F8

Today the weather was terrible. When I say terrible, I mean snow at
near freezing temperatures, on semi cold roads. The mixture is one of
slush and rain. The tires of your vehicle go where it wants you to
go. I slid most of the way down our 1 mile road. It was evident how
many other vehicles had not made it, by the tracks into ditches,
etc.. I would estimate it took nearly 15 minutes to get to the
bottom. Then up a hill to deliver the children, back down for Alyssa
and Tina. It took me 45 minutes to get home the back way. Only about
3 miles or so. But it was the return into town that caught my eye. I
was doing 30 in a 35 due to the slushy conditions when a school bus
sailed by me. The amount of slush churned up the speeding bus
overwhelmed my windshield wipers. When my windshield finally cleared,
I was only inches from going over the curb. Ticked me off, needless
to say. So, I caught up with the bus. The bus number...F8. "Fate."
Gave me a lot to think about on the way home for the next 45 minutes.
Fate. Do I believe it? Only this morning I sat here wondering why it
seems I am being drawn into the place of things I do not "want" so to
speak. On the other hand, I have changed things over the years and I
am sure "fate" is different as the result of this.

So, just a little thought. Most of us could argue both sides from the
scriptures, but when it comes right down to it, the thing we can bank
on is the love of the Lord.

Reading Between The Lines

Dear friends-

The last few days have encouraged me to "read between the lines." I have been giving thought to what life is unfolding.

Many have prayed for "acceleration." With the prayer for acceleration, life comes at a rate that many comprehend. On one hand, most of us "feel" or agree with the concept that life is much faster than it was. One of my friends has a CD out  and in the middle of one of the songs the lyrics "pulling the seasons into now..." ring out. Ask my granddaughter, she is always singing the line. So, it is little wonder we have acceleration AND the feeling life is moving way too fast. What is the purpose of acceleration? Probably to get us "up to speed" or to pull us into our destiny. But with every increased "MPH" (KPH to those outside the US!), we increase the risk and if foundations aren't solid, well the "car of the future" is now in the bank some where. And if I am painfully honest, sometimes the desire to go "1,2 skip a few" to get to my "destiny" is to avoid some of the "stuff." (On the other hand "waiting on God" is not always "pretty" either.)

I have watched my kids get older (I did not say "grow up.") and maturity is creeping in. Now I watch my grandchildren and I feel like I am starting all over. It is weird. It has been a stretch, having 4 more people in our home. And yet kids keep you young.

I have reminded myself of the heart of worship as I have gone through this time. I remember the first time I heard that song. And then I heard the story of how that song came to be. If you have not read the story of how "Matt Redman was fired," it might be cool to read. It certainly grabbed my attention. What happens when we grade worship and do not worship? And what is the "heart of worship?"

For me the Lord is returning me to my roots. When I first got saved, I did not care about a lot of the things that have entered my life. I cared about my neighbors. (I have begun to pray for them again.) I cared about the lost. (I have begun to care about them and gone back out there.) I cared about rightness in relationships. (Only yesterday I watched a friend of mine hurt by another believer.)  I cared about bring the change of the atmosphere to see His Kingdom come.

I will not lie. It is difficult. It is about trusting Him all over. About receiving grace.

The things I got caught up in, I am trying to let go. I am looking forward to the gatherings on the street, in the parking lots and behind warehouses. Perhaps the heart of worship is exactly this.

It was like Easter this past weekend. I suppose as a child, I gave very little thought to Easter. My family always colored eggs, and baskets always miraculously appeared and a jelly bean hunt ensued. The eggs were always dipped in vinegary smelling colors that only occur for Easter where you would use waxy "crayons" to allow the colors to shade appropriately. At some point they came out with decals and the like. And they were hard boiled eggs. (Later in life I learned you could put a couple of small holes in them and blow your brains out.)  Jelly beans were hidden and would be found for months behind storm window latches as it got warmer, tucked in behind mantle decorations and well, you just never knew. My mom would prepare a breakfast of hot crossed buns and eggs. The spiritual side of Easter has little remembrance. We dressed up to go to church and I remember a few sunrise services, climbing the hill behind the old grammar school, where we sang some hymns and raced down the hill to breakfast. But other than that, until I started "seeing" a neighborhood girl who went to a Ukrainian Orthodox church and then in high school, one of my dates was very religious and dragged me off to church on a Friday night. I probably could have told you the reason for Easter, but not much more. And that based on the fact that in those days, we were not allowed anything but fish or pizza in school lunches anyhow, which is why I knew about Lent and the like.

And yet, it has only been in recent days that I see the real mission God has given us, as the one to destroy the works of darkness. The very things that hold us back, down and depressed. Watchman Nee described an effective prayer as one that spoiled again, the enemy, gave glory to God and then, provided for our needs. Bill Johnson said that "before there can be a commission,  there must be submission to the mission. I do not think I did not recognize it, just never heard it put that way.

And so the transition. the "shift" is on. I am in "regroup" mode at a time when others have probably figured it all out. Back to the streets. Back to the place where I felt alive. Where I could sense the very presence of God. Where a word spoken of healing was amplified. A word of destiny shaping days, weeks and years. It is hard in some respects. And Tina and I are praying about a lot of it. But I am gaining a sense of excitement.

I simply want to see life come forth.

Blessings,
Lee

Lee Johndrow
88 WCFR Drive
Springfield, VT 05156
802-885-2885

A prayer for Vermont

A Prayer For Vermont

Tomorrow 4 states will go the polls in the US to select a nominee for
President. Realistically, there are two people for the Republican
party (Though really only one seems to have a chance.) and two for
the Democratic party and the knife could slice either way. (And
because of that you might be surprised where my vote goes.) In
Vermont, we will also be haggling over the high cost of education,
roads and where to buy salt, if buying it at all is an option. In our
community we will be selecting 2 new selectmen. And in the very near
future, we will be replacing a town manager, a town clerk and
assistant town clerk, and possibly a police chief. As one of my
friends said, "...before I met you I was a liberal, but now I am a
conservative." We will miss this person in government.

I am pretty sure that while many of my friends think "God is a
conservative," there is much more at stake about who gets in office.
On the hand I am pretty sure there are some God is not "anxious" to
have in office.

So, I would simply ask that you say a prayer for Vermont. Funny, I am
not sure I have asked for a corporate prayer for Vermont from my
friends since the year we battled against "civil unions." Seems to
me, tomorrow might be on the Lord's mind

Blessings,
Lee

Lee Johndrow
88 WCFR Drive
Springfield, VT 05156
802-885-2885