Hi Everyone!
I am a tiny bit excited. This is my very first blog post on my very own blog. Can you smell the newness? I have written a few blogs as a guest, but never experience the joy of writing on my own blog. I can imagine that quite a few of you rolling your eyes or giving a sigh because you were begging me for so long to begin my own. My apologies for being so slow, and maybe not quite believing I can do it.
Many have asked me where did hospitality begin for me and it was quite a revelation for me when I realised when I made my first “welcome card”. I grew up with six brothers. Five were older than me. In different seasons of my life, they all rotate to be the favourite brother for moment. I was around 7 years old when one of my older brothers, who was the favourite at the time, went away for two weeks. I really missed him and the afternoon before his return I went out into the garden, picked a few dahlia flowers, and with the petals wrote “WELCOME HOME!!” on his pillow. I used different coloured crepe paper to decorated the wall above his bed. Thinking back on that day it still surprises me that I came up with that idea. No internet or Pinterest to follow then.
Life was quite busy in our household and I can understand that apart from the neighbours, we didn’t have many other guests in our home. Family visits from aunts and uncles usually happened for a cup of tea on a Sunday afternoon. The numbers grew as my brothers brought girlfriends, and then later wives and children. My absolute favourite times when I grew up was sitting around the table and everyone telling stories. Lots and lots of bantering going on and everyone trying to outdo each other with a story or a joke. I think it was during those family times that the Lord started to shape my heart and revealed to me the meaning of warm hospitality.
My Mum was the best bread baker of all times, which she shared generously with our neighbours too. We always thought that was quite unfair because it meant less for us. One school holiday, my older brother, younger brother and I went for a swim with our friends. It was quite a long walk to the pool. On the way back, after being in the sun and all wrinkled from being in the pool all afternoon, we were all hungry and sharing very unrealistic wishes of what we would like to eat. Yummy things like parfaits, banana splits or milkshakes. When it was my youngest brother’s friend’s turn to share his wish, he surprised us with “A slice of Johan’s mother’s bread and her homemade apricot jam.” We all laughed at him – how silly and ordinary was that! It was only years later that I realised what a special wish that was and that my Mother’s hospitality was indeed extraordinary! He knew he was always welcome to go to the bread bin and help himself with a slice of homemade bread.
My hope for this blog is that it will be an inspiration as I shared some of my experiences with you … the bread and jam moments as well as how to do a full on “Father’s Table”.
A warm welcome to my blog!
“Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out”
Hebrews 10:24 (The Message)
