What's on my heart today.....

What is on my heart today.........the day that we set aside to show those that we love how much we care....

For the past few days, this is what has been on my heart:

"Love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27b

For me, it's been speaking to the literal sense of 'neighbor', those in the houses that surround my home. We live in a nice neighborhood. We have good neighbors. Most all are friendly and will help out when asked. The burden.........few that we regularly inneract with are church goers. Their children, who play with our children, are not being shown and taught the things that we are modeling and teaching our children. While I believe some know our Lord, He is not lived out in their lives and He is not actively taught and sought in their homes.

Later today, I will be talking with a neighbor, who has become a good friend, about concerns we have with her son. He and J play together all the time and have become good buds. He is 18 months younger than J, one grade level behind him.

The problem: some words and talk that we deem 'inappropriate'. I'll clarify, not 'bad', just not helpful, repsectful, uplifting, encouraging,etc. (Thus the focus of our family memory verse right now that I included in the side bar!) J has repeated things and we have continually been having talks with him about how we are to use our mouths. We are encouraging him to be bold, to take a stand, and ask this friend to leave, or him to come home, when he knows his speech is unacceptable. Today, I will address this with my friend. Will I be bold? Will I take that stand? Will I fully explain to her why these things are not acceptable around our child, in our home, and in the sight of the Lord?

Our house may be one of the few, or only, places some of these kids see and hear Jesus. My heart is burdened to be that witness to them and thier families. To show that love that is commanded.

*Update: (I believe I should have made it clear before that my son is not innocent of all offenses etiher!!) Our talk went great! My friend and her husband have the same concerns that we do, for many of the same reasons. I shared some scriptures that apply to the situation, was able to tell her a bit about where Coach is coming from in working with J on "Raising a Modern Day Knight", and her son even brought J an apology note for something he had said the other day! I'll continue to pray that one day they will accept our invitation to visit our church. Their kids have been involved in activities and programs there so, that is a start!