Hey Friends, it’s Erica! It’s been on my heart for a while now, to share on the topic of being ‘Hospitable’. Don’t worry, it’s totally something that with a little effort and some practice, we can all achieve! ๐
I happened to be in a group of moms on two different occasions and one of them mentioned that we could get together but not at her house, because of her dogs, the mess, etc. Then another mom mentioned that her house was ALWAYS a mess, so she simply could NOT invite people over. Those comments weren’t utterly shocking. I COMPLETELY understand! My house isn’t Pinterest Perfect at all times or even a majority of the time! For example, if you were to text right now and say that you were going to drop by in 15 minutes, in my house’s current state, I wouldn’t panic. That would be the perfect amount of time for me to rush around, pick a few things up and I wouldn’t be completely cringing when you walked in the door. THAT’S JUST TODAY! Things could change drastically in a week! ๐ What I DO want you to know, is that I would rather you come by, even if my house isn’t spotless! ๐
It dawned on me, the magnitude of how many personal connections we are missing out on, simply because we don’t feel that our homes meet a certain standard. A standard that we’ve unintentionally created for ourselves. As much as I LOVE Pinterest, I do believe that it is partly to blame in the shame that some of us feel about our personal space. We get the idea in our heads that ‘So and So’ keeps their house up better than we do, to the point that we aren’t even willing to open our doors, let alone our hearts. Life is busy and unpredictable and many of us struggle to find the energy to accomplish the daily necessities, let alone do anything extra! Before you know it, we’ll have your mindset changed and your HEART and your HOME ready for company!
4 Simple Steps
- Make it a point to end the night with a clean or mostly clean kitchen.
- Keep your main bathroom tidy.
- Get rid of clutter in your main living area.
- Keep quick and easy snacks and beverages on hand.
An Accidental Discovery
Last year sometime, when my youngest daughter was 2, I was preparing a snack. I cubed some cheddar cheese for her and for myself, I kicked it up a notch with some pepper jack. She noticed right away that mine was different and asked what it was. Thinking there was NO WAY she would like it, I said that it was, “Hot Mama Cheese“. That wasn’t enough to deter her and she wanted to try it for herself ๐ Much to my surprise, she LOVED it! Hot Mama Cheese aka pepper jack is now a staple in our kitchen. It’s one of my favorites to use on a snack platter, along with pretzels and Craisins. In my opinion, its the perfect Spicy, Sweet and Salty combination! ๐ For a fresh or gluten free option, i’ll swap the pretzels and Craisins for fresh pineapple and almonds ๐
*Notice I didn’t mention anything about bedrooms or closets or anything crazy like that! In fact, if you have to throw some of the clutter from your main living space, into your closet and shut the door, SO BE IT! ๐
If you’ve done these 4 Simple Steps or even if you haven’t, the main thing is to INVITE SOMEONE OVER! You may or may not be ready to do it again the next week, but work on your list, get your mind right and try again! The bottom line is, it will get easier, just like anything else that you practice!
With everything going on in the world today and the isolation that we’ve all been experiencing, there’s no better time to start exercising our hospitality muscles! ๐
If this post inspired you to open your home, i’d love to hear your experiences in a comment below! Blessings! ~Erica
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