My Neighbor Ms. Lilly

It was a HOT day this summer when I met my neighbor Ms. Lilly. I was playing fetch with my dog Kumar in the back yard when I saw an older woman walking down the street with a cardboard box. It looked like she was selling something and in my “neighborly way” I avoided eye contact because I really didn’t want to be asked to purchase whatever goods she was selling. Despite my rudeness she called out to me anyway and I am so thankful she did.

“Excuse me; Do you know if the lady of the house Diane is home,” says Ms. Lilly.
“No Ma’m, she is out of town.” I answered as I made my way over to the fence where she was standing.
“Oh” Ms. Lilly disappointingly replied. “I wanted to give her some friendship bread.”

I looked into the box that at first I thought held things for sale and saw about half a dozen Ziploc bags of starter Amish Friendship Bread.

“Wow you have a lot of starters” I said to fill the air with words, because I didn’t know what to say.
“Yes, my daughter in-law gave me some and now I have starters but the problem is I don’t have anyone to give them to. What good is friendship bread without friends?” Ms. Lilly explained
“Would you like one?” Ms. Lilly asked.

She then ran home to get a sample of her bread so I would know how delicious it was. (And it was Yummy she had put cherries and walnuts in hers.:)

Here we had been living just a few yards apart but didn’t know each other’s names and never really talked except for the occasional wave and “good morning”. We hung out for about ½ and hour laughing over the funny things her grandkids did that week. We picked about 6 of Marshal’s overgrown cucumbers and she chuckled each time we found another HUGE cucumber hidden in all the vines and she proceed to lecture me about how I really should pick them before they get that big!

It was a simple exchange nothing big, but it was the start of a friendship.

Tonight Ms. Lilly was walking by again this time I got right up and went to the fence. We laughed about how we both gave up on the friendship bread and it was probably for the best health wise. She talked about how she wants to start walking and I asked her if she would like to walk with me sometimes. She agreed and thought that was a “splendid idea”  She talked about how she has lived here for 20 years and still doesn’t really know anyone. I hope that can begin to change.

I love Ms. Lilly’s honesty, her laugh and most of all her desire to be a neighbor. I have a feeling that there are many lessons up the road from this dear woman, I pray that I will have listening ears and that she will be encouraged and feel Christ’s love.