I was about twelve years old. My new best friend and I were over at her neighbor's house - an elderly lady, sweet and gentle, head full of glorious white hair. We sat munching on goodies at her kitchen table; other neighborhood children came in and out of the house as they played in the yard and street. I will never forget a jar of candy she had on her windowsill. The candy itself is forgettable, mind you, but what I remember is the reason for that candy jar. That elderly lady, now with Jesus, promised a sweet treat to any child who could come and recite a Bible verse to her (and they did!). I thought then, and I think now - I 
want to be like that when I'm old and wrinkled and white-haired!
want to be like that when I'm old and wrinkled and white-haired!The memory of that afternoon and that candy jar came back to me today. We leave our door open when it's warm enough, and the girls play semi-freely in our tiny front yard. Though we are far different from our neighbors, I don't want those differences to isolate us or drive them away. I want to make it easy for Christ to touch their hearts through us (not that God needs my help, but I at least don't want to hinder!). Several weeks ago some of the neighborhood kids came over to play with our girls, and I happily passed out snacks, directing them to eat outside in the warm sunshine (momentary though it was!). Again today, door open, girls playing outside, neighborhood children (visiting their divorced father) come to play. This time one of them went straight to the fridge and another announced she was hungry. I quickly felt that strong, American urge for isolation and wanted to just lay on the couch and take a break from the day's chores, ignoring the neighbors and wrapping myself up in the quiet of my own home and its four walls. It's so much easier to tell the kids "not today" and to shut the door! And then I remembered the white-haired grandma with thick glasses and a candy jar. And I remembered that I want to share Christ with these children and that probably I shouldn't wait until I'm old and wrinkled to open the door to them, because if I did then probably by then they would know better and wouldnt' even bother to come knocking.
They were hungry and their father was asleep, and another little girl had been 
left home alone. So we made pizzas. And they got out all the play-dough and all the kitchen toys and one insisted on dessert (but she got a cheese stick and applesauce instead, oh, and some for her brother too) and another actually lost a tooth and we put it in a baggie ready for the tooth fairy.
left home alone. So we made pizzas. And they got out all the play-dough and all the kitchen toys and one insisted on dessert (but she got a cheese stick and applesauce instead, oh, and some for her brother too) and another actually lost a tooth and we put it in a baggie ready for the tooth fairy.And next time I'm setting out the candy jar.
6 comments:
If I were an old lady, I'd want to be like that too. I wonder if an old man might be acceptable?
I had a neighbor like that when I was a kid, only instead of candy, I got bread and butter. She made the best bread and butter in the world and no one could make it like she did, (I later learned she put a tad of suger on it to sweeten it up). I loved going over to her house.
Also, to put another side on it, I have a friend who has an across the street neighbor that was always at her house, and was always hungry. The neighbor is older then my friends kids, but still always seemed to be over. As the years have gone by, my friend got to know the family and it turned out that the girls mom never had food in the house and even when they went out to eat, she'd always have split the food with her mom, (and it wasn't because money was tight, the mom just spent money on other things like sports cars and vacations). Anyway, over the years, because of my friend, the neighbor girl is now a youth leader at church, (for which her mom all but disowned her for), and is going off to collage. My friend became like a second mom to her and was the one to have more influence then she could have ever thought she'd have.
I must have grown up in the skids...our neighbors were in no shape to offer us anything. I do remember my Nana's neighbor, Mrs. Smiley. (Yes, her real name.) We got to eat the honeysuckle flowers off her plants and pick the black-eyes Susans in her yard. She was a sweetheart!
That's how things SHOULD be if folks everywhere would just learn to trust each other again.
Yes, and the point is to share the love of Christ with them, and eventually the message of the gospel as well....not so easy...but life is short...2 kids agreed to go to church w/ us tomorrow...I hope they do...
Great stuff! Loved the old lady story. I used to walk to a nursing home for a package of gum from Mr. Anderson. Your post took me to a happy place.
Ruth, I have no doubt that you will be that old lady....without the gray hair. God has placed you there to be a light...and that is just what you are doing. it is amazing what little kids rememeber...even that little 3 year old will remember your kindness.
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