This weekend something very unusual happened. Someone actually invited my husband and I home for Sabbath dinner! It was someone whose wife has Alzheimer's. How could I turn it down?
Even though our cook admitted to limited kitchen prowess, he was quite the charming host with his catered pizza and service with a smile. We enjoyed an afternoon of food and fellowship, and it made me feel guilty for depriving Dean of this very real part of our former life.
I can't blame people for not asking us to their home. I have been negligent in inviting people over myself for the last ten years or so. Dean's increased dementia, tight budgets, the added stress--all have contributed to our social isolation.
I determine at the beginning of every year that I am going to make an effort to have someone over for a meal occasionally like the good ol' days, but it just gets harder, the longer I put it off. Surely, opening up our own home to visitors would result in more invitations like the one we just had.
But is this really how it should be? Many of the people Dean would invite home after church were the ones who seldom got invitations. We never worried how it would turn out, whether we'd get invited over to their place in return, what they would think of our humble dwelling, or our simple menu. It was all about caring about others that motivated our hospitality.
And we were never disappointed with our guests and the outcome of our visits. Whether it was our closest friends, a one-time visitor who may have been living on the street, or the pastor's family, everyone was a treat to have in our home.
I am truly resolved now to return to some kind of social life outside simple attendance at church. We must all get back to this very Christian habit of "breaking bread" with each other in our homes. It's personal, it's uniting, and it's fun! Thank you, Clyde, for your thoughtful reminder of one of our very important Christian duties.
No comments:
Post a Comment