The FOUR PRINCIPLES of Bryan

My good friend Bryan Anderson is a Biology professor at Bethel University.  He is a smart guy from my home town of Cable Wisconsin population 280ish.  Bryan lives the good life with his family now in the Twin Cities faithful to God, family, and friends. 

I repost this blog about once a year around his birthday on July 28 or 29.. I think.  This year his birthday is a significant one as he is now 150 years old. <insert eye roll> OK OK, he is a year younger than me.. he is 62.

He was the best man in my wedding, and I have known him since I was 6 or 7 years old.  It is a good thing to have such a good friend, but note while we are good friends we never HUG. For us..that would be creepy weird.

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Anyways, like I said Bryan is a very good friend, and we meet for lunch often, and when we meet he has shared with me his secrets for a happy life.  I have summed up his secrets in what I would call..

​THE FOUR PRINCIPLES OF BRYAN.

1. ​​Cell Phones are from the Devil - Bryan resisted for the first 57 years having his own a cell phone.  He only recently purchased one at the insistence of his very wise wife Laura.  I guess putting a little bell on him was not an effective once he wandered outside of ear shot.  
2. Email is electronic clutter - Bryan is a college professor who hates email. Don't know how that works for him, but he brags to me on how many unread emails have stacked up in his inbox. Bryan's preferred modes of inter-office communication are carrier pigeon, and Pony Express.  note: If there was a 5th principle he would add NO SOCIAL MEDIA.
3. Thou shalt NOT wear a seat belt.  I know, I know.. being labeled a smart guy now comes into serious question.  No one knows why Bryan won't wear a seat belt, but when I get to Heaven some day I will ask God. I believe God will reply with a Holy Smirk.. "That's what happens when ya give 'free will' to a country boy."   ​and finally..
4. There are simply too many signs - Bryan is very very bothered by our modern world and the overuse of SIGNS.  Signs are here, signs are there, there are signs everywhere about everything. Simply put Bryan believes common sense should be our guide instead those signs that inform us of the obvious. Those needing such signs for the obvious would be simply eliminated by the natural order of selection.  

After all Bryan is a Biology professor, a man of science,.. he knows.. STUFF

​For myself, I cheerfully own a cell phone, read email, and wear a seat belt.. but I believe Bryan is on to something regarding this 'sign happy world'.  Also, I do social media.. and Bryan is right, I should just say NO.

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Also Bryan reinforces his sign concerns by quoting Jesus in ​Matthew 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it.

So there you have The Four Principles of Bryan (aka 4PB) for a world looking for ironically a sign?  Not sure the 4PB will have the same impact as let's say.. The Four Spiritual Laws by Bill Bright, but there are four of em'.  

​May God bless your life with a fully charged smartphone, a manageable email inbox, seat belts in your cars, a life uncluttered by excessive 'signage'... and good friends to be used as blog fodder.

​Jeff (SIGNing off for now) Larson

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