Expect life-changing impact! "Those who feed people lead people."Twelve years ago, our friend Garrett Miller came home for lunch with my husband on their lunch break. He ate leftover Manicotti, sat down at the piano and played a Bill Evans tune, and then he left me a note and thanked me for the lunch. I wish I would have been there, or saved the note!
Three days later Garrett died. His red BMW motorcycle hit a deer, the bike flipped, and he died instantly.
Garrett was a very spiritual man, a father of 4 young adorable children and married to a strikingly beautiful Italian wife, with many gifts. He was an artist (he was returning from an art show, and for those of you familiar with Britt Festivals here in our town, his jazz watercolor was the Britt poster that next year), musician, poet, and writer. He was a great inspiration to our family, to my husband specifically. You can see my post here, on our last dinner in their home (Perfection & Hospitality).
Garrett use to say: "Those who feed people lead people".
Garrett was a person of impact, a person of inspiration. From that moment on, Paul and I decided that we would impact the world as Garrett had. With God’s help and love, we would open up our home for people to feel welcome and wanted. We determined to offer others the same laughter and encouragement that Garrett had given to us.
This post is so appropriate for completing my 10 Commandments that I live by when entertaining. I hope you have been inspired. I hope my posts have gotten you thinking about what types of entertaining you can do in your life and home. How you can apply this to your life. How you can look for ways to open your doors and make hospitality a “natural” in your life. How things don’t have to be perfect, and how you don’t have to be rigid in the way you entertain. How successful entertaining means relationship-building, and not necessarily a beautiful production or a lot of people impressed because of the “image” you created.
Here's an email I received today, from a friend who started reading my blog back in October 2006:
I want you to know that your blog has been a part of why I am pursuing a better way of living. I want to be comfortable opening my home to people and since I am so uneasy in my own skin, it's been just about impossible to think much about hospitality. And yet I desire it. So, thank you for that as well!
That is so encouraging to me!
Whether you are a seasoned entertainer or an entertaining klutz, let’s keep the 10 Commandments of being hospitable in mind as we go out and change the world. If I have the mindset and expectation that I am going to make a difference in this world, and it starts in my home, I believe that I can literally transform the structure of my community and of my world!
What part of the 10 Commandments resonated with you?
(Above picture taken of the Rogue Valley, November 2006; picture below of me with3 of my greatest friends who are a great inspiration to me when it comes to hospitality!)
13 comments:
Yay for making people feel easy in our skin! Great concept--great commandments. You should have a 10 Commandments poster that we could put up in our kitchens! Luv the dramatic valley pic, and the pic of the four beauteous babes too!
Your posts have been truly inspirational, and they "sit" with me for a long time after reading them.
How about posting some of your favorite recipes - perhaps menus from dinners past?
I agree with Melissa!
I was soooo moved by this post Sandy... that I had to let it sink in... you really get me to think...
Soooo, here's what I think you should do.
Now that you have finished the 'ten'... why don't you open it up for any questions that we may have for you, that you could respond to.
You are such a wealth of info... we could sorta 'pick your brain'!
I would especially love menu ideas... recipes...
(You may have already thought of doing this)
Never apologize for your cooking. I remember that whenever we have people over. We love entertaining and the more we do it, the more fun it is. thanks for sharing so many excellent tips!
One way to avoid apologizing for my cooking is by getting carry-out! :oD What questions do you have, Linda T? Anything juicy?!
Sandy, I am so glad we found each other's blogs. I think of you and your thoughts often. I love to entertain and had forgotten that in a cross country move to a new place with no friends. But I've opened up my house to many people these past few months and all of a sudden I have many new friends. I've gotten in touch with a part of me I had forgotten. Thanks for your cheerleading! Big hugs, LA
What a powerful story about Garrett. I love your blog and how it connects serving others with serving Jesus! I worked on a book with Jane Jarrell awhile back, Simple Hospitality, which is all about the same thing. I love the idea of teaching people that "entertaining" can be one of our spiritual gifts, or even if it isn't, it can be one of the best ways to connect with people and serve others. Great post!
Thanks for all the comments! I am going to try to post some recipes throughout my next series of posts.
I've come across some cool blogs that post specifically about menu & planning. I will try to find those again and put the link on.
I like everyone's ideas!
And thanks for the great book tip, Rachelle!
What a wonderful tribute to your friend, Garrett. Tragic that his life was cut short; yet beautiful the way you turned his friendship into an everlasting tribute to God.
Yes, Sandy, I think a Q&A occasionally would be a lovely addition to the blog. You are so very nice about answering our emails, but I would guess that you could cull some of the questions to share with all your readers. I have one right now! Do you work full-time? How do you have the energy to also entertain? I'm usually so tired!
Cute picture ... is that you on the far right? If so, I love the hair!
Bettsi, I do work (from home) but my job is not full time. Although lately it has been, and we have not been entertaining as much! We go through seasons when it's easier to do.
Energy? Excercise and take some quiet time reading in the morning, before I start my day. I also use that time to have a notebook in front of me and make lists, and organize my day.
I'll consider the QA idea!
I'm so glad I stumbled upon your blog. It is great!
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