Entertaining Angels: Red Letter Words, The Hip Hostess, The Reluctant Entertainer GIVEAWAY!
I’m SO excited for this giveaway today! It’s amazing, and it’s all about hospitality, and my friends Dee and Debbie are joining me.
We live in a culture where most of us don’t have strangers coming to our door asking for food. During the Depression, however, my grandparents did have this happen. I remember my Grandma sharing stories with me of how she’d feed them, give them coffee, share God with them, and send them on their way. I will never forget how later in life when I’d read this verse (Heb. 13:2), I’d think of Grandma, but it would also get me thinking not only about my life, but our culture today.
Years ago when I started blogging about entertaining and hospitality, I asked readers what kind of people they entertained the most in their homes.
The popular answers were:
1. FAMILY
2. PEOPLE FROM CHURCH
It actually made me sad that we don’t reach out more to neighbors, people of different faiths, backgrounds, and cultures.
Why do we stuff hospitality into a box, making it so pretty, perfectly safe, and always predictable? (Many of us rarely even open up our homes!)
So today Dee from Red Letter Words and Debbie from The Hip Hostess and I are giving away 3 items to ONE LUCKY WINNER.
We want to challenge you to think about hospitality with FRESH EYES.
We want to encourage you to do something different, radical, and courageous when it comes to opening your home for a meal.
It’s up to you to decide what it will be.
The cool GIVEAWAY:
Red Letter Words
Hebrews 13:2 Entertaining Angels gallery wrapped canvas
12×12
Here’s how Dee’s work is mounted. Down-right classy!
(Read the “Design Story” behind “Entertaining Angels,” HERE. A must-read!)
The Hip Hostess
4 BRAND NEW spring prints (below) – the winner gets to CHOOSE ONE!
This is fun! Do you know any of these bloggers wearing HH Aprons?
BTW, the NEW Annual “Hurry Spring” Sale starts today!
Use this Promo Code: SPRING25 for 25% OFF thru Mar 31
The Reluctant Entertainer
ONE signed copy (Yes, I’m wearing a Hip Hostess apron in my book! The Nester took this picture, but I know she won’t mind me using it here.)
COMMENT TO WIN all 3 amazing gifts that will help you with hospitality!
How do you feel about hospitality and does Hebrews 13:2 challenge you?
Do you always have the same people over for dinner or have you branched out?
– Facebook this post or TWEET about it @SandyCoughlinRE and @TheHipHostess and @RedLetterArt and get extra entries.
– Did you know Reluctant Entertainer has its own Facebook page?
– If you’ve never been a follower of RE, sign up today. This means my updates will come straight to your email!
– Let me know for extra chances to win. Contest ends Thurs. night midnight 3/17. Winner announced on FRI. 3/18! (USA, only!)
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
p.s. I am happy to be a new fan on Facebook! I also signed up for your newsletter. I love finding these new sites to enjoy reading and learning! Many thanks…
I love this idea and need to make a commitment to follow through.
I get stressed out and talk myself out of it.
My children are especially happy when we have guests visiting. They sense the laughter and good food and enjoy being a part of the conversation. I hope to teach them how important it is to be hospitable as you never know when someone might need an ear to talk with, a warm bed to sleep in, and a hot meal to eat.
“liked” RE on FB!
And then there’s me. I entertain more strangers than people I already know! I’m the organizer for three local Meetup groups, one for wine lovers, one for people wanting to cook with others and a new one for local food bloggers. I love to entertain and have opened my home to all of these groups.Some just meet occasionally (the wine group is most fun in warmer months when we can use my backyard and I’ll set the invitation to allow 40 to respond), the cooking group is both experienced and inexperienced cooks and we get together whenever someone has an idea for something they would like to try.
My favorite of all? The food blogger group! A bit more structure than the others, we meet once a month on a Saturday morning for socializing followed by an hour of education with a speaker knowledgeable in photography, web issues, social media, etc. It has been the BEST experience; we were all hungry for finding a community.
The best part of all of these are the real friendships that develop as a result!
I won’t even get started about the people I’ve had come live with us over the years for short periods of time, World Youth Day kids, exchange students, student teachers, even a young homeless man (with…sit down…a pet alligator. The alligator had to find a new home!)
It takes a real leap of faith because sometimes it’s not been all good. BUT the good has so far outweighed the bad, I would not change one instance if it meant not having any of them.
Heb 13 definitely chanllenges me – we actually used to entertain a lot before kids – but when you have newborn twins, having people over is pretty low on the list! Of course, they are 10 now, but we just seem to be out of the ‘habit’ of having people over. Thanks for continually challenging us!
We’ve been remodeling our house and yard for two years. My husband was instrumental in “pushing” me to have folks over – friends, acquaintances and work people – even during the construction mess. Who wants to eat surrounded by holes in the wall, unpacked boxes, dirt piles in the backyard?? But, you know, it is always fun and several comment that we are brave and relaxed. However, we do need to reach out more to those we don’t really know – to truly follow the many Biblical examples. Thanks for the reminder and challenge.
I have loved this verse for ages. To me, “entertain” in this sense doesn’t just mean in one’s home. I live in a big city with lots of “oddballs”, “weirdos”, “freaks”, and other people my Mama warned me about. I feel that entertaining, in Hebrews’s sense, means that when I come across these types of people that society tends to overlook or reject, I am to give them the time of day – a kind word, a smile, hold a door open, etc. You never know when the bum on the street, the tatooed & bodypierced teenager, or the crazy cat lady is really a messenger from God.
However…I struggle with the idea of opening my home to such people. There are so many horror stories of identity theft, vandalism, people being attacked in their home etc., that I am really reluctant to just open my doors and let those I don’t know in. I’ll have to ponder this one a bit more…
I have been challenged to open our home up more this year to neighbors, family, and friends. We actually made it a sort of “New Year’s Resolution” I guess :) We’ve definitely seen ministry opportunities because of our willingness to open our homes to people and not stop to worry about how our home would appear to them. It’s so much better to focus outward than inward :)
We tend to entertain many of the same family & friends, but I’ve become very conscious of trying to branch out. It is a challenging thing to accomplish, though, as the schedule is always so packed, and we want to keep up our relationships with our main circle of family & friends. I will keep trying, though!! This is a great giveaway – every item beautiful!
I tweeted it, too!
@blissfulbabe
Tweeted this. @coasterkim
I love that verse so much. But I have to admit, I’m not much of a hostess. I rarely have people over to my place for various reasons….my apartment is small, being the center of attention makes me uncomfortable, I always fret that people aren’t having fun, etc. However, I do believe we can be hospitable in other ways, for instance in public when someone needs help or at work when a co-worker’s having a bad day. Thanks for making me think about this today!
Just subscribed to your email list :) Thanks!
Just “liked” you on Facebook :) I think I’m now following more blogs than friends .. hehe…
I also posted a blog entry about your giveaway and fabulous site!
http://www.blissfulblunders.com/2011/03/hospitality.html
Tweeted it! (@CrystalStine)
I have a few dear friends who are truly blessed with the gift of hospitality, and their willingness to use their homes as their ministry is inspiring! We’ve been trying to branch out more (I’m hosting a big Blessings Unlimited gathering at my home next month), but we’ve got a long way to go for me to feel like we’re truly welcoming EVERYONE (just being honest).
This is a beautiful giveaway :) *Fingers-crossed!*
Shared on facebook!
We just moved into a new neighborhood, and have had many people invite us to their house for dinner, game nights and even breakfast. Now it’s my turn to return the favor!
I”ve been praying about hospitality recently!! Funny, huh?
I have subscribed! Looking forward to learning more about you and your fabulousness! xoxo
When I first got married years ago, we used to rarely entertain because I felt like my house had to be perfect….it never was. Once we joined a community group in our church and started getting together every week with our friends it made me realize that it’s not about the house, it’s about the people. We entertain all the time now (& usually it’s with paper plates & plastic cups from Target). We not only have church friends over but also neighbors & friends from the kid’s school & sports. We as Moms & wives need to let ourselves off the hook about trying to have a perfect house & focus on just having fun.
I have shared this post on facebook! (Beth Morse)
I have ‘Liked’ your page on facebook (Beth Morse).