Tag Archives: friends

Blogposts, Dream, Lee Johndrow, Musing

Three Dreams July 26th 2013

1 Comment
Just a thought?
Just a thought?

Last night I was in the dream “washing” machine. Dream after dream. Thought after thought. These are three that I thought were relevant.

1-The first dream I found myself avoiding those who had evil thoughts for my life. In my possession, I had the secrets of a world to come on a 9” floppy disk.  (Upon waking my first thought, was my grandson’s digital watch holds more information!) “Detrimental truths” of the goodness of the Lord were upon it. The realities of Christ described. Continue reading Three Dreams July 26th 2013 →

Blogposts, Lee Johndrow, Ministry, Musing

The Value Of Friendship

Leave a comment
Just a thought?
Just a thought?

Last night my daughter Amy and I went for a motorcycle ride. During that time we discussed marriage, Christianity, children, education and friendships. People are hardwired for friends. Friends can add value or devalue you. In fact the scriptures often talk about friends. Choosing friends? Sometimes keeping the scriptures at hand are important.

While working on my book over the last few months I found this:

1. My sons and daughters, choose your friends wisely in the days of your youth, for they shall determine the way you go. 2. A good friend rejoices with you in the praise of God but a bad friend fills your heart with violent thoughts. 3. A bad friend entices you to do evil but a good friend prevents you from sinning against the Lord. 4. A good friend praises you when you speak words of wisdom but a bad friend laughs when you cuss and blaspheme. 5. Good friends will rejoice with you in the days of joy that lie ahead but all the wicked together will despair in the futility of their lives. 6. The Lord knows all your thoughts, He hears every word that comes out of your mouth, and He observes all your deeds. 7. Seek, then, friends who meditate on God’s word, friends who delight in edification, and friends who are zealous in good works. For you are not unaware of the reward awaiting the righteous and you not ignorant of the punishment prepared for the wicked” (Quotes & Things David Collins-a paraphrase of Proverbs 24)

Yesterday we celebrated my birthday, but really what we celebrated was friends and friendship. People who joined us plugged in, whether to help put food on the table, hang out with someone in need, clean up or just be there. (I think sometimes just being there is a large part of the equation of friendship.)

Over the years I noticed a trend. The trend is the moving away from the value of friendship. Whether it was caused by a faster pace of living, swings in the economy, the internet or the idea of social media I am not sure. What I do realize in the interest of “time management” coupled with the infractions of any one of the afore mentioned causes, we have lost the value of community and face to face living.

In the church I have heard the word destiny used to describe what God can do for “me” and in some associations how destiny can help the body.  But if in the process, we lose try to bypass our hardwired sense of community and friendship we lose value.

This morning I think about this single scripture. John 15:5 said this “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” No branch can live without the life of God in him. “Apart from me you can do nothing.” He is truly saying “you need me” but He is also by inference saying this is my “body.” He could have used many a picture, but He chose a vine. Branches connected to Him. Therefore being connected to one another.

I believe we are mounting up for a revival of relationship, rightly discerning the body of Christ, stretching hands out to those about us. How much greater our influence over time than to have the ability to sow in those we come in contact with? If we do not penetrate darkness in our homes and our community by the expression of Christ through our beings, what value is there to exporting it?

I value the friendships I have. They have made me who I am. I am thankful.

Blogposts, Family, Family Thoughts, Lee Johndrow, Old Friends

Celebration And Memories

1 Comment
Birthday in Northford with friends and family
Birthday in Northford with friends and family

Celebration And Memories

I awoke at 4AM. I would like to tell you that it was because I am so excited about today. But, the truth is I had a pretty wild dream, at the same time I could hear Jacob talking in his sleep and Tina was pulling on the covers. So 4AM it is.

I have devoted time to prayer, meditation and coffee!  I am focused on the goodness of God in my life. I am encouraged in so many areas of my life. There are a few I would like to see God move in, but knowing I cannot do it, He can and I will let Him, takes the pressure off me.

Today, as I have for many a year, I celebrate my birthday. Friends and family will be here. I realize some may think I do it just to do something different, but that is not true. I struggle with relationships. I want them, but often times who I am and how I function make it hard for me. Too often I have let work, business or ministry supersede real relationship in my life. Being a loner was easy. “Hermits are us!” I need my down time, my quiet time and my no time.

Today is the day of the year where I see lots of family. (This year all my kids will be here. That has not happened for a while.) My family is precious to me. I have been on the other side with no family. (As a friend said in conversation yesterday, “foolish drinking and not working are not ingredients for success.” That was me.)

My children mean the world to me. Their children mean as much. A new addition to the family will join us today. Her name is Hannah Lynn.

Today many friends will be there. Some from business, some from years of friendship, some new and a vast majority join us today from our church gathering. I am excited about seeing them.

But I also share a part of my heart with those who cannot be here. My parents went on to be with the Lord many years ago. My birthday memories will always include them. My brother in Maine cannot be here. My sister is out west this summer. Over the years I have had my nieces here.

Many have shared these days with me over time. Some are no longer part of my life. Others have gone home to be with Him. I do not forget them or take lightly the influences they have had in my life and the life of those I influence. I look at pictures and reflect on the good stuff God has done for me. 6 years ago my daughter moved in with us with 3 children. I have seen God do some amazing things. Today is less a celebration about my birthday and more a celebration of “look what the Lord has done!”

Today, as it has in the past will be a day of memory creation. How thankful I am of that.

So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.
Helen Keller

Blogposts, Family, Family Thoughts, Old Friends, Uncategorized

July is Here!

2 Comments

The Blur Of July

As we hit the first day of July I am reminded of what it was like in my youth. My parents often planned our vacations to Schroon Lake and later our camping trips in the first few weeks of July. My birthday on the 3rd was always celebrated with nights of fireworks, it seemed. (Hey, one day later and they would have named me Samuel….think about that!)

drum cake
This was the cake my mom made for my birthday one year. .

When I was a child my mom often experimented with specialty cakes. One of my favorites was a drum cake she made. (Sometimes she made those ice cream cone cakes.) But whatever she made it made little difference! Sometimes we went to Frontier Town, Ausable Chasm, Catskill Game Farm and one year while in Connecticut, we celebrated on Powers Pond in Wallingford with the paddleboats.

July was always a month for vacations, boating, water skiing and more. When I was older I went to Keewaydin and celebrated on the shores of Lake Dunmore. Now, not only do we celebrate my birthday but also my daughter Amy and my wife Tina’s birthday. (My wife celebrates in the aftermath of my party with a quiet day on the ocean’s beach.)

I am excited not because it is “my birthday” but for many a year it has been a day of gathering friends and family around the barbecue. This year will be no different. From 10-4 this Saturday I will be blessed with the friends I have come to cherish and the family I adore. This year one of my greatest “presents” will be seeing my newest granddaughter Hannah Lynn. Over the years friends have visited from about the nation planning ministry and vacations that have included this day. I have friends that show from church and others who never have been in a church. They all are my friends. Over the years some have gone on to their reward and each year I reflect on the goodness of God in my life and the friends and family I do have.

I often sit and watch the conversations, the interactions and the relationships that are started or revisited.  I believe this week to be no different. Friends and family, I look forward to seeing you.

Blogposts, Family, Lee Johndrow, Old Friends

Family and Friends (More than a cellphone program…)

Leave a comment

Even as I write that, I chuckle, because the latest revelations about snooping indicates we have a wider circle of “friends” than we thought!

Yesterday during our time of worship, I felt the Lord say that many can comprehend “unity” or the concept of family, because of their upbringing. I made a note and wrote the thought and went back to worship.

During the “sermon” time my friend Mark said something about it as well. I wrote this scripture down. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also [is] Christ. ”

We are one. I began to think about this. If we do not see from God’s perspective that we are to be one, we “act” out unity from our perspective, from our “location.” One of the symptoms of dysfunction is the need to “isolate.” I am not talking about times of respite or retreat, but the continued move away from others. I get it. Perhaps you have been hurt. But, when one is “hardwired” from the get go for community, moving against that sets up a tension that can move to an unhealthy place.

We have programs that denigrate family because we came to a place where we ascended to unity rather than a place of moving to unity from the working of Christ in our lives.

Using this statement, “I am only human” attacks the fabric of Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is in opposition to 2Cor. 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” A new creation may resemble the old, but is NOT. It is new! A supernatural being with roots in heaven and the DNA of the Father. You can not say “I am just human.”

And if we are not “just human” than not only has our identity changed, but it compels us to change our perspective and outlook on community and family. We need to examine what it looks like from His place and His purpose. “”that they all may be one, as You, Father, [are] in Me, and I in You;”

When we change our thoughts about one another, shaped by the likeness of Him, we will see a move in family that will shake the world. Fathers and mothers rising up with a destiny to be sown, not held on to. A future so bright that worry not enter.

And when we see it is not about our purpose, but His purpose, we will live on purpose.