Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Hopspitality redefined


Easter stuff at the stores is always so beautiful that it has a way of grabbing my attention. I recognize the fact that they have people in charge of displays to attract fellow customers like me, but I don't care. I am one of those unfortunate souls that they want to lure in and I admit it. This year I had my eye on Target's display shelf and I spent my time thinking about how to put their Easter stuff to better use then a one day holiday. Come around the day after sale I went to the store and spent fifty dollars. I purchased two gifts for birthdays coming up, a cupcake set, towels, an Easter wreath (It was too cute) and six wonderful chargers that I am excited to share with you today.

I am excited about them because it has been 3 years since we moved into our dream house and my dining room has been a problem ever since. What people put on them challenged my mind and how they used the tables without covering up the wood or scratching the finish confused me. I tried tablecloths and place mats but washing and ironing was a big pain in my "laundry hating" state so that never stuck. We also use our dining table a lot since we entertain weekly so the centerpieces needed to be easy to remove or low enough that people were still visible from the opposite side. At best it was a blank canvas in waiting.

When I bought my chargers I felt that I had finally found something that completed my table and looked appealing enough for myself and my future guests. I enjoy having things look nice, I think it helps with my vision of recreating restaurant moments with home made food. With our dinners, I go all out because I feel that I can let them know the importance they have in my life by a gesture that has been forgotten. I urge you to get out those cloth napkins, shiny silverware, and in my case chargers and sit at a table because the people in both our lives deserve it.

Off the subject of decorating and onto being a good host I read this yesterday and began to rethink the duties, what it meant here it being over-the-top. I hope you find it of interest.

"The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.....Publius, the chief official of the island welcomed us to his home and for 3 days entertained us hospitably."
-Acts 28:2

To welcome is to show kindness, to go above the necessary and meet their needs, to invite people into your home and give them your time. This redefines a word that I think tends to get lost in the midst of convenience and puts a challenge in my own life.

Hospitality, hope.

2 comments:

  1. I deff. feel like home when im at your house. your so welcoming and go out of your way to make sure we allways have a good time. Thank you for being souch a great exsample and never giving up on us. love you guys

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  2. Thankyou so much, we love having friends to share our home with.

    ReplyDelete