Soft Places To Land

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

—John 13:35

For me, when we gather people around our table, it’s about the gathering, not the table settings. If I had to build a Rose Parade float for a centerpiece every time I have people over, I’d never have people over. I have white dishes, lots and lots of them, and they’re cheap, because I never want to be brokenhearted when something breaks. Same with glassware. We have very pretty three-dollar wine glasses, and when someone inevitably knocks one over, I love being able to tell them that really, it’s not a big deal. Because that’s one of the highest values in our home: safety. I want to have a home where people feel like they can rest—like they can wear slippers, get themselves a glass of water, settle in for an evening.

It’s about what works for your guests, your family, the people you love and have welcomed around your table. It’s not about what will look great on Pinterest or Instagram later. It’s about loving the people in your life by gathering them close into the private space of your home, about giving them soft places to land in hard seasons, about meeting their needs for food, for listening, for peace, for rest.