A Lesson from the Cosby Show

I wasn't feeling well yesterday, and I decided to relax and watch the Cosby Show while I ate lunch. I think my two favorite episodes played during that hour of time I had to myself while the boys napped.

The episodes covered the grandparents' 49th anniversary and when Theo had to "rent" a place in his house. I have always liked the Cosbys. Their family is pretty awesome, but I noticed something that I hadn't really noticed or cared anything about before.

They dressed up. Not just to go out for some reason. They had the grandparents over, and they wore SUITS. How often do we wear our everyday clothes when we invite someone in or go visit someone? I think people would actually look at me funny if I dressed up when I had them over...our "nice" now is jeans and a nice blouse. We all are "comfortable."

I wonder what life would be like if we "dressed up" when we met with friends. Would it make any difference? Do you remember a time when if you went somewhere for dinner, you took something? I'm blessed to have a few friends like that, or we will just swap taking care of the entire night. But still I wonder, would my home be even more of a haven if tomorrow, when I had my friends over, we made it a "dress up" event? Would we all be uncomfortable, or would we all be showing each other even more respect and love by showing how special their coming is...special enough for our best attire...as long as we weren't planning on playing wii. :)

I wonder how I would feel if I dressed my best for me. At any time. For any reason. Would the world be a little bit brighter? Would I be able to make people feel special? Would I feel more purpose? Would my husband feel more special? Would my sons sense something special about our lives? Would I go more places? Try more new things? Meet more new people?

I wonder if somewhere along the way being comfortable overshadowed the joy we could feel at true hospitality. We could find comfortable dress clothes if we wanted to dress up, right? But we might have sacrificed something special. Or maybe all this was just because my head was in a fog during an episode of the Cosby Show. lol. Either way...it's food for thought!

UPDATE: I wore my jeans and nice blouse and my husband wore jeans and a shirt when our friends came. My friend was wearing jeans and a nice blouse, but her husband was in a suit (he came immediately to our house from work). I almost snickered when I realized I would have fit in if I'd dressed up...even though it would've been unexpected. This morning as I update this, the question still plays in my head. And I think it's very possible that I'd be asked over and over why I was so dressed up, but rather than that making me uncomfortable, I could give them the answer, and maybe...just maybe...that would make a difference in a life.