Where Loving Our Neighbour Starts

After a very restless night I woke to the alarm, remembering that I was babysitting all day. For most of the day it was a four-year-old then pick up three more children from school till either mum or dad arrived around 5pm.

The little one first had breakfast (maybe a second one) and then helped me put on a few loads of washing. Then we drove to the shops to buy food for the weekend for an event the Ministry was putting on.

We stopped and bought a hotdog and drink, taking our time sitting at a bench. Abigail was enjoying her hotdog and chatting away to me about stuff. I had to smile because at one stage, as I was staring into space, she waved her hand in front of my eyes and said, “hello!” I needed to get moving or the tiredness was going to set in.

We got home and sat and watched a cartoon then went and picked up her brothers and sister. After having afternoon tea, we continued making our fortresses and houses from last week out of cardboard boxes and tape. The boys even made cardboard swords and shields.

The play acting was cute but so different between the two boys and two girls. I had no suggestions for them other than helping them cut some of the cardboard and how to cut and use the tape to keep it all together.

For an hour and a half, they were so occupied that they did not want to leave when dad arrived. They complained that “they had not finished!” I calmed the storm by telling them we can finish them off next week. I will keep them for them.

It brought back memories of my houses made out of chairs and blankets. Your imagination takes over and normally is enjoyable by all.

All it cost me was $2.50 for masking tape, for the boxes were left over in the garage from when we had unpacked when we moved house.

What memories do you have that brought you joy as a child? It is good to reminisce and be grateful for those times.

It teaches you to share, be generous and kind to your siblings because we had to take turns in using that all important masking tape.

Abigail, the little one, then wanted her older brother to make her a sword and shield. Again, the kindness was displayed.

Loving our neighbour often starts within our family and if not our earthly family but in our Christian community family.

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Where were you first taught to share, care and be kind to others?

How have you been able to instil these traits in your own family? Or have you been able to pass these on to others?

How do you think learning these traits from young helps someone to love their neighbour?