Creating space

It has been too long since we have invited friends over for some fellowship. This past weekend we finally made it happen. Being close to family makes inviting friends over more difficult. As weird as that may sound, it just seems like when we get together with people, its family, which is wonderful! But, after being so involved in hosting and creating a space for hospitality while we lived in a men's hall, it feels like something is missing when these oppotunities pass us by. Saturday we invited two couples and their three kids over and we made homemade pizza, and served our fresh homemade salsa and watermelon.

Our home is small, but it has a large living space that opens into the kitchen. So it creates a huge open space for conversation. We spent the majority of the evening here as we cooked pizza and nibbled on chips and salsa. This is our favorite part of our home because is creates so much room for fellowship.

My church has been doing a homebuilders ministry, where different woman in the church speak about marriage or mothering, etc. It has been a huge blessing to me to go to some of these to be built up in the way my home should be managed under the authority of my Saviour, and His Word. I recently attended one on marriage, and she talked about the order of priority that needs to be established in our lives. Her order was, Jesus, Husband, Children, Job, and then ministry. At first I thought, ministry is last?

I think we all realize already through personal experience...that if our relationship with Christ is not filled first, we are useless in general... right? Being married, I definitly understand that my relationship with Greg comes next, because we have chosen to live life together. We love each other knowing we are committed to each other for life. We love as Christ loves, and we are together under His authority. As a team, we raise our children, so we must be one first and show our kids we are one, before we can raise them up in the Lord. My job, being homemaker, is fourth, that I first show love to my family and my Lord, before I worry about cleaning house, cooking, laundry, etc. Lastly, ministry, being a very important thing we do in following Christ, because it is bringing people to our Saviour. Ministry can only be done with the relationships in our lives bringing peace to our souls. Having the priorities in my life straight are the living example that I am following the Lord.

Creating hospitality starts with me preparing a place in my own home first and foremost. It is amazing to share the love of Christ with others inside my home and among my family. I struggle at times because it feels like I am not doing enough ministry outside the home, but one way for me to be hospitable, is to be a serving wife to my husband when he comes home from work. Creating a space for him to feel welcomed, loved and free to relax. Also, giving my kids a safe, and joyful home to learn and grow and explore is hospitality that tends to be forgotten. When I experience this with my family, I am creating a home that is ready for bringing others in.

Radical Hospitality, by Homan and Pratt is a starting point for lots of thought on
Hospitality. There are numerous quotes inside this little book that reach out to our hearts. I found one that expresses what I feel I am trying to say. Our need for Jesus, close ties like family and friends, and the fulfillment of hospitality, knowing that we are human and we have so many strands that go different directions which need to be brought back into one piece.

"By gently and gradually gathering up the strands of your
fragmented life into one whole, you will become the one in skin that can
distribue yourself to others, and still have something left to take into
the great solitude of your vast soul and rest in God."