As the weather has been warming, our neighbors have been coming out of their homes.  They’ve been gardening, mowing lawns and taking long walks down the street. I must admit…I have only met two of our neighbors.  But, my goal this spring is to take some kind of goodie and make the rounds to introduce our family.

By nature, I’m not a very outgoing person, so meeting new people can be hard for me.  But, as I’m growing in my relationship with the Lord, I’m realizing that my life isn’t all about me! I’m asking Him for ways to serve Him and those around me…and He sure is showing me some ways to do that!

Why is it important to meet the neighbors?

1. You never know when you’ll need to borrow something.  (Ask me how I know!)

2. When you smile and wave at them, they won’t think you’re crazy.

3. You can actually say their name when shouting, “Good morning!”.

4. You can tell them about the Lord.

I’ve saved the best for last. We should have a heart to reach the lost and be the hands of Jesus to everyone we meet, but especially our neighbors.  Each of us probably have someone living nearby.

Did you ever stop to think that the Lord may have guided you to the house where you live as a missionary assignment?

Isn’t it amazing that a connection that started with a plate of cookies or a basket of fruit could end up with you being able to share the salvation that our gracious God has offered?

Sandy at Reluctant Entertainer always has great ideas for easy, friendly entertaining. Her post on The Blessing of Hospitality gives a wonderful example of how easy it can be to connect with your neighbors.

(You can read it here.)

Do you know your neighbors?  Do you have any tips for meeting them?  What would you take as welcome gift?

Lindsay has written such an encouraging post about Communing Daily with the Lord as a Mother. Go here to read it. It has been so encouraging to me. I believe it will be to you as well.

“ . . . I saw that the most important thing I had to do was to give myself to the reading of the Word of God and to meditation on it.”  –George Mueller, Delighted in God

We’ve been having some beautiful weather in the high 70′s this week in middle Tennessee.  It’s been lovely!

The trees and flowers are busting into bloom…but, unfortunately that’s not all that’s busting out.

Somehow the warm weather makes some women forget that parts of their bodies are to be kept to themselves!

So.. I’m reminding myself to make sure that what I wear reflects honor I want to give to the Lord.

(Thank you Sarah for sending this to me!)

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works”

1 Timothy 2:9 & 10

Photo credit: Pottery Barn

Ever wondered what life would be like in the perfect homes in the magazines? With spring cleaning going on for most of us (which seems to make more messes), those serene photos look even more appealing!

Catalog Living blog has made me laugh so many times at the hilarious captions that go along with our favorite catalogs. Click here to see what I’m talking about…

Since our family homeschools we read a lot of books.

No, really.

A LOT.

(Which is just fine by me. I even have my own bookshelf.) {wink}

I really enjoy reading about how women managed their households in the past.  They didn’t have all our modern conveniences, but they didn’t have all our modern temptations and challenges either.  But, even when I know that, I still sometimes feel like they were a better generation of women.  But, is that really true?

This article by Mrs. Eva H. sums up the whole question really well.

“Put your everyday pioneer woman in our modern supermarket again and try to tell her that we can’t just buy anything named “bread,” but that we need to read the labels to know what is actually in it.  Or that “whole wheat” doesn’t really mean whole wheat, and that those green beans are so sodium covered that it’s almost not worth it. Then there is the organic, which really just means that it was grown the way she would have grown it, but is so expensive that you can only afford certain items and then you should prioritize … never mind.  She would stare at you as if you come from another planet and wonder how you remember it all.  But we do.  Or we try.  As they tried.”

What do you think:  Is life easier for us then it was for our foremothers? Or is it just different?