Category Archives: Family

Blogposts, Family, Family Thoughts, Lee Johndrow, Ministry, Musing

Holidays, You And The Single Parent

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$50 billOne man owes the woman over $40,000 in child support for two young children. Another pays no child support and blows through the monies of parents. Children who never see their dads because their dads make choices not to see them. The injustice!

I don’t know about you but those circumstances set me on edge. They have the potential to make me angry and have from time to time.

Single parents with no one else in their life frequently struggle. I know from personal experience. I look with great pain at various Facebook posts that indicate single parenting is not easy. Whether by choice or circumstance being the “one” in a child’s life is hard. Continue reading Holidays, You And The Single Parent →

Family Thoughts, Updates

An Update From The Home Front

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2013-12-07 07.11.30A lot of folks have asked how we are doing with all the changes, so I am giving you a general update.

So what is life looking like overall?

New Place To Live

Our new apartment is great! A shade smaller, but much more homey. The family loves it. So much quieter. So much healthier. It looks like Christmas. Nice yard area. Yep!

Ministry

Ministry is shifting for both of us. Tina is leading a women’s group they have called Embrace Your Call. She continues to deal with the more “difficult” ministry of game night. I am working more with the prophetic side of life at the Village.

Family

Our grandchildren are doing well. Many really good things are going on. My three oldest grandchildren are here nearly every weekend and so I get to hang out a lot with them. I see Naomi at least once a week. Hannah a couple of times a month. The newest baby is a few months away. Keep watching!

I am excited that I see most of my children a couple of times a month.

My Wife’s Job Loss

A few weeks ago my wife was laid off from her job. After many years of being a loyal employee the loyalty was “repaid” by keeping the new employee. (Just this past week a friend of mine lost his job of 27 years.)

Someone asked me what it is like to have her home. Well, in some respects it is like we are on vacation without the vacation.

People often make plans but when we project answers we get in trouble. Here we thought, “we move, I get a job, life is good!”

So, we are continuing to find our walk together while we are in the same house.

A lot of her day is devoted to finding work. That means she needs our computer. Which means we have to work out a schedule that is feasible to both of us.

We are both seeking work.

So that is the long and short of it. Life is exciting. We are readying for the holidays and Christmas is in view. Looking forward to friends, family and food!

We appreciate you!

 

Family Thoughts, Lee Johndrow, Ministry, Musing

Preserving The Innocence

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2013-12-07 07.11.30I have started no less than 7-8 stories, words, etc., and the pages just stare at me. Windows open, emails open, Facebook pinging and a desktop that irritates my wife because my order is not her order. And the kids have come down here to flashing Christmas lights, snow on the ground and music about Christmas.

Innocence- Lack of guilt. No wrongdoing. Not evil.

Last night I had the opportunity to get my Christmas tree. My granddaughter, Mariah and grandson Jacob climbed in the car and went tree shopping. I had waited all week to do this. We went down to a particular tree yard and after looking at a few we selected the tree. While they prepared to cut off the bottom (When Mariah saw the 12 year old boy start that chain saw, I saw stars in her eyes.) and wrap it to tie it on the car, the kids were offered candy canes. When we got in the car Mariah said “that was really nice of them. They were really nice.” (She also told me the boy getting to run the chain saw was “pretty cool.” I think she is looking for pink construction shoes!) Continue reading Preserving The Innocence →

Family Thoughts, Musing

Have You Embraced Your Neighbor?

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thanksgivingSo often I am faced with a situation where I get to pray for another. As we enter into the trinity of holidays, with Thanksgiving and turkeys, family and friends, I felt the Lord saying, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:39-41

I was reminded of the story Jesus shares about the good Samaritan and his aid to an injured man.

And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” (Luke 10:30-37)

So often, I personally get “caught” up in busyness and while I feel no condemnation about missing an opportunity, I wonder what I have missed. Continue reading Have You Embraced Your Neighbor? →

Blogposts, Family, Family Thoughts, Musing

Crowds Or Family? Your Call

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$50 bill What the holidays can do.

So many are talking about the commercialism of the holidays. They tie it to Black Friday, August Christmas ads and now “black Thanksgiving!” People are working on holidays. On some levels they are two different things. People are working because a company has asked them to with the hopes that people will come shopping. And the commercialism or cheapening of the holiday.

It is one thing to talk about commercialism and the holidays. It is another to just get through the holidays!  So many bemoan the commercialism of the season and miss out on the coolness of it. I remember a young pastor one year talking about the unbeliever and how the lights of the season might be the closest understanding of heaven for them. I sat there thinking about that for days. I get it. Not everyone celebrates the same way.  Continue reading Crowds Or Family? Your Call →

Blogposts, Family, Lee Johndrow, Musing

When Your Children Move Away From God

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Praying For Our Children

All too often I watch a parent see their children walk away from the church, leaving thoughts of Christ behind. The parent feels the failure. I have “been there.”

Let me first say I am not a “pastoral” gift” despite years of being the “pastor” of the church I started. I am a prophet, and the perspective I take here may be more prophetic than pastoral or teacher.

But more importantly I am husband, a parent and a grandparent. My view is in part based on scripture and my understanding of it combined with my experience. Between my wife and I we have 5 children. We have 6 grandchildren. We have been married for over 20 years. We have made a lot of mistakes. Continue reading When Your Children Move Away From God →

Family, Family Thoughts, Musing

Multiplication Is Easy

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jesus-and-mary2This was an amazing weekend for us at Village. Ordinations, families, friends, food and faith. We had friends visiting from around the region. I want to say thanks to my church family for being one of the most awesome people on the planet!

During that time I felt the Lord speaking to me about family. I began to get this picture of two people, a husband and wife as they embarked on their relationship together. I saw the siblings show from time to time, the parents and grandparents as well. But the new life that was to be added to the family would come from them and their love for one another. In the natural they would develop friends and those friends would sit at their tables. But ultimately “new” life would come through them. There was dynamic working. And I was reminded of a vision I had on Saturday night. Continue reading Multiplication Is Easy →

Blogposts, Family, Musing

Veterans Day-A Day For The Living Warriors

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dadVeterans Day is to honor the living veterans amongst us. (As opposed to Memorial Day offering honor to those who have given their lives for their country.) Every time I see a flag, I think of the service my dad and others gave to for this great country of ours. And each time I see a man in uniform, I thank them for their service. But veterans do not wear their uniforms, except on special occasions for the most part.

The son of a military man, I learned the values of who they were and what they stood for. Regardless of whether you believe they ought to have been “over there” or not, it is a time to value the men and women of our country.

I know we have a lot going on in America, but I think it is important that we pray, as well as do what we can for these men and women. Many of them have made the sacrifice in their bodies, their families and their communities. These folks are our “family” and our community. We need to do what we can. Continue reading Veterans Day-A Day For The Living Warriors →


Blogposts, Family, Family Thoughts, Interrupted Process, Musing

Family Is Best!

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In the arms of my father(I have the great sweater!)
In the arms of my father(I have the great sweater!)

On my Facebook I have an ongoing message with my wife and children, called “Family Is Best!” (It is here we share with one another daily things, prayer requests, great things and little things.) There is no doubt in my mind in the truth of that statement. I have weathered enough storms and circumstances in 58 years to know.

I am the child of divorced parents and divorced twice myself, but I still have no thought in my mind that anything is better than family. Family is God given, God designed. Continue reading Family Is Best! →