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For the most part, entertaining was something I endured - rather than enjoyed - until I learned several basic lessons.
by Elaine Jacobs
eing "given to hospitality" (Romans 12:13) was never easy for me. Learning to entertain and be hospitable
has been a 27-year struggle. I grew up in a family that kept pretty
much to itself, and I have only a few vague memories of people
coming to visit. So when I married a man who was called into the
ministry and loves to have people over, I got a rude awakening.
I remember one of the first agreements we had to make was that he would not invite people over on the spur of the moment. I just couldn't handle the pressure. If I know about it and can plan ahead of time, I do much better. I know some people are much more flexible and can function that way, but it throws me into a panic and my brain refuses to produce a workable menu. It says, "Food? What's food? We don't have any of that!"
The first time we were to entertain another visiting minister, I got so nervous I made myself sick and my husband had to take him out to dinner!
I knew things had to change, so I waded in and tried to do my best. But for the most part, entertaining was something I endured-rather than enjoyed-until I learned several basic lessons. I can pinpoint two incidents from which I learned the most.
The first occurred about a month after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake in California. We were pastoring two congregations near there at the time. One member's home and property had considerable damage. Everything in the house was thrown upside down and hurled to and fro. The water pump for their well was damaged, their electricity was off, and many of their possessions were broken.
Another couple invited them to live with them while they worked to clean up the mess and make their home livable again.
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