Trav and Ab Family: June 2008

If you could walk into my childhood home one of the first things that you would notice is a big wooden table. It didn’t have any fancy carvings or shiny glosses rather it was decorated with scratches and the leafs were stuck together with years of oatmeal. If the table could talk I wonder what kind of stories it would tell you.
Maybe it would tell you of how my family, all ten of us would gather around every morning and every night to have our meals together. It could tell you of the many meaningful conversations that were had over these meals and the important questions and discussions that were asked and answered. It would tell you of how their was a sense of belonging that was felt by those that were gathered around the table as they each got a turn telling of how their day had gone or a problem that they had had during the day. Of course there was the occasional, ewww… I don’t like that, or didn’t we have this last night or even one foot kicking another just to cause contention, but for the most part the table would tell you of the belonging and comfort that was provided as the family spoke about their day.
Or possibly the table would tell you about how the family would gather on Monday nights and have family home evening. It could tell you how it felt the swinging feet of the children, the slumped feet of the teenagers and the impatient feet of the parents, but it could also tell you how every so often the children’s feet would stop moving the teenagers would sit a little taller and the parents would teach the children of how they are Children of God, truly sons and daughters of him. And that through Jesus Christ they could be forgiven of their sins. The table could tell you of how after the kids had gone to bed the parents discussed wither or not the lesson did any good, but the table knew that the kids felt the sweet peace and comfort of the Holy Ghost as he spoke to the children of the truthfulness of what their parents had taught them.
Perhaps it would tell you how the warm laundry was folded, set out and gotten ready by the mom for the children to put away. Or how it felt a sense of pride from the four year old as he did his chores of wiping off the table and drying the dishes. Maybe the table would speak of the anger that the mom felt when the kids didn’t do their chores or the contention it felt when the house wasn’t clean.
Maybe the table would tell you of the excitement it felt from the children when Christmas came around and a great big box was placed in the middle of it. The kids and parents would excitedly chat as they filled the box with baking goods that could be used to make cookies as well as extras. Maybe it would recall the mother telling of how she wanted to be able to give and bake goodies when there budget was tight, and how this Christmas box would be such a blessing for the family that it would go to. The kids would chatter about their excitement of leaving it on the doorway of the family and running so as not to be caught. Or maybe it would tell you of the time it heard the parents talking about not having enough money to buy the kids anything for Christmas because all their money went for the funeral of the baby they had just lost and praying that they could make Christmas special for the kids. And how a couple of days later the excitement gratitude and tears of the parents as they opened the mail to find an anonymous two hundred dollars and they knew that their prayers had been awnsered.
The table could also tell you of how the family would gather each morning and night to have family prayer. And how the parents taught the children to show respect for their heavenly Father by kneeling down around the table. It would tell you about the occasional “so and so peaked” or quit bugging me even the random farting that would cause the kids to bust up in laughter. The table would think of how God must have a sense of humor or he wouldn’t have made kids so silly. Or how one of its chairs was used for each child to sit in each fall as their father laid his hands upon their heads and gave them a fathers blessing before school started, as well as the peace, comfort and sense of security that filled the room as each took their turn and waited patiently and not so patiently for their siblings to get theirs.
Maybe the table would tell you of the time that it had the honor to be used to press the parent’s temple clothes as they prepared to enter the temple. How the mother took care in making each crease look right because they were going to such a special place. It could tell you of the love that it felt as the parents were gone and the disappointment it felt when the kids were being contentious and the peace and comfort was broken by the fighting.
It could tell you of the grand stories that the children would tell of their adventures to see their cousins in far away places. Or how it watched the six boys play football with the dad in the backyard, and how they thought it was hilarious when the missionaries came over and one of them knocked the fence down when they were trying to catch the ball. Or how the mom tried to teach the two daughters how to can and sew and how to do all the things that the girls would need to do to take care of a home and a family of their own.
Perhaps the table would tell you of family council on Sunday nights were everyone would gather, sometime amidst groaning and complaining, to talk about what they had learned in church and to get everyone’s schedule organized for the week. Or as the kids got older, gospel doctrine that the children had questions about, there would be a great discussion on what the answer is or the children’s and parents perspective on each topic. As well as the Personal Priesthood interview that the kids had once a month with their parents. The table would speak of the excitement it felt as the kids each took a turn with their parents by themselves simply discussing their goals and their parent’s expectation. As the children got older the children tried to hide their excitement but the table knew that they kids where grateful for the interest their parents showed.
In D&C 88: 119 organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a bhouse, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
President Monson: In a Latter-day Saint home, children are not simply tolerated, but welcomed; not commanded, but encouraged; not driven, but guided; not neglected, but loved.
Former relief society president sister Boyer: Everyone has a home, whether there is one person there, or ten. And we would like every home to be a gracious, orderly place of learning, where you bring friends and let them feel love and warmth. We don’t have to always be alone, even though ours may be a one-member family. That home can be a blessing to many who may come within its influence.
Story of Johnny
If you came into my home you would see a table in the kitchen, it was a wedding gift from my parents five and a half years ago. You would notice that the stain and varnish is already starting to wear off. You would notice where a child has colored with crayons and if you could talk to the table in my home perhaps it would tell you of the family meals that have been had over it. The discussions that have been had by the parents in the home about the best way to raise their children and how to protect them from all the scary things in the world outside. Or the games that have been played on it with friends, and family. Maybe it would even tell you about when harsh words are spoken the rule of the house is that the person who insulted the other one owes them five sincere compliments. Perhaps it would tell you about the nights I spent crying and praying over the children that I wanted but was not yet to have. Maybe it would tell you of the anger I felt because of this and the faith that I tried to have. Then it would tell you about how four years later I rejoiced, cried and prayed to give thanks for the beautiful little spirit that heavenly father decide to put in our care. It would tell you of the grandparents coming to visit and still teaching the children about the gospel and laughing at the stories of the parents trying to do family home evening and how hard it is, as well as all the joys that they know the parents will experience as they learn to make their home a safe place for their children and know that they will succeed.s

You may be wondering why I am putting a picture of water coming out of our yard but this is the best thing I've seen all week. We figured out that our sprinkler system works it needs a few sprinkler heads but other than that it's great. we thought that it was completely busted, the sprinkler heads had dirt and grass growing over the top of them so we were pretty excited.