Mourning In The Morning

2015-09-05 12.52.11I grew up in a generation of turmoil. But our turmoil seemed to have a respect factor, even in disagreement. I was a child of the 60’s and if you see some of my shirts you know that hasn’t changed all that much!

We were seeking something. Anything.

My dad was military and I was a hippie. (Did you ever see Harold and Maude where Harold engages with his uncle? Yes, that was me.) I was going to play football with long hair. I was going swing a bat with “my hair tucked up under my hat”.

Really, I thought I was making a choice, but maybe there was driving force of love that was compelling me to “love every one” in that time. I was a conundrum of sorts. (Pretty sure that is a teenager.) I wanted to love, be in sports and get my degree. I wanted fast cars and motorcycles, pretty girls and lots of music.

Viet Nam was happening. Kennedy was dead and LBJ was in the White House.The draft was in place. My number was fast coming. And then it all changed.

The Woodstock generation. Music with out boundaries.(What did have boundaries?)

Driven with passion, fueled with drugs and armed with love.

For many of us we knew enough about religion to be dangerous. We knew Buddha, Mohammed, Ghandi, Jesus and more. We brought our version of love to the table. Our knowledge of religion and spirituality. Debates, arguments and cataclysms of faith.

We wanted to get back to nature. Eat food not made in test tubes. Remove nukes. Save the planet. ZPG.

For some of us we grew past that or out of that or something.

Yesterday, I had read of the fall out following the shooting in Dallas of police officers. I went to a “GoFundMe Page” for the family of one of the fallen officers.

My heart broke. Tears came. I was busted. (I remember Kent State and a host of others.

I commented on Facebook.

“Just because there is no amount of money that can remove the pain from loss from death. It is time for the church to step up and step in. We mourn with those who mourn.”

But, it is probably bigger than that.

What about educating and helping people to know the goodness of the Lord? Or helping with our finances not to provide shrines, but to have daycares and schools that will help not just the Christian, but to help those around us? Maybe (As I said yesterday.) meals for the single parent who is so tied that “McDonalds is their kind of place.”

Instead of being political how about we become more kingdom minded offering healing and hope? Let us go pray for the sick with no agenda other than healing. Let us stop our agenda and embrace the agenda of the Kingdom.

What about just being happy? Grateful? Thankful? (That would go a long way on Facebook.)

John Lennon said this…

‘You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.’

Maybe the best parts of being a “child of the 60’s” are yet to come.

Written by Lee Johndrow

Lee Johndrow

Lee is the Senior Leader of Abundant Grace Fellowship Church in Keene, NH

He is the father of five wonderful children. Married for over 26 years to his wife Tina. Loving life with family, friends, faith, fun and food!


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.