*To all of you that are being affected by the catastrophic hurricane "Katrina"....Our prayers, hopes, thoughts and wishes are with you. At this real and tragic time, we will pray that you can feel the real presence of God the Father, who as He promises, is always with you.....especially during your most desperate times.
We, in the South, pride ourselves on being hospitable. It is one of the many wonderful traits of the South (can you tell that I am proud to be a Southern). The "Oxford Pocket Dictionary" defines hospitality "as the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests or strangers". Yes, that is the South... but is it my family...how do my dad, mom and sisters rate (family, if you are afraid of what I might say you have the option of not reading this post!)...and how deep does that run?
My younger sister, Patti, and her family have a time-share in Hilton Head, S.C., where they vacation for one week every year during the last week of August. This year my mom and dad went down with them for the week. She also had left an open invitation to the rest of us to come down if able. One of my older sisters, Toni, really wanted to go down (she loves the beach), but would not go unless I could go with her. Seems simple enough....get in the car and spend the day at the beach! After some anxiety on my part (that is a post for another day), I agreed to go with her and a plan was hatched.
We met at Dunkin Doughnuts, on time and at the appointed time. Toni was going to drive and from the moment I hauled my stuff...yes, that is my husband's complaint..going for one day and you have enough stuff that you have to haul...to her truck she could not have been more generous. She wanted to know if I was going to be comfortable in the small truck or if not, we could buzz back to her house and pick up her van. She inquired about how much air-conditoning I prefered, asked me if I would be willing to navigate (apparently she isn't aware that I can navigate but get catch up in conversation and forget I have a job usually ending up in missed exits or turns), and showed a genuine friendly and generous reception of me as her guest. HOSPITALITY. During the trip there, we engaged in conversation on a long list of topic, joked with one another,and ate doughnuts. ENTERTAINMENT. Even when I spilled my drink (I never spill), a turtle tracks double cappuccino, something or other latte (I am a novice at this latte thing), she could not have been friendlier or more generous. We spent about 6 hours, with our family, on Hilton Head. Toni and I did our best to keep to our schedule and we started the three-hour trip homeward around 6 p..m. The trip home was a mirror image of the trip there, with the exceptions that we had no spilled drinks... great company, great converstion, doughnuts (creme filled, maple and peanut, the only way to go), FRIENDLY..GENEROUS...ENTERTAINING.., and much A plus hospitality!!!
Upon our arrival at Patti's condo, we were met by my dad and brother-in-law, Don. My dad and Don immediately went into hospitality mode...informing us that the rest were down at the pool...offering us drink and the use of the bathroom to change into our swimsuits..my dad repeatedly offered to show us the way down to the pool...no doubt about it ..a friendly and generous reception! We quickly changed into our suits, noticing that Don had already set and readied the table for lunch, fully expecting to serve us the noon meal...HOSPITALITY!!!We were escorted by the two guys, (now that I think about it Don should be put up for sainthood, mother-in-law and three close sisters invading his vacation), down to the pool. My sister and my niece and two nephews(8, 6 and 3 in age) had already gathered their things and were headed in. They turned around, back into the pool, and mom, Toni, my niece and nephews and I played a three team game of pool basketball. ENTERTAINMENT of guests!! After our game concluded (mom was at a pure advantage, who is going to dunk a great grammy just to steal the ball..), we dried off and headed back up for lunch but not without the option to have lunch by the pool which we declined. Upon finishing our lunch it was time to get lathered up with sun-block for a trip to the beach. I get tickled recalling that I have forgotten how long to takes to get a group sun-blocked for beach time when there are little ones involved. Their bodies are so little but they need sun-block on every inch of the exposed parts and do not forget the ears....they are crucial! Again, the perfect example of HOSPIALITY, everyone joining in the trek to the beach, everyone joining in the entertainment and not the slightess hint of inconvience. Patti and I set up, again she was careful to have plenty of beach chairs, multiple umbrellas, cooler and a bag full of towels. She was adamant about dad having a chair that was shaded so that he would not get too much sun, plenty of drink for mom to keep her "whistle wet", and reasurance that Toni and I could do whatever would make us happy. GENEROUS a characteristic of HOSPITALITY!!! Don played taxi driver, taking dad back to the condo at one point (the sun, kids and surf, I think, wore him out but my hats off to him for the trooper he is), and then when Don arrived back to the beach we sitting ready to return to the condo. A storm had developed right over us. We were having such a good time sitting at the waters edge and playing with the children that we did not even realize it had started raining. After Toni pointed out the storm, we rushed to "break camp", being pelted with rain and small hail and quickly got the children off the beach. And with impectable timing, up drives Don ready and willing to help us load up. Back to the condo we went, to shower or maybe if you prefer another dip in the pool or like my mom, dad and I a challenging game of Cribbage. During our game I noticed that it had been awhile since I had seen Patti. Toni had gone to the pool for a few minutes so I assumed Patti was with her. We heard a knock at the door and when opened in came Patti with a plate full of grilled sausage dogs ready for our dinner. Coming back to life and out of "game state" (my family becomes easily immersed in our games), I realized the table, once again was set, and Patti had graciously grilled dinner without uttering a word to us. GENEROUSLY, giving us the gift of immersion in our game and time without a care with mom and dad. We ate a good dinner and then it was time to be on our way...the entire time being told we were welcome to spend the night. As we loaded up in the truck, we were sent on our way with waves, thanks for coming and reminders to call, when we arrived home, so all would know we were safe and sound.
Yesterday, from the moment I sat down in Toni truck, was a perfect example of HOSPITALITY (my definition...the laying down of ones- self for the service of others). The definiton in the dictionary and also my own personal definiton were met yesterday in every way possible, with much love, graciousness and a joyful attitude. "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling". 1 Peter 4:8-9. "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it". Hebrews 13:2. "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12: 13. "We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth." 3 John 1:8. Hospitality is very important as the above scriptures show us. It tells us that love is needed to practice hospitality, that blessings are bestowed upon us when we practice hospitality, we fill needs within people by our hospitality and it helps our work for God's truth. Hospitality, in it's purest form, is an act of love....and it reflects our love for our heavenly Father. If you are a servant of hospitality and that service runs deep within you, that gift comes out of a nutured love and deep relationship with Christ. As for my family, thank you for your hospitality, thank you for the memories you gave me yesterday. Most of all, thank you, once again, for answering with the highest of marks. May Christ's love sustain you always, as you continue to strive toward the goals of our Risen Lord.
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