Several times I’ve tried to keep a log of families we’ve had in our home and what I’ve served them, but I’ve never kept up with it. Mostly, I think I tried to do too many things in one notebook (a bread journal, recipe log, guest log, gift lists…).
When we moved this spring and started practicing hospitality in our new house, it seemed like a good time to start the hospitality journal in its own dedicated book. I found beautiful clothbound guestbooks from one of our vendors and knew we had to carry these in our store and also have one in our home.
I’m using this “guestbook” to write down the families we have over, the date, what we served them, and any notes as far as allergies so that I know for future reference. I’m frequently asking my kids if they remember what we served so-and-so so that we do something different the next time, and none of us ever remember. (Tacos is always a good guess since that’s often what I serve the first time we have someone over.) I may also start adding other notes like the occasion or other activities we did like playing games or singing psalms and hymns.
Some of my kids think a guestbook should be for the guests to write in, but I feel like it might be a little awkward to shove a book in their face and ask them to write in it after dinner. “Please show your appreciation for this meal with a five-star rating.” 😆 But I’d totally leave it in a guest room for guests to write in at their leisure, perhaps with some question prompts – it would be a fun memory book after several years!
We’re just getting started with this hospitality book but I look forward to having a memory book to see who God brings to our table over the years.