Hospitality(ish): Tried and True

Hospitality.

It's something I've always felt drawn toward.  It's also my job, my ministry - and an area I have been begging God to grow me in.

I'd like to start sharing some of the things I'm learning or have learned in this area.  It's a very broad topic (thus the "ish" in the post title), so we shouldn't run out of things to talk about any time soon.

Have you ever felt intimidated by having people over?  I do, even though I absolutely love having people in my home.

One friend I have nearly always signs up to bring the same meal when someone has had a baby or been sick.  It wasn't until recently that I realized how brilliant this was.  If you have a few signature dishes you can pull out whenever the need arises, you don't have the stress of finding and making a recipe that may or may not turn out.  You're more likely to have the ingredients on hand, or at least you'll know what you need so grabbing them at the store will be quicker than shopping for an unfamiliar recipe.

The point of hospitality, I am learning, is not to impress people.  I don't need a fancy new recipe every time I have someone over for dinner.  It doesn't matter if I serve brownies at nearly every small group or if scones show up whenever there's a movie night.  Having some tried-and-true recipes frees me up to focus on the heart of hospitality: loving people and welcoming them into my life.

Below are a few of my go-to treats.  I haven't quite figured out my go-to main dishes yet...

Ghirardelli brownies - they aren't as good as homemade, but they're still really good.  I like to have a box or two on hand for those times when I need to come up with a dessert in a pinch.  The triple chocolate and the dark chocolate are the mixes I like best.
Cranberry Orange Scones - I've made this recipe enough to be pretty comfortable with it.  It's not hard, and the flavors are so fresh and delicious.  It's perfect for bringing to a ladies' event, but easy enough to make for an impromptu coffee or tea date with a friend.
California Coffee Cake - I got this recipe years ago from, ironically, a pen-pal in Wyoming, and it's pretty much the easiest baked treat I have in my repertoire.  (See below for the recipe.)  Actually my mom's oatmeal-jelly bars are probably the easiest, but this is a close second.


California Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 375℉.

In a medium bowl, combine the following -

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder

Pour into a 9"x13" glass baking pan.

In a small bowl, mix together -

2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2/3 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour

Sprinkle over batter.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

For icing, mix -

3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cream or half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla and/or almond extract

Melt in microwave until thickened and smooth.  Drizzle over cake while still hot.

Note: What I love about this recipe is how adaptable it is.  You can throw some fruit in the batter (fresh or frozen berries, peaches, pears, pineapple...there are so many possibilities).  You can add chopped nuts or coconut to the brown sugar topping.  You can change the flavor of the icing.  You could even keep it extra simple and skip the icing altogether (which is my default, although I do like the icing).  You can vary the spices used...ginger with peaches is marvelous, as is cardamon with pears.  One time I used pineapple, added toasted coconut and pecans to the brown sugar topping (skipping the cinnamon), and then made a lime juice icing.  Soooo good.  Make it your own!

What are YOUR tried-and-trues?

Paint Colors and Change

What's new in the guest house these days?

Well, for starters, someone volunteered to help us repaint the apartments.

We picked new paint colors - lovely, fresh neutrals that are also used in the main school building.  This means retouching or repainting in the future can be done with paint the school has in stock instead of having to special order some random, obscure color.

Side note: paint color names are funny -

Comfort gray.

Jogging path.

Alabaster white.

Even though during a paint project a place always looks like complete chaos, it makes my heart so happy to see steps taken towards progress.  I can't wait to give you some good before-and-after comparisons.

We'll be replacing those dark burgundy curtains with new off-white curtains and updated curtain rods.

Side note: finding the right curtains was quite the process.  Casie, Kristi, and I all looked for options that might work.  We ordered seven or eight different ones, hung them up for a trial run, and made our decision.  Once we settled on the curtains we wanted, I waited for them to go on sale, then spent most of a day hunting for coupons and crunching numbers (replacing curtains on 12 windows is no small investment, so I wanted to be sure we were getting the best deal).  Who knew guest house ministry would take so much math sometimes...



The bedrooms will be comfort gray...which is really more gray-blue-green than just gray.  Pictures never seem to capture the nuances of different paint colors, but what does one do?

- - -

I've been so thrilled by everything moving forward in the guest house.  New paint, updated furniture and decor, new flooring, new curtains, etc.  It's not going to be completely different overnight, but each little change is a step in a good direction.

Normally my attitude towards change is less-than-enthusiastic.  I tend to be mistrustful, even resistant to change.

Turns out changes are an unavoidable part of life.  (I know.  What a surprise.)

It's something I've had to learn to trust the Lord with again and again.  Am I only okay with the changes that I have (some) control over, the ones that are my idea?

These guest house updates, as completely straightforward as they may seem, have forced me to look at my attitude toward change, control, and fear of the unknown.  (And math, but that's another story for another time.)  They've also reminded me of how lovely teamwork is, how growth almost always requires change and stretching, and how faithful and unchanging God Himself is no matter what changes we face.

How glad I am for that.

Auntie Corner

Because they grow so fast and I want to remember this stage -

She wanted Grandma to make her something with the magnets, and she was quite delighted with her "hat".

Sometimes I look at her and find myself surprised...I can see bits of Sarah and Brian in her - even my mom sometimes - and yet feature by feature she looks so different from Kai.  I'm not sure why I expected her to look more like him.  I mean, my sisters and I don't all look exactly alike.

But I digress.

She's a doll no matter who she looks like. :)

Irony: her shirt says "Smiling is my favorite".

They have such a sweet relationship.  It has made me wish a few times that I'd had a brother.

Spaceship pajamas, a bedtime story, and eyelashes to die for.

"Cheese!"

He loves his snacks.

His "ooo, bubbles!" face.

I love them all so much...

To a Month Nearly Gone

April is almost over.

I think spring is finally here.  I think.

We have less than four weeks of the semester left.

So here's a bit of life this past month -

Three ivy plants, all different, all growing happily.

- - -

Over Spring Break (at the beginning of April), I broke out of my normal rut and did all sorts of crazy things -

Went to the library for a stack of books

Visited two botanical gardens (one with a friend I was in Senegal with, another with a friend on staff)

Brainstormed for future guest house projects, jotting notes and pinning pins

Explored a few shops in town

Tried a Senegalese restaurant with my friend Conni

Chicken brochettes with fries, onion sauce, and spicy mustard.

Not as good as Angèle's, but still tasty.

- - -

At one of the botanical gardens -

I will forever and always love plants.  The way they grow, their beauty and intricate designs, their colors, the sheer variety of them...

God was so kind to create plants for us to enjoy.

- - -

My friend Raylea got engaged right at the time I moved here, and now she and her husband are expecting their first little one.  

Her shower was sweet and special, like her.

No matter how many babies my friends and loved ones have (or how many births I see on Call the Midwife), each time the miracle of life just awes me.

- - -

Tuesday small group -

We finished our book early this month, but we decided to hang out a few more Tuesdays before the semester is over.

I've so enjoyed getting to know these ladies.  Some of them will be back next semester, some of them will be leaving in May.

And while I still strongly dislike goodbyes, life is sweeter for the friendships behind them.

- - -

April...

Freezing rain and snow showers.

The flowers finally started blooming.

I watched movies and stayed up too late chatting.

I read, read, and read some more.

Students came for coffee.  And tea.  And popcorn.

Both small groups are coming to an end.

The guest house got some fresh paint and new curtains ordered.

It was international week in the dining hall (featuring food from Venezuela, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Morocco, and Greece).

I bought tickets for California this summer.

Jonah learned new words.

April Reads

April was a busy month as far as reading goes.  Most of the books I chose centered around hospitality.

Strangers at My Door | Wilson-Hartgrove: So, I'll be honest...this book was not a comfortable, "feel-good" kind of read.  It challenged me, made me squirm, and brought up a lot of questions.  While there were some theological points I would probably disagree with, it stretched my understanding of hospitality and how God might want to grow me in that area.

Come & Eat | McKoy: An easy read.  Stories about life and how we can invite others in to our lives by making room for them at our tables.  Recipes in each chapter.  (I love looking at recipes, although in all honesty I rarely use them.)

Bread & Wine | Niequist: I loved her writing style.  She writes about friendships, food, the ups and downs of life, and she skillfully weaves God's grace into all of it.  I wanted to throw a dozen dinner parties after reading this book.

The Nesting Place | Smith: Such a fun book!  Lots of great pictures and even better stories.  I freak out over choosing paint colors or the unbearable responsibility of putting nail holes in walls.  She's the kind of friend I would want around to talk me down from silly home-décor ledges.  And while she talks a lot about practical tips for home decorating, she also has a really cool philosophy.  "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful," she says.  She shares how God taught her about contentment through their family's many moves (and unmet home expectations), and how she's learned to be creative with what she has instead of always imagining a "perfect" home.  Fun random fact: she's the older sister of Emily P. Freeman, who wrote Grace for the Good Girl, one of my favorite reads ever.

Charming Guest Rooms | Baskett & Mueller: Since I run a guest house and know there is always room for improvement, I thought it would be good (and fun!) to peruse books specifically focused on guest rooms (as opposed to hospitality in general).  This book was published in 2003.  There were some creative ideas for making guests feel welcome, but my goodness, those pictures looked quite outdated.  I guess fifteen years is a loooong time ago where trends are concerned.  It reminded me that I want to choose classic, timeless colors and designs for our guest rooms, rather than jumping on current trends.

Brokenness | DeMoss Wolgemuth [not pictured]: A short but convicting read on humility and how God works through it.

Adorned | DeMoss Wolgemuth [also not pictured]: Based on Titus 2.  I loved how she went beyond just the typical "do this and do that to become a godly woman", but talked about the motivation for developing our character: glorifying God and adorning (making beautiful) the gospel.  She emphasizes the importance of discipleship and how necessary it is to seek out friendships where we can encourage each other, older women investing in younger women.  I'd highly recommend it.