Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Hospitality matters in October

October 15, 2020 by Kristin 3 Comments

Hello, friends! And hello, fall! My new book “Bringing Home More Than Groceries: Stories About Gathering & Nourishing People” is divided by seasons, so I wanted to start this new season with an excerpt. This also kicks off a monthly series about why hospitality matters in every season. Stay tuned for fun giveaways, practical tips, and free resources!

*****

Hospitality makes others feel at home when it happens in the midst of real life. - Kristin Hill Taylor, Bringing Home More Than Groceries #morethangroceries

Katie moved next door to me in October of 1990 and my life hasn’t been the same since. She befriended the school principal’s daughter and I was happy to have a new kid in the neighborhood. We didn’t realize we were building a lifelong friendship. At the time, we ate Circus Peanuts, drank Dr Pepper, joked about fruitcake, and consumed more than our share of Hometown Pizza and Dairy Queen Blizzards.

When we met, she was 10 and I was 11. Now we’re grown-ups who do frequent grocery shopping for our own families at two Kroger stores that are too far away from each other.

One time Katie sent me a card—yes, we sometimes still use the Postal Service to communicate—that says, “Sometimes I’ll think about something you said, and I’ll laugh, and then other people choosing tomatoes at the grocery store will wonder what’s so funny about that tomato. (Open card.) You’re good for me.” And I laughed. Out loud. More than once. That’s how we are. We really are good for each other and nobody thinks I’m funnier than Katie does.

Strangely but sweetly enough, my husband is distantly related to Katie, thanks to their common roots in a very small western Kentucky town. He once described us once as friends who make each other laugh at things nobody else would think are funny. We have inside jokes that drag on for decades, sometimes to the point we don’t remember their origin or point. But we still laugh. And even though we haven’t lived in the same town for more than half our friendship, I still know she’d rather have a short grocery list with so few items she can carry them all with a handheld basket, certainly without a cart. Just picturing her juggling a carton of orange juice, a gallon of milk, and cartons of ice cream makes me laugh.

In the fifteen months I was a mom before she was, I told her more than once how when she had a child, juggling these items wouldn’t be possible—regardless of how strong and crafty she was. That baby probably will weigh about eight pounds from the beginning. Add in the weight of the baby carrier moms inevitably have to carry into the store because their babies fall asleep on the shortest of drives. And, well, the orange juice and ice cream just have to find a home in the cart.

She learned, like all us moms do about something. She now mothers two boys and manages to keep them fed.

Through all the seasons, Katie has been in my life, even if many miles have separated us almost all of our adult lives. Grown-up life sure has its obstacles but they’re easier to navigate with friends by our side—wherever they live.

Here are some simple, practical ways to stay connected and close the distance that physically separates loved ones:

  1. Use social media to spark real conversations. Conversations may happen in emails, text messages, phone calls or Facebook messages, but they go deeper than what’s happening on a public profile. Ask questions, swap stories, or continue previous conversations on a personal level. Maintaining long-distance friendships is certainly aided greatly by technology, but you still have to make an investment.
  2. Send care packages and real mail. Yes, do it for birthdays or other special dates. But also do it just because.
  3. Invite them over. Long-distance friends may not be conveniently located in your same town, but you can still invite them over. Get dates on the calendar and make plans. Another Katie in my life has become a faithful summer visitor to our house. In the winter, we make summer plans by setting aside a weekend for our families to spend together.
  4. Be willing to go see them. When we go on a road trip, often prompted by a particular event, I try to schedule dates with other friends who live in that area. It doesn’t mean I can always see everyone I hope to see, but it’s worth trying to connect over a meal.
  5. Tell your kids about these friends. My kids adore some of my out-of-town friends. So when we do get to see them, they’re just as excited as I am. And they adore the grown-up friends too when they know they’re like family.
  6. If you can’t be there physically, send something. When my father-in-law passed away unexpectedly a decade ago, some out-of-town friends journeyed to our small town to grieve our loss and celebrate his life with us. Others couldn’t be here, which is understandable, but they sent flowers, pictures frames, cards, and texts of prayers. Celebrate happier moments together across the miles too.

Yes, I’d love to be neighbors with Katie again, but that’s not likely to happen, so we’ll cherish the time we get to sit close on the couch and then continue connecting as we can to build upon our much-valued history.

*****

Free resource!

I have a pretty (and free!) printable called Hospitality For Any Season for y’all! Hospitality matters regardless of what season you’re living, so I share practical ways to open your heart and home to others.

Download it here!

AND THERE’S A FUN GIVEAWAY happening over on Instagram just through tomorrow (Oct. 16, 2020). Join me there to enter to win a copy of my book and “Daily Acts of Friendship” by women at The Ruth Experience.

Of course, “Bringing Home More Than Groceries” is also available on Amazon or directly from me. To get an autographed copy directly from me, send $10 (plus $5 is shipping is needed) via PayPal to kristinhilltaylor@gmail.com and I’ll get you a copy delivered to your front porch or mailbox. Learn more about the book, read a sample chapter, and see who endorsed it.

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Filed Under: books, hospitality Tagged With: books, community, friends, hospitality, life, resources, seasons

Comments

  1. Susan Brooks says

    November 21, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    Just ordered your book.

    You sound like another me. YAY!

    Reaching out to the other ME’s along the path!
    Warmly,
    Susan

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 22, 2020 at 9:26 am

      Hi, Susan! Thanks for ordering my book and following along here! Please let me know what you think of the book once you’ve had a chance to read it. I’m looking forward to getting to know more about you. 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to plan a cozy family night says:
    January 20, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    […] is the fourth in a series about why hospitality matters in every season. (October. November. December.) And, yes, hospitality happens right in your home with your people. Learn more […]

    Reply

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About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our ninth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear sixth-grade boy, and our joy-filled kindergarten girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

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I miss … … a few particular friends from whom I miss …

… a few particular friends from whom I’m separated by circumstances, logistics, and distances. 

When I make a friend, I intend to stay friends forever. Of course, life doesn’t always work out that way. 

I don’t miss my kids being young, but I miss the ease of socializing with my friends during that season. It was easy then to meet at the park or go somewhere for lunch. Now there are so many schedules to work around. 

Scheduling time to lunch or get together is still my love language, it just takes a little more work, patience, and persistence now. And sometimes that’s exhausting. But it’s always worth it. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #bettertogether #livingfaithfully #reallife
School’s out FOR THE SUMMER! #88daysofsummer #mo School’s out FOR THE SUMMER! #88daysofsummer #momlife #siblinglove #summerisbest #maydays
I’m proud of myself for … … surviving and t I’m proud of myself for …

… surviving and thriving this school year. I resist change almost all of the time, and the past nine months have been full of so many transitions for our whole family. I know, that’s life, but these changes seem like the kind that will mark us forever. 

My kids navigated new beginnings in kindergarten, middle school, and high school. As a mom, sometimes I’m too close to see the growth, but this year it happened in each of them right before my eyes. They navigated friendship hurdles, embraced new friends, and settled a little more into who God created them to be. Middle school isn’t for the faint of heart, but I feel like I’ve come out of this year closer to my son, so I will take it. 

I’m proud of myself for leaning into where God has me. I’ve grown deeper friendships, invested in my kids’ school as a board member and business manager, and seen God work in our ordinary days. 

Y’all know I’m a summer girl, so I’m proud of myself through getting through the winter and coming into summer stronger and braver. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #summerisbest #bettertogether
I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book sooner. I loved so much about it, but I did want some of her stories to be  less repetitive and offer more practical advice for living out “radical, ordinary hospitality.” Rosaria Butterfield defines hospitality like this as sharing what you have in real time, preparing to continually life this lifestyle, and bringing strangers in so they become neighbors who become family. 

I took notes throughout, but especially during the introduction. I came away with an appreciation that hospitality can involve lists, schedules, and habits. I felt encouraged, even if I thought the book could have been organized better to include practical tips and other people’s stories. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #audiobooks #livingfaithfully #bookreview #booklover
Something I don’t usually share (online) … I Something I don’t usually share (online) …

I am an opinionated person, but I don’t usually share political opinions on social media. People who know me in real life know I value being pro-life, having less government involvement in our everyday lives, defining marriage as God intended it, and being fiscally conservative. As a former newspaper reporter, I still get excited about elections. I admittedly pay a little less attention in the almost 15 years I haven’t been in a newsroom. But I still care and have plenty of opinions. 

I voted today in Kentucky’s Primary Election. I’m thankful for the freedom to share my opinion by darkening some blocks on a paper ballot. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #reallife #livingfaithfully
Old friends and live music are two of my favorite Old friends and live music are two of my favorite things, so having them together is the best. My friend Aaron and I went to multiple Dave Matthews Band shows together during our college years, so now two decades later it’s fun to do it again as grown ups with our spouses for a band that speaks truth into our lives. 

@needtobreathe put on the loudest acoustic tour I’ve ever seen, but it sure was good! And its encore of completely unplugged songs was especially sweet. 

#NTBlive #needtobreathe #bettertogether #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully #weekending
Happiness is … … a slow morning that gave me Happiness is …

… a slow morning that gave me a chance to finish reading a good book right after I fixed my favorite cinnamon toast. 

… some shade to invite me to pick some more weeds around the house. But why doesn’t my Apple Watch count this as exercise? It felt like exercise to me! 

… an appointment with my oldest girl for us both to get our nails done this morning. 

… my youngest girl’s last soccer game of the season, even though the heat made her a little grumpy. 

… pool time, another good book to read, my mom visiting for the second weekend in a row, a little more weeding, and a night at home with no specific plans. 

Happiness is everyday, normal life with my people, especially when it comes with a slower pace after a hectic week. 

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I regretted having to go to sleep last night befor I regretted having to go to sleep last night before I finished this book, so I picked it up at breakfast and didn’t do anything else until I finished it. 

I loved the Alaskan cruise setting, the quick love and understanding between Greta and Ben, and the realistic ways grief changes people. Well done, @jenniferesmith! 

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Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of s Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of school next week and then it’s #88daysofsummer! Obviously, we’re ready. ☀️ 

Here’s to a refreshing weekend with much anticipation of what’s to come! #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #thirdchild #momlife #summerisbest #poolpeople #PorchStories #maydays
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