Today, I just had to tell you about my neighbor. First let me say that we have great neighbors (3 out of 5 of our immediate neighbors are a lot of fun which in my mind is a pretty good ratio). We are involved in significant ways with the people who live next door to us, across the street from us and across the street and over one. We eat together, we help each other with projects and we just shoot the breeze whenever possible. We are really good shots.
I will deviate for just a moment from my point to make Greg jealous. Greg, I was helping the neighbor I want to talk about today move some shelves into his basement and what did I see? Yes, two guitar cases - an acoustic and an electric. Guess the make and model of the electric guitar? You got it, Gibson Les Paul — a moment of silence please.
Now back to the regularly scheduled thought. This same neighbor THE ONE WITH THE LES PAUL has a chocolate lab. He was going for a bike ride yesterday and had the dog riding in one of those carriers you attach to the back of the bike. Beth saw the antics from the kitchen window so naturally I ran out there to lob sarcastic remarks in his direction. The dog (about 6 months old) was living large. I know what he was thinking “Forget that fetch thing haul me around the neighborhood.” Either that or “food, mark territory, squirrel, food, mark territory, squirrel.”
He’s European (is that what you all do over there Brady?) and had a big laugh at himself vocalizing what the rest of the neighbors must have been saying about the “crazy European” at it again. He gardens without a shirt, in shorts and knee length rubber boots.
We’ve enjoyed our relationship with them and have been intentional in our spending time with them that through us they might see the Lord and come to know him. I’m planning to devote some more time next week writing about influencing other for Christ through intentional relational efforts.
Until then, have a good weekend and let’s see some pictures of Greg taking chipper for a ride on the back of his bike.
9 Responses to “Going To The Dogs”
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September 23rd, 2005 at 10:35 am
Wellllllll………..we leave the TV and a light on at home for Muffin. Her favorite place of abode is on an end table, underneath a lamp, in the den. We’ve allowed her to scratch up that piece of furniture. You just don’t chastise an 18-year old cat! If either of us could ride a bike (I never learned), and if she wanted to ride, I’m sure one of us would take her!
September 23rd, 2005 at 10:56 am
We are blessed with wonderful neighbors too. I grew up thinking that I would borrow power tools and eggs from my next-door neighbor. But the only think I occasionally borrow is his high-speed wireless connection.
I’m looking forward to your thoughts on intentionality. Intentionalness. Intentialosity?
I’m looking forward to your thoughts.
September 23rd, 2005 at 11:14 am
I like the “intentional relations” phrase you coined. Or maybe you borrowed it.
Anyway, your comment about showing/sharing Christ with neighbors is convicting. It reminded me of my preference for missionary work in such heathen environs like Papua New Guinea over, say, the family down the block.
As for Europeans, I’ve found them to be just like us, only more so.
September 23rd, 2005 at 11:17 am
We found out what wonderful neighbors we had during the 3 hurricanes we experienced last year. In fact, our neighbor across the street was the hero of the block because he had a large hydraulic dump trailer. His dump trailer quickly made us the envy of the county dump every time we showed up with a trailer load of hurricane debris. While other poor slobs were dragging, pulling, and throwing out their debris from their trailers by the sweat of their brow, we were hooking up a joystick to a battery and complaining about the “blisters on our fingers” the use of the joystick was causing as the hydraulic cylinder did all the work for us. It pays to be on good relations with your neighbors.
September 23rd, 2005 at 11:21 am
By the way, I just revisited your blog to make use of its link to West Cocoa Chat. For a moment, I got the “archives” confused with the “previous posts” and thought that there was somebody out there with a blog titled “Our Church Stinks.”
Hey, at least you’d have something to post every day without thinking too hard.
September 23rd, 2005 at 12:06 pm
One of the greatest blessings in life is that of good neighbors. I had a similar Les Paul experience here when I walked across the street to a yard sale, not so much to buy anything as to just introduce myself. The lady had an old black guitar case in the back of her garage. I asked if it were for sale, she told me, “Absolutely not!” It contained an old Les Paul that she said was worth LOTS of money. I suppose so, as she would not even let me see inside the case!
Chipper on a bike? We’ve tried riding a bike while walking her on a leash and that was disastrous. We didn’t make it three doors away from the house and she’d already caused us to have about six spills. But if any dog deserved to be treated like that, it would certainly be Chipper!
You almost got me more excited about the “chocolate lab” and then I realized you were referring to a dog!
September 23rd, 2005 at 2:52 pm
o.k. I did think he had a Chocolate Lab…I mean…that was his job…a Chocolate Scientist. What a dream job.
Thanks, Greg, for clearing that up for me.
September 24th, 2005 at 8:45 am
Our neighbors have recently commented that they love having us next door. Their criteria: we do not bother them ever. Apparently, for them, the ideal neighbor is no neighbor at all.
Must increase decibel output…
September 24th, 2005 at 4:25 pm
The only “bad” neighbor we have on our circle happens to live on the west side of our home. She is from Trinidad. Someone once told me that the women from Trinidad are very territorial. I don‚Äôt know if that is true for all ‚ÄúTrinidadians‚Äù but I do know this one is. During the fires of 98 that rampaged up and down our coast, she called the police on me on July 4th. I was out side grilling burgers on my (Hank Hill imitation voice being used) ‚Äúpropane‚Äù grill. I noticed her looking at me so I waved. She yelled back, ‚ÄúI‚Äôm calling the police.‚Äù I thought she was joking so I yelled back something to the effect of ‚ÄúThey won‚Äôt be that bad.‚Äù
About 20 minutes later a Brevard County Deputy pulled up in my driveway. He was looking for the “open fire” I was using to grill the burgers. That was the reason my neighbor gave the police dispatcher for the call. We were in such a drought that anybody using an open pit or outside fire probably would have been summarily hauled off to jail. The deputy asked me to show him the open fire I was using so I pointed at my gas grill. His face turned red as Bill Clinton attempting to tell the truth. (sorry for the southern post modern humor) He made a beeline for my neighbor and summarily (apparently my word of the day) told her that he would take great delight in taking her to jail if she ever made such a bogus call to the police again.
On the good side, she has since warmed up to us and even brought over some extra fireworks this past July 4th. Come to think of it, I should have called the police on her! Just kidding. Have a good weekend my blog brothers and sisters.