Hello, First name / dear friend!

 

Today’s Fun Mail comes from a tender and hopeful place. Earlier this month, our family gathered to celebrate the life of my father, Vern Moline. At 96, his legacy of faith, love, and quiet strength is one I will carry always. Being at his service and remembering his life, I was reminded again that legacy is built in the little choices we make every day.

 

Here are a few pictures from this special day:

 

 

 

After I returned home, my sweet Bible study group hosted a luncheon to honor my dad, and it reminded me again what a gift true community is. For nearly 19 years, these 10 dear friends have been my prayer partners and companions through so many seasons. We began back when our kids were in their last years of high school, and what was supposed to be a three-year study…well, it simply never ended—we just kept going! Together we’ve walked through graduations, college decisions, new jobs, marriages, babies, and aging parents.

 

Though we don’t meet weekly anymore, we still show up for each other in the most meaningful ways and I was so touched that they gathered to love me in this season. Between all of us, there are 31 children (and many grandbabies!), but the bond we share as women of faith is rare and beautiful.

 

It’s been many years since all 10 of us have been together, because several have moved out of the area. It touched me so deeply that they traveled and could all honor me this way. They gifted me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and lavender basket full of my favorite things: the softest blanket, tea and napkins, stationery, a lovely candle, hand soap, macaroons and homemade chocolate chip cookies. It was a basketful of love!! Walking into that room and seeing each of their faces and the lovely table they had set, was almost too much. I had a chance to share special things about my dad with them. They listened intently and I felt “heard.” They showed such love by gracefully being there for me. I’ll never forget it.

💭 Do you have a dream? 

 

A neighbor of mine, Maggie, shared with me that after years of supporting her husband through medical school and raising their nine children, she is stepping into a dream of her own—she recently completed her masters and just started her new career as a Christian counselor. She told me that seeing me write Simple Hospitality inspired her to take the leap and chase her own dream!! We cheered each other on as we each pursued what we believed was growing within us.

 

That touched something in me… the truth is, my dream of writing had been stirring for years. It wasn’t until the timing felt right and God provided every step along the way that I finally stepped out in faith confident that the time was right.

 

So I wonder: What dream keeps bubbling to the surface for you? Don’t be discouraged if it takes time. Legacy is written in seasons, and purpose often grows quietly before it blooms.

 

If you’ve got a dream that keeps coming to your mind, I’d love if you would share it with me. I’d love to encourage you!

🍎 Back-to-School Hospitality

The back-to-school season is full of to-do lists for our kids, but a few years ago I wanted to create something special for moms. I invited a handful of women over for a Back-to-School Brunch—nothing fancy, just a few hours after drop-off with simple decorations I had around the house (a red wagon with teddy bears to greet them at the front door, pencils and crayons, a plastic yellow school bus on the table as our centerpiece and red-and-yellow paper plates).

 

I mention this party idea in my book, Simple Hospitality Invitation #36: Make Friendly Connections on page 151, which you can also read here:  https://www.jenniferboydauthor.com/blog/invitation36-simple-hospitality-book-make-friendly-connections

 

 

Everyone brought 5 easy recipes for busy school nights, and we swapped ideas while sipping juice and coffee. Everyone brought something to share for our brunch, which kept it easy.  To break the ice, I asked each mom to share about her favorite teacher from childhood and what made that teacher special. Mine was my beloved 4th grade teacher, Mr. Nelson. There’s a story in my book, on page 124 of us reconnecting through a letter he wrote me after many years. It was a sweet way to meet new moms, connect, and start the school year with encouragement.

 

Hospitality doesn’t have to be complicated or elaborate—it can be crayons on the table, laughter in the kitchen, and a new friendship is formed. It’s a great way to set the tone for the year with other moms in your child’s class!

 

Need another simple idea for September or October? Have you ever thought to Invite your child’s teacher for dinner? Nothing fancy required—just a chance for them to get to know your family and feel encouraged by the welcome of your home. Believe me, your child will love it! It’s a chance for them to use their best manners and to get to know their teacher in a new way. 

 

I shared this idea and the story of Mr. Nelson in Invitation #29: Invite Your Child’s Teacher to Dinner, on the blog here: https://www.jenniferboydauthor.com/blog/invitation29-simple-hospitality-book-invite-your-childs-teacher-to-dinner

 

I put together a 30 Days of Kindness calendar—small, everyday ideas to sprinkle encouragement wherever you go. From texting “Thinking of you” to leaving a kind note in a lunchbox for your child, these prompts are designed to make kindness easy and intentional.

 

I’m thrilled to share that Simple Hospitality has found a new home at My Empty Nest in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. The timing was so meaningful—on our last day in town after my dad’s Celebration of Life service, I was able to tell my mom that the shop had ordered three boxes of books!! My dad would have been so delighted to know that my book which is dedicated to him (and my mom!) is now in their hometown.

 

A serendipitous “extra” was that the books arrived on what would have been mom and dad’s 71st anniversary, too.

 

Owner Jodie Meyer, born and raised in Lake Elmo, has created the loveliest shop, and I’m excited for the chance to host an event there in the future - more details to come. When I dropped off copies recently, I met her sweet daughter who told me twice, “You made my day!” To which I told her, “No, Grace…YOU made mine!!” After Jodie bought the books, she asked if we could take a picture together—just as I was about to ask her the very same thing.

 

If you’re local to Lake Elmo, stop by My Empty Nest to browse this beautiful shop and pick up a copy of Simple Hospitality.

 

Legacy is built in small, faithful steps. Whether it’s writing a note, setting an extra place at the table, or simply saying “yes” to a dream stirring in your heart, hospitality grows as we live it out day by day.

 

 

Until Next Time…
Thank you for being here. I love hearing from you—hit reply and let me know what you've been up or what your “someday dream” is!

P.S. Did you know? All proceeds from my book, Simple Hospitality, go directly to support the new Orlando Health Children’s Pavilion—a place of hope, healing, and care for families in our community. Thank you for helping make a difference with every book you gift and share.

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If someone forwarded it to you—welcome! I'm so glad you're here. My name is Jennifer Boyd, and I recently published Simple Hospitality: An Invitation to Add Kindness to Your Everyday Life, a dream 25 years in the making. In both my book and newsletter, I share the heart behind hospitality—simple ways to bring kindness and connection into everyday life.

 

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