Hello.Goodbye.

Meet Puff. She came into our lives a little over 2 weeks ago. There is a stray cat that makes frequent stops by our house. On her last visit, she decided to leave us with a litter of kittens. I'm on my way out the door one beautiful Monday morning, and I look down to see three little white balls of fur sitting on my steps.

Heather and I decided that if we left them alone, the mom would take care of them and eventually relocate them. That was the case...except for little Puff here. She had a really bad eye infection that crusted over and prevented her from seeing. Well, Heather and I couldn't bear to think of letting a kitten starve (let alone, hear the pathetic mewing outside our front door). Unfortunately, the Humane Society is currently overrun with cats and kittens that are left uncared for by owners. They couldn't take Puff, and recommended that we care for her while waiting for the mom to come back for her. We took her to the Vet and had her treated for fleas and worms and had a nice box for her to keep on our front porch (in case the mom wanted to come back). After a day, we decided to bring her into the house....and effectively into our hearts.

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I'm a dog person. I've grown up with dogs in my house, and have every intention of owning several dogs in the future. In fact, my only real dealings with cats are when I was very young. My parents have pictures of me in the front yard with a stick in my hands trying to teach a cat to roll-over and fetch. Needless to say, I wasn't fond of the idea of owning a cat....at first.

Puff is a very curious and funny kitten. It's been so much fun watching her get healthy and develop into a rambunctious little engine. She loves to attack hands, stuffed animals, shoestrings....you name it - she'll go after it. She'll run full tilt into a wall and then shake it off only to do it again 5 minutes later. I really will miss watching her grow up.

You see - we can't really afford to take care of a pet right now. Also, there are a lot more decisions to be made when owning a cat. Will you have the cat declawed? Are you prepared to cat-proof every wire in your house? I read up on a lot of "issues" with owning cats. To me, declawing a cat is a no-brainer. However, there are a ton of adverse reactions that can occur to such a procedure. I had no idea.

After several days of going back and forth, Heather and I decided to post an advertisemnt on the OBU faculty/student Classifieds. A friend of one of my students had been looking to get a kitten, but didn't want to buy one (seeing as how so many are in need of a home). She seems like a great person who will take care of Puff and make sure she has plenty of things to attack.

If I am this sad at seeing Puff go (after only 2 weeks), I couldn't imagine what it's like to let a child go after 20 years. Well, I take pride in knowing that Puff is alive today b/c of what a generous woman I married. She has a heart bigger than the moon (with a distinct soft spot for all animals.....except cockroaches and camel-crickets).

Still - I will miss coming home to play with little Puff. Heather and I prayed over her before she left our house - that God would watch over her and allow her to live a full life. I really believe God watches over all His creatures.

You can expect to see another post about Puff from Heather. I know she is extremely sad to see her go, but happy that it's to a good home.

And so - hello Puff. Goodbye Puff. Take care, and know that we love you.

JB

Psalm 143

O Lord, hear my prayer,

listen to my cry for mercy;

in your faithfulness and righteousness

come to my relief.

Do not bring your servant into judgement,

for no one living is righteous before you.

The enemy pursues me,

he crushes me to the ground

he makes me dwell in darkness

like those long dead.

So my spirit grows faint within me;

my heart within me is dismayed.

I remember the days of long ago;

I meditate on all your works

and consider what your hands have done.

I spread out my hands to you;

my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

Answer me quickly, O Lord;

my spirit fails.

Do not hide your face from me

or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord,

for I hide myself in you.

Teach me to do your will,

for you are my God;

may your good Spirit

lead me on level ground.

For you name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life;

in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble,

In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;

destroy all my foes,

for I am your servant.

This is my favorite Psalm. I first read this in college at a time when I needed to hear these words. Is there ever really a time when we don't need to hear these words or any other scripture. At times of despair, worry, even happiness and joy we still need to remember that God has us, always, in His hands. We are His servants, not the world's. We are at His mercy, not at the mercy of our jobs, or money, or any other "thing" that we can easily give ourselves over to. Psalm 143 is my prayer for you and all of those people out there who need comfort.

God Bless all of you and may your day be lifted by Him!

HB

Back to School!

Well.....it is about that time year where students are back to school and for most college students that means paying bills, running into old friends and finding your way around campus again. It is nice to be back, but at the same time it is also nice to have a quiet campus for the summer. We had a nice summer and there have been some great surprises as well. First Adrienne and Brian got engaged and now Elizabeth and Dave are pregnant with baby #2. Congratulations to our friends and we are praying for you as you embark on these new journeys in life. This time of year is always nice to reflect on the changes that have occurred in our lives over the past few months. Josh was the world traveler this summer. He went to Spain in May with the Wind Ensemble and then went to New Mexico in August for the Alessi Trombone Seminar. I have been working all summer, but what I have learned is that this job is preparing me for the future. It may not be what I want to do with my life, but I am very blessed to have work and also be teaching clarinet. Back to school always used to be a time of shopping for new clothes and books. Now it has become a time of reflection and prayer for a happy, healthy year!

Many Blessings!

HB

For "Boo"

Following my dad's example, I began keeping a journal several years ago. While I am not quite as diligent as he, I always make sure to write down important goings-on in my life and the lives of my friends.

I was looking back a few days ago, and came across an entry on this date 4 years ago. No - there was no national disaster or terrorist attack. It was actually quite a beautiful day as I can recall. However, that night I received some very sad news. One of my best friends growing up had passed away.

Shannon Bowen (AKA - Boo) was one of the kids I grew up with once my family moved to Attalla, Alabama. Before moving there, my brother Chad and I were basically the only kids around (and so he just drug me along with him as an accomplice to whatever he was doing at the time). Once we moved, in August of 1983, there were almost a dozen kids within a one block radius. It was great. I really learned alot and went through most childhood rites of passage with these guys. For those keeping count, here's the roster: Shannon "Boo" Bowen, Jon Works, Terry-Michael Elrod, Cory Elrod, Chad and myself, Casey Pearce, Jamey Pearce, Dusty Pearce (all from the same big and wonderfully mischevious family), Johnny Christopher, and the lesser prevalent Shane Works and Steve Bowen.

You can only imagine the trouble we got into. I learned to play sports, ride a bike, wage full-scale war (divided up into two teams and limited to two block boundaries), explore the woods (we had the trails and the ominous deep trails), camp out, and wreak all kinds of havoc to oncoming cars with these guys. They really were my best friends.

What follows is my journal entry for August 10th, 2003. For this entry to make sense, you should know that Shannon was in a bad car accident several years earlier, which had paralyzed him from the waist down. As bad as it was, he really made the best of the situation - buying a truck he could still drive, playing basketball in wheelchair leagues, etc.:

"Right now I'm kind of shell-shocked. Mom called about 2 hours ago to tell me that Shannon Bowen died today. He went in for surgery b/c of a rod in his back. There were complications...he didn't make it.

This is probably the first person who was really close to me that has passed. Cory Elrod called mom to tell her. He said something that is very true - "At least Shannon is out of that wheelchair. I'll bet he is running all over heaven." Seeing someone as active and full of life as he was resigned to a wheelchair was so sad - very much like seeing animals in a zoo (caged). He was like another older brother to me.

I can remember moving to Attalla like it was yesterday. Jon, Boo, Casey, Terry-Michael, Jamey, Cory, Dusty, and Johnny. Learning to ride bikes, play football, baseball, basketball, pitch-up-smear, war, establishing rival clubs and engaging in week-long feuds (spying on one another for top secrets), bike races in the trails, camping out on trampolines - man how I wish I had a picture of all the guys.

Boo was a great guy who was a friend to everyone. He always called me worm (a nickname i picked up in church youth group). even after I was well over 20 years old and taller than him. He would be 30 years old by now. Man it was so much fun back then. The only thing you had to worry about was not coming outside enough. If a few afternoons went by w/o your presence, you would be called a homeboy (or in my brother Chad's case - T.V. Guide...due to his always saying he couldn't come out b/c of this show or that).

Now Boo's gone; Jon Works - married twice with 2 kids; Terry-Michael - married twice I think; Casey Pearce - married with one kid; Jamey - still at home I think; Cory, Dusty, Johnny - all married with children...all living within an hour of good old Attalla. Cory is in youth ministry, Dusty followed his dad into the railroad business, and Johnny-Roc...I believe he's still managing a yard-maintenence business to finance his "indiana-jones'esque" adventuresome lifestyle.

Father - be with all of them. Let them each know that I love them and cherish my years with them. I keep thinking about the movie Stand By Me. The dynamic of that movie really captures what my years growing up on Greene Street were like. However, there is a tinge of sadness b/c you know it can't stay that way forever. I always think about a few of the last lines of the movie:

As the years went by we saw less and less of each other until we were just faces in the hall. That happens: Friends come in and out of your life like busboys in a restaraunt.

I never had any friends later on in life like the ones I had when I was a kid - does anyone?

Definitely not me! Here's to one of the best times in my life. Lord - take care of Boo and tell him I'll take him in a game of one on one when I get there. "

I hope you will forgive the indulgence of this post. But isn't that what blogging is all about? JB

Family and Friends

These pictures were taken in late June when Josh and I were privileged to see our good friends Elizabeth, Dave, Adrienne, and Brian. By the way, congratulations are in order for Brian and Adrienne who just got engaged!! Here the boys talk and laugh about everything brass.

Here Adrienne, me and Elizabeth enjoy good conversation and laughs about times past!! These family pics were taken the weekend after July fourth. Here Michael plays with Tyler and Ashley. Ok...don't get any ideas just yet! I don't have baby fever, but I do love playing with Ashley and Tyler. Ashley is a little wiggle worm. Maybe someday....maybe.....we will have one of our own...someday.....

Here is a picture of Josh and Grandmother. He would do anything for her and she adores him. Love it!!

Here are the boys' Bynum. Michael, Josh, Chad, and Tyler. These guys are thick as thieves when we come to town. They are also some of the wittiest men I've ever met. Vicki and Ashley play with some blocks!! Ashley love her Ammy. Great, great photo of the girls playing.

Josh and Tyler play together. I think Josh taught him how to spell TROMBONE...no really..it's a great pic. Tyler is growing up so fast! These two weekends were my summer vacation and I can't wait to see everybody again. I just saw Elizabeth and Dave a few weeks ago and I already miss them. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do. God Bless, HB

Heroes

Well, Heather is in Texas for the weekend. What better time to hijack her blog? The subject of my last post dealt with being in a constant state of transition. How about we go the opposite way? What follows are a few permanent fixtures in my life - my childhood/adulthood heroes. Now I need to point out the difference between these heroes and real life heroes. Martin Luther King is a real hero who stood for something. When confronted with tough situations, he dealt with them head on. Dutch, from Predator, merely flexed his muscles at the boogeymen of the world. Understand the difference? Nevertheless, my admiration and loyalty to these guys goes back a long way. I am listing 6 b/c I just couldn't narrow it down to 5. Enjoy! Arnold Schwartzenegger This guy literally had me at hello. Once I saw Conan the Barbarian, I was a life-long fan of the Governator. Not that he should expect an academy award any time soon (considering his voice had to be re-dubbed for his first several movies). Still - I wanted to be him. I had the crew-cut and fooled myself into thinking I had his biceps. Favorite Movies: Predator, Conan the Barbarian, Running Man, Terminator, and Twins (just kidding). Favorite Quote (Conan's response to a Mongol Warlord asking him what is best in life): To crush your enemies; see them driven before you...and hear the lamentation of their women! (Honestly - does it get any better?) Clint Eastwood C'mon...the Man with No Name. To me, he was (and remains) the ultimate example of the strong silent type. I discovered him rather late in life (junior year of high school) but his influence on me was definitive. I cruised through the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone and moved on to other westerns (Unforgiven, Outlaw Josie Wales, etc) and the Dirty Harry movies. To this day - The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is the definitive western for me. Favorite Movies: For a Few Dollars More; Fistful of Dollars; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; The Unforgiven; Dirty Harry; Magnum Force; In the Line of Fire Favorite Quote (As if you had to ask...Dirty Harry): I know what you're thinking, punk: Did he fire 5 shots, or all 6? Well, to tell you the truth, in all that action I've forgotten myself. But seeing as how I'm holding a .44 Magnum (the most powerful handgun in the world) and can blow your head clean off...you really only have to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well do you, punk?!? John Wayne (The Duke) Now I can't hold a candle to my dad's zeal for this man - but at least I can borrow from it a little. Is there a better example of a "man's man" than the Duke? Doubtful. For my 29th birthday, my parents bought about 6 or 7 of his films b/c I had expressed interest so many times. I've watched most, but my favorite is still the first one my dad ever let me watch....The Cowboys (Granted...I haven't watched the Shootist yet). Favorite Movies: The Cowboys; Rio Bravo (Hawks); True Grit; The War Wagon Favorite Quotes (The Cowboys - Bruce Dern is picking on one of the kids): Alright! We've seen what you can do with a boy. How are you when they come a little bigger? (Right before the fight): I'm 30 years older than you are. Had my back broke once and my hip twice...and on my worst day I could beat the **** out of you! Dude! Robert DeNiro By far, my favorite actor of all time. The ultimate tough guy. I have yet to see a movie of his I'm not in love with (well...maybe Mad Dog and Glory). His look in this picture says it all:You talkin' to me? I never was able to match his swagger - but that's cool. I'll just live vicariously throuh the man himself. Favorite Movies: Heat; Godfather II; Goodfellas; Casino; Mean Streets; Raging Bull...really too many to mention. Favorite Quote (From Heat - to Val Kilmer's character regarding his marriage): "I don't know what you're doing. Remember Jimmy McIlwane from the yard..what he used to say? If you're going to be making moves on the street have no attachments. Allow nothing to be in your life that you can't walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you spot the heat around the corner." G.I. Joe: The Real American Hero I know, I know...this is a picture of Cobra Commander and Storm Shadow...but it's just too awesome not to have it on here. When I was coming up you were either a Transformers guy or a G.I. Joe guy...I was Joe all the way. Not only b/c it was more "real" (a collection of commandos and terrorists whose aim was worse than the A-Team) but b/c I have yet to meet one person who could manipulate transformers in real-time. Ever watch the Transformers cartoon? It's (cool sound effects) and your done in 5 seconds flat. When actually playing w/them, the action would have to take a 10 minute recess while the flippin' robot turns into a VW Bug, or Jet, or Tape Deck...whatever. Transformers have the upper hand right now...but the minute there is a live action Joe film - Optimus Prime will need to step aside The best Christmas present I ever received (other than our Nintendo - which my mom swore up and down would never be allowed in our house) was the Cobra Terror Drome. This was the most wonderful base of operations ever invented (move over Death Star). I literally spent hours upon hours playing w/ my G.I. Joes. I don't know how the Joes ever won. Here Cobra had this massive, impenetrable fortress (complete with gun turrets, prisons, and a jet hangar)...all the Joes had was a beat up suitcase turned on its side. Yet - the forces of good always prevailed...unless Storm Shadow and Firefly (two of the baddest mamma-jammas to don pjs) got together. Serious mayhem was sure to happen when that went down. Now - I may sound like a zealot, but I have one credit to my name. At least I didn't have to watch the G.I. Joe public service announcements to know not to try and jump my dirt bike over a downed power line. "Now we know...and knowing is half the battle" Batman I have collected comics for over 20 years now. The first comic I ever read was Batman #375. It involved a sinister plot with some doofus named the Mad Hatter (actually a staple in Batman's "Rogues Gallery"). Nevertheless - I was hooked. Thanks to my dad, I still get a bundle of Batman comics once every month or so. I love to collect whole story arcs...not reading an issue until it's complete. While Superman stands for Truth, Justice, and the American Way - Batman represents the potential for growth and the strive for perfection in everyday humans. He's mortal...doesn't have any powers to speak of. Just a keen sense of detection and the mastery of virtually every marital art form in existence. While I watched the 60's TV show (and loved it), I always hated the campiness of it all. Batman is a serious dude...on a mission. He doesn't carry Anti-Shark Spray for crying out loud! I do have fond childhood memories of being in the car w/dad going somewhere. Whenever we would start moving from a red light or stop sign, dad would suddenly grab my knee and shout "Hang on, Robin" and start singing the 60's Batman Theme Song. Still, my favorite renditions of the man comes courtesy of Denny O'Neil/Jim Aparo, Neal Adams, and Frank Miller. This picture says it all: Always moving forward...never quit. Not even after the goal has been reached and surpassed. Favorite Quote (From the Dark Knight Returns - Batman has just thoroughly thrashed goody two shoes...I mean Superman): "We could have changed the world..now...look at us. I've become a political liability...and you? You're a joke. I want you to remember, Clark...in all the years to come...in your most private moments: I want you to remember my hand at your throat. I want you to remember...the one man who beat you." Of course I could continue...but it's getting late and I have a dissertation to write. Feel free to let me know who some of your heroes are/were. Thanks for reading! Josh

It's Been a While!

Well with all of the excitement of friends visiting and us going to visit family I haven't posted anything lately. The last weekend in June we had our friends Adrienne and Brian, Elizabeth and Dave come to visit. It was so nice having them. Elizabeth and Dave got to see the house for the first time and we all went up to Hot Springs for some dinner and bowling. Let me tell you that Dave gave all of us a run for our money. It was so much fun and I would do it every weekend if I could (if we all lived closer). Then the following weekend Josh and I drove out to Alabami and visited his folks. Talk about some good food and conversation....whew! I had a blast and I only wish it could have lasted a few days longer. These are the days to enjoy life and take it all in. I love my two girlfriends dearly and would do anything for them. I only hope that I convey that when I see them and talk to them. It's great to see family and friends and for those of you who live far away from your family and friends you know what I'm saying. Those precious moments of just enjoying being in the same room again....that's what gets me every time. So.....til next time Bynum family, Dave and Elizabeth , and Brian and Adrienne.....we'll see you soon. Love you all!!! God Bless, HB