My Every Day Carry

 

"Every Day Carry" has always been a thing. There has always been stuff that people carry around with them every day. People use all kinds of tools in their day-to-day life. But in recent years, EDC has become a hobby unto itself. Folks will spend hours and Benjamins crafting the perfect set of items to keep on their person during the day.

My paternal grandfather could be considered one of these (unknowing) EDC enthusiasts, who thought carefully about what he carried with him, where it was kept, and what function it served. I think he still operates in the same way today. I have also adapted a specific set of tools over the years that I find essential to my day-to-day functioning - tools that are typically with me on a day-to-day basis. Here they are (pictured above):

1. Pocket Notebook

I use these on a daily basis, and have done so for a long time. My favorite brand is Log and Jotter, while the best value currently comes from Portage. There's always plenty of important stuff to write down, and Rhythm of the Sword disciplines to carefully track.

2. Sharpie S-GEL 0.5mm Pen

This is the most reliable pen I've found for use in my pocket notebooks. It writes consistently and smoothly, and doesn't smear despite my left-handed nature. 

3. Gideons New Testament + Psalms and Proverbs

This is my on-the-go Psalter. I use the ESV, and insert a folded paper with further devotional materials. it is all held together and kept neat with a medium binder clip. I've found this setup to be very functional and easy to pull out and use during the day.

4. The Light Phone II

The Light Phone is a dumb phone that cuts out the many distractions of entertainment that come with a smartphone. I love the product, its functionality, and its continual software improvements. It does nearly everything I want a phone to do, and nothing that I don't want it to do. It's a reliable phone that lets you control it, instead of the other way around.

5. Wallet

My current wallet is a "Clifton Heritage" from Amazon. It's been solid and reliable for me, if a little on the thicker side. It does the job but it may get an upgrade some day.

6. House Key

I wear my house key on 550 lb paracord around my neck. It's great to have it separate and ready to use when I'm going out on a run, or have the car running but need to run back inside. And you can't beat the Spider-Man print.

7. Timex Ironman Watch

This has been my go-to for many years; I believe I'm on my third one. These things are great. They are super reliable, very intuitive to use, and do everything I want them to (Time, Alarm, Stopwatch). The point of failure is usually the rubber strap, which eventually breaks, but not after taking a serious beatings. I don't go easy on these and they don't fail. The only issue I've had has been buttons being stuck after being bitten by toddlers, but it eventually loosens up.

And that's it! I love my EDC and use each item on a regular basis. I will probably add a super nice Benchmade knife to the kit in a few months, and a wallet upgrade will eventually be in order. It is important to keep these items fresh and in good working order because of how much you rely on them. If you have the money, never hesitate to invest in high-quality products that you will use on a regular basis, and replace or repair them quickly when they wear out. Everything wears out eventually. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.