Day 38: Open doors

You know it's going to be a good day when you start it out by baking a chocolate chip cookie the size of a large pizza. 

Part of Lent has been family desserts and this has been on bucket list for a few weeks.  The kids had the day off school and I decided we were going to have some fun with it. 

We voted on activities - bike riding,  searching for tadpoles at the creek,  pillow fort and playdates.  

I grabbed my phone and texted a few parents - "hey,  if you're not doing anything or need to work today,  I'm happy to take your kid." Need less to say a couple working parents were happy to take me up on the offer and I spent the day with a pack of boys - getting dirty and being silly. 

One of the books I've been reading this Lent,  Habits of the household,  had a profound reminder.  There is a big difference between the Christian practice of hospitality and the concept of entertaining guests. Entertaining is a procured experience - a lovely meal,  music.  Hospitality,  the book says,  "is just opening the door... and welcoming people to join your mess. "

We live in such a procured world where entertaining is the norm that hospitality feels a little strange.  It feels strange and yet wonderfully intimate. Anytime I can remember someone opening the door and turning quickly to attend to the stove or a diaper somehow feels like a strange honor.  Like,  you trust me to see your real self.  

My house is on the smaller side,  especially for the size of our family.  It is very practical.  There isn't a sitting room and the dining room is a constantly shifting space used for homework and making cookies, science experiments and legos.  I have no space to entertain guests. This has limited my openness to invite people for dinner especially people I don't know well.  My kids are, well, kids and there are quite a few of them.  If you come here to talk to me,  it's going to take 15 minutes to finish the first sentence. You'll have my full attention but someone will need food or pee on the floor or ask if they can go scooting.  Interruptions are just part of the rhythm here.  

Hospitality feels a little too much in this house.  The space too intimate.  The pace a little overwhelming.  

But today the house is full of laughter because I opened the door...because I took the step to teach out and invite. It was a good day.  

May we all have courage to invite people into our messes.  We are made for connection.  Invitation is the first step.