Hospitality

I think of hospitality as making time and space for a guest. We've a family friend with whom we occasionally visit. She loves to have us. However, her guest room closet is full of out-of-season clothes. The drawers in the guest room are packed with sheets, towels, blankets and other sorts of things. We have to put our suitcases on the floor and stumble around them getting to and from the bed. Our friend also works from home and she seems to have to check on something throughout the day. We love her. We like to visit her but she doesn't have the gift of hospitality. I've often wondered if I have given Jesus the gift of hospitality in my life.

Seasons of Life

One of the many reasons I like Kentucky is that there are four seasons. Each season has it's own weather as well as it's unique activities. Last evening was our first freeze. A first freeze marks, at least for me, the beginning of Autumn. It is time to bring the plants in from the porch. It is time to buy apples for cobbler. It is about time for Halloween or All Saints Day. Football is well into it's season and both the OU "Sooners" and Kentucky "Wildcats" are doing okay. Soon it will be baseball's World Series. The leaves have begun to turn radiant fall colors and we are blessed to be surrounded with many very large and mature trees. I like Autumn. The seasons motivate me to ask, "What is the season of life for me?" Erik Erikson's writings are a great help for me. I'm in the "generativity versus stagnation" phase of life. In other words it is my purpose or calling to pass on some bits wisdom that I may have gained from almost 77 years of living. I'm able to do this with Missionary Member Care, teaching at The Baptist Seminary of Kentucky as well as providing therapy for clients and 'mentoring' for younger Therapists at The Interfaith Counseling Center. I think God for the health (as well as my parents for good DNA and healthy living practices) that I'm able to continue. I frequently ask clients as well as students, "In what phase or purpose of life are you living and do you think of that as your calling?"