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8 Quick Entertaining Must-Haves for the Impromptu Guest

Always be prepared for the unexpected guest. Whether it is a friend stopping by after work or neighbors gathering on the front porch for an impromptu drink, here are a few tips so you are always party ready.

15 Items Every

Powder Room

Needs

Whether you are entertaining overnight guests or friends just dropping by, the powder room is the one area all will ask to visit. Have you taken inventory of this part of your home lately? Make your bathroom boutique beautiful by implementing our top points below. 

Gifts Ideas for
the Mom in Your Life

May can be a crazy month with the chaos of end of school activities, home projects, and travel plans. But we need to hit pause for one day to celebrate the special mom in our life. With hearts of gold and putting others before themselves, we have gathered a list of ideas to help you honor the special lady in your life.

Gather Around the Table this Easter

A few years back my husband and I attended a play that was an adaptation of the classical movie Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, which originally starred Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy. It was a beautifully written, and quite comical, story based on the difficulties families faced in the 1960s with inter-racial marriage. The scene that stood out the most to me was when the son was trying to bring both families together for dinner. In the last line of the last act, he turns to his father and says, “Dad, we need you at the table.” With that, the father joined the others, and the audience was left with the understanding that healing had begun.

My 10 Favorite 
Hostess Gifts

Giving a party requires a great deal of work. If you have been fortunate enough to be included in a festive soiree, it is nice to arrive with a gift for the hostess. The typical present will cost anywhere from $15-$100. What you spend will be determined by your relationship and the type of event. Is it a formal dinner? A backyard BBQ? Also, when possible, know the likes and dislikes of your hostess. If she is allergic to flowers, you probably will not arrive with a bouquet in hand.

How to Create
a Tablescape
in 8 Steps

1. Choose the table. Will you use a round that seats four or a rectangle that seats twelve? This decision will determine your centerpiece.

12 Tips on Dog
Etiquette

Warmer weather will be arriving soon, and I am seeing more of our four-legged members making an appearance in the dog parks and on walking trails. With pets taking more prominent roles in our lives, I thought it would be good to brush up on basic dog etiquette and ownership responsibilities.

Let's Celebrate

Meeting friends for dinner after work, grabbing coffee with your girlfriend or just ordering pizza on a Friday night with neighbors. We all have a deep desire to be connected in a world that often forgets the importance of relationships. Many of us have the desire to entertain, but we let our circumstances keep us from extending hospitality. Often it revolves around our lack of confidence in our ability to host events. I get this!

The Art of
Toasting

A toast may be offered in any setting and made to an individual or a group. Increase your confidence at your next social gathering by learning the ins and outs of this ancient tradition.

A Party Idea
for Each
Month of the
Year

A perfect entertaining year for me would be hosting a different themed party each month! Will I do that? No. Will I dream about it? Yes! If I cannot have a party every 4 weeks, I can at least help my Lisa Lou family with ideas so hopefully a few of you can carry the torch of hospitality for the rest of us.

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  • Writer's pictureLisa Lou
    • Jul 15, 2020
    • 2 min read

Honor Your Marriage By Honoring God


Louie is 8 months old. He is still a puppy and has a lot of energy. Every morning I sit in my reading chair to study my bible, catch up on news and read. It is my quiet time before the storm of the day hits. I crack the door to the backyard so I can hear the fountain outside. I love the sound of running water. In the winter, I keep the door wide open. Our dogs can roam in and out and I feel the cool breeze. Last week my husband said, “It’s that time of year again.” I knew what that meant. The season was upon us where the door must remain shut. Not because of heat, but because of the wayward mosquitos that start hovering in our humid, Texas climate. They usually do not bother me, so their bite is rarely on my mind, but they are drawn to my husband like he is a walking honey pot. So, I gave my annual sigh, and told him the door would remain closed until winter.⁠⠀

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This morning, our 9-pound, 4-legged furball was exceptionally active. My husband had left for the office, and I thought, “I don’t see any mosquitos outside. I am sure it would be fine. I can just open the door halfway, and this would allow Louie to run in and out. It sure would be nice for him, and it would grant me time to read in peace.”⁠⠀

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Sometimes I just need to have a conversation with myself, and this was one of those times. After rationalizing my position, I then said, “But, I promised my husband I would keep the door closed. Whether I think there are mosquitos or not, I gave him my word.” ⁠⠀

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“He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.” -Proverbs 10:9. I can pretend my great integrity was why I chose not to open the door, but there was a bigger reason. I was motivated to keep my promise, because I love my husband and want to live honorably. But what really motivated me was knowing that nothing I can do is hidden. “Would not God find this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.” -Psalm 44:21. I gave my word to my husband, but I am accountable to God. ⁠⠀


I chose to keep the door shut. I lived up to my word. But even throughout all my rationalizing, what it came down to was, yes, I adore my husband, but ultimately, I serve God. And He is the one I want to please. “…so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work…” Colossians 1:10.

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