It's Wood Badge Time

This was an exhausting, but good weekend. Ter and I spent it up at Gerber Scout Reservation (Camp) beginning our Wood Badge training. The first question would be, “What is Wood Badge?” It is the highest level of adult training in leadership available in Boy Scouts. We had been looking forward to this for a while. Events prevented us from going a couple of years ago so we were determined to make it this time around.
Our adventure began Thursday evening as we decided to get a motel room for the night so we wouldn’t have to get up so early for the long drive knowing it would also be a long first day of training. We stayed at a nice little more of a Mom and Pop type of place for the night, the Bell-Aire. It is a nice, clean comfortable place to lay your head down for the night. The room didn’t have some of the amenities you usually see now such as a coffee pot but it didn’t really matter as we would basically just be getting up, getting dressed and heading out for breakfast at Russ’s just down the road. Neither one of us got much sleep. It was when we were getting ready to leave Ter discovered a “wardrobe malfunction”….it was definitely chilly out and his long uniform pants were at home!!! It was a good thing he brought his long uniform socks to keep his legs at least somewhat warm. Lesson learned, check your uniform before loading the car!! Due to rules complete official BSA uniforms are required for the course. I borrowed a pair of official shorts for training but this weekend they would definitely not be used. I’ll probably have to finally invest in a pair for myself.
A good breakfast and some coffee got us fueled for the start of the day…on to Gerber!!!We arrived and checked in and were assigned our “Den” as we would start training as “Cub Scouts” and later become a Patrol when we “crossed over” and became “Boy Scouts”. Our Patrols are set up by a questionnaire we send in after signing up for the course. We have a diverse group, which is good. We would become pretty good friends by the end of the weekend. The other lady in our group and I shared part of a cabin for the weekend.
We started our training and it was fast paced. The morning went quickly. It had been raining so having rain ponchos handy was the order of the day. After lunch we went down to the beach by the lake where we transitioned to “Boy Scouts” and my group became the Eagle Patrol. One member of the group immediately got the enthusiasm going by making up a Patrol cheer. The training outdoors went pretty quickly as the rain was really beginning to come down. Many activities were moved inside. The rain did let up enough for us to have our tasty supper in a shelter down by the lake. Then it was back to the dining hall for some team building activities. You have to learn to trust the other members of your Patrol during the time of our training and the activities were interesting. The facts you learn about your fellow Patrol members really help you to relate and bond as a group.
Saturday evening was the Wood Badge game show. It was loud and fairly raucous at times for sure. The noise was such that I ended up turning off my hearing aids….which did cost me getting much out of one of the games but I could feel the friendly competition between the Patrols. Earlier there was an activity where each patrol built a rocket out of a couple of pop bottles which we shot off. There was quite a bit of laughter watching the rockets shoot off the “launching” pad. Ter and I ended up shooting off the last round against each other. We were laughing so hard as the fellow running the launches started a cheer as to which of our rockets would go the farthest it was hard to listen for the countdown. Terry’s rocket won, but it was all in fun. We also worked on our menus for weekend two as it is more like an actual campout with us being required to put up a tent, cook our own meals as a Patrol, along with the writing of our “tickets” for the goals we have to reach to earn our position as Wood Badge. It is seen as quite an honor to earn your Wood Badge beads as it shows dedication to Scouting and all it means to the youth of our nation.
Sunday morning was chapel in accordance with the last point of the Scout law, A Scout is Reverent. Then there was time once again to work on our “tickets”. There was one more learning session then we settled in to watch the movie, “October Sky”. We were to watch for various elements of what we had been taught about leadership during the course of the weekend. It was interesting to see how the various elements worked together while viewing it.
After that it was time to go home, take a hot shower, and start to recover and digest all the events of the weekend. In a way it was sad to part as we had bonded pretty well during the brief time of the weekend. We will be working together as things progress. Our Patrol and Wood Badge Course members will become friends for life. Everything we learned this weekend can be used in every situation. I’m sorry to kind of repeat myself, but it is times like this that make Scouting special.

Time For Things to Pick Up Again....

Here it is just past the middle of August. Our schedules will soon be picking up to normal level with activities for Boy Scouts, church, and other things. You like to be busy, but enjoy the halcyon time where days and evenings are not quite so full giving you a little flexibility for doing things spontaneously. Whoever said things slow down once the kids are out of the house must not have had any, in my humble opinion. Our days are just as full, or maybe more, since our son left home for college days. Just different things are there rather than school sports activities.
Our chosen activities are still working with kids. We both are active in Boy Scouts with Ter as a Merit Badge Counselor, Assistant Scoutmaster, and working with training. I am a Unit Commissioner for position but help in training also. A Unit Commissioner is a liaison between their assigned Units (Pack, Troop, or Crew) and the local Council to help troubleshoot problems and keeping up with what is going on within the Units. I have helped with various types of training to help new leaders be the best they can be along with training the boys to lead their Troop and help with Packs. This part really keeps you on your toes as you never know what the boys may come up with as the session goes on. I also work with the kids at church on Wednesday evenings for our AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) program. The kids have to memorize Bible verses and facts to gain prizes and we always have a time for a story on a Bible theme known as Council Time. My room leader and I had an extremely eager bunch of girls last season which kept us looking forward to each week. There is also time for fun with about a half an hour for games. This time can be pretty raucous with some great competition. This time is also where I may shut off my hearing aids, aka Tune Out Time, but keep my eyes open to what is going on and to encourage the girls as they play their games. There are times I am really thankful NOT to know what the decibel reading is in the fellowship room where we hold opening and game time. You are always thrilled when a child receives Christ as their Savior. That is the TRUE reason for working with these kids, to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. These girls have become kind of my surrogate daughters through the years. It has been neat to watch them grow up and mature into fine young ladies.
Choir will also be starting up again. We have a pretty good choir thanks to the hard work of our Director and musicians. Our organist and pianist are mother and daughter with our Director being son and brother. A truly musical family. Our pianist is one of those rare talents who can sit down, look at a piece of music and play it right now. I have only met three people like that in my lifetime. We also have a wonderful husband and wife team who bring string bass, cello, violin and viola to the musical mix. It is not unusual when we do a big program to have some of their students come to make up an orchestra. It is quite a sound to go along with the usual keyboard, guitar, bass guitar and drums. I do really enjoy choir. I usually sing alto, or the lower female voice, but have been known to switch to soprano, or higher voice, when needed. I know the limit of my voice. I am just at times overwhelmed with the musical talent in our church. God has surely blessed us.
I am thankful to be busy and to feel I am contributing to things. As long as God gives me the strength and talent I will be there. My feeling is we should never let our talents go to waste and God has promised each of us has a talent to use for Him. We just have to be willing to be open to His leading and to do what He asks. As my good friend says, “Do it now because you never know when things may be taken away from you.” How true, how true.

Let's Get Back to Basics

I am sitting here mulling over in my mind what is happening in our country. There just seems to be little or no respect for one another anymore. You read almost daily about shootings, beatings, destruction of property, and the list goes on and on. Basic civility seems to have gone out the door. You have to watch what you say and do closely to avoid “dissing” someone or a group of people. One word or phrase rightly interpreted or not can set things off. People have little or no patience for others in many ways. Sometimes it would seem it can be you looked at the other person the wrong way. This is surely a sad situation.
While others may disagree with me, I feel it would not hurt anyone at all to be taught what is known as the “Golden Rule” again. “Do unto other as you would have them do unto you.” Or put in a simpler manner, treat other people as you would like to be treated. Stop and think for a minute before reacting. Most of the time it is better NOT to react immediately to a situation if you have the option. Take a deep breath, step back for a couple of minutes or seconds, do some analyzing of what has happened. Take the time to find out the true facts about things. A lot of trouble could be avoided if more people would do this. The story is told when Abraham Lincoln was angry at someone, he would sit and write a letter, then put it in his desk for a few days. He would then take it out, look at it and most of the time would decide not to send it. He would destroy it. The same principle can apply to e-mails. Write it, put it in your “draft” folder, then later look at it. I have found I virtually always hit “delete” or greatly modify what I have written. I had a time where I hit the wrong button and sent an angry e-mail which I dearly regretted and did apologize. Stopping and thinking can also make you think about the tone of your e-mails. It is impossible to know the true emotion of the writer during an e-mail. In many ways more face to face communication is needed again.
You watch our leaders at times and if someone disagrees with them, it is smear them. They have people who look for “dirt” to use against those who disagree. This is not limited to one party. Both are guilty. The mud flinging is not becoming to anyone, and it sure would be nice if our leaders would conduct themselves in accordance with a higher standard. This slinging party is even during the primaries when we choose who will run for a position. So this is not limited to members of the opposition party but those in their own party. It is not unusual for things to be used from 20, 30, even forty or more years ago to bring out against someone. Will someone please be a grown up here!!!
I worry about our young people in this way. If someone is being teased or the like it is so much harder for them to get away from it nowadays. With texting, Instant message, et all the person cannot get away from the harassment. The only way to avoid it is to not do any thing which is related to these things which is unthinkable to a teenager these days. In this way all the new technology is not all good. You can be the subject of all this but not know who is doing it unless you happen to know their on screen name or identity. It certainly adds to the boldness to go after someone because of the anonymity. Unfortunately some people really get their “jollies” or “kicks” out of doing things like this. I went through more than my fair share of teasing and the like when in school but at least I could come home and pretty much get away from it. People didn’t call me at home.
The only way to turn this around, in my mind, is to begin to teach respect for other people from a very early age. Perhaps there are some who would object because the concept is found in the Bible, Matthew 7:12. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” This is yet another sensitive point with some people. Don’t bring up anything which is even remotely related to religion or the Bible. Please, people, calm down a little bit. The “Golden Rule” is a concept which can be taught without thinking religion is somehow being “forced down your throat.” This is just basic civility and treating other people correctly. We need to start getting down to basics again. It needs to begin at home with the parents. Begin to teach basic etiquette, treatment of others, and rules. We all need to keep those in mind.

I'm ready!!

I am pretty excited as this week ends. I finished making arrangements yesterday to attend a Christian writer’s conference in Grand Haven the middle of October. It is called the “Breathe” conference. It is a gathering of writers both established and getting their feet wet. I attended last year and it was a good time. You get to meet authors who have many books under their belt. They have been through the process of getting their works published.
Last year I was impressed with the willingness of the workshop teachers to share both the ups and downs of what they had been through. Also what it takes to stick with it to get a publisher to take on your book or other form of writing and promoting once it is in print. As with anything you have to be willing to work hard and long to persevere for your writing to be noticed. They did not sugarcoat the facts and told stories of miscues which brought embarrassing moments, now seen as humorous. You have to be willing to put yourself out in public. One of my most favorite times was when one of the authors graciously allowed us on his sailing boat for one of the workshops. It was so relaxing to feel the gentle motion of the boat even as it was docked and drink in the sights and sounds.
There were workshops on many things including how to set up your writing area, using your five senses for bringing life into a story, writing ads or other promotional material, or writing for different genres such as magazines. Don’t be afraid to ask questions was a very important point made at each session. There was advice for working with your editors once you have been noticed. The steps to getting from words on your processor to printed page are many with numerous people involved.
The setting for the conference last year was a church very close to the channel in Grand Haven which leads into Lake Michigan. Grand Haven is a beautiful city right on the lake and the church building seemed to have an interesting history. It looked like it had been a factory before becoming a church. In looking at pictures displayed I wondered if it had been a place where pianos had been built. I understand some good quality pianos were built in our area in years past.
This conference looks to have a good line up for both speakers and workshops. It is a full two days of hands on learning. It is also a great lesson learned about how the authors are extremely gracious to all who are in attendance. Have a listening ear and a kind heart.
All in all an up end to a week which has had so many ups and downs it looks like an EKG heart test readout. It has been a very busy week with picking up some of the chores around the house while Ter puts in overtime to finish a project. It has been interesting to note how some of the parts of the jobs I used to not mind now are much more difficult for me. I got them done and Ter doesn’t have to worry about them which is the important part. I am getting tired and hope the overtime doesn’t last much longer….the extra time worked isn’t reflected in a bigger paycheck. Thank God for the paycheck, though, as so many here in Michigan are hurting so badly. I keep praying for a turn around. We are loosing a lot of people who are moving out of state to find work. As the Bible directs, I pray for our leaders at all levels for their wisdom and leadership in this extremely difficult time. It is so comforting to have the realization that God is in control even during these times.