Walk With me on Our Journey: Holiday Hospitality, Welcoming the stranger, and yes! even our family members you already know.

Dear Family of Love,

I hope all is well and that you have taken time to be Thoughtful and Thankful this Thursday. This time of year can make many of our family members lonely, sad, and made to feel invisible. This is the time to practice holiday hospitality, welcoming the stranger in our midst, and yes even our family members we already know. What does this mean? How do we do it? Are we let off the hook? Here are the answers to the above questions:

What does this mean? '
This means that we make ourselves, hearts, and homes open and receptive.
This means we need to get past our past tapes and allow ourselves to be accepting and inclusive.
This means we take time to listen and give everyone the gift of presence.
This means we spend a balanced time of Giving Thanks and Giving Thankfully.
This means we have a time where we spend time together. It doesn't have to cost money.

How do we do it?
Take time to listen
Take time to be courteous
Smile
Be loving.
Be kind,
Be welcoming
Give of yourselves.
Give of your hearts.
Don''t be afraid to let them into your lives and hearts.
Open your homes, churches, shelters, and any place where hospitality happens.
Tell them that they matter
Show them God Loves them.
Reflect God's love, light, and image to them.
Give the gift of presence.
Pick up the phone and connect and reconnect with family members who are estranged and you haven't been in contact with.
Live our lives as God would have us do.

Are we let off the hook?
A Big Resounding NO !

Why ?
Because God Said so in these 14 verses about welcoming the stranger:

The following list of bible verses comes from the New Revised Standard Version

Deuteronomy 10: 19 You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Leviticus 19:34 The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Matthew 5:43-44 You have heard that it was said, ‘you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 25:40 Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brethren you did it to me.
Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Acts 10:34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them.”
3 John 1:5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the friends, even though they are strangers to you; they have testified to your love before the church. You do well to send them on in a manner worthy of God; for they began their journey for the sake of Christ, accepting no support from non-believers. Therefore we ought to support such people, so that they may become co-workers with the truth.
Luke 10:27 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
Hebrews 13: 1 Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Colossians 3:11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.
Matthew 25: 35 I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.
Romans 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Tonight let us meditate upon the verses above. And then we will have prayer time: Tonight we have the option of using our mindfulness tools: Timers, Mindfulness Apps, and Music.

Here is tonight's meditation music. Bach mix lots of lute!

God of Welcome, may we welcome the strangers and everyone in our midst.