the furnace sometimes does not initiate, what does one dot and 4 dashes on my BRYANT furnace status led mean

Probably the flame rollout sensor (you should be able to confirm this by looking for a sticker that lists the flash codes. It's usually pasted somewhere on the furnace). If it is the FRS then you just need to locate the sensor (it usually looks like a thin metal rod that sticks into the flames at the opposite end of the row of burners from where the igniter is). Disconnect it and clean it with some fine steel wool or fine sandpaper and reinstall it.