My Next Door Neighbor and My NextDoor App

As I was on my early morning walk yesterday, I saw neighbors putting up this Happy Birthday display for their neighbors across the street from them. Hello, blog for this day! Neighbors loving neighbors. Sound familiar?

I’m counting my blessings because I have next door neighbors who I think are on assignment as my guardian angels. They’re the kind of folks who go beyond the call of duty. They’re always looking out for me and checking on me. When I forget to let my garage door down, they are there. I like to think that I’m pretty good at reciprocating. I think we're doing a pretty good job of obeying Jesus’ important second commandment to the “T”: “‘You must love your neighbor as yourself”. Luke 10:27

Last week I talked about the blessing of the NextDoor app. If you’re in a neighborhood, It must be there for you, too! It’s a great online app where you can get recommendations for excellent doctors, lawn, irrigation, electrical and plumbing people. I asked if anyone had a bike I could purchase for my granddaughter and a sweet couple simply gave one they no longer used. I asked for boxes when my kids were moving and a neighbor had more than enough broken down and ready to go. It's also a "lost and found" blessing and we've used it to help us find our little 5-pound Yorkie, twice, when she sneaked out the door or yard.

Right now, there are Biden and Trump signs everywhere in my community. We may not agree on political candidates, but we definitely agree that relationships matter more than politics. We treat each other with respect, disagree agreeably (and often with humor). Neighbors loving neighbors.

Hands down, Jesus took neighboring to a whole new level when he talked about the Jewish man who had been beaten, robbed and left for dead by bandits and the only one to his rescue was the Samaritan (enemies to the Jews) who saw him and was moved with compassion. He took care of him to the point of paying for his care. Jesus’ answer to the scribe’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” was answered when He said, “Go and do what the Samaritan did.” When Jesus said, "neighbor", I think He was actually saying "our fellow man or woman". That is surely loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.

In these days, that’s a HUGE statement! It suggests that all of God’s children must be our neighbors and we must love them just as the Samaritan man did! In this time of deep political hostility, biased opinions, and debates about what's moral or immoral and what’s right and wrong, I’m confident that Jesus would still say the same thing today. So, then, the question really is: “Lord, there are so many that don’t agree with my philosophies, my faith, my values and my opinions, so then, WHO really is my neighbor?” I’m quite sure He’s responding "ALL MY KIDS are neighbors! After 2,000 years of Me telling you that…..nothing has changed in my record books. It’s STILL ‘Love your neighbors as you love yourselves!”"

L-O-V-E — that’s a 4-letter action word. And you know what? That “LOVE your neighbor” admonition doesn’t have UNLESS in it anywhere!

Were You There When Donald Trump Became President?

Yes, I was there -- glued to the returns that came in. Even my young grandchildren stayed up for the big announcement. The history books will long declare "Donald Trump became the 45th President-Elect of the United States of America on November 9th, 2016". Who woulda' thought that a real estate mogul, New York businessman, and the "You are fired" guy would be elected our President? One news commentator said, "This was the most astonishing campaign by an outsider who had relatively no political experience, but the people's voice was heard." How does that sound -- "The people's voice was heard"?

I stood in line for an hour and fifty minutes to vote in this unprecedented election because I wanted my voice to be heard. I have never seen anything like it. Apparently, it was a record turnout. I've never seen lines like I saw. It was worth the wait, because I met some really great people that were optimistic, positive and not complaining about the long wait at all. I saw people being pushed in their wheelchairs. I saw young moms with babies in strollers and pouch slings. They had children in tow and many were not too thrilled to be there. My "line" friends held my place while I went and held those moms' places so they could go change their diapers or to let their little one run around some. Though those children will not remember this day, their mommas will no doubt remind them, for many years to come, that they were there on this historic day -- the day "The people's voice was heard."

It sure has been a wild and crazy several months -- so much nonsense in words, deeds and actions by, not just the candidates but by those of us that somehow forgot God's desire for us to be lights in the middle of it all. We've had opportunities to exercise our patience, temperance, gentleness, joy, kindness and, most of all, our love. The question isn't how the candidates fared through it all....but "How did we handle ourselves as Christs' followers during this process?" Regardless of the side we were on, was God's light shining through us? Though "the people's voice was heard" -- was it the voice of goodness and mercy"?

Whether you are sad or glad about the outcome of this election, here's what matters most: God wasn't surprised by the winner. He is, after all, a KNOW-IT-ALL. He knew Donald Trump would be "the last man standing" here today. The best news is -- God is already King and HE REIGNS supreme — and He will work with our fragile, imperfect ways and bring calm to the chaos of our lives and our world. Now, may our voices of compassion and sensitivity be heard to our fellow man. May our voices declare "We are the UNITED States of America and UNITED we stand!"

Lots of folks had talked about going to Canada should Donald Trump become President. WOW!! Wonder why they didn't decide to go to a warmer place like the Bahamas, the Fiji Islands or Tahiti? Be careful little mouth what you say.....you just may have to eat those words someday! May our voices be heard around the world that ROCKS this WORLD with love that knows no bounds and may we get behind our new president in support and prayer.