A Year of Hosting

"Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it."

Hebrews 13:1-2

When I started reflecting on what I wanted this year to look like, one thing that kept coming up was how much I wanted to use our new home to host others. It's something my husband and I have become pretty passionate about over the years. It's an oppurtunity to actually spend really intimate time with other people, to allow for good conversations and valued memories.

A couple of years ago, my husband helped out an Italian couple with a flat tyre, something we experience a lot of here in the Scottish Highlands. As people who work in the hospitality industry, we decided a long time ago that we wanted all we do to be shaped by the interactions with our people. After the long drive from the Central Belt to the Isle of Skye was rudely interrupted by a flat tyre, they were so grateful to see a friendly face who was able to help them out.

Since then, we've kept in touch with them and every so often we receive a beautiful package of handmade things from them. Over the Christmas period this year, we got this beautiful decoration. On the back (in Italian) is this verse from Hebrews. In a year that we've decided to host and show hospitality more, it has been an incredibly helpful reminder of the why for this year ahead.

We hung this ornament in our wee kitchen and every time I see it, it's a reminder for me of how I want my life to be shaped. Of the hospitality I want to show throughout this coming year.

Some more reflections from the book of Hebrews:

• All Good Things