The rain is gone and the sun is shinning and it is day to celebrate! My mom is coming into town for a few days and I know she will enjoy seeing the grandkids and the great-grandkids. I learned much of my “cooking for others” from her. We always had someone living with us, as I was an only child and she felt that it was up to her to entertain me with opening our home to anyone needing a place to live for a short time. As I look back and remember some of the “company” which stayed with us, I think I learned something from each one. Some negative things, but also some postive things. As I think back to some of the young ladies who stayed with us, it has taught me how to be a guest in someone’s home. We had some doozies sometimes! Some that thought they couldn’t go to sleep unless they were listening to Led Zepplin, others would insist that their days were not complete unless I played the piano while they sang (and trust me, they did not have the “gift of singing”). Others were short term missionaries who taught me that each day should begin with reading God’s Word just by watching them do so. They didn’t have to say a word. It was always fun at meal time, because we always had someone having dinner with us. I loved that. I was determined that when my children were born that we would make meal time a happy occassion. I pray that they have that memory as they are now raising children of their own. Of course there were nights when we ate Taco Bell in the car on the way to practices, but we had many nights when we did have dinner together. I did not want the television on during dinner. It was fun to hear about their day and to hear them harrass each other and to kid and tease each other.
It is a blessing that I have a husband who feels blessed to have a home, which we know is given to us by the Lord, opening it to young men or women who feel called to the ministry. We are housing our third intern at the present and it is a joy to not only see how God is using this young man and to hear what all he is learning, but to see him excited about his future and where God might take him. We have had dinners with him which have kept us around the table for an hour after dinner, laughing and talking about great memories he has had and us as well. We feel so blessed that the Lord has directed him into our lives. We pray that as he has been a blessing to us, that we will be a blessing to him. The scripture comes to mind, Romans 12:13, “Distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality.” That is my prayer, that God will use our home for His purpose!
Chocolate Castles 