75 cents worth of service

75 cents won't buy much these days, but look what it scored me yesterday at Walmart...

Granted they were 75 cents each, but all the other small and not nearly as cute and cheery-colored pots were $3+ each, so 5 pots for less than $4 made my day...it's really the small things, people! :)

These were just perfect for the little "happies" I had in mind as I attempt to live out Philippians 2:3-4. (If you read my last post I'm trying to serve at least 1 family member, 1 friend, and 1 stranger each week--a little plan to help me ditch the good intentions and actually get on with being less me-focused and more others-focused. 

So these pots plus some left over vinca plants (that I've had sitting lonely on the patio since I planted our front flower beds a month ago!), a little ribbon, and a note helped me get of my comfortable box, over my silly fear and go introduce myself to our neighbors. Yes, that's right, I said "introduce." We've lived in our house for three years (!) now, and I have yet to take time to meet, let alone get to know, anyone on our street except for our next door neighbors on our right. Shameful.Pathetic.Ridiculous.that my neighbors fall into this "stranger" category as I seek to serve people. I'm praying for courage, and to be honest, simply the desire to really reach out and care for those outside of my "normal" sphere.

After I play out several inane scenarios in my head, I convince myself of three things: my neighbor really can't be that scary, I can stand awkwardness for 5 minutes, and seriously, who would refuse a flower in a cute-even-if-it-was-only-75-cents-pot?

Time to dig in.    

I drag myself out the door feeling like I've got fifty pound weights on my ankles, and you know what? My-82-years-old-two-doors-down-neighbor was not at all scary, the awkwardness lasted less than a minute, and she happily accepted the card and little potted plant as she graciously invited me in to chat for a few minutes.

Yes, I know stopping by to say hi and deliver a plant seems simple and insignificant as far as "serving" someone goes, but I'm praying that this small step will just be the first step in developing a friendship with this lady, getting to know her, and being able to find more ways to serve and show her Christ's love.

Now I've got 4 plants left and more stranger-neighbors to visit...