MY BLOG HAS MOVED

I have officially moved my blog to WordPress. I'm very excited about the move and the great opportunities that lie ahead.

To get there, you can either click on this link or type into your browser: http://rcbrannon.wordpress.com/

I can't wait to see you there!

IT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN

Howdy to all 4 of you who read my blog. I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your time and attention as I babble about whatever it is I'm babbling about at the moment. You reading my blog is very special to me. I hope it's been entertaining, thought-provoking, or at least interesting. It's been a lot of fun for me. That's why I'm excited to announce a change of venue. Over the next few days I'll be moving my blog to WordPress. I'll post the details as soon as it's ready. I hope you'll join me there and discuss the fun things I have in mind.

Have a blessed week by blessing someone!

Peace, Love, and Good Blogs

JESUS AND...

This past Sunday at church we were challenged to confront ourselves concerning the idols we worship. I think that's one of my favorite subjects in church services; not because I like to judge people for their idolatry (God knows my idolatry all too well!), but because it reminds me what holds - and should hold - the utmost importance in my life.

Right around Christmas I saw this video on Twitter. It may be offensive to some (perhaps to many) but it encompasses the message that we serve idols ... often more than we serve God.

**DISCLAIMER** The following video has some language that may not be suitable for young ears. If such language is offensive to you or your young readers/listeners, please refrain from watching the clip.



The idol of stuff is a great big idol in the U.S. When we really get real about what we worship (especially those of us who claim Christ) it quickly becomes a severe case of "Jesus and..."

We're commanded to love God with everything we have - our heart, soul, mind, and strength - and to love people in the same way we love ourselves. (Luke 10:27) Also we are told that through God's riches we would have our every need supplied; we were never promised to have our greed supplied. (Phil. 4:19)

So what's the deal? Why are we so wrapped up in this idol we call "Stuff"? It's not going to love us unconditionally. It won't always be there for us. It won't last forever. (Matt. 6:19-21)

Jesus will. (Matt. 28:20b)

Will you choose to worship Jesus and Stuff, or just Jesus?

Peace, Love, and Jesus

SPORTS vs. GOD

"Why is it that we can jump up, throw our hands in the air, clap, yell, cheer and celebrate at a football game, but if we demonstrate the same behavior at church we are judged almost to the point of condemnation?"

If you've been in a church setting for even a little while I'm sure you've heard this question asked. Well, I don't know if I have the "right" answer, of there even is a "right" answer, but I do have an answer.

Think about this: We do not and cannot know everything we want to know about God.
However, we can, and often do know everything we want to know about our favorite players. We can learn about his strengths and weaknesses, we can find out what motivates him to be the best, we can even know how long he will be signed with a team and the amount of money he'll make during that time (thus proving the point that most guys love stats ... more about that later). All of these things are fun to know, but don't really make all that much of a difference in our lives. The fact that the Cowboys signed the best receiver in the draft doesn't mean automatic success for the team. 

That is not necessarily the case with God. The fact that He sent the Savior to the world means automatic eternal life for all those on His team. We know a lot of stats from the Bible and from the stories of people who have experienced God, but we don't know the half of it. We know that love motivates God to give us grace. We know God will be signed with His team forever and that He doesn't need money because it's all His anyway. We also know that He has already defeated sin, death, the grave, and the world. There it is; God has already won, but we never know what team will win the next game. As the old NFL saying goes, "Anything could happen on any given Sunday."

Don't get me wrong. I love sports. I love rooting for the Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys, and Tennessee Titans in football, as well as the Spurs, Lakers, and Thunder in basketball, and the Rangers, Braves and Cardinals in baseball. I love rooting against the OU Sooners in any sport (sorry, Sooner fans. I still love ya!). 

The fact that I love sports, though, could be disastrous for me if I'm not careful. I could let my love of sports overwhelm my love for my wife, my family, or my God. I could end up worshipping sports instead of God. That causes me to think very carefully and make sure I keep my priorities in check.

Do you get what I'm saying? Do you understand the significance of this dilemma? What should we do about it?

What do you think about the sports vs. God debate?

Peace, Love, and the Dallas Cowboys

I HAVE A DREAM

The speech that changed America. Watch. Believe. Act.



Peace, Love, and Freedom

BUT...

Steph and I were talking about stuff the other day and before we knew it we were fussing about whatever it was we were talking about. I don't remember exactly what our subject was. What I do remember is how the fussing started. I said something to the effect of, "I agree with you, but..." That one little word had a huge impact on the direction of that conversation. Had I not used those three letters I would have saved a lot of time and energy trying to explain myself.

See, the word "but" has the power to throw a conversation into reverse in under a second. When we say "but" we negate everything we said prior to that word. For example, "That show was great, but I wish there hadn't been so much singing." Even if the singing in the show were the best ever, the person who made the comment wasn't a fan of singing (shame on that person!).

In the case of my conversation with Steph, I ruined the good vibe by using that word. Even though I was giving my opinion - and my opinion is highly valued by my wife - the fact that I had already agreed with her was completely overshadowed (and nearly nullified) by "but." I'm learning that if I can keep the "but" out of the conversation it will end much better for me. Of course, "but" is appropriate in some situations. We have to be careful how we use "but," though, so it doesn't cause us problems. In other words, keep your "but" out of the way and you'll be just fine.

How has your "but" gotten you in trouble? How did you correct it?

Peace, Love, and Good Speech

TWO DOWN, A LIFETIME TO GO

After two years of marriage Stephanie and I are still falling in love with each other every day. 2010 had its fill of difficult situations but we made it through each one with God's help. We are learning more about each other all the time. We're still getting to know each other which makes things tough at times, but once we have worked through an issue we get that much closer to each other.

Is it difficult? Not all the time.
Is it easy? Not all the time.
Is it like any other relationship we have (parents, siblings, friends, etc.)? Not all the time.

Steph is my best friend and I'm hers. Best friends are unique because they care about each other and get on each other's nerves all at once sometimes. It goes far beyond tolerating each other. It means that we know each other well enough to be certain that we are madly in love with each other regardless of what we're fussing about at the moment. The trick is to remind each other of that truth. Sometimes it's a lot easier than other times. But that's life, right?

I'm praying that this year reveals a lot more of that true love, respect, and trust that is making us better for each other all the time. When we're better for each other, it's a lot easier to be better to each other. When we're better to each other, it's a whole lot easier for us to get through the tough times. That makes it perfectly simple for us to live out the words of this song:



Happy anniversary, Baby! I love you now!!!

Peace, Love, and Great Marriage

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 10

My final post in this series. My final post of the year. My final post to get you thinking about life and all its possibilities.

I don't know of anyone who doesn't want to make any positive changes in their life. And if someone says they don't have anything to change about themselves, they're delusional. Everyone changes in some way or another. We grow, we learn, we adapt. We become embittered, we become enlightened. We search for the best this life has to offer. Think about some thing or things you want/need to change in your life. Remember, you can't change anyone else. You can only change yourself. Do you have your change(s) in mind? Good. Now, let's talk logistics.

The top ten best times to make a positive change in your life:

10. Now.

9. Right now.

8. Do you know when "now" is?

7. This magic moment.

6. The time has come.

5. Isn't there something you should be doing besides reading this?
4. Wait ... you're still here?
3. Don't let this opportunity pass you by ... Oh, there it goes ... Well, catch it!
2. Why in the world are you still reading this?
1. It's always "now."

So, what are you waiting for? As my mama always said, "Don't put off today for tomorrow."

Peace, Love, and Now

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 9

These are my top ten most memorable moments of 2010:

10. The Nashville flood (including baptizing the van in Jackson, concert in Glasgow, KY, and getting home)

9. Getting the honor of performing with Acappella Classic at Acafest

8. Visiting Bob Marley's home/museum

7. Learning about the murder of my good friend, Hal Moreland, the weekend before Christmas

6. Western Heights drum line winning drums at Konowa Marching Contest/Western Heights marching band getting straight superior ratings at OSSAA Marching Contest (first time to get an overall superior rating since 1999, first time to get superior ratings from all 3 judges since 1987)

5. Being on the Amazon River (as a matter of fact, the entire Brazil trip was unforgettable)

4. Steph's 30th birthday

3. Finding out we were expecting/Finding out we had to give our baby back to God before we even got
to hold it in our arms

2. Our first wedding anniversary

1. Sending Dad to his eternal home

What are some of your most memorable moments of 2010?

Peace, Love, and Memories

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 8

And I quote...

10. "These people better not get a divorce or I'm gonna be so mad!" - Zac George at a wedding we sang for after a 16 hour drive ... after a 3 1/2 week Brazilian tour ... after a really long summer ... before a long trip back home via Nashville ... on a bus that broke down in Nashville ... after the air conditioner broke down ... in August.

9. "If I can't whoop 'em, I don't want 'em." - Steph speaking of other people's children

8. "Lil' girl, you can take your attitude elsewhere 'cause I ain't the one you need to mess with today." - Me at school ... 'nuff said.

7. Courtney Fowler to her son: "Brock, would you bring me my house shoes, por favor?"
Brock, after running to get the shoes: "Por favor is back!"

6. "Everybody ought to love sweet potatoes!" - Papa J telling the story of how he tried to bribe Dad to keep him from tattling when they were kids

5. "Aaaaaand ... there's water coming into the van." - Anthony Lancaster as we baptized our van

4. Gabby: "Are you gonna wear those shoes with that dress?"
Steph: "Are you gonna wear that face with that dress?"

3. "I'ma pray for you ... a lot!" - Me

2. "Lots of laughin', lots of lovin', lots of exercise; that's what's gonna make life fun!" - Steph

1. "I love you, Son." - Dad

End quote. What are some of your favorites from 2010?

Peace, Love, and Good Quotes

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 7

I did Christmas movies the other day. Now, it's time for movies released in 2010. There were some great ones; many that I had to leave off my list because there were so many good ones. Here are my top ten:

10. Dear John
9. Shutter Island
8. Toy Story 3
7. Tangled
6. Letters To God
5. How To Train Your Dragon
4. Alice In Wonderland
3. Megamind
2. Inception
1. The Book Of Eli

Maybe you can hip me to some that I missed.

Peace, Love, and Good Movies

TEN TOP TENS OF 2010: part 6

Today's post is the top ten blogs I've read this year. Here goes:

10. Brandon Scott Thomas
9. Blake Bergstrom
8. Patrick Mead
7. Anthony Evans
6. Joshua Graves
5. Terry Rush
4. Mark Driscoll
3. Pete Wilson
2. Compassion International
1. Trey Morgan

Which blogs do you like to read?

Peace, Love, and Good Blogs

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 5

Since it's Sunday I thought it would be appropriate to share my top ten worship songs for this year. All of these songs have helped me get through various situations over the course of the year, whether good or bad. I hope there's a song on this list that speaks to you in a very real way:

10. Glory And Honor - Acappella
9. Trading My Sorrows - Darrell Evans
8. Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman
7. Healer - Hillsong
6. Our God Is Greater - Chris Tomlin
5. Majesty (Here I Am) - Martin Smith; Stuart Garrard
4. God Holds The Future In His Hands - James Rowe; James Vaughan
3. Firm Foundation - Jamie Harvill; Nancy Gordon
2. All I Need Is You - Hillsong
1. Rejoice - Anthony Evans

Name some of your favorite worship songs.

Peace, Love, and Worship

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 4

Christmas Day - the biggest movie box office day of the year! How many blockbusters have been released on Christmas Day? Surely there's a count somewhere, but that's not what this post is about. This post is about great movies about Christmas, involving Christmas, set at Christmastime, etc. Let's spend a little time at the movies, shall we? This is my top ten Christmas movie list (this one was tough because there are so many great Christmas movies, so please add to this list):

10. Home Alone 

9. The Family Stone 

8. Elf

7. Miracle On 34th Street

6. Scrooged (and all the other movies based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens)

5. How The Grinch Stole Christmas

4. A Christmas Story

3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

2. It's A Wonderful Life

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas

Name some other great Christmas movies.

Peace, Love, and Merry Christmas ... at the movies

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 3

Today's list is all about traditions - Christmas traditions. Every family has Christmas traditions; some more than others. Here are ten Christmas traditions my family (Brannon, King, Fowler, Hackett, etc.) keeps:

10. Holiday travel
9. Christmas music on the car radio
8. Opening new pajamas on Christmas Eve
7. Day-after-Christmas shopping
6. Football!
5. Baking Christmas goodies
4. Decorating the tree
3. Caroling in nursing homes, schools, stores, and other places that need Christmas cheer
2. Spending quality time with family/friends
1. Jesus: the real Reason for the season

Feel free to share some of your Christmas traditions.

Peace, Love, and Merry Christmas

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 2

Today's top ten list is dedicated to sports - the ten greatest team/school mascots. Some are serious, some are funny, all are the real deal. This ought to be fun! Here we go:

10. University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane

9. Oklahoma City Thunder

8. Muleshoe High School Mules (note: Why are they the Mules?)

7. Mustang High School Broncos (note: Why are they not the Mustangs?)

6. University of South Carolina Gamecocks

5. Dumas High School Demons

4. Stanford University Cardinal (note: Cardinal is singular)

3. Odessa Jackalopes

2. Texas Christian University Horned Frogs

1. Montgomery Biscuits

Gimme some more good ones!

Peace, Love, and Great Sports

TEN TOP TENS FOR 2010: part 1

I love top ten lists so I want to share ten top ten lists on the last ten days of 2010. Some of the lists may be funny (although ... probably not very funny), some may be more serious, and some may be just plain ridiculous. Hope you will add to them if you have something to add.

For the first list, here's my top ten list of books I've read this year (in no particular order):

10. Stuff Christians Like - Jonathan Acuff
9. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis
8. The Haunted Mesa - Louis L'Amour
7. Good Book - David Plotz
6. Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey
5. Don't Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings - Tyler Perry as Madea
4. Plan B - Pete Wilson
3. Love And Respect - Emerson Eggerichs
2. More Than Enough - Dave Ramsey
1. Ecclesiastes - King Solomon

Your turn to share your favorite books of 2010!

Peace, Love, and Good Reading

THE SING-OFF: AND THE WINNER IS...

I guess I didn't come right out and say it, but I knew from the first episode who would win season 2 of NBC's The Sing-Off. If you read my post an the first week of the show, you might have guessed who I wanted to win, too. So, I'll give my congrats now and give my take on the show a little later.

Congratulations to COMMITTED from Huntsville, AL! I've been a fan of theirs from the first downbeat I heard them sing. Their harmonies blend naturally and all of them sing great leads. They are all musically advanced and sensitive to each other, as well as to the song they're singing. Kudos to these six young men. I wish them all the best!

Tell me what you thought about the show.

Peace, Love, and Good Music

THE SING-OFF: SEASON 2 (part 2)

I'm gonna keep this one short, sweet, and to the point.

If you haven't been watching The Sing-Off, you've been missing out on some great music! This week's shows have been outstanding, to say the very least. It started out on Monday with six remaining groups and is now down to four (not three as it was originally intended). Although one of my favorite groups - Groove For Thought - was eliminated on Monday, the four who remain - The Backbeats, Street Corner Symphony, Committed, and Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town - gave stellar performances on Wednesday. So stellar, in fact, that the judges couldn't bring themselves to cut either of them.

So, now it's up to you, America. Choose this day (or at least by Monday) whom you like the most and vote at http://www.nbc.com/sing-off/. As for me, I think I'm gonna have to vote for everyone (except The Backbeats; they've never been a favorite of mine. Don't get it twisted, though. They are quite talented and their rendition of "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac was outstanding. I just haven't quite bought into them yet.)

For a different point of view, check out judge Ben Folds' comments here!

Peace, Love, and Good Music

THE SING-OFF: SEASON 2

It's back with a vengeance! NBC's hit a cappella competition, The Sing-Off, has returned for it's second season and the competitors are even more fierce than the first season. The ten competing groups are all outstanding. I'm glad I'm not a judge because I would not like to send any of them home. However, if there is no one willing to to send them home the show might drag on forever, and (almost) all good things are only good in moderation.

So, I'll give you a brief opinion of the groups each week. Hopefully, these few posts will encourage you to take interest and share your opinions of the show. I have no affiliation with the show, but I do love a cappella music and am a proponent of seeing it flourish on a national level.

1. ELEVENTH HOUR - the sole high school group on the show. These kids have great energy, lots of personality, and the determination to not be looked down on because of their youth. Fun to hear and see that kind of focus from a young generation that generally has very little interest in anything besides video games, computers, and being self-absorbed. Unfortunately, they didn't make it past the second show, but I do think they have great things in store for their future if they stay with it.

2. ON THE ROCKS - 15 dudes from the University of Oregon (the college of which Acappella's own Zachary Wilson is a huge fan). These guys are a ton of fun to watch. I'm interested to see them get more serious and sensitive. They remind me a lot of the Beelzebubs from Season 1.

3. GROOVE FOR THOUGHT - our resident jazz ensemble. These guys have a warm sound, a great blend, and fantastic ears for tight harmonies. I guess it helps that the majority of them are music teachers. I really dig this group.

4. PITCH SLAPPED - the mixed ensemble from Berklee College of Music in Boston. They have a good look and a great energy, but their sound was a bit forced and not quite balanced from top to bottom. I expected to see them go a lot farther based on their pre-performance vignette, but they were eliminated the first night. I do, however, wish them all the success they can handle!

5. JERRY LAWSON & TALK OF THE TOWN - our resident a cappella legends. Jerry Lawson, formerly of The Persuasions, has teamed up with a group of veteran music-makers to create an unparallelled representation of our a cappella roots. The music these gentlemen make is the type of music on which I was raised. They remind me of a lot of the old church singing groups I listened to (and sometimes had the honor to sing with) as a kid. Mr. Lawson has a humility about him that reminds me a lot of my dad. This group is very special to my heart.

6. THE WHIFFENPOOFS - America's first collegiate a cappella ensemble. This group of Yale seniors have a rich choral sound that is quite lovely. They are quirky, fun, and surprisingly enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately, their stiffness and lack of versatility has cost them a spot on the show. They were eliminated on the second night, but I trust their tradition won't be eliminated for a very long time.

7. MEN OF NOTE - some young, talented singers. These guys are ambitious and energetic, to say the least. The unfortunate part is that their energy became nervous energy on the competition stage and they got a little ahead of themselves. This caused them to be a little rigid and not quite relaxed enough to continue in the competition. They were eliminated the first night. I believe, however, that they are not finished singing!

8. STREET CORNER SYMPHONY - our Nashville connection. I'm a little partial to these guys because they are from Nashville and a couple of them have some connection with Acappella Ministries. Jon and Mark McLemore are two of the six southern cats who just rip it up with righteous harmonies, fantastic leads, and rock-solid time. I'm hoping to see them for the remainder of the show!

9. THE BACKBEATS - our resident conglomoration. This group of twenty-somethings is a mash-up of several different groups from southern California (some of them were on season 1) who have come together to create a very solid ensemble. Their strongest element, in my opinion, is the emotional connection they make with their audience. They really know how to dive into the heart of a song. I'm wondering how this will affect them in more up-tempo music. Can't wait to find out.

10 . COMMITTED - quite possibly the next Take 6. This group of youngsters are from the same college as the members of one of my favorite groups ever, Take 6. There must be something in the water there because these kids are crazy good! Their arrangements are ridiculous, their blend is unreal, their soloists are just dumb, and their overall cohesiveness is out of this world!! As much as I love some of the other groups, these guys are my run-away favorites. I don't know if they can be beaten. I guess we'll find out soon. By the way, Committed is primarily a ministry-oriented group, which makes me dig them even more!

So, there ya have it. That's what I think about season 2 of The Sing-Off so far.

What do you think?

Peace, Love, and Good Music