permits—all are ways of
ministering hospitality and cost us nothing!
This latest new home was my dream home, and it soon became a hub of activity.
We had more space, so we had more variety in how we could be hospitable. Our
new basement allowed us to host missionaries, kids from singing groups, and
anyone in need of a place to land for a couple weeks. We could take people in, and
by allowing them to stay with us, we shared our heart of hospitality with them.
One of the sweetest times was when my youngest daughter, Brianna Mae, asked if
her friend Adrian could stay with us during spring break from college. She came
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and she stayed, and she became “our Adrian.” She fit right in and became like
another daughter. She is still dear to my heart. Who would’ve dreamed that one
spring break hospitable act would end up blessing us for a lifetime? God certainly
does work in mysterious ways.
Ever travelled much? Ever worried about where you could do laundry? Our new
home allowed us to extend hospitality with our washer and dryer. When travelers
came through, I always wanted to let them know they could come and go as they
pleased. I encouraged them to use our laundry room if need be and to make
themselves at home.
After five years in this home, Craig said to me, “Let’s build a pool.” Yes! I was
totally stoked. I quickly did the research on best deals and asked others who had
pools what the best thing they did was and what they wished they had done. The
answers were consistent, so I felt we got the best deal we could. Then I thought,
How can I use this special addition to our home?
The Lord dropped an idea into
my head that children who had never learned to swim would likely jump at the
chance, so our “Little Swimmers” was born, and for ten years, we opened our
backyard up every Thursday, during the summers, to people of all ages. Part of
the inspiration was that I knew several kids who were afraid of swimming, and I
thought this might help. The amazing thing was that within a couple of weeks,
those kids were soon jumping off the diving board. What’s more, children who
were afraid of animals were soon hugging my dog. By the last couple years, we
were averaging about thirty-five people per week, sometimes up to sixty. I actually
had to hire a lifeguard or stay out by the pool all afternoon just to make sure
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everyone was safe in the water. When we would break for lunch, I would close the
pool cover. Safety came first. We had a snow cone machine, and my son, Nathan,
would make snow cones for the kids. I always appreciated teens coming to help.
It was a tiring day, but so worth it. Sometimes hospitality is shaved ice on a hot
summer day.
We enjoyed hosting our annual church picnic and usually had about 150 people
to dinner and pool party each summer. This took help from many people. I am
not great with details. I come up with the idea, and I am not a perfectionist, so I
need people in my life to make things happen. But guess what? There are people
who have a heart to help and are delighted to assist in making parties happen.
I could never have done any of these many things without all my dear friends
who helped. Every year, my close friend, Marsha, would come help weed my acre
and a half before the church picnic. Many times, her husband also came. They
are amazing friends. It wasn’t unusual for me, in the middle of a big happening
at our house, to walk a person down my driveway and visit or be off to the side,
talking or praying one on one with someone. Yet the helpers were keeping the
hospitality organized, and when I would walk into my kitchen, the “doers” would
be refilling trays and cleaning. I understand what Jesus meant about Mary, but
nothing would get done without the Marthas. I seriously believe that. I am more
of a Mary than a Martha most of the time, but I am so very thankful for the
Marthas in my life. I really think we need to be a combo of both. We first need to
listen to Jesus like Mary and be a doer like Martha. For without really listening to
Him, what good is serving?
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“Now as they were traveling along, He entered a certain village; and a
woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister
named Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord’s word, seated at His
feet. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up
to Him, and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all
the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered and said
to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the
good
