April is always a challenging month for our family (due to being in the landscaping business) and so when I sat down to plan for a pizza night with old friends–the challenge for April–I wasn’t quite sure what to do. And then I looked at the calendar and realized we already had dinner scheduled with old friends. They are dear friends of ours that we haven’t been with for quite some time. We had already planned to get together unrelated to this challenge.
We planned a date for April 22 and looked forward to reconnecting. However, on that morning we received a phone call that our daughter’s water had broken and they were on the way to the hospital! Needless to say, that weekend passed in a wonderful blur but without our anticipated reunion with our friends.
So, I did not participate in the April challenge, after all. Did anyone participate?
I am starting to feel like I am writing these posts about hospitality to the air. When I started the challenge at the beginning of this year, I had so many people express interest in joining the challenge. But it appears that only a couple of you are actually participating. If you are participating, you could really encourage me by just a short comment below (or by hitting “like” if you are reading it on Facebook).
Have a great day!
MAY CHALLENGE
The weather is finally warming up! Invite some church friends for a BBQ. Make it a very casual and easy affair. Ask your guests to bring along a side dish or dessert to make the evening even easier.
I am old and have a lg family AND I dearly love my sisters in Christ. Some months are filled with fun and activities with friends. And everyone knows my door is always open. But some months are filled w family fun or drama, and sometimes I am left totally alone. ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD. wait on The Lord. If god puts a Thot to invite that new couple to dinner after Church… Do it. Or that lonely looking recent widow, or invite that newly wed young lady for afternoon tea and talk. But always WAIT ON THE LORD. if you have the desire to share your home or day w someone for the Glory of God. HE WILL SEND THEM. hospitality begins w a smile and can happen anywhere. Hugs
But sometimes we need to just step out in faith and do it :)
We didn’t do pizza with old friends but the hospitality challenge is perfectly timed with God’s challenge to us. We have old friends coming round tomorrow evening. I’ve tried a new-to-me fruit cake receipe and hopefully we will have a couple of hours to catch up with news and strengthen our friendship. I don’t know about a BBQ (changeable weather makes planning outdoor activities a bit risky in the UK!) but we are supposed to be inviting two couples around with the intention of getting to know them better and encourage each other in the role of house group leaders. I can feel myself envying those who demonstrate so easily the gift of hospitality! I think I hide behind lack of confidence when really it is better just to get on and do it! Thanks for the challenge!
Thank you, Alison. I do realize that not everyone can do a BBQ and I appreciate you sharing your experiences and doing what you can :)
I have wanted to join your challenge full force but haven’t kept up each month. Recently I had surgery on my foot so I’ve had limited mobility. We did have a pizza night, I made a salad and we picked up pizzas at a local pizzeria. We all had fun. We need to do it again after all, our last name means “welcome”.
Thank you, Beth! Yes, health issues can change up our plans, can’t they?!
I haven’t had pizza here with others lately, but I had a dear South African “daughter” and a single mom with 3 kids over for lunch one day this week. I also fixed a big pot of soup and a casserole for today’s local free cafe in the county seat and also fixed 2 big salads for a free Christian concert to feed the performers last Saturday. I like to give my 93 yr old mother-in-law leftovers from whenever I make food, so I’m trying!! I don’t think I’m doing too bad for someone pushing 70 next year. God has given me the strength.
Hi Leslie, I didn’t do a pizza challenge in April. Instead I invited a friend over that I hadn’t seen in over a year. We both love tea so I got out my best china, set an elegant table for 2, made some fun (easy) little goodie plates, and we drank tea and toasted the Queen’s birthday and had a wonderful time of sharing together. I can’t wait to do it again with some more of my friends!
I am so glad to hear you are practicing hospitality. That’s the important thing ? thanks for sharing!