As the name of my blog indicates, I spend a lot of time thinking about home. Of course, my Heavenly Home is the one that is eternal, so that’s where I need to lay up my treasures, and that’s the one I’m striving for. But in the meantime, I have been given this tiny piece of the here-and-now—this home on the edge of town, this family, this neighborhood—in which to serve Him. And, though this is in the earthly realm, I want the things that happen here to be investments in the Heavenly realm.




Wednesday, October 3, 2012

{31 Days of Hospitality} Day 3 ~ It's Not About Me

Not to Impress, But to Bless


What are some of the reasons excuses we have for not opening our homes?  Have you ever said any of these?  (I have.)

  • "My house isn't big enough."
  • "My house isn't finished."
  • "The couch is faded."
  • "My children are too small."
  • "It is not convenient." 
  • "I'm too busy."
  • "I am not a very good cook."  
  • "I can't afford to have people over."

Do you see what every one of these reasons excuses has in common?  They are all about me.  Yes, that's right.  They are about me comparing myself with someone else, or me wanting to make an impression, or me not wanting to be inconvenienced.   Think about it.  

Of course, you must be realistic.  If you have a tiny house, you can't host a party for fifty people.  But you can invite one or two people over for a simple supper, or for coffee and dessert.  And if you're remodeling your kitchen, or your daughter is getting married, or you have some other big project in the works, you might want to wait until things settle down a bit to plan a dinner party. 

But I'll just bet that the lady who is a fabulous cook will enjoy the simple meal that you graciously serve her.  It's not all about the food anyway.  It's about time spent together, in a warm and welcoming environment.  It's about sharing fellowship with others in His body, or reaching out to someone who isn't.

If finances are limited, consider allowing your guests to contribute to the menu, or host a potluck.  Or buy a 2-liter bottle of root beer and some store brand vanilla ice cream and serve root beer floats.

Just don't miss out on making wonderful memories and making connections with people,  simply because you can't get past the "me" part.




6 comments:

  1. So true, Cheryl! I've found myself saying several of those things! It's kind of funny, but I've found that often the Lord will send me unexpected visitors when I've been worrying too much about how my house is not ready for company. Just to teach me a lesson, I guess! :-)

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  2. Lately, I've said all but one of them. I think the expense is the number one problem just now. Yes, definitely, finances are the problem.

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  3. So true Cheryl. We are to have a servant's heart. Thanks for the reminder.

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  4. I have found that none of these things matter! Believe me we've had people here when we didn't even have trim around the doors!

    They don't seem to notice - they just love being invited!

    Deanna

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  5. Mine would be, "The dog is too annoying to people.", because he really was.
    But now it's just cats. So I really should get with the program.
    Thanks, Cheryl!

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