other people's perception of certain things in my life shouldn't define how I perceive them. Although some might see this as a piece of furniture that needs to be replaced with a nicer, newer table, I love the fact that all of these stains and imperfections bring me joy. I am super thankful I paused a moment and was reminded to be grateful for not only the wonderful memories the kids and I made together, but also all of the blessings that have been afforded to us to make those memories. I'm so grateful for our dirty table :)
Isn't it so neat how God plants these tiny little seeds of joy and encouragement for us to discover as they bloom?
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Seth
No comments:
Post a Comment