The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. -Psalm 24:1
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Our family’s been out of town for a few days, taking a little time to just be “us” at our favorite mountain town. We were so honored to be offered a house to stay at (all 7 of us!), free of charge. We don’t know the owner of the house personally, but we were told he had lost his wife, but was now re-married, and thus–the second home. What a blessing to be gifted with time away as a family. You can learn a lot about someone by the books he reads and the photos on his walls. The house tells the story of a man of faith, a man with loving children and sweet grandchildren who are now teenagers. The pictures and decor speak of a life that has known the faithful love of a woman’s touch, and the rich heritage of multi-generations. This is a home that values experiences and […]
We usually think of hospitality as the blessing of others. While that is the truth, I often think that being the host is the greater privilege. It is the opportunity to share all that you have, to see God provide, to learn to consider others more important than yourself, and to be stretched beyond one’s own comfort zone. Such a privilege was had at our home this past weekend, as a dear long-time friend of my husband’s and his family stayed with us during a rare and special visit. And, as we had a total of 9 kids under 8 years of age under the same roof, there were ample opportunities to learn to bless and be blessed. Amazingly, there were only minor mishaps scattered amongst the many laughs and good memories. The Lineup, minus the baby. The Dance Party. The Chinese Acrobats. The Guys. The Whole Gang. As I […]
I like to tell younger ladies who may be daunted by the idea of having people visit in their homes on a regular basis: There’s a difference between hospitality and entertaining. One finds its focus on the respite of the guest; the other on the accomplishment of the host. The Bible teaches us to be hospitable: “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling,” (1 Peter 4:9) but it never requires of us to be impressive. In fact, Martha was told she was prioritizing unwisely for being the “hostesss with the mostest.” Why do I bring this up? Because there is so much joy to be had in being hospitable. And so many times we miss out on this joy by being overly concerned about the dusting we are behind on, or the time we might be giving up in order to make time to show hospitality. Then, we wonder why […]
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 (NASB) Daily life has a way of feigning predictability, as we reply to it’s boasting with self-reliance and -sufficiency. And so, though reluctant at times, I have a deep love for the way my Savior shakes things up, and pencils in little experiences unscheduled in my family’s bursting Day Runner. This, for us, came in the form of unplanned house guests-strangers, really-who’ve stayed with us through the weekend, and into the first part of our week. Our new friends moved here from several states away, for the start of a new career, as well as a position at our school. Headmaster hubby was to help move them in on Saturday morning when their apartment fell through, leaving our guests at the beginning of their search all over again…with a loaded […]
…because the menu for a purple baby shower would’ve included purple grapes, purple cabbage, eggplant, red onions, blueberry pie, and perhaps lavender cookies. Hmm…not so bad, I suppose. Rather, this past weekend I hosted an orange-themed baby shower for Number 1′s 2nd Grade teacher. (We are a start-up school, and consequently, have a school board, staff, and parents, that feel like family.) Anyhow, this was a fun theme to work with. If you want to throw an orange party, this post is for you. Here was the predominantly orange menu: Chilled Carrot-Ginger Soup with Coconut Milk Cantaloupe and Bocconcini (mozzarella balls) Salad with Prociutto and Mint Veggie Tray with Mini Orange Peppers, Carrots, and Blanched Asparagus served with a Chipotle Red-Pepper Dip Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Sandwiches Goat Cheese and Crackers, served with Apricot Preserves, Dried Apricots, Figs, and Grapes Rooibos Blood Orange Iced Tea Orange-Vanilla Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue […]
This is just my opinion, folks… But, if you are going to serve up a green leafy cabbage like bok choy to your family at dinnertime, I humbly suggest putting thought into your presentation, even if it is just your hubby and the kiddos. As it is with many other aspects of life, conventional wisdom teaches that something (green and leafy) is often received in the manner in which it is presented. We wrap presents, dress for special occasions, and smile sweetly when asking for forgiveness. You get the idea. So it is with leafy, green veggies of the Asian persuasion. It takes but an additional moment, but the piqued interest may be the difference between Hmm? and Mmm…
A good photograph can tell a story or convey a mood in such a unique way. Today, our family made a special purchase we’ve saved up for in cash! We purchased our first “real” camera–a Nikon D60–just in time for the upcoming little toes, wrinkled nose, and tiny yawns. Now that we’ve made the leap from a point and shoot, I finally feel as if I can capture more accurately what it is my mind’s eye actually sees. I’m an artist, and a storyteller…it is a wonder I’ve never taken up photography. In honor of good photography, compliments of a great photographer, I’m posting photos of some previous events. I never shared about the diaper bag I made for my dear friend who had this adorable baby a few months ago. I absolutely loved how it turned out, with its vibrant assortment of Amy Butler fabrics. I didn’t follow a […]
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