We have had so much fun seeing how our new book, The Sublime Soiree: God’s Invitation to the Party of your Life, has impacted readers. And reading how it’s opened people’s thoughts toward hospitality has been one of our favorite experiences! For instance, we really enjoyed receiving this note from a reader:
We hosted (our daughter’s) graduation party at the beginning of June and since she has worked at Sweet Frog for a couple years, she wanted to feature froyo as the dessert. My mother-in-law is crafty and had made some beautiful labels for some jars to hold the froyo toppings. Of course, we ended up with about 50-75 extra cups of froyo in our freezer which then has inspired some wonderful opportunities to host and bless others. We invited the neighbors who have young kids over for a front porch party to enjoy some froyo and wonderfully presented toppings along with the color-changing spoons that respond to temperature. We likely wouldn’t have reached out to those neighbors if it wasn’t for the abundance of froyo. The rest of the month has included other impromptu evenings around froyo as our children have had their friends over and we have a ready-made froyo station in the kitchen. Though this summer, our hospitality has almost been accidental, it has made me think of what to stock up on next so that we can be lavish at any moment. It all reminds me of how our Father can always be lavish because his hospitality overflows from his abundant resources. To Him be the Glory!
Who would have thought that leftover froyo could turn into such an instrument for hospitality? Yet, that’s the wonderful truth: opportunities to extend God’s invitations are all around us if we are willing to look for them. What “extras” do you have at your disposal that could be tools for inviting? What simple things might you stock up on in the future? Perhaps you could tap into one (or more!) of the ideas below, or maybe you have some really fun ideas of your own. We’d love to hear them in the comments!
- Keep popsicles in the freezer and bring them out on hot days in the
Photo by Goran Ivos on Unsplash summer. Maybe share them with the landscaper or another contractor.
- Have a tray of two teacups, an assortment of teas and honey to remind you to invite a neighbor over for a cup.
- Fill a box with old buttons, ribbon, scraps of material, paper, pens, and markers, then invite neighbors in for a card-making session.
- Pick up several stems of a particular flower at the market and some vases from the dollar or thrift store. Invite friends or acquaintances over and ask them to bring the same number stems of their favorite flower. Then have fun making flower arrangements together using each other’s flowers.
- Heading to the farmer’s market? If you’re like us, you have an over-abundance of reusable grocery bags. Why not invite someone to join you and fill one of those extra bags with some yummy market food, your treat?
Every idea shared here is a way to extend kindness to others, but they also can be bridges for building relationships. And as relationships grow, opportunities to share God’s invitation can multiply. We’ve heard it said that people don’t care what (or Who) you know until they know that you care. Through prayer and some creative thinking, we can discover all sorts of ways to show others how much we care. May we pass the plate of God’s invitations with joy!
— The Sublime Soiree © July 15, 2024
