The Supermanns: Twelve at the Table

The night was like a dream...and it was 3 years in the making. A celebration among friends. A surprise party for all in celebration of one's triumph over nursing school. There was an empty banquet table set up in The Burden's back yard. The table was long enough for 12. There were white napkins hung over wooden chairs and fresh flowers around place settings with our names hand-written above. We were invited. Everything felt home-made with love; the food cooking in the home...the grill sizzling and ready for the feast....the drinks at the bar, flowers set in place. It was time to celebrate. I stood still with a tear coming down my face and whispered to myself ..."even i am invited". Maybe we all feel "least of these" at times. I felt humbled. We were all being served. The table was hand made and sat out in the open green under a wooden roof with hanging mason jar lanterns. The candles along a path and across the bridge foretold illumination. This is what the night would hold. Illumination. We all knew it as we gathered around each other. We are used to gathering around each other...for 3 years we have gathered around each other and shared life. But tonight would be different...tonight would be about light and the beautiful girl that became a nurse and her husband that wanted to celebrate her. He chose to serve ALL in celebration. She could receive it best that way.....serving others as she was served. He called his friends to help, and a back yard transformed into a dream...and we were invited!

There was a man behind a hand-made bar...serving drinks to us. I chose the rosemary cocktail more than once...and there was wine at the table reminding me of Jesus reclining with friends, drinking with friends, eating with friends. The couple serving us does not drink....yet they served the rest wine.

In the kitchen was a girl cooking. Evie Coates..she is gem of a girl with talent to call forth beauty with all she touches. (check her website out Twelveatthetable.com). Her family was and is beside her, sharing the load of serving us. It smelled lovely inside...lemons and herbs danced in my nose as i ran to the bathroom and back outside to the group.

This group, this small group that became friends. I smile to know each of them...to be there with them. Each is a gift with gifts of their own..walking them out in due season, in their time. We are all on a journey...spurring each other towards Christ..working out salvation together. Reminding each other ....

Sometimes i forget the Good News... and this night reminded. Deep called to deep as the empty table filled and the candles cast a golden hue. A prayer from Hal in honor of his bride. First corn relish and cucumber soup was served, then salmon, lamb and kale salad tossed in lemon and olive oil...apples and a candied nut. That was my favorite...the kale. Charla loved the beat salad. Kevin loved the salmon. i think Billy loved the lamb...i know Hal did. Talitha and Paul, i think loved everything. Tiffany's face lit up as she tasted the "pink peppercorn" dessert. I couldn't hear what Kellie, Jeremy, Dave and Emily loved as they sat at the other end. But i could see their smiles. I could hear Dave's laugh. I heard Kellie say "the night was like a dream", and i think that's the best way to describe it.