"Ms. Hewett, your table is magic."
"I know! I just sit here and you showed up and made me burgers for dinner!"
The student knew there was something magical before that. He'd actually brought his younger sibling along, tricked her at first to show up, but knowing my magic table was a place he'd felt safe sharing hard things and she likely would too, wanted to offer that magic to her.
I sit at that table a lot. A lot. I sit and pray. I sit and talk to God; I sit and listen to God. I sit in God's presence. I watch people walk by burdened by hurts, many of whom I offer banana muffins to as they pass, some of whom turn down healing and harbor unseen wounds I can't comprehend. Others sit down and encounter Jesus while we share our common humanity and smash burgers.
I'm known as the village crazy lady (as established in my last post), but there are loads of students and adults who've met the Lord at that table. Some of them were pretty freaked out by it. The Holy Spirit was thiccc. It's one of those places that theological conversations are easier to have, a student I mentor told me this week. "Your picnic table is just so chill, and it's easier to talk about hard stuff there." I knew exactly what she meant.
It's also seen some serious hurt inflicted, and I've prayed over encounters where emotional wounds were dealt at that physical space. Jesus was still very present in those moments, and I've been amazed to watch the Lord's unfolding grace to keep drawing me to that place to pray. My prayer journey of the past eight months has that picnic table as a center point, and today I sat in the sunshine offering banana muffins to passersby while reading an Aboriginal Anglican liturgy, moved by the confessions and laying my sins at the feet of Jesus. With each banana muffin, I also want to offer love and peace and grace. I hope the people who pass on the baked goods will receive the gifts from God. There are a lot of gifts on offer - better than banana muffins. Better even than unexpected smash burgers.
I'm so grateful for the prayers for my insurance and my ear - separate things I have solid updates on. I'll be going into the REHAB Basel hospital tomorrow morning to pick up my new wheelchair! Also, the pain is gone from my ear, but my hearing is still muffled. I'm giving my ear canal as much rest as possible to settle down and open up again. It's not a concern because there's no pain, and I'm pretty sure it just needs some patience as it recovers from all that rubbing alcohol and vinegar (it wasn't that much...). Please keep praying for people to hear the Lord and for my ear to heal though.