And there he sat. This 12 year old, barefoot, dirt poor, share
cropper’s son from Troy, TN, was setting on a stump playing his borrowed guitar with
his best friend Harry. Due to the great depression, He and his brother L.D. had
just returned home from standing in line to receive free food and clothing from
a charity in Union City, TN.
The next morning, there he sat in the seat of an old tractor. Like most fatherless boys of his age in 1940 his first driving experience was on farm equipment. Picking cotton and working the fields to help feed his Mother and younger brother Clyce was more important than school, but his fifth grade education would be sufficient for any task he would face for the rest of his life.
Everyone was poor back then but most of them didn’t know it because it was the only life they knew. And it wasn’t all work and no play. Weekends were all about family
gatherings, square dances, and Church functions. Entertainment was setting on the
Courthouse steps swapping stories, watches, and knives while the women shopped and visited, and the children played. Back then having a social life actually meant seeing people face to face and looking into someone’s eyes while conversing with them.
As time marched on he thought that he would get
his marching orders to follow in so many others footsteps in the military but
because of his weak lungs he was rejected by the army.
So of course like most young men his age he decided to settle down with
Ruth and raise a family and some crops.
And he did just that. Little did anyone know that their marriage would
last over forty years and they would have three children and seven
grandsons. Somewhere along this
journey, he met the one who changed his life forever. God
saved him and sustained him through the coming years.
And there he sat with his guitar on his knee, playing and singing
for the Lord. He soon had his youngest daughter Regina, standing right beside him playing her own guitar singing the high part on those beautiful bluegrass songs of Zion. They
both thought the other one had a little timing problem but they managed to keep
up with each other somehow. With his best friend Harry playing the mandolin, all was well as they went from Church to Church sharing music and testimony of God’s grace.
He soon lost his best friend Harry to a heart attack. He missed him so
but he kept the ministry going by singing with different groups and even going
solo at times. But it wasn’t long before Ruth, his wife, after fighting a hard battle with cancer would receive her promotion to Glory as well. She went home in 1990.
And there he sat, a sixty something year old widower facing loneliness and grief. It took time but he remarried a sweet little lady, Lavelle. She was right by his
side every step of the way after they were married. He worked with his daughter’s Gospel group driving the bus, setting and running sound, and occasionally singing.
He loved it. The only problem he ever had, was when his daughter would make him go back on the bus to change clothes because his suit didn’t
match. She just couldn’t let him wear gray pants and a brown suit jacket. But in his defense, the lighting was dim on that bus. Soon the music wasn’t enough and he answered the call to the greatest profession known to man, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And there he sat, this seventy something old fashioned minister, looking
around his own congregation in Florida making sure everything was taken care off
and making a mental list of those who were absent so he could check on them
latter. These turned out to be his real golden glory days and he never tired of sharing his
ministry stories with us when he came home for the summer. But it all changed on one of his trips home in 2007 when we received the Doctor’s report. He would never return to Florida after that day.
And there he sat in the clinic, trying to make decisions about his cancer treatment. It was a sad day for all of us. After his surgery he was healing nicely
and we were all very hopeful but the cancer came back in his lungs and it was
chemo and hospitals from then until God decided he needed him in his Heavenly
choir in October of 2012. Five days later his sweet little wife of over 20 years did what she had always done. She followed him home.
And here I set reminiscing about all his trials and accomplishments and the beautiful legacy he has left. He was the first man I ever loved, my instructor, my mentor, my provider
and guardian for many years. But living and sharing his Christian faith is what
impressed me the most about this man.
And there you set, reading what I have penned about this person who has greatly influenced my life. I’m sure you have figured out who this special man is to me by now. I’ve shared my heart with you about this kind, sweet, Christian gentleman to simply say this. On
this side of death, it’s never too late to answer God’s call.
Salvation is full and free and living the Christian life will take you
places you’ve never been before. The name of the man who lived this adventurous
life is Melvin Lee Brandon. His friends called him Red. I called
him Dad. But God called him His own.
And there he sets, at Jesus feet.
This story was written in appreciation of Walk of Hope for aiding my sweet
Father during his battle with Cancer.
You will forever be in my heart.
My prayer is that you will be rewarded and blessed beyond measure for
your generosity and charity. God bless you all and we bid you God
speed.
cropper’s son from Troy, TN, was setting on a stump playing his borrowed guitar with
his best friend Harry. Due to the great depression, He and his brother L.D. had
just returned home from standing in line to receive free food and clothing from
a charity in Union City, TN.
The next morning, there he sat in the seat of an old tractor. Like most fatherless boys of his age in 1940 his first driving experience was on farm equipment. Picking cotton and working the fields to help feed his Mother and younger brother Clyce was more important than school, but his fifth grade education would be sufficient for any task he would face for the rest of his life.
Everyone was poor back then but most of them didn’t know it because it was the only life they knew. And it wasn’t all work and no play. Weekends were all about family
gatherings, square dances, and Church functions. Entertainment was setting on the
Courthouse steps swapping stories, watches, and knives while the women shopped and visited, and the children played. Back then having a social life actually meant seeing people face to face and looking into someone’s eyes while conversing with them.
As time marched on he thought that he would get
his marching orders to follow in so many others footsteps in the military but
because of his weak lungs he was rejected by the army.
So of course like most young men his age he decided to settle down with
Ruth and raise a family and some crops.
And he did just that. Little did anyone know that their marriage would
last over forty years and they would have three children and seven
grandsons. Somewhere along this
journey, he met the one who changed his life forever. God
saved him and sustained him through the coming years.
And there he sat with his guitar on his knee, playing and singing
for the Lord. He soon had his youngest daughter Regina, standing right beside him playing her own guitar singing the high part on those beautiful bluegrass songs of Zion. They
both thought the other one had a little timing problem but they managed to keep
up with each other somehow. With his best friend Harry playing the mandolin, all was well as they went from Church to Church sharing music and testimony of God’s grace.
He soon lost his best friend Harry to a heart attack. He missed him so
but he kept the ministry going by singing with different groups and even going
solo at times. But it wasn’t long before Ruth, his wife, after fighting a hard battle with cancer would receive her promotion to Glory as well. She went home in 1990.
And there he sat, a sixty something year old widower facing loneliness and grief. It took time but he remarried a sweet little lady, Lavelle. She was right by his
side every step of the way after they were married. He worked with his daughter’s Gospel group driving the bus, setting and running sound, and occasionally singing.
He loved it. The only problem he ever had, was when his daughter would make him go back on the bus to change clothes because his suit didn’t
match. She just couldn’t let him wear gray pants and a brown suit jacket. But in his defense, the lighting was dim on that bus. Soon the music wasn’t enough and he answered the call to the greatest profession known to man, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And there he sat, this seventy something old fashioned minister, looking
around his own congregation in Florida making sure everything was taken care off
and making a mental list of those who were absent so he could check on them
latter. These turned out to be his real golden glory days and he never tired of sharing his
ministry stories with us when he came home for the summer. But it all changed on one of his trips home in 2007 when we received the Doctor’s report. He would never return to Florida after that day.
And there he sat in the clinic, trying to make decisions about his cancer treatment. It was a sad day for all of us. After his surgery he was healing nicely
and we were all very hopeful but the cancer came back in his lungs and it was
chemo and hospitals from then until God decided he needed him in his Heavenly
choir in October of 2012. Five days later his sweet little wife of over 20 years did what she had always done. She followed him home.
And here I set reminiscing about all his trials and accomplishments and the beautiful legacy he has left. He was the first man I ever loved, my instructor, my mentor, my provider
and guardian for many years. But living and sharing his Christian faith is what
impressed me the most about this man.
And there you set, reading what I have penned about this person who has greatly influenced my life. I’m sure you have figured out who this special man is to me by now. I’ve shared my heart with you about this kind, sweet, Christian gentleman to simply say this. On
this side of death, it’s never too late to answer God’s call.
Salvation is full and free and living the Christian life will take you
places you’ve never been before. The name of the man who lived this adventurous
life is Melvin Lee Brandon. His friends called him Red. I called
him Dad. But God called him His own.
And there he sets, at Jesus feet.
This story was written in appreciation of Walk of Hope for aiding my sweet
Father during his battle with Cancer.
You will forever be in my heart.
My prayer is that you will be rewarded and blessed beyond measure for
your generosity and charity. God bless you all and we bid you God
speed.