Hospitality builds and reinforces relationships among family, friends, and acquaintances. It is one of the pleasures of ordinary life.
Christine Pohl, Making Room
Hospitality is a pleasure of ordinary life. I’ve been chewing on these choice words by author Christine Pohl in her book Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition.
I’m attending the Re:Write Conference this weekend. The sessions, speakers, publishers, and attendees represent a powerful cross-section of the writing world. While it would be easy to star gaze in awe, I’m truthfully struck by the ordinariness of it. Oh not the conference, itself. Re:Write is outrageous. Filled with wisdom, encouragement, inspiration, fellowship, and talent.
Ordinary can be defined as normal. And, this weekend I am blessed to be with a whole bunch of normal people sharing their gifts and talents in meaningful and powerful ways. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things to share the message of the good news of Christ.
Often I think what I’m doing isn’t big enough. I’ve shamefully wished for a bigger stage than my kitchen table. Even though everything I hold dear is right here at my table — family, friends, acquaintances, even a few strangers. 😉 Sometimes when I attend writers conferences I slip into a bad pattern of comparison. Wishing for shoes that wouldn’t fit. Today, as I walk out the door to fill my cup up by talented writers, my only wish is that I could make more room at my ordinary table.
Ordinary is outrageous. Maybe that’s an oxymoron, but it’s where my heart is today. Thank you for being here at my table. It means the world to me that you are here.
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On Saturdays, during our month together for 31 Days of Outrageous Hospitality, I’ll share a favorite book that offers inspiration and instruction on the gift of hospitality.
Let’s live outrageously ordinary lives together, friends!
Day #19 Table Talk: Where do ordinary and outrageous intersect in your life?
So I started your challenge well.. whatever day I’m on minus weekends;) and since I started we have had many unexpected overnight guests, hosted my normal bible study, watched numerous extra kiddos, had folks drop by last min, was able to take our hospitality out like you spoke about and serve at a friend’s grandmothers funeral and have had a dessert potluck with all of our neighbors! Right now we have a friend and her 2 year old son visiting from Germany awaiting a new flight and thru her being here and the chaos that is life God has been showing me the importance of prayer in Hospitality! Not just my prayer life but others praying with you and for you! I wonder if sometimes in seasons that our hospitality may not look like inviting people into our homes it looks like fervently praying for those God has placed in our lives who are able to show that type of hospitality? My husband who is totally the introvert of the two of us has been such an example of Christ’s love and sacrifice…he is reminding me above the noise to look to Christ the who has ordained each of these moments! Thank you for your challenge and for the daily dose and reminder or Why….