These are summer blooms from my little garden. From the earliest days of our marriage, Anabelle always had fresh flowers at home. Nothing makes a home more beautiful and feel more homey than fresh flowers. And nothing says ‘Welcome’ more eloquently to friends and families coming to visit. Our home in Filinvest was designed to receive, welcome and entertain people. We have had many family gatherings and celebrations there. We have welcomed and entertained many of our friends there as well.
I was born and raised in a family that loved to celebrate and entertain people. I remember fiestas and special occasions were always 2-3 day affairs. The excitement of the preparations was matched by the thrill of having people at home and even by the big clean up afterwards. Even as a young boy, I knew how to help in preparing the food, like butchering and cleaning a pig, killing and cutting up chicken, cleaning and slicing up fish, and even skinning and preparing frog’s meat. Like most men from our province, I can cook.
I guess there is bit of both Martha and Mary in our family. Being Martha is about all the excitement of cleaning up, the cooking and the preparations, including making sure there are fresh flowers, for visits by family and friends. Being Mary is about all the thrill of welcoming people into our home, exchanging stories, catching up with one another and, most specially, sharing food. It is fun being both Mary and Martha. Being Martha is making a house into a home. And being Mary is welcoming friends and family into the home with love.
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38-42