A Place At The Table

I was sitting at the kitchen table this afternoon eating my dinner. My two hungry boys had already finished their’s and taken their plates to the sink. I wasn’t in a hurry, however. Outside my kitchen window a mother deer and her two fawns were eating fallen apples around the Apple tree at the far end of the meadow. Watching them delight in their Heaven sent snack made my own dinner taste even better so I ate my rice slowly and enjoyed the view.

When I was down to just a few spoonfuls left I felt thirsty and got up to get myself another cold glass of iced tea. When I turned back to the table, though, I saw my little dog standing on it finishing off the last of my rice. She had jumped up on my pushed out chair, bounded up on the table, and made short work of what was left of my dinner. When she was done she looked up at me with grateful, big, brown eyes and I didn’t have the heart to scold her.

After I put my licked clean plate in the sink I petted my dog and smiled. I thought of my Heavenly Father who loved me so much. He didn’t offer me the left over scraps of life but instead prepared me a daily feast of love, joy, friendship, family, beauty, and laughter. Each day I found my plate full to overflowing with all the blessings God wanted me to have. Each day I was given not only my daily bread but also His loving company while I ate it. Each day I found the chair pushed out and my place at the table waiting for me to join in this banquet of life. All I had to do was sit down, eat, and ask others to join me as well.

That invitation isn’t just extended to me either. God wants all of you to join in this banquet. God wants all of you to share in all the good things in life that nourish our souls. God wants all of you to bring others to the table as well. Don’t let the feast of life pass you by then. As my old Italian Grandma used to say, "Mangia, Mangia," (Eat, Eat)!

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

You can get Joseph Mazzella's book, "WALKING THE PATH OF LOVE," at www.amazon.com

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella Copyright © 2011 (joecool@wirefire.com) -- {used with permission} ]