Driftwood Tablescape

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Vacation memories can make gorgeous décor, this driftwood tablescape is a summer vacation memory…

An easy summer tablescape that anyone can make is what we’re talking about today. Not much else signals summer than the beach. Any body of water really – lake, pool or river. It’s time to take a dip and escape the heat for a while. Bringing the elements of summer in the house helps make your day at the beach last ALL day, even all year. Lots of people comb the beach for shells, but one item that is universal to all natural bodies of water is driftwood. It’s laid back soft spoken style lends itself to a relaxing summer scape. Not near a body of water? That’s ok, most craft stores now carry driftwood in a variety of sizes. This unique pieces make great vacation souvenirs too!

Some of our distant cousins own souvenir shell shops in the outer banks of North Carolina and have an impressive selection of large pieces of driftwood. I use a big chunk I got from them as a perpetual decoration, you can check it out here.

The pieces I used in this project were selected from a trip to Manteo, North Carolina. Strolling through shops I came across buckets of driftwood. I knew these little pieces would be perfect for a table setting or small vignette.

To make these treasures extra special I used a woodburning tool to etch meaningful words into the tender wood. These are words that come to mind when I think about the power of the ocean. You could paint or even use a Sharpie instead.

It’s so astonishing to think about all these small scraps of wood went through to wind up on my dinner table.

Bits of trees, broken from their original source, somehow found themselves dumped in the ocean. No telling what spurred their journey…hurricane, decay, man?

Wandering in the depths they are tossed and thrown throughout the ocean. Drifting aimlessly, in whatever direction the ocean decides to push them. Following the strongest current.

Rolling.

Over and over.

And over some more.

Like clothes in the dryer.

The salty water striping them of any fragile extremities. The sun bleaching their color. As they continually thrust over the sand, new shape takes form. A softer surface, sharp edges whittled down. Banging and crashing against obstacles and items that cross their path. Each encounter refining them even more.

Until, one day, the ocean is done with them and ejects them onto shore. There they may sit and age more in the glow of the sun. Maybe they are picked up by a passerby. Either way they are completely different than when they first encountered the ocean. Of course their outward appearance is different, but their purpose is too. No longer part of a tree flowing life to leaves, driftwood has to take it’s life changing knowledge and experience to find a new purpose.

These pieces found a new purpose not only in adorning a precious summer table, but reminding me of who is in control.

Life mimics this scenario all the time. Ripped from our comfort zone and thrown into the fire of trials and adversity. Sometimes we just roll along aimlessly. Going the path of least resistance. Battered and bruised, life can hurt. Layers of our lives get peeled away until we feel exposed and raw, as if there is nothing left. Like well worn driftwood we may look in the mirror and not even recognize ourself.

This is the pivotal moment to evaluate our path. Am I following the one who can save me from drowning or am I relying on myself and others to pull me from the abyss?

Christ controls the real ocean just the same as he controls the ocean of our lives. Refining us with each toss and turn, the waves keep coming and the depth is unfathomable. In the end, He is over all of it. Never letting us roll along the sandy ocean floor for longer than we can stand (1 Corinthians 10:13). In our flesh we can’t tell the waves to cease or the undercurrent to stop pulling us out to sea. What we can do is relinquish ourselves to the one who can. Our battle for control over the trials life brings is as futile as calming the ocean.

Only when we fully recognize and turn our lives over to the one who controls the wind and the waves can we learn to find peace in the tides (Matthew 8:27). Once you give up the fight, it will just happen…you will look up and be on dry land. Freshly spit out of the mouth of the sea and ready for a brand new adventure.