God prepares a table…

January 24, 2024

Not for you to dine alone, but for you to dine with Him

The Wells family (above) gathers at The Foundry recently in Topping. They include, from left, Vince, Royce, Bonnie, Serinity, Pastor Aaron and Veronica. Students (below) get together after school at The Foundry last week to shoot pool. Pastor Aaron is director of The Foundry, a new Christian youth center at 7962 General Puller Highway, #603, in Topping. The Foundry now offers an after-school program and is ready for middle and high school students to attend on Tuesdays and Fridays. The hours are from after school to 6 p.m. Presently, they are accepting applications for up to 12 middle school students and 12 high school students. The cost is $49 per month and scholarships are available as needed. For information, call 804-348-8059 or visit TheFoundryMiddlesex.org. (Contributed photos)

All or nothing. That is usually my default approach to things. If I am going to do something, then I give everything I’ve got. If I cannot give everything I’ve got, then I do not want to bother to do it at all. All or nothing. This attitude gets things done at times and at other times is a cause for struggle. I found this attitude problematic over the holidays when hosting events.

Over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays I was part of hosting several events. My all or nothing attitude kicked in. If I was going to host an event, then I was going to host an event.

Hours of preparation and planning were given. During the events I worked to make sure that everyone had a good time and that everyone was safe and that things happened according to plan. By most measures the events were successful.

But I wasn’t really able to enjoy the events because I was so busy running the events. I missed out on enjoying time with people. I missed out on hearing their stories. I missed out on sharing tears and laughter with people. I was all in on running the event but missed out on enjoying the company of the people.

Upon reflecting on all this and wondering how I could do things differently or better I remembered Psalm 23. David writes this about God:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.