True Hospitality: When is the last time you had someone to your home? Someone who may never be able to invite you anywhere?

I am the first to admit that having people in your home can be stressful.  And, after all, there are so many places to go and see that are fun.  Nevertheless, I feel like Christians (and the rest of the world) just aren't opening their doors to many folks these days.  Hey, maybe they aren't even there in their own house anymore, but that's a topic for another day. I have what I consider to be "good" friends (and not the ones on Facebook), but when I think about it I have  not been in their homes much. (Maybe they don't want to have my entire gang invade their space; I get it.  We are neither small nor quiet.) Still, it is odd to be friends with folks for years and not know much about their home.  I feel like you really get to know and feel connected to people when you are in their space.  My love language is quality time, and I just don't feel that going to the movies, or meeting at a busy restaurant counts.  That's just me !   Every time I am thinking about WHY foster care should be part of every church's culture and a piece of a Christian family's life in some way I come back to this article by Dr. David Anderson.  http://safe-families.org/gods-answer-for-vulnerable-children/.

We have redefined hospitality in our culture. It has absolutely zilcho to do with fancy cooking, flawless landscaping, extravagant place settings, matching decor, ample space, or even cleanliness. Honestly, this is why I love guests under 12 best! They don't even notice that stuff!  If you have a jar of FLARP (look it up), and some frozen pizza served with a smile, then you are an incredible host.





I love to tell my children the story of when Jesus talked about who we are to invite to our table.
John 14: 20-New Living Translation
Then he turned to his host. "When you put on a luncheon or a banquet," he said, "don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward.




This is where he gets me every time:








Then, he discusses the history of the child welfare system.  I think this is important to remember.


























Next, Dr. Anderson adds what he believes (and I agree) stops folks from reaching out/taking risks to be hospitable.

I know everyone can't foster, but what about inviting that BIG foster family over for dinner? What about offering to bring them a meal when they suddenly have a new baby that other folks have 9 months to prepare for?  What about offering to take their foster children to your home for a day or a date night for that fostering couple?   I know about 30 something of these families if you are interested in serving up some hospitality :). 


I'd love to close with his question and may it be food for thought for us all!

It takes a village! Bovine Babysitting Services

Even Cattle provide respite care!

 Not much has inspired me to write, or make the time to write rather, since Canada! However, tonight as I took my walk and considered the day's events this view made me laugh at the parallelism!  I spent a bit of time this week figuring out how I would help with respite care this weekend for a foster mama, and figuring out how I could help another foster family find respite care.  All in all, finding respite for 3 sweet babies/boys took a few texts, phone calls, emails, and Facebook messenger messages, and it ended up working out so that 5 families are helping 2 families get a well-deserved break.  God is so good that our foster village in Oconee county has grown so large and is so loving to pull together in TEAMS to meet everyone's needs this weekend.  

1 Mama "babysitting" 6 babies under the shade tree.  

 My odds this weekend will be 2 parents and 5 kiddos, so I have it better than she does...if only mine would all just lie down and enjoy the shade :). 

If you have ever considered foster parenting, please consider convincing your husband ( I know he's the hold out :)) to do it JUST for respite care at first.  During the summer, spring breaks, holidays, or emergency situations we need lots of folks pitching in to make foster care work. 

When the early church was fully alive and significantly impacting the world, the practice of offering care to strangers (hospitality) became a distinguishing characteristic that brought many to saving faith.  Christian writer Tertullian (AD 200) wrote, “It is our care of the helpless, our practice of loving kindness that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents.”  The Hebrews writer instructs followers of Christ to “not neglect hospitality” (Hebrews 13:2). Peter encourages us to “offer hospitality ungrudgingly” (I Peter 4:9). Hebrews also says it might just have its rewards. “Do not neglect to show hospitality. By doing so, some have entertained angels” (Hebrews 13:2). I truly believe that some 23 possibly angels have found shelter in my home thus far, what a privilege and what a blessing.  Is it easy to rearrange life now and again? NO.  Is it worth it? YES.  I consider it a great joy to share the home and the family that God has blessed me with! 

Great for further reading/study: http://safe-families.org/gods-answer-for-vulnerable-children/.

Foster Care in the pasture while one other mama finds herself a distant tree to rest under. I guess she is the helicopter parent of the herd!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh Canada! Part 2

At the top of Sentinel Pass, the grandeur and unbelievable beauty of the valleys on the way up made the whole trip worthwhile.  "The Valley of the 10 Peaks" hike is my most vivid memory of the Canadian Rockies.   The snow in June was also wonderful. No photo can ever do it justice. 

Evening at the Columbia Icefield

 

Some of the peaks, but I really need a panoramic picture to get them all in! 

    The  mountains behind Moraine Lake are labeled “Valley of the Ten Peaks”, and on this hike we found out why! We climbed up and up above Lake Louise, and after passing the summit we are treated to a spectacular view. The road is cut into the mountainside that looms to our right, far above the icy lake below.

10 peaks in a bit of fog

So we climbed to the top of Sentinel Pass (the saddle between these mountains)  for a view of Paradise Valley and the 10 peaks!

Frozen Lake Eiffel on the way up Sentinel Pass

Since my pitiful camera that has been carried hundreds of thousands of miles does not do this place justice check out the National Geographic take on where we were on these days of our trip:  

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/canada/jasper-to-banff-and-the-icefields-parkway-alberta/

 "Traverse the vast beauty of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage site from Jasper along the Icefields Parkway and beyond to Banff. Pass fleecy mountain goats licking mineral-rich silt from wide rocky riverbeds. Surmount Sunwapta Pass, where the Atlantic and Arctic watersheds divide. Ride massive ice explorer vehicles onto the otherworldly surface of the Athabasca Glacier. These dramatic 181 miles of Alberta—passing through and by Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho, and Banff National Parks plus three provincial parks—earn the route a reputation as one of the most spectacular drives in the world."  

I concur with Nat Geo.  If you don't like to hike, bike or even be outdoors too much, but you want to see the Canadian Rockies, this is your span of highway! 

 

These were the original snow vehicles that tourist went out on the glacier in.

The Columbia Icefield from the top of Wilcox Pass, Icefields Parkway

Moose Lake had no moose friends on this day, but I will never forget that this backcountry lake provided a quiet and stillness that a person with 4-5 kids is NOT used to hearing! It was refreshing.

The canyons these glaciers create are NO JOKE.  These pictures can't express the depth of them. 

Maligne Canyon, Jasper National Park

The Angel Glacier flows down the north face of Mouth Edith Cavell in Jasper National Park. It is named  because it has the appearance of an angel with out-swept wings. It was much larger when it was named in the 19th-century, but as with most glaciers worldwide, it is melting rapidly. It is not expected to maintain its  appearance for much longer, and will eventually disappear from the face of Mount Edith Cavell. In 2012, a chunk of glacier fell off and caused a bit of an avalanche, flood, and mudslide since it was bigger than a house.  YIKES.  Glad that did not happen while I was standing in this valley. 

At the bottom of Mt. Edith Cavell

Maligne Lake

The 3 sisters! 

Me capturing June snow from the van window on our last day!

Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, very rustic/historic family lodge with VERY expensive coffee :). 

Bow Lake

Before reaching the top of Bow Glacier Falls (where I am in the pink below), there's a trail leading off to the left which is a natural bridge over another glacial canyon. Here, where J is perched, the water is rushing through a narrow gorge below while that large boulder straddles the top of the gorge, suspended 30-40 feet above the frantic water below.

Heading for the Airport on our last day

The day before this guy's birthday he visited Jonas on the Icefields Parkway.  It was only a campground, but he hopes it stays that way! 

This was another great adventure for us, but without GRAND grandparents loving our children it would have been impossible. Thank you for letting us still occasionally be irresponsible explorers grandparents :).