Table for Two

*I promise to get back to sewing posts - but I had to share a little piece of my heart with you after my Easter weekend*

All of my growing up years, I cherished holidays with my family.  In fact, I still love them.  But, I will say they've changed quite a bit over the last several years since losing all four blood-related grandparents.  Both sets were the "hub" of all things holiday.  It was always one place for Christmas, another for Thanksgiving and so on... They were generally loud (in a good way) and bellies were always full (not always so good).  It was about family, food, and fellowship.  But, like I said these have changed over the years due to deaths and my new marriage. 

As you know, my husband is a Director of Youth Ministries at our church.  You learn quickly that most major holidays are also some of the busiest times for the church.  We've missed spending holidays with family as our commitments are with our church family during these times.  At the beginning, I struggled with missing home, missing my parents, missing his parents, siblings, in-laws, all of it.  I missed Christmas Day with family.  But, to be frank, I was really missing the whole meaning of these days anyway.  Let me explain...

What's important about holidays is not whether you're at home or not.  It's not important that you have 10 people at your table or two or about the biggest, greatest meal you can prepare - although I love every bit of these traditional holiday celebrations!  What I can tell you, for me, it's not so much about "the day" or the preparations for it. It's about the person you're celebrating.  Ever think about that when it's someone's birthday?  Just a thought...

My Easter this year was quiet.  Jeff and I ate a wonderful meal after a long, fruitful, blessed day of worship with our church.  As I sat across the table from Jeff, I realized my table of two is enough - it always has been.  Our two dogs sat close by and we ate and reflected on the morning.  We didn't have 10 at the table, we didn't have kids running around nor did we have an extravagant meal, neither sets of our parents were able to join us.  What we DID have was time to reflect, be thankful, and enjoy celebrating the reason we have Easter - the reason we can celebrate everyday - not just on Easter, or Christmas, or Thanksgiving, or any other holiday.  He is enough.  I miss my family and wish all the time they could be here for holidays, but when we can't spend Christmas or Easter Day together, that's okay, because I can still look across the table at my family of two and celebrate what Christ as done for us.  (And, in case I'm missing the noise - you better believe I can celebrate with any of our 100ish-member congregation on any given day of the week!  In fact, we have invites every holiday to share with families in our church - what a blessing!)

Reflecting this Easter, I've learned this: holidays are not about how many people are at your table, what meal you prepare, or even if you're able to be with all your family.  All these things are great and such blessings, but it's not completely the reason we celebrate.  We celebrate because of what HE has done.  So, next time you order for 10 or two, there's a reason to celebrate, because...
He. Is. Enough.


Next holiday, I hope to remind myself that my table is never empty and my heart is always full when I walk with Him, right?  Hebrews 13:5 "...Never will I leave you, Never will I forsake you."  What a promise!  Friends - pass on the green bean casserole next year and feast on the Bread of Life - I promise it'll fill you up way more than any casserole dish or apple pie!