Welcome to Day 14 of 31 Extraordinary Days to Be…  Or…simply: Be…
Together, we will learn to Be… to live fully and beautifully in our “skin”
and in our homes and beyond.  If you missed The Introduction or you’d like
to follow the entire series, you can find each post listed here.

When I first decided on this series and came up with the topics for each day I was especially excited about today’s topic: Be…Hospitable.

This is a topic that sings in my heart.  Yet, I have struggled each week to share something meaningful with you.  It would be so helpful if you and I could sit down together….actually it would be even better if a whole group of us were able to sit around my table and talk.  I’d want to hear your story.  To find out what makes your heart sing.  Who you really want to be.  What you want to stop doing because you’re caught up in too much doing.  Yes…I’d like that very much.  But, since that isn’t the case…I will just hope that you’ll find a tiny nugget of value here.  My fingers are crossed.

Last time we talked about hospitality I mentioned that we often confuse hospitality and entertaining.  The thing that’s so interesting about this is that until I was in the midst of writing that post….I did the very same thing.  It was truly an ah ha! moment for me.  (You too?)

All that led me to thinking about hospitality in a new way.   What could I suggest that you offer someone in the name of hospitality which would be easy, inexpensive, and helpful.  If you read the title of the post you know what’s coming.  Offer a cup of water.   Okay…a glass of water, a bottle of water, maybe even the garden hose.

I’m aware that we can offer mineral water…please don’t.  After a hot four-hour bus trip, with windows wide open, from Moscow to Vladmiar, our very thirsty group sat down to a table with only bottles of mineral water.  It did not refresh.  (True, it did replenish and tap water might have put us in bed or worse.)  It wasn’t until dessert when we had beautifully cut and sugared fresh oranges that my thirst was tempered.   All that to say…let’s not get lost in the forms of water given…sparkling, flavored, spring, tap, or purified.  To do that is to step back into the entertaining mode.  Instead…let’s meet the need.

The offer of water says I care I about your physical needs.

If we’re dry, hot, or thirsty, nothing refreshes like a cool drink of water.  It’s true refreshment.

We can offer this hospitality in our homes.  Or we can go out in the world to offer a cup of water. It could be a tangible cup of water, or possibly it could be a word or action that will refresh another’s spirit.

(If you’d like to give a cup of water to someone who truly needs clear clean drinking water…consider this.)

Day 14 Challenge: If all you have to offer someone is a cup of water, do you feel like you need to offer more?   Who needs refreshment that you can give?  Will the refreshment come in the form of a ‘real’ cup of water, or in something else?  What will it be?  Do you have a story to share where you received a cup of water?  Please share it here or on Facebook.

This post has been all about the hospitality of water, so far.

Sometimes we need to offer something more than water.

Something to feed the body.  Something to feed the soul.

A number of days ago, our friends offered something more than water.  They saw our need and met it.

After packing our household into storage, and driving endlessly, we arrived at our dear friends’ home close to midnight.  We settled the cats and went to bed.  The next day we slept in a bit and then unpacked and orientated ourselves.  That evening we were served this wonderful homemade meal of Stuffed Bell Peppers.  The peppers and tomatoes were just picked from my friend’s garden.  She made the sauce with her fresh tomatoes and filled those just-picked peppers with the yummy meat, rice, and tomato mix.  It was delicious.  Even more, it nourished two very weary people.  Two who needed something beyond water.  And the hospitality of our friends went way beyond entertaining.

We, who prefer to be on the giving side, have been placed on the receiving side.  Humbled.  Honored.  Blessed.  And most of all grateful for the goodness of the Lord demonstrated through the lives of willing servant friends.

And for this…I knew you would like to make some Stuffed Bell Peppers.

Be… Hospitable!

Diane

 I hope you’ll consider visiting each day during this #31Day series.

All the posts in the series will be added to this page each day of October.
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What a wonderful adventure this will be as we journey together to Be…

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