Years ago, we decided to be intentional about creating community and developing relationship with the people around us ... As with most good intentions, we had no idea what this would look like, we really just wanted to be good neighbors. We also had no idea what a HUGE blessing it is to truly engage in one's community.
Some highlights of the "community" we've experienced on Seymour Street: We know all the people immediately surrounding our home, we've celebrated ups and downs, had laughs and shared some good discussions - even poetry!! Tears, laughter, karaoke, wine, board games, even at times conflict - we've experienced so much with our neighbors here!
We've taken neighborhood kids on road trips, to church, to youth group, out for ice cream, on bike rides, gone to their sports activities. We've babysat and helped with homework. Some kids have become like our own, and we couldn't love them more if there was a biological connection. Some neighbors have become friends we know we'll treasure forever, friends who will call for advice at 7am, knowing full well we're still asleep (because they can see that no lights are on yet!), but knowing that it's okay to call anyway.
Most of our neighbors know that we have an open door policy, because they've heard us say over and over that our home is their home, so they walk right in - if we have company, they visit for awhile, if we're eating, they join us, and if we're having a tense family moment, they might get an earful just for having bad timing.
When we asked God to teach us about community, to break down our walls - the ones that made us want to protect ourselves rather than extend ourselves - we didn't envision or anticipate the depth of what has evolved over that past few years ... in a house we didn't really want to buy!!
Tonight we sold our little house on Seymour Street. We're hoping to meet the new folks who will live in this house, we've already invited them for coffee, - within minutes after the deal was signed.
We want them to know what a gift they're being given - they're receiving so much more than a house!
We look forward to building community in our new home....
Some highlights of the "community" we've experienced on Seymour Street: We know all the people immediately surrounding our home, we've celebrated ups and downs, had laughs and shared some good discussions - even poetry!! Tears, laughter, karaoke, wine, board games, even at times conflict - we've experienced so much with our neighbors here!
We've taken neighborhood kids on road trips, to church, to youth group, out for ice cream, on bike rides, gone to their sports activities. We've babysat and helped with homework. Some kids have become like our own, and we couldn't love them more if there was a biological connection. Some neighbors have become friends we know we'll treasure forever, friends who will call for advice at 7am, knowing full well we're still asleep (because they can see that no lights are on yet!), but knowing that it's okay to call anyway.
Most of our neighbors know that we have an open door policy, because they've heard us say over and over that our home is their home, so they walk right in - if we have company, they visit for awhile, if we're eating, they join us, and if we're having a tense family moment, they might get an earful just for having bad timing.
When we asked God to teach us about community, to break down our walls - the ones that made us want to protect ourselves rather than extend ourselves - we didn't envision or anticipate the depth of what has evolved over that past few years ... in a house we didn't really want to buy!!
Tonight we sold our little house on Seymour Street. We're hoping to meet the new folks who will live in this house, we've already invited them for coffee, - within minutes after the deal was signed.
We want them to know what a gift they're being given - they're receiving so much more than a house!
We look forward to building community in our new home....
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