Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Small Town News and Neighborly Love


I love our small town
One of my favorite things about living in a small town is the superb news system. . .
 
Of course, we read the newspaper every evening, just like we did when we lived in a big city. But our rural news service is just as reliable, and a bushel more interesting.

Frieda hears a siren and rushes to the window. “It’s goin’ south, Henry. Call Dallas and see what’s come over the scanner.”
Henry comes back from his phone call and says, “There’s a fire out back of Kelly’s Market.”

“Oh, no!” shrieks Frieda, “that’s where Louise works. I’d better call the prayer chain, the bereavement dinner committee, and the pastor.”
 
Our cooks are the best!
By that evening, four casseroles, two salads—one green, one carrot/raisin—and three cobblers jostle for position on Louise’s kitchen counter. Her husband, Chuck, is exhausted from answering the phone and the doorbell all day, explaining to friends from the church that Louise is not hurt.
 
“It was only a grease fire on the stove in the lunchroom, because Charlie Dickens turned his back on his bacon while it was frying. But thanks for the food—we’ll return your container at church on Sunday.”

I said it was reliable and interesting. I never said it was accurate. But I’ll trade it any day for the huge malls, scores of restaurants and every movie star in the big city. None of them can compare with people who love their neighbors.
 
I'll trade every mall in America
for people who love their neighbors
And based on Jesus’ thoughts about neighborliness, I have a feeling that our news system makes Him right proud.
Do you live in a large city, a small town, or somewhere in between? How is your "news" service?

7 comments:

  1. I do! Live in a small town, that is, and I like it.

    I like this post, too. :)

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  2. LOL Our town in PA is just like this. I loved it. I miss it. What I'm finding is people try to do that where they go. This gated community I'm in is very similar in some ways but not. I will always take a small town over the city!

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  3. We live rurally, outside a moderately small town that is considered to be in the suburbs of a big city... Vancouver, BC. How's *that* for a mixed up lifestyle? :D I love it. My parents moved from Vancouver to live in a very small town many years ago, and I remember my mother complaining that "everyone knows everything about everybody"; she hated the lack of privacy. I guess some people are meant for small town living, and some are not.

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  4. Hi Jeanette! I live in a 'somewhere in between' city. If I need to know anything, I know who to ask! I loved how your town's people leap to action to help though. That is so darn kind. I don't think you'd see that in many middle-size of big towns. I will say that my church community is 'right there' when needed though.
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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  5. Jeanette: We live in an almost "somewhere in between" city. If something happens at our church and a request is made to start the prayer chain, our 'one call' system can call 200 or so people in a matter of a few minutes. One of our ladies is in the hospital again with further issues about her surgeries she keeps needing to have since last July. She wen to the hospital last Friday. On Sunday, those in our 8:30 service all groaned in unison to hear that this lady had another backset. I heard the 10:30 service people had the same reaction.

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  6. Sounds like my kind of place!

    We live in a small town that is close to a university. The university swells the neighboring town's population to what I'd consider "in-between," but in the warmer months, things go back to quiet and normal.

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