May 25, 2007

  • This morning I was awakened by a lot of thump, thump, thumping from upstairs.  At first, I thought our upstairs neighbor was doing some exercise, but after awhile, I began to realize it was something else.  I peeked out our bedroom window and saw a guy dragging a wooden dresser down the stairs on a dollie.  I looked on the street and saw a Mor truck and realized that it was moving day for one of our neighbors.  

    So it's moving day, and I never even met the people who were living there!  One day we saw a sign appear on their window saying "For rent" and now, they're moving out!  I started thinking maybe I should go see if I can help - but decided against it since they were moving guys that were hired to do that job.  Besides, what could I do?  Carry a lamp?  I went on with getting dressed and sat down with my computer.  A few minutes later I heard some doors slam, engines rev and the big ol' moving truck pull out of the curb.  Within seconds, the dust settled and the neighborhood fell silent. 

    Something about being left behind by that truck caused a wave of emotion to wash over me.  I felt their sadness of leaving something familiar behind.  Events and experience are always so tied together with places - especially the place called 'home'.  But I also felt their joy and excitement.  I wonder what lays ahead for them?  Where will they go?  What new season of life will they enter into?  --and what have they left behind?

    Then I started wondering who will replace them, which led to praying for our new neighbors.  I prayed that they would be people who needed Jesus and didn't know it.  I prayed that they'd be people we could connect with and share our lives with.  Funny, before, in situations like this, I used to pray that God would give me Christians.  But why do that?  That'd be a waste of opportunity.

    As I sit here hours later writing this entry, I am wishing it was easier to meet neighbors.  On a regular day, people just get out of their cars and beeline it to their front door.  No one hangs around outside, waiting to be met.  But I'm sure they'd want it to be different.  I certainly do.  And I wanna find a way to change things... 

Comments (2)

  • I share more than one sentiment with this post. For one, neighbors are a great opportunity to share Christ—whether Christian or not (I feel too often we don't "share Christ" with each other)—and yet they seem the hardest to get to know. May God answer your prayers for your new neighbors.

  • i like this entry :)

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