"Come in and Make Yourself at Home"

 "Come in and make yourself at home," was the invitation Daddy always used when folks came to visit our family on Demorest-Mt. Airy Hwy.   Daddy and Mama wanted people to feel welcomed.  

When we were younger and our friends came to visit, they became members of our family. The unspoken motto was:  "if you put your feet under our table, you became family."

Mama always had the coffee pot on the stove, and the back door was always open.   They loved company, but most of all, they loved family company.   We have so many good memories of our aunts and uncle, cousins, grandparents, and neighbors coming to our house.   Before Mama got sick, one could always
have a piece of chocolate cake with that cup of coffee.   Mama loved chocolate! (I will tell you one day of growing us with homemade cocoa syrup.)

When folks started to leave our home after an evening of conversation, Daddy would always say, "if any of you'ns get sick, let us know."   Those were parting words that Daddy really meant.  

We grew up with family around us.  We got to know our family and friends as members of our own family.  One never knew who might stop by, but they were always welcome.  It was fun to hear the stories of times gone by or listen to the events of the day or week.  We loved having that connection to folks.  The kitchen table was the gathering place for the adults while we children played outside if the weather permitted. 

Making a living was hard for my parents when I was growing up, but living life was a treasure that is still buried in my heart.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about Daddy and Mama and the memories they left behind.   

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the memories my parents made for me and the legacy of "come on in and make yourself at home."

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Friends and family come into your life for a reason. Don't miss the opportunity to love every minute of their visit.