“Pull Up a Chair” Hospitality
As I was cooking the corn, draining the beans, shredding the cheese, slicing the onions, listening to music–all part of the dinner process in our home–I heard my daughter upstairs visiting with her new friend, Chloe.*
Chloe, would you like to stay for dinner?
Those are the words that most people would love to hear if they’re in your home when dinner is being cooked. (Mm-m-m, the smell …)
I’d love to, thank you, Mrs. Coughlin!
It’s easy to pull up a chair and enlarge your family circle at dinner time.
I call it Pull Up a Chair Hospitality.
This is the way we reach beyond our family circle with not only awareness of the larger world, but getting to know the kids in our own home!
When the kids were younger I had to learn the difference of “closing the ranks” and “pulling up a chair.”
There were times when we had to say “no” around the table, because our family needed to be together. Many meals around our table went beyond nourishment and good times. There was work to be done, conversations to be had. Love extended through sometimes painful words–but always with honesty and concern.
So we had to say no.
And those were seasons of life where we had to learn about family flexibility.
Those seasons come and go.
It’s now a season in our home of “pull of up a chair, we want to get to know you” hospitality.
So that night we did. And we got to know our daughter’s friend–who was, by the way, a very lovely person.
It was an important moment in time.
Because every moment around the table can be sacred, I believe.
When is the last time you practiced pull up a chair kind of hospitality?
*Stay tuned for the Vegetarian Enchilada recipe coming up on RE!
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This is very similar to how we handled dinners at our house. It’s funny how the amount of food always worked out, even if I thought there wouldn’t be enough when the kids asked if a friend could stay for dinner.
I love the idea of this. Sometimes it’s hard to make ourselves sit at the table for dinner, let alone having guests over. But it’s something definitely to stay in the habit of. Thanks for this inspirational post!
Love this concept, but also understand the need to be protective of family time. It’s a balance.
Love this post… I remember both kinds of family meals when my girls were small, the closed ranks nights and the open door nights, too. Both wonderful, and we have similar kinds now just the two of us. Thank you for sharing this Sandy! Once again you show that hospitality begins in the heart. xoxo
Great post Sandy. My friends call me the “lover of strays”. I’m always extending the dinner invite to anyone I know needs a warm family meal. I think we should all head to Wyoming and ask Miss to cook for us. :)
I LOVE that. Lover of strays. Good post idea … :)
I love this! Since we live in the middle of nowhere, we don’t have visitors very often but when we do I insist on feeding them!
I would LOVE to visit you in WY … I’ll let you know when I’ll be arriving! :)
Oh I love feeding whoever stops by, a repairman, neighbor, I don’t care, they have to at least have a glass of tea!
You are so right! This is one of my favorite ways to be hospitable too. I love feeding people!
Great post. We experience that at times, though the family usually knows I typically make just enough for us to eat so notice is always welcomed. however, I have made it work in the past and am not against it by any means.
Kirstin, I bet you have a lot of extra soccer girls around your table. :)
Love this! It’s something we don’t practice as often in the colder months with the kids always coming and going with sports, but when it warms up, we always have a full house.