when my house is full of people, laughter, food, noise
when it's full of love, warmth, little hands and feet, toys
these are the days i want to remember.
Jen's daughter Naomi, Bekki & her daughter Calli and Jude playing in the living room (Jen, her other 2 kids and Noah were also there, but not in this picture)
the little friendships that have started between these precious little boys and girls
i hope they last for a long, long time.
someone once said
never be ashamed of your home and never let your circumstances stop you from offering hospitality
i think those are very wise words. i want to live by those words.
what are you doing this Christmas season to show hospitality?
wish i lived closer so you could show hospitality to me! :) miss you, vanessa!
ReplyDeletei LOVE that you posted this and totally agree. Nothing is more off-putting than a person who invites you over only to apologize for their messy house... Especially moms, because a messy house is nearly a given :)
ReplyDeleteThough I don't 100% agree with circumstances not letting you show hospitality being a bad thing... I think there are seasons, and sometimes you're in a season where you need to be shown hospitality instead of giving it. But maybe when you have the gift of hospitality it's never a burden... what do you think?
I'm that person who apologizes! :)
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts Em.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I believe there are seasons for being able to give. Last year was a season of learning to receive for me.
This year my capacity has blown wide open and I'm LOVING being able to give and have people in our house - I wish it were more often in fact!
I am learning NOT to apologize and just offer warmth, good conversation and yummy food. :)
I'm guessing "circumstances" is referring to the size or location of your house - if it's big, small, downtown, in the 'burbs, awesome decor, only a few lawn chairs. Because ultimately it's not the decor that makes hospitality - it's the friendship and sincerity of spirit.
I also think that even when we are in a rough stage of life there are ways we "give" and offer hospitality to others, we may just not recognize it at the time? I'm not sure on that one, though.
I think Ecclesiastes has something to say about "times" and "seasons". :)