By the time Friday arrives we are bushed. We have full weeks, coupled with full weeks of homeschooling, and there are always little ways for us to serve at chapel..... our family tradition has been to eat pizza and watch a movie....veg out.....on Friday nights.
The thing is - with week nights so full - we were finding we didn't have time/nor ENERGY to invite others over. God began to gently impress and challenge us again about the importance of Biblical Hospitality - regardless of our lagging energy or chronic pain....but it didn't seem right to invite folks over to stare at a screen. We want to connect, get to know them....then God dealt with my tendency to want to entertain rather than extend hospitality. It's quite simple...my focus is to be on people and not the cleanliness of my home or the fanciness of the meal.
I swallowed a big lump of pride and suggested we start inviting others into our home for pizza and games....and it's been wonderful. I think we average company about 3/4's of the time. There are many times I want to cook something a bit more impressive....but God hasn't released the time to do so at this point.....Papa Murphy's is what we can handle on Friday nights. LOL
Our young men are always happy to help in the kitchen on Fridays. ::wink::
Maya and Stacia have waited weeks for us to coordinate our schedules for a play date.....and when we finally set a date - I forgot I had a site visit. Knowing it was a possibility I wouldn't be home after school, we invited Maya and her grandparents, Papa Phil and Nan Beverly, for pizza and games.
Our Princess' |
Guesstures was the game of choice for the kids....
We adults sat at the table for a long time...through the meal, clean up and games. It was a joy to be able to hear more about Phil and Beverly's life - their family, their ministry. They are retired pastors who now live with their daughter to help out. It's not often we get to sit and visit with retired pastors who GET IT. We talked. It's always a treat to be in relationship with someone in a different phase of life - be that younger or older. It enriches us. This evening enriched us. We took it outside.....
...around the fire pit....I had just enough graham crackers for the kids to have a taste of s'mores. I must stock up on graham crackers now that the nights are getting a bit cooler.
A sweet ending a full week.
Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...