The Table Challenge {+Bonus Recipes}

The top is an old door. You would think it would be too narrow for people to gather around it. But experience would tell me differently.

The conversations, the laughs and the tears around it have been plentiful.

There’s those that have come and gone. There’s those that have been around for the duration. We have all gathered there.

It is our table.

And it is something I have grown to love so dearly.

I don’t love it because I think it is beautiful. It is not the nicest piece of furniture we have purchased. As a matter of fact, I bought it off Craigslist several years and three houses ago from a kind lady whose husband made her sell it because she never used it after she had it custom made. I bargained way too low of an offer thinking she would never take it. But guess what- her husband said she had to take the first offer, so off with a trailer we went!!

You know why I love it? It is a space where I have seen awkward and strained relationships have hour-long conversations, where I have seen people who do not know Jesus hear words of truth, where I have cried with my best friends, where I have seen the shyest introverts pour their hearts out, where I have seen transformation after transformation.

 

My middle go-against-every-grain-ever son was recently eating when I noticed {once again} that he had taken ALL of his food off his plate and was eating it directly from the table. I kindly asked him to return the food to his plate. The conversation went something like this:

Micah: “Mom, did dinosaurs eat off of a plate?”

Me: “Probably not buddy.”

Micah: “Mom, have you ever seen an antelope eat off of a plate? Or a giraffe? Or a horse?

Me: “No Micah, I haven’t. but you are HUMAN!! NOW PUT THE FOOD ON THE PLATE!!”

Micah: “But I like to be like the animals and I don’t like plates.”

 

Some days you just wave the white flag and pick your battles. But it did make me consider that God made us so different. Sharing life around the table IS a uniquely human experience. No other creation gathers at a table, nor does any other creation use food for anything more than sustaining life.

The Lord wired us for connection. He wired us for connection with Him and connection with His creation. Life around the table is a place of connection— of vulnerability, of tearing down walls, of learning from each other, of celebrating, of blessing, of peace.

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals, and to prayer. -Acts 2.42

When I think about spiritual disciplines, I think prayer, fasting, time in the Word. I don’t consider sharing in meals to be a spiritual discipline. But it certainly appears to land itself right in the middle of a list of other spiritual disciplines in Acts 2. 

 

It’s TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN. How did that even happen? Whew!! But here we are- living in a tech-saturated, grab-dinner-in-the-car, get-to-the-next-practice, limited-face-to-face-interaction, rush-through-it-all life. It is so fast paced that we go to beds with our head spinning wondering what just happened.

Perhaps Jesus knew this day was coming. Perhaps that’s why Jesus modeled table fellowship. Perhaps all along, He knew that sharing around the table nourishes us both physically and spiritually. Perhaps WE need to slow down and consider what we are eating, where we are eating and who we are eating with. Perhaps we need to practice this spiritual discipline. 

Scripture is packed full of this model. Remember the Passover meal? God made a covenant through Moses with Israel on Mount Sanai. There was a fellowship (or peace) offering where the offerer and his friends ate together in the presence of God. Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples. So many stories recorded during the ministry of Jesus involved a meal! Jesus also gathered with sinners. Visual snapshot of Luke 5/ Mark 2: Jesus says to Levi, “Follow me.” The next thing we know, Jesus is hanging out at a feast at Levi’s table. That’s where he lead him. To share a meal together with other tax collectors and sinners.

Unfortunately, I would guess the number of people walking into church buildings on Sundays and finding healing is incredibly low. I’m not saying it does not happen. The Lord can work in any space He chooses.  I would also guess the statistic of how many people find Jesus through a believer inviting them to sit at their table is astonishing. Life around the table is the space where sinners can find brokenness and belonging.

Have I convinced you yet to start sharing life around the table?

I have a challenge for you.

But FIRST, let’s set some rules for the challenge: 

Rule #1: If you are telling yourself any lies that your home isn’t big enough, clean enough, updated enough, perfect enough, fill-in-the-blank enough, write them down on a piece of paper. Then go shred it, toss it in the lake, throw it in the largest dumpster you can find. You’ll make your guests feel right at home knowing that they can bring all their imperfections into your imperfect space. Seriously, do not miss out on the blessing of life around the table because you are believing LIES that you need a perfect space. Quit looking at Pinterest and go look at the Word. 

Rule #2: Make a mental note or a written list of people who are NOT in your circle- people with whom you may have even chosen to draw a line in the sand. People of a different race? People of another religion? People of another denomination? People who claim a different political party? People who live on a different side of town? Even People in your family maybe?

Rule #3: Make a mental note or a written list of people you want to learn from. Think about the season of life you are in. Newlywed? Single? Parent? Career-driven? Married? Adult kids? Stay at Home mom? Empty nesters? Now. Consider those who have walked before you who you want to learn from. Look at those down the road a few years from where you are. Search out those who walk wisely with the Lord.

 

NOW FOR THE CHALLENGE— Get out your pen and calendar. Or if you’re like me, open your Google Calendar app. It is January and your calendar is not full yet. Start scheduling dates THIS YEAR that you can be intentional about sharing life around the table. Maybe you choose 2 days per month. Maybe you choose 2 days this year. Maybe you invite 1 family, 1 individual, 4 families or 10 girlfriends. Just make a goal and stick to it. Schedule time to share life with people on each of your lists you made- those that are like you AND those that are not like you. Write out their names. Invite them. Invite them today.

I BET you will find that you are more alike than you are different. I am SO passionate about this. I hope you can hear that coming from my words you are reading. I have witnessed so many transformations around the table that Jesus’ presence is undeniable there.

 

Now that you are in on the challenge, I want to make it easier for you. I REALLY do!! This is that transformative. I want to take one stress away from you to help you complete the challenge. So—let’s chat menu. You can choose peanut butter sandwiches and pretzels, communion, coffee and dessert, 5 course meal, water and crackers, breakfast/lunch/dinner. I’ve done it all. It truly does not matter. And I bet your new or old friends would say the same. Do NOT let the lie of the enemy that it’s about perfection stand in your way.

If you still would rather not have people around your table, choose a table at Starbucks, the park, Tazikis, or your fav cheap Mexican joint. Pick your fancy. It all works just fine.

Still hanging with me and have decided to cook dinner? I have made it easier for you by sharing 5 of my go-to easy tried and true meals that you can modify for larger or smaller gatherings! These are not my personal recipes so I have shared links!:

 

1) Paleo Pulled Pork. It tastes like it’s been smoked! The recipe says to marinate this overnight. I’ve never once marinated and it comes out delish every single time! I will say, if you’re using an Instant Pot, you’ll want to cook at least 95 minutes. I normally do this one in my CrockPot. Serve with BBQ sauce.

Sides? Chips and baked beans. Grab some buns if you want to make BBQ sandwiches. 

https://civilizedcavemancooking.com/recipes/pork/crockpot-pulled-pork/

 

2) Fiesta Chicken! I have cooked this at least 842 times. It’s perfect because your friends can fix to their liking. Tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, nachos. It’s my go to 9 times out of 10. CrockPot, InstantPot or stovetop ALL work perfectly.

Sides? Tortillas, chips, salsa, cheese and guac!

https://cookiesandcups.com/slow-cooker-fiesta-chicken/

 

3) Brinner! No link here, but choose a few dishes of what you like! This is sure to work for the picky eaters in your crowd as well. Who doesn’t love breakfast?! Eggs, hash browns, avocado, fruit, toast, sausage, bacon, ham, pancakes, waffles,  biscuits, muffins, breakfast casseroles, banana bread, OR- go with an omelet buffet!

 

4) Old Fashioned Veggie Soup! Yum! Whip up a few grilled cheese sandwiches for the kids in the crew who aren’t loving the idea of vegetable soup.

Sides? Chips or crackers.

http://smilesandwich.com/2015/10/03/my-moms-old-fashioned-vegetable-beef-soup/

 

5) Cheat Spaghetti!! Did you know there are a few brands of spaghetti sauce that are made without sugar or junky oils? Trader Joes’ Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce is my fav! Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce is another one of my go-to’s. Brown some ground beef, mix together and add some extra seasonings. You’ve got yourself a meal.

Sides? Spaghetti squash and/or noodles. I cut my spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and bake on 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. Pull it out of the oven and just scrape out with a fork!

 

So, you’ve got the challenge. You’ve got restaurant ideas and you’ve got recipe ideas. Go meet Jesus and others around the table. Share your life and be blessed by someone else sharing theirs. 

Let me know how it goes!

-Tiffani