hospitality moves outdoors

I love Spring.  It is so amazing to witness things come to life... bare trees now have buds and blossoms, dirt flower beds now host flowers; some are surprises some are old faithfuls, but all are beautiful.  Singing birds and quacking ducks have replaced my alarm clock's buzzing the past few mornings.  Actually, the birds start singing about an hour before my alarm is set to go off!  But, it really is a wonderful time of year. 

In the warmer weather hospitality moves outdoors.  Take time to make people feel welcome by planting flowers by your front door and/or hang a pretty wreath.  Enlist the kids help and have them pick up sticks or any trash in your yard.  Sweep the front steps or porch and get rid of winter stuff that may have collected there...boots, shovels, etc..  My neighbor has a refrigerator in her garage and she stocks it with juice pouches and ice pops for her kids, my kids!! and others to enjoy.  Pull out the jump ropes, balls, bubbles and chalk and put them in a place that's easy for the kids to get to. 

This Spring, use your creativity to make the outside of your house look as if it's saying, "You are welcome here." 

Happy Spring

HAPPY SPRING.  May hospitality bloom and grow in your hearts and homes during this pretty season.  May the warmer weather and vision of daffodils, forsythia, and buds on trees inspire you, motivate you, and force you to open your windows and doors and let people in!

St. Patrick's Day

Weekends are a great time to practice hospitality.  I hope you have plans to do so.  If you don't have plans to welcome someone into your home, consider welcoming someone into your heart.  Can you think of someone who needs prayer, a phone call or some face-to-face contact?!  Let love flow out of your heart this weekend and let go of stress, fear and worry.  Someone knew what He was saying when He said, "It is better to give than receive."  When we give, we take our eyes off ourselves and put them on someone else, and we are blessed! 

I found this 4 leaf clover about 16 years ago!

Saturday is St. Patty's Day.  Even if you are not Irish, (I'm not) use this day to have some fun.  Bake some Irish Soda Bread to share, pick up some green bagels and add green food coloring to your cream cheese, hide some chocolate gold coins for your kids to find and eat Lucky Charms for breakfast.  If you are Irish, cheers to you.  Share your 'luck' with someone...

Nightstand stack

A few posts ago I mentioned a little hospitality book called The Paraclete Book of Hospitality.  Well, I got my hands on it!  I ordered it from the Paraclete Press website.  While there, I noticed another book called Radical Hospitality.  Isn't that an intriguing title?!  I thought so, so I ordered that one too!  They both arrived the other day.  Now, I'm in a dilemma.  A week ago I was craving a new book and now I have 3!  That's a good problem to have ;-)

Anyway, here are a few thoughts to ponder, coming from my nightstand stack...

"Hospitality is the way we learn to really love; it is the way out of our brooding fears and broken hearts." (pg. 68 Radical Hospitality)
(Wow!  Who knew practicing hospitality was the solution to our fears and other struggles?!)

"Opening our hearts to others requires honesty - with others, and with ourselves." (pg. 49 Paraclete Book of Hospitality) 
(People want to know how much you care, before they care how much you know idea..)

"In truth, when done correctly, sacrilege will allow you to relax spiritually, exhale, and begin to come alive, becoming more real in your faith and in your way of being with others." (pg. 32 Sacrilege)
(sounds like hospitality to me)

"Radical hospitality means accepting the person with no thought of personal benefit." (pg. x of intro. Radical Hospitality)
(this means accepting ALL people!)

I have many more pages to read, but am feeling encouraged already.  Hospitality takes courage, as you may have noticed, based on the quotes above.  Hope you are encouraged too!

Quick weekend review

It was a busy weekend and I've got lots of things to share with you, I almost don't know where to begin...  A highlight was attending a leadership training day with the leadership team from The Plant and the team from a church plant coming out of Long Hill Chapel.  Our coach and teacher was Hugh Halter, pastor, evangelist, and author of The Tangible Kingdom and Sacrilege.  He was impressive, but not because he has written some solid books, pastors a cool church, lives on mission, AND is BFF's with Jen Hatmaker!  But, because he cares about people and his love for them is mature and not self-serving.  He is a 'giver' and not a 'taker,' a 'listener' and not just a 'talker.' Plus, what I appreciated is that he is a real advocate for practicing hospitality.  I told him how his book (The TK) inspired me to start this blog.  (Then he graciously wrote down my blog name in his planner.)  He mentioned how he's going to have a friend video tape him getting ready for a party.  Some of us could use some help with 'party planning.'  I just might have to steal his idea and make my own video ;-)  I'm sure you'd love to watch  me vacuum, light candles, set the table... but first I have to design my own aprons because I do want to bring the apron back in vogue!  (Kidding, but serious.) 

Speaking of aprons, please enjoy the picture of Rich.  We made our Community Group Soup last night and he was willing to provide some comic relief.  We made Italian Wedding Soup and had a great time hanging out in the kitchen, working together...

what can I say? Nice legs?!?

So, there are real benefits to practicing hospitality.  For example, you really get to know people, you get to let go of your stuff and get to experience an other's joys and heartaches, you laugh and of course, you eat!  Now, doesn't that sound wonderful?  "Practicing hospitality is a crucial part of building authentic community." (TK Primer)  Thanks again to Hugh for this encouragement and for his example and thanks to our community group for a yummy, fun night :-)

super cooks!

guy in the apron giving advice to Captain America? Yikes!

community group soup for the kids too!

Hospitality book

If you've found your way to my blog via The Plant Church's website you may have already found Thomas Turner's blog Everyday Liturgy (www.everydayliturgy.com) .  If you are a friend of mine and haven't visited The Plant's website and its blogs, check them out.  Why?  Because Thomas' most recent post is a review for a mini book about... guess what???  HOSPITALITY!!  And I didn't write it!  Apparently the editors at Paraclete Press beat me to it.  They have compiled some personal accounts of practicing hospitality and are calling the book The Paraclete Book of Hospitality.  I haven't read it, but you can bet I will!  I am happy to know there are more hospitality minded people out there who feel it's worth getting the message in print about the importance of practicing Biblical hospitality.  So, keep your eyes out for this book and for more posts from yours truly ;-) 

Communion

Scott and I are hosting our second 'Tangible Kingdom' Community Group.  We meet on Sunday nights and work through the TK Primer together.  If you are not familiar with the book by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, I highly recommend it.  (You may recognize their names from an old post,  "Community Group Soup".)  Anyway, we shared Communion together last night and for this hospitality gal I love the idea of communion.  I love how Jesus uses food and drink, something that we need everyday, to represent Himself.  The simple act of eating and drinking is intended to make us pause and think about Jesus and thank Him for His forgiveness and love.  Practicing hospitality sets the stage for remembrance and thanksgiving.  (Now, I don't always pray with my guests or pause in the middle of a party to thank God.  Offering hospitality is an expression of my gratitude for what God has done for me.) 

We take Communion every Sunday at The Plant.   Two weeks ago, we were reminded of how the Lord's Table is for everyone.  Thomas (cool guy facilitating Communion) had us think back to the cafeteria scene in Middle School or High School.  For some, the cafeteria was an intimidating place.  He talked about how there were designated tables; 1 for the cool-kids, another for the not-so-cool kids ... you get the idea.  He wrapped it up by saying that God's Table is for everyone!  God practices hospitality on everyone!  Not just the cool, athletic, successful, artsy, but also the poor, the brokenhearted, the addicted... everyone!  Now that's hospitality!! 

When you invite people in and gather around the table I encourage you to pause... remember the Lord and thank Him for all your blessings.  As you sit with your family for dinner (and I hope you do :-) ) take a minute to think about Jesus and thank Him.  Jesus used something as regular as eating a meal to teach us about what is truly important...