After I tucked the boys in bed for their nap today, I sat down, with book in hand, to eat my lunch of ravioli...and I sat there long enough to finish reading my latest book, Finding Your Purpose as a Mom by Donna Otto. I've referred to this book before, but the last thing I want to mention about it is a wonderful comparison she has between hospitality and entertaining. I haven't finished formulating my "senior dream" yet (another Donna Otto concept), but I'm fairly certain hospitality will be a big part of it, so I'm always eager to learn about hospitality. I found the following chart extremely helpful...
Hospitality seeks to provide a safe place.
Entertainment seeks to provide a showplace.
Hospitality strives to serve.
Entertaining strives to impress.
Hospitality puts people before things.
Entertaining elevates things above people.
Hospitality claims that what's mine is yours.
Entertaining claims that everything is mine and you should admire it and certainly not touch it.
Hospitality takes no thought for reward or reciprocation.
Entertaining expects praise and a return invitation.
Hospitality is about welcome, inclusion, and acceptance.
Entertaining is about exclusiveness and pride.
Hospitality frees us to enjoy one another and grow in the Lord.
Entertaining enslaves us to personal and cultural expectation.
Hospitality specifically seeks out those in need of food, shelter, company, or a listening ear.
Entertaining seeks out those we think can help us in some way.
Hospitality is an act of obedience and stewardship.
Entertaining is essentially a self-serving occupation.
Isn't that wonderful? It gave me much food for thought...which I will think about as I go frolic in the beautiful sun (well, frolic with a shovel, wheelbarrow, weedkiller, and mulch...hmmm, maybe "frolic" isn't the best word!).
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2 comments:
This is a great post, Davene! I appreciate these thoughts and wanted to encourage you that you are on the hospitality path. We always appreciate the hospitality that you share. Have a wonderful time in the yard. That is my favorite thing, even though I have just a small city yard. Outdoors.
Davene, I enjoyed this post and I always feel the hospitality at your home. I hope that we can create the same sense of welcome in our home. Have a good day.
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