An Evening with the Neighbors

"We should do this more often." That's what several neighbors were saying at Jordan Capelli's graduation party this evening.

Jordan, the graduate, climbed atop a pyramide made of her
cousins, her brother, and a neighbor or two.

It was fun to connect with several folks we may not have talked with in a year or more. I don't feel like we've done a good enough job as neighbors to our neighbors. Most of them are not active Christians, but they are likable, intelligent, generous, neighborly, interesting folks. I've thought a lot about how involved we are with our own yard, our own jobs, our friends from church or CCU, our family, our schedule. Friendship takes time. Building relationships takes time. Building friendship and relationship is a beginning stage, a vital first step, toward anything that looks like discipleship. I think the "missional" folks have that right. We are at the embryonic stage of relationship-building with only a couple of our neighbors.
At least we had cordial, engaging conversations with several folks tonight, and that made me feel good. And the Capellis had wonderful homemade Italian sausage and pasta with sauce among two tables full of food!
Until the party, today was a somewhat typical Sunday for us: First service, then breakfast at Mimi's, then a stop at Wal-Mart where Evelyn bought a big, floppy hat to keep the sun off while she works in the yard, then yard mowing for Evelyn while I edged and did a few other yard tasks (watered and fed those plants for the wedding!) (I used my new handy-dandy edger to edge along the grass strip by the street on the street side. I dare say that has not been done more than once or twice, if at all, in all the years we've lived here. It was difficult, but it looks nice!)
Then I came inside, took a shower, and tried to do some Christian Standard work for 2 or 3 hours before we went to the graduation party. I did get drafts written for two editorials, so I felt good about that.
Jim Nieman is going on two weeks of vacation, starting next week, so we've been scrambling to get ahead the last couple of weeks. (But that doesn't explain why I'm writing so many editorials at one time.  That's not a matter of getting ahead, but rather catching up!)