How to Be Hospitable When Things Go Wrong?

Last night we had some friends over.

It was a good thing that they were long time friends...

I am still learning about hospitality and how it plays a part into our daily lives. I am still learning to have more of an open door policy and to embrace having others over even though my house is not perfect.

But what do you do when a little boy gets shot? What do you do when the little one was not yours?

OK sounds horrific huh? Let me back up a bit. The kids were playing, shooting targets with a BB gun (soda cans make the coolest targets). As the kids were on their way inside the house we hear a little one crying and find out that the gun was not on safety and a little dude got shot.

So what do you do when your guest's child gets shot?

You grab one of your vintage aprons, put ice in it and apologize as the blister appears.

You thank God that it was here, with these friends and not with newer ones because THEY understand you, they have experienced many hiccups with you along the way.

You take the gun away and try to console the shooter who is crying and screaming, "someone turned the safety off."

You try to lighten the mood with the victim by saying, "it looks like a fairy came down and kissed your shoulder." His the pre-teen brother then says, "Must of been a pretty aggressive fairy with teeth." You laugh with his mother about the evil fairies and put another date on the calendar for getting together.

You thank God for such great friends.

Do you have any stories of hospitality gone wrong?