SIMPLICITY IN DINING

Doesn’t life offer numerous opportunities to learn “flexibility?”   My temperament doesn’t adjust rapidly to “go with the flow.”    My system fights that upstream living.   So I’m always in class learning from the Lord how to go with His agenda, instead of mine.   He certainly has surprises in the turns of our journey.

At this particular time of our marriage I was working full-time, so time and energy had to be carefully managed.   I arrived home early this particular evening and about an hour before dinner. Not long after, the telephone rang.   The excited voice on the other end of the line was my husband announcing that we would be hosting a friend for dinner.   Did you notice that he used the word “we?”   I yet find that humorous because he was nowhere within miles of the kitchen in which this dinner would be prepared.

We had met this young single gal at our church and numerous times during our interaction with her, we offered hospitality on a come-as-you-are basis.    I now understand that to mean, you come as you are, and on that basis, we’ll share whatever is the freshest in the fridge.

My husband’s announcement caught me off guard.  My mind immediately went into gear as to what in the world I was going to prepare for this quick invite.   There wasn’t the time or the energy to rustle up a casserole, and steaks were seldom in our freezer zone.

The only delicacy I could come up with was hotdogs, mashed potatoes and peas.  A delicacy?  I can’t even remember if we had dessert.  If we did, it was ice cream.  You can never go wrong with scooping that out, now can you.

My husband arrived home as the mashed potatoes were being whipped into place.   He enjoys his meals, and I know, from experience that he was wondering what in the world could I be dishing up in an hour, other than pancakes or scrambled eggs.

The main entre was simple….hot dogs.   We had a lean financial reservoir in those years, and we enjoyed (did I say enjoy) hot dogs on a rather regular basis.   I’m not Martha Stewart or Betty Crocker, but I learned that you can “dress up” hot dogs by slicing them open down the center and placing cheese in the crevice.    Commit them to the broiler and voila, dinner is served.

This young gal had never been to our home before, but I reminded myself that the most “important ingredient” of the evening was that she felt “welcomed, loved and appreciated.” 

The doorbell rang, and we warmly took her in out of the cold.  It wasn’t but a few moments later and we all sat down to dinner.  I brought out the plates, adorned with three colors, brown, white and green.

She looked down at the presentation of cuisine and smiled.  The evening was full of conversation, laughter and tears as well.   We were so thrilled that she seemed to feel so at home, and so quickly.  

A few hours had passed and she shared that she needed to be on her way.  We all felt as though this friendship would go on for years, and it did.

Later in the evening we chuckled and wondered what in the world she thought at the presentation of such a simple meal.   It didn’t take long to find out.   She phoned us the following evening to tell us how much she appreciated the invitation to our home and hearts.   With a chuckle in her voice, she commented that it was the “hot dogs” that instantly put her at ease and made her feel like part of the family.

I learned then and continue to remind myself that people are so pleased just to be invited into your home; and that they really aren’t as concerned as you are as to what you serve them.

Entertaining focuses on the host and hostess.

Hospitality is focused on “your guest” and making them feel loved and welcome.   This can be done at a card table, with or without a tablecloth.   And yes, a grilled cheese sandwich or a well-adorned hot dog is quite appropriate.

Now, when was it that you were coming over for dinner?