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| Mother, Frances, and my youngest brother, Lowell |
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| Debbie and Dewain and Me after a meal at Cracker Barrell |
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| Two wonderful meals that my neice, Jean Hamilton prepared and brought for me. |
I thank God for my Family. We are close friends and spend time together regularly. Any excuse for a party (Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New years,) brings us together at some one of our homes or in a restaurant where we socialize, tell stories (some true, some embellished), tell jokes, maybe sing awhile, pray together and enjoy one another's company.
One of Frances' neices (Jean Moore) lives here in Cleveland, TN where her husband Rick teaches Old Testament at Lee University. She is an RN and works with hospice. She is a twin and has another sister and a brother. Frances and I have always enjoyed all of her siblings as we have watched them grow from the time they were born. With her busy schedule - she still found time to come check on her Uncle Fred when I first came home from the major surgery in November. Then - a few nights ago - she and Rick came by and delivered the delicious meal that you see laid out on our kitchen stove. What a sweetheart she is.
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| Mamaw, Dewain, Frances, Frank, Elizabeth are Frances' family visiting in our home. |
Sometimes I like solitude. I enjoy being alone for two to three days at a time now and then. Some of you know of my love for the out-of-doors and that I go to the mountains alone and spend time there reading and thinking and praying when I'm not hunting or fishing. But I love being with my family and close friends. When you are in a crisis, your family and friends really matter (or at least I can say it seems to me that they matter) more than ever. Tomorrow, as I go for my second chemo-therapy treatment, my closest minister friend (Dr. E.L. Williams) will be driving for me. It's thirty miles to the treatment center. He will spend about 8 hours of his valuable time waiting on me. I am a blest man to have such a wonderful family and friends.
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| Me and My Siblings |
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| Dr. Ed Williams, delivering "Meals on Wheels" |
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| Ed and Me |
16 comments:
Indeed,Fred, family and friends are a huge blessing. You are very blessed to have both in abundance. My thoughts and prayers are with you as you go for your second round of chemo tomorrow. I pray the angels guide you safely there and back.
Yes, Fred, I so totally agree. Family is the most important thing (after God) in times of trouble and illness. You are so blessed to have a large and close family!!! I also think these kinds of things bring family together, the little things they bicker about mean nothing. My prayers for the cancer to be gone and very minimal or no side effects!!!
Hi, Fred,
I will be praying that things go well with your chemo tomorrow. Yes, you're very blessed to have such wonderful friends and family!
I have several friends and family who went to Lee University.
By the way, I certainly do recognize that hymnal in your previous post! :D
You are truly blessed Fred. BUT.. good people aways have lots of others who care for them.Keep well.
Hi Fred, I love reading about all of your wonderful family and support system. You are so lucky to have so many great people around you. Thanks be to God.
Prayers for you as you go through this next treatment.
God Bless You, Fred.
Hugs to you and Frances
Betsy
Good solid entry my friend. Love the pictures and YES, family and friends are wonderful. You are blessed to have Ed and Ed is blessed to have you as a friend. I feel blessed to have known you over 50 years ago, and now back in contact. I love the idea of seeing your blog entries.
Our prayers that this will be only a bump inthe road, and you will again enjoy the 'FULL LIFE' you are used to living.
The Brannens are a wonderful loving family, I know you guys have a ball when you get together.
(PS: I cannot believe Lowell is getting old. LOL)
Family is very special, and you are indeed blessed with a wonderful family (and friends). I hope your second chemo session went as well as your first. Please know that you (and your family) continue to be in our prayers.
You are so bless to have wonderful family and so many friends to be there for you during this time. I hope your second treatment went well and I continue to keep you and Frances in my prayers. I wish we had Meals on Wheels around here. Take care. Jean
Hey Fred ~ I'm anxiously awaiting to hear about the next squirrel or deer hunting expedition. You hang in there buddy and keep happy thoughts :) If I lived closer I would certainly give some time to help you out. After spending an eight hour day with me you'd be begging for a relief driver! You never seen me behind the wheel ... all I can say is hang on!!
@ Mel: Your comment made me ChuckleOL! My most reckless driver is my hunting buddy who drove me yesterday! He is even worse as a back-seat driver. Haha. But what a good friend he is!
@ All of you - Everything exceptionally smooth yesterday and we were home by 1:30 and I went out with family visitors for dinner at the Cracker Barrell. Thank you ALL for your kind words of support. It means more than I have words to express.
God Bless, Fred. I hope the chemo beats this thing for you. As a man of faith, I know you are starting several steps ahead of where you would be otherwise.
It certainly is wonderful to have good family and friends. They are the glue that holds society together. I think that the disintegration of families is the greatest threat to our country's future, but of course that is a topic for another time.
Dear sweet Uncle Fred.... I can call you that because even though you are my "in-law Uncle", since I have been in your family (30yrs) now! Wow! I have always felt apart and loved. Those few short years ago! It was such a joy to meet you all, this was a foreign world to me, one of joyfulness and a HOPE that I had never known. There was one instance a long time ago, Charles Mom and Dad had a somewhat engagement party for us at Michaels restaurant in k'ville and I was confused why everyone there kept calling each other..."brother and sister", brother Curtis etc. and in my time before I found the Lord and my boldness was BIG, I asked big and loud Brother Fred Cook, pastor of 6th COG at the time, in total loudness exclaiming!!! " why innthe world does everyone keep calling each other bro and Sis!! It was weird to me! He graciously hugged me and explained that we are all bros and Sis in Christ..blah blah, lol I must say I didn't really understand but i think I prolly embarrassed my future husband I said "oh, ok" and dropped it. It didn't take me but a few months to "get it"! That describes our family, even more than related...we are bros and Sis in Christ, which has caused the family to stick together thru thick and thin. I honor you and Francis for your welcoming of this lost girl into your family and continued faithful lives lived before us. I am proud to be in your family and especially to be a sister in Christ with you! I love you dear Brother Fred and thankful God gave me such a soft place to land in this family. Health and long life to you!
God surely has blessed 'family,' family in Christ most importantly. Without one another to care for and love, we would not understand the meaning of it. I know our family has been blessed over and over again.
I pray for you constantly as you are also my brother in Christ. Isn't it something wonderful how this technology has held us all as one.
BlessYourRecoveryMyFriend
and When do we eat....so sweet to have meals prepared for you. I'm sure your lovely bride, Frances appreciates a break from the kitchen, bless her soul.
You two are loved from afar up north. and
BlessYourHearts
Friends and family are very important...specially in difficult moments...believe me...I know!
Hope you are feeling better!
God is blessing you..have faith.
I pray...
Hugs
BS
Yes, family is important. They even matter when you are healthy.
Hello Fred, May the Lord bless and keep you safe in His care. And may you grow stronger and healthier every day.
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