Who’s at Your Table?: Authentic Hospitality Stories & Recipes

By Mary Louise McSparin

One cannot help but to be drawn in as they read the personal, heartwarming stories in Who’s at Your Table? A loving venue of hospitality and meals, this book highlights an activity that the author feels few people participate in today: real, authentic, community with those around us. Who’s at Your Table? shows how lasting memories and deep relationships can happen in the setting of table time with family, neighbors and friends. Recipes complement the stories, and help give insight to each tale itself. The author includes a section of her own unforgettable dishes in the last pages that will keep the reader returning to them again and again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973676546

Mary Louise McSparin

The shy, smart girl who loved books and grew up in rural Hardin County, Illinois, never imagined she would one day be an author. Since that time, Mary McSparin has raised a family, and completed her college degree while working a full time job. She considers retirement a blessing as it allows much time to spend with her sweet grandchildren and pursue her gift of writing. Mary writes about the things she loves; her saving relationship with Jesus, her love of cooking and family, and her God-given desire to use meals to show hospitality and meet the needs of others. Mary is active in her local church, teaching Bible study on Sundays and looking for opportunities in which she and her husband Tom can share life with people they meet.

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Copyright © 2019 Mary Louise McSparin.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Front and Back photos credit to: Cindy Biggerstaff

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7655-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7656-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7654-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019915605

WestBow Press rev. date:  10/08/2019

CONTENTS

Dedication

Preface

Foreword

Chapter 1   Why Be Hospitable?

Chapter 2   Beginnings and Endings

Chapter 3   Family

Chapter 4   Neighboring

Chapter 5   Community

Chapter 6   God’s Family

Chapter 7   Ministry

Food for Thought …

RECIPES

Appetizer Recipes

Soup Recipes

Salad Recipes

Main Entrée Recipes

Sides and Veggies Recipes

Bread Recipes

Dessert Recipes

End Notes

DEDICATION

To Penelope, Ellie, Avery, and Emmy Ragan: I pray you always know and understand that the recipe to life is tasting of God’s word, and may you take refuge in Him in every season of your journey on this earth. (Psalm 34:8) By doing these things, you will find true joy in serving others. I pray your tables are always open and welcome to family, friends, neighbors, and the down and out. May the memories of those gatherings bring you smiles that last a for a lifetime. May the legacy you leave to your children be one of investing in relationships, and may those who come after them do the same.

PREFACE

Even though this is my second book, I had forgotten just how involved writing a book could be. For me, the actual writing is great fun! Being creative, just letting words flow, being in my zone; all describe my sweet spot. However, there is more to a book than just its storyline or characters, and this book was even more tedious due to the fact that, in addition to my own stories, I had to interview many others for their stories.

My sweet husband, Tom is the most patient man I know. His quiet support of me and what I am doing is truly a blessing from the Lord! Over the last year, he has gently reminded me about staying on task, without ever pushing; just encouraging.

The last year has come with several obstacles, like health issues for me, weekly doctor’s appointments, and the loss of my step-daughter. There were days I just could not put words down on paper; the creativity was not there. At times I asked God if I was supposed to really be writing a book. His answer became clear: Yes you are.

Even before reading Rosaria Butterfield’s The Gospel Comes with a Housekey, I had a burning desire to explain the importance of community as it happens with food. I knew the value it had been in my own life and felt it was a Biblical concept that our era was missing because of all the busyness in our schedules.

Thank you Bill and Emily Ragan, Nolan and Megan Ragan, Jennifer, Tom and Kristine McSparin, for your patience when I said, I cannot do that; I’m writing on the book. You probably thought it would never get finished and may have wondered if I was even writing one. To my son, Bill Ragan, your computer expertise definitely helped with my stress level. Thanks for taking time away from your work. I continue to be amazed at all you accomplish.

To my friend, and super smart prior English teacher, Sharon Hess – you are a peach! I cannot count the times you have given me new words and proper punctuation. You are a dear friend.

Thank you to my friend/photographer, Cindy Biggerstaff for the great photo session. My husband Tom found the perfect field of yellow flowers, the owner was generous in allowing us to use it and God provided a picture perfect day. Thank you also to my grands; Penelope Gweneth Wargel, Elliot Kate Ragan, Avery Nolan Ragan, and Emmy Rose Ragan for not getting cranky on photo session day, even though it was hot; you loved running in the field and playing with the horses. Thanks moms and dads for all your help that day.

Thank you to Randy Hathaway and Jerri Frese Harbison from The Big Red Barn, for loaning me the 1800’s wooden table, the cane bottom chairs and wooden high chair. The front and back cover of the book look wonderful, and I owe you a pie!

My appreciation goes also to those who shared personal stories with me; Laura Davis, Tiffany Brannock, Jessica Vinyard Grove, Nick Volkening, Deanna Morse, Susan Howton, Carletta Hanks, my husband Tom McSparin, Joe and Stacey Thompson, Jeremy Bennett, Nancy Puckett, Kara Mallady Graham, Amanda Toms, Sam Winkleman, Sharon Hess, and Sandy Dixon. What great stories you shared!

To my mother, Mary Lillie Carmickle/Hays/Willie/Laughlin/Schaeffer: life was difficult, but you did the best you could in all circumstances. Thank you for sharing the difficult stories with me. I miss you mom.

To my high school teachers Gary Gross (who taught me business skills and to have confidence in myself), Thelma Austin (a great English teacher) and Marna Barnard Heron (my English teacher who perused and responded lovingly to my heartfelt entries in my freshman journal); a part of all of you went into this book.

To my friend Matt; thank you for doing my foreword. This book is about what you and your sweet wife do on a regular basis. It is part of your DNA. Thank you for living out the gospel in community with both believers and non-believers.

To my God, who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think (Eph.3.20-21), thank you for giving me all talents and abilities I may possess, for your unending grace and love for me and for the gospel message, of which I pray will take root in the hearts of those who read Who’s at Your Table?

FOREWORD

The book you hold in your hands is exactly like the lady who wrote it: authentic. Mary is truly a practitioner of the kind of hospitality she advocates for here in her book. I’ve sat at her kitchen table. I’ve eaten her delicious chicken and noodles. And when I was far too stuffed, I’ve somehow found just enough room for some of her famous banana pudding.

Hospitality is a vital part of our Christian faith that we, as 21st Century Americans, seem to have lost. As we examine the whole counsel of Scripture, so much happens around meals. And the same can and should be true today.

Gathering lost friends around our dinner table is a primary part of my family’s ministry to Muslims in Central Asia. We find that people who are normally very hostile to the Gospel become far more open to conversations about Christ when they’ve experienced intimate, familial fellowship over a meal. Long hours can be spent discussing the Holiness of God, the Sinfulness of Man, the Sufficiency of Christ, and the Necessity of Faith when the coffee or tea is hot and the desserts are plentiful.

Hospitality isn’t just for your lost neighbors though. I believe hospitality is the missing ingredient that can turn the socializing that is common in our churches today into true biblical fellowship and community. The New Testament regularly describes the church as a family, but I believe we often settle for mere acquaintanceship with each other. The kinds of conversations necessary to build true fellowship and community (What is the Lord teaching you from His Word?; How are you fighting sin in your life?; Who are you sharing the Gospel with?; How can I be praying for you? etc.) cannot happen in your church’s 30 second greeting time before the first song. Those conversations happen best in the comfort of your own home.

Who’s at Your Table? is part devotional, part memoir, part story-telling, and part cookbook. It is both intensely practical and immensely enjoyable. I just wish every chapter came with a slab of Mary’s meatloaf!

-Matt, Missionary to Muslims in Central Asia

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CHAPTER 1

Why Be Hospitable?

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Hospitality: generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests and the activity of providing food, drinks, etc. for people who are the guests or customers of an organization (Hospitality. Merriam-Webster.com).¹

What does this look like for the church? What does it mean for members of the body? According to Got Questions.org, ‘Hospitality can be defined as the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way. In the New Testament of the Holy Bible, the Greek word translated hospitality literally means love of strangers. Hospitality is a virtue that is both commanded and commended throughout Scripture.’²

It has become more and more apparent to me that true hospitality, that which binds people together the way God intended, is lacking in our churches and our society. It may not seem so, as we see lots of food, celebrating, and gathering going on around us. Let us take a look at how the Bible addresses hospitality and I believe it will open our eyes to what we must strive for as we practice Christian hospitality in our fast paced world today.

Paul’s words in the book of Romans are a command, not a suggestion, when he says "Contribute to the needs of the saints