NEW NEIGHBORS

Well, as some of you already know, there have been four houses for sale around mine this summer. I am happy to let everyone know that Larry and Margo have moved and we have new neighbors moving in. This is an exciting time for us. The word on the street is that they have two kids, 2nd and 4th grades. I'm really glad that Larry and Margo were finally able to lease the house so they could all get back together in Flower Mound. We are ready to welcome in the new family.

I also recently made a huge breakthrough with one set of neighbors. After two and a half years of attempting everything short of knocking on their front door, I finally met Terrence. It doesn't always come fast or easy, but it will happen.

A couple of years ago I began suffering from what I call, "neighbor anxiety." You know the feeling...when your hands get sweaty and your mouth dries out at the thought of going over and meeting someone new, especially a neighbor. That's when you have to buckle down and muster up the courage to...lick your palms! Okay, maybe that doesn't solve everything, but I have found a series of discussion starters to help ease the tension of that moment. I call them FIRE Starters.

F - Family: everyone always love to talk about their families...maybe not parents, but their kids are great discussion points.
I - Interests: what sorts of things interest you? Find common interests and log them in your mind.
R - Religious Background: not intended to be the first one used because that would screw up the acronym. Remember:: Seek first to understand not be understood.
E - Experiences: find out some of the best vacations, craziest dates, best moments with the kids, etc.

All four elements are intended to be used over time. Remember, these are your neighbors and most likely they are not going anywhere. Don't use all of your discussion starters on the first day!

I find that it all starts by simply being willing to step into the zone of the unknown and engage. Once you do that, allow the Spirit of God to move the conversation. These are simply some ideas to help you ease that "neighbor anxiety."