Last night Anna brought her Lifegroup out for fajitas, It was a noisy, lively group of twenty-something singles. We had a Meadows’ Mexican Dinner complete with plenty of guacamole and homemade salsa! Dirk and I stayed on the fringes, enjoying these young people and hoping they felt at-home. They ended the evening roasting marshmallows and singing while Kody played his guitar.
Many years ago, when Dirk built our home, we prayed that God would make it a place where people could feel love and acceptance. Over the years, that prayer has been honored. Our home has been a hang-out for many of our kids’ friends; a place where there’s always an open door. If our kids are not hanging out at home, they’ll be hanging out somewhere else. This is an opportunity to be part of their lives at an age where most kids are wanting to separate themselves from their parents. Opening your home requires an element of sacrifice, but one that’s well worth it.
Decide now that your home will be the hang-out location for your kids’ friends. You won’t be disappointed.
Where did you hang out as a teen? Was your home a hang-out place for you and your friends?
Many years ago, when Dirk built our home, we prayed that God would make it a place where people could feel love and acceptance. Over the years, that prayer has been honored. Our home has been a hang-out for many of our kids’ friends; a place where there’s always an open door. If our kids are not hanging out at home, they’ll be hanging out somewhere else. This is an opportunity to be part of their lives at an age where most kids are wanting to separate themselves from their parents. Opening your home requires an element of sacrifice, but one that’s well worth it.
Decide now that your home will be the hang-out location for your kids’ friends. You won’t be disappointed.
Where did you hang out as a teen? Was your home a hang-out place for you and your friends?
didn't really have friends to hang out with in highschool. mainly hung out with my youth group at church.... i didn't wanna get into all that my "friends" were doing: drinking, partying, fighting. so i just didn't.
ReplyDeleteand, fajitas, huh? did you throw some pineapple chunks in there? MMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your prayers have DEFINITELY been honored! Your house is a HOME, even to those of us who didn't grow up there! :) Thanks for being intentional about that. I know that means more cleaning and more dishes! ;)
ReplyDeleteAt my house there was a pool, a trampoline, and about 10 pinball machines, so, yeah, my friends hung out there a lot. In high school I was one of the few in my circle of friends whose parents were still married, so I think that it was a 'safe haven' for my friends who had divorced parents.
My house was the hang out too. My dad was the youth pastor (and music minister) at our church so we always had kids over and my parents were active with the group so it was nice. We had a big kitchen with a huge HUGE island in the middle that just made it easy to hang out (and eat snacks!) and talk about nothing.
ReplyDeleteI am with you. I love having people over. Just a couple of weeks ago we had 26 or so of thisismemandy's friends over for her 18th birthday. I cooked 28 steaks, a few hotdogs and 32 ears of corn. The dramamomma cooked 20 lbs of mashed potatoes.
ReplyDeleteWe had a ball.
We totally hung out at my house when we were young. I had lots of homes to go to that were warm, fun and safe. I thank God for my great childhood and teen years.
ReplyDeletewow I LOVE this concept! and I love how you're so accepting and loveing! I so want to do the same when i'm older!
ReplyDeleteOur life group meets at our house every week it is great
ReplyDeleteMy house was the hang out but for different reasons. No parents! But it was also the house that people ran away too as the safe haven.
ReplyDeleteMy home now is open to multiple kids. I love it. We just go with the flow. Luckily my Father In Law just sits in his chair shaking his head. As long and we feed him and he can watch FOX NEWS he doesn't care who is around.
That is so great Robin!
ReplyDeleteI never hung out at home - when I turned 16, I did anything to get OUT of my home!
Mandy-no pineapple in these..LOL
ReplyDeleteAbbi-thanks for your sweet words...glad you feel at home here.
Kim--you were and are blessed!
Mountain Man--time for US to hang out! Steaks sound great!
Natalie-sounds like a great home!
Wendy-I know your home will have an open door.
Roger--if you do it for your lifegroup, you'll do it for your kids.
Theresa-you're an overcomer! Breaking the cycle of absent parents.
Sheri-you too. You're setting new standards in your own home!
We always hung out at my parents home. Everyone was welcomed. I wish I didn't stress about the house not being clean enough and more like my Mom, because Steve loves cooking for people and having them over.
ReplyDeleteMandy's party was a lot of fun. We had teenagers everywhere.
amazingly my house was a hang out, cause we had food...and nowhere else to go. My friends liked my mom. She was easy going & their parents always told them what to do... I love your house though...we all loved our trip out to "the meadows" love ya mama & papa/meadows!
ReplyDeleteI pray this happens in our home too!
ReplyDelete