Jan
24
On the spur of the moment, my dad decided he is going to come visit next Friday for a week! We're always excited about company, and particularly this company since I haven't seen my dad in a year and a half. After that, our "blind date" friends JJ and Amber are coming for the weekend. We're psyched.I realized when the Listros were here last weekend that I really do love being a hostess. It's been a source of some stress in Peru because I don't know how to do it well here. I'm learning new things every day, but I still feel like a royal cultural dunce fairly often.
Tonight, for example, we're having friends over to learn how to make tacos (including homemade tortillas and guacamole). While I know I could make that fun with our Charlotte friends, I feel pretty sure it will be awkward tonight. Despite the predicted awkwardness, I'm realizing that sometimes I have to press on through the pain.
The goal of tonight isn't to show what a great hostess I am; it's to offer our friendship and our lives to these friends and receive the same from them. The goal of tonight, and of all of our moments here, is that God would get the glory.
Sometimes I think that goal is even more fully realized when I do look like an idiot. I know that for many here I am a window into the character of God (a very intimidating position). That's probably more successful when I'm humble(d) and accessible than when I get it all "right."
We had some friends over for dinner early on, and culturally, it wasn't right (I could "tell"). And for me personally, it was not right. But I smiled at the wife, my new friend, and said "It's about spending time together, isn't it?" and somehow, this loosened me up to put it out there. Months later, at a dinner at their place, she says the same thing to me and I nod and smile and we understand . . .we do at least have the same intent!! Not that I ever qualified for the Hostess with the Mostess . . . but it's hard to give up the idea of it and enjoy being just as hospitable as I can. = )