Neighboring

Two specific instances have gotten me thinking about being a neighbor.

About a month ago we bought some new furniture and so returned the couch our landlords were letting us use to it's original owner -- another family across town. We took the couch back, and the wife of the family, Suzie, was so kind and friendly and asked us all kinds of questions about our wedding, life together, etc. She knows our landlords pretty well and started asking us about our neighbors and if we'd met them yet. We said we had, or at least a few right around us.

The amazing thing was Suzie went on to talk about most of them, particularly the family who lives right next to us, like she knew them. She asked about their children and if the mother was feeling better after being very sick. She kept telling us she was soo glad we lived out there and could "do ministry" to those people right where we were living.

I went away from that conversation feeling a bit guilty (I know Suzie did not intend this with her words) and thinking that we had not been very intentional with getting to know our neighbors and reach out to them. After a little while I brushed it off as being busy and getting married (no small feat!) and being gone on weekends and evenings so often.

But then there was the second instance that got me thinking even more. Last weekend our good friends Ashley and Noel stopped by to see us on their whirlwind fundraising tour. Noel is going into full time ministry so they were going around Indiana visiting people to talk about their ministry and they came to our home for lunch. They shared with us that the story of the Good Samaritan (or " Good Neighbor" as some people say) had been impacting them greatly as they talked and thought about the concept of neighboring. I liked how they used "neighboring" as a verb, not just a noun as in "to be a neighbor" which implies action, not just passivity as in "I am a neighbor."

It really got me thinking even more about our neighbors and how I wanted to reach out to them in some way. I knew the Lord was putting that more on my heart and I'd really been thinking about it and praying about it this week.

In my mind neighboring is being proactive and intentional. Putting ourselves out there and taking a risk with people sometimes to be a person of love and Jesus to them. I don't have many "deep" thoughts on this, but it's a learning process I suppose.

So then last night I felt like the Lord answered some prayers through a little black and white dog.

Our neighbors, the ones I mentioned before, adopted this little puppy that tends to roam the neighborhood. I'd noticed earlier that the mom (the one who was very sick) was outside with the puppy and her three year old son. We've met the rest of the family (dad and three kids) but never the mom. It is obvious by looking at her that she has gone through some sort of cancer, but that she is hopefully on the upswing. By this I mean she has a very tired, gaunt sort of look with very short cropped hair like it is just growing back in. She looks much older than a woman her age should.

Rob and I are still sorting through wedding photos so I suggested we take the computer outside and sit on the steps to enjoy the evening and look at our photos.

Well, as little puppies are apt to do, it quickly found us and soon behind it did the mom, Leanne, and Jacob, her little son. It's amazing how a small animal who has no idea you're even talking about it will open doors of conversation. We chatted with Leanne for about half an hour mostly about the dog (it chews), her kids (the two older ones like Jacob but not each other), our apple tree (they're real, not crab apples!) and with Jacob who seriously needs Leanne to interpret for him because she is the only one who understands him. He's absolutely precious though and has the funniest little laugh. It's very clear Leanne loves him and he is such a good little boy.

Eventually the dog came back and they drifted away to their yard, but it was obvious to us that Leanne was interested in conversation and we felt good about that. It was like a small foot was wedged in a door that needs just a small amount of pushing open.

As we went into the house I said to Rob how good it was to see the faithfulness of the Lord opening that door. My next step I think will be to make some bread (we have lots of zucchinis for zucchini bread!) and share with our neighbors. Seems like a small act, but I think neighboring starts small and that's good.