Monday, April 25, 2011

Easter and an Invitation to New Friendships

Easter, for my husband and I, was going to be a quiet dinner after church, and a few phone calls with loved ones. But, a neighbor with a tender heart changed our plans on Saturday afternoon.

While I was at the market my husband called to ask if I would like to go to our neighbors home for Easter dinner. Well, this was a very unusual turn of events for us. It seems our neighbor came to the door to invite us to their family meal, which was going to be a potluck involving many people. Two of the people were the son and daughter-in-law of our neighbors, who are new attenders at the same church we attend, so this was going to be a great opportunity to get to know them better, as well. I said that I would love to go.

Then, of course, my next thought was, "what do I plan to take at this late date". Stacy didn't ask us to bring anything, but when my husband went to their home to give our acceptance he asked what we could bring and called me back. I was buying produce at that moment so the thought of a fruit salad sounded like a good idea. Fruit is always a good idea for a potluck.

We had such a wonderful time with this family. A very special blessing in it for us was the fact that many of our neighbors family members also live in the same subdivision, so we were meeting other neighbors.

Our hearts were really touched by this wonderful act of kindness. Inviting others into our home for meals has been a cornerstone of our marriage and home, especially as ministry, with very little reciprocation. We have found that people tend to be afraid to extend an invitation to anyone but very close friends and family. We people like to stay safe. But, how many opportunities for new relationships do we miss by staying safe? It was wonderful to be on the receiving end this time. Have a blessed day!

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