Possession #96 - Lawn Waste Bags

Another sure sign of Spring...Yard Waste bags. Of course...I can't help but mention that the idea of anything in the yard being "waste" sets off all my irony alarms. It's not as if leaves and twigs can be put in the same category as empty McDonalds cups and pop cans. And yet...everything grows...and if I didn't cart if off somewhere it would...well...it would soon return my home to a more natural state (like my son's room). If only the Creator would give me just the right amount of grass and leaves...no more, no less...

Possession #95 - Grill

Another sign of spring is the opening up of the grill for the season (burgers last night). We used to own a series of charcoal grills, including a premiere Weber. But now we've owned a series of gas grills that seem to last for awhile until rusting from the inside out. The outsides keep getting flashier looking, but inside they seem like pretty much the same thing (maybe this is true about many things). I don't claim to be any kind of grilling expert. I've had many a meal end up a blackened lump of inedible stuff. Nonetheless, we love cooking outside in the summer and avoid adding extra heat to the kitchen.

Possession #94 - Lawn Mower

When I was growing up, my dad had an old reel mower, but every since lawn mowing became one of my chores, I've used a machine not all that different from the one we use now. In our last home, our garage was broken into one day and all they took was the lawn mower which was an old push mower that seems like an odd thing to steal. We've lived in our present location for almost 8 years and in that short period of time we've been through 4 mowers. The first one came from the last house and started breaking down soon after arriving. Our neighbor repaired it a couple of times but alas, it was terminal. Then we bought a used mower from a local repair shop which turned out to be a bad investment. So, we had to sell it back and then buy a cheap new one at Walmart. It lasted about three years before giving up the ghost. Generally, I get to choose these kinds of tools for the home, but this time my wife specified a self-propelled machine. So, now she, with her bad feet, and me, with my bad back, limp around our little lawn with a self-propelled mower.

At times, all the effort we take to make lawns look "unnatural" seem downright absurd. You might be interested in this imaginary conversation between St. Francis and God... I wonder what it is in us that compel us to exert such control over the environment? Certainly, garages could be much smaller if we could eliminate all the lawn and garden equipment. But not this year...

Possession #93 - Music Print

This framed print is one of the oldest possessions we have as a married couple. In part, it was our mutual love of music that brought us together and has certainly provided many opportunities over the years to do things together. Perhaps this is why anyone gets involved in most any activity - to bring themselves closer to others. At the very least, this sounds like a compelling argument to go start a new hobby. This summer we take ballroom dance lessons together...we'll keep you updated on whether that brings us closer together or causes more bruised toes!

Possession #92 - Cabinet

This was my one major wood craft project that I undertook after buying a table saw and B.K. (before kids). The doors were the real challenge...inset panels, glued and grooved, routered, the whole nine yards. There's a certain amount of satisfaction to taking a pile of wood (even if it's a bunch of cheap pine boards) and turning it into functional and nominally attractive furniture. We all need the chance to see something we've accomplished to remind ourselves that we can hunker down and do something difficult and beautiful.

There was a time in history when practically everything in a person's home was made by them...or by someone they knew. Those days are long gone, but I think a home is richer when it contains at least something of one's own making. I'd rather have a more patched together miss-matched home that contains something of my family's DNA in it, than a perfectly designed home that looks like it all came out of a catalog.

Possession #91 - Music Stands

Today Jean and I played a Celtic music concert at a local adult day care so I thought it fitting to post one of our several music stands. We have 5 or six of them. Now, re-purposed as cheap photography light stands, we have a couple of the collapsible metal ones that many of you remember lugging to Junior High band rehearsal. These stands work great as long as they aren't required to hold much more than a few sheets of paper. We have a standard heavy duty stand that you'll find at most concerts and recently acquired 2 or 3 collapsible stands that are a bit more sturdy and useful for our traveling concerts.

Recently, I've taken to preaching from behind a music stand instead of the traditional pulpit - something that would have been far too intimidating for me a decade ago. I suppose whether I'm preaching or playing music, the stand serves the same purpose - to keep me from losing my place and reminding me what I'm supposed to be doing. In the near future I fully expect to have my music and/or sermon notes flashing in front of my eyes from a miniature computer embedded in my glasses. For the near future though, it's sheets of paper and metal music stands that keep my faulty memory from derailing my plans.

Possession #90 - More Bags

I don't know why I'm so addicted to bags in which to carry around my stuff. In part, I supposed, I hate lugging all my minimal daily gear (wallet, phone, assorted keys) on my belt and in my pockets. I'd rather have it conveniently stashed in one bag which I don't have to sit on whenever I perch on a chair. I suppose I also have the sense that a bag renders me somewhat self-contained. If I'm heading out of town for the day, I can keep all the supplies I might need for the day in one handy bag (minimal daily gear, ipod, ipad, pens, paper, water bottle, camera, kleenex, advil...). Even though I rarely venture out into true wilderness, when I carry my own bag of supplies I have a sense that wherever I go I brought a tiny bit of personal space with me. On my day off, I grab my bag of stuff, head out of town and go sit in a coffee shop. I pull out of my bag and set in front of me my phone, a good book and my ipod if it's too noisy. Add a cup of coffee and a muffin and I'm lost in my own little vacation space.

I have so many bags because none of them does the job for me perfectly. Too big. Too small. Holds the ipad well, but not the keyboard. Holds my stuff, but no place for a water bottle. uncomfortable strap. Inconvenient zippers. Not sturdy enough. Each new bag promises to be the perfect container for all my traveling stuff...but they never quite live up to their promises. Some day.

Possession #89 - Clown Poster

This Barnum and Bailey circus poster features Lou Jacobs and was probably made in the 1940's. One of his more famous entertainment partners was his pet chihuahua, Knucklehead.

I never got to see some of the classic clowns from the glory days of Barnum and Bailey, but there have been some recent clowns that really merit your attention. One is Bill Irwin. Watch this clip from when he was on the Bill Cosby Show. Bill Irwin had a broadway show called, "In Regard of Flight" that's worth googling.

I love clowns because they have no decent regard for the rules. In the middle ages, clowns were often called the "Lords of Misrule." I like that. We all need a bit of misrule in our lives.

Possession #88 - Shoes

Shoes. By the time I was in 9th grade my feet had blossomed into size 13's which means it doesn't take many shoes for me to fill up a lot of space. They are always getting in the way both while perched on my toes and lurking in the closet.

When I was growing up I was never allowed to wear sneakers to school. They were strictly for after school play time. I had school shoes, play shoes and church shoes. The church shoes were polished every Saturday night with the polishing equipment stored in my dad's closet.

Shoes, like many other things that we wear, can say something about our attitudes and values. Mostly I just want something that keeps my feet comfortable and not all worn out by the end of the day.

In High School I sold shoes in the J.C. Penny shoe department. I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't even know what patent leather was. I hope I didn't steer too many people the wrong way. A bad pair of shoes can ruin your whole day.

Possession #87 - Fans

I'm adding some, but not all, my fans to this post. Most of them are currently running in my basement to dry out the recent flood on the floor. There's something about moving air that's comforting and cooling. A stationary front is one of those meteorological conditions in which the air is stagnant and often dangerous. Moving air keeps sweeping the old stuff away and bringing in the new. I usually have a fan on during the night, even in winter, so that I sleep better. If I could, I'd have a ceiling fan in every room. On the other hand, I suppose there is a point where you have too many fans...and I've probably already achieved that limit. Perhaps I have a stationary front of fans and am waiting for a new breeze.

Possession #86 - Button Down Shirts

When I went to work at my first church right after college, my dad told me I had to dress appropriately, by which he meant coat and tie. I used to own at least a half dozen white button down shirts which went with my various coat and tie combinations. Now, I don't own a single white button down shirt and whenever I wear a coat everyone knows I have a funeral to go to. I still, though, wear button down shirts, usually with a tie. I suppose that puts me in the "old" category even if my shirts are fairly colorful.

Somewhere I read that the most widespread change that came about during the 60's was the informalization of the culture. Beginning around the time, both conservatives and liberals, people all across the spectrum, started dressing less formally to church, to work, around the house, out to dinner and most everywhere else. I'm glad that I no longer have to wear a tie to work every day. But informal dress codes also bring about some amount of confusion at certain occasions like weddings and funerals. We express ourselves through our clothing and when rigid rules about apparel break down, we are both set free and confused.

I kind of like what one person did that I know...he just bought everything in black so that he never worried a whole lot about what to wear. Maybe that's why some people take on occupations that have uniforms. ...I'm tired...I'm going home and putting on my slippers and robe!

Possession #85 - T shirts

I counted them up and I could wear a different T shirt every day of the month. They just seem to multiply like rabbits. And because you tend to get them at special occasions, it's hard to part with them. They're like pieces of wearable memory...then they're wearable memories with holes in them...then wearable memories that your spouse says you better get rid of because the drawer is overflowing. Then they migrate for a short reprieve to the rag box. Then out the door.

T Shirts have made us all walking sign boards. We advertise, promote, proclaim and comment through our clothing. The fabric itself is sometimes designed to make a statement (sweat shop free, natural fiber, washed in mud). I once played in the baptist softball league that banned beer ads on shirts...I guess bad theology on shirts was deemed acceptable. What do your clothes say?

Possession #84 - Piggy Bank

As I'm writing this post I'm distracted by the disturbing news coming from Boston - the bomb blasts that killed and injured an undetermined number of people. So I thought of my piggy bank... This piggy bank was a gift from my parents and it was intended to remind us of the big trip overseas that we want to make next year. Piggy banks often remind us of our dreams - of things we're saving up for, whether it's an ice cream cone, a new pair of shoes or a once in a lifetime trip. More than a "bucket list," a piggy bank is a visceral reminder that we're actually doing something to get us closer to our goals.

When tragedy strikes, like today in Boston, we often think about shattered dreams - of hopes people had for their lives which are now either delayed or cancelled. Hope is the thing which moves us forward - which gets us out of bed in the morning and gets us through each day with expectation. When hopes are wounded, there is more than just physical damage.

Possession #83 - Games

Apparently humans have been playing board games since about 3000 BC. The family I grew up in played them for my entire life. Starting with games like Chutes and Ladders and moving on in complexity until the 4 of us learned how to play bridge together which we mostly did without cheating too much.

My own family has endured the rise of video games and so our commitment to board games was somewhat less, but still quite strong. We have a pretty good collection and this picture represents dice, markers and cards from most of the games in our primary game cabinet (the secondary cabinet is in the basement and will have to wait for future depiction). In recent years, games that I grew up with as parlor games have been turned into board games by clever companies who have made a mint by selling a box full of equipment for a game that really only needs a pencil and paper.

I'm glad we taught our kids how to play games. I think they teach important lessons (how to win without gloating, how to lose without crying, how to spend a fun evening with friends). Even though our kids are mostly gone from the house now, they still sometimes play games with their friends. It makes me happy.

Possession #82 - Popcorn box Marionette

Yes, another puppet tonight. This was a part of my one and only foray into the world of marionettes. This type of puppetry is way complicated...not only in design and creation but in performance. My small taste of this art form was enough to give me a lifetime of appreciation for the true professionals. Watch this clip from one of Ronnie Burkett's shows. He is a true master and very creative. Myself, I'm sticking with hand and stick puppets thank you very much.

Possession #81 - Antique Dresser

This is one of the only pieces of furniture that we purchased from an antique store. I have no idea what its history is, but I like it. I like things with a past - things that have been around before me and weren't made to be disposed after a brief moment of usefulness. This dresser served as a baby changing table for awhile, then storage for a few things. Now it sits at the top of the stairs where it serves no real purpose. I don't think anyone has opened the drawers in years. We put pictures on the top and like how it looks.

One of the problems of modern society is the pressure on everything and everyone to prove their worth by how useful they are. This seems to me to be a losing equation. All of us, at some point, lose our usefulness...usually slowly over a long period of time. Yet, that doesn't make us of less worth. Useless stuff like this nice piece of wooden furniture reminds me that I'm still worth something even when I can't seem to be of much use to anyone else.

Possession #80 - Camera Tripod

You know how one possession leads to another and another...? No? I'm the only one?

I had an old SLR for many years which eventually was replaced by a point and shoot digital camera. Then I missed all the shooting control of an SLR and I finally got a digital SLR. But was that enough? Of course not! I needed an extra lens...and then another. A remote, extra battery, bigger bag, and this...a better tripod. What's next?

On the other hand, using this camera is, for me, a way to relax and engage my creativity. It's an excuse to get out and explore nature and to concentrate on the details of beauty all around. I try to keep the activity driving the equipment rather than the other way round. This might be true about a lot of things.

Possession #79 - Toilet Paper

This morning I went to the hospital to have the "procedure which shall not be named." In honor of all those undergoing a colonoscopy today, I offer up a couple of gifts. First of all, a bit of a reflection on such procedures by Jeff Foxworthy which is only a slight exaggeration of reality.

Secondly, a picture of one of my most important possessions in the house...toilet paper. Not just any toilet paper, but one particular brand of toilet paper. And not just any roll from that brand, but one particular model offered by that brand which, after extensive research, I have appointed the only product that will touch my body. I am so emphatic about this that I carry this brand with me when I travel so that I won't be subjected to various kinds of sand paper used in other restrooms.

Perhaps you think me a bit over zealous about this possession. But as a person with a long-standing intestinal disorder, I have become intimately acquainted with all things toilet tissue-y. My wife, who works for hospice, tells me that towards the end of one's life, bathroom issues become most important. I, for one, intend to be ready for that day with a roll of my favorite toilet paper.

Possession #78 - Dog

I'm back from my trip and although I know my wife is glad to see me, my dog sure seems like it...but it could be she's just looking for a handout. It doesn't quite seem right to list our dog as a possession - I'm not keen on owning a living creature. But since she is a part of the house, it seems like I ought to include her.

I grew up with a dog, but resisted having one of our own until we made the mistake of taking our kids to "visit" some puppies. Within the week, we had one. Dogs are messy and troublesome (like children) but seem important to a life lived well. She has already earned her lifetime supply of dog food through lessons taught to her human caretakers...and we're still learning.

She's part black lab and part basset from a litter of 7 that came from a friend's rescue dog. Because her fur is so wonderfully black, I can't seem to take a picture that I like of her...so for now, the paw will have to do.

I think life needs disruptions...if not from a dog, then something else. It's unhealthy to have a perfectly functioning home that looks flawless and makes no demands. Life needs a bit of chaos and messiness to engender humility and compassion. A dog will do it.

Possession #77 - Wallet

I'm not quite sure how I could have forgotten the most vital part of my travel gear...my wallet. For obvious reasons, wallets tend to get warn out fairly regularly. I've gone through quite a few over the years: Tri-fold, bi-fold, velcro, leather, plastic sleeves, no plastic sleeves. I've never had the kind that's chained to your belt though. Quite a few years ago I gave up wearing a wallet in my back pocket. It just never felt right to have this lump hanging off my rump. Winter is great because my wallet just goes in a coat pocket. Going to work it'll slip into one the bags I'm carrying. But summertime is tough for us no-wallet-in-the-back-pocket guys. For awhile I used a...yes...I'll say it... fanny pack...which many might consider a worse case than the rump lump. I have a variety of small bags that sometimes work. Camera case. laptop backpack. And when I'm desperate I simply hold it in my hand. Of course this problem has multiplied with the advent of the cell phone which has added another wallet sized object to secure on my body. I'm thinking something like Batman's utility belt might help out here. Anyway, I'm off to see something tonight and luckily the wallet will go right in the jacket pocket. But tomorrow is supposed to be 70 degrees.... uh oh.

Possession #76 - More Travel Bags

OK...so, looking around my home away from home here, it looks like I have more bags. My trusty L.L. Bean rolling duffle which is the best major stuff mover I've ever owned. And, my current (sort of) camera bag. I went out today to a nature preserve with my camera bag and shot 200 pictures (Oh how I love digital). Of course, 150 pictures into it, I found out I had the wrong white balance setting...arrrrgghhh... But what a great day. Among other things, I photographed a squirrel, two cardinals, some deer and a vulture. The vulture almost sat down beside me (maybe I looked like dead meat). Bags get the stuff from here to there and organize it so that it's useful. Here's to another day of bags!

Possession #75 - Messenger Bag

Sorry I've been missing for a couple days...Easter got ahold of me. Then I was at my parents which has no (gasp!) wifi. Now, I'm off at a conference for a few days with only my ipad and trying to keep this up taking pictures and posting with just the pad... we'll see.

While off on this trip, I'm limited to possessions that I have with me. So, naturally we're looking at one of my travel bags here. I must say, I am a bit of a Bag-o-phile. I've got more bags than my wife has purses. I have little ones and bigs ones and, well, about a dozen or more...or more. This Timbuk2 bag is one of my favorites. It's the one I took on our vacation to Utah. This one little bag carried my camera, water bottle and all the little stuff I needed for the long train trip and lots of canyon hikes. This week it's got ipad, separate keyboard, book to read, and other conference papers. A good bag has to be able to carry all your stuff, have enough little pockets, but not be too big and rumbly. A good bag makes me feel comfortable and self-sufficient in a strange environment...OK...I'm just a bit strange.