I received this memo today via Facebook. Thank you for the reminder, Sharon. So often we find ourselves caught up in the if you just knew my life excuses when it comes to sharing hospitality. The graphic actually brought to mind that little potty training book Everybody Poops by Taro Gomi. This plotless little story states the inevitable—Everyone is the same on a very basic level. We are all very much alike.
Yes, we all know people that seem to have it all together. Their homes are beautiful. Their bathrooms are sparkly. Their kitchen looks as though it was the housekeeper’s day in. Ah. . .perfection. Or is it?
We usually visit others on their good day, meaning: they knew you were coming so they tidied up. If we happened to stop by on any other day, we might find piles of laundry to be folded, dishes waiting to be loaded and just general everydayness happening. Their house, like ours, would be a testimony to a life full of living.
There used to be a saying that hung on everyone’s wall that goes a little like this—Our home is clean enough to be healthy but dirty enough to be happy. Perhaps we should take that to heart. Do not miss out on any more opportunities to enjoy a happy gathering with friends or family even if there are dishes in the sink. Their sink probably looks just like yours.
“Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like
shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.”
Here’s a quick little recipe that requires no mixing bowl for your sink yet yields a pretty delicious dessert.
Dump Cake
- Fruit, fresh or canned. [If fresh, peel, core and slice into a size you would like to bite. You may want to add sugar for your desired sweetness.] Two 15 ounce cans or approx. 4 cups. My very favorite is a combo of apricots and pineapple.
- Yellow cake mix
- Cube [1/2 cup] of butter. Two is actually better but this is totally up to you.
- Spread fruit in bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Top with dry cake mix.
- Thinly slice butter and cover the top of the dry mix. You can melt the butter to drizzle if you like. Both methods work fine.
- Bake in 350 degree oven until top is browned. Thirty to forty-five minutes.
- Ice cream is a must when it cools enough to serve.
Enjoy!
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Love that Phyllis Diller quote – hilarious! I’m also a big fan of dump cake. Easiest dessert ever. I’ll have to try your apricot/pineapple combo.
Thanks for sharing at The Loft.
I love that quote, too, jerralea. My daughter just had her sixth child (see my blog for a pic.) and we know that first hand. Thanks for taking a look at the blog. I appreciate it.
I’m told hospitality is my “gift”. I make people feel at home and I love to feed them. I don’t care when you show up. I just tell them “we live here so please don’t mide our mess.” We aren’t filthy by any means but we don’t alway have things in perfect order. Everyone seems very comfortable in our home and that makes me very happy! Bless you and I’m so happy that I found you through Jerralea! 🙂
I’m glad you came by, too, Monica.
Thanks for sharing at The Loft, Patty. You are so right! I call it “Facebook entertaining”. Or, as one FB poster said, “Lord, please let my life be as wonderful as it looks on Facebook!”
We host a college kids Bible study in our home periodically, and I used to obsess about having the house spotless when they came over. The last time they were here it was in the middle of a thunderstorm. Our big, terrified, shedding hound dog jumped right up there on the couch with some of us, and I just let him stay. 🙂
That’s is a funny story, Gena. I’ve found it’s not the house that makes people comfortable, but the welcome they find within its walls that makes them feel at home.