One of the reasons I love the Church community that we are a part of is because they know how to enjoy life together. They put aside the art of entertaining and just welcome those they love into their home. They understand that their homes may never be decorated perfect or that with a lot of little ones their homes may not be fully clean and instead they focus on good food and good friends. We have always loved opening up our home and bringing in those we love and cherish. Not only do I love entertaining... hosting a special baby shower or having a big 4th of July BBQ in our backyard and adding all the flare that is appropriate... but I am falling in love with just being able to open our home to family and friends. We will not always have salmon or steak on the bbq and their may be times when the kitchen floor is not mopped before they arrive but that is not why they are coming. It's a night to just enjoy each others company. To learn and grow. To laugh. To cry. To embrace life together.
In the next few weeks - hopefully sooner rather than later - Brent and I will embark on a day. We will each have a dinner invitation to extend to someone who crosses or path or who comes to mind and without telling the other person who that is, we will each extend a dinner invitation for the same evening. We will then welcome them into our home and will watch with excitement as an eclectic group comes together. :) It will be so, so much fun to see who is brought together around our table. Then we plan on letting the boys each carry an invitation for an evening together... yet somehow I already know who these invitations will be going to - maybe we can encourage them to branch out a little?!?
We have company coming tonight. The house is clean and the meal preparations are almost done. We're doing hamburgers, pasta salad, chips and salsa and watermelon. A fun family dinner, nothing special but I'm looking forward to it. We are welcoming friends into our home. We are enjoying life together.
The place setting can be found here
I love having company!
ReplyDeleteWow, I am so impressed with your reaching out, especially on short notice either by the kids or by Brent. Amazing and what joy.
ReplyDeleteIt has taken me 40 years to learn what you have already mastered. No one really cares if the floor is mopped, it is the joy of seeing friends and family that are important. Keep us posted on your dinners.
ReplyDeleteA. Susan
It is a joy to entertain. I miss that! We don't do that as much. Years ago when the kids were little, we attended a smaller church. Every Sunday I would put dinner in the oven before church and we would go to church and invite a family to come home to dinner with us after church. Many a visiting pastor or missionary enjoyed time around our family table. After evening church we would invite another couple over for popcorn and games like Pictionary!! I miss those days and the kids often talk about the memories of those days. A good example for them I hope. :) My house was not perfect, having 5 kids one with special needs, you can only imagine! lol But the guests enjoyed it and so did we. Houses don't have to be perfect to show God's hospitality.
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