Former president Woodrow Wilson once said, “Witness the Lord’s Prayer. The first petition is for daily bread. No man can love God and serve others on an empty stomach.”

This may be the reason people who live in the South are known for their wonderful Southern Hospitality. We both know that good hospitality involves having food. In this regard, we have a terrific couple in our church who got the message. Ricky and Hettie Ingram drive about 45 minutes each Sunday to attend our church. They live about 10 miles east of Greenbrier, Arkansas, on one of the most beautiful farms that I have ever seen. On the way to their farm, you feel like you are on your way to heaven, as the rolling hills, lush forests, and scenery is just beautiful.

Their farm is about 140 acres, and they have a large metal building that can accommodate a large group of people for a sit-down meal. For the past several years, Ricky and Hettie have invited the seniors in our church to come out to their farm to have a meal, stretch our legs and have some good Christian fellowship. While they have been doing this for some time, this past year was the first time Janis and I have been able to attend. Our church has a large 50-passenger bus, and we are able to use it for outings of this kind.

Now, that is the setting, but let me tell you the reason I wanted to share this with you. First, I wanted you to know about this annual event, and if your church is not doing something similar to consider the possibilities. When people have a chance to interact and really get to know each other, it builds a bond of love that you don’t have when you pass each other in the hall or wave at them across the way. We are all part of the family of God, and for many years the family was the very backbone of our society. We need to get back to that and rear our children in this environment. Yes, love conquers all.

Now, on the day of the event, we loaded up our bus and headed out from the church about 10 o’clock, with a good, safe driver at the wheel. The trip took about 45 minutes and gave us time to visit with each other. When we arrived at the farm, Ricky and Hettie, and some of their family members, greeted us. We got off the bus and went inside the large metal building where the tables were already in place, from one end to the other. At this point you could choose who you wanted to sit by, place your personal items on the table you selected, and go back to get in the serving line.

The fun part is what was on the menu: Big pots of pinto beans, plates of corn bread, and of course some onions, pickles and side dishes to complement the main dishes. There was a plethora of homemade cakes, cobblers, pies and cookies. There were also tubs of ice filled with soft drinks, water and tea, and almost everyone went back for seconds.

The Bible tells us to show hospitality and love toward one another, and did we ever feel the love from Ricky and Hettie.

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(Jim Davidson is an author, public speaker, syndicated columnist, and Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. Since its inception in the Log Cabin Democrat in 1995, Jim’s column has been self-syndicated in over 375 newspapers in 35 states. For a personalized copy of “Your Future Begins Today” send $20, which includes postage and handling, to Jim Davidson, 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034.)