Photograph Credit: Flickr (Tony and Laura)
Last weekend our family had the privilege of hosting house guests. Yes, I spent the week of Thanksgiving scrubbing, dusting, organizing, and vacuuming our entire house after my daughter’s bout with hand, foot, and mouth. While our children were counting down the days until our guests’ arrival, the excitement was building.
Our house guests consisted of a family of 4, who are serving as missionaries halfway around the world but are in the States on furlough until the beginning of 2012. As they are making their way to supporting churches, family, and other friends, they chose to stop for a quick visit with us. We were thrilled to accommodate them for the 2 days and 1 night of their visit.
Before you believe I have 2 nice guests’ rooms with a private bath to welcome our guests, let me give a little background. Our home fits our family perfectly. We have 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. With our family of 5, we are snug as a bug in a rug. By adding another 4 individuals, we got the opportunity to be hospitable. Our family gladly adjusted our normal routine to accommodate our friends for the evening.
On a typical night, our family sleeps in our own rooms:
- Bedroom 1: Paul and Tracy in master bedroom
- Bedroom 2: Youngest daughter in nursery
- Bedroom 3: Two older children in bunk beds
With our guests visiting, we adjusted our routine to the following placement:
- Bedroom 1: Our missionary friends – husband and wife – in our master bedroom
- Bedroom 2: Youngest daughter in nursery
- Bedroom 3: Our missionary friends’ sons slept in the bunk beds. Our son also wanted to sleep in the same room with these boys. By pulling out the extra mattress housed under the lower bunk bed, our son slept there near his friends.
So, where did Paul, my oldest daughter, and I sleep? We camped out in our bonus room. Paul pumped up our air mattress for my daughter and I. Then Paul slept in the recliner. Though we were out of our routines, we all slept well and enjoyed our special time with our friends.
Having a medium-size home without a guest room does not deter our family from showing hospitality. All our possessions have been given to us from our Heavenly Father, and we choose to use our resources for His honor and glory. With thankfulness for a nice home, we welcome guests and enjoy using time wisely visiting with our friends.
As the holiday season quickly arrives, don’t be afraid to adjust your routine as you welcome your friends and family into your home. These visits allow your family to serve your guests with hospitality. What a great way to share the Christmas spirit while using time wisely! Happy planning!
Question: To how many people will you be showing hospitality this Christmas season? Please add your answer to the comments.