Faking Homemaking & Simple Hospitality

Faking Homemaking & Hosting Tips:

• Buy some oatmeal cookies and top with a simple Lemon Glaze (see the end of recipe for the lemon glaze).
• In a pot simmer cinnamon sticks so your house smells like you have been baking all day.
• “Always keep several get-well cards on the mantel. If expected guests arrive, you can say you’ve been sick and unable to clean.” -Simple Hospitality by Jane Jarrell
• Who says you have to be the cook. Pick up a Rotisserie Chicken or other meat from a restaurant.
• Don’t be afraid of short silent periods throughout the evening. It’s normal so don’t fret about it.
• Cut up your store bought pound cake and make a Trifle with berries and cream.
• Make a batch of Sugar Cookies this recipe makes 2 dozen.  Bake some and freeze the rest for last minute hosting.
• Pray for your company that your having over and ask God how you can care and love them.
• Don’t apologize for your home, your furniture, your clothes, your …… 
• Be content with what the Lord has given you and use it to bless others.
• Love unconditionally. Some guest you will have over will never reciprocate the gesture.  Get over it and move on.
• If you don’t have time to clean the whole house just take out some Pine Sol and mop the floors.
• For unkept rooms don’t be afraid to close doors and even lock them if you have to.
•  “Explain the mounds of pet hair brushed up against the doorways by claiming you are purposely collecting it there to use for stuffing hand sewn play animals for underprivileged children. (These mounds of pet hair also keep out cold drafts in the winter.)” Simple Hospitality
• If you don’t have children, but your guest do have a basket of activities they can choose from: a cartoon movie, coloring books and crayons, puzzles, books….
• Stock up on frozen rolls, cookie dough, chicken for last minute emergencies.
• Who says you have to know how to cook. Have pizza or chinese delivered to your home. If your embarrassed about it then transfer it into your own dish.
• Play some relaxing music if it’s been a long day.

Share with us some of your faking homemaking tips?

Does the word Hospitality/Hosting stress you out?  Does it give you nightmares because your trying to make your house presentable with an: amazing 3 course meal, a spotless house, homemade baked goods, well behaved children, digging out the fine china, the need to have a large house, filling silent moments in conversation, home filled with decor from West Elm and Pottery Barn…….? As you read along you will discover that there is a difference between hospitality and entertaining.

When was the last time someone invited you over for dinner or you had someone over for dinner? I have asked this question to various groups of people in different countries and the usual response is “it has been months.”  I want to share with you a few simple tips that will hopefully inspire you to invite a friend over and to replace those false preconceived notions you may have about hospitality.

“Hospitality does not try to impress but to serve. Entertaining puts things before people, but hospitality does the opposite.  Hospitality does everything with no thought of external reward. Instead it takes pleasure in the joy of giving, doing, loving and serving.  We are maintaining no false pretension; people relax and enjoy our offer of friendship. Put away your pride and let others see your humaness.” Simple Hospitality Jane Jarrell

Keeping it Simple:

1. Carve out time.  Email or call your guest ahead of time letting them know you would love to have them over and give them a couple of date options to choose from.  Spontaneous hosting works but this helps prepare you and the guest for the evening.  It also prevents from having your invite turned down and as a result becoming discouraged.

2. It doesn’t have to be dinner.  You can be hospitable by just inviting someone over for tea and store-bought cookies.  Yes, you read right the cookies don’t have to be homemade.  Just pop the store bought cookies in the oven a few minutes before your guest arrive and serve them nice and warm. 

3. Simple Recipes–

If you do choose to serve dinner find recipes that you have already made and are comfortable with.  Use your crock pot! If it’s just sitting there collecting dust learn how to use it. There are so many recipes you can google to use with your crock pot. This is one of my easy favorites: Rotisserie Chicken recipe.  If you don’t have time to make sides just stop and pick up sides at your local grocery deli. Other favorite recipes: Tortilla Cups, Amazing Mac n Cheese, Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake

4. Potluck Style– I heart potlucks!  Pick a theme Mexican, Pizza, Breakfast for dinner, Italian, Comfort foods, Crepes, soups……Assign to guest or have them choose what items they will bring. For easy planning and managing use Evite.com this will allow guest to post and share with everyone what they are bringing.

5. Take care of yourself– if your stressed out before your company arrives make sure you take 15 minutes to put yourself in time out.  Even if it means that dinner won’t be out on time. Believe me, your guest would much rather have a relaxed host than Misses Grumpy Pants.  Also, if you have kids you want to model to them a healthy hosting process.  You dont’ want them to have awful memories of how grumpy mom was everytime we prepared for guest. Read my embarrassing but true Momzilla/Wifezilla story.

6. Plan as much as possible prior to your guest coming. The day before: have the restaurants number of where your getting take out from or have your recipe all ready picked out and meat thawing in the oven. The morning of have non refrigerated ingredients out on counter.

7. Delegate– Hospitality is a family thing. Involve your children. Have them set the table. Stock up on fun napkins and let them choose the theme of the night or have them set the table.  Ask your husband to chop veggies or get drinks. Warning it may not look perfect as you would have done it but that is okay.

I wish I can tell you I have mastered this but I haven’t.  I am on this journey alongside of you learning and relearning how to serve, love, forgive as we open up our home to friends, those hurting and sometimes complete strangers.

 Ask God to show you individuals with whom He wants you to open your home, food, fellowship and most of all His love. As you think about those who need our hospitality, let’s not overlook those who’ve been offering it to us.