InterWeavings

November Musings

November in the US brings thoughts of Thanksgiving Day.  Although it is an American holiday, the idea of devoting a day to gratitude is nice. Especially since it is the kick off weekend to the madness that is Christmas shopping!

Eating meals together around a table.  I will admit when we had all three kids at home it was easier to institute the ritual of coming to

the table for a meal.  We ate at six o’clock each night at the table. No eating in the family room in front of the television (unless mom was not home that night).  Everyone waited until the last person was seated and then a blessing was said and usually a candle lit.    Now we have only three of us at home and it is awfully tempting to just grab food and sit in front of a computer screen or a television.  But it is a matter of the heart.  We come together and join in the sacrament of breaking bread together.  All four elements have been called forth and utilized in the preparation of the meal.  We breathe in and bless the food and enter into the circle of family.

Our kitchen table is a sixty inch round lazy susan table.  I have the chairs placed at the four directions and a candle in the middle.  Cloth placemats and napkins are used instead of paper.  Cloth is kinder to the environment and to our dining experience.  They are very easy to make and cheap.  I have used worn out men’s oxford shirts to cut out 12×12 inch squares.  Either hem the edges by turning under twice and hand stitching or use pinking shears and let them frey.  Any cotton or cotton blend fabric can be used.  Thrift stores and garage sales are great places to find cloth napkins or fabric.

Many times my children had friends over for dinner. We choose not to “worry” our friends or make grand statements about how we believe.  We encourage our children to “walk their talk” and lead by example.

Since we are a homeschooling family, we have a great number of conservative Christian friends. The act of coming together, lighting a candle and saying a blessing is fairly universal among religious households. And in this time of uncertainty over jobs and making ends meet, inviting neighbors and friends to join the dinner table is a beautiful way to “walk the talk”.