Years ago I took one of those spiritual gifts tests and thought my gift was hospitality. Now I'm not so sure. I have lots of clutter, dust bunnies, kitty hair, and an untidy fridg. How can I possibly have folks into my home in such chaos??!!
Last Sunday, I decided to throw caution to the wind and some hot dogs on the grill and invited some friends over after church. I have been wanting to let people into my life from church in order to help build connections but wanted to clean house first. Well, the clean, perfect, tidy(and well decorated) lifestyle wasn't happening. So I'm letting people, and their adorable kiddies into my present imperfect life/house/home.
All went well despite my faults. Thanks Christine and Etolia!!! You make me a better me! I home for more friends over, more connections and more acceptance of the present state of self. Imperfections, dust bunnies and dirty dishes in the sink, and mystery leftovers in the fridg and all.
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3 comments:
Amen to that! I went through a phase after we moved to Springfield where I was afraid that our home wasn't nice enough, big enough, well decorated enough, etc. I finally just let go of my insecurities and opened the doors. You're absolutely right -- you must invite people into your home in order to truly invite them into your life. Open your home and open your heart.
Now that Kellan is at Montessori, we've had to accept that a lot of his friends (and our new friends by association) come from a whole other walk of life than we who scrimp and save every last penny so that we can afford THE BEST SCHOOL ON THE PLANET (just so you know). They have palatial homes, boats, expensive cars, and that most coveted of all things, "disposable income". But in opening our simple little home to people who earn more in a year than I will earn in my lifetime, we have grown, laughed, learned, and made some amazing new friends. Life is funny. You just have to get out there and live it!
I think often people with a gift for hospitality often don't have it all together in organization and cleaning. And that helps. Because I've been to plenty of clean houses but to some extent I'm not all the way welcomed because I brought my dirty shoes, my need for a drink but not wanting to open the cabinets, my kid who needs a kleenex but I don't want to let him touch the embroider kleenex cozy and the list goes on. I think hospitality really means "you're welcome to live life with me and this is me. Could I meet the real you? Messes are welcome." Its when someone opens all of my cabinets looking for a cup that I really feel like we're in it together.
I always felt like I would be welcome if I wanted to stop by. You and Gabrielle are warm and wonderfully hospitable just by being who you are. Your home just fits who you are and that's what makes us love you. I never had to wonder if you were being real or not. so I knew I could be real in return. Thank you. It truly was so refreshing in such an uptight and masked community. You are a breath of fresh air! Miss you!
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