Over the years, our home has become quite the revolving door. From new faces, to familiar, people grace our doorstep for all kinds of reasons. Between visiting family members for holidays, neighbor kids snagging a snack in the middle of their game of streetball, or collegiate sports players coming to live with us for a few months, our family loves adding a seat to the table.
Some of our favorite memories are from sitting in the kitchen, as we get to know one another through shared stories. It’s become more than a way of life; it’s become a daily gift as we transition from being strangers to great friends with those around us.
I’m not sure why, but I often convince myself to try new recipes when guests come to visit. Why make a tried-and-true recipe, when you can attempt to create a fancy meal you saw on a blog one time? Piece of advice: Don’t do it.
Not too long ago, we had a young hockey player living with us. He had never lived away from his parents before, so I wanted to be the best hostess I could be by helping him feel right at home. Pulling out all the stops, I snagged the lasagna recipe I discovered the week prior. I was confident nothing could be more comforting than a big pan of lasagna.
The house smelled amazing. As our defenseman settled into his room, and my children completed their homework, I was convinced this would be the best rendition of lasagna I had ever made. As soon as the timer went off, I was prepared to pull out a bubbling cheesy pan of pasta, but all I saw was what my children affectionally called pasta soup.
No problem! It just needs to bake longer, right? So I popped the pan back in the oven to give it a little more time. Unfortunately, there was not enough time in the world to perfect this layered dish. Letting it sit on the counter as it cooled, I prayed the sauce would thicken so I wouldn’t have yet another first-time-guest meal failure. Sadly, this was one prayer that wasn’t going to be answered in the way I hoped it would.
My children never let the topic of that fateful evening go, but over the next few months, I made quite a few good meals for their honorary big brother. Introducing him to good ol’ North Dakota food made for some laughs as we “cultured” him in the ways of tater tot hotdish, rhubarb, and Swedish meatballs.
The best day came when I received a text from his mother. She thanked us for opening our home to her son; being able to jump right in as a member of the family made her so grateful. However, what stuck out the most were these six words: “Can I have your lasagna recipe?” My jaw dropped. Why in the world would this woman want such a dreadful recipe? Come to find, it was his favorite thing I made while he lived with us.
God used a simple text that day to remind me how even when I felt like I had failed, he was still able to use it for good. The laughter over a pan of meat and cheese soup was just what we needed to break the ice. It took one meal for us to feel like we were already gelling together as a temporary family. What occurred at the table was transported to the ice rink as we cheered on every home game, continued to check in with him after he left, and still stay in touch to this day.
It may have been something as simple as a failed supper, but what it gave us was the gift of family.
Sara is a pastor, a mom of three, and an avid learner. She resides in North Dakota where you will almost always find her with a coffee cup and book in hand. She has a secret love for art, a talent for embarrassing her kids, and a deep love for worldwide missions work.
She is currently writing her first book, Leading Spiritual Hoarders, as she comes alongside pastors to help them create a culture in their churches of disciples who make disciples.
Sara also writes a monthly e-newsletter, Pioneering the Crossroads, which encourages the reader to live a bold and courageous life for the sake of the Gospel. You can find her on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.
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