That's not the answer I was expecting

Soooo, we have this one ornery neighbor.  Actually, there are two of them.  Well, there are four in the house, but only two are ornery.

Suffice it to say we have had issues over the past few years with said neighbors (the two, not the other two). 

Anyway, on to the point.

So, last night when I got the littlest littles to bed, I very much wanted to just sit out on the porch and enjoy the beautiful summer evening.  It was warm, but not hot, there was a sugary breeze occasionally wisping through the yard, my flowers are in bloom, the birds were chirping and it was just lovely.

As I came into the yard I noticed the hood up on the car of one of the not-so-friendly neighbor types next door.  I also noticed he had some friendly, new age, liquidy sort of music pumping from his stereo.  I'd heard it earlier as well when I took the garbage can to the curb.  It was kind of nice and I considered telling him it was a great choice when he came back outside but thought better of it knowing he would likely yell at me and then change the music to something less appealing (we have had encounters in the past).

Turns out, no compliment from me was required for that unpleasant result.  The moment he came back outside and saw me sitting on the porch he angrily reached into his car and changed the music. 

 Now blasting from the stereo was a vile string of filth with a heavy, thudding beat (to be honest, I have nothing against the thudding beat).  I'm not sure there was really any sort of tune or melody involved at all in the barrage...at least I couldn't find one.  It was a disgusting mess of noise and grossness blaring through the air.

Well, now I'm in a spot.  I REALLY wanted to sit in my yard and smell the fresh air (as fresh as it gets in West Valley) and enjoy the evening outside.  I KNOW my neighbor is trying to exert some kind of dominance and force me back into my house.  I do NOT like being bossed around (just ask my mother) and I don't think it is right for this guy to feel like he has the power to bully me in to doing what he wants.  I also do NOT think it is right for him to poison my neighborhood with his junk sound.  

But I really don't like listening to foul drivel.  What to do?

It was a terrible quandary.

I sat on the porch for a moment, pondering my situation -- not wanting to give in, but really not wanting to hear the things that were being said (and honestly hoping no one else had to hear them either just because I was being punished).  I quick said a prayer in my mind trying to think of what to do.

And that's when the answer came.

Mow the lawn.

Well now, that is something.  I had been planning to trim the grass the next morning.  And I realized it was the perfect solution.  

Time outside...check.

Enjoy the evening...check.

Tune out the nasty "music"...check.

Protect other passers by from filthy language/imagery etc...check.

Huh, who'd a thunk.

So that's what I did.  And I enjoyed every single moment of it.  I probably smiled the entire time (well, I did almost step in dog poop once, so not quite the entire time).  I don't normally mow the lawn at 8:30 at night, but I may be a convert to the practice.

Some people may think that God doesn't care about us, that He doesn't hear us, that He doesn't listen to our pleas and answer our prayers.  I'm here to tell you He does.  Miracles have not ceased.  I just had one rain down on me tonight, and it came in the form of a lawn mower.

  John 16:24 "...ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full"  and also thy lawn mowed (that's not in the scripture but I think it works nicely).