NOBODY PRAYED FOR HIM

Learning from Terrible Tragedies like Newtown CT

     Adam Lanza killed twenty-eight people on December 14, 2012 in Newtown CT.  He murdered his own mother at home.  He murdered twenty children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  He committed suicide.  There was an immediate rush to answer the question, “Why?”  “Why did this happen?”  “Why did this happen to these innocent young children?  “Where does the blame lie?”  “Is it mental illness?”  “Do we blame it on guns?”  We all feel powerless because we don’t know why.  If we knew why, we could prevent something like this from happening again.  It has happened too many times since the Columbine High School Massacre on April 20, 1999.

     Had Adam Lanza not committed suicide would the people of Connecticut be angry that earlier in 2012 they voted to abolished the death penalty?

     People flocked to churches the Sunday following the tragedy.  The clergy in Newtown, CT must have been deluged with questions about why this happened.  Someone came up with what is called “The T-Shirt of the Year” now circulating around social media.  The t-shirt reads, “Dear God, Why do you allow so much violence in our schools.  Signed, A Concerned Student.  Dear Concerned Student, I’m not allowed in schools.  God.”  But, tragedies have happened in churches too where God is not only allow … is worshiped.  So taking praying out of the schools isn’t to blame.

     But I believe prayer or the lack of it plays a role in what does and doesn’t happen in our world.  I think absence of prayer played a role in the life of Adam Lanza and subsequently all of our lives.  We read in the Book of Job 42:8b, “My servant Job will pray for you and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly.” (niv)

     We often hear people talk about their prayer life and how they prayed and made promises to God that they would change their ways.  “Lord, I’m going to give up drinking.”  “Lord, I’m going to stop doing this or that.”  “Lord, I going to church every Sunday from now on.”  And on it goes.  Does this sound familiar?  You’ve either said it or heard it said.  Did you ever stop to consider that somebody else was praying for you?  Bill Withers wrote and recorded the song, “Grandma’s Hands.”  Somebody needs to write about grandma’s prayers.  Many grandmothers have prayed for their grandchildren and God accepted grandma's prayers and not dealt with the grandchildren according to their folly.

     Some men in church whose marriage and family life is going well will tell you, “We are a family that prays together and worships together.”  And on it goes.  I once heard a preacher say, “Marriages would be a lot stronger and last a lot longer if husbands prayed for their wives as often as wives prayed for their husbands.”  In other words, brother, did you ever stop and think that before you became so churchy your wife had been praying for you for a long time?

     After meditating on that Bible passage from Job I am certain that others have prayed for me.  My father, my mother, my wife, my pastor and my friends prayed for me and God accepted their prayers and did not deal with me according to my folly.

     This twenty year old murderer, Adam Lanza, probably had no one praying for him … caring about him … developing a loving relationship with him.  Did he have positive male role models?  Did he have positive male relationships in his life?  I don’t believe so.  Positive male role models and wholesome male relationships are essential for young men to grow into manhood.  It was reported that Adam hadn’t spoken to his own father or brother in two years. “He was a loner,” folks said.

     I focus on male relationships because, have you noticed, women and girls don’t do this?  I don't know of any exceptions and pray there won't be any.

     As one who believes in the efficacy of prayer I’m convinced that the lack of prayer also contributed to this tragedy and others like it.  Nobody prayed for him.  Nobody thought about him.  Nobody reached out to him.  Everyone who knew him left him alone … ignored him … cared only for themselves.  Everyone who knew Adam Lanza was himself or herself mentally ill to some degree.  Mental illness has always existed.  The way we regard and treat mental illness and the mentally ill has changed.  We are too concerned about being politically correct.

     We can try to blame it on guns.  I played with cap pistols when I was a kid.  My folks bought me the Roy Rogers six shooters.  I think I was eleven years old when I shook Hopalong Cassidy’s hand in front of the Daily News building in New York City and received a cardboard replica of his six shooter.  My grandson, Zair Emmanuel Johnson, pictured with me above will probably never play with guns.

     Guns have existed for a long time.  The proliferation of guns has changed.  The types of guns have changed.  Demonstrations of their use have changed.  It seems the availability of guns does play a role in these types of tragedies.  The company that sells the type of weapon used by Lanza, advertises it as a “... Gun for a Man’s Man in an Era of Depleting Testosterone.”  In other words, you are not a real man unless you own one of these.  The second amendment to the United States Constitution says I have the right to bear arms.  Do I have a need to bear arms?  The answer for me is no!

     Psychologists tell us this type of event will happen again.  We don’t want another Sandy Hook, Columbine, Virginia Tech, etc.  There are other men (I hope not women) out there like Adam Lanza or Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris of the Columbine Massacre.  They may or may not be easy to spot.  Be alert.  Be concerned.  Genuinely, care about the people around you and when you suspect someone around you is “different,” pray for him daily.  Develop a relationship.  Tell him the story of Jesus.  Real men pray for others.  Somebody prayed for me.  <><

220th General Assembly of the PC(USA) - My First GA

      I had the privilege of attending the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). It was held in Pittsburgh, PA from June 30 through July 7, 2012. When anyone asks me about it I tell them, “It was wonderful!” And it was. The music was wonderful. The preaching was wonderful. Working for God in this, new for me, section of his vineyard was wonderful.
     I had the privilege of representing the Presbytery of New York City as a Ruling Elder Commissioner. There were eight of us from New York City who got to sit in the inner sanctum … holy of holies … inside the dark blue curtain on the Assembly floor. We were six commissioners … Teaching Elders Jose Gonzalez-Colon, Lonnie Bryant, and Mieke Vandersall … Ruling Elders David Ofori, Annie Rawlings, and me … one Young Adult Advisory Delegate Joshua Narcisse and one Theological Student Advisory Delegate Ruling Elder Deborah Mahaney.
     Every committee meeting, plenary session and worship service began with the reading of the scripture, Isaiah 40:38-31.
     Six hundred eighty-eight commissioners and two hundred thirty-one advisory delegates were assigned to twenty-one committees which dealt with one hundred twelve overtures of presbyteries and synods included in the approximately eight hundred items of business the assembly had to deal with.
     When the assembly convened in Plenary on Saturday evening, our first order of business was to elect the Moderators of the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who is The Reverend Dr. Neal D. Presa from nearby Elizabeth Presbytery across the Hudson River in New Jersey.
     We did have the unfortunately incident of the moderator’s choice for Vice Moderator, the Reverend Tara Spuhler McCabe, chose to resign amid some controversy surrounding a same-gender wedding in Washington, DC. Personally, I think it is unfortunate that some Presbyterians can’t disagree without being nasty … can’t act more like Jesus. Some of us walk around with rocks in our pockets ready to condemn. The new moderator reluctantly accepted her resignation and named The Reverend Tom Trinidad of the Pueblo Presbytery as the new Vice Moderator.
     In trying to organize a Presbytery of New York City delegation dinner on July 4th Interim Executive Presbyter Tony De La Rosa guessed there may have been at least thirty people from the Presbytery of NYC.
     On Sunday morning twenty-nine Presbyterian congregations invited GA attendees to worship with them. There was luxury bus service to take us to churches not in walking distance of the convention center and hotel area. Approximately sixty of us went to Bidwell Presbyterian Church. While there The Reverend James Foster Reese told everyone that Bidwell is the place of his very first sermon over sixty years ago.
     I was assigned to the Committee on Confessions of the Church. Six members of the committee brought a minority report to the Assembly floor after it failed as a substitute motion in committee. I spoke against in committee and on the floor of the assembly. Speaking at a microphone on the floor of the General Assembly is something I thought I would never do. Never say never.
     What impressed me was the passion and sincerity of the commissioners and advocacy groups. There weren’t the angry outbursts I expected. As far as I could see people treated each other with courtesy and respect. The person who led the group bringing Minority Report came to me later and asked that I forgive her if her action hurt me in any way. We hugged.
     The committee report that took used up the most time was the Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues. Discussion on Friday, July 6th lasted from 1:30 PM through 8:30 PM with time out for dinner. There were Minority Reports, amendments, and so on. The Assembly voted to neither re-affirm nor change the denomination’s definition of marriage as “a civil contract between a man and a woman.” The Assembly approved a proposal generated from within the Assembly Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues calling for two years of “serious study and discernment” regarding Christian marriage.
     Earlier that day, Interim Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of New York City, Tony De La Rosa, had the honor of being the only Ruling Elder to preach at one of the worship services.
     Working on the committees and in plenary was really hard but rewarding work. We all met new friends on the committees and sitting near us on the assembly floor. On the final evening, Friday, July 6 our work in plenary didn’t end until 1:30 in the morning. Some committees still had to meet after that. Trying to keep our eyes open and attention focused some were singing praises to Jehovah Java while others want to bow to El Shut Eye.
     What greatly impressed me was the Young Adult Advisory Delegates. They give me hope for the future of the church. Although they were all over the church political landscape they showed the older adults out to live together in harmony and how to work today and worship together without condemning each other.
     There were two other things that greatly impressed me. One was the COLA people … Committee On Local Arrangements. Members of the congregations and staff in Pittsburgh volunteered their time to be present everywhere to help anyone attending GA220. Wearing bright yellow vests with the PCUSA symbol on the back they were at the airport, in the hotel lobbies (and the GA used more than seven hotels), they were on the streets near the convention center, they were all over the convention center. You could ask them anything and they would find a way to help you. The other thing that greatly impressed me was the people in the red t-shirts … the back of the t-shirts read, “We are praying for Yinz.” Yinz in Pittsburgheese means the same as Ya’ll. If you needed prayer you just have to walk up to one of them and they would pray with you or take you to a convenient prayer room for prayer.
     Someone asked me if I would go again. The answer is yes. As a matter of fact my wife and I plan to attend the 221st General Assembly in Detroit, MI in 2014. And yes I would recommend it. Don’t put it on your bucket list. Put it on your Must Do List.
     Just as every session was opened with scripture from Isaiah, every sermon used the same sermon text, Mark 2:1-12. It’s the familiar story about the men who dug a hole in the roof to let down the crippled man to be healed by Jesus. The text ends with Jesus saying, “I say to you, stand up, take up your mat and of to your home.” And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
     And I say of the 220th General Assembly, I have never seen anything like this. It was wonderful! Praise God. <><

FOOLS NEVER RAISE THEIR THOUGHTS SO HIGH: The Wisdom and Wit of a Window Washer

This new biography details the life of a dedicated father of four and the lasting effect his lessons have had BRONX, NY– A 20-year span in the life of a devoted father raising a family in Harlem and the Bronx, NY, in the mid-20th century is immortalized by his son in Fools Never Raise Their Thoughts So High: The Wisdom and Wit of a Window Washer (published by AuthorHouse), the touching new collection of memoirs by Lloyd R. Johnson that pay tribute to the memory of his father, Robert Lloyd Johnson. “Reflecting on life with my father, as I grew from infancy into adulthood, is relaxing, amusing and stress relieving,” Johnson writes.  “There are times when I’m brought to tears, times when I laugh out loud, and other times when all I can say is, ‘Wow! He really had insight.’”  Fools Never Raise Their Thoughts So High takes its title from a line in the Isaac Watts hymn, “Sweet Is The Work, My God, My King”, that Robert would often quote.  His frequent recitation of poems, quotes and other literary works were always peppered throughout his conversation, imparting his appreciation for the arts in his children. Beginning in the 1940s and chronicling the subsequent 20 years, a bygone era of New York City is brought back to life in the pages of Fools Never Raise Their Thoughts So High.  Robert was a window washer in midtown Manhattan, although Johnson is quick to point out that the job didn’t define who he was. Rather than focus on Robert’s professional life, Johnson instead chooses to share the more intimate details of a father who was deeply devoted to instilling values and morals in his children, all while maintaining a positive attitude and showing the benefits of laughter and lightheartedness.  Johnson recalls anecdotes that serve as a testament to his father’s sense of humor and wisdom about the world. “When people talk about my father, there is always a smile on their face,” Johnson writes.  “I sincerely hope you can say the same about your Dad and the men who influenced your life.”  Fathers everywhere can learn a lesson or two from Robert Lloyd Johnson and take inspiration from his loving, empowering parenting style.  Discover more in Fools Never Raise Their Thoughts So High. About the Author Author LLOYD R. JOHNSON Lloyd R. Johnson was born in Harlem Hospital and is the oldest of four children.  He has contributed articles to business, financial and Christian publications and is retired from a career selling insurance, mutual funds and providing financial planning services.  He plans to write more in the future and currently resides in the Bronx with his wife, Dora, where they are active in their church and other Christian ministries.  For more information, please visit his website www.LloydRJohnson.com created especially for the launch of this book.

You can order copies of FOOLS NEVER RAISE THEIR THOUGHTS SO HIGH from any of the following online book providers: www.huemanbookstore.com www.amazon.com www.barnesandnoble.com www.authorhouse.com

Merry Christmas 2010

To all of our Family and Friends:

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

We sincerely hope Christmas brought tidings of comfort and joy to you and those you love.  We pray that 2011 will be marked with health and happiness.

On Christmas Raymond and Nikki announced they are expecting a child June 30, 2011.

On New Year’s Eve we enjoyed the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company accompanied by the gospel/folk singing group Sweet Honey in the Rock.  Wow!

Then we attended the Watch Night Service at our church which was tremendously joyous and spirit filled … best way to bring in the New Year.

We extend warm wished to all whether you celebrate Christmas or not.  We value our relationship with you.

We love you and God bless you,

Lloyd & Dora Johnson

The photo is from our family cruise August 30 through September 2, 2010.  Across the top are our daughter-Ericka Blake, Dora’s sister-Louise Robinson of “Sweet Honey in the Rock,” grandson-Ameer Blake, son-Raymond Johnson, daughter-in-law-Nikki Johnson (they were married February 22, 2010), DORA, Dora’s mother-Vivian Robinson look sharp as always, below are four more grandchildren Na’im Blake (red shirt), Bilal Blake (shades), Nadirah Blake with Nadjah Blake just below her and LLOYD kneeling in front.

BACK ON THE BLOCK

Wow! I can’t believe it is August 2010 and I haven’t submitted an article on my own blog since January. Quite a few exciting things have occurred since then. This past Spring I completed all of the required courses to become a Commissioned Lay Pastor. July 28th was the one year anniversary of my heart attack. My son Raymond got married in February. My wife, Dora retired July 9th. Kairos Outside NYC had its Weekend #2 in July. I finished writing a book. And more.
As far as becoming a Lay Pastor is concerned, I presented my Statement of Faith to the Committee on Preparation for Lay Ministry. Remaining requirements are an examination by that committee, examinations by the Committee on Ministry and by the Presbytery. Then I can be commissioned to pastor one of our congregations or assist a pastor in a congregation.

The heart attack anniversary passed uneventful. Praise God! I’ve been watching my diet (haven’t tasted ice cream). I go for a brisk walk most mornings and Dora and I recently joined Silver Sneakers.

Raymond and Nikki’s wedding was televised on TLC’s “Four Weddings.” (Wedding Pictures) The wedding was held at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Brooklyn, NY on February 22, 2010 and was televised on TLC in March. My new daughter-in-law was competing with three other brides. They had to vote on each other’s wedding in several categories. We won. That is, Ray and Nikki won. They won a week at an all-inclusive resort on Grand Cayman Island in the Caribbean (More wedding pictures).

* Hats off to Raymond for another accomplishment ... Raymond graduated from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University with his Master of Social Work degree on July 22, 2010.  Congratulations Raymond S. Johnson, MSW.

Dora retired July 9th. It’s taking some getting used to by both of us. I’ve been retired for five and a half years. We have been busy. There’s no rocking in the rocking chair around here.

Both of us served on the Kairos Prison Ministry Weekend, Kairos Outside NYC #2. That was the weekend of July 16, 17 & 18, 2010. Dora was music director for the weekend. KO NYC is a Christian ministry for women whose lives have been impacted by incarceration. The ministry team consists of about thirty women and 6 men. The men prepare and serve the meals and pray. There are approximately twenty-four guests on the weekend. Several women on the ministry team give talks and meditations on various topics. The men are in another room praying during the talks.

We attended the Dyson Family Reunion in Petersburg, VA the weekend of July 23, 24 & 25, 2010. That's Dora's family on her mother's side. Her mother, Vivian (Mary Vivian Dyson Robinson), is the matriarch of the family and her uncle, Joseph Dyson, is the patriarch. It was a wonderful gathering. Family members came from all over the country and Toronto, Canada.

I finished a book I’ve been writing for over a year. I finally sent the manuscript to a publisher two weeks ago. The book is a humorous memoir about my father. It’s not very long and I hope a few folks will enjoy it. Now I can get back to the blog and other things.

Watch for the book later this year. I’ll send out announcements via email, snail mail, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Can I have a book signing at your place? I told the publisher that I was originally looking to present something for family members to enjoy. I also wanted to create something for our children and grandchildren to cherish. If there is even a modicum of commercial success, I’ll be greatly surprised. What’s the title? It might change, but right now it’s, “Fools Never Raise Their Thoughts So High.” That’ll keep you guessing for a while.

It’s good to be back on the block. Thank you for checking in and God bless you. <>
*Added 8/15/2010

I Woke Up

At the New Year’s Eve Watch Night Worship Service at our church, I was among those asked to give a testimony during the worship. This is what I used:

This is an excerpt from the book, “Same Kind of Different as Me,” by Ron Hall & Denver Moore with Lyn Vincent. It’s a true story and a modern day story. The story is about a Black man who used to be homeless and a wealthy White man who was an international art dealer and how they became genuine best of friends. It’s a book I highly recommend. Actually, I’d like more people to read it so that I can join a discussion group on the book.

Here is what Mrs. Barbara Bush, former First Lady, said about the book, “Denver Moore and Ron Hall’s story is one that moved me to tears. The friendship that forms between these two men at a time when both were in great need is an inspiration to all of us to be more compassionate to everyone we come in contact with. This is truly a wonderful book!” –

I read from the bottom of page119 through page120;

There, under the giant and ancient elm that shaded the benches, she always found some pearls hidden below the amber sea of crushed beer bottles and syringes.

The pearl she found one day glistened in the smile of a grizzled street veteran who lived under a railroad trestle in a cardboard box shaped like a casket. This man ate from garbage cans, an unpleasant truth you knew automatically if you had a nose. His beard was matted with dried vomit and the remains of his last few meals, and he reeked so strongly of booze that it seemed he might explode if someone got too close and struck a match.

Here was a man whose life seemed disposable. Yet he found a reason to smile. Drawn to him, Deborah offered him a plate of home-cooked food and a prayer. Then, truly puzzled, she asked him, “Why are you so happy?”

“I woke up!” he replied, eyes twinkling in his haggard face, “and that’s reason enough to be happy!”

Deborah rushed home to tell me what he’d said, as though she’d been given a treasure that needed to be deposited immediately in my memory bank. From that day on, three words – “We woke up!” – were the first to come out of our mouths, a tiny prayer of thanksgiving for something we’d always taken for granted, but that a derelict had had the wisdom to see as a blessing fundamental to all others.

We greeted each other that way every morning, never suspecting that each morning would soon be a precious gift we could count on one hand.

Then I said to the congregation, “When I originally finished reading that page I cried and I prayed. You see, this past summer on Tuesday night, July 28th I suffered a heart attack. On Wednesday morning, July 29th … I woke up! I said a prayer and called Dora, my wife. Most people would say, “Well, Lloyd, you survived because God isn’t finished with you yet.” I actually reread that page about five times before I moved on.

What most people miss is the FACT that God isn’t finished with the street veteran (homeless person) yet either. Even from his seemingly low position, this man was able to impart wisdom to a wealthy American and the wisdom was appreciated. When I finished reading the book, I realized that the authors caused me to look at homeless people through the eyes of Jesus. As one of the co-authors, Denver Moore, said, “You never know through whose eyes God is watching you.”

We all have our lists of things we will do in 2010 … our New Year’s resolutions. Let me make this suggestion. Every morning when you wake up … say, “I woke up,” and say a prayer of thanksgiving. Some people woke up today in a cardboard box clutching a plastic bag that holds all of his or her worldly possessions. Others woke up between satin sheets to the aroma of freshly brewed Columbian coffee prepared by Jeeves. Most of us woke up somewhere in between. God is not finished with you, me, Jeeves, or our neighbor currently living on the street … not yet anyway.

What will you do with the largest denomination of money you have in your wallet the next time you pass your neighbor who lives on the street? Really? Why? Is it because he’s not exactly like you? He’s different … same kind of different as me. Read the book, then come back to this blog and comment.

Merry Christmas

I once heard a story that went something like this: A woman was Christmas shopping in a department store with her little son. During the shopping she inadvertently let go of her son’s hand and he wandered off. Frantically, she looked all over the store calling his name. She finally found him. He was looking through a glass at the nativity scene. “Johnny!” she called. “Look mommy. It’s the baby Jesus!” he said to her, excitedly. “Come on here Johnny,” she yelled grabbing his hand. “I have too much Christmas shopping to do. I don’t have time for Jesus.” They disappeared into the crowd.

This is a joyous, joyful time for Christians. What’s also good about it is that joy can be contagious. It’s a good time to say to others before they disappear into the crowd, “Look, it's the baby Jesus." Let’s keep Jesus visible. I recall a time when the nativity scene was what people put up on their lawns or in the open garage for the public to see. My church used to have a life sized nativity scene on the old church lawn. It was lit up and because it was on a busy corner it added to the real meaning of Christmas. I don’t know why we stopped. Today, people's homes have lots of lights, Santa Clauses, reindeer, snowmen on the lawn, and decorated Christmas trees. Nativity scenes are hard to find. They've disappeared from some church lawns. The nativity scene seems to have been replaced by the Christmas tree and boughs of holly ... even in Holy places.

It’s been a long time since I went caroling. Back when I was a teenager, the young people in our church used to go Christmas Caroling in the neighborhood and visit nursing homes. After caroling, we would come back to the church for a Christmas party. A highlight was the hot buttered cider that was always served. Do people still go caroling? Please let me know through comments below. I’d love to see young folks doing that here in the northeast Bronx.

Here in America in addition to Christmas, during this season Jews celebrate Chanukah, Muslims celebrate the Islamic New Year and some African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa. So, there should be lots of smiles on the faces of the people we pass on the street, and in the shopping malls. Much will be said about the lack of reverence and the commercialism during our season of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Although not everyone we meet is celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, let everyone know where your heart is with a cheerful Merry Christmas.

Look, brothers and sisters, it’s the baby Jesus! Do you have time for Him?