With the holidays fast approaching, I thought how enjoyable it is to go into someone's home and actually feel at home. You notice I use the word “home” not “house” – there is a defined difference.
We've all gone into homes where we've felt genuinely welcome as well as into houses where we had to recheck our invitation to make sure we really had been invited. The door opens, we go in, and the host/hostess says, “Glad to have you” and walks away. We stand there wondering what to do next, and then sheepishly saunter into the room looking for a familiar face. When there's none, something starts gnawing in our stomach and we redraw to the darkest corner of the room. If we happen by chance to notice an acquaintance, we quickly run a relay to their side and make idle chatter - only occasionally letting our eyes scan the room in hopes to find another comfort zone (i.e., another familiar face). Oh, how I hate that feeling – just writing about it makes me shudder.
Entertaining should not be based on the quality of the food or its presentation but that the host/hostess "welcomes,” “embraces," and "receives" guests as one of their own. No, entertaining isn’t the food, although some Santa Maria tri-tip sounds good right now. I have had hot dogs and chips and enjoyed myself to no end – and then had steak with all the trimmings and wished there was a doggie bag so I could take it home to eat because the atmosphere would be much, much better. You say, you'd be by yourself - I was anyway.
Now, here's where I've been trying to go (I know, it takes me awhile – sorry – blame it on my age). What type of host/hostess are we to the world? Do people feel welcome when around us, or do they feel uncomfortable, unwanted? Shouldn't we use proper “Good News” etiquette, become the perfect host/hostess and open the door to our heart? For when we truly “entertained” those about us, we have “entertained” the Lord.
PS: Okay, so the picture is of outdoor entertaining...it's what we do almost all year round on the California coast so I'm brainwashed. No, that's not right. I couldn't find the right entertainment picture that I liked.
