Blessings of Lunch with Emilie!
A favorite author, and inspiring hospitality expert, with a distinctly Christian perspective, Emilie Barnes has long been a favorite of mine! My dear friend Kristin, since 10th grade and my college roomate at USC, set up a lunch for Emilie, who is a close friend of Kristin's mom, Jan! So (without my camera-ugh!) we had a wonderful afternoon long Christmas lunch in Newport Beach. It is definately going to be one of the highlights of this new ministry that I was privileged to have lunch with this special lady. (Thanks, dear friend, Kristin!)
Recently while reading a book by Debbie Macomber, called "God's Guest List", she spoke of a list of people she would love to meet! Some people surpassed her expectations, some fell very short (see book). I immediately thought of my lunch with Emilie, Kristin and Jan and how much the conversation surpassed whatever expectations I had. Firstly, it is a wonderful thing to see Christian friends honoring each other, and uplifting and celebrating each other. Jan and Emilie have been friends for 30 years ago and it is a tribute to their faith how they celebrate each others gifts and strengths. I enjoyed so much listening.
Kristin and I have been friends for about 24 years, so that isn't chopped liver either. She and her husband Mike, are my sons Godparents, and we love them dearly! Our favorite memory of them is traveling in Spain, when Mike was commentating for the Swimming Olympics in Barcelona. I digress....
Emilie was everything I had expected from all of her books (Of which I have read most, if not all) and seeing her speak many, many times. She graciously listened to the vision of Inspired Design, Inspired 31 and where I thought God was leading us, as a group! She graciously offered her help in a few ways, for which I am so grateful. We prayed together, and she continues to encourage me that God's will...will prevail! Consistant with her deep faith, she mostly encouraged me to pray, pray, pray! She certainly lived up to her advice and hospitality, as in her books, and I consider it a great honor to have had that time. Having a "Mentor" type figure with experience like that, yet still the most basic of faith's "pray, pray, pray" is a blessing beyond blessings!
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