I was raised in a Sunday-get-together family. 

And when I began my own family that tradition continued almost automatically.  It was what we did... It was the 60's.

If his family or my folks wasn't eating at our house; we gathered at their table. 

Two children arrived and as they grew older they began inviting friends to join us.  It was the 80's. 

Then it was the "special friend".  and

All too swiftly, they started their own families and the nest was empty. But neither of them joined us or invited us to join them often, as I assumed would happen.  That was so unexpected I wondered what had happened to our close family  Was it a figment of my imagination.  No, they had their own friends and would "go out" to eat.  Everybody did.  It was the 90's 

Suddenly, Sunday mealtime was just LT and me  most of the time. 

After Prince Perfect married they started the tradition of the family going to a resturant for birthday meals.  So it was pretty much of a sure thing that we'd have 6 family meals together each year. 

Like, WOW!  In a resturant. 

Nothing like my own family of origin in the 50's.   

The longing for hospitality has been burning in my heart lo these many years. 

This past year or so it seems as though we have been eating out to the point of drugery! It is a hardship... an abuse! 

As we came home from another meal at the P--k A D---y[gag] with his 82 yo mother I whined to the Long Time Husband,

"I hate to leave my house!"

"I know you do." I was surprised by his quiet matter of factness,

"You're a stay-at-home, like your Mama."  Hummm.

Apparently I thought he had not noticed the 'one more thing' I had to do before we leave for anywhere-- the reluctant dragging of the feet. 

I think I am invisible. Most of the time I fly under the radar and then suddenly someone lets me know they have seen me.  It is a surprise.  

He went on to say, "Now, I have to have a constant change of scenery...  that's why my job was perfect for me.  I never knew what I was going to do, where I would be sent..."  The 31st was his last official day on the job.  He is now retired.    

As our home remodeling project is visibly coming together I find myself dreaming of asking various couples from church to join us for lunch... 

What happened to my lofty dreams of writing, travel...

Now I dream of a main course, three sides and a yummy dessert.  Is that not slack?   It's the 00's.

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Posted by CarpeBanana

I love dinner guests. We have people over almost every Sunday. I hope you can get doing this and be blessed by it.

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Posted by chickadee

i think having people from church on sunday to eat is a great idea. i actually wanted to do that. invite a different family over each sunday. but i have my own huge family here every sunday, and while it's more the merrier to me, to some of the others, it's an intrusion. still it is my house, right? but i don't want to isolate family members who are a bit inclusive.

do it. cook a meal, invite families over, invite your kids even. start a new tradition. it's worth it.

afamiliarpath.blogspot.com

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Posted by LadyPoet33

I have done the tradition of a formal Sunday dinner, served on my Victorian china, at my formal dining table. I love it! I do hope my children do the same thing. I would be so lonely without them here.

I would recommend inviting people in your church. At church this last week, one of the gals in our lady's group was saying how lonely she feels since her kids are all gone. I need to invite her and her family to one of our Sunday dinners.

Thanks for the kick in the pants. LOL

LadyPoet33

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