Neighborhood Blessings...Updated with Recipe

One of the joys of living in this neighborhood has been getting to know some of our special neighbors throughout the years.  We've been blessed to have good neighbors...something that doesn't always happen in a lot of neighborhoods throughout the land. So I consider them a blessing from the Lord.  I'm sorry that some of our neighbors are only here for part of the year, being "snowbirds" from up north...and I'm also sorry that we really didn't get acquainted until the last three years or so, mainly since I retired and have more time to get out and meet people.

So tonight we had a neighborhood get together here...Lasagna night!!! I made the lasagna, and the neighbors brought the salad, dessert, and garlic bread.  Works for me!! It was all so good...

Here's our friends Joy and Dee, and Joy is showing off her delicious "pizza pie dessert", with fruit and a cream cheese filling on top of a sugar cookie "pizza".  She said this was in keeping with the Italian food theme for the evening...

Here I am with Joy, still admiring that "pizza pie dessert" before we dared to cut it up and serve it...It was almost too pretty to eat!

It sure was good...and a refreshing dessert after a heavy main course...

Speaking of  which...Here's the second pan of lasagna...the first pan was empty...I'm surprised there was any left at all...but everyone was being "polite" and saving room for dessert...

And this salad was delicious too...complete with radishes, pecans, craisins, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and seems like something else...sunflower seeds I think...It was scrumptious! Oh, and homemade ranch dressing!!

Here's the guys, waiting for their dessert while we were busy taking pictures of it...

It was great to sit around the table and swap "fish stories"...(some of these guys are fishermen) and other interesting tales from our lives.  Always a blessing to have good food and fellowship with great people.

My centerpiece was pretty simple...just put a few little pots of "violas" (miniature pansies) on the table, and then our neighbor who likes to surprise us with little gifts from wherever he keeps finding things brought these gorgeous crystal candlesticks. He says he found them at the dump...someone had left them there....They are absolutely stunning!

 Don't you agree?  I never know what this sweet neighbor will come up with next...we already have bunnies in the garden, a little bear with a fish behind his back, a few other fun things...always a surprise to discover.

I know when and IF we ever sell this house and move away we will miss these dear ones...and I pray that God will send someone here to our house who will enjoy and appreciate the blessing of these wonderful people.  I also pray for whoever our new neighbors will be in our new neighborhood. May the Lord already be working on that ahead of time...maybe that's why it is taking so long...They need a lot of preparation to have US move into their neighborhood! LOL

Here are a few proverbs that stand out to me tonight:

"Through wisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established;

By knowledge the rooms are filled

with all precious and pleasant riches."

Proverbs 24:3-4

"Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend,

nor go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity;

Better is a neighbor nearby

than a brother far away..."

Proverbs 27:10

"In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,

And His children will have a place of refuge.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

to turn one away from the snares of death."

Proverbs 14:26-27

"Commit your works to the Lord,

And your thoughts will be established."

"A man's heart plans his way,

But the Lord directs his steps."

Proverbs 16:3,9

That's all folks!! 

Have a blessed weekend!!

P.S. Here is the recipe for the Fruit Pizza:

Here is the recipe for the cream cheese filling:

1 8oz. pkg. of cream cheese, softened.

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sugar or Splenda

Mix with mixer until smooth and creamy. (She also added a dollop of cool whip to the mixture because she didn't think it looked creamy enough. It was good!)

Spread the cream cheese mixture on the completely cooled cookie crust.  (The cookie crust was made with a tube of sugar cookie dough, baked on the pizza pan).

Place the sliced pieces of fruit on...(she used strawberries, kiwi, and red grapes. You could add blueberries, bananas or other fruit if so desired)

Heat 1/2 cup of clear apple jelly...let it cool just a little, and then brush it over all the fruit for a glaze.   Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  

It was really good, and a light dessert after a heavy dish like lasagna..

Yum!