Hostess with the Mostest

I love a full house. Hosting has become like 1st nature to me. I mean my kids have started thinking it is strange when we don’t have friends over. I’d like to think of my self as the “Hostess with the Mostest” each time I’m preparing for guests to come over. So I am going to give you 1, yes only 1, tip on how to be the best host & make your guests feel at home every time they step foot into your casa.

1. Love people well. . .

Yea that’s it, love them. Love allows for our hearts to be so open and so ready to pour out. Having an open heart that is eager to love is the one and only tip I have for you and here is why.

• “Love is patient, love is kind. . . it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. . . It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

• “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13

• “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” ~ Romans 12:9-10

• “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” ~ Romans 13:8

• “A friend loves at all times.” ~ Proverbs 17:17

• “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” ~ Ephesians 4:2-3

• “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” ~ 1 Peter 4:8

• “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” ~ 1 John 4:7

• “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” ~ Colossians 3:14

• “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” ~ 1 John 3:16-18

• “Do everything in love.” ~ 1 Corinthians 16:14

Simply put, love is the greatest source a good host can pull from. The patience helps you not care when others are making messes in your home. The kindness makes for a revolving door to those in need. The protective nature gives you a heart to see others as your responsibility. The sincerity of love makes everyone who walks into your door feel at home. The humility helps you to see what’s yours is really God’s which means it is for the people. Love binds you to others which means you feel their needs are necessary to meet. Love makes us like Jesus & He never ceases to be a place of refuge for us all.

So this holiday season I encourage you to love, truly love. So many people love to use the cute old saying “Mi Casa Su Casa” without truly meaning it. The best host. . . The “Hostess with the Mostest”, makes that feel like absolute truth. So don’t stress over the decor, the perfect menu, the perfectly clean house. I mean those things are great additions but they are not the thing people will remember most. They will remember how being in your home made them feel, and friends, loved is the best feeling of all.