It’s an invitation to come on over, take a seat, and rest awhile. It’s a saying my spinster great-aunts spun while rocking on the front porch that hugged their century-old home. Family, friends, and those strolling on the nearby sidewalk were invited to join them for conversation while they shucked corn and popped peas.
That was over forty years ago, but the charm of the front porch remains.
And it’s one of the reasons why I chose a Victorian style tiny house.
Turns out, our *tiny* front porch was one of the easiest projects to date. Or maybe it just seems that way because it came on the heels of the toughest. The best part of building the porch? Brian kept both feet on the ground and it was completed within a couple of Saturdays.
The porch floor was added earlier so searching for the right columns and roofing were our only to-do’s. Early on, I’d imagined columns with some heft to them. You know, the kind you can hold onto and swirl about? But since I swerve more than swirl these days, we decided to bypass that requirement and go for full-on character, which the smaller ones offered.
The porch roof was an interesting undertaking. My engineering husband put his skills to the test as he researched ways to build a slanted roof while making room for the Gothic window that will soon perch just above the porch. It was a happy day at the Baker’s house when he discovered a galvanized roof like the main one, but with deeper channels to keep the rain flowing in a downward direction.
Now all she needs is a bit of frill in the form of Victorian scroll work in the corners of the posts.
I doubt my *tiny* porch will offer enough space for the large wooden-slat rockers like my great-aunt’s way back when, but the door will always be wide enough for friends and family.
The sooner we stop believing the lie that we must offer some grand gesture to make a difference, the sooner more souls will find rest⎯the kind of rest a good, good Father desires for His children.
Maybe you remember the above quote from last month’s post? It was there I first mentioned the idea of sharing a small {but meaningful} gift with someone in need⎯be it spiritually, emotionally, or physically.
So let’s look at three more ways we can fill a simple mug to the glory of God!
3 Ways to Fill A Mug With Encouragement
My love of mugs began way back when in a yellow-clad kitchen where my grandmother savored her morning cups of Yuban coffee served up in a thick-rimmed Homer Laughlin coffee cup. You might remember those cups from roadside diners or Howard Johnson motels back in the 60’s. These coffee cups with heft can still be spotted in local antique shops and estate sales. If this isn’t an option any thicker mug will do.
Here’s the question: Who are you praying for on a regular basis these days? Consider inserting a note inside a mug that says something like…Every time you sip from this gift, remember that just as this mug surrounds your coffee, my prayers surround you. You are loved, never forgotten. {Psalm 125:2}
Got a new neighbor? Go ahead and bake up those chocolate chip cookies but this time, stack them and place in a mug of your choosing, along with a simple note welcoming them to your neighborhood. Awhile back, I shared in this post how a friend of mine, Kim Rhodes, displays Christ in such an organic, authentic way by loving her neighbors well. Because summertime isn’t a friend to chocolate, you’ll want to drop this off when your neighbor is at home. It will also give you a chance to personally welcome them!
Who couldn’t use a God-kiss from time-to-time? Okay, God didn’t manufacture them but Hershey’s did, and we know all good things come from Him. {Pardon the stretch.} Nevertheless, we all know someone who could use an edible tangible reminder that God is with them right there, in the thick of their problem. Fill up a mug with Hershey’s chocolate kisses along with this note:
God Kisses Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Psalm 34:8
Each time you take a kiss be reminded of God’s goodness… and name each one aloud.
For all of the above mug ideas, remember to encourage the recipient to pass it on. But most importantly, stay sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. He may want to change it up…and if so, to God be the glory!
Is there one of the three above ideas that resonates with you today? Or do you have additional ideas to share? If so, please share in the comment section. Thank you!
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the attendants waving you into the perfect parking spot?
the clear and colorful signage?
the way your children are welcomed?
the Krispy Kreme doughnuts? (Is there any other kind?)
the silky smooth coffee?
the compelling delivery of the gospel?
The it is hospitality in a church setting. What helps our guests feel most welcomed?
It’s a question I continue to ask as I long to make our guests at Summit feel warmly greeted. Truth is, it’s sometimes hard to navigate. What’s friendly to one person is creepy-friendly to another. Time has been spent in prayer, ideas have been researched, and brainstorming has happened over coffee. Surely there’s something we can do to create a Christ-love kind of atmosphere.
Recently, while driving one morning, with no sound but my breath and God’s, came this whisper:
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 1 Jn 4:20
There it was—a roar disguised as a whisper:
True hospitality begins with love between Christ followers.
We can have the Kreme-iest doughnuts and a never-ending flow of coffee but if we don’t love one another?
All else is empty.
Loving one another doesn’t mean we’ll always like each other at times, or even agree on every decision. And that’s okay. But loving others as Christ loves us calls us to a deeper connection lived out by dying to self, sacrificing for Kingdom-glory, forgiving quickly so as not to give the enemy a foothold, and praying for one another. Although we’ll never perfect the art of Christ-love this side of heaven, it is our motivation for all things, and our deepest desire.
Turns out, the real question as to what true hospitality is (at church, as well as our homes) doesn’t begin with what we can do — but rather, Whose can we be?
So, what’s one practical way your church builds upon the foundation of love when welcoming guests?
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Consider inviting a lonely neighbor or friend to dinner this weekend. Planning today will give both you and your guest time to plan accordingly. If you like, keep it extra simple by inviting him/her over for dessert and coffee. The blessing doesn’t dwell in a dish but rather, the heart.
Do
not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have
entertained angels without knowing it. – See more at:
http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Hospitality#sthash.JJAtUm0s.dpuf
What are some other ways we can show hospitality to others during the CHRISTmas season?
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing… 2 Corinthians 2:15 NASB
If you’ve read my blog over the years you know my Grandmother Knighton and I shared a love for heirloom plants, such as the early 1900’s jonquil above. According to her, heirloom flowers have a stronger scent than some of the more modern varieties. I suppose that could be debated but one thing is for certain:
No one had to tell
the jonquil treading water in my vintage glassware to release its
primitive perfume. It couldn’t do otherwise!
I think of Jesus and how the fragrance of heaven’s glory exuded from everything He said and did, drawing men, women, and children near to His Father.
When I lowered the polka dotted glassware to my two-year-old granddaughter’s level, she drew closer. A smile erupted as she inhaled deeply,
which led to a hearty, “Mmmmm!” Before I could lift the glass back
to its place on the windowsill she reached out, wanting one more whiff of loveliness.
When the living Spirit indwells, one can’t help but release His sweet aroma as it knows no bounds, emitting the character of Christ through every pore of our being—pleasing the Father, and ushering the presence of His love to mankind.
Though I falter, my greatest desire is the fragrance of Christ’s presence to be released through every aspect of my life. As ink flows to pen, I pray He will be glorified in every blog post, article, journal entry, poem, etc.
I’d love for you to join me on this NEW journey as we discover fresh and creative ways to become more intentional in seeing Jesus in the details of our ordinary days. Each week, posts will highlight specific ways to stir the sweet aroma of Christ through prayer, Scripture-based tea gatherings, hospitality ideas, and serendipitous moments. At times, you’ll also meet guest bloggers whose presence is like a breath of something beautiful for God.
“The apostle wished that his life might be a sweet perfume, floating on
the air, reminding me, and above all reminding God, of Christ.” (Meyer)
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