RIGHT NEIGHBORLY

Pansy Pot. A neighborly gift.
The best part is my "green thumb" neighbor's understanding of my deficiency in this area.
Master Gardener extraordinaire. She believes in "helping," not shaming, the less inclined.
So....when the temps were due to drop, I got a text that it would be okay to take them in out of the elements, even hard rains. When the deadheading was needed, I received the info on the best place for pinching. Now that's a good neighbor.
Pansies for the Patio. A right neighborly gift for sure.

Growing up in a small town, Daddy had a way of recognizing those on our block who were "right neighborly." In fact, he's the originator of the term for me. Christine and Pappy, who love me as a grand daughter, were "RIGHT NEIGHBORLY in all caps! (Galatians 5:14)
Daddy also spoke of "old" Dr. Dade being "right neighborly." I suppose sometimes it's more difficult for the elderly to be "right neighborly" when a 6 year old girl picks, without permission, their beautiful King Alfred daffodils because she wanted to give them to her mother who had always admired them. Being said little girl, I was required by Daddy to "march" right over to the Dades' home and apologize, that was more than the neighborly thing to do, it was the right thing to do. (Exodus 20:5)

Dragging my feet, literally, and pleading "right" motives was not an acceptable excuse.
I marched. (Matthew 19:19)

Dr. Dade accepted my apology and said the right thing to do would be to let him know when I needed flowers for my mother and he would help me choose the right ones from his yard. (Romans 13:8)

That was above and beyond being right neighborly!

CHOOSE: NEIGHBORING

"Community" verses continue to speak to my heart.

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.
(1 Corinthians 7:17)

Whatever situation my town/city and I are facing is not a random selection but is ordained by God.

My situation and assignment take place just east of the "mighty Mississippi" and extend to my immediate neighborhood.

He has placed me on "my" street for the last almost 39 years.

From one man He made all the nations, that should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed time in history and the boundaries of their lands/habitations. (Acts 17:26)

Choosing neighboring in my city and "my" dwelling place on "my" street, seems all the more important when I remember that He has placed me there----for His purpose.

Kindness Kindled

11/7/11 Some things just lift me up---kindness of others, prayers of the saints, even fresh flowers. Yesterday's latest window ledge gift encompassed all three. The donor was a neighbor and wife of a retired pastor. She has a very full plate and yet she reached out to us. The cheery arrangement was in the small vase that I had once given to this "kind" one. That brought back memories of Mother. Mother never let a kindness go unreciprocated. She believed in giving back---returning in kind. Unrequited was not an adjective in her kindness vocabulary. More often than not, if an object was involved, her kind action had a way of including the same pan or vase or bowl in which original kindness had first been delivered. Kindness. It's certainly a godly attribute worthy of our thoughts today.

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. (Galatians 6:9-10)

…..right neighborly thing to do.

9/5/10 A right neighborly thing to do was the phrase that Daddy once used when an unknown "neighbor" left tomatoes on his front porch with an unsigned note. The note simply said, “Enjoy with your daughter.” He used it in 2001 to describe Thelma bringing bread to us after Mother died. Yesterday he used that phrase to describe Miss Ann driving Nello to the doctor. Nello, suffering with macular degeneration, could no longer see well enough to drive. Daddy probably used the adjective, right, to mean somewhat. To me it was an adjective that described acts that were correct and morally good---acts that all God-fearing neighbors should emulate. A "right neighborly thing to do" is a manifestation of the “golden rule”---a “do unto others” mentality that comes straight from scripture.

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. (Luke 6:31, KJV)

Even if the acts aren’t reciprocal, acts of kindness are still a “right neighborly thing to do.” All of us should go and do likewise.

“What right neighborly thing have I done lately” is what I’m asking myself. Better yet, I should ask, "What right neighborly thing can I do today?"

"WALK! WALK!!"

2/4/10 "Walk, walk." was one of Owen's first declarative sentences. However, declarative soon became imperative and as doting grandparents we followed his command. Last week Shug and Pop-Pop did just that. Although Owen’s sentence structure is now more complex, you still understand the “imperative mood” and we usually comply.

Walking with Owen is not exactly a walk. It’s more of an adventure. He ran to get ahead of me; he stooped down to investigate the crawly thing in the crack in the sidewalk; he picked an old stick (with dried leaves) out of a bush that was almost above his reach and then trotted along dragging it through the dust; he investigated the underside of an unusual wrought iron mailbox while he waited for the mail truck he could see in the distance. “It’s not Walter ,” he said.
Walter is Owen’s mailman and he doesn’t drive his mail truck but instead parks it at the end of O’s street. Walter walks on Owen’s block delivering mail through mail drops built into the old houses. There are no mailboxes on his street, thus Owen’s fascination with this new “delivery” method. The mailman didn’t know Owen ----yet. He answered his questions about “Where’s Walter?” and “Do you want to walk?” Owen got to know him and he seemed delighted to know Owen. We even crossed the street to “beat” him to another mailbox. We won. Actually we all won as we laughed with our new found friend.

There’s a lot to be learned from a walk with a grandson who is almost 3. He found joy along the way. When I go out for a walk it’s usually for the dreaded EXERCISE. For Owen, it’s like a dance---something to savor and enjoy every step of the way. I look at my watch. Owen revels in God’s creation. He looks down at bugs and up at the bushes. I hurry to finish my “goal” and return home. He makes new friends along the way.

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " (Luke 10:27)

How can I love my neighbors if I don’t even know their names----I’ve decided to follow Owen’s lead. I’m going to find out my mailman’s name. It’s imperative that I do so.