Our Town

Not the musical, but the town The Johnson Tribe calls home - Wilmore, Kentucky. Our town is small...very small. There is a sign on the edge of town that boasts over 9,000 residents. I suppose that would be true when school is in session. Our tiny town is home to a Christian college and a Seminary (different institutions on opposite sides of the main street through town). You will find 2 stoplights, 3 restaurants, 1 Dollar Gen*ral Store, a video store/laundromat, a few parks, and one small grocery store owned and operated by one very kind man, Mr. Fitch. Since the town in densely populated with Christians, there is a church on nearly every corner. The other situation this creates is a strange one...the number of children with Biblical names in our tiny town is unbelievable. The playground becomes a Biblical geneology study as you listen to mom's directing their children, "Isaiah, get down." "Rebekah, come here please." "Gideon, it's time to go."

It's a unique little place...not perfect, but very close. Brad is a big fan of The Andy Griffith Show (he is a hard-core Black and White episode fan...none of that sissy color tv for him), he likes to think of Wilmore as his personal Mayberry. The town has had the same mayor for over 30 years, he and his brother serve as ushers at our church each week. This tiny little town is also culturally diverse...people from all over the world come to study here. We have learned so much about how wide and deep the Kingdom of God truly is - all over the globe. We've had God-loving people from so many different cultures in our home...and been blessed. We love living here and raising our young sons here is a blessing.

One of my favorite things about living here is The Fourth of July Celebration. It begins with a parade through town. This is unlike any other parade I've ever attended...it's charming and endearing. You won't find a marching band - but, you might find a kids from the daycare throwing candy, the local swim club squirting the audience as they walk the parade route, every truck that the volunteer firefighters have parading through town, people walking with their pets, and even a synchronized lawnmower group performs. A local family even decorated an old car and participated in the parade! It is an awesome experience! The video below will give you a taste of our "small town life." Be sure to notice the massive amounts of candy that are being thrown to my children, the fact that Luke is wearing his bike helmet (for the 3rd day in a row -only taking it off to bathe and sleep), and the synchronized lawn mower group. LOVE IT!