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And then the fire alarm went off.

Now, if you lived in Caleb’s dorm in college, then fire alarms don’t really affect you like they do everyone else. People were always burning things, always pulling the alarm “on accident,” and overall it just wasn’t ever a big deal. So, when the alarm went off, we just looked at each other like, “Hey, should we do something?” But then the alarm went off. Ok, alright. False alarm. Let’s just go back to sleep.

And then the fire alarm went off. Again.

“Um, do you think we should call the front desk?” “Well, obviously they know the fire alarm is going off.” “But for real, I think we should call. They would know if there was a real emergency.” And then the alarm stopped again. Ok, so something’s just wrong with the alarm. No biggie at this point. Humph, silly teenagers, stop pulling the alarm.

(Are you ready for it yet?)

And then the alarm went off. aaagain. For real?

Before we could even get irritated, we hear screams from the room next door and someone shouts the word that every hotel guest wants to hear at 12:30 in the morning… “FIIIIIRRRRREEEEEEEE!!!!”

Holy. Cow.

We jumped out of bed, I thought I put real clothes on but later realized I missed a few things (oops), we grabbed our wedding rings, my purse, the car keys, and started flying down the stairs like every other guest at the hotel. Naturally, we were on the 6th floor of a 7 story building. Naturally.

Once we got outside, we saw fire trucks but no fire, at least until someone shouted “FIRE!” and we looked up onto the roof of our building and saw smoke and flames. Eventually we got wind that the fire wasn’t actually in the building, but behind the building. When we walked around our hotel, closer to the ocean, this is what we saw:

(sorry for all the blurry pictures, they were taken with my camera phone)

For real, the outside restaurant was on fire.

Flash forward five hours later, we were allowed back into our rooms. For some crazy reason, my sweet hubby decided to go to sleep. Me? I was smart enough to stay up, just in case I needed to jump over our balcony and help the firefighters in case there was a sudden outburst of flame. But seriously, who (other than my husband) goes to sleep while there’s a fire like that outside your hotel bedroom? Ok, they had calmed it down a bit, but still.

The morning before the fire, this was our pretty view:
And here’s what we had the next morning:

Crazy, huh? And the one lesson we walked away with? Our things don’t matter. When we were pressed for time and in an emergency to grab only the things that we needed, we grabbed our IDs, keys so we could drive home, our wedding rings, and each other.

To be perfectly honest with you, today I’ve been in a “mood.” Not necessarily a bad mood, but a “blahhh” mood. I think it’s no coincidence that our vacation anniversary fell on today, because the Lord knew I needed to be reminded of what’s important in life.

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:4-6

Tuesday: 7-Layer Burgers with Baked Fries & Fresh Fruit

Wednesday: leftovers :)

Thursday: Philly Mac & Cheese with Salad

Friday: Date Night :)

We’ve started hosting dinners on Monday nights and I love that the Carbonara that I’m making can easily double (or triple, if you’re feeling crazy) to feed a small army. It’s a fantastic recipe from my Southern Living Quick & Easy Cookbook. The recipe calls for tortellini, but I’ve found a spinach ravioli that I love to substitute instead. The other recipes were from Rachael Ray’s Big Orange Cookbook, but I found versions of the recipes online for you :) For the burgers, the original recipe calls for sliders but my man likes to eat, so I’m making big burgers instead.

Happy Eating! :)

In Romans 12, verses 12 and 13, one of the paragraphs end by saying, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

I almost feel as if Paul, the writer of these verses, was waiting for the right time to finish a paragraph with those last two words…

Practice hospitality.

Honestly, dear friend, it gave me something to think on. For me, I love the idea of hospitality. Just last night, after visiting with a family that had just had a new baby, I told Caleb that the new mama was absolutely perfect. She welcomed us into her home, made us feel so very comfortable, and then she SHOWED me her house. Can I get an amen? When we left, I told Caleb that the “showing off of the home” was sadly becoming something that a southern woman just doesn’t do anymore. For the love, I don’t know why I like it so much, but just show me your house. For real.

Wow. That got off topic real quick.

BUT, here’s the thing. Her home didn’t have to be perfect for me to have loved it. She even had baby toys chilling out around her home, her three year old daughter spilled milk all over the place while we were there, and the parents just went with it. Because that’s life. And that’s true hospitality.

Here’s what my bible commentary said on the verse:

“Christian hospitality differs from social entertaining. Entertaining focuses on the host – the home must be spotless; the food must be well prepared and abundant; the host must appear relaxed and good-natured. Hospitality, by contrast, focuses on the guests. Their needs – whether for a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or acceptance – are the primary concern. Hospitality can happen in a messy home. It can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is canned soup. It can even happen while the host and the guest are doing chores together. Don’t hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain.”

Friends, here’s my heart: One of the real reasons that I haven’t “blogged” in so long is because I’m afraid that myself, as well as so many of you, have gotten caught up in the wrong ideas of hospitality. As great as all of these beautiful home blogs, websites for crafty DIY projects, and Pinterest may be, I’m afraid that they create an unhealthy approach to life and hospitality. My house will NEVER look like the the home from Young House Love. My recipes will NEVER look (or probably taste) like Ree’s from Pioneer Woman. And I truly don’t see a point in “pinning” something that sets a totally unrealistic expectation of where the Lord has you financially.

Now, I’m not saying that those things are bad. Trust me, I read blogs and I enjoy “pinning” just like some of you (and if you don’t know what I mean, don’t worry about it… it’s an addicting little obsession that you’re better off without). My fear, sweet reader, is that we’ve gotten so caught up in keeping up with the Joneses that when we finally turn our computers off, we look around and are completely dissatisfied with the life, the home, and the “things” that the Lord has already blessed us with.

Let’s try what Paul encourages us to do and simply “practice hospitality” – a hospitality that is rooted in people, rather than ourselves. A hospitality that conveys that we aren’t here to impress and show off, but rather to love and encourage. A hospitality that leaves us just as fulfilled as our guests, which can only be a hospitality that happens when glorifying Christ is at the center our intentions.

 ⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me; 
   he delivered me from all my fears. 
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant; 
   their faces are never covered with shame. 
⁶ This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; 
   he saved him out of all his troubles. 
⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, 
   and he delivers them.

 ⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good; 
   blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 
⁹ Fear the LORD, you his holy people, 
   for those who fear him lack nothing. 
¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry, 
   but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 
¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me; 
   I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 
¹² Whoever of you loves life 
   and desires to see many good days, 
¹³ keep your tongue from evil 
   and your lips from telling lies. 
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good; 
   seek peace and pursue it.

 ¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, 
   and his ears are attentive to their cry; 
¹⁶ but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, 
   to blot out their name from the earth.

 ¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; 
   he delivers them from all their troubles. 
¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted 
   and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

 ¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles, 
   but the LORD delivers him from them all; 
²⁰ he protects all his bones, 
   not one of them will be broken.

 ²¹ Evil will slay the wicked; 
   the foes of the righteous will be condemned. 
²² The LORD will rescue his servants; 
   no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

I don’t know about you, but I sure do love that the Lord calls me radiant. What beautiful words from a magnificent God.

~lauren