Cold Hospitality

Hospitality is not about entertaining. It’s about including others in your adventure. - Sheila

Sometimes we think that our home has to be perfectly clean and that we must plan a special meal in order to have guests over. Quite often, the perceived work involved discourages us from opening our home to friends or providing hospitality to someone in need. But, on reflection, I don’t know that God had perfection in mind when He said “show hospitality” (I Peter 4:9).

This has been one of the coldest few days in the last 20 years in Van Horn. Because of this, our house is not really “guest” ready. We have blankets hung up on various entrances to rooms in order to contain the heat and our kitchen is littered with dishes that we can’t wash until we have running water again. Bringing in firewood for the wood stove and taking the puppies out has tracked dirt and ice all over the entry and living room floors. In spite of this, God thought it was good enough for guests anyway.

Yesterday afternoon a friend called me from one of the local hotels. An elderly husband and wife had been stranded here because of the weather. He was a retired pastor and they were on their way to Abilene, TX to minister at a church there. However, because of the weather and icy roads, he and his wife didn’t want to chance going on that night. My friend said that he had called every church in town and no one could help. So, his wife had suggested that they call us.

My friend put Jim on the line and as he told me his story, I felt in my heart that we were supposed to help. I asked them to go to the Cornerstone Coffee Shop and talk to my husband. When they got there, Ralph made sure they had a place to sit, some hot coffee and a blanket (it was cold in the shop, too) while I made arrangements for a room and a meal…at our house.

That evening was an adventure for all of us. April & Duke, who live with us, made a wonderful meal with some help from our girls. I was working, but got home early enough to help with clean up and make sure Jim and Janice had heat in their room (my daughter, Deanna, bunked with her sisters). Deanna, Mikayla and Leilani made a fire in the stove, served our guests hot tea and cookies and tried to keep our dogs out from under foot. Meanwhile, it got colder and colder.

When we got up the next morning, we discovered frozen pipes at the Cornerstone and at home. So we decided to close the shop and focus on making home more bearable. As we cooked breakfast and made coffee, we all agreed that it was warmer in the refrigerator than the kitchen. During the rest of the morning, Jim and Janice cheerfully helped where ever they could, graciously kept their coats on in the house, allowed the puppies and our cat to sit in their laps and encouraged us in the Lord.

Finally, after loading up our living room with firewood and turning on every space heater in the house, we realized that we had to do something to take the chill off so the pipes wouldn’t break. Duke singed off his left eyebrow working with Ralph to light our central heating system and eventually got it going. The house is now at about 55 degrees (instead of 32) and is beginning to feel much better.

I’m watching the weather on-line. Jim and Janice are keeping an eye on the reported road conditions. Ralph is fixing the pipes under the kitchen sink. We have all realized that we might have to maintain for another day or two. We have reassured Jim and Janice that they are welcome to stay. They have been happy to share our hospitality (in spite of the imperfection) and in a very short time have become part of our family. If we hadn’t opened our home, we would never have made such sweet friends or had such a cool adventure.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. (Rom 12:10-13 KJV)

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (I Peter 4:9 ESV)

Dreams vs. Divine Intervention

It’s funny how a glimpse back into our past can open the flood gates to so many memories. Recently, I ran into some old friends…friends I hadn’t seen in almost 20 years. Suddenly, I find myself reminiscing about that time in my life and feeling more glad every moment that I’m no longer that naïve, selfish, stupid, little girl.

Also, there is that feeling of being older and realizing how much time has gone by between dreaming about growing up and actually doing it. In the midst my feelings of relief at being a totally different person (thanks to the redemption of the Lord in my life), there is also a kind of grief, too… a grief at the loss of so many dreams that did not come to pass.

When I was a young adult, 17 - 20, I dreamed of being an opera singer or a Broadway star. I dreamed of being discovered by a talent scout and given a part in a popular play or movie. Then I dreamed of being a great Ballroom dancer/actor/singer. My life seemed to stretch into an endless panorama of promise and fame.

All of those dreams faded when I got pregnant and decided to keep the baby in the face of those who advised me to get an abortion. I owe my decision primarily to my parents who stood by me even when my husband at the time wanted me to get rid of the baby.

I held my ground, with my parent’s support, and had a beautiful baby boy -- then got post-partum depression, caught my husband in an affair, moved out of our apartment and filed for a divorce. The only thing that kept me going during that time was my darling baby. But, the casualties were my dreams, my hopes, my aspirations, which evaporated like so much smoke in the wind.

Now, looking back over that time, you’d think that I’d have so many regrets…and I do: regrets at not making better decisions about relationships, regrets about burning bridges because of my naiveté, regrets at not following through in the face of a few challenges. However, God, in His infinite mercy, gave me so much more.

Those years were not the end of my trials -- that refining fire that burns away what is wood, hay and stubble -- but only the beginning. I didn’t learn what I needed to learn at that time. I learned a lot, but not all that God had for me.

God is continually bringing people into my life who rock my very core and shape me into who He wants me to be: a church in California full of people who knew how to show God’s love; a mother of 6 who taught me the joys of allowing children to be who they are within our parental boundaries; a family of 4 who took us in when there was “no room at the inn”; a mother of 2 who offered to get a job and help support me during a tough time; a man who showed me true commitment where none had before; two young boys who taught me to love even what is not mine; a troubled teen who taught us to accept people no matter their background; three beautiful baby girls, who taught me the beauty of God’s creation; a family in Maine who taught us how to discipline in love, look to the Word for truth, accept accountability and aspire to excellence in all things; a father/pastor, who taught us to look beyond what we see; a pastor in Amarillo who taught me the true meaning of hypocrisy; some home school families who saw value in all relationships; another pastor and church who demonstrated the refuge and restoration we have in Christ; and I could go on and on.

There have been many others, who have loved, accepted, valued, cared, shaken, stirred and poured out over us according to God’s plan. We have benefited by drawing closer and closer to what God has purposed for us.

In the face of all of these experiences… in the face of all of the orchestration we see in God’s big Symphony, how can I regret that my dreams did not come to fruition? When I was willing to “delight myself in the Lord”, God was true to His promise to give me “the desires of my heart”. He put new dreams into my psyche and rewrote the pages of my longing soul to reflect the eternal purposes He had for my life.

How exciting it is to look ahead! Now, instead of my own dreams, I can say with confidence “God, what are Your dreams for me? What is Your purpose today and tomorrow? How are You going to use my talents next?”

Now, I don’t always remember His redemption and His direction; but, God always finds a way to point me toward the right path -- even if it hurts. I’m so glad that God always keeps His promises and, in particular, His promise to “never leave me nor forsake me”.

Our meeting with my old friends was great. We talked about some of the old times, but we talked more about where we are now. She has such a love for the Lord in her heart and God is really using her life and talents to bless families and couples who need a new interest in their lives. She and her husband have been married for over 18 years (I sang at their wedding), and just that fact blessed me.

Regrets? Yes, but only over how I have responded to God; not about where He has taken me. I’m so glad that I have the family and children that I do. I’m so glad that I have the friends and relationships that I have. I’m so glad that God has continually shown me mercy and grace where I merited none and given me His visions for my life.


Ps. 37:4 - Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Heb. 13:5 - …be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”

May I continue to learn the lessons that He has and respond the way that He would have me. May I look ahead to the growing up that I still have to do and rejoice that He will do the “tending and watering”.