They say the kitchen is the heart of the home because food brings people together like nothing else can! Some people have a real talent for making their kitchen especially welcoming. They make it a special place for reliving fond memories and creating new ones with good friends, both old and new!
Three people stand out in my memory for having this kind of heartwarming kitchen. My maternal grandmother, the wife of our first pastor, and an older couple from the same church. What was it about those kitchens that made such an impression on me?
It couldn’t have been the cabinets or appliances, because although I don’t remember them well, I know they were pretty ordinary. It wasn’t that they served gourmet meals either. Good and nutritious food, yes. But nothing special or exotic.
So what was the secret of those kitchens? What made them so welcoming, as if to say: “Come in! We’ve been waiting for you!”
Did they have all the latest gadgets? Hardly. The furniture never changed either. They had the same cupboards and table and chairs for as long as I knew them. But even without the fancy food or designer looks, there was something special about them.
The rooms had such a warm, homey feeling. You were enveloped by it the moment you walked in the door. And with warm hugs and a hot cup of coffee they showed how happy they were to have you.
That kind of enthusiastic welcome, even for unexpected visitors, is rare these days. Everyone is so busy, and with so much to do, visitors are almost a nuisance. They’re just one more thing to squeeze into an already crammed schedule.
But in those three kitchens the door was always open to visitors. Whether you were expected or not. Whether you came at a convenient time or not. It didn’t matter. You were a guest. You were someone to be welcomed and treated with honor.
That’s the kind of kitchen I want: one where the tea kettle is always ready. Figuratively speaking, of course, because I don’t even have a tea kettle. It went in one of my decluttering sprees. 😉 But my espresso pot is always ready!
A welcoming kitchen
So what does it take to create such a welcoming space for guests—a home where others feel welcome and wanted?
My favorite kitchens showed me that fine china, fancy furniture, and gourmet meals aren’t that important. What mattered was that the welcome mat was always out and the coffee was always ready. These were kitchens where the hosts opened their hearts and their homes, and they did it with joy!
Our pastors’ kitchen
This elderly pastor was a master gardener. There wasn’t a weed to be found in his large, flourishing garden. All of that bounty ended up on their table. His wife made the best pickles I’ve ever tasted!
Her kitchen was simple, yet neat and inviting. Their table was filled with old-fashioned goodness and their hearts overflowed with love. Our visits always ended with everyone sitting around the table and praying together. We’d leave feeling truly blessed and with bags of vegetables! Those prayers and blessings followed us to the mission field. She wrote to us every month until the Lord took her home.
The kitchen of some elderly friends
The elderly couple I mentioned before were of Mexican descent. I may be biased, but I’ve always thought that people from Latin cultures have a special talent for warm hospitality. Prior to our arrival, they would watch for us at the window and run to the door saying, “Coome in, coome in, we’ll put the coffee on!” They spoke good English, but their cute Latin accent always came out. (Much like my American accent does when I speak Italian, but I doubt mine sounds as cute!)
They always served Mexican food. But not the restaurant kind. Everything was fresh and homemade. She made great hot sauce and out of this world tortillas! We felt like family and never wanted to leave!
Grandma’s kitchen
Grandma’s kitchen was special because their house was a second home to us kids. We always called her “Buddy Grandma.” (Read Buddy, Grandma, and the Cleaning Parties to learn why.)
My husband called her kitchen “a real grandma’s kitchen.” It was a bit cluttered, and it often made no sense why things were stored where they were. I don’t remember Grandma cooking much. After she went blind, it was difficult for her to get around. But she liked to make Jell-O and she made a great pot of baked beans!
It was Grandma herself who made it a special place. She was the kind of grandma who made everything fun, although I’m not sure why. She was just fun to be around—happy and hospitable. We knew we were deeply and wonderfully loved.
My Kitchen
There was really nothing special about any of these kitchens. It was the people who made them special. Because of them, I will always cherish the times we spent there.
My kitchen may never be remembered for its aesthetics or great food. But I hope it will be a place that others will remember fondly.
I want it to be a place where people always hear, “Come in, we’ve been waiting for you!” A place where they will always feel welcome, safe and loved.
But every house where Love abides,Henry Van Dyke
And Friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home-sweet-home:
For there the heart can rest.
4 replies on “Come in, We’ve been Waiting for You!”
Our older son and daughter-in-law have the gift of hospitality. From their enthusiastic greetings at the door to the homey table they set, from the hearty fare our son cooks and the delectable desserts our D-I-L bakes (which they love to do), to the liturgical blessings we often read together before eating, and the engaging conversation they generate–all is accomplished with seeming effortlessness. And yet with all of these skills they bring to their hospitality, it’s the atmosphere they create that people respond to–their warmth and inclusion, their interest in each person, their joy and enthusiasm. You are so right, Sheila. It’s the LOVE people feel in our homes that matters most.
Well, now, Nancy, you made me want to join one of those family gatherings! And I love the idea of reading something before the meal, instead of afterward. I can see how that could be a conversation starter!
Oh, I can so identify with those special people in your life, who welcomed you into their tiny kitchens. For me it was the hot Brazilian coffee and Pao de queijo with Dona Quina and William. They were an elderly couple who I visited every Wednesday afternoon. They always thanked me for coming, but it was I who was blessed most, listening to their stories, and watching their two little parakeets hopping around in their cage, and praying a blessing as we parted. I hope there will be some special moments in Heaven like those days, especially hearing Jesus call, “Come in, we’ve been waiting for you!”
Oh yes, Pete, hearing Jesus say those words will be the sweetest words ever! And that cheese bread sounds heavenly too! What sweet memories!