February 16, 2011

love your neighbor xxoo

At church a few Sundays ago, Pastor Eric challenged us {big time} to love our neighbor.

{little conversation going in my head during the sermon}

Me: Sure! I love my neighbor!! And by neighbor, I mean anyone I come into contact with.

Pastor Eric: Today I'm talking about loving your actual neighbor...Like the person that lives right next door.

Me: sad little trumpet sound effect wah-wah-wah.

The neighbors to my right are easy-as-pie to love. They are always outside and very easy to talk to. He's a pastor. His wife is amazing. They have 5 kids. Their 4-year-old could be my 5th son, he gets along so well with Finn and Calvin.


But the neighbor to my left? Have we done a good job loving her?

That's when I started to squirm in my seat that Sunday during the sermon.

Miss Camela. She is practically a stranger to us. We barely know her.

She is very independent and professional. She kind of intimidates me.

It always seems harder to share my faith with certain people--the ones who seem to have it all together. Life is peachy as is. It seems easier to share with the downtrodden.

But that is the wrong attitude.

EVERYONE needs God.

Who am I to decide who gets the Lord?

I knew Valentine's Day was quickly approaching. Love Day. This would be the PERFECT excuse to show our neighbor some Love. The boys could help me make some cookies and could deliver it to her.
Who could refuse a valentine from 4 mini suitors?

I googled Valentine cookies and found stain glass heart cookies. Perfectly festive.

The boys had a hay day unwrapping all the lifesavers--they were for the stain glass part of the cookies.


Finn went right to town crushing the life-savers to bits and pieces.
Anyone find Finn's shirt a tad ironic here?


Cutting out circles from sugar cookie dough.

Boy I forget how much work sugar cookies are. The flour! The sticky mess! The amount of time, oh my!

Little heart shaped cookie cutters. Hard to find the day before Valentine's Day.

Use the little heart cookie cutter to cut a heart-shaped window in the middle of the cookie.


Now the fun part! Pour crushed red life-savers into windows.


Ok, hard lesson to learn, but it works MUCH better when you use larger cookies and the medium size heart cookie cutter.


And presto! (and by presto we mean 4 hours later...)




Next step: hand made tags. Oh Cricut, how I love thee.

All made under the watchful eye of a certain Oolie Boolie.

We placed the cookies in a pretty white tin for Miss Camela.

The remaining cookies were to be dispersed to the rest of our fun-loving neighbors.


And while we are at it, here is what they boys got me for Valentine's Day.


I used to protest flowers. But John wants the boys to see daddy giving mommy flowers and so I now think it's sweet. The boys get excited. They think all girls love flowers. HAHA.




I rounded up my mini men to go deliver the special tin to Miss Camela. We marched over there. I was a smidge nervous.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

{{Pause}}

Ring Door bell.

{{Pause}}

Knock! Knock! Knock!

How could Camela resist this rag-tag disheveled bunch? Apparently she can folks, she can.

Ring Door bell.

{{Pause}}

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Waiting patiently with our kitties.

No answer:(

I think we tried to deliver cookies to Miss Camela twice on actual Valentines Day...

Two times the next day....

And three times today...

Thus far, that makes 7 times total.

To no avail.

Although I am feeling a little discouraged that we will ever make contact with our neighbor, I find comfort in the fact that God has this all under control.

Yesterday I read the passage in Matthew where the disciples were not able to cast out a demon, but Jesus could. When they questioned Jesus why they were unable to cast out the demon, he told them they lacked faith.

"...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" Matthew 17: 20

So though from a human perspective befriending Camela seems like Mission Impossible, with God and our little mustard seed of faith, anything is possible. It's all in his timing.

So in the meanwhile, we wait. We do our part and try, but ultimately it's in God's hands.

15 comments:

  1. Maybe she isn't home? Or did you know she was home but not answering? In any case you could just leave the cookies on her doorstep I guess. Good luck!

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  2. Whenever I see that you've put up a new post it just makes my morning. Kind'a like getting a letter (with lots of photos) from a friend. Your posts always makes my day!

    I love what you say about timing. That's something I have really learned over the last year with Jeff's illness and even now with building this new store. God is so good and His timing is awesome. We just need to relax and trust Him.

    You minister to those who read your blog and are lucky enough to know you by just being you. We casual acquaintances know that there is something special about you. Your love for the Lord shows by the way you interact with your boys and your friends, family and even stand offish neighbors. I am and always have been in total ah of you Davi. I'd say you are loving your neighbor just right.

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  3. Cute cookies! I couldn't resist if your group came to my front door. They are adorable!

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  4. Davi this is so incredible. I love hearing about the stories of you and your boys. I hope that your neighbor finally opens up! Goodness gracious. That would be discouraging to anyone. I so appreciate your heart & the way you talk about loving others. You are such a blessing to people around you, in your "real life" and in this blog land. ;)

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  5. wow.
    you rock, such a good momma!

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  6. ahhhhh you inspire me. i haven't been back to visit maria. i could make a ton of excuses but really, i just forget and that is so unloving of me. i would go visit her today butttt something tells me that hacking up a lung in front of her might not be super welcoming.

    p.s. read this in bed last night in the wee hours of the morning (i'll go ahead and email you the story on that) and had to stifle my laugh about "does anyone find finn's shirt ironic?" could totally hear your voice. AND i heard your voice at "hot mess". hahaha. love you.

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  7. I finally gave up on no shorts in winter for my oldest. Boys must wear shorts, it's a rule or something. And they never seem to get cold.

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  8. i love your heart!! i pray the lord softens her heart :)

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  9. I think this was wonderful. Even though the plan may not of worked out as you had hoped, I am sure God's plan is even greater! :)

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  10. this is so inspiring to me!! I've been a sad excuse for a loving neighbor. I keep resolving to make the rounds and knock on those doors, but I have yet to do it. But that's going to change! I'm going to steal a page out of your wonderful book, and go and DO.
    I really really just love all these posts you've been writing lately about loving others and getting involved and using ourselves for the Lord. You're such a wonderful example, Davi, and I just love your heart so much.

    You AND your boys are beautiful servants. :)

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  11. How beautiful! I love the cookies AND the packaging. I need to put my Silhouette machine to better use.

    As for neighbors, I REALLY wish all of our neighbors were awesome, but sadly...just meh. A lot of them are never home, a lot of them are not friendly. A few of them are nice and we say hello. I wish we had some around us our age, but most of them have kids our age - hah :)

    Ps, I wouldn't mind the delivery if you can never make it ;)

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  12. So lovely Davi. I hope that you are able to deliver them because who wouldn't appreciate that. What a great example you are!

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  13. you gave me goosebumps! goosebumps! :) you're such a sweet example of God's love, davi. i love your stories. i'm encouraged to go befriend more of my lovely & unlovely ;) neighbors now. and put on a sweater...cause i still have goosebumps! hehe.

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  14. oh my gosh, the cookies! the packaging! I wish you were my neighbor :) No really, I truly do and for so many other reasons than just cookies ;D
    You are amazing and truly inspire me with every single thing you post. I love your heart <3

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  15. Hi sweetie. I tried to find your email to contact you and tell you that you've been on my heart alot lately and I've been praying for you.

    You minister to so many moms with your heart for christ, your love for your beautiful boys, your inspiring craftiness and your gorgeous photos.

    Lots of love to you friend.
    chelsea

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