The Walnut Table

           It was the year 1980, My parents as a newly engaged couple were finishing up their college careers at Belhaven Christian college in Mississippi.  On one particular afternoon the college was clearing out an old storage room and selling its content.  My dad spotted an old beat up table top from the library.   Now most people would have past this raggedy gum filled table up but my dad saw something beautiful in it.  He snatched it up for $10 and took it home to his dad.  His dad being a master carpenter told him that the table was most likely 50 years old and made out of pure walnut.  
           His dad then took the table into his wood shop and began measuring it.  A few weeks later he finished the project.  He cleaned all the gum off the table and added handmade legs lathed to perfection. Turning the table from a used gum holder into a beautiful kitchen centerpiece.  

 My parents sold the table when we moved 2005 because it would not fit into the new kitchen.  It was hard for my parents to let the table go but there was no other option, we just did not have space.  Since then my grandfather past away and a lot has changed.  Memories of the table is all we had.  
A week ago my friend mentioned to me that he had bought an old table from my dad at a garage sale.  He no longer had room for it and wanted to give it to me.  At the time I did not want it but gladly accepted it and thought I would sell it at the ministry thrift store.  That was until I got it.  So many wonderful memories started flooding back.  However I did not know the story of the table.  So I called my dad and he began telling the story... How could I not take it to my house?  My dad was overjoyed that the table made it back to the family.

Sitting around our new heirloom table after eating pancakes one morning I started thinking about this story.  This table is one of many heirloom items passed down to Alli and I.  These things are very special to us but they are all crap compared to the heritage passed down to us.  I am not talking about a heritage like our nationality but a heritage rooted from the beginning of time.  This heritage of course is being in God’s family.  Alli and I both have blood families with deep roots in Christian heritage.  For this we are so very thankful.  We both have godly parents who to this day continue to display Christ's love for the church through their marriage. 

           My desire and prayer for my boys is that they will accept the gift of being rooted in Christian heritage because they have parents who deeply love the Lord, where so many children do not.  In fact, this is the driving force for us to move to Costa Rica and be parents for abandoned children.  We want to invite Tico children with little to no heritage into our family where Christian heritage runs deep.  It is by God's grace we have been given this heritage. We feel honored to teach and display the great joy and privilege of being called children of God.  The task is great but the reward is worth it.  Pray that many Children come to know the Lord through the Children Ranch.
          Now as the task may seem overwhelming most days as it is, we have inherited the Holy Spirit to empower us to do His will.  We are absolutely nothing without God and we are forever humbled to serve Him.  Thank you for partnering with us in prayer and support to fulfill James 1:27.

" Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

        With much love and thankfulness for your prayers and support,

       Josh and Alli