Doing God's Work

All summer my granddaughter, Paige, and I have shared our Fridays with a few of the neighborhood Fort Town children and their parents/grandparents.  It all started because one of the fathers was taking Fridays off during the summer and suggested the kids go to the pool or park or some place every week.  For the most part we had 100% attendance, but as the summer days came to a close, we gradually fell apart as a group.  It was the natural course of things.

Kim, Melanie, Jeff, Donna, Noah, Me (back) and Madison, Paige,
and Jossalyn (front)

As much fun as it was for the children, swimming, hiking, tie-dying t-shirts, going to Pump It Up, eating out at Burger King, playing games outdoors and doing crafts indoors when it was too hot outside, it was also a bonding time for the adults.  The three women in the group promised Jeff’s wife Kim that we would not start playing poker using coupons as chips as Michael Keaton’s character in “Mr. Mom” did in that classic movie.  Jeff’s military and Boy Scouts background was an asset to our group.  Their son Noah, being the only boy in the group was such a gentleman with the three girls, always being positive and not complaining.  Melanie, Madison’s mother stepped away from her role as my Girl Scout assistant leader and became the young mother (my daughter’s age) who lives next door.  And Donna, Jossalyn’s “Nanna” and unofficial grandmother, who lives across the street from Paige, had so much fun that she participated even when Jossalyn (who is two) fell asleep.

When Noah and Madison went back to school Paige and I invited Jossalyn and Donna to come for lunch at my house for one final gathering.  The girls dressed up and had macaroni and cheese, green beans, grapes, and crackers (Paige planned their meal); while Donna and I had chicken salad and tortilla soup with the last of my homegrown lettuce and tomatoes.  Paige baked brownies with her other grandmother the day before and shared them with us for dessert.

Donna and I talked about how great our neighborhood is; she living a street over from her daughter and son-in-law and me living six houses down from Paige.  It’s a great mix of old and young.  The only negative is the huge proportion of rent houses.  I say negative because renters tend to not take care of their yards and many do not speak English (most are East Indian).  But we both try to be kind and speak to our neighbors even when they don’t respond in like.  I wave to every car I pass and speak to anyone walking by my house; Donna is the same.  It’s what neighbors do, no matter what race or religion.

Last month a neighbor around the corner from Donna died of cancer, and then a week later her husband died leaving a mentally challenged grown son who had to move in with an aunt across town.  The family had an estate sale and the house was emptied, foreclosed on and is currently vacant.  It made me sad that I didn’t know them.

After lunch, we took the girls and walked down the street to visit another couple who live two doors down from Paige.  He is elderly and yet quite active currently painting with acrylics, in their lovely “Florida” room, beautiful scenes as well as adorable pictures for their grandchildren who live in Chattanooga.  In the corner of their huge kitchen is a miniature electric train set with at least two, maybe three tracks with villages, trees, buildings, etc.  Paige and Jossalyn climbed up on chairs and were mesmerized.  His wife, Joanne, Donna and I mostly watched John’s eyes shine as he entertained the children.

It was a grand way to end our neighborhood Friday Ft. Town gatherings.  But does it have to end?  Maybe; maybe not.  The children are closer and the adults and their families have grown closer and by example we invited into our group other neighbors.  Who’s to say we don’t find creative ways to keep on gathering.  Hey there is a neighborhood garage sale coming up September 8^th and of course Halloween is always a fabulous experience in our neighborhood.  The real challenge is to not lose touch with each other and those who touched our lives, and that includes the renters, the new neighbors, the older couples, the single moms, and the grandchildren being raised by their grandparents.

There is always time to do God’s work.