Today is Christmas Eve (morning). I am looking forward to all it brings, including lots of kids and grandkids, as well as a friend or two.
This has been a monumental Christmas season. I lost my job a few weeks. It gave me plenty of time to be with family, make preparations and enjoy the time. Continue reading Christmas Eve Day
In a few short weeks my family and I will go away to the Adirondacks. Our first Johndrow vacation. Children and their children. On a lake with a boat and a beach.
So often in the world of Christianity, we have forgot the nature of having fun, times of respite and the over riding desire of family to be together. Continue reading Coming Soon – A Family Vacation!
Despite tech issues, I was simply reminded life is not all that serious.
Yesterday I had a simply great day with friends and family at our church gathering in New Hampshire. The music was great and the people were friendly and fun to be with. The message my friend Scott delivered was a joy to hear.
I know for many, church is not always a fun place to be. Words of condemnation coupled with guilt, pain and other hurtful feelings can often keep you from the very place of understanding and joy God has for you. I have to say my church gathering is a joy to be around. (I also need to say not all church was like that for me.) Continue reading Enjoying The Body of Christ
Well, the Christmas season is in full swing. And even if the use of the word Christmas is politically incorrect, I am still enjoying a lot of it. It is less than a week until Christmas. As I have said in the past I would be lying if I was to tell you I am not excited. The idea of having all my children and grandchildren and maybe a friend or two over is so cool to me. This year we have “let up” on the presents except for the grandchildren to help out some other folks and that is just fine with me. I also broke the “Ann Lander’s rule on Christmas letters” to my clients and readers. So, far ALL the letters were thanking me for being a voice, not listening to Ann Landers and thinking about them. Besides no one would ever take me to be PC (politically correct) anyway.
As I write this I am listening to Christmas carols. The fire is going in “my mind” and the Christmas lights are going. The only thing missing tonight is the voices of the grandchildren. And maybe a hot chocolate with my wife.
Last night I visited some awesome lights!
I am thankful for those who have written me and said “I was going to skip the… tree, Christmas, etc., but you have inspired me.” YAY! Continue reading The Christmas Past
This morning I was thinking “my chronos is important to my kairos.” The tribe of Issachar, “And of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command.” – 1 Chronicles 12:32 NAS
If I am reduced to nothingness that leaves room for everything! Continue reading It Is About Time
When I was young, I bought this old house next to our store. The yard had been a “mill river” running the grist mill in the garage area. The previous owner and friend had witnessed the water rising too high and too fast one rainy weekend and brought his excavator in the next weekend and diverted the water. (Uh…you can’t do that now!!)
As children, we were always looking for excitement and being the oldest, I was often the ringleader (And was always accused as such!) and, yes, I came up with some doozies.
When we moved from East Haven we moved to a very large old farmhouse on a dairy farm. We had moved to this house with the stairways of polished wood. They were awesome…and dangerous. They were great to slip down on your butt, but I was looking for something a little faster. And then one “sick day” as I lay on the sofa, watching Donna Reed, I realized that the two back cushions of the sofa would be perfect. Waiting for our babysitter, Mrs. H to head to the bathroom, I grabbed one of the cushions and ran to the top of the stairs. Pulling up the front like a snow toboggan I felt like this was going to be a rush. I pushed off like a bobsledder and Whoosh! Down the stairs I went and crashed into the front door. This being a sick day and all, I only got that “run” in, but when my siblings returned home from school, I shared my excitement with them. We could get two kids on each cushion, so we planned for the next day. Continue reading Mrs H and The Staircase
Our babysitter, Mrs. H, was very nearsighted and very slow. She was also very excitable. One day I decided to “kill” my brother. We were supposed to be washing dishes. Larry and I came up with this elaborate plan for his “demise.” We took an old knife and broke off the blade. We taped it to his chest and had him lie in front of the cabinets. I poured watered down ketchup on his chest and on the floor. Then I yelled “Stop that or I will kill you!” Mrs. H. yelled to me to be quiet, but I kept screaming and then Larry did his death scream. At that, Mrs. H came in to the kitchen and saw my brother lying in a “puddle of blood.” Continue reading Mrs. H and The “Murder”
