Neighbors

I am overwhelmed by the neighborliness of neighbors.

Back home my country neighbors are like watch dogs.  They stop to check any suspicious activity at our house - even if it's just us.  We facebooked once into the late of night when there were fires in our rural neighborhood - keeping me posted on the location.  Another (whom I shall not name!) sent me a text that said, "Are you home or is someone stealing your lawn mower?"

A lot of old testament verses are dedicated to instructions on how to treat neighbors fairly, but Jesus says there is only one important commandment - "Love Your Neighbor As Yourself".   

 Galatians 5:14 says:

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command:

 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

When we came to North Dakota, we expected anything but neighborly kindness

- after all we (southerners working in the oil boom)

are tearing up their roads

stirring up dust

driving up prices

creating crazy traffic

crowding the stores

But we have found just the opposite -

people who love their neighbors.

We have so been welcomed by our neighbors.

A neighbor I hadn't met neighbor stopped when a viscous dog threatened to attack me.

Sometimes I visit with Clarice and Lila in the street about those same dogs.

Marcilla invited me to stop by anytime on my daily walks to the store.

Mike helped me with yard work by raking the sticks so I could mow.

Bruce and Glenda shared the best Thanksgiving meal ever with us.

Renae invited me to join her for morning walks around the track field.

Karol Jean checks on me, even though her husband is very ill.

Another new friend loaned me her sewing machine pedal when mine broke.

Kim waters my plants when I am out of town.

Speaking of Kim,

I was chopping weeds in the back yard last week

when I heard a voice from across the tall fence  -

"Hey, Neighbor!

Is that you over there?"

Then we tried to chat over the fence,

on our toes,

just barely seeing each others eyes.

It was too funny!

We were just like Wilson

in Home Improvements!

Maybe we'll get our husbands to put a gate in the new fence!

Thank you neighbors everywhere

for all you do

and for loving us.