I totally didn't go on the bouncy castle after church this morning, well not until I'd intimidated the little kids off of it first; I was only thinking of them I wouldn't have wanted to land on them.
Our church hosted a Big Lunch where we invited the families from the toddler group and coffee shop to join us, and after the service we had face painting, pool tournament, balloon modelling, loom bands and the aforementioned bouncy castle!
The idea behind it is to build community and for neighbours to get together with each other in their streets and share lunch together and bond I guess! It's true not many neighbourhoods do this, I know in our street we had a shindig for the Queens jubilee as did most of the country, but aside from that I can probably count on one hand the times since then I've had a conversation with any of my neighbours.
This was highlighted to me last week as I watched the final episode of Benefits Street, seen by some as 'poverty porn', to me I saw people who cared about each other and looked out for one another and actually knew their neighbours and their needs. None more so than Julie's friend Sue, who went door to door collecting loose change from the residents to pay for Santa and his reindeer to visit Kingston Road, and in particular Julie's severely disabled son Regan. Remember, this is Benefits Street, most of the people featured were unemployed, scraping money together to feed metres, but they were more than happy to donate to see Regan's dream realised, because they knew him and they cared.
It may be because they aren't rushing off to work each morning that they are able to forge these bonds, but I started to feel sad that in my street would I be aware of someone genuinely in need, and if I was would I do something about it?
It's somewhat easy to offer hospitality to the community from the security of our church and that's definitely a good thing to do, but how can we, if we live in a street where most head off to work daily, build a rapport with our neighbours in which we can understand their needs and offer that hospitality where needed?
Good week this week, lovely weather, kids happy, ice cold beers - oh except for my neighbours who posted on facebook about their desparation of being in a house without any. so I said to my husband pop across with a couple of beers, I was then really confused as to why he got in his car - they only live opposite us. Then my daughter guessed he was going to his friends house who has the same name as our neighbour, while we cringed with embarassment at what we forsaw as the unfolding scene, hubby drove back in and said "which Rich did you mean?" phew! Neighbours relieved, no-one embarassed, beers all round.
I posted earlier posted earlier in the week about a fab song that came on the radio, it was so good I have included it today as well, but with a different video, I love it when you call, so if you bothered to look at the first one and think, well I've seen that one I won't click - think again. I would hate to be too repetative.
Lastly I listened to a podcast By Tim Lucas from liquid church earlier in the week about embracing the new chapters in your life, and how it is hard to let go of the old chapters but sometimes you just need faith to trust God to take you to new beginings, then a friend sent me an email of the word for today which told of how Naomi thought she couldn't go on, but God had bigger and better plans for her. I am really feeling that at the moment, I am approaching a big change, I think I know what God is placing on my heart to do and I am really trying to follow through with it, starting at home first (maybe a future post on that to come) Anyhow I think for now the appropriate worship song is who is there like you because it has the phrase 'your power at work in me, is changing me.
I know God has and will continue to change me!
Have a blessed weekend everyone!
