Encouraging spontaneous hospitality last weekend yielded a wonderful evening with family and new friends. There’s just something about root beer floats that bring out memories of sweet family moments gone by.
No “screen time” was allowed, so the kids attempted to play board games outside. Unfortunately for them, the dogs wanted active participation with the simple pleasures of life as well.
Who says we needed all those game pieces anyhow? We’ll get creative. 🙂
Candle lit ambiance added to the experience, but the kids moved to the safety of the family room floor.
For those with an analytical eye, yes, that is poker they are playing. Now that it’s out there…no judgment please…can I just tell you how hilarious it is to hear a little prissy 6 year old girl call, “Fold,” with all the emotion she can muster.
Yep, it sure it. (For those of you concerned – no money was involved, so just call it a card game. 😉
There are so many delights in enjoying a welcoming home, but one of our joys in practicing hospitality in our home is the opportunity to engage those of radically different cultures, religious and/or political persuasions and beliefs.
Due to my parents’ modeling and revolving door mentality, we had the opportunity to enjoy an evening we will never forget.
Meet Luke.
Coming to the US from China, Luke has been a part of the “family” for four years. Coming from a “one child policy” country, can you imagine the pondering he has done by being around our harried homestead? I love it!
Now meet Marti. Without revealing too much information, he hails from a radically Islamic country. The irony lies in the fact that my parents dove into researching the radical Islam movement this past year, and are passionate about bringing Truth to light. When they found out that Marti was coming to live with them, they knew that it was truly a God thing.
Delightful describes him, and the eye opening education received equates to a year of home schooling.

Who would ever have thought that a spontaneous root beer float party would yield these lessons.

  • First, clearly communicate that root beer is a soda beverage. Alcohol is completely forbidden in Islam. Do you think he thought we were trying to play a fast one on him?
  • Second, be assured that if you’re a weird American family with “way too many kids,” then a Muslim guest will feel right at home. He is one of 13, yes 13, siblings.
  • Third, be ready with multiple answers when your children drop all thoughts of playing board games because Marti declares those thirteen siblings come from his father’s FOUR wives.
  • Lastly, rest assured that if you think the grass is greener on the other side, Marti assures us that he will only have one wife because two, three or four are WAY too difficult.

Can you envision actually living out the finals of “The Bachelor”…every since day of your life?
SMART, SMART MAN! One wife is the way to go. 🙂
So what’s stopping you from practicing some spontaneous hospitality with your neighbor?
Buy a few 2 liters of root beer, a few ‘buy one get one free’ ice creams, and enjoy the blessing of a welcoming home.
I can’t wait to hear the lessons you learn.
Don’t worry, I don’t think you’ll have to deal with the sex ed discussions that we addressed after our interestingly educational evening. 🙂 Gotta love it!!