Martha

I was recently given a stack of Martha Stewart Living magazines by a very thoughtful woman, and have truly enjoyed the diversion. An array of emotions is stirred up within me as I've flipped through the pages of each issue: I'm astonished at the intricate detail and skill required for her do-it-yourself projects, (I'm convinced I would need to hire a professional to produce anything "homemade" from her magazines), utterly impressed by her knowledge of all things Home Ec., excited to think up low-budget alternatives for her perfectly tasteful, gourmet ideas, sometimes skeptical that she is human, but in the end, I am simply tired. Not tired of reading, but just exhausted for her.

What a chore to carry the weight of her fame. She is considered the expert in entertaining and home living. I would totally crumble under that kind of pressure. Martha Stewart must be a very graceful woman to succeed at being a professional hostess and home-maker.

When we host parties or entertain guests, I enjoy it, but I definitely lack grace. I let myself get wrapped up in whether or not the chips and dip are properly displayed in serving bowls rather than original packaging, and forget to relax and enjoy our company. If I didn't have my "better half" husband to balance out some of my up-tightness, I would be so exhausted from worrying about all of the details. I've found myself feeling jealous of women that can happily set out a bag of chips for her guests or easily interchange a salad fork and a dinner fork without it phasing her. These women, though they won't be publishing their own magazines anytime soon, are the women that know how to be a truly graceful hostess.

This totally reminds me of the infamous Martha, from the Bible. She was the one who was busying herself with the housework, while her sister, Mary, was sitting at the feet of Jesus. She complained to our Lord that her sister was leaving all of the work to her, but I wonder if she was more jealous of Mary than she was upset with her. Jealous that Mary had the grace to receive their Guest in the best way, rather than being burdened with an eye for the details...
I think that Martha gets a bad wrap, and that this story from Luke is packed with meaning from all different angles, but tonight I just pray that I will come to understand and practice the true virtue of hospitality. Of course, for now I am not doing much entertaining of guests, but I need to pack away these little lessons to remember when I am back on my feet and back in the game of house-keeping.
Until then, I will continue to flip through my magazines, and be thankful that I am free of pressure (always self-inflicted) to perform as a perfect hostess.