It's Just Stuff

Recently my family and I relocated. That means we loaded up not one but two U-Haul trailers and moved from on location to another in our home state. As we were loading the last load onto the second U-Haul, it dawned on me that all of our earthly possessions would fit nicely into no more than 40 feet of truck space. Some of the stuff we moved will be left in boxes until we store it or God forbid have to move it yet again. It is really amazing how much stuff you can accumulate over a period of time, and how little stuff you really need just to live. I once heard someone say that in our world today people are renting storage units to store their old stuff so that they can replace it with new stuff, and that cycle continues indefinitely.

The greatest benefit of moving from time to time is the purging that always accompanies a move. It is so freeing to take a load of stuff to the curb, fully assured that the city will come along and haul your stuff to the landfill, or someone will drive by and spot something they can not live without. Just for fun, I like to put stuff at the road and see how quickly it gets carried away by someone who needs it far more than I do.

Just the other day I spent some time rummaging through my stepfather's many rooms filled with stuff that has been accumulating for the last several years. I thought as we looked for that one thing that I needed how difficult it will be some day to have to decide what goes and what stays. Most of us will be long gone before that decision is ever made.

In reality this journey that we are on requires very little stuff. A few dishes, a bed and just enough clothing to get you through the year. There is really something to this idea of simplicity. The principle is ageless. It is the difference between what we need and then what we want. Simplicity requires us to focus on the needs, whereas other stimuli draws our attention to what we want. So remember, as you gather what you need for the journey learn to differentiate between what you need from what you want, and consider those who will one day sort through it for the last time. And more importantly, remember it is just stuff.

Trimming Toe Nails and Giving Baths

As I visited with my twin sister this weekend, I realize a connection far beyond any biological similarities. Years ago my mother told us stories about taking care of some of the local folks in our small town. Mom was a nurse and would make house calls with the local doctor. One elderly gentleman in our community lacked the ability to cut his own toe nails. So, my mom would remove his shoes, wash his feet and trim his nails.

Fast forward now some thirty years. My sister lives in Houston, and for some time worked at a hospice for aids patients. She told us a story this weekend about giving a bath to a former prostitute who was dieing from the dreaded disease.

As she recounted the details of the story, I began to think about the gentleman from New Orleans that I met at a church in Jackson, MS. He had been on a bus for some time, and was now preparing to bed down for the night in the activities building at First Baptist Church Jackson, MS. We noticed a not so pleasant smell coming from his direction. Unfortunately, the elderly man had had an accident and needed some extra attention in the shower. He was disabled, so it required three to four of us to get him to the shower, unclothed and bathed. After we got him cleaned up it was time for new clothes. Fortunately, I had a pair of shorts and shirt that were just his size. With great humility I dressed this now homeless man from New Orleans and helped put him to bed. I told him good night and good by. We left the next morning for the gulf to serve the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Parents are best known by what they past down to their children. We have their eyes, all their good or bad habits and if we are lucky just a few of their earthly possessions. However, it is the intangible things that I am most grateful for. Mom taught us that its okay to love and serve others. She taught us how to trim toe nails and give baths.

Journey Abroad

Israel, South Africa, Poland, and Greece. What do all of these countries have in common? I know at least one person that is traveling to one of these countries over the next several weeks. Each one of these represent a long journey and a lot of uncertainty. It would be nice if all the details could be worked out in advance, so that there would be no surprises. Unfortunately, it simply does not work that way.

So why do it? Why take the time and spend the money to embark on a journey plagued with so many questions? For some it is an opportunity of a life time. For others it is something that they have done before and wouldn't miss for the world. Still for others it is an opportunity to see and experience things that they have heard about all their lives.

As risky as trips can be today, there is no question that everyone of them will be well worth the investment. Everything may not go as planned, and there will certainly be anxious moments. However, part of living the journey is being willing to take risks. Risk taking is not something that everyone is comfortable with, but for others it is the spice of life.

So, as the time approaches and people travel literally all over the world, we send them off with the hope and belief that they will return full of stories and new experiences that will last them a life time.

Dr. Ivan Raley served for many years as my predecessor. Each morning he sends our staff a thought for the day. The following was an addendum to today's thought. I emailed him for permission to post it here. It is just another reminder about the importance of the journey.

Just a Small Part

When you get to my age in life you often wonder what you have accomplished. If you have done your best, made any kind of mark, and made any difference in the lives of others. That sometimes troubles me. I have been the father figure, more or less, for six children. I sometimes wonder what kind of job I have done in that awesome role. Last night I sat in a theater in Green Hills in Nashville and watched a short documentary written, directed, and produced by the youngest of those six, Jim. It was a tribute to Ken Berryhill, who gave the dream to Vanderbilt to start their own radio station and now in his late years has returned to be what he calls the 'Oldest Country D.J' in the world. It was very well done and if they had given awards for this type of film I am certain that it would have won. As I watched it I realized that I had given to Jim non of the talent, non of the ability which crossed that large movie screen, that came out of a talent he possessed. He used it well and I understood as I watched it why the Nashville Film Festival board of Governors had placed it in their schedule. While I had nothing to do with the talent that lit the screen maybe, just maybe I did give to Jim some of the belief that he could do anything he put his heart to doing. Now really that is enough for me, not to know, but to think that maybe, he received some words of encouragement from me along our journey together that gave him the heart to reach for his dreams. Being a father is a great responsibility. I could speak of the others and the joy they have each given to me but last night belonged to Jim. I am pleased to have had a small part in the lives of others.

Three Wooden Crosses

A few years ago Randy Travis sang a song about three wooden crosses along the side of the highway. The song told the story about the lives represented by those three crosses. As I drove home the other day, I too saw several crosses marking the end of life. I thought about the people whose lives were represented by those crosses as well. For them, that particular trip down the interstate was the end of the journey. I take arriving safely each time I travel for granted. There are no guarantees. Each trip could represent my last.

As I thought about that I had to ask what would that cross remind people about me. Would it be something that matters or just another cross? I have avoided referencing my faith in this blog, but now is the time for complete honesty. The cross on the side of the highway would matter because of the cross of Calvary. My journey is made easier because of the one who led the way. Each time I see the cross I am reminded of His journey for me. I am encouraged, and am reminded how safe my eternal travel will be thanks to Him.

A Long Pause

I am reminded of a scene from the movie "Driving Miss Daisy" in which Miss Daisy and her driver are on their way to visit relatives. They pull over and spend a leisurely afternoon eating sandwiches and drinking soda. It seemed so peaceful there. A place where time stood still. Unfortunately most of life is nothing like that. Since my last entry a lot of life has past me by. Where did the month of March go? And now April is here with no indications that it will be any slower than the previous month. Perhaps its time for a long pause. Maybe its time to find a place to simply pull over and enjoy the scenery.

Finding ways to enjoy the moment is sometimes difficult to do. Someone ask me the other day what I enjoyed doing for fun. It was hard to come with an appropriate response. I do enjoy walking, which I do mainly for exercise. Sometimes I walk simply to clear my head and think through things. Hobbies have never really been a part of my life. I enjoy a number of activities, but have never really adopted one as my own. Maybe that should be a side road to my journey, finding something that I enjoy doing and making it a point to participate in doing it more often.

Road Sign Ahead

Today was a day of reminiscing. I have been going through all of my old files preparing for the move. As I come across some folders I think to myself, why on earth did I save that. And then there are other folders that are opened and bring back a flood of memories. Looking back over the last several years I have been blessed to be a part of so many wonderful experiences. All of these momentos serve as signposts along the road of the journey already traveled. Simple things like painted rocks, napkins that have been doodled on, and newspaper clippings. Each one tells a story of how my life has been impacted by so many different people, and how my life has impacted others as well. Some should be thrown away, and yet I just simply cannot part with them.

As I think about the past, I anxiously look forward to the future. Wondering what relic will I save from my next leg of the journey. Yes, they do making packing an office a little more difficult. However, it is worth all the extra effort. Some day, after I am gone and the decision is no longer mine, I am sure that most of the stuff will be tossed out. But until then, I carry my treasures with me, and keep an eye out for the next signpost ahead.