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The Chase is on: Help From a Neighbor
by Nancy Quinn I had moved away from home and unfortunately missed the excitement my mom had one day at home. She came home from shopping one afternoon and put her bags on the kitchen counter. She looked up to see the lamp in the living room fall with a crash; some unseen visitor was in the house! Stealthily, she tiptoed through the house to find the culprit and suddenly saw a flash of fluffy black tail. A black squirrel had somehow gotten inside through the fireplace and decided to gleefully run amuck through the house. She opened the front door, hoping that magically he would discover it and leave on his own while she checked each room carefully and closed each door. Hmm, all was quiet; he must have left. Coming home the next day, she discovered her new friend had a sweet tooth. He decided to eat half of the sweet roll that was on the counter left over from breakfast. Another search found the little darling was a scholar as well, and had taken a liking to the bookshelves. He was determined to enjoy his new home, so she called the town hall in our little town in Iowa and three men decided to be heroes. Someone got the brilliant idea to push the books against the back of the bookcase and get the squirrel when he jumped over the books. Soon the chase was on and a triumphant hunter carried the culprit outside in the fishing net where he was released in the yard and immediately raced to the bird bath to wash down his sweet roll breakfast! Ah, the antics of small town life where everyone is your neighbor and helps without hesitation, even arriving armed with a fishing net! Whether you live in a small town or a massive city, I encourage you to follow the Lord's instructions and love your neighbor too. The Lord commands us to love others as ourselves, and it's not just limited to the "neighbors" in close proximity to you; it refers to everyone. Wow, everyone is my neighbor! From the clerk at the grocery store to the homeless man lying on a park bench in a city, I encourage you seek out your neighbors with a smile and the love of Christ today! Proverbs 3:28 "Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and tomorrow I will give it--when you have it with you" Matthew 19:19 "Honor your father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself." Luke 10:35-37 "And the next day he took out two denarii [two day's wages] and gave [them] to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I [myself] will repay you when I return. Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?' He answered, 'the one who showed pity and mercy to him'. And Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise.'" May God bless these words as I strive to encourage others in their walk with Christ. Please contact me if you would like to request a specific lesson that Lucy Mouse can teach your children or if you would like a coloring page to be sent to match the story! Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |