Life is Good in the Neighborhood – part 1

By Pam Shavey 

A year and a half ago we moved to a house in the Ballard area.  After having lived in the U-District, I wasn’t sure what to expect and how high to hope in regards to neighbors.  I have been pleasantly surprised. 
Now anyone who knows me, knows how much I love being outside but I have come to really enjoy being outside and looking for our neighbors and seeing which ones I will be able to talk with each day.  I am enjoying seeing whom the Lord brings across our path each day. 

For example, one day recently I was in the front yard gardening and 2 of the neighborhood kids stopped by to chat for about 15 minutes.  A 10-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl.  My 3 boys were napping so there wasn’t much exciting going on but they Hunter and Jenna - just wanted to talk.

Another day, I was outside with our 3 boys Luke (4), Chase (3), and Quinn (11 months) and our neighbor Chris, 13, and some other neighborhood kids stopped by to play in our driveway.  Seemingly out of the blue Chris said, “I decided to get baptized.  I am not sure what the priest will say though because I am an atheist.”  WHAT?  What was that I just heard?

Side bar - A few years back I read a book titled, “Finding Common Ground,” by Tim Downs.  The premise of the book is, “how to communicate with those outside the Christian community while we still can.”  At different points the past few years I have chewed and wrestled with different thoughts from this book. 

Now back to all the activity going on in our yard, as I have been chewing on an idea from the book about love and justice needing to be in proper balance, Tim Downs speaks of love asking the question, “what does this person most need from me right now.”  Then about justice he asks the question, “What does God expect of me in this situation?  What ought I do or say?”  So, how can I have love and justice in proper balance as I garden and watch my boys play?

I haven’t figured it all out but I feel I got a little glimpse of things a week ago.  I have been thinking about what is different at our house than at their houses what specific things.  It seems to me that the love aspect is showing them what is different in our house; to really love them, to listen to them, to be a sort of older sister I suppose.  The justice has come more from my husband as he has seen the kids speaking in inappropriate language or the boys not treating the girls respectfully; Gary has been able to speak kindly and address the issue while he is playing catch with the boys.

And then again the other day I found myself outside around 7pm with Gary, my boys and 6 other kids (riding bicycles, scooters, and roller blades).  We usually go inside by 7:30 to get ready for bed but I knew we had to make the most of the opportunity to love our neighbors! 

Zoe (7), Adler (10) and Chris (13) were all rollerblading so I pulled out my rollerblades (that I haven’t been on in 4 years!!) and started going in circles around our driveway with them.  It was awesome!!  They wanted me to keep going and going with them and Zoe wanted me to hold her hand the whole time.  Luke and Chase rode razors around that they had borrowed from Adler and all the kids stopped by to talk with Quinn.  Gary played catch with the boys.

I struggled with what to say to them but the Lord was gracious in helping me to think of conversations and to break out of my awkward feelings! We talked about ice cream flavors, what we like best about summer and band-aids (as I also ended up cleaning 2 cuts and put band-aids on them both!)

I want to share Christ with Zoe, Jenna, Adler, Chris and all the rest of them!  I want my boys to watch us interact with our neighbors and for them to love on our neighbors.  I don’t know all the answers but I pray that God would continue to help me chew on the principles from “Finding Common Ground” and on principles from His word.

I look forward to telling you more about this journey the Lord is taking me on next month.