Karen Burton Mains

Excellent! Surprised me in that the part about opening our homes didn't come in until more than halfway through the book. Deals far more with our hearts than with the practical aspects of having people in, but isn't that appropriate? Because hospitality should be heart motivated, and unless we start there, having people in will just be going through the motions. I highly recommend to all members of the body of Christ old enough to read and understand the concepts presented here.

This book brought back pleasant memories and reminded me that for many young people Sunday is just another day, but without school. The mother is the one who can most influence her family in setting aside this special day.

Sunday was always special in my grandparents' home. We called it the Lord's Day. There were lots of things we didn't do, but I understood why. We did not buy things on Sunday--that would make other people have to work and they couldn't go to church. We did not read or show more listen to secular material (couldn't watch--there was no TV in our area yet); we chose to give our attention to the Lord on His day. (Doing without the news can actually have a beneficial effect on your mental health, especially these days.) Grandma made the best dinner of the week for after church on Sunday (the preparations done on Saturday and put in the oven Sunday morning). We often had guests (any visitors at church were always invited, for example). The best dishes and silver were laid for Sunday dinner. Sunday was a happy day indeed.

Karen Burton Mains presents a lot of ideas for engaging the family in Making Sunday Special. I recommend it. show less

Can a simple dinner party for the neighbors change the world? Karen Mains says, "Yes!" And in Open Heart, Open Home she shows how. In this classic on Christian hospitality, Karen Mains steps far beyond how-to-entertain hints to explore a biblical and spiritual approach to using your home to care for others. This approach to hospitality can literally transform the fabric of your community and your world. She offers fresh and inspiring ideas for using your own resources to serve rather than to show more impress with new "opening the door" activities in each chapter. You will discover how the Holy Spirit can work in and through you to make others feel welcome and wanted. show less

Getting your heart and mind ready for worship. Preparation is the key if we are to restore Sunday to the kind of day God intends for it to be. Proper Saturday evening preparation readies one for the magnificent privilege of experiencing Christ's presence each Sunday morning.