2020-12 The Lark and Her Young Ones

The Lark and Her Young Ones

A Lark made her nest in a field of young wheat. As the days passed, the wheat stalks grew tall and the young birds, too, grew in strength. Then one day, when the ripe golden grain waved in the breeze, the Farmer and his son came into the field.

“This wheat is now ready for reaping,” said the Farmer. “We must call in our neighbors and friends to help us harvest it.”

The young Larks in their nest close by were much frightened, for they knew they would be in great danger if they did not leave the nest before the reapers came. When the Mother Lark returned with food for them, they told her what they had heard.

“Do not be frightened, children,” said the Mother Lark. “If the Farmer said he would call in his neighbors and friends to help him do his work, this wheat will not be reaped for a while yet.”

A few days later, the wheat was so ripe, that when the wind shook the stalks, a hail of wheat grains came rustling down on the young Larks’ heads.

“If this wheat is not harvested at once,” said the Farmer, “we shall lose half the crop. We cannot wait any longer for help from our friends. Tomorrow we must set to work, ourselves.”

When the young Larks told their mother what they had heard that day, she said:

“Then we must be off at once. When a man decides to do his own work and not depend on any one else, then you may be sure there will be no more delay.”

There was much fluttering and trying out of wings that afternoon, and at sunrise next day, when the Farmer and his son cut down the grain, they found an empty nest.

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In this Aesop’s fable of the Lark and Her Young Ones, there are many lessons to learn.

Here are a few that I learned from this story.

The mother lark is protecting her young ones within the long stalks of wheat. She has a watchful eye on her environment. The young chicks have a great relationship with their mother and report the farmers conversations to her. The little Lark family is prepared to take action at a moments notice.

Lets take a look at the Farmer and his son. They knew that the wheat needed to be harvested but postponed it until their friends could come help them. My guess is that the farmer’s friends had their own crops to harvest also. After seeing that half of their crop would be ruined, the Farmer and his son began to work. They were relying on the help of their neighbors to ease their burdens.

In 1907, Baden-Powell created the Scout motto: Be Prepared

“Prepared for what? Why, any old thing,” was his usual response.

This time of life there are many challenges that we must be prepared for. But, at the same time, we must not forget to continue to help other people at all times as we also take care of our own physical, mental, and moral needs.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep doing your best.

2020-11 Light At The End Of The Tunnel

This last weekend we took our scouts camping to a location that has an old train tunnel that was decommissioned in the early 1900’s in Elberta, Utah. It’s not the longest of tunnels, but it’s long enough that the outside light has a hard time getting to the middle. As we were hiking into the tunnel, the daylight started to get dimmer and dimmer.  I started to reflect on the events that have happened over this last week and how each media broadcast about COVID-19 and the market crashing made each day appear dimmer and dimmer. Almost to the point that fear was more present than hope. Things will be difficult for a while. Family members have or may become infected with a virus that is shutting down the world. People have lost their lives. Life has been displaced. But, I am hopeful that things will get better. In my experience during hard times, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. We must remember to continue to do our best as we walk through this tunnel of life.  Our hopes, thoughts, and prayers are with you as we travel through this challenging trail together. Be safe, be clean, and be prepared.

2020-10 Advice From An Astronaut

We all have dreams and ambitions in this life. There is even a famous speech that starts out with saying, “I have a dream.” A couple of my own personal dreams include going to every national park with my family along with creating a business that allows me to have more freedom with time. Some of our dreams are attainable while some are in a totally different galaxy. 

Alan Bean was an astronaut on Apollo 12. When asked what he learned about success over the years, this was his answer: “The most important quality I have noticed in successful people is that they have a dream . . . . They think and work toward that dream every day. I often ask people to tell me their dreams. 'What did you do today to move you closer to your dream?' 85% didn't do anything. They're planning to do something next week, they're just too busy today. These 85% will probably never see their dream come true.” 

So, ask yourself the same question, 'What have I done today to make my dream come true?' If the answer is 'Nothing specific,' then you will never make it unless you change your ways.

One of my close friends always says, “if not you, who? If not now when?” 

For most of us, the end goal will not magically happen overnight. But constantly doing one little thing everyday will get you closer to making your dream come true.

2020-09 A Scout Is Helpful

Being the third month of the year, we will be focusing on the third point of the scout law which is Helpful.

When we look up the definition of helpful, we find the following: giving or ready to give help. Other words associated with helpful include: useful, cooperative, valuable, and important.

A few years ago we had a next door neighbor named Bob that was well into his eighties. Bob fought in the Korean War and was a very independent man. I could probably count on two hands the number of times Bob asked me for help on a project in the nine years that I knew him. Most of the time he was the one giving help to everyone else on the street, myself included. He always had a quick smile and the same answer for my son and myself when we would offer to help him mow his lawn (which he did up to the summer before he passed away) he would always say, “I’m ok, but thank you.”

We found a work around to this though. Winter came and it was our first big snow storm living next to Bob. The snow that had fallen was so wet and heavy that tree limbs started to break all through the neighborhood. One of which landed over Bob’s car that was parked in his driveway. We rushed over with shovels and a chain saw and we were able to get everything cleared out for Bob in an hour. He was extremely grateful. After that, each day that it snowed, we would shovel our own walkway and then just keep on going to Bob’s property and clearing his sidewalks. Some of the best, most satisfying memories are of shoveling those sidewalks and looking up to see Bob standing on his porch with a steaming hot cup of coffee in his hands smiling at us. One day, when we stepped out to start shoveling, I noticed something different… our own sidewalk along with Bob’s had been cleared off already. I looked over at Bob’s house to see him standing on his porch, next to a snow blower, smiling with his hot cup of coffee. “I bought us a new toy for $50 bucks!”, He yelled.

It was a couple of summers before Bob passed away. I walked over to see how he was doing, which usually ended up with me taking a seat on the porch and having a cold soda or Popsicle with him as we talked about how proud he was of his sons and about some of the camping and hunting activities he missed doing. He share with me that he really appreciated the help that our family gave him. He said,” I have come to the understanding that I need to let people help me. I’m a better man for allowing people to help me, and those that help me are also better when they do service.”

What started as being helpful to a neighbor resulted into a lifelong friendship between two people who lived next to each other. This month we challenge you to continue to do your good turn daily and to strive to be helpful to others around you. No matter who they are, what they look like, or what they believe. We can all help each other in one way or another to make each other a little bit better in this wold.

2020-08 The Hare and the Tortoise

In my years as a scouter I have come across this fable many times within Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. You have the brand new cub that both scout and parents are super excited to earn every award ever created and they shoot out of the gates so quick that within 3 months they have earned every adventure belt loop for the rank of wolf and are left with the question for the remainder of the year, “Now What?” In my experience they usually end up dropping out until they are eligible to being working on the next rank when they are of age. Or, worst case scenario, they get bored and leave the pack. The same happens within the troop to a certain degree. When the scouts burst through the gates to earn every merit badge and rank as fast as possible, they tend to burn themselves out. I have also witnessed 16 year old scouts being so burned out and not wanting to complete just 2 more required merit badges along with their eagle project and then 3 weeks before their 18th birthday decide to give it another shot just to find out that they ran out of time. I guess you could say that slow and steady earns the eagle. Here is Aesop’s fable of the Hare and the Tortoise.

The Hare & the Tortoise

A Hare was making fun of the Tortoise one day for being so slow.

"Do you ever get anywhere?" he asked with a mocking laugh.

"Yes," replied the Tortoise, "and I get there sooner than you think. I'll run you a race and prove it."

The Hare was much amused at the idea of running a race with the Tortoise, but for the fun of the thing he agreed. So the Fox, who had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started the runners off.

The Hare was soon far out of sight, and to make the Tortoise feel very deeply how ridiculous it was for him to try a race with a Hare, he lay down beside the course to take a nap until the Tortoise should catch up.

The Tortoise meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily, and, after a time, passed the place where the Hare was sleeping. But the Hare slept on very peacefully; and when at last he did wake up, the Tortoise was near the goal. The Hare now ran his swiftest, but he could not overtake the Tortoise in time.

2020-07 The Right Spirit

The other day I was at my favorite burger place for lunch. As I was waiting for my order to come out, I listened to all the high school students who were also waiting for their food. After a couple of minutes I felt like I needed to sanitize my eardrums! The language was horrible! What was also surprising, is that it did not even seem to faze the students at all that there were adults and children all around that could hear every word. It reminded me of the following story.

In a city street a heavily-laden coal-cart was at a standstill. The driver was swearing and beating the poor horses unmercifully, but they could not start the wagon on its uphill course to its nearby destination. A crowd of people looked on. One of them said it was a downright shame, and left the scene. At last a little girl ran out and begged the man to stop, promising that she and the other children would get baskets and carry all the coal if he would only let the horses rest. The crowd laughed at her words, but were shamed into lending a hand themselves, and with one accord they pushed against the cart till the poor horses took heart and started easily up the grade.

Let us all do a little bit better, each and every day, to be a little bit more clean in our ways as a Scout.

2020-06 The Successful Ones

From “Samscripts” June 1955

Someone has made a survey of a thousand successful men to learn how they got their start in life.
Three hundred started as farmers’ sons.
Two hundred sold or carried newspapers.
Two hundred started as messenger boys.
One hundred began as printers’ apprentices.
One hundred started working in factories.
Fifty began at the bottom of railroad work.
Fifty, only fifty out of a thousand, had well-to-do parents to give them a start.

It is well to remember that an indolent person did not discover the telephone. And an indolent person did not learn to control steam. And an indolent person did not discover the power of gasoline, nor learn how to harness the great Niagara Falls.

The men who have accomplished most in the world were persons who had ambition and a goal, and worked long and hard to attain it.

2020-05 The Sailor's Pup

 A sailor befriended a little pup that was being abused at a dock in front of his ship.

He was criticized when he made a great deal of the poor, unkept, dirty, little whelp

He took the criticism cheerfully and said,   “When I was a kid the Scouts taught me to be kind to animals and do a good turn.” He shared his meals with the little pup at times when there was very little food for himself;  but he grew attached to the little fellow and they became wonderful companions.

As time passed, the pup grew up to a full-sized dog and a massive fellow. One day they were walking along a ridge in the timber, the master enjoying the beauty of nature and picking a few flowers, when he saw a very pretty lily in some rocks in the ledge. He stooped to pick the flower and the dog sprang, hitting him in the chest and driving him back. This was repeated three times, when the master became angry and struck at the dog. The dog at last, in desperation, pounced upon the flower and seized a huge rattlesnake and shook it until it was lifeless. The dog was bitten, but recovered by the splendid nursing of the master.

2020-04 Plow Points

A lie will bring you quick results but no premiums. A lie will look well for an hour but show shabby for a year. A lie will bring you cash but cut your credit. A lie will bring you velvet for a moment but hard circumstances for a decade. A lie is a commercial fake, a social fraud, an intellectual makeshift, a theological blunder, and a universal failure. Don't lie.

Here is a short story from “The Young Man and His Problems” by James L. Gordon. Courtesy of Funk and Wagnalls Co. “He had just moved into the area, and it was the first or second time he had been to town. He came into the store and ask the proprietor: ‘Are these plow points tempered enough?’ ‘No,’ he said, ‘I think not; I tried some of them and they are soft.’ When the farmer had gone I said to the proprietor: ‘Why didn't you tell that man that the plow points were well-tempered and hard, and would do the work he required of them? Why, you told him the truth and missed a sale; you're a strange man.’ But, as long as I stayed in that community, that man had a customer who would spend his last dollar with him.”

As we go through our daily activities with work, school, and our various volunteer events, let us be like that salesman who told the truth when asked if the product he was selling was good enough for the job.

2020-03 Three Types Of Scouting

After the big London fire in 1666, the great English architect, Sir Christopher Wren, volunteered his services to plan and superintend the building of one of the world’s greatest cathedrals.

Unknown to most of the workmen, he passed among them often, watching the construction.

To three stone cutters one day he put the same question, “What are you doing?” One of them answered, “I am cutting this stone.” Another answered, “I am earning my three shillings per day.” But the third stood up, squared his shoulders and proudly said, “I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build this magnificent cathedral.”

This third worker, not knowing he was speaking to Sir Christopher Wren, probably was making the same wages as the other two stone cutters. But, his mindset was completely different than the others.

As we go about our day doing our various activities for school, work, scouts, and other volunteer events, let us be like the third worker who was clearly doing his duty and helping other people.

2020-02 The Boy Who Cried Wolf

The Scout Law has 12 points. Conveniently there are the same number of points as there are months of the year. So, each month we will be focusing on a single point of the Scout Law. This month’s point is Trustworthy.

When we break down the word “Trustworthy” we find that it’s a combination of two words. First, “trust” is something or someone you can rely on. Second, “worthy” describes something or someone that deserves respect. So, if you are a “Trustworthy” scout, that mean that you are a reliable scout. In other words, you do what you say your going to do.

One of Aesop’s Fables reminds us what will eventually happen if we are not trustworthy.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, "Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!"

The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces.

"Don't cry 'wolf', shepherd boy," said the villagers, "when there's no wolf!" They went grumbling back down the hill.

Later, the boy sang out again, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!" To his naughty delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive the wolf away.

When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said, "Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don't cry 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!"

But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more.

Later, he saw a REAL wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly as he could, "Wolf! Wolf!"

But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come.

At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn't returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him weeping.

"There really was a wolf here! The flock has scattered! I cried out, "Wolf!" Why didn't you come?"

An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked back to the village.

"We'll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning," he said, putting his arm around the youth, "Nobody believes a liar...even when he is telling the truth!"

2020-01 New Year's Resolutions

At the beginning of each year I tend to make “New Year’s Resolutions”. In other words, I make a goal that I would like to complete in order to make myself better. Sometimes I run into the issue of making an un-attainable goal that will later frustrate me. The key to making an attainable goal is to be specific and precise on what the end result is. Also, come up with a way to measure your realistic goal.  Don’t set yourself up for failure with a goal that you will never reach, but at the same time, your goal should be a challenge. When I was a scout in the 90’s, I set a goal for myself to reach the rank of Eagle. 

Was it attainable? Yes.
Was it a challenge? You better believe it.
Was it worth it? No doubt about it!

Your goals can also be as simple as smiling throughout the day, or making someone’s day better by doing your good turn daily, or making yourself better with the many merits of scouting. Here is a report from 1998 about how scouting affects many people in a strong positive way.

“Of any one hundred youth who become Scouts, it must be confessed that thirty will drop out in their first year. Perhaps this may be regarded as a failure, but later in life, all of these will remember that they had been in Scouting and will speak well of the program.

Of the one hundred, only rarely will one ever appear before a juvenile court judge. Twelve of the one hundred will be from families that belong to no church. Through Scouting, these twelve and many of their families will be brought into contact with a church and will continue to be active all their lives. Six of the one hundred will become pastors/clergy.

Each of the one hundred will learn something from Scouting, and all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives. Approximately one-half will serve in the military, and in varying degrees, profit from their Scout training. At least one will use it to save another person’s life, and many may credit it for saving their own.

Four of the one hundred will reach Eagle rank, and at least one will later say that they valued their Eagle above their college degree. Many will find their future vocation through merit badge work and Scouting contacts. Seventeen of the one hundred scouts will become adult leaders and will give leadership to thousands of additional scouts.

As we close this week, we challenge you to make attainable goals that will not only better you personally, but also set attainable goals that will affect those around you in a strong and positive way.

2019-51 The Price Of Success

Vince Lombardi was a very successful coach - especially known for coaching the Green Bay Packers during the 1960’s He said, “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that, whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” Let us all strive to be a success at home, at school, at play, and as Cub Scouts.

2019-50 The Reason For Season

During this time of year it is easy to become so busy and wrapped up in the gift buying, movie marathons, games, and whatever other stresses of life we may have, that we may sometimes start to put aside or temporarily forget the true reason for this Christmas season.  Let us reflect on the one person who does His good turn not just daily but eternally. This Scouter’s minute we would like to read to you the account of Jesus Christ’s birth found in Luke 2. We wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

CHAPTER 2

Heavenly messengers herald the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem—He is circumcised, and Simeon and Anna prophesy of His mission—At twelve years of age, He goes about His Father’s business.

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

2019-49 Look At The Turtle

What can we learn from the turtle? First we see his shell, his armor, his means of defense. We are like the turtle in that we have many ways to protect ourselves— our instinct to draw away from danger, to shelter ourselves from it, for example.

Secondly, we see the turtle’s persistence. He’s slow, he’s plodding, but he always gets where he’s going. His persistence is memorialized in the age-old story of the tortoise and the hare. The persistent tortoise outlasted the showy, flashy, and very fast hare. We can learn from the turtle that our greatest accomplishments do not come from skill alone, but require our persistence in striving for the goal, such as in our journey to the rank of Eagle.

Finally, we see that the turtle can go nowhere unless he first sticks out his neck. Again we are like the turtle in that we accomplish nothing until we dare to stick out our necks once in a while.

2019-48 Traditions

Traditions enrich people’s lives everywhere. Whether they are religious, cultural, or individual family customs. Traditions are like glue that holds a lifetime of experiences together. Each of us has traditions that only our own families practice. Let’s remember to enjoy those traditions and our families this time of year. Remember, it is better to give than to receive. See if you can find the joy of giving this year.

2019-47 Reach High

Ideals are like stars. You will not succeed in touching them with your hands; but, like the seafaring man, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you will reach your destiny. — Carl Schurz

2019-46 Henry Ford's Secret

Some years after the death of Henry Ford, I was privileged to go through some of his effects at his beautiful Fairlane estate near Detroit. Tucked away in a book in his library, I found a small scrap of paper. On it, in his wife’s handwriting appeared these words:

Bite off more than you can chew - and chew it.
Dare to do more than you can do - and do it.
Hitch you wagon to a star.
Keep your seat - and there you are.

Surely nothing better describes the secret of the amazing success of this unknown carriage maker who became the world’s greatest industrialist - nor of the humble woman who “kept her seat” beside him in his rocketing trip to fame.

— William B. Smart

2019-45 Coal and Diamonds

I’m sure you’ve all seen a diamond. It’s very hard, very bright, and very beautiful. Most of you have probably seen coal, also. It’s dull, dirty, and crumbles easy.

Now a little chemistry lesson. Who can tell me how coal and diamonds are alike? Right - both are made from the element carbon. But a diamond has great value because it is rare. I compare the diamond to a person of sharp mind, strong body, and shining bright spirit. The coal might be compared to a person who is not mentally sharp, physically strong, or spiritually bright. Someone once said that a diamond is just a piece of coal that stuck to it when the going got tough. Over many millions of years, its brilliance was caused by the heat and pressure inside our earth.

My hope is that like that diamond, you will stick to it by following our Scouting ideals. To keep yourself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. If you do, you will become an example to the world of what it means to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

2019-44 Pure Enjoyment

We use books every day in school to learn about math and science and history. We use books to complete our achievements in Scouting. We use books to learn more about our faith. My challenge to you this month is to read for the pure enjoyment of reading. Find a book that will take you to another time ore another place. It could be the future, the past, or right now. Find a great adventure that you never want to end. Scouting’s founder, Lord Baden-Powell, told leaders that “If you can hand on something of the the love of books to your Scouts, you will be giving them friends which will never fail them.” I hope you can find these friends now and throughout you life. Share them with all you meet.