This past weekend in Murfreesboro I had the oppportunity to attend a seminar on Intentional Hospitality. During our frequent trips to TN I have experienced beautiful and gracious displays of Southern Hospitaliy, and learned much in the process about how to have a welcoming and presentable home. However, on this occasion of having an actual seminar on the subject, I was expecting Martha Stewart meets Paula Deen, and thinking, "I definitely don't have the time or energy for that!" To my surprise, it was quite the opposite. We sat in the modest home of a woman who had lived her life with an open door policy. She taught us quick and easy meal ideas, shared incredible stories, and admonished us to get rid of our excuses and start ministering in our homes!
Here are some of her invaluable tips:
1. Don't worry about what your house looks like or having fancy labour-intensive meals. Keep it simple and get out there do it!
2. Hospitality is not entertaining, rather hosting- having people in your home for ministry -listening, meeting needs and sharing Christ.
3. Have an open home, open heart lifestyle- minister as you go about your daily life interacting with people along the way in your home, neighborhood or on errands (Jesus' example of ministering as He went along). If someone is not comfortable coming into your home, you can bring them cookies or baked goods.
4. Sit on your front porch and be available to greet neighbors and visit (She talked about how this becoming is a lost art! We don't have a porch on our house here but I like to play with B in the front yard and greet people that pass by.)
5. Involve your children. They can learn to help and will benefit from having Missionaries in the home telling them stories from aroung the world, etc.
6. Hopitality is a command!
7. Pray and ask the Lord what YOUR ministry, work and purpose should be.
We have tried to have an open home since we have been married, and it has been fun to see who the Lord has brought along the way. At first, I prided (and exhausted) myself with my neat home and fancy meals.
Then we had a baby.
Just as the house became a disaster, everyone I knew wanted to come visit and see the new baby. I realized I could not keep up any sort of standard, and willing accepted the help (and FOOD!). Now, we are in a whole new environment. Caleb's work schedule changes almost daily, and I am chasing around an energetic boy with little time to keep hospitality going. So I found this seminar most helpful --hospitality matters, despite the imperfections and mishaps. I am helping with snacks at AWANA, and last week I decided to make brownies. I didn't leave enough time to let them cool before cutting them into nice little squares, so they completely fell apart as I tried to cut and transfer them to a platter! I ended up with a mountain of brownie mush with no time to make amends, so I grabbed some plastic bowls and spoons and figured they could just shovel it in! Amazingly, they didn't seem to care. (OK, after that humiliating admission would you all please take a moment to admire the picture of my lovely submission on the Oct 6th post? Thank you.)
Yesterday I went to a mom's and babies playgroup and left B's shoes at the hostess's apartment. They are his only pair and we could not survive without them, so I took the opportunity to invite her here for lunch today. She jumped on the opportunity and came by as I was finishing up the pumpkin soup. I got distracted and left out half the ingredients, but she didn't seem to mind and we had a great time sharing experiences as medical wives.
Before I close, here is a great recipe for a fresh and tasty chicken salad from the seminar that I used for lunch today. It's made with canned chicken. Who knew chicken came in can? and who would ever admit to using it?! Not me. But it's so quick and easy that I have to share! And I found some great mayo made with olive and flaxseed oil loaded with omega-3's!
Easy Chicken Salad
canned chicken
mayonnaise
butter
curry
marjoram
grapes (cut in half)
Melt the butter and mix it all up. You can also add pecans or whatever else!
Thanks for reading! Hope this is an encouragement!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
Yes, this is a GREAT encouragement! I had to force myself from refraining loud AMENS while reading it. You did a great job expressing something that is very dear to my heart. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sounds like an awesome seminar. I will look forward to trying the chicken salad recipe, I just bought 10 cans of chicken this week. (great sale!)
Hi Anna,
I'm glad others are teaching that hospitality is not entertaining.
I have been "informed" that I need to get involved with Apples of Gold, I think its called, but when I found that they were teaching Martha Stewart style enertaining, I knew that it would be pointless.
In my opinion, entertaining is something you pay for, hospitality is something you are given.
By the way good for you on buying the olive oil mayo.
I am part of a growing community that is teching the extreme danger of eating soy and vege oils, and the science behind said dangers.
We have been spoonfed that saturated animal fats (our cells are made up of 50% saturated fats) are dangerous and that vege oils are healthy ( olive oil is healthy though).
However, if you look at arteries that are clogged, only 26% is saturated fat, and over 50% is calcium.
Pasturized milk is largely to blame for this, since the calcium structure is changed when pasturized and homogenized. It goes straight to the arteries and joints.
My favorite quote is very telling for todays world.
"Today, child obesity, dental deformities, learning disabilities and diseases that were once uncommon in children have become so prevalent, we assume them to be "normal." Today we consider it "normal" for children to require braces, to suffer from allergies and fatigue and to have difficulty focusing their attention. But statistical research shows that these "normal" conditions have become common only in the past 50 years, the same period during which highly processed foods have entered the food supply."
www.nourishingourchildren.org
Paula
i think having the kids around making messes helps other people with children feel comfortable. kids are such an equalizer- instantly giving you so much in common with anyone with children! loved seeing your b on sunday!
Great post Anna! I needed to hear those things. Where did you find the mayo? I'd like to try it.
Sarah-I found the mayo at Schnucks, but other stores may have it. look for olive oil or fax seed in the ingredients or adds on the label for omega-3's.
Thanks for posting this, Anna. Being hospitable is the one thing I always struggle with. I know the Lord asks us to do it, but I use lack of energy as an excuse far too often.
I used to eat canned chicken in Canada, but I've never tried it down here. I'll have to give it a shot!
Anna, I can't wait to come spend more time with you and the kiddo, and I could care less what your house looks like! ; ) Besides, I've thought it always was quite welcoming AND well decorated. Your heart for the Lord and people will radiate throughout your home- could it be any better than that? Well I need to get to these projects so I can come hang out!!
Thanks for posting these good tips. Very encouraging. I've always wanted to try that chicken in a can for a cheater recipe and have been afraid to try. Maybe I will now!
Great post Anna! Sounds like hospitality is something so many of us need to be encouraged in.
Hope you all are doing well!
It was great seeing you that Sat. and working with you on the salad. I enjoyed reading your post (and needed the reminder).
Post a Comment