Dear Lea, I have certain dietary restrictions that make it difficult to accept dinner party invitations without a certain amount of anxiety. When I’m cooking in my own home, I do fine to avoid the foods I can’t eat. But inevitably when I’m a guest in someone else’s home, I’m confronted with a dilemma: eat the food I am offered and feel sick later? Or decline but risk appearing rude? I don’t want to be rude, but I’m also tired […]

Dear Lea, We pray over each meal, as a family. When guests are over, what is the right thing to do? Still pray? Ask guest to lead the prayer? Don’t pray at all? If it’s your tradition to say grace before a meal, then you should absolutely do it when you have guests. I wouldn’t ask them to lead the prayer without a little warning first, so they have a moment to think about what they’d like to say (or […]