A mental checklist

From a young woman's perspective, I think our society puts great emphasis on entertaining. It is so easy for my generation to get caught up in entertaining. Magazines, television shows and retail stores offer everything we need to be the perfect hostess: the right dishes, the right furniture, the right recipes, the right atmosphere.

I admit that I get caught up in it as well. I find that there is a very fine line between wanting to provide a cozy, welcoming environment in my home and desiring to present the perfect meal in our perfectly decorated home. I enjoy cooking. I love baking. But having people over for a meal can stress me out. The reason? I'm pretty sure it's because I am striving to entertain rather than offer Godly hospitality. I usually find myself impatient with Ryan as I am preparing for guests to arrive.

Maybe I need to go through a mental attitude checklist whenever I am getting ready to have others over:
Am I striving for perfection or excellence?
Am I creating an atmosphere of love and acceptance?
Am I desiring to impress or to celebrate?
Am I listening for compliments or seeking to be sensitive to the Spirit?

It's these kind of questions that will enable me to offer Godly hospitality and resist the urge to entertain in style.