“Listen Lord, oh listen Lord,
As I whisper soft and low.
Bless my Mom and Bless my Dad,
For these are things that they should know.
I have kept my Honor bright,
The Oath and Law have been my guide.
Mom and Dad this you should know,
Deep in my heart I love you so.”
Today I simply want to thank my Mom and Dad. 46 years ago today they introduced me to the world.
And the rest they say… is history.
Love you Mom and Dad!
Have a Great Scouting Day!
This weekend, our Troop conducted Junior Leader Training. Because we have so many young Scouts, we decided to do things a little different this year. This year, wanted to ensure that the leaders clearly understood what was to be expected as a leader. Instead of the typical classroom environment, we took the training out doors where we do the leading. An over night camping experience in which the Scouts attending the training committed to doing everything right. The committment of the Scouts that arrived on Friday evening at Camp Discovery was apparent from the word go.
We built a camp fire and pulled our chairs up close. The theme for the weekend was Modeling the Expected Behavior. What that means to the Scouts of our Troop is that as leaders they need to set the very best example that they can. As examples they model the behaviors that we expect to see from the rest of the Troop.
So this weekend, the leaders learned about the Teaching EDGE, Leading EDGE, Ethical decision-making, Communicating effectively, and Learning to teach. The leaders shared expectations and demonstrated to one another what “Right looks like”. This morning after teaching one another how to properly pack gear, leave no trace, and cook a meal, they spent some time on the C.O.P.E course working on team development.
At the end of the training it was time for reflection and reinforcing the theme of the weekend. Modeling the Expected Behavior.
This theme will be the driving force for the rest of the year. It is the hope of those that attended the training that they will affect a positive change in the Troop. They all understand that as they go, so will the rest of the Troop.
In my opinion this was the best Junior Leader Training session I have seen our Troop do. There was a clear understanding at the end of the training and I too feel that the Troop will better for it. With so many young Scouts in the Troop and more coming at the end of the month, Scouts that are willing to take responsibility and be the very best example by modeling the expected behavior, will be have a lasting impact on our unit.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
There once was two young Indian braves that were best of friends. They grew together, hunting, playing, and learning to be men in the tribe. Over time, both of these men caught the eye of a young women in the tribe, and they both began to try to win her heart.
As time went on, the young women favored one over the other and they began to court. This angered the other friend and he began to speak of his friend in ways that ultimately destroyed their friendship and the honor of young man preparing to be married. He said vicious things about his family, he talked about this character in ways that ruined the reputation of the brave.
One day as the two former friends passed, he noticed that he had truly hurt him, a tear was in his eye. The brave that slandered his fellow tribesman ran to the Wiseman of the tribe.
He asked the Wiseman if there was any way to repair the damage that had been done.
The Wiseman instructed him to go and climb to the highest peak, there he would find the nest of an Eagle. In that nest would be feathers, he was to gather up all of the feathers and bring them back to the village.
The young brave set off of the journey to the highest peak. Days upon days, he walked, always thinking about the things that he had done. He reached the mountain and began to climb until he finally found the nest on the peak. He gathered the feathers and started his journey back to the village.
He was greeted at the village gate by the Wiseman. “I have done as you instructed” he declared showing the feathers.
“Good, now return to the peak and let the feathers go.. let them fly to the North and the South, the East and West” said the Wiseman.
And so the brave turned and started his second journey to the peak. He arrived at the mountain top and let loose the feathers. They blew in every direction.
Upon returning to the village, the brave once again was greeted by the Wiseman. “I have let loose all the feathered and they have blown across the land” said the brave. “Good, my son, now go and pick up all of the feathers that you have scattered” the Wiseman replied. “That is impossible, I can never find, nor pick up all of the feathers that I have spread across the country side. There are to many, and I do not know where they have gone.”
“Such are your words” the Wiseman began, “Once you loose your words, like the ringing of a bell or the letting go of the feathers, you can never take them back or collect them again. They are gone, in the wind, and where they land you will never know. Hurtful words and words that bring pain and disrepute can never be taken back, so if you are to spread your words, make sure they are good and helpful. Words that heal and are friendly.”
The words of the Wiseman are so true. Words mean nothing, until they touch the ears of the listener. Make them count.
Think before you talk and be watchful of how you speak.
All of us can learn from this message, I have.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Within minutes of the last post being published I got an email asking for the contents of the “Boy Scout Creed” pictured in the post.
Here is the complete text of the “Boy Scout Creed” by Ludvig S. Dale
To be trustworthy in all things. Loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous and kind. To learn obedience and practise cheerfulness and Thrift. To be brave, clean and reverent. Above all to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight. To “Be Prepared” at all times to do my duty to God and my country, and to do a Good Turn to someone every Day.
Ludvig S. Dale was the National Recruiting Officer for the Boy Scouts of America in 1914.
I love to see these older pictures and learn about Scouting’s rich history. Makes the future of Scouting so much brighter.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
As always, the conversations that we have with our Scouts are so telling and rekindle hope that these young men are going to bring so much to our future. Last night I told the Troop of our pending move. I did not want to get into the weeds with the boys, but made an open invitation to both the Scouts and their Parents that if they wanted to talk about our situation I would love to sit with them and discuss the matter.
A few parents came up after the meeting and asked about the move and why, and then gave us a vote of confidence and assured us that we were doing the right thing. Then the best part of the night happened. Two new Scouts asked if they could have a Scoutmaster Conference.. one of those “Stop the World” conferences that we promise we can have any place, any time.
These two Scouts crossed over into the Troop in November. They wanted to know if I could share with them the reason why we were asked to leave. They wanted to know if the Troop was going to be ok and if I was going to stay.
The discussion led me to talking to them about principles and values. You see, I told them, this issue has become one of integrity. We believe as Boy Scouts (and Scouters) that to be good men, we must have integrity. We find that in the 12 points of the Scout Law and the Promise that we make when we say the Scout Oath.
A man of integrity must be Trustworthy. This is the bedrock of forming values. Without Trust and Honesty you can go no further in a relationship. These two Scouts wanted an honest answer and I could only give them the answer (s) that I was given. I asked them what they thought about the explanation. Neither one thought it was sufficient and did not understand why were asked to leave. I then explained that arguing or debating a principle issue can only really be done effectively when both parties have principles strong enough to fight for or debate about.
Here is where the discussion really got good. We talked about where these principles come from. Church, Family, Beliefs, The Scout Oath and Law. They explained to me what they thought of principles and shared with me their values and how they got them. They come from good homes, parents that care about them and desire the very best for them. They have learned in their short 11 years to be kind, respectful, and inquisitive. They are curious about how things work in their world.
We sat for about 25 minutes and talked about the current issue as well as their goals and dreams in Scouting. I really appreciate the Scouts and their candor. I was happy that they took the time to learn more and that they are not afraid to ask when they feel the need to know.
These guys are going to go far in Scouting and life. Having discussions like last night are really why I love being a Scoutmaster.
When was the last time you really sat and talked with a Scout?
Have a Great Scouting Day!
The internet, I think you all agree is a great thing. Right? It has opened up the Scouting World literally. I mean, think about it, when I was a Scout I can remember thinking how great it was to participate in Jamboree on the Air. Going to our meeting hall where one of our Assistant Scoutmasters had set up his HAM Radio. We dialed in and talked to Scouts from about 6 other country’s that day. It was the coolest.
But now we just hop online and open up Skype or a chat window, and our Scouting world closes in and through our head phones or speakers we are talking with Scouters all over the place.
I spent the better part of an hour last night chatting with a Scoutmaster in Wisconsin.. I am sure you know who that is.
The other day while we taught our Social Media class we stressed the point that the internet and social media is here to stay, we don’t what form it is going to take next year, but right now we have Blogs, Podcasts, Google +, Facebook and Twitter, just to name a few. In our units we use combinations of some or all of these tools to communicate within and outside of our unit. The important thing to remember, especially when we are talking about our Scouts using these outlets, is to monitor it.
Set up permissions. Only allow your unit to access some things on the Troop web site.
Restrict passwords. Give them out, but change them as large groups of people rotate in and out of the unit.
Keep your eye out for spam, rude comments, and un solicited visitors. This is important. It’s ok to shut out some ones opinion on YOUR site.
Be honest and transparent in your communications. Tell Scouting’s Story in a positive light. Leave your negative comments in a journal under your bed. You may have had a bad experience, but don’t share it with the rest of the world… it’s not good for Scouting.
Watch the youth of your unit and how they use the media. They are good at it and they use it a lot more than us. That’s a good thing, but monitor it. The Scouting stuff should always reinforce the values of the Scout Oath and Law and should never be taken out of the context of Scouting.
The internet is a great thing, but like everything, needs to be watched.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
I am sure that most if not all of you have a nice information board that you use to attract prospective Scouts and their families. You break it out on recruit nights and open houses, take along to community events, and generally show it off when ever the opportunities arise.
Well, tomorrow we have a crew from the Outdoor channel coming to hang out with our Troop for a week. They will be taking some of our Scouts on a week long adventure. This is a huge opportunity for our Troop, our Council, and the Boy Scouts of America to show Scouts and Scouting and tell our story! We are honored to have been chosen.
But this also became a good time to update our information board.
So, after yard work and some tinkering with the hammock.. I updated (completely overhauled) our information board.
We keep ours up all the time in the Knights of Columbus meeting Hall. This way our Charter Org. can see what we are up to and know that we are doing the right thing.
With the Troop of the Year trophy sitting prominently in the hall, as well as the Pack of the Year trophy, the Knights sponsored Cub Scout Pack won this year also, having Scouting out front is exactly where we want to be.
If you have an information board, what kind of stuff is on it? Let us know, drop a comment in the comments section, an email, or feel free to leave a voice mail by calling 503-308-8297.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
The last line of the Declaration of Independence is often over shadowed by the rest of this powerful document.
As the Declaration begins, our founding Fathers set down a path that was treasonous to the crown. As they, point by point outlined the reasons to declare Independence from the crown, they were driven deeper and deeper into certain trouble. Knowing the committment that they had for the cause of freedom they write; “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
They knew full well that in the end this declaration was the nails that would seal their coffins. They pledged their sacred Honor.
Well what does that mean? Honor means to be fair, to be accountable, to maintain integrity in one’s beliefs and actions, to be a credit to. Yes, by definition our founding Fathers demonstrated a great deal of honor.
When we pledge the Scout Oath, we start by saying “On my Honor”… But do we have the same level of committment that our founding Fathers had.. at least intellectually? When we make a promise, do we keep it? When we say that “On my honor, I will do my best”.. do we? Are we accountable for our actions, do we maintain integrity in our beliefs? Are we a credit to our families, our organizations and our selves? These are questions that I wonder if the founding Fathers contemplated as they sat and wrote the declaration. I wonder if they had trust that each and every one of the signers understood and believed as they did. Deep in my mind I think the answer is yes. Another time and place maybe? No, I don’t think so. I think that Honor is just as alive today as it was on the 4th of July in 1776.
What I do think is that we don’t hold each other as accountable in its practice.
When our Scouts raise that right hand and say the Scout Oath.. it’s not just words that get the meeting started, it is our sacred honor. It is a promise, a pledge, an Oath that means something.
Have a Safe Independence Day Weekend! Think about where we would have been had these brave men not pledged their Sacred Honor.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
So says the BSA… Now before I get hate mail.. Raise your right hand in the Scout sign and repeat after me..
“To keep myself physically Strong, Mentally Awake, and Morally Straight.”
In a minute I want you to watch this video. This is Tico Perez, our National Commissioner talking about Jamboree 2013. He discusses the challenges it will provide and the need to be physically strong as out lined in the standards that all of us should be using on the new medical form. I would suggest that if you have not got on board with this yet, well then you should.
Comments please, but don’t shoot the messenger.
So here is my take before I pop in the video.
Do I want to exclude anyone, NO.. BUT. I don’t want anyone getting hurt either. AND.. I do not want to take away the adventure. Everyone in our government talks about child obesity in America, but they are not willing to do anything about it really. Statistics show that we are fat. So let’s get skinny. You can do it, if you want to.
Eat right, exercise, and get fit, or the BSA is going to leave you out of certain activities.
I had a dear friend that was extremely heavy. Along with his weight came a lot of medical issues I am not going to dive into, but by and large you all know what those can be. He applied to go on staff for Arrow Corps 5 a few years back. He was declined because of his weight, or should I say BMI. He was very upset about it, but in the end understood the liability that he would create in this high adventure activity.
My Troop is sending 2 crews to Philmont in 2012. We will all be fit before we go. One of the committment markers to signing up was that you would be fit and meet all the standards before you would be allowed to go. Is this harsh? No, it’s the real world and we need to help these Scouts stay fit. Now you may say, Well I know Scouts that are heavy that out pack, out hike, and out last any of the skinny kids in the Troop. Well good for them, but what is the harm in shaving a few pounds for the future. That heavy kid is going to grow into a heavier adult and the problems on the horizon are many for him. Don’t get upset, just know that this is a fact and we all can help by enforcing the BSA standard and helping our Scouts get fit.
OK.. so here’s the video.. let me know what you think. Leave a comment, shoot me a voice mail or drop an email into my in box. I love to hear what you think.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Character is something that I talk about a lot with the Scouts of my Troop. It is a subject worth discussion often with these young men that are influenced by popular culture, peers, and sports figures. Now, if you have read this blog for any period of time, you know that I am a huge fan of Football, especially College Football… so it is no surprise that when I heard the news yesterday about USC loosing their 2004 National Title it was going to have to be worked into the Scoutmaster Minute.
The stripping of USC ’04 Title is a great example of what a lack of character will get you.
Again, when you have Character… there is no one on the planet that can take it from you… you can certainly give it away, and once you do, you will never get it back. And a lack of Character will get you in trouble in the long run.
USC gave away their Character. They knew what was going on and made a choice to do nothing about it. They cheated. Now I say they because we are talking about an institutional problem. One player and a coach that seemed to look the other way and break the rules. They are a part of the problem and the University chose to remain a power house in the NCAA rather than do the right thing. The price. 7 years later they are stripped of the title. They lost Scholarships for incoming students, and they are now left out of 3 years worth the chances to win another title. All because of a lack of character, character by the way they will never get back.
You see, they may win another National title years from now.. and Football player will still want to go to that University, but in my eyes.. and the eyes of many, they lack Character and always will.
As Scouts we have a guide that will never let us give it all away. A guide that will never allow us to cheat. You can’t cheat as long as you are Trustworthy,Loyal and obedient. You can’t hurt when you are Friendly, Courteous, Helpful, and Kind. You will do the right thing as long as you remain Brave and Reverent.
The Scout Law is a great foundation of Character. It will keep you from Giving it all away!
Have a Great Scouting Day!
