Practice Makes Imperfect Giveaway (And Announcing an Online Study!)
Published February 27, 2012Special Note: Be sure to join us tomorrow when former Victoria’s Secret supermodel Kylie Bisutti joins me telling her story of giving up modeling immodest clothes because of her faith in Jesus. You will love her story and admire her courage!
Welcome to those of you who have joined after reading my Proverbs 31 Encouragement for Today devotion. If you haven’t peeked at it, click here to get caught up, but be sure to come back for the announcement and giveaway!
Does the phrase “Company’s coming!” send you running for cover? I can sooooo can relate.
I married into a family full of interior decorators, caterers, and Bed and Breakfast owners, while I myself could hardly boil water!
On weekdays beginning Monday, March 19th, we’ll be having ourselves a 15-day online study based on my book A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others. (It will run weekdays for three weeks and end on Good Friday)
With special guests, great giveaways, doable, practical ideas, and YOUR recipes, decorating tips (perhaps even a few hospitality horror stories?), this inter-active online journey will enable you to:
· Recognize the difference between “entertaining” in today’s culture and biblical hospitality
· Identify the top excuses for not opening your home and apply simple solutions to overcome them
· Acquire weekly, quick-cleaning strategies, a proven system for de-cluttering your house and easy, decorate-on-a-shoestring tips
· Arm yourself with delicious cooking-for-a-crowd recipes, make-ahead meals and kid-friendly favorites
· Discover “hospitality on the road” ideas for living a life of welcome wherever your daily life takes you
This study will take place here (but also have all of the links to the posts on my Facebook study page.)
Sign up is a simple two-step!
#1–Just click on the little envelope icon in the top of the sidebar here to get my posts delivered to your email box each day. (If you decide you don’t want to keep getting my posts via email after the study, simply click on the “unsubscribe” link in the email) You can do this today or just before the study launches. (You might forget so I suggest you do it now.)
#2–And, get yourself a copy of the book. (Click here to get it from Proverbs 31 Ministries) You’ll need to start reading the book (have chapters 1-4 done before we begin, if you can. PLEASE don’t fret about keeping up with the reading. This will be a relaxed study, full of grace!)) and have it to refer to during the study (for discussion purposes and for crazy giveaways like: “The first person to leave a comment telling me what recipe is on page 176 wins a prize!)
Now, as a little pre-view, check out this hospitality giveaway. It includes:
~ A pair of fancy-pants cleaning gloves. (Won’t you be stylish scrubbing those toilets for company?)
~ A “Greener Clean” Scotch Brite non-scratch sponge
~ A new sage green dish towel
~ A plum spatula (as in plum colored, not one made for plums, although it certainly will work if you need to scrape yourself some mashed plums out of a bowl).
~ A set of collapsible measuring cups
~A Ghirardelli Sea Salt Dark Chocolate bar
~ A triple layered candle (apricot, mandarin-cranberry & tropical twist)
~ A signed copy of A Life That Says Welcome
In order to be entered in the giveaway, leave us a comment telling us the last time you had someone over for supper or a snack. Be honest. If it hasn’t been since 1997, that is okay!
ALSO: If you mention this post on Facebook or Twitter today, leave a second comment letting us know to have a double chance to win. (Here is the short link to the post: http://goo.gl/kMlGu )
Oh yeah—and the winners of the 7 Ebooks from Amy Bayliss are:
Carissa, Sylvia, Polly Knehr, Kamya, Beth Cranfrod, Amy S and Ann 
You’ll be receiving and email from my assistant Kim at the address you left when you commented so be watching for it!
Now, be sure to come back tomorrow to meet Kylie. Happy hospitality!
434 Responses to Practice Makes Imperfect Giveaway (And Announcing an Online Study!)
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My Family
We don’t have people over often. But, I can say my husband does like it when we do because that means the house will be cleaned and picked up. Thanksgiving was the last time we had company over to share dinner with us.
I’m afraid we don’t have folks over very often either. My husband and I are both messy and unorganized. I’m embarrassed to say that’s it been 13 months since we’ve invited someone over. I do need this study very much.
Nice to see I am not the only one who fits this scenario. My husband tells me we should have company over more often. LOL. However, I do see to it that my home is organized as this is one of my husband’s biggest challenges.
I invited my family and friends over in January for a direct sales party. We had a blast! Thank you for the giveaway!
the last time I had some one over was in January, a friend who now lives in Texas was in town visiting family and needed a place for a few nights. my place is not always clean and tidy, but I will share what I have and I will enjoy your company.
The last time we had a guesst over was the first week of January, this year. My house is often messy and cluttered and so I often don’t invite guests. I love the thoughts you shared in Proverbs31. I used to say….. when people came to my home and found it messy, “If you come to see me, come anytime; if you come to see my house, better make an appointment.”
I posted in facebook too!
Last time I had company over was last year sometime. So often I go to their houses instead of people going to mine.
Oh, I so want to win your book! It sounds wonderful!
I honestly can’t remember the last time we had someone over for anything! It has been that long! I need your book; I need this study. I make too many excuses!!!
I actually have company over pretty often. Not for any particular reason, friends just stop by. So, people have seen my house in every conceivable condition. But that’s ok, I love it!! My kids friends love to be here as well since it is pretty lived in and sneaker/skateboard friendly..,
Tweeted too –
Mimi Westbrook?@meemsw
Online book study and a giveaway! Yeah! http://goo.gl/kMlGu
Super Bowl! My husband says this is one of his favorite times of the year and always asks to have the family over. We have a very tiny house – sometimes standing room only – but we have a great time!
The last time I had family over to have a meal was Thanksgiving.
Last night after church!
I had friends over several times last year. It’s always fun, but then I get busy & don’t make time for it on a regular basis!
I have really fought with God over opening our home, because I compare myself and our home to others that are more…anything I guess, more than me. Really I have been afraid what people will think of me. Then God gave me teenagers that eat nonstop and don’t much care how they look doing it. I fed my daughter and her BFF out of the cooking pan in the kitchen less than a week ago, vegetarian leftovers. They oohed and aahh’d and laughed standing in my dark kitchen eating out of bowls with mismatched spoons. It was great! No judgment! Just love! …and that is all I ever wanted to give and have received.
The last time I had company over was the first weekend in January. With little ones it is hard to have guests over and have a “clean” house at the same time
Loved your devotion today!
My sister was here over the weekend. Prior to that, many years since I recently remarried and moved to a new area.
Shared on facebook
Posted a link to my facebook page. I really needed to read this post today.
We had company over saturday night for dinner. I was so worried about how my baked chicken turned out. The guest loved it. It was a real blessing
The last time we had company over for dinner was for my son’s graduation this past summer. However, we really don’t have company over unless you call family company. Then we have company all the time
Other than family, it has been going on two years. We move a LOT and it takes awhile to get comfortable having people over. We have a list going though of those we would like to invite, and we are getting ready to get going:) I would LOVE to get to the point, however, that I can just off handedly says “Why don’t you come for lunch?” after Church on Sunday and not have to worry about having enough or what they may see….
We move a lot to and just did so since it’s only been about 7 months we are not at the point yet to have people over for a meal. I sympathize with you, it takes time and patience!
My husband is in the Navy and senior in his command. This means I am constantly being asked to host various events in my home. From welcoming new families to our base to counseling a spouse who just needs to vent, my house is always opened. I just hosted our lifegroup from church this past Saturday. It was insanity, with 12 adults and over 15 kids, but it was a blessing. Although I’m a decent cook, I always worry about how the house looks. I’m really trying to learn that God looks at the inside and not the out, so it’s ok for things not to be perfect. He created me to be Rebecca, not Martha Stewart! LOL
Perfect timing for your study. This year I have been working on “selfishness” and God has blessed me with so much I need to stop being fearful and step out and honor Him. This past Saturday night we had my husband’s sunday school class over for a casual supper/social. It was delightful and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to meet in a home vs church. We look forward to practicing hospitality again in the near future. Our society has gotten more introverted and self centered and we are missing out on developing friendships and encouraging one another. Ordering your book today! Many thanks!
We have people over just so we HAVE to clean the house!
Us too!
God knew that I needed to read your devotion today as this area of hospitality is something I struggle with. I don’t even want my sisters to come over unannounced (sad but true!) Last week however, for the first time I had two of my sisters over-totally impromptu! I was so excited that I had someone into my house for coffee time w/o mega cleaning before hand-and we had a great time! Anyway, other than my sisters last week it would be last year since I had someone over-I tend to want to meet anywhere but my own house! I will look into doing your study as well.
~Blessings~
~I also posted on facebook~
I enjoy having company because I love to be in the kitchen preparing for guests being that I have very picky eaters in our family so it allows me to try out some recipes I can also eat too! I have been called “Martha” because I also enjoy the presentation of serving up delicious food : )
I shared on Facebook:)
Hospitality is a challenge for me because for now we live in a tiny trailer that barely has room for us, and I am not the best house keeper. However my mom and I help each other out a lot and yesterday we planned lunch after church and I brought a new couple from church with us. She and I had decided a while back it was something we wanted to work on together. I prepare some of the dishes and help with the cleaning. I look forward to the day we have built our house and can invite more people over.
I had a good friend over this past Friday night for dinner and a movie. I tend to be a “clean-for-company” kind of girl, so it is motivating for me to have people over (because my house gets a cleaning!) And I have been realizing lately that things don’t need to be perfect to have people over – I stress out my family when I am stressed trying to do everything last minute. Thank you for your devotional today!
Due to a impending move (relocation) I have been living among boxes for months, you literally can’t walk a straight line in my house. So it has been awhile, but the last time I had anyone over was Thanksgiving. I had out of town guest that stayed for a week. They didn’t seem to mind the boxes, we had a wonderful time. I am looking forward to this move so that I can “start” having people over again, without them having to sit on the floor or on top of packed “ready to move” furniture and boxes.
Would love to read this book…sounds wonderful.
The last time company was over was In May. Wow, that looks bad in print!
We live in a “University Town” and had some of the college ‘kids’ who live next door over for a feast of enchiladas and fellowship last Friday. We enjoyed getting to know our neighbors and they really enjoyed a FREE supper! I love having people over so we do it often but I am far from ‘perfect’ when it comes to hospitality. A friend once told me (and now I have made this my ‘theme’)… “You can come see me anytime you want to… but if you’d like to see my house you need to make an appointment!” Ha! Blessings ~
Love that line……..
I had my niece and two great nieces over to our home about three weeks ago. She had been going through a rough time and my son and I thought it would be a nice break for her and the girls. We had a great time and two great nieces had a blast “fixing’ my hair up….they are two and three….lol.
I don’t think I have ever had anyone over besides family….AND I love entertaining but just don’t have the house/space to do it.
I also posted on facebook!
We just hosted company for the weekend!
I just had our lifegroup over last night. Having people over is something I have said I need to do more often.
Shared on facebook.
Karen,
I remember the first time I met you. I had come to your house with Lysa. before the Hearts @ Home conference. I do remember the corn soup (was it corn soup?), but what sticks out in my mind still today was how you welcomed me into your home and made me feel as if we had known each other for years. You are the ultimate hostess.
Oh Michelle– I DO remember. And yes, it was corn chowder and Lysa was STARVING from the trip!!!!!! Fun memory
Hi Karen,
Looking forward to the study. I actually love to have people over, but am always looking for more ways to reach out to others in hospitality, and your book seems like the perfect tool for that.
The last time I had people over was for a dessert “meeting” in mid-Feb. I guess that counts, right?
I am a people person but for some reason I do not invite people into our home unless it is family. I always feel that my house is not clean enough or is not up to other people standards. My children say I am OCD when I know someone is coming to our home. I am looking forward to the online study and hope that it will help me feel more open to inviting people into our home.
I’m a little surprised to say the last time I had adults over for snacks or supper was January 6th! (I did have nieces spend the night for a weekend along with godchildren a different weekend). I’m happy to say I have it scheduled to have adults over again on March 11th.
We had family over for one of my sons birthdays in December. I usually need to invite someone way in advance so I can get my house in order. I always feel uncomfortable when someone just drops in. I feel as if my house is too messy even though maybe its not so bad.
The last time we had someone over for supper was back in Fall. This sounds like a book study for me!
With elementary aged children, I practice hospitality a lot…to other youngsters. Last week was our last playdate that, of course, always includes a snack! It is much easier for me to have the young ones over rather than families to sit for an entire meal.
A couple of weeks ago, my husband invited our friends over for dinner. There was a miscommunication, so I thought they weren’t going to come. When they showed up, I was already in my pajamas! Oops!
The last time we had friends over was a month ago (our kids just finished up basketball season). Our home is not huge, but we’ve tried to teach our kids that size doesn’t matter, just makes more of a house to need to clean
We like to entertain when our schedule permits. Does this sound like an excuse, maybe? Contentment is a hard concept to teach kids. If I don’t model it, they won’t live it. Thanks for the giveaway!
The last time I had someone over for a meal was my coworker for lunch just last week. We ate grilled cheese sandwiches and chips. And yes, I did have unfolded laundry out. Praise God for his grace, and my coworker’s!
We just had two of my daughter’s friends stay the weekend with us. Such fun but I do struggle with meals, especially inviting people over that I don’t know well. Thanks for this post and study as I truly want to work on being more comfortable with and having people over for lunch and dinner more often.
I have one friend I invite over for coffee once a month, or so. I cook dinner for my mom a lot, but I’ve never considered her to be “company”. She’s family!
It’s been about 2 years since we’v had anyone over for a meal. My husband had caught some fish & we had his parents over for dinner.
Blessings,
Janet W.
Just posted the link to your blog on my Facebook.
My last hospitality meeting was with my wonderful sister-in-law Carol. She was up from Palm Bay, Florida and we played catch up on everything. It was great and we talked for hours with great amenities. Looking forward to another meeting real soon.
We just had some friends over yesterday for lunch. They came for lunch and stayed about 5 hours, and we felt like we still had things to say when they left!
I used to love having people over and took pride in inviting them to a clean home and serving something nice. Now, with 2 children and one on the way, I always feel as though my home is too messy to have guests….too embarrasing. Thank you for the encouragement to open my door again and welcome people!
My sister and her family came for a few days last July. I think that’s the last time we’ve had people here, unless you count my children’s friends who come over for an afternoon or overnight sometimes.
Rebecca Ann
I so need this. I’ve never been very good at entertaining and actually gain much anxiety from it. The last time we had people over was on my son’s 2nd birthday, August 29th, when our whole block had no power due to hurricane winds. We had some hamburgers in the fridge that needed eating and at least we could use the grill. We invited our neighbors and we all had a lot of fun, even without the lights.
I so struggle with this! Would love to win a copy of your book.
Um..I think the last time I had someone over for dinner was a couple weeks ago.
We have two very young children and two jobs with odd hours, so to have all four of us awake and home and ready to receive visitors is a rare thing indeed! Most of the time, our visitors are my parents.
The last time we had company was about 3 years ago when we hosted my parents shortly after moving into our house.
I really love having people over and am always looking for ways to improve my hospitality skills, so I was intrigued by the P31 devo today, esp the part about biblical hospitality. I have to confess too that sometimes I’m afraid my heart isn’t in the right place when doing it- pride sneaks in there.
Anyway, the last time was weekend before last, had a young newlywed couple over for dinner. My husband works with her.
The last time I had someone over for dinner was in December for my mom’s birthday. It was a fun time and I wish I would be more bold and invite non-family members over more often!
The last time I had people over was for my daughter’s birthday in January. I have a tendency to completely stress out and go into “ubber-cleaning” mode…and it stresses the rest of my family out! Haha! Would love to read your book! Found you on Proverbs 31 today!
The last time my hubby and I had company was in the Summer. We moved to a tiny two bedroom apartment for a while, so no room for any extras, lol. I love having company though and can’t wait to buy a big house and do lots of entertaining!!
I had family over last night to celebrate my son’s 3rd birthday!!!! I did have a group of friends over last month for our care & share meeting from church—-cleaned for a week before that night!! We love having guests, but it is stressful preparing for them.
I had a few moms and kids over for lunch just this past Friday, before that we had my Husban’s out of town boss and coworker over for dinner earlier in the week. But typically we have people over for once or twice a year. I wish it were more. I’m just not sure what is a good time to and best way to entertain.
The last time I had people over was 2 weeks before Christmas. I cooked for my brother, his son and wife and their children. We had a wonderful time and I hope to make it a regular event.
Darlene
We have had kids over to play video games with my son, but not had adults over for a meal or to visit since our last family holiday. That would be back in 2006-7 when we first married. Church families are 1/2 hour away and haven’t been interested in coming “into the city” to visit when we asked. I am slowly working on becoming more social with my neighbors. It used to be a joke, that I would need to invite someone over so that my house would get clean!
I am ashamed to say it has probably been about ten years since I have entertained anyone in my home with the exception of my sister who came to visit for a night last year. This post has come in such a timely manner. God has recently began pressing upon my heart to “OPEN MY DOORS” to those around me. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to recieve this opportunity to gain insight and wisdom in this area. THANK YOU!!!! I have already ordered your book and marked my calendar.
Well, I had all my family over for my son’s 8th b-day party last Friday night. We had the whole works, dinner, cake -n- Ice cream. Everyone left feed & happy and my son had a wonderful time. However, we did not open the door to mommy’s room cause that is the one room I didn’t get finished cleaning.
We just had the family over yesterday for my daughter’s birthday. I am ashamed to say I am so exhausted because of all the prep work it took just to get my house in order. I don’t know why I have lost my “want to” regarding keeping my house in order since I’ve gotten older and the kids have moved out. I used to keep a perfect house ready for anybody to drop by. Not now. I am ashamed to say I rarely ever have my house in order. I want my “want to” back.
Blessings,
We don’t have people over often since we are still new to our current living area, I would say we had people over about a month ago- right after the holidays.
The last time we had people over was for a BBQ in summer of 2009. We were starting to attend a new church and wanted to get to know the pastor’s family better. We RARELY have people over b/c our house has been under construction (remodeling and addition) for 15 years. The funny thing is that I consider my husband more hospitable than I am, but he is the one who doesn’t want people to see the house until it’s “done.” BUT we have invited a couple over for this coming Saturday night to grill burgers with the fixings. I had lunch with the woman one day and we got to talking about onion rings. She said she knows how to make a great beer-battered onion ring, and so a few weeks ago I asked her if she would share the recipe and come over to help me learn how to make them and have dinner with us. So….I hope it is hospitable to do that, b/c I did! Last night I sent her an email with a list of other things I can make to go with our meal and asked her what things they like or don’t like. I’m excited to have them over, and hope I’m feeling better, since I’m battling a head cold right now.
I really can’t say when the last time was that we had someone over for just dinner. However in December we had some friends stay with us for several days while they were in town visiting from another state. And while they were here we had a large get together with other great friends and family and all their children. I enjoy entertaining. Sometimes it stresses me out making sure everything is in order but once I took upon myself to get things done and not depend on others in the house I stopped stressing,
Just last night – my sister and her two girls, plus my daughter’s boyfriend were all there for dinner. Sometimes our most memorable get-togethers are the impromptu ones, I must say. Although, they ususally involve me scrambling around picking things up, and telling our son to hurry up and clean his bathroom (which is also the guest bath)!
I can’t think of the last time I “officially invited someone over to visit” — our house is just always open and people always seem to show up
Not so great when I haven’t been diligent with the housecleaning 
But that’s OK! Blessed to have them over!
In January we had two families….good friends….come over to our house for Sunday lunch. We all try and get together once in a while at each other’s places. The secret has been…we all help bring food!! The one hosting furnishes the hot food and the two other’s bring the salad, bread and dessert. It is a lot more stress free and a blessing, when people can help (and want to help)bring food.
Oh – and I copied the post on my facebook!!
The last time we had guests over for a meal was the 2nd week of January. We’d like to entertain more often, but it can get kind of expensive!
Another idea to help with expenses is to invite friends over for just dessert and coffee or we’ve had appetizers night and each person or couple brings an appetizer which can really cut down on spending too. You are so right about how it can get really expensive!
We had company the first weekend in February, so four weeks ago. It was the first time a in a long time and staying true to how we work, we were running late. So frustrating. The being late, not the company. Company was fun.
Would love the give away, would really love to read your book. I do think we have a leaning towards hospitality, as we used to have much more company weekends. Life is crazy right now, with me in school on top of everything else, however I look forward to doing more “company’s coming” weekends someday.
Last weekend! We will be hosting brunch soon for my son’s wedding so starting to plan for that.
I honestly don’t remember the last time we had someone over. Probably last year.
We had friends over last Monday for a simple dinner and some nice time to let the kiddos play. We also had my daughter’s friend spend the night this past weekend. The next few weeks are a bit busy so it might not be until the end of March that we have friends over again which will be for my daughter’s birthday.
Had my daughter, son and his kids here yesterday. Have Bible study here every Wed.-don’t do a meal but make sure there is coffee, hot water and a “snack”.
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/ruthhill74/status/174140256352870401
We had family over last weekend for dinner. Sort of last minute but a lot of fun!
We had a game night with friends and family last Thurs….nothing fancy…we used paper plates and had chips and sandwiches. Our friend, Tracee, who makes the best banana bread ever brought some! Then we all played a card game called “hand and foot”…so much fun! The adults had fun and our children got to play with their cousins…always a great time.
I was so happy to host 2 families in the new year. Two of my dear friends celebrate birthdays in late December & early January. I had the mumps over Christmas vacation, so when I was better I was delighted to host their families. My house is cluttered (working on that), but I was so happy to host friends. We had a great time!!
We actually had company over on Saturday night for dinner and games. It was great. This study is so timely. I think people have forgotten how to have fun with hospitality. It doesn’t have to be perfect, you just have to open up your home and have fun.
agreed..
We had friends over about a month ago for dinner.
The last time I had company was on Christmas, it only happens about once a year!
I had an unexpected visitor 2 weeks ago…a friend was have a complete break down and knew she could show up at more door unexpectedly. Sat on my bed and cried… I want my friends to know they can show up anytime at my door.
Via email:About 3 weeks ago, we had both of our kids and their families over for dinner – The food wasn’t that good, but the company was AWESOME!
Theresa
The last time I had company over was Christmas Eve. It’s become a tradition to have members from my church over for snacks after the candle light service. Thank you for the giveaway.
Well, I have children over to babysit, does that count??
. Otherwise I can’t remember the last time I had someone over for a meal. I did host a open house for my business in Sept.
The last time I had quests over was at Christmas. But I NEVER do it spontaneously. I must have the house spic-n-span clean, and agonize over what food to serve. I would love to win your book and look forward to your study.
I understand that and it makes me crazy.
We actually have people over on a regular basis. but it hasn’t always been. We had a young family over last night for a simple meal of Mexican soup and tortillas.