Apostle David Johndrow - Fire And Grace

Today is the celebration of St. Valentine. Legend/history has it that he was martyred February 14, 270. He was beaten and then beheaded. I don't know how that translates into hearts and slinky lingerie - but I'll take it. February is the love month, so I am going to talk about the love of my life: Mary Anne. Here is how she has changed me, and why I say wives can be a great thing if you get the right one! Food: She is a great cook, and I am never nervous about anything that she puts on the table. She knows the 2 or 3 things I don't like a lot, and the one thing I won't eat. Hanging Out: Whenever we get to be alone, whether it's a walk on the beach, a few hours out for Chinese, or our after dinner coffee, it's what I like the best. Team: In finances, most of the time in parenting and life goals, I know I can count on her. We don't agree on everything, and don't always work well in the kitchen together, but for the important stuff, she is right t...

This year The Good Wife has been airing on CBS. It is about a Chicago prosecutor that ended up in jail for a number of indiscretions; for which we are not entirely sure actually happened. It's an interesting show, a mix of CSI and Law & Order, with a personal story line. Each week a legal case is solved, and the struggle of the Florrick' over these said infidelities, plays out in small vignettes. The Bible has a lot to say about wives, but a well known favorite is in Proverbs 31 . "A wife of noble character who can find?" The Proverbs passage is acrostic, each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. I also happen to think that it is about the church more than it is about an actual wife. Substitute the word "church" for the word "wife" and see if it makes sense to you. Back to the subject of wives. I have a great one that I met through Yahoo Personals. Thank God it used to free or who knows where I'd be today! She...

The sweet summer air drifted by like a butterfly on swaying milkweeds. By night the lakeside; gentle waves lapping the sandy beach, glistening ripples transforming the stillness - as a stray headlight lit her hair and gentle smile. We sat like royalty overlooking our future - She laughed when I poked her in the side. The warm cascade of endorphins swirled about the cogs of logic - from surreal to real and back again, the hours passed. There we were atop the lifeguard chair, holding hands, talking, and gazing at heavens. Mary Anne is the best thing that ever happened to me. Sure, meeting Jesus and all that religious stuff is eternal. Me, I still have to live here on earth, amuse my 6-year-old, manage teenagers, commute to work, pay bills, go to the dentist and grow old. I don't know about you, but that is a lot of work. And if you have to work that hard at life, it's nice to spend it with someone that recharges your batteries! Have you ever noticed that when you buy a new car, i...

For those of you that follow me on Facebook, you know what goes on at the J' home - the censored version anyway. I am married, and I have three daughters that are regularly present at my house. Charlotte is 6, Erin is 18, Zöe is 21, me; I passed the 1/2 century mark and Mary Anne, she's ageless. Some days I agree with Jeff Foxworthy, it is like living in a sea of estrogen. We have lots of feelings being expressed, some real life drama over silly stuff, and well, lots of pinks, pastels, country music, and stuffed animals. And it is unlawful to leave the toilet seat up. A few years ago we had some guests over for dinner. During our discussion I told them Mary Anne was the best wife. The husband of couple who were visiting, not wanting to leave his princess un-complimented, promptly announced that he "had the second best wife." The very one that was sitting there unimpressed by his statement. Mary Anne is the best thing that ever happened to me - but that doesn't mea...

Today Mary Anne and I celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. And tomorrow will mark the passage of eight years since we sat across from each other at the Way-Ho, peering into each others eyes over a flaming Pu Pu Platter-- her in a floral blouse and blue skirt-- me probably in jeans. On our weekend retreat, we laughed about her shaking hands at the altar, and my miraculous inability to say "I do" with not so much as enough volume to be heard by even her. We talked about the ceremony starting late because the hairdressers were one short that morning. Last year we laughed about the candle ceremony, in which all the guests held a lit candle, which the pastor was certain would start a fire. However; he forgot to ask for everyone to extinguish them. To the relief of all our friends and family, I stepped in and suggested to him that it was probably a good idea to do that before moving on. I can still hear the music -- With You I'm Born Again -- as she and her dad walked the a...