Advent day 2

Last night we enjoyed an awesome dinner party with 8 special friends gathered around our dining room table. Our good friends, the Grout's who used to live here but now live in France decided that they wanted to come to Sweden to celebrate Marie's 60th birthday. They invited a few people to our home yesterday but they hosted the party! It was a very special treat to be in my own home, but not have to do any hosting! Douglas set a beautiful table, as he so often does, and the meal was delicious. They had brought the wine from France so there was no miss there!
Gathered around the table were 3 Americans (me, Doug and Marie, the guest of honor), 1 woman from Singapore, 2 women from Ghana, 1 man from Zimbabwe, 1 woman from Ukraine, 1 Swede and the darling French man, Marie's husband. I mean, c'mon. This just doesn't happen in a "normal" life! Our lives crossed because of our association with Immanuel International and towards the end of the evening each person told of how their connection to Daniel and Marie was forged. The stories had a common thread. The generous, loving, outgoing spirit of Daniel and Marie drew us all in.
The meal was a feast, but so was the conversation. It served as a wonderful reminder of how hospitality, generosity, and warmth are qualities worth striving for in life. Hospitality, generosity, and warmth: Have you ever considered how the Lord offers us these gifts? Enjoy them this advent and pass them along. The price is right and the return on your investment will be well worth it, I'm sure.