Practicing Hospitality

Someone once said in the dictionary, the word hospitality falls some place between hospital and hostel. One, a place of healing and the other a place of refuge. That’s really all anyone wants when they show up at your doorstep. They want to feel whole, and they want to feel safe. And that, my friends, has nothing to do with the turkey.
~Dawn Riggs, Jumping Tandem

I read this quote and sighed.  I thought I hope my house is a place where people feel safe.  

My house isn’t extravagant.  It isn’t fancy, half the time it looks like I’m in constant state of something…  Mission Trip, Winter Retreat, cooking, canning…  folding laundry…  who knows… the dishes are almost always piled up in the sink because I refuse to do the dishes when I have a dishwasher (yes it’s true, I will just wait til the load is done, and run the next one… LOL – I’m no Carol Brady with a spotless house… but hey, she had Alice!)

We’ve crammed lots of people in my house for whatever reason, we’ve had people live with us, eat with us…  one guest or 50, they all matter in my eyes.  Whether I’ve cooked Alice Springs Chicken (which for some reason I refer to as Hope Springs Eternal Chicken) or hot dogs I hope that each person who walked into my house felt like they were welcomed.  I am sure that I have fell short.  I mean I know I have, I bet that some time when I had someone over, I was busy, and distracted or overwhelmed with people or the things in my life.  I’m sure that I’ve made the focus so much on what’s on the table, not who is in the seats.

I think about how many times I have focused on the task and not on the relationship I have with people.  Like what I am doing is so much more important that Who I am doing it for.  Don’t get me wrong, things and tasks have got to get done… but nothing is more important than those we love.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dropped off a meal, and didn’t have time to spend time with the people I love that I was taking it to.  That’s dumb.  

Duh.

My gram used to say “too soon old, too late smart”.  Oh it used to make me laugh when she’d say that.  

Well, I know that I’ve mucked it up so many times, but I am thankful for grace, to give it, and to receive it.  To repent, and move forward.  Do better, love more.  

People matter.  I hope that my house is welcoming and loving.  And it has nothing to do with what I serve.  (though I think it’s an incredible bonus).

Romans 12:9-12 ⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.