Compassionate Neighbors of JOY

On Tuesday I posted about the bad storm which had come through our area the night before. It blew down huge trees and destroyed many limbs from our pine trees which surround our yard.  My husband and I had no idea how and when we were going to be able to get all the debris cleaned from our yard.  (He's a CPA, so this is his busiest time of year....working from before the sun comes up until waaaay after the sun goes down.)  We'd really not even had time to think about who, how and when we were going to tackle this unwelcome project.  But GOD already knew all the details.

Yesterday, while working on an "inside project", I heard the roar of machinery in my yard. When I peeked out the window, I saw two trucks, a tractor and a small bulldozer moving toward the downed trees. "Where did they come from?" I was asking myself.  As the lead truck stopped and the door opened, I saw one of our neighbors stepping out of the vehicle.  And then I began to recognize other members of his family and a couple of his farm workers.  He had seen our need and had come to take care of it! Now, isn't that a wonderful, compassionate neighbor of JOY??????

He didn't wait to be asked (we would NOT have asked and he knew it); he saw a need, had the resources to do it, made the time to help a neighbor.  I was so touched by his goodness.  The guys worked most of the afternoon with chain saws and all the large equipment they brought.  What a sacrifice!

As they were leaving, I ran to tell them "Thank You".   They acted as if it were "no big deal".  But, I'm telling you, it WAS a big deal to me!  It would have taken us weeks...maybe longer...to get those big trees removed from our yard.  Yet, these friends came to our aid, expecting nothing in return.  They would have preferred that I had not even be home to "catch" them in the act of doing this good deed.  They truly were Good Samaritans in my book....loving their neighbor as Christ instructs.

Do I always show my love for my neighbors?  Those who live close,as well as all those God brings into my path daily.  Neighbors don't necessarily have to be those who live in your neighborhood, you know.  Let's ask God to show us someone today that needs a "good neighbor".  May we have the opportunity to share Christ's love and JOY with them.  (MY neighbors are good examples of that! For them I am JOYfully thankful!)