Last week I shared some thoughts on having and modeling a heart for hospitality with our children. There are countless ways to show hospitality to our friends and loved ones, the key is finding the things that fit our family and using those to bless others and glorify God. We were once invited to a college student’s home for taco salad after church. Not only did he invite our family, he invited the whole church! Everyone got involved, some cooking taco meat, some chopping vegetables, setting up drinks, etc. It was great fun and was a good way to get to know people you otherwise only see on a Sunday morning. Yes, he had a large home, one that he shared with other college students; but the main thing that he and his family have is a heart for hospitality. He told us that when he was in college, his Dad used to do the same thing, invite everyone over for taco salad after church. Taco salad is a pretty simple meal, one even the children can make that with a little adult help. Maybe your children would like to invite a few friends over for lunch soon, if you have room…maybe the whole church!
Another way to incorporate hospitality with homeschooling is to study the biblical holidays and invite others to share in your celebration of them. My family has invited friends over for a very simple Passover celebration. Next year, my girls want to do a complete Seder meal. The celebration can be very simple, or as involved as your family has time and energy for. Let the children share what they have learned from their studies about the biblical feasts and holidays with your guests. They can make some traditional dishes, share scriptures they’ve memorized, perhaps even dress up and act out the Bible story that corresponds with the holiday. These may become some of your family’s favorite traditions, and can be an excellent way to share your home and your faith with others. Two good resources I have used for learning about the biblical holidays are Celebrating Biblical Feasts by Martha Zimmerman, and A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays by Robin Sampson. For online resources, see the Biblical Holidays website. The Schoolhouse Store has 2 e-books on studying the biblical feasts: A Bible Study of Biblical Feasts and Holy Days and Biblical Feasts and Holy Days .
God has gifted many with amazing creativity and artistic ability, and that can flow right into the kitchen and the art of hospitality. This is a great way to get the children involved. Let them create and send invitations to a gathering, make place cards, menus, party favors, etc. Along with art, projects like these will give some penmanship practice, and sneak in a little grammar and spelling, too! More importantly, it will be fun and even the little ones can have a part in preparing for the celebration.
If you would like some ideas and help in planning a party with a biblical theme, check out this e-book in the Schoolhouse Store: The Party Book ~ Easy Celebrations with Eternal Purpose . I plan to get a copy of this one for our family. I think it will be a great resource for those days when someone says, “Let’s have a party!”, and Mom doesn’t have the energy or brain power to put one together!
Here is one last book recommendation for you, Open Heart, Open Home The Hospitable Way to Make Others Feel Welcome & Wanted by Karen Mains. I hope that these ideas and resources will encourage you to practice hospitality. It all starts in the heart, and the kitchen is the heart of the home!
Blessings,
Catherine
Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana. They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things together as they pursue a lifestyle of learning. You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love.
