I’ve used the phrase “see people” in many of my posts. What do I mean by that? We can see people two ways: physically with our eyes, or by “seeing” them as we think about them and imagine their lives. Either way, we don’t ignore or rush past them. We see them with individualized love! 
To Whom we are thankful!
Gratitude is valued in our culture as a practice that brings positivity into our lives. There is research supporting its many benefits. At Thanksgiving, it is something Americans can all agree is meaningful! But in an increasingly secular culture, being thankful is often stripped down to be an attitude or practice of noticing the good.
Ideas for Group Hospitality
With the holidays coming, will you be having any groups of people over? Maybe family? Or people from church or work?
We enjoy opening our home for groups of people to come together and connect. But it does take a little more thought and work to have a group of people over!
As I plan food and prepare our home to welcome them, I imagine our guests. My goal is to create an environment where people can come together in meaningful ways that build relationships. (My CliftonStrengths themes of Connectedness, Positivity, and Discipline are coming through here!)
Here’s a few things I think about to help me prepare for group hospitality:
Circles of Responsibility
There are times in life when we need to consider all there is to do, be thoughtful about priorities, and be open to making adjustments.
This is one of those times for me! We are in the process of moving to Oregon, back to a town that is right between the places where my husband and I grew up. It has been exciting, but brings a lot of extra work and interrupts our normal rhythms of life. (This is something that is hard for my Strengths Theme of Discipline, I might add!)
Rooted in Jesus {The Source of Our Strengths}
I noticed this cottonwood tree at Zion National Park earlier this summer. When I looked closer, there was no soil under the tree itself! It had been washed away by seasonal floods, but the tree’s stout roots grew deep into the ground to support it.
Continue reading “Rooted in Jesus {The Source of Our Strengths}”
