Friendship

Well! It was such fun hearing and reading the comments on my last poem, I think I'll do it again. Obviously, the title came after the completion of the poem. Here it is:

Friendship

Since you liked my poem so much, I thought I’d write another.
One that I thought all would view, plus sister and my brother.
This poem doesn’t have the tone, that grips you at the heart,
But if you want to read it still, be sure it’s not ‘in part’.

This message may be silly, and it may be serious.
I do not know which way I’ll go. It’s so mysterious.
What ever comes is what you’ll get, ‘cause that is what I’ll write.
It may be something meaningful. It may be oh, so trite.

Let me start by saying this, “You now are my good friend.
I do not want to say a thing that brings it to an end.
A friend is very good to have, when / if you need someone,
But even better is a friend, to help you get life done.

We sing together and we pray, and worship our Dear Lord.
We do it in the church you know? It really isn’t hard.
What we really ought to do is worship on the street,
For God deserves our highest praise wherever we may meet.

Someone may be in great need, and if they watch us pray,
It may entice them to the Lord, by just the words we say.
We’re not ashamed to make it known; the blessings of our God
He really wants to bless all men who walk upon this sod.

If they approach us with their need, will we turn them away,
Or will we give them our friendship if only for a day?
Jesus gave us His friendship for all eternity.
He wants us just to share His love, and do it just for free.

Hey, now I see where this has gone. I really didn’t know,
That it would be about friendship; and kindnesses we sow.
So let this be a message clear, for everyone to see;
If we want to make our mark, then friendship is the key.

– Lowell A. Brannen

Charismatic Morality

In reference to a blog by The Dawg Howse entitled "The Fuzzy-Wuzzy World of Charismatic Morality", I mad a reply that I thought I should use as a blog of my own. If you want to read the article, go to http://thedawghowse.blogspot.com/ and read his blog. The following is my reply to his blog:

I think the "fuzzy wuzzy world of charismatic morality" is getting "fuzzaier" all the time. I have watched several of these tv evangelists with admiration and a few with a grain of salt. I looked on, helplessly, as PTL crumbled. I watched the 'Swaggert confession - I Have Sinned' and was disappointed, the Bynum 'royal wedding' and was amazed, the White 'announcement' and was puzzled, and several other dramas that left me with unanswered questions. I've seen sights, inappropriate for saints to behold in our own churches, and heard 'sermons' that, in my opion, should not have been preached. I see the COG loosing it's holiness distinctive. I know that holiness begins in the heart but if it is given a chance it will show up on the body. Lest I stray from the point, let me say that we must be serious in our desire to please God and we must get serious in our practice of holiness. I know I am convicted already when I say that, but by God's grace I will do better. I still believe that it is God's desire for one man to be married to one woman, or vice-versa, and that they should be bound by their pledge, 'until death do us part'. However, there might be a few cases where..........................Oh Lord!.............Help us!

Here's my latest poem

For lack of a better title, let's call it:

The Sighs of a Sluggard

The day has come, the day has gone,
And here I sit. I’m all alone.
The day was short, and not so kind,
I could not satisfy my mind.

Were you out there? I should have known.
You did not speak. Then you were gone.
But then I thought, Why should you care,
About my plight, or my despair.

I had the day just like you did,
And all day long, My face I hid.
I could have called, or visited,
But here is what I did instead:

I sat me down upon my chair,
And focused only on the air.
I only thought of me myself,
And all my dreams upon the shelf.

I viewed them over in my mind,
And knew that they were left behind.
What a wise man I’d have been,
If I had only let you in.

Time and time and time again,
I know you tried to be my friend,
But I refused to let it be,
Because of my concern for me.

Why, oh why did I do wrong,
By doing nothing for so long?
Now, it’s gone. My days are spent.
And for this sin, I now repent.

— Lowell A. Brannen

I'm up but not running!

Yes, I'm up. For those of you who may not know, I had surgery Wednesday for a femoral hernia on my right side. I went into the hospital about 10:45 am and left about 7:00 pm. Rushed in and rushed out like cattle. The unit in which they were holding me, before and after surgery, closed at 7:00 pm, and they wanted me out of there before that time. It may have been 6:50 pm, but it was close. Such a rush that they forgot to give me my discharge papers. Now, I know that I wasn't that bad of a patient. I was just thinking.....my pre-op instructions were such as 'no food or liquids after midnight on Tuesday', 'no jewlery or valuables' 'no lotions or body creams' etc., but I could wear deoderant. I was wondering if that ment 'PLEASE wear deoderant'. :) Then again, I did wear deoderant. Must have been the wrong kind!! ha!
Oh well! Anyway, the doctor said the hernia was not as bad as he thought it would be but of course it still needed repair. Plus he strengthened the intestinal wall on the other side and also did a liver biopsy. I was home Wednesday night, up yesterday, Thursday, and feeling even better today, Friday. I'm not supposed to lift any thing over 10 lbs. for two weeks. Yeah, right! I'll probably do it by accident if not on purpose. As you can see, I'm back to my 'hard work' of blogging and computing, but I won't stay on here as long as I have been guilty of in the past. I just thought it would be a good idea to blog while I ate my dinner, or to some that would be 'lunch', so now you are up to date on my situation. Doesn't that make you feel better? Of course it does.

Ending the Old and Starting the New

The last day of 2007 and the first day of 2008, a Monday and a Tuesday, were days that I will remember for some time. I awoke on that Monday with pain in my hip joint. It was in the joint and not in the hip. The pain was more in the front of my body, right down in the groin area. I wasn't sure if it was the joint or the muscle. If I walked it seemd to get some better and I thought maybe it would be alright by night time, but instead it got worse. By night time, the pain was so discomforting that I was unable to go to sleep. After calling the hotline for the 24hr. nurse about midnight, and taking a hot bath and shower I was able to finally get some rest and sleep. The next day, I could not even lift my leg up off the floor without pain. I managed to hobble around and lift my leg with my hands when needed and thereby made it through the day. Now this second night I was truly getting better, and the next day I felt so much better that I probably would not have done anything about it if it had not been for my wife and my mother. So, I went to the doctor on the 2nd. - what would have been the third day of pain - and he scheduled me to get an ultrasound the next day. I did, and it was decided that I have a hernia. If that seems weird for the kind of pain I had, let me tell you what kind of hernia it's supposed to be. A femeral hernia. For those of you who would know, that is kinda weird because a femeral hernia is most often found in women, not men. I am a man!!

Well, the nurse made an appointment for me to see a surgical specialist and I went to see him today. We have scheduled the surgery for Wednesday. That would be the 23rd. Tomorrow, I will go to the hospital and register for the surgery. It will take about two hours, so I'm told, to go through all the tests that will be performed and get registered. Then of course, Wednesday will be surgery. It will be a one day thing. In and out on the same day. By using the proceedure that the doctor will use, I should be able to get back to my hard work of retirement :) in about two weeks.

I will try to post another blog as soon as I can after surgery. Your prayers will be appreciated. I still believe that God Has Everything Under Control and I'm looking forward to getting back to some kind of 'normal' life.

I always look forward to hearing from anyone who reads my blog.

How Well Do You Know Me?

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What's wrong?

OK!! What's wrong? Nobody but my oldest brother has made any comments on my last blog. Is it because it's too cold outside? Or is it because Barack Obama is hoping to be president of the US? Or perhaps it's because the subject "Church Teachings" is just tooooo hot to touch!!?! Ooooh, just kidding!! I know, we just got out of the Christmas holidays and then the New Year celebrations, trips, and so much going on. But I can't wait any longer. I've got to post another blog or somebody may think I've died and gone to heaven. Now, that's what's wrong with my posting frequency. All those things I just said. In other words, I have no excuse. Well, maybe just a little bit of an excuse. I mean, if it were a matter of life and death, I would have found a way to post another blog, and another and another. But I'm making up for my slackness right now. See? Here's a blog.

Hey! You won't believe what I'm listening to right now. I have another window open on the Internet and I am listening to Casting Crowns. You younger folks will know who I am talking about but for the sake of some of my peers, Casting Crowns is the name of a modern day Christian singing group. Actually, I really do like their music. Maybe it's connected with the idea that when we get old enough we don't worry about what others think about us as much as we used to. Somebody may think that I have gone off the deep end but who cares. It's time for me to enjoy retirement. Right? By the way, peers. Just listen to the words if you can't take the music. They really are saying something. I don't think their music is bad either.

Let me get a little more serious now. I finally got around to seeing my doctor yesterday. You see, Sunday I was fine, but Sunday night I was bothered with a feeling like a cramp in my leg, actually in my hip joint right in front of my body, like right in the groin area, and I had a tough time trying to sleep. When I awoke Monday morning, I couldn't hardly walk. I was limping. But I stretched, laid flat on my back on the hard floor for about 10 mins., walked and worked with my leg as best I could during the day. It got a little better but then at night time it got worse. Now, it is new years eve and I am in pain. Since I have a 24 hr. hot line to a nurse, I think she is in Atlanta, I called her just about midnight. I know she probably thought somebody was high as a kite calling to celebrate new years, but after she asked me all the questions that would verify that I was not 'loopie' and I answered them correctly, I explained to her my problem. To make it short, she suggested that I take a hot bath. Well, I could do that and I did. That did make me feel some better, but the next day was New Years Day! Now, the tradition is that us men get together and go somewhere just to cook breakfast, talk, sing, have dinner or whatever else we feel like doing. Now understand that we usually go to some camp or some place in the mountains etc.

I'm about to get side tracked here. Let me get back. So, my leg got worse that day and I drug it around like a log attached to my body. (Almost!) Just ask Fred, Curtis, Rick, Eddie, Mike, Jason, or one of the several others that was there. Man! I couldn't even lift my leg off the floor at one point and most of the day not over an inch without pain.

Let me make this short. OK? I got better before going to bed and slept fairly well. Saw Dr. Sims Wednesday. He scheduled me back today so I could get a
?sonogram? or whatever you call it. (I'm in a hurry - haven't got time to check my spelling) Dr. Sims thought maybe it was a ?femoral? hernia. (Again, I'm in a hurry) Can you believe that. I won't know the results of the exam until maybe Monday or Tuesday. Anyway, I feel great at this present time. I can lift my leg, walk without limping, and kick the devil in the teeth. Ha! Gotta go now. I'm in a hurry. I don't know why, but I am.

Now that you know what is wrong with me (or if you are still uncertain, I can come in for counseling most anytime) let me know what is wrong or right about you!!

Church Teachings!

I hope no one has given up on me. I'm still alive and well. I've just been doing stuff. Now, I don't have much excuse for just sitting in front of the computer so much of the time, since I've been off the medication that I was on for about two months. My wife expects more of me now, as does others. I have also began to get involved in some other activities that require my time. I don't want to forsake my blog posts, but I have been thinking about getting one of those free web sites just to check it out, and if I like it I may try to do something with it. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Recently, after viewing Lee University's In Circle web site, and corresponding with some of the alumni, I thought it might be OK to blog the post that follows. This is a small portion of my 'writings' that I have on file in my computer. It may be out dated today, but it gets to the point, I think. Tell me what you think. Here it is:

"What about the church teachings? Can we really change them? What about unwritten “practices”, or should I say “teachings”, of the church. I'm talking about those personal convictions that were preached and forced upon congregations, and those church rules that were not intended by God to be His rules. If it was a sin for one man is it not a sin for all? Let me answer that like this: 'What ever is a sin against God, in the sight of God, is a sin for one and all.' But some of the things that were called sin, are not identified as sin in the scriptures.
"More should be said about that, but I am intending to get to another point; mainly this: It seems that the founders of our church, the Church of God, were able to live by the standards of the church, and there are many today who also seem to have very little difficulty accepting those standards and live by them. I truly believe most of those dear saints of God lived holy lives. There are some dear saints of God today who are also living holy lives. But there have been many changes. Changes, no doubt, that would make the early church fathers (of the Church of God) very displeased if they could see those changes.
"There is a move, I think, toward a less severe church in the area of discipline. The church today no longer sees some of the "personal convictions" of the past as sin. They no longer feel that some of the church teachings of the past, for which many were excommunicated, are sinful. The idea of a Christian committing sin was unthinkable, but today it is not impossible to hear Church of God ministers, even Church of God officials, preach that we need to confess our sins and return to God. The church used to think more in terms of being perfect, but now you may often hear from the Church of God pulpit, that we have not yet attained unto perfection. The church used to speak in terms of entire, instantaneous sanctification, but it is not unrealistic to expect to hear the minister talk of a continual and gradual sanctification.
"In my own studies and observations, I have learned that Christians do sometimes sin. Should I say "most" Christians? That is certainly the case with me. I know I am not perfect. The "Baptist idea" that we are sinners saved by grace, is not as far off track as I used to think it was.

. . . . .

"How did those early church founders live such holy lives? How did my Grandmother do it? And how did my parents do it? Why has my struggle in living holy (if keeping the church teachings is living holy) been such a chore for me? Notice, I didn't say I was not keeping the church teachings; I simply admitted that is was not always easy - especially in the area of entire sanctification.

"Here are five things to consider:
"1. The founders of the Church of God did not conform to the church teachings -- they formed the church teachings. They did not make rules that were in disagreement with their practices.
"2. Some, had a temperament and personality that fit snugly into their mold and they did not have to make any effort to keep the standard.
"3. Some, had a temperament and personality that, even though it was difficult to meet the standard, they were actually able to force themselves to do those things required of them, in order to be a good Church of God member.
"4. Some of the early church members (and leaders), actually, did not live by the church teachings. When it was discovered that they were not living by the teachings they were excommunicated.
"5. Some, claimed to live by the church rule, and it was never found out that in reality they were unable to 'keep the standard'."

It seems almost cruel to stop this blog on that note, but it's a long blog and I may add something later. I hope you still love me!!??

Have a Very Merry Christmas and don't forget who the celebration is all about. Jesus Christ Our Lord!

I'm Happy Again!

Not that I was sad! It's just that I didn't have my connection to the world. I didn't have my soap box. I didn't have my tools for work and play. My computer!! But now, I am happy again. My computer was down for about two weeks. I tried to fix it. Thought it was the switch, spent about $17.00 for a new switch and replaced it, discovered that I am not as smart as I was hoping to be and then let a real repairman fix it for me. It was the power supply. I suspected that! Yeah, right! Any way, I had to use my wife's sloooooooooow computer to make my last two posts, but now I am flying again. :)

I got my computer back from the repairman Saturday. I picked it up Saturday morning, went to Chattanooga to the Red Lobster to celebrate my son's 25th. birthday, and got home in time to set the computer back up and do a few checks and then prepare a financial report for our Sunday School class (my wife is the class treasurer) which was due on Sunday morning. Close but we made it! Sunday, with all that goes on (you know, like eating, talking to company, taking an afternoon nap, etc.) I just didn't get around to blogging. Then Monday! Now that's another story. Not very interesting, but it is a story. A do-nothing morning, a take-Momma-to-the-doctor afternoon and a leaf-raking evening. At this hour, 7:30am, Tuesday, December 11, 2007, Janis is off to school and I am back!!!!

I've got this feeling that this blog is going to be short, as it shoud be, and I'll not say much more than what I've already said but I will post another blog soon. I think it's about time I put some pictures of somebody or something on this blog. Don't you? Well, maybe I'll get around to that today or tomorrow, if all goes well.

This is just to let you know that I have my computer repaired, I am back on line and I am happy.

Merry Christmas!

To all my friends, to all I've ever met, to those I've never met but read this message, and if I have any enemies, to you also: