One day, I want to have the type of household that makes people feel welcome. The type that has an open door policy, with people in and out, coming to sit and talk, or coming to find the answer to questions in their hearts.
I want the hospitality that says, "come live with me for a while," and means it. If it means a few minutes, or a few months.
I want to share the warmth of knowing that everyone is welcome to come with you whether its your best friend, or your aunt's second cousin twice removed always with long stories on his mind that just has to be shared. I want many people, of many colors and many accents and many languages and many backgrounds to gather under my roof, to share bread together, laughter echoing off the walls. I want my family to spontaneously invite random strangers home for a meal, warm soup filling cold stomachs after a hard day.
I have a dream of a home that welcomes folks in, drawing them in irresistibly. Lamps in the windows, warm lights streaming out. Delicious, comforting food causing folks to sniff the air hungrily, and gather around the table willingly. Hands held as prayers are said, and hearts are lifted. I want the home that sings, and laughs. That long, quiet discussions are held in, that stimulating ideas are formed in, that people leave, feeling they encountered Someone unexpectedly, but blessedly.
I want the home that says, "walk in and become one of us for a while. Join our lives, our activities, our way of living, and become one with us."
One of my favorite things to do is to make people feel welcome and important and special. I want to find ways to connect with people, and to somehow express Christ's love to them, even if only through a smile or cheery hello. I want to use this gift in my own home.
I love to talk to people and find out how they think. I like to read their hearts, hear their stories, and find kinship with people. Its amazing how this works across language and cultural barriers.
One day, this will be the home that I will have. One day, my welcome mat will be swept and ready, the lamps lit, the bread baking in the oven.
And a smile and cheery hello to welcome.
I know a family like that, and it really is amazing how open they are to having people drop in. I think a lot of times I get so caught up in doing hospitality "right" that I forget that sometimes it doesn't even matter whether you have a full meal prepared or fancy dishes on the table. In this family, their thing is to have tea, so while they may not have food for you, they'll always offer you a cup of tea, and that combined with the fellowship and conversation is enough to make everyone feel welcome! :)
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about how that would look for David and I...we just moved away from where most of our friends are (for now), so it's not like people are going to be dropping in once a week or more, but I want to have some sort of practice of hospitality. And I have to figure out how to balance that with my introverted personality that just likes peace and quiet and "me" time. :D