The Heart of Hospitality

March 13, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

It is a special experience to be welcomed into a friend’s home; to be the recipient of generous hospitality. There is a difference between entertaining and hospitality. Karen Ehman wrote in her book, A Life That Says Welcome:

“Entertaining puts the emphasis on you and how you can impress others. Offering hospitality puts the emphasis on others and strives to meet their physical and spiritual needs so that they feel refreshed, not impressed, when they leave your home.”

Recently my husband and I received that kind of refreshing hospitality when we stayed in France with my dear friend Heather. We arrived worn out. We had been traveling for ten days on planes, trains, by foot and through various time zones.

We were weary of staying in hotels and were looking forward to going home soon. The last stop on the trip was a few days with Heather and her family. Let me tell you how we were welcomed.

We walked into her lovely home and were greeted by a warm welcome and lovely surroundings. We were given her and her husband’s room to sleep in. They insisted.

As I put my luggage in “our” room I was greeted by fresh flowers, a bottle of champagne, and a box of special chocolates from the local chocolatier. A welcome present just for us to enjoy! Heather and her family were glad we were there and we could feel it.

I was extremely tired that evening so Heather offered to cancel our dinner reservations at a special restaurant and throw something together last minute for dinner instead. We ended up going to the restaurant but I was touched by Heather’s thoughtfulness and attentiveness to my needs.

When I climbed into “my” lovely bed that night I was met with soft, clean smelling sheets, a warm down comforter that enveloped me, and a pillow that was so inviting it seemed perfectly made for my head. It was a great night’s sleep and I felt like we were home.

In the morning we slept in and when we awoke we were greeted with a delicious spread of freshly baked croissants and other French goodies that Heather had gone out for that morning…just so the food would be extra fresh for us.

Heather washed our clothes, made us delicious home cooked meals, showed us around town, and was attentive in little and big ways. Not only was it wonderful to spend time with a dear friend, she and her family made us feel so welcome and refreshed.

1 Peter 4:9 says, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

You know he wouldn’t have felt the need to write that phrase unless he knew how prone we human beings are to grumbling. Offering hospitality does take effort. In other words it costs us something. However the rewards are great, not only for us but for those we are being hospitable toward. Even giving a single cup of water to someone who is thirsty is an act of hospitality.

This week I encourage you to think about how you can offer genuine, refreshing hospitality to someone who needs it; just like my beautiful friend did for me.

The Garden Movement

March 11, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

I always enjoy spending time at the fantastic Huntington Library and Gardens. I recently went to see their exhibition called “The Artist’s Garden: American Impressionism and the Garden Movement, 1887–1920”. It showcases 17 paintings from the exhibition that originated at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

“This exhibition gets behind the undeniable beauty of impressionistic pictures of gardens and asks questions about the social activity of gardening… (it) explores the connections between the American Impressionist movement and the emergence of gardening as a middle-class leisure pursuit.” said James Glisson, the Assistant Curator of American Art at The Huntington.

The exhibition runs through May 9, 2016 at the Boone Gallery (seen above).

My favorite painting was…

The Crimson Rambler, ca. 1908, oil on canvas by Philip Leslie Hale (1865-1931)

Other lovely works included…

Saint James’s Park, London, 1905, oil on canvas by Daniel Garber (1880-1958)

A Breezy Day, 1887, oil on canvas by Charles Courtney Curran (1861-1942)

Piping Shepherd, 1896, oil on wood by Anna Lea Merritt (1844-1930)

Snow, ca. 1895-96, oil on canvas by John Henry Twachtman (1853-1902)

Enjoying the Village of Cotignac, France

January 4, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Nestled in the picturesque region of the VAR department in Provence, France sits a small village called Cotignac. Despite only boasting slightly over 2,000 residents, it has the highest amount of ex-pats than other local villages, with more than 30 nationalities represented.

In the Fall of 2013, Joel and I spent two weeks in a lovely rented home that overlooked the village. We love France and always look forward to visiting. This was our first time to Provence.

I first learned about Cotignac when I started following Provence Living. Initially I was drawn in by their vibrant pictures of colorful fruits and vegetables, linen scarves and woven bags from the weekly outdoor market.

With Joel’s interest in wine (we met up with winemaker acquaintances who live in the village) and our mutual affection for France, we decided to head to Provence to take in the lovely region via the tiny village of Cotignac.

If you’re more interested in quaint village life than laying on the beach everyday on the Cote d’Azur, a place like Cotignac can be a great home base. We mostly ate, drank, strolled around the village and enjoyed the breathtaking views. But we also explored other nearby cities. (More on that in future travel posts). And the Riviera is only a 1.5 hour drive away.

Here are some pictures from our time in the village of Cotignac.

Market Day

Now is the Time to Be Brave

February 9, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

When I think back over the last 15 years, there have been so, so many times that God has come through for me in my weakness. At this point, it’s almost impossible to doubt that He will come through for me…because He always has.

But I would have never known that kind of faith, assurance, trust and strength in Christ if I hadn’t been weak.

Especially in America where I live, there is a great importance put on doing things in your own power and strength. Whatever you do don’t ever look weak or admit a weakness, for goodness’ sake!

And yet, when we are weak, Christ’s power comes through so strong!

Paul, a hero of the faith who wrote a majority of the New Testament, wasn’t afraid to admit his weakness. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 he wrote, “Each time (God) said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” (NLT)

Weakness is actually a good thing because it’s God’s power that works through you. You know you can’t take the credit for it!

That doesn’t mean that we should view ourselves as a victim or be lazy or feel sorry for ourselves. And it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be intentional about working through issues and being strengthened in what Jesus has done for us. We should!

But it does mean that I am happy to lean on God’s strength to supply all my needs, especially in those areas where I often feel weak.

For example, in my physical limitations dealing with many years of chronic health problems; or when I battled through a prolonged period of intense fear and anxiety; or when I feel ‘in over my head’ with work and ministry opportunities…I lean on God and He always shows up with His strength. Always.

It’s what He does.

In myself, I am often weak. In Christ, I am strong and lean into His “limitless strength” (See Psalm 147). Limitless means “without end, limit, or boundary”. That is the kind of strength God has and that’s what He offers to us.

I don’t know about you, but that is the strength I want to rely upon.

King David, who is described as a man after God’s heart, knew about that limitless strength and continually relied upon God to pour out strength in his weakness, trials and vulnerabilities. David even said to God, “O my Strength, I will watch for You, for You, O God, are my fortress. My God in His steadfast love will meet me…” Psalm 59:9-10 (ESV)

David knew that God was his strength, and that God would meet him with love and protection.

When I see other people being brave, it gives me more courage to be brave. And in turn, others will be encouraged when they see me (and you!) being brave.

Now is the time to follow God and to be all that He has created you to be. Don’t shrink back. Don’t give up. God’s grace is sufficient for you. Rest in His faithfulness and strength even when you feel entirely weak.

What do you need to be brave in today? Where do you need to take a risk, a leap of faith?

Join me in taking that step today. Because now is the time to be brave, knowing that God’s strength will meet us and carry us forward.

“So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

Dancing at the Crossroads

January 26, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Going through a time of transition can be one of the most stressful experiences in life. Even if it is a fun transition it can cause stress as you manage all the details.

A couple months ago my husband was talking to someone about being at a crossroads in his life. The person mentioned that in Ireland people used to gather at the crossroads in the city to dance. I thought this was interesting so I looked it up to find out more.

“It was a type of social event popular in Ireland up to the mid-20th century, in which people would congregate at the large cleared space of a crossroads to dance; often to the accompaniment of a single accordion.” (Wikipedia)

After reading this I immediately thought, being at a crossroads in life is an invitation to worship God!

Being at a crossroads can feel like a blessing and a curse, can’t it? We can be filled with the excitement of all that is to come but often I think it’s more a time of experiencing waiting, fear, confusion, or fretting about making a decision. Sometimes it’s all of those emotions rolled into one giant emotional roller coaster.

But here’s the thing…either way, it’s a perfect opportunity to worship God!

Why worship?

Two reasons. First, no matter what is happening in our lives, God is worthy of our praise.

Also, worship breaks the chains that are binding us! And other people get to witness God’s powerful response in our life.

I love reading about Paul and Silas in Acts 16. They were in a city sharing the good news about Jesus when some people got mad at them and started accusing them. It quickly escalated to a riot with the local authorities ordering that Paul and Silas be stripped, beaten with rods, and imprisoned.

As they both lay shackled in the jail cell, instead of feeling sorry for themselves, this is what they were doing:

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” (vv 25-26)

Not only were Paul and Silas freed from prison but all the other prisoners were loosed, too! Those who witnessed Paul’s and Silas’ worship–and God breaking the chains–were deeply affected. As a result the jailer and his entire family believed in Jesus.

Just like in this story where God broke off physical chains, worshiping God breaks off the invisible chains of fear, anxiety, doubt, anger, and other negative emotions. And…not only are we set free, but the people around us who witness our worship and God’s response to it get to encounter God as well.

So…

+Are you at a crossroads in your life?

+Are you experiencing a difficult situation where you are tempted to turn from God rather than turn to Him?

I want to encourage you to worship God even if you don’t feel like it. Just try it and see what happens.

Worship isn’t just singing or dancing, it takes on many forms, but even just simple verbal praise to God is powerful.

This is one definition of worship I like as it relates to God:

“Worship is an active response to the character, words and actions of God, initiated by His revelation and enabled by His redemption, whereby the mind is transformed (e.g. belief, repentance), the heart is renewed (e.g. love, trust), and actions are surrendered (e.g. obedience, service), all in accordance with His will and in order to declare His infinite worthiness.” (Theopedia)

Worship is a choice. Always. Some of the times I’ve been most encouraged by God are times when the last thing I wanted to do was worship Him. But as soon as I start making myself thank and praise Him, it always snowballs from there and carries me to a genuine place of peace and encouragement.

Like the psalmist, sometimes we just need to tell ourselves what to do. “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)

So, when you find yourself at your next crossroads, take a minute to dance!

(photo credit: National University of Ireland in Galway, 1891.)

Rayni Risher

The Heart of Hospitality

The Garden Movement

Enjoying the Village of Cotignac, France

Now is the Time to Be Brave

Dancing at the Crossroads

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