The Peony Project: May Prompt and Link Up : Hospitality
The Peony Project is a community for women who love Jesus, love blogging, and are looking for a common space to share ideas, encourage one another, and make real, honest friendships with one another.
Recently a friend invited me to join this group for encouragement and support. I have just dipped my toes into the waters of being a member so far, now I head a little further down the rabbit hole.
One of the exciting benefits of The Peony Project is a monthly blogging prompt and link up (I am still learning all the nuances of these technical terms…and how to accomplish them…so bear with me) . Each month they designate a prompt and there are multiple blogs where you can all link up with your own personal take on the prompt. It offers a great opportunity to blog about something that you might not usually think to blog about.
All my post thus far have been DIY’s (I love DIY’s) but this gives me an opportunity to write a more personal post, giving y’all a chance to get to know me better.
This months prompt for the Link-Up is Hospitality.
Websters defines Hospitality as “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.”
The most challenging part of that definition, for me, is that hospitality should be practiced with strangers, which is a strange thought in today’s society, but is was not strange for Jesus’ followers (Hebrews 13:2). When I am in my home and I have visitors I want to give them all I have to give, my time, attention, the best of my food and drink (John 2:1-11). How can I do that when I am not in my home and with people I don’t know at all?
As I sit in Starbucks (possibly my favorite place on the planet) a thought that keeps coming to my head is taking hospitality on the road, practicing hospitality where ever I am. The Hubs and I don’t have kids yet so we spend a lot of time not in our home, we love to travel and like to be active, even in those situations we can practice hospitality, especially with strangers.
Here are a few fun ways to stretch your hospitality muscles when you’re out and about.
- Holding the door open for the person walking in behind you.
- Smile and say hello to those around you. The Hubs and I love to go for walks in the evening after work and my favorite thing to do is say hello and smile as we pass people.
- You can practice hospitality with strangers by paying it forward. I love paying for the order of the person behind me in a drive-thru line. It always makes my day when someone does that for me and I love making other peoples days.
- Could you give up your place in line at the market for that mom who seems to have her hands full, or even better offer to help her out to her car if you are able.
- I think of practicing kindness and patients with the people who work at the various businesses you may visit. Please and Thank You are amazing words.
- Leave any place you visit (weather a friends home or a business) nicer than you found it.
This prompt made me think real hard about who are the most hospitable people I know and what made them that way and when you boiled it all down they were so amazing at hospitality because they put people first, all people, not just people they knew. I hope I can be that ways someday.
As I reflect, I think there might be an even greater need for intentionally practicing hospitality outside our homes with strangers, because it goes against so much of what our culture tells us to do. What a great way to combat so much of the negativity and hurt that is so prevalent.
What are your thoughts? Any other ideas on how to practice hospitality with strangers?
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I love how you emphasize hospitality with strangers! That’s so important too!
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