The Hobby of Hospitality?

"When hospitality becomes an
art, it loses its very soul."

I enjoy planning and hosting events, in fact, I get paid for it. Working at DVFBC has given me many opportunties to show hospitality, but when given the opportunity to practice outside of the paycheck, I feel like I lose something in the hustle and bustle of making sure the fridge is stocked with beverages and the shower drain is free of hair. Amid the petty prepartions of making sure the temperature is just right and the house is "dust bunny free" I lose the joy in offering a place for friends to gather in fellowship.

Is it possible to make a hobby out of hospitatlity... or is that the very root of the problem? Have I gone too far as to calculate the act of being hospitable into a formula, or danced it around into perfect swoops and dips as if it is part of a magical performance? In making it into an art, have I lost the very meaning of it?

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At the Home of Martha and Mary:

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.""

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I suppose you can call me a modern day Martha. Not a title I want to boast about, and yet it describes me right down to the jealous thoughts of " well, I guess someone has to do the work..." I want to follow the teachings of Jesus, and soak in the real pleasures of life. I want the gift Mary received when she put aside preparations and focused on the relationships.

The challenge then comes in opening my home to others, and focusing on the relationships and stories to be shared instead of rushing off to the store for last minute splurges on treats and placing a perfect (store bought) bouquet on the table (as if it is placed there fresh every day). A home can still be shared regardless of how many pairs of shoes have made their home outside of the bedroom closet and regardless of only having water to offer guests to drink.

So, I guess I won't be making hospitality into a hobby, but instead focusing on bringing it back to the joy of friends gathered around a crowded dinning room table, enjoying a nice glass of water and sharing joy with bouts of laughter.