“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,” wrote the author of Hebrews, “for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” “Did we talk about that [the following event] then?” I asked Sissy the other day. “I don’t remember,” she responded. Maybe our brains were still reeling from the bourbon. I asked […]
Simple Touches of Hospitality
Several weeks ago, our Sunday School class held a Chili Cook-Off. I brought bowls of shredded cheese and sour cream to help calm anticipated spicy fires of the tongue. I also won second place with my vegetarian chili, substituting ginger ale for the beer. The recipe is in GraceTable’s free Fall-Winter Volume I cookbook […]
To Serve Up Love
I’m sitting at our white porcelain-topped farm table facing a new stainless steel sink (goodbye rusted white cast iron) with the bronze faucet that reminds me a little of an old well. The 50-year-old cabinets I painted blue when we moved in 25-plus years ago are gone. They’d been disintegrating and dusting themselves all over […]
When Hospitality Is Caked With Dust
Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:9 ESV) My dad’s told the story a quadrillion times. How I overheard him say he’d like fish and fried potatoes for breakfast. So one morning I rose early (Dad says I was probably only 10 years old), grabbed my fishing pole and a can of […]
Between the Lines
Stories often hide between the lines even in old cookbooks. Like this well-used one that belonged to my mother-in-law and holds many ink-altered recipes. Mom loved to entertain and often had small groups in her (now our) home. In fact, she had two kitchens because the family lived in the basement for a year while […]
Breaking The Border of Self
I shook my head and sighed as I folded yet another frayed towel. We’ve had these light mocha (now practically cream) towels for what seems like forever, and to replace them is low on the needs list. But the other day I used a Target gift card to buy just one big, fluffy, white bath […]
life, home, and hospitality
Please, God, let my parents come and beat her up. We’d had a sword battle with pencils, Patsi and I. And Mrs. Smith rapped my 7-year-old knuckles. But not Patsi’s. So I turned around and scribbled on Patsi’s picture. And now I stood in the corner, lump in throat, cheeks aflame. It didn’t occur to […]
Seasons of Serving and the Nature of Love
“I can’t,” I snapped. She faded back into the living room and left me alone with my pots and oils. And chopsticks. Newly married and still giddy from San Francisco and Chinatown, I planned my first dinner party from scratch–sweet and sour chicken, homemade egg rolls, and fried apple (?) somethings (I think) that kept […]
God in the Yard: The End~Hospitality
Embrace the life you have before it’s gone. ~L.L. Barkat Please, God, let my parents come and beat her up. We’d had a sword battle with pencils, Penny and I. And Mrs. Smith rapped my 7-year-old knuckles. But not Penny’s. So I turned around and scribbled on Penny’s picture. And now I stood in the […]
