Meet the Neighbors

 

About a week ago I picked up the book Shepherding a Child's Heart  by Tedd Trip and was only a few pages into the first chapter when I was convicted by something I never would have suspected in reading a parenting/discipline book: "Others would call a brother for help, but never a neighbor who is nearby (unlike the counsel in Proverbs 27:10)."  Ouch... I barely even know the names of our neighbors (some of them I've never even met or said hello), let alone ever ask any of them for help.  Well the day after reading this I was tested.  I loaded the kiddos in the truck, climbed in, buckled up, put in the key, turned the key..., turned again...., turned once more.... No, the truck just was not going to start for me.  I have to admit that my first call was to my brother-in-law who said he would try to stop by later that night or the next day.  But then I remembered that my next-door neighor is an auto-mechanic (at least I thought so... I had kind of remembered my hubby saying that one day).  So I unloaded the kids and we ran next door.  Yes, he fixes things.  And by the next day he had all the parts (it needed a new battery) installed and the truck running again :o)  What a blessing!  I did not even have to drag the kids out to repair shop and we played and went about our day at HOME while he fixed the truck! 

I find it very hard for me to meet people, and even harder to build friendships, but we're trying.  Today we went for a walk around the block to see who we could say "hi" to.

We also baked some cookies today as a "thank you" for our neighbor.  "M" was a big help and enjoyed licking the beater.

Until it was all gone...

But after a time out, some redirection, and her helping with the clean-up, she was rewarded with a cookie.  And no fuss this time when it was all gone.

"R" on the other hand has been sick :o(  Temp was 104.7 when I brought her to the doctor a couple days ago.  She was diagnosed with RSV.  Thankfully, her fever broke, but now she has a rash :o(  Poor girly!