Reflections on Hospitality as a Mama of Littles

 

Around two years ago, a sweet mama friend from my church, with four little children of her own, made the decision to invite me and another friend over for morning coffee and playtime. Despite the fact that her house isn't huge, and we had (at the time) 9 kids under the age of 9 between the three of us moms. Despite the fact that fellowship was challenging because there were almost always tantrums that had to be dealt with and blowouts or spit-up to clean. Despite the fact that all of our kiddos left crumbly messes all over her floor as we ate treats together. This sweet lady chose to ignore the many reasons she could have had for NOT inviting us over, and did it anyway...and it blessed my socks off.

There was something so deeply precious about sharing our imperfect lives together, crumbs and spit up and bags-under-our-eyes-from-3am-nursing-sessions and all, and just do life together for a few hours. To sip coffee, eat cinnamon rolls, and chat about birth and postpartum, homemaking and child rearing, homeschool curriculums and hobbies, all punctuated with many breaks to take care of the little people our lives are so very wrapped up in. 

I truly can't describe to you how refreshed, encouraged, and inspired my heart was as I drove away from that first visit in her home. I called my husband and said with tears in my eyes, "I didn't realize how much I needed that."

Before this experience, I fear that I had fallen prey to the world's ideas of hospitality. That in order to do it "right", my home had to be free from any chaos, my kitchen floor from crumbs, and my clothing from baby snot. I had to have pretty decor and a main dish with at least two side dishes and a set table. The thought of having other mamas over in the middle of the day, of inviting them into my real "daily grind" for a few hours, felt vulnerable to me. Until someone else extended this grace to me, I never realized what a complete breath of fresh air it could be! I feel like God used this friend to open my eyes to the practical application of the truth from His Word, "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Prov. 17:17, emphasis mine). By refusing to think outside the box regarding hospitality, I was robbing myself and others of the sweet joy and blessing of sharing real life together. Of loving one another at all times, even the crazy and busy and slightly-overwhelming times.

Since that day, these two friends and I have gotten together for many more mornings in each other's homes. We usually break it up around noon, so we can get the littles to bed for naps. We now have 11 children between the three of us, and our times together are unstructured and informal, quite chaotic, and absolutely wonderful.

All that to say, I want to extend an encouragement to anyone reading who has never considered this type of hospitality before...go out on a limb and try it! Invite another mama of littles to come over on a random Tuesday. Tidy up beforehand if you can, in between nursing the baby, starting a load of laundry, and discipling the toddler, but don't stress. Don't try to make everything perfect. Grab a box of muffins from Walmart if you don't have time to bake some. Pour some tea or make a cup of coffee, and have a chat. It'll be interrupted at least 17 times, but just pick up where you left off. ;) Invite her into your ordinary life, and watch God bless both of you in extraordinary ways. Until next time,

Mykaela