I was on the book launch team for Listen Love Repeat. Each week we had a photo challenge. The week we read the chapter on hospitality. I wrote this post.
Our photo challenge was to find something worn from using it to serve others. I took this picture of our dining room table.
Our photo challenge was to find something worn from using it to serve others. I took this picture of our dining room table.
If I was being completely honest I would have shown you the whole table! As I was thinking about the memories that have been created around this table one jumped out at me. During our years of youth minisrty lots of teens sat around this table. Games of Risk were played here, back to school brunches were served, and prom dinners were eaten. It was a senior dinner that stands out to me. Our first home was a small house that was over a hundred years old. All of our things were garage sale finds or hand me downs, including this table! One of our girls grew up in a very affluent family. Her house was in the nicest neighborhood in town. I was extremely uncomfortable with her coming to our home. I was embarrassed by how much our house didn't look a thing like a magazine. As we sat eating dinner and just enjoying one of our last times together, before everyone left for college, she said something I will never forget! "I love your house." What? My puzzled expression was my reaction. She went on to explain how cozy my house was and how it looked like a family lived here. She said her house felt like a museum. Some day she wanted her house to feel like mine! I'm not gonna lie, I fought back tears then and I'm crying now as I remember this.
It was a great reminder that a home is not about the stuff! She didn't see my outdated kitchen, my stained table or mismatched plates. She felt love and that had to do with the people around the table!
Our house is bigger now but still doesn't look like a magizine. Our stuff is still well used. My prayer is that the people that come through the door look past all that and feel just like that teenager did all of those years ago. Loved.
This was my favorite quote from this chapter.
"We are doing exactly what God expects us to do when we offer hospitality. Without grumbling. Or fretting over our broken and soiled stuff or our too small home. If there is room in your heart, you'll make room in your home." Karen Ehman
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