Please Pass the Salt

It's a dreary morning here. The forecast said sunny and warm for today. This is NOT what I pictured. But it's okay. I hadn't told the kids that I was thinking it would be a good day for a picnic in the park, yet. So they have nothing to be disappointed about and I'll enjoy my second cup of coffee (it really should have a sweet pastry something to accompany it but apparently the baker around here has been busy somewhere else. too bad!)

We participated in our first School Fundraiser Auction over the weekend. Since it's our first year at the school we didn't really know what to expect or where to plug in with our volunteering. We (Garry and I) decided to each sign up for one time slot, he choose the Chicken BBQ on Friday evening and I decided I could probably handle a couple of hours at the bake stand. (Note to self--Good choice! Selling whoopie pies and homemade bread requires a lot less energy at 7:30 a.m. than serving up made-to-order omelets. Additional note to self--Get there in time to enjoy one of those omelets before your volunteer shift next year.)

part of my contribution to the bake sale

One of my goals for the weekend was to use this chance to get to know some of the other patrons. Since T is in 5th grade there aren't a lot of parent volunteer opportunities in his classroom and I haven't been able to meet many of his friends and their families. The Bake Stand turned out to be a great chance to do just that.  I got to work with a few of the other Moms and since we weren't all that busy it gave me a chance to get to know them a bit. Plus I got a chance to meet lots of friendly shoppers. If I had a dollar for every person who came up to me and said something like "Hi, you're our new neighbors aren't you? We live just up the road and we see your kids get off the bus," Or "Aren't you the people that just moved in close to us? We saw you out working in the yard," I could have bought one of those delicious looking strawberry pies I was selling to everyone else.

ongoing yard project--mentioned above--I think they'll have plenty to watch for a long time

So it seems, that we are being watched. Yeah, that's a little unnerving but we do live right along the road at a fairly well known intersection in our little town so I guess it's to be expected. And then after the auction on Saturday my hubs came home to mow our needs-it-badly yard. We've been having all sorts of trouble with our mower this spring and he spent the whole afternoon trying to get it started again with no luck. Finally about 5:00 the neighbor across the street came over with his very nice John Deere mower and offered it to us. His words "It's been 2 weeks, it's time to get it mowed now." Wow, I didn't realize there was a lawn code in the neighborhood, or that they were keeping track for us. :o) Don't get me wrong, it was a very kind offer and much appreciated for sure!  But it's made me realize just how much we are being watched. Not just how my yard looks but how my children are behaving (or not) while they are playing in the yard. And even more important how I am dealing with those children when they are behaving or NOT.

 Are we as a family "salting" our little part of the world? Are we preserving kindness, honesty, integrity,  'treating others as we want to be treated,' patience, love, joy and the like, around here? Are we flavoring our neighborhood with a good flavor? Or have we lost our "saltiness?" Have we forgotten what's really important in life? Have we left bad habits take over and unchecked responses slip out? Am I  too busy with the urgent (weeds to pull, dinner to make, laundry to finish) that I forget to take time for the important (swings to push, little 'helpers' who make things take twice as long, patience to teach and not just correct.)

The chorus to a song I learned as a child has been spinning through my head all week.

Somebody follows you, Watching the things you do.

Walk in the Light and be pure in His sight.

Somebody follows you.

It doesn't matter where you are, who you are, or what stage of life you're in. There is always someone 'following' you. Someone watching to see if your walk and your talk are gonna add up. Maybe even someone who wants to be 'just like you.' Remember to guard your heart, watch your steps and keep your salt shaker ready!

You are the salt of the earth. Matthew 5:13