Granola Hospitality & Keg-a-Que

One night last year after a long day of work I had to stop & pick up some supplements from a lady I didn't know. Vicki invited me in, sat me on her tall stool, and fed me hot homemade granola out of her oven while she got my order together. The granola was amazing, but it was her hospitality & gracious spirit that really got to me, in a good way. Her house was a wreck, laundry was sitting around, and her son was still finishing his math homework at 9pm---yet, her home felt so welcoming.

It really got me thinking about how I want hospitality to play out in our lives. T & I love spending time with people, and we love a clean house-don't we all?-so how do I balance spending time with others & just enjoying them as well as trying to set a fun table & having a clutter free minimalist abode? ( :

I read The Reluctant Entertainer (by Sandy Coughlin) & it put into words what I've been thinking about since eating granola @ Vicki's.   


"When it comes to hospitality, the fact is, perfectionism is downright selfish. It's cruel to you and others. It undercuts your efforts to create true hospitality, which has more to do with creating the right mood than the perfect piecrust."


I really liked her 10 COMMANDMENTS of ENTERTAINING, which I copied (with permission) from her website.

Anyways, I guess it's about more than entertaining for us; somehow, in this culture of texting, FB, and yes, 

blogging ( :

Christ-centered hospitality seems to be a way to extend grace & build truly intimate relationships that will bring glory to HIM.

And you may be wondering what all this has to do with a Keg-a-Que (just like it sounds, a keg used for BBQ)? Not much, really, except that Trent got it from a client looking to unload some jun...i mean stuff...and he's certain we will use it in entertaining or camping. I'm not so certain and am willing to auction it off to the highest bidder. 

Any offers?