The table my husband built

This is the table my husband built! I love it! It can seat up to 12 people (a little squishy). He finished the other day, just in time for Thanksgiving. This is the first wood item he has built, and I was so impressed at how well it turned out! We saw one like it at Restoration Hardware and he just copied it from a picture. We did order the chairs from there as we thought that they might be a little too much work!

The other day I laughed a little when I realized that we just put in a huge table and ten chairs...when only two of us live in our house. We didn't even think twice about the fact that we needed a huge table, it only occurred to me after the fact that some may come in our house and think that it was odd or maybe unnecessary. You see our house has become a little bit of a community house. Once a week we have a family dinner where our whole family comes as well as whoever else would like to join. We often have neighbours over or friends as well as the family. At least once a week our house is bursting at the seams. And I love it!

Family dinners aside, our house often collects a few people here or there for games, dinners or bible studies. Arnie and I have created an open door policy. Since day one of living in our house (over five years ago) we decided that we wanted our house to be made for family. Anyone who comes in is welcome to use whatever they want, drink and eat whatever they want and stay however long they want. You may think this is strange, but we love it. You may think we would never have time alone, but we still have plenty. You may think we would get sick of people (and yes we have had our moments) but we still enjoy their company. Maybe because this was never our house, it was always God's house and will continue to be. One day I came home to Arnie and one of our old roommates, painting something above the top of our main entrance door. It says, "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." Our desire is that our house would be a home and anyone who steps in the door would feel a part of our family, no matter who you are or where you come from. 

And that is why I love this table. It is so much more than a table to me, it represents our hearts and our desires... and let's just say there is enough room for an Ethiopian baby or two!!!