Hosting the Holidays With Joy, Part 2
hospitality · Hostess Goals · Thanksgiving

Hosting the Holidays With Joy, Part 2

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I love to have guests in our home and my guest book is reflective of that, but I also know that it takes a lot of planning, work and preparation. It’s my desire today to complete the list I started earlier this week and give you some tips about how you can have guests in your home this holiday season and do it with joy, rather than fear or dread.

  • Reason #5 why we dread hosting is that we don’t feel like our home is good enough or big enough.
    I can remember days when we lived in our ranch style home and didn’t have a big enough kitchen to host my whole family – I believe we had 14! What to do? We set up tables in our humble basement. It certainly wasn’t fancy, but we managed! I even had to use the church oven because at the time, my oven was so small the turkey didn’t fit inside! But all that isn’t what I remember! I remember that we had so much fun! At the end of the day we all piled into our church van and went to Bristol Speedway to see the Christmas lights! I think if we don’t make a big deal about being squashed together, our guests won’t either.
    If you don’t feel your house is “nice” enough, do what you can to make it fit for company –
    ~Clean the spaces you’ll be using. Make the bathroom shine. Unclutter all counters. Dust. Vacuum. Sweep off the front porch. Make sure the kitchen sink and stove are clean and ready for use.
    ~Don’t apologize for your house! If you start pointing out all its flaws and problems, you’re not going to make your guests feel welcome. Use what you have, make the most of it and be thankful. It’s God’s provision for you. Use it for His glory.
    ~Focus on your time together – not on the beauty (or lack thereof) of your home. Turn on a playlist of instrumental music for background beauty. Light the candles. Set the tables and turn your interest to your guests. That’s what they’ll remember.
  • Reason #6 why we fear hosting is not knowing what to do before or during the meal. Perhaps you fear “small talk” and not knowing what to say. Those gaps in conversation can feel awkward. Or if little ones are tearing through the house you feel your blood pressure rising.
    ~Planning ahead for children is your best option. Have a little box of things they can play with in a secluded spot. If it’s a pretty day, offer outdoor activities – balls or jump ropes to play with. If they’re older, you could set out coloring books, board games or puzzles.
    ~Share blessings. Why not plan on going around the table or the room and having everyone share three things for which they’re the most thankful? Again, focus on your guests instead of worrying you won’t know what to say. Ask them questions about their lives – “How did you spend Thanksgiving when you were a child?” “What family traditions did you family do on the holidays?” “What you favorite memory of Thanksgiving?”
  • Reason #7 – Fearing how to keep everyone entertained.
    ~Plan for some board games or group games for the time your guests hang around after the meal. Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese Pizza is a hilarious game that will loosen everyone up!
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza Card Game

~Maybe everyone could work on a huge puzzle together. Set it up on a game table and let guests work on it throughout the day.
~Have a simple craft the children can work on. There are so many ideas on Pinterest!
~While the guys watch the football game, have the ladies work on crafting a simple Christmas ornament together.
~Don’t miss the opportunity to turn everyone’s hearts upwards to the Lord. Read Psalm 100 together. Stop and give thanks in prayer to the Giver of every good gift! Perhaps you could also sing a song together. Dear friends of ours always close our fellowship at their table by singing while our host plays the guitar. What a blessing that time always is!

I pray that these suggestions have been helpful. If you have other needs or questions, please feel free to leave a comment, or email me using the address on my contact information page.

Here is a detailed post about how you can be a gracious guest, and also tips on hosting. You’ll find hostess gift ideas that will be a small way to say, “Thanks for inviting us!”

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Here’s a favorite Cranberry Streusel Muffin you should consider for Thanksgiving morning breakfast!

hospitality · Hostess Goals · Thanksgiving

Hosting the Holidays With Joy

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Hosting for the holidays can be associated with anxiety. There can be many reasons for that. See if any of these resonate with you…

  1. Tight Finances
  2. Stressful company
  3. Fear of a food failure
  4. Little time to prepare
  5. Feeling like your home isn’t good enough or big enough
  6. Not knowing what to do before or during the meal
  7. Wondering how to keep everyone entertained

I’d like to try to address some of these topics today and we’ll finish the rest later this week.

  1. Tight finances –
    The meal doesn’t have to break the bank. Decide what parts of the meal are important to your family. Is it the turkey? Then get a good sized, good quality bird and add a couple of essential sides like mashed potatoes, Green Bean Casserole and some rolls.
    Enlist your guests to bring a dish to help. Get someone to bring a pie and Cool Whip and someone else to bring a relish tray.
  2. Stressful company – Sometimes the people that come are related and might be difficult to deal with. Pray about your attitude. If our heart is right, our responses will follow. Ask the Lord to give you His love for your guests. Don’t have expectations about what they should be to you. Only desire to be a blessing to them. It’s just a day – you don’t have to invite them to move in.
  3. Fear of food failure – Watch a You Tube video by Barefoot Contessa or another Food Network chef you love and watch them roast a turkey, bake a pie or make that great side dish. It’s like having an assistant in your kitchen with you. If you can try to make the dish ahead of time as a trial run, you’ll know what needs to be improved.
    Little things like setting a timer when you put the rolls in the oven, or putting reminders on your phone to thaw the turkey or put the casserole in the oven can help you avoid big mess-ups!
    My best tip is make dessert delicious! That’s the last thing everyone eats and that’s what they’ll remember! If you need to buy a Pumpkin Pie at Sam’s Club, do it, then whip up your own whipping cream and sprinkle the top with Pumpkin Pie Spice to make it beautiful!
  4. Little time to prepare –
    I think we’re all nodding our heads on this one! The best thing to do is PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME as much as you can. If you saw my recent post, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of getting as much done beforehand as possible. Here’s a detailed list from a few years ago about my day before preparations. It made everything so simple!

Remember to keep your focus on the why of the holiday! Don’t let yourself get sucked into the trap of trying to do everything. Make the menu simple, but delicious. Make your home inviting (we’ll talk more about this Friday), and keep your own attitude sweet, welcoming and brimming over with thankfulness.

Are there other stress factors about hosting the holidays that I overlooked? What triggers anxiety in your heart?

Easy recipe · Lunch

Bumping Up the Tuna Sandwich

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If the words, Tuna Sandwich make you think of a dry, boring lunch, I want to introduce you to this version that I began making recently.

This flavorful version of Tuna fish is full of crunchy goodness, but is also light on calories! It only requires a little mayo to help hold it together! The choice of bread is key, but the addition of the cheddar cheese and tomato slice help bump up this sandwich that gets as bad a rap as canned asparagus. Here’s the simple recipe we’ve been loving…

INGREDIENTS – Makes 2 sandwiches

  • 1 packet of tuna (in water), drained
  • 2 Tbl carrots, minced
  • 2 Tbl minced celery
  • 1 tbsp red onion, minced
  • 1 tbsp light mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • Bread of your choice – I used a light bagel – You could also do this open-faced with only one slice of bread
  • 2 slices 2% reduced fat cheddar or American cheese
  • 2 slices tomato
  • Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Combine tuna, celery, carrots, onion, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper.
  • Heat a large skillet over low heat.
  • Spray skillet with oil, and place sandwich on top.
  • Top bread with cheese, then tuna salad and tomato. Cook on low heat until cheese melts and bread gets toasty.
  • Serve immediately.

You will not miss the normal heavy mayo in this sandwich. It’s perfect as is! Using a special bread like these bagels makes it taste really indulgent, so I would definitely check your Aldi for these! Toasting the sandwich makes it perfect for a fall or winter lunch!

Don’t settle for a plain tuna sandwich in the future! These simple ingredients will add the pizzazz your lunch time routine needs!

Need other lunch menu suggestions? Check here and here and here for other ideas!

Refresh your lunch!

A Conspicuous Marriage
gratitude · Refreshment in marriage

A Conspicuous Marriage

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Conspicuous
[kuh n-spik-yoo-uh s] 

adjective
1. easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable:
a conspicuous error.
2. attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualities or eccentricities:

In Philippians 1:20, 21 Paul wrote –

For me to live is Christ.   

Paul lived out his love for the Lord in a way that was conspicuous.  It was noticeable.  

I’ve been dwelling on how I might be more conspicuous in my love for my Savior.  Our love for Him connects to everything we do and every relationship that we share.  Is Christ’s love conspicuous in every area of my life?  

Today I’ve been wondering specifically how conspicuous my Christ-like love is displayed to my husband.  If God gave him to me, shouldn’t I be demonstrating Christ’s love in my marriage?  Of course!  But if we’re honest, our husband is often swept up into the dustpan like the crumbs from last night’s dinner.  All neatly  place out of our way, we can now storm proceed to the next thing or person on our list.  

“I fixed him dinner!” we might cry.  Or we may wrongfully assume, “He’s watching football – he doesn’t need me!”  But if we desire to show Christ-like love, we need to be conspicuous about it. Whether or not he knows  you love and respect him, you need to be saying it and demonstrating it in a way that it is also obvious to others that are watching you.  And oh, others are watching – especially if you have children!  They are listening when you think they don’t hear your response to their daddy. They are watching when you think they are absorbed in  play, and they are learning from your example.  That can be a scary thought, or it can be a good reminder – it really all just depends on how conspicuous your love and respect are being demonstrated to that guy you married.  Think back to before you were dating; remember how your heart skipped a beat when you knew he was near…even in the same building?!  Perhaps you tried to be inconspicuous about your feelings at that time, but now you can, no should make it obvious that you’re crazy about him!

Find a way today to make your love for your husband “easily seen and noticed!”  Pick an idea below and let your love and respect “attract some special attention!” 

  • Draw a Love and Respect Tree on a mirror using dry erase markers.  Add leaves (made out of scrapbooking paper) each day with reasons written on them why you respect and love your husband.
  • Write him a Thanksgiving card and send it in the mail telling him why you love him, then send it to his workplace.
  • Buy him his favorite treat ~ just because ~ and present it to him as a small token of your love.
  • Tell him thank you for the little things he does.  Does he lock the doors at night, take out the trash, make your morning coffee, open the car door for you, bring home a pay check, pick up his dirty clothes? Find something and say “thank you” eyeball to eyeball. End it with “I respect you for that!”
  • Be demonstrative of your affection.  Hold his hand or arm, give him a wink from across the table, and for sure, give an affectionate kiss when one of you leaves home!
  • Spoil him.  Give him the first, the biggest, the best of whatever.  In the south we call that “specializing” on him!

  The love of Christ should manifest itself in your marriage in such a way that no one could miss that fact that you two are still in love!     What will you do today to make your love for your husband conspicuous?

In case you didn’t know, I sure love this man!

P.S. Don’t have any expectations about his response.  Just do it because you love Christ.  

Be conspicuously in love,

If you need some help preparing for Thanksgiving, go here for favorite Thanksgiving recipes, and here for what to do ahead of time.

gratitude

A Simple Formula for a Thank You Note

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Forty years later I still remember my guilt at realizing months after I got married that I had forgotten to write a thank you note for a belated wedding gift. Sadly, my embarrassment kept me from writing. I’ve since learned that a late note is better than none at all! It dawned on me this week that I had not written a note to a sweet friend who had given us a gracious gift. While I know she loves me enough not to judge me for my neglect, I quickly wrote the note to remedy my lazy gratitude.

We’ve all been guilty, I’m sure, of neglecting to write a thank you note after receiving a gift. Perhaps it’s busyness or forgetfulness or perhaps it’s a third area to blame – “What do I say?” If you haven’t asked that question, I bet your child has! There are really only three components needed for a thank you note to do its job.

  1. Say thank you for the gift That would include gratitude for remembering the occasion for which it was given. “It was so sweet of you to send the bouquet of flowers. That made my birthday so special!”
  2. Say what you will do with the gift or why you appreciated it. “The slippers will be so cozy in the upcoming cold temperatures!”
  3. Say something about the person who sent the gift. “I’m so glad the Lord gave me such a dear friend in my sister!”

Those three components will make the recipient know:you received the gift (if it was sent), you loved the gift, and that you appreciate them.

Gratitude accomplished!!

Have you ever realized you forgot to write a thank you note? Did you send a late one or none at all?