Keeping Up Appearances

The doorbell rings and your heart flutters.  “I’m not expecting any company today,” you think to yourself.  You look around at the toys on the floor, the laundry basket in the corner and other miscellaneous items scattered around the room in frustration.  As you approach the door you attempt to gather yourself and put on your best face.  “Oh, good afternoon sister.  What a pleasant surprise.  Come on in.” you say as gleefully as possible.  Then, it happens–the apologies and excuses begin.  Please excuse our untidiness today,we got a late start; these kids never pick up after themselves; it’s laundry day, just to name a few.

It’s no different when you get a call and someone requests to stop by, the anxiety still exists.  But why?  What has given us the notion that we all have to be Martha Stewart or B. Smith with Style?  What has given us the notion that we should appear to be prepared to entertain like Martha or B. Smith at a moments notice?  I like things to be aesthetically pleasing so, I recently wrestled in this area and became extremely frustrated.

We struggle in the area of hospitality.   After a few conversations lately, I realize that I’m not the only one. My house is lived in.   I have two young daughters, that love to play,  Although we have systems set into place, sometimes something just doesn’t get put away and I have to learn to be okay with that. Why should I feel rushed to make someone think that our family doesn’t live in our home? Should I wait until I’m ready to be featured in Better Homes and Gardens or In Style Homes to open our home to company?  That can’t be true.

Remember, if you will,  the commercial when the woman convinces her family that their dessert “takes time” as she relaxes while reading a novel.  She then, hurriedly splatters her face and clothes with flour and bursts from the kitchen with the Rice Krispy Treats as if she slaved over them.  It is easy to want everyone to remember all the work we put into our centerpieces and how we slaved over a meal. That’s our flesh just doing what it does.  It should be more important to us that our guest are comfortable than how impressed they are with us.  Hospitality begins in our hearts.  We can forgo fancy feasts and lavish decorations and open our hearts when we open our homes.

Our culture has caused us to be consumed with keeping up appearances.  We have confused the true meaning of Biblical hospitality.  It is not about living in the right neighborhood or having the “right house”.  It’s about serving others and not about others praising us for doing so.  Jesus often crossed economic, cultural and social divides in order to be hospitable to others, even though he wasn’t in his own home.

Being hospitable may not always be convenient or comfortable.  As a child, my parents opened up our three bedroom home all the time.  Often, to people that they had just met. My mom and her sisters would get together and prepare meals and there would always be more than enough. My parents would lend their vehicles to people while other saints questioned their actions.   I did not understand why I had to crash on the couch or why we were down to one vehicle then but, now I understand what they felt compelled to do.  They had to show the love of Christ.  The following scriptures highlight the importance of the hospitality of believers:

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.  Romans 12:13 (NLT)

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!  Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)

Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him). 1 Peter 4:9 (Amplified)

After meditating on these scriptures I feel at peace with our lived in abode.  I thank God that we always have a place for someone to rest their head, something to satisfy their hunger and word of prayer. I thank God that those unexpected visits might have been preordained.  No more concern with keeping up appearances.

On every level of life from housework to the heights of prayer, in all judgement and all efforts to get things done, hurry and impatience are the sure marks of an amateur.   Evelyn Underhill

Is God ‘Green’?

With all the information circulating about the environment (global warming, rainforest destruction, pollution, etc), I began to really think about a Christian’s role in saving the earth.  Traditionally, Christians have been seen as very passive and almost uncaring about the environment.  A lot of this has been brought about because many environmentalists do not understand the balance that God created in the beginning.  I asked the questions:  How do I care for God’s earth without worshipping it?  What is my relationship to the earth?  The answer to those questions can be found in scripture.

1.  We must first realize that creation is a reflection of God’s glory and perfection.  Everything that God created in the beginning was good (Genesis 1:12, 22, 25).  In the beginning, the earth was dark, formless and empty.  From there, God merely spoke and created time (night and day),  land and seas, sun, moon and stars, and living creatures.  Last, but not least, He hand-carved His masterpiece, man.   Sometimes we forget how awesome God is!  Take the time to look at the stars at night, listen to the crickets chirp on a summer evening, watch the changing colors of the leaves during the fall, or notice the portrait that God paints each evening as the sun sets.  “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”  Psalm 8:9  We must always remember that this is God’s handiwork and to worship Him and not the things that He has created (Romans 1:25).

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” Psalm 24:1-2

2.  God has given us dominion over creation, as well as, made us stewards of creation.  One of the first commands God gives Adam is to ,”Rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:28b, Psalm 8:6-8).  Adam was even given the authority to name each of Gods’ creations (Genesis 2:19-20).  God also gave Adam the task of taking care of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15).  Therefore, our role is to care for and nuture what God has created.

I must admit that I have not done my part in protecting and nurturing what God has made.  Now I have a better understanding.   One of the first steps is to nuture and care for God’s most precious creation, man.  What can I do to help my fellow brother or sister?  Next, what small steps can I make to help the environment (recycling, monitoring my water usage, using more natural or biodegradable products, etc)?  God desires that we live a life that honors Him first and nurtures and protects the things He has created.

Happy Earth Day!

Homemade Cleaning Recipes

As many of you may know, there is a lot of information about going green these days.  I have 2 small children and I began to think about all the harsh chemicals I was using to clean my home.  Although I am not radical in my approach to saving the environment, I do believe there are some things that I can do to create a safer environment.  In doing research, I ran across some quick recipes for cleaning you household.

All-Purpose Cleaner
suggested uses: hard surfaces like countertops and kitchen floors, windows and mirrors

2 cups white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
20-30 or more drops of essential oil (optional)

Tip: Warming in microwave until barely hot will boost cleaning power for tough jobs. Only microwave in a glass container.

Creamy Soft Scrub
suggested uses: Use this creamy soft scrub on kitchen counters, stoves, bathroom sinks, etc.

2 cups baking soda
½ cup liquid castile soap*
4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (acts as a preservative)
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree, rosemary or any scent you prefer (optional)

Mix together and store in a sealed glass jar, shelf life of 2 years.

Tips: For exceptionally tough jobs spray with vinegar first—full strength or diluted, scented—let sit and follow with scrub.

Dry soft scrubs can be made with baking soda or salt (or combination of both) with 10-15 drops essential oil to scent

Furniture Polish
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
20-30 drops lemon essential oil

Shake well before using
(2 teaspoons lemon juice may be substituted for lemon oil but then must be stored in refrigerator)

Dip a clean, dry cloth into the polish and rub wood in the direction of the grain.  Use a soft brush to work the polish into corners or tight places.

Tips: To remove water spots rub well with toothpaste.  To remove scratches use 1 part lemon juice and 1 part oil, rub with soft cloth.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Option 1

Sprinkle toilet bowl with baking soda, drizzle with vinegar, let soak for at least 30 minutes and scrub with toilet brush.

Option 2

Put ¼ cup borax in toilet bowl and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Swish with a toilet brush and then scrub. A few drops of pine oil can be added for increased disinfecting. (Note: some people are allergic to pine oil.)

Tip: Let ingredients soak for a while to make for easy scrubbing, especially on persistent stains like toilet bowl rings

Drain Opener

½ cup baking soda
½ cup vinegar

Pour baking soda down the drain and follow with vinegar. Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Flush with boiling water.

Tip: Prevent your shower form clogging by using a drain trap to catch hairs.

Laundry Detergent

1 cup soap flakes
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup Borax

Soap flakes can be made by grating your favorite pure vegetable soap with a cheese grater.  Mix ingredients together and store in a glass container.  Use 1 tablespoon per load (2 for heavily soiled laundry), wash in warm or cold water.

This standard recipe can be adjusted for soft water by using 1 cup soap flakes, 1/4 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax.  For hard water, use 1 cup soap flakes, 1 cup washing soda, and 1 cup borax.

Note: Borax should not be ingested.

Tips: Add 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to rinse as a fabric softener.  For a whitener, use hydrogen peroxide rather than bleach. Soak your dingy white clothes for 30 minutes in the washer with 1/2 cup 20% peroxide. Launder as usual.

Source:  noimpactman.typepad.com