2022-12 Don't Get Lost

How many of us have felt lost?

How many of us have been lost before?

Years and years ago, when I was about 6 years old. I was lost. It was Christmas time and Mom and Dad were doing some shopping at the mall. There were 3 of us kids at the time with me being the oldest. And somehow, I lost my family in the crowd. I can’t recall if someone took me to the security office, or if the security officer was the one that found me, but either way, I was lucky that kind people helped me along the way. I do remember sitting at a desk with a typewriter in front of me and typing, “I am lost” over and over. I think my mother still has that piece of paper tucked away in a box somewhere. Eventually I was reunited with my parents. The real scary part of this story was told to me a few years later. Apparently as my parents were trying to get to the security office in the mall to claim me, there were 3 or 4 additional adults that were also trying to claim me as their lost child. One woman was even calling out my name as the security officers mistakenly broadcasted it throughout the mall in the hopes that it would assist my parents in finding me faster. I can only imagine the anxiety and fear that my parents had during this ordeal.

In Cub Scouts we are taught at an early age to use the buddy system. And if you are ever lost, to STOP. Which stands for Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan. As a Cub Scout I was also told to hug a tree and start blowing your whistle that you should have in your essentials bag. As a Scout, we continue to use the buddy system. While hiking it is recommended that scouts hike in buddy groups of at least 4. In the event that one of the members becomes injured and needs help. Two of the members can go run for help together as the other member stays with the injured member. In this scenario, all four have greatly reduced their chances of becoming lost as they are with their buddy.

Sometimes we lose our way. And sometimes we are not just physically lost, but also emotionally. One thing to always remember is that if you are emotionally lost, you are never truly alone. Someone is always thinking about you and cares about you. Those individuals, or emotional buddies, could be family members, friends, neighbors, leaders, and teachers. If you do feel lost, sound off your whistle for help, don’t bottle it up.

Let us all continue to do our best to be buddies for each other as we do our good turn daily, along with helping each other at all times and being kind to each other.

2022-11 Time

With today marking the beginning of daylight saving time, our Scouter’s Minute will be focusing on one of our most valuable resources each of us has - time.

Temporal measurements of time take two distinct forms. The calendar and the clock. Eventually in a 24 hour period, the second hand of the clock will click 86,400 times to make up one day on the calendar. It seems like a lot of time when you break it down to such a large number as 86,000. But, you eventually start to use up seconds throughout the day when all of a sudden one hour (which is 3,600 seconds) has passed by. What have you accomplished during those 3,600 seconds? Well, that is totally up to you.

William Penn, in the Fruits of Solitude wrote, “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” C.S. Lewis said, “The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour…”. In Jr High my Spanish teacher had a sign up by the clock in the classroom that said, “Time is passing… are you?”

Throughout history, time has always been there for every event. In Greek mythology we are introduced to Chronos, or Father Time. Depending on the culture, the concept of time is measured by a revolving cycle or a linear and directional measurement. In Western philosophy we start to study the philosophy of space and time. And then there is Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity… but that’s getting a little too “heavy” for me.

Time is a huge part of our life and culture. Pop culture loves it. Take a look at just a handful of movies or books that involve time and time travel.

• Back to the Future

• Wrinkle in Time

• The Tomorrow War

• Land of the Lost

• Planet of the Apes

• The Time Machine

• Flight of the Navigator

• Interstellar

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

• Clockstoppers

• Avengers Endgame

• Superman

• Star Trek

• Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

The list could go on and on.

Each one of us has the same amount of time available in a 24 hour period. What we do with this given time is up to us individually. Yes, a portion of this time we need to be sleeping. But again, how much sleep you personally get is up to you. I suggest the recommended 8 - 9 hours because being a sleepy and grumpy scout is no fun for anyone. When the day starts, what items do you want to accomplish during the day? Do you have a list of items to start with? Do you have a project or merit badge that needs to be completed that you have been putting off? Do you have homework that is sitting in your backpack that still needs to be completed before Monday? The point I’m trying to get across is that there is always something that needs to be done. Many times we put off these things that need to be done and we soon realize that we are almost out of time. One of the merit badges that I teach is Personal Management. This merit badge helps us not only understand the methods of budgeting our money or project management, but how we can budget our time. Between rank advancements, there is a period of time that needs to happen before we can earn our next rank. For most of us. We have designated events throughout the day like school or work that must be held at specific hours.

As you go through your day, budget time for those things that you value or that need to be completed. This could be spending time with family, reading a good book, starting or finishing a project or doing that pesky homework. Whatever takes your time, do it well and be thrifty with your time because the seconds on the clock will always continue to tick away.

2022-10 Hold On Tight

A couple of weeks ago we were hiking along the Emerald Pools Trail in Zion National Park. This hike is one of my favorites as it takes you along the Virgin River where Mount Zion and Castle Dome meet together offering you breathtaking sceneries and amazing viewpoints. As you can guess from the name of the trail, there are some pools of water involved along the way. Upper Emerald Pool feeds into the Middle and then Lower Emerald Pool. The green vegetation against the red rock and waterfalls is amazing.

Along the trail from the Zion Lodge towards Lower Emerald Pool, something caught our eye. A large pine tree that looked like it was holding onto the side of the mountain. The roots for this tree are mostly exposed and shoot almost entirely horizontale into the mountain. Entangled within the root system is a massive boulder that has turned into an anchor for this tree. You can tell from just looking at this tree that water erosion is the culprit. This tree is doing everything it possibly can to be straight, tall, and strong. And it’s doing an amazing job!

As we go through life, sometimes erosion takes some of our personal foundations out from under us. Maybe you or someone you know has been diagnosed with an illness… sometimes we have disasters hit our neighborhoods… Recently our family lost an amazing father and grandfather. As we go through hard times, find something to hold on tight to. This could be your family members, your scout pack or troop, your neighbors, community, and religion. Whatever your anchor is, always hold on tight to it. In the case of our tree in Zion National Park, it continues to hold on tight to the mountain side. Even though it's going through a challenging time, it still continues to grow and stretch its branches towards the sunlight. As we go through our own challenging times, let us be like this giant pine that is continually doing it’s best.

2022-09 Trustworthy Steeplejacks

Two steeplejacks in England named Lewis and Jenkins, were mending a weather vane on a high steeple, 180 feet above the ground. To anchor the vane, melted lead had to be poured into its socket.

The scaffolding from which the men were working was not high enough to reach the socket, so Lewis climbed up on Jenkins’ shoulders. As he stood there, pouring the molten lead, a sudden gust of wind scattered a shower of the fiery liquid over Jenkins’ bare arms.

The slightest move on Jenkins' part would have sent his companion spinning to his death, 180 feet below. Jenkins set his teeth, and stood without a move until Lewis had completed the job and descended.

For the rest of his days, Jenkins had burn scars. Almost like bracelets on both arms.

Some days we are like Jenkins. We have others that rely on us to be dependable and accurate. You’ll find in the workplace that there are many people who are like Jenkins. Granted, we are not standing 180 feet in the air with a fellow employee on our shoulders pouring melted lead… but some of us may be pulling extra hours to complete a group project or to meet a deadline for a quarterly report.

Some days we are like Lewis. We have so much faith and trust in others that we will stand on their shoulders 180 feet up in the air to get the job done, because we know that they have our backs and will not let us down.

Whether you are like Lewis, or like Jenkins, both are great examples of how to live and practice the scout oath and law. Guaranteed there was a lot of Trustworthy going on as the two of them completed the job. Let us continue to do our part as we help other people while being Trustworthy, Loyal, and Brave.

2022-08 Destruction From Within

All the waters of the Seven Seas can't sink a ship unless it gets inside.

A giant tree was standing on the slopes of the Rockies when Columbus discovered America. How many times it had been hit by lightning and bent by storms before he came, we do not know. But there is visible evidence that lightning had hit it six or seven times since, and it has stood the ravages of floods, the destructive force of violent storms and has furnished shelter for many kinds of wild animals during these storms. But now it lays crumbling in decay on the mountain side, brought to that state by the work of termites eating away its strength and heart from within. Their destructive power was not visible from the outside until it was too late. The insidious work of hidden destroyers had felled a giant.

Every one of us is like this giant tree. We do our best to be strong, we have good roots as we live the scout oath and law. We do good turns to others as they seek shelter from the world. But, being involved in scouting does not make us immune to destructive powers. There are many things that want to harm you. Some of them are physical like drugs and alcohol. Others are emotional like bullying or comparing ourselves to others through social media.

This story has me reflecting on what type of termites I may have personally that are trying to eat away at my strength and heart from within.

As we go through life, let us continue to do a little bit better each day to be prepared against these metaphorical termites as we continue to do our best.

2022-07 God's Fiddle

The month of February we are continuing on with our Reverent theme.

A story is told of a conversation between a businessman and Sir Harry Lauder, the famous Scottish comedian, at a recent dinner held in New York. “I want to thank you for all the happiness you have given me, Sir Harry,” the man remarked. “I have looked forward to your American performances as one of the real joys of my life.” Harry Lauder without any thought of jesting responded, “don't thank me, laddie. God put something into me that seems to give pleasure to many thousands of people”, he said. “What it is I don't know, nor where it came from, nor when it may go. I don't seem to control it; it seems to control me. Thank It, Whatever It Is-not me.

John Bunyan, when congratulated on one of his sermons, uttered Harry Lauder's protest in different words. I am only God's fiddle! The instrument on which he elected to play His tunes.”

Is it not well for us to pause in the midst of our tasks and success to pay homage to our Maker? We, too, are “God's fiddle”, even though we are so often out of tune with God's infinite plan.

This time of year we have many events for entertainment. We have the Super Bowl, which is today. Many award shows are this month, and the Winter Olympics are currently taking place. Many of these athletes and performers bring happiness and enjoyment into our lives as they entertain us on the screen or at live events. Yes, many of them have worked extremely hard to get to the spot they are in in their life to receive an award or take home a super bowl ring, or a Gold, Silver, or Bronze metal. It always brings a smile to me when you hear these entertainers thank their friends, families, and their God for their accomplishments. Remember, you never really do anything on your own. You usually have your support group, this could be your den, pack, patrol, or troop, leaders, family, teachers, coaches, etc. And most importantly, you have your Creator who always has your back. Let us always do our best to be an “in tune” fiddle for Him.

2022-06 What An Amazing World

This week’s Scouter’s Minute falls on Scout Sunday. Some of you may be asking, “What is Scout Sunday?” Well, back in the 1940’s, scouts around the world started setting aside the Sunday preceding February 8th as a day to reflect on the 12th point of the Scout Law, reverent. Some of you may now be asking, “what happened on February 8th?” Well, that is the date in 1910 that the Boy Scouts of America was born. But that is a different topic for another time. Cub Scouts and Eagle Scouts alike promise to do their duty to God. Is today the only day that your scout unit can celebrate Scout Sunday? No, you can choose to celebrate on any Sunday during the month of February. The same goes for Scout Sabbath and Scout Jumuah. This is a wonderful day that scouts and scouters can reflect on our duty to God and on being reverent. Back when I was a youth, I can still remember how cool it was to sit in the congregation at church while looking around to see my fellow pack and troop members in full uniform in a setting that usually involves white button-up shirts and ties.

During today, your Scout Sunday can include leaders and scouts receiving religious awards. It could involve a pack or troop display in the foyer of the church highlighting some of your activities and accomplishments. If your charter organization is your church, your day may include handing out programs or being a door greeter welcoming those who are attending the services.

Many times our outdoor adventures take us to some pretty amazing places in this nation. Some of my favorites include Arches National Park, Zion National Park, and Yellowstone. Many of these places that we visit in National Parks are considered sacred and holy. Stand at the base of Yellowstone falls with the 63,000 gallons of water roaring over the edge every second and you get the impression instantly that this place is special… The same goes for the “Narrows” located in Zion National Park. In 1858 Nephi Johnson with a party of Indian guides arrived at the mouth of the canyon, and due to superstition the Indians refused to enter the canyon. Nephi Johnson, alone, followed up river to the narrows and described it as a place “where the sun is seldom seen.” Returning to the mouth at nightfall, Isaac Buhannin, an early settler, seeing the spires, remarked, “Surely this is God’s first temple and should be called Zion.” One practice that I personally have when visiting a breathtaking spot in nature is to sit quietly and while taking in all the sights, scents, and sounds, I also reflect on it’s beauty and the One who created this amazing world for us.

As we experience some of these amazing and natural wonders of the world. Take some time to be reverent and reflect on your own parts of this world that inspire you and also reflect on the Higher Being that made this world for you and me.

2022-05 Two Sides To Every Story

I came across a short story involving one of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin when he was a young printer at a newspaper.

Two Sides to a Story, By Wayne Whipple

While Franklin was struggling along, burdened with debts, a respected neighbor came in with an article which he said would make a stir, give the newspaper life, and pay well.

“I am glad to have something to give the paper life and make it entertaining,” Replied Franklin; “ I will read this as soon as I can.” “ I will call tomorrow,”  said the man of influence. “I know you will like it -  it is a needed rebuke.”

When young Franklin came to read the article, he found it full of bitterness and ridicule-written in a spirit of revenge. He felt sure that, if printed, it would be read by those interested in such personal attacks. It would make people laugh, but he decided not to publish it because it would do a wrong to a certain person.

He needed money badly. He went to the baker's and bought a two-penny roll, ate it in his office, and slept the sleep of the just.

Next day the wealthy citizen called and asked:

“Have you read it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you think of it?”
“That I cannot use it, sir.”
“I am not sure but that it would be a wrong to the person you have attacked. There are always two sides to a story. I should not like such things printed about me.”
“But you will lose the money, young man, have you thought of that?”

Young Franklin drew himself up, in the strength of his young manhood, an answered slowly and firmly:

“I am sorry to say, Sir, that I think the article is scurrilous and defamatory. But I have been at a loss, on account of my poverty, whether to reject it or not. I, therefore, put it to this issue. At night when my work was done I bought a two-penny loaf, On which I supped heartily. Then wrapping myself in my great coat, I slept soundly on the floor until morning, when another loaf and a mug of water afforded a pleasant breakfast.”

“Now, sir, since I can live very comfortably in this manner, why should I prostitute my press to personal hatred or party passion for a more luxurious living?”

The next time New Jersey wanted paper money printed, it was Franklin who was sent for.

These days, it is very common to read many one-sided stories.  Almost everyone in this world has the tools of social media to do so. We don’t need a large printing press like Benjamin Franklin. Our printing press fits right in the palm of our hand. Sometimes we are the ones who post these personal attacks or rebukes in anger.  Sometimes we are the victims of such messages. My own children have had experience with negative one/sided comments against them, and I’m very confident that many of you have also experienced this. Take a look at the comment sections of most news websites and you will see some of the anger and rage in opinions… Actually… don’t look it up. Just take my word for it. Everyone knows that we are in a very polarized time of the world.  One thing that may be a good idea is to pause for a second before sending a heated post, email, or text message to someone that has done us wrong and ask ourselves, “will this make matters better or worse?” “Is this reflective of how I should act as a Scout?” One thing I was told when I was a kid was to count to ten if I was angry… and afterwards if I was still angry… keep on counting until you have calmed down. 

Let's always remember the points of the Scout Law, Friendly & Kind. And to always be friendly and kind to everyone, even those who have done us wrong.

2022-04 I Am A Corporal

The other day I came across this short story entitled “I am a Corporal.”

During the Revolutionary War, the soldiers were trying to raise a heavy timber which they could hardly lift from the ground.  A young corporal stood by, urging the men to lift hard, and shouting, “Now, boys, right up,” when a superior officer rode up, dismounted and lifted with the men. When the timber was in place the officer asked the corporal why he did not help “I am a corporal,” he replied. “I am George Washington,” replied the officer.

As a member of the patrol in your troop, the time may soon be yours when you are a Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, or Senior Patrol Leader.  One thing has been proven over the ages is that good leaders lead by example, not by force.   

Leading by example means you're guiding others through your behaviors and inspiring them to do the same as you. When you lead by example, you provide a path to direct others down so that everyone is working toward a common goal with the same purpose.

A leader makes it natural for people to feel like they want to do the best they can for the patrol. When you lead by example, you can accomplish this and have a troop that's full of trust, confidence and purpose.

Eventually, down the trail of life, the leadership skills you learned as a scout can be used when you decide to start a family and lead your children. You can also use your leadership skills in your career when you are an employee or a manager of employees. 

Whatever your leadership status is in life. Always remember to implement the Scout Oath and Scout Law. To help other people at all times and to be trustworthy, loyal, and helpful.

2022-03 Watch Your Mouth

During the American Revolution, George Washington issued an order against profanity. Washington could not endure the low and wicked practice in the army. He pointed out that profanity is so repulsive and unmanly among soldiers, how could a youth who uses profanity look parents, good people, and their teachers in the face without a sense of guilt and shame?

Here is Washington's order as quoted by Thayer: “ Many and frequent orders have been issued against the unmeaning and abominable custom of swearing, notwithstanding which, with much regret, the General observes that it prevails if possible, more than ever. His feelings are continually wounded by the oaths and in  imprecations of the soldiers, whenever he is in hearing of them. The name of that Being from whose bountiful goodness we are permitted to exist and enjoy the comforts of life is incessantly implicated and profaned in a manner as wanton as it is shocking. For the sake, therefore of religion, decency, and order, the General hopes and trusts that officers of every rank will use their influence and authority to check advice which is as unprincipled as it is wicked and shameful. If officers would make it an enviable rule to reprimand, and if that won't do, to punish soldiers for an offense of this kind, it would not fail of having the desired effect.”

In reference to the above order, and to quote the movie National Treasure, “People don’t talk like that way anymore.” 

I remember years ago, when I said a swear word, and my mother found out… I thought for sure that I was a goner! I am very lucky, and blessed, that my mother was one that taught me the importance of choosing good words after that incident and that I needed to change and not use profane words.  One of the things I do not envy of my teenage children, is the language they have to hear as they walk the halls to and from class at school.  Some of those teenagers that are saying those horrible words are Scouts! It was bad back in my day, and I can only imagine how much worse it is now.  It’s all around us now through music, movies, podcasts, and now even on live TV when they can’t blur out words or mute the sound fast enough on the news. 

As we practice the Scout Law, we should not only be physically Clean. But, also clean in our words.

2022-02 Hope

The year was 1957 and Dr Curt at Harvard University was preparing his subjects for a swimming experiment. The small pool was filled and the test subjects, who were classified as “Excellent Swimmers”, were placed in the water with nothing around them to hold on to.  The test, to see how long they can swim without drowning… What! You may say. Yes, the information that Dr Curt was looking for in this first part of the experiment was to see how long it would take the subjects to die after they gave up on treading water.  Now, rest at ease, these test subjects we are talking about were rats, and rats are very good swimmers.

How long do you think the first test rats were able to swim before they drowned? 45 minutes? An hour? Half an hour?... would you be surprised to learn that within 15 minutes the rats could not swim any longer and would drown.  How can an excellent swimmer like that only last 15 minutes??

Round two… The test subjects were introduced to the same environment as the first round with one exception.  As soon as Dr Curt noticed that the rats had given up and started to sink, he would rescue them, dry them off, let them rest for a minute, and then plunk them back into the pool. How long do you think the swimmers in round two lasted? Less time than the first since they were already worn out from their first swim? Longer than the first time?... would you be surprised that the rats after being placed in the water for a second time lasted 60 hours!

What made these rats swim for over 2 days? Hope! It was this same hope during the second round that caused them to continue to swim for 60 hours hoping that the hand would come down and rescue them again.

Now the last thing I would ever want to do is call anyone a rat. But we can compare this experiment to us. If things are not going as well as we want in our own lives, we can have hope that things will get better. We can hope for a brighter tomorrow. We can have hope that we will do well on the test at school. We can have hope that a family member will get better soon. Sometimes we are the one that is treading water and are in need of a helping hand to come save us. Sometimes we are the ones how are reaching out to save those who are in trouble and are starting to lose hope.

The Scout Law helps us remember that there is hope by being Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. Each one of the points of the Scout Law can help us remember and assist with hope in one way or another.

2022-01 Work Ethic

The other day my teenager was talking to me about how his day was at work.  In between all the items in his busy schedule of school, scouts, and sports, he also has a part time job in the evenings.  I had to smile a bit when he mentioned that the manager and owner got after them for just sitting around when there were no customers.  An old saying that I was taught way back before dirt was invented was, “if there is time to lean, then there is time to clean.” He kind of laughed at me when I said that to him. Ya, I know… it's a total dad thing to say.

Our conversation continued with me asking some pondering questions. “Were all of the work tasks completed?...”. His reply was “No”. How would you react if you were the owner and walked through the front door to witness your employees sitting on the counters playing games or texting on their phones? How would you also react in the same scenario if none of the dishes were done, the floors had trash all over, and the trash bins were overflowing from the dinner rush? When you pay your employees, what are you paying for? The reaction of my son’s boss may have been different if in fact all the assignments were completed and signed off and there was nothing else to complete before closing the store.  In the words of my mother, “there is always something to clean”. 

We learn the importance of following through and completing assignments early on in the troop through the patrol method.  Just the same as most business organizations, everyone reports to someone in the patrol. We practiced this while at camp. In our troop, each patrol has different duties each day.  Someone needs to prep, cook, and clean up meals along with fire duty, camp cleanliness, and all the other various assignments needed for a successful camp.  If one, or all neglect to complete their assignments, it has the possibility of causing a ripple effect to the next individual or patrol who is assigned next.  

As we practice within our patrols, we are preparing ourselves for when it is time to work at a job.  It doesn't matter what the job is. It could be anything from flipping burgers, mowing lawns, tending kids, or working retail. Make sure to take ownership in your position and do the best that you can as you implement the Scout Law into your daily work activities.

2021-31 Jim Thorpe

With the second week of the Tokyo Olympics in full swing, I’m going to share with you a story from the 1912 Olympics involving a Native American Indian named Jim Thorpe.

Jim’s early years where a little rough. As a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, in 1887 he was born in Indian Territory in what is now known as Oklahoma. The children of these tribes were separated from their parents an taught to forget their heritage and to be more Anglo-American. His original name of Wa-Tho-Huk translated into English is “Bright Path”, and Jim did have a bright path ahead of him. As a youth he attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he was a two-time All-American for the school’s football team under coach Pop Warner. Some of you who play football may recognize Pop Warner’s name… that’s a whole other story.

Jim went on to participate in the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympics held at Stockolm, Sweden. On the morning of his events, Jim discovered that he could not find his shoes. It’s speculated that they were stolen from him the evening before. Luckily, a team-mate found an extra right shoe and Jim found a left shoe in the garbage can. The left shoe was too big for his feet, so Jim improvised and wore extra socks to make it fit. While wearing these shoes, Jim won two gold medals that day.

When presented the challenge of not having shoes to compete in his events, Jim had two options. Quit… or figure out a solution to the problem. We are given the same options every day. If your own shoes have been stolen, if your health is not the best, if your having relationship or family troubles, don’t let it stop you from running your race. To quote Robert Anthony, “You can only have two things in life, reasons and results. Reasons don’t count.”

After his experience at the Olympics, Jim went on to be one of the best athletes in the nation. Playing baseball for the Cleveland Indians and Football for the New York Giants, He was eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame along with the College Football Hall of Fame.

From our beginning days as a Cub Scout, we learn the Cub Scout moto: “Do Your Best”. When we become a Webelo we start to learn about the Scout motto of “Be Prepared”. When combined, these two mottos work very well together. We can be prepared for the hard and challenging times, and when they arise, we can do our very best through them. Let us all strive to have the same attitude as Jim Thorpe had back in 1912 Olympics when the next hardship or challenge presents itself to us.

2021-27 The Right Key

Imagine, if you will, the sounds of burning buildings…. The blasts from cannons hurling massive steel balls through the air that eventually come back down and destroy whatever is in their way… The yells and screaming of those who are on the front line of the fight. Now imagine the black smoke filling the sky. Black smoke that is billowing out from the White House, the Capitol Building, and the Library of Congress. This was the case in August of 1812.

After the British troops were finished with their invasion on Washington D.C., they turned their sites onto their next target. Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Francis Scott Key received word that his friend, Dr. William Beanes, had been taken prisoner by the British on one of their ships off the coast of Baltimore. In an effort to negotiate the release of his friend, Francis Scott Key found himself also stuck on the same ship 8 miles off the coast from Fort McHenry as both he and Beanes were not allowed to leave until the battle against the Fort was over as they both now had knowledge of the attack the British had planned against Fort McHenry..

With a front row seat of the battle. Francis Scott Key watched as the British fired upon the Fort. “It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone.” The battle raged all night as red was erupting in the sky. Key was sure that all would be lost for the Fort as the scale of the battle was highly in favor of the British. But, when “the dawn’s early light” came, and the smoke cleared, he saw the American Flag still standing strong.

While still being held captive on the ship, Key wrote his thoughts on paper. His brother-in-law who was a commander of a militia at Fort McHenry, read Key’s work and had it distributed under the name “Defense of Fort M’Henry”. The newspapers soon found out and it was eventually printed throughout the country. Today, we call this piece of work “The Star-Spangled Banner”.

The Star-Spangled Banner

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

2021-25 Dents and Divots

Today being Father’s Day, the topic of this week’s Scouter’s Minute involves the game of Golf.

Nearly 600 years ago, the first recognizable form of the game of golf was played is Scotland. Over these years the golf ball has evolved.

There are four distinct recognizable stages in the evolution of the golf ball. There is some speculation that the very first golf balls were simply round rocks.

The first recorded stage involves wooden golf balls. One can imagine how inefficient these wooden balls had to of been. Especially when struck with a wooden golf club. Maybe this is about the time in the evolution of the game that yelling “Fore!” began as rouge wooden golf balls where flying in all directions.

The second stage was the feathery golf balls. These were basically leather sacks stuffed with goose feathers. The ball was used for a little over 400 years! The making of this ball was so time consuming that it was usually sold for more than the club itself. This ball was better than the wood golf ball… but still not very accurate.

The third stage was the Gutty. This golf ball was only around for about fifty years but changed the game. Rather than wood or stuffed leather, this ball was made from dried sap of the Sapodilla tree. Having more of a rubber-like feel, the sap was heated and formed into ball shapes. It was with this ball that players discovered that the ball was more accurate after it was played with for a while and received little dents and divots. Hammering handmade divot came into practice with this ball.

The final stage, rubber core golf balls. Replacing the gutty in 1899, this new design with the modern divots we are used to, improved airflow while soaring to the green.

It’s amazing over the past 600 years, that through trial and error, it was discovered that the little dents and divots in a golf ball make it play better.

When you think about it, Scouting is a lot like these golf balls. Each time we pass off a requirement for a rank advancement, earn a new merit badge, or even fail at a task during camp, we get a dent or divot. The more that we learn, and experience, adds more dimples and dents to our golf ball. This in turn makes us go farther and straighter down your scouting career. Eventually, you will soar so far and straight that you will eventually be flying with the Eagles.

2021-24 W. Ben Hunt

A few years ago a band of Sioux Indians came to Milwaukee with a circus. A twelve-year-old boy found his way to the circus grounds to see the Indians with their buckskin leggings, their war bonnets of eagle feathers, and their painted faces. The boy hung around their tepees all day trying to talk to them, but they completely ignored him. 'If there was only some way, I could figure out how to get them interested in me, if I could only think of something they want, maybe I could get them to talk to me,' the boy thought.

Then he remembered how thick the wild rabbits were in back of the park. He hinted to the Indians that they might like some wild meat for a change. It wasn't very long until this boy was stalking cottontails with the Indians. After the hunt, the Indians took Ben back to their encampment and allowed him to go into their tepees with them. They skinned the rabbits and threw them in cooking pots for their dinner.

Sometimes it’s hard for us to get to know someone new. There will be sometimes in our lives that we will be the one reaching out to make a new friend. And, there will be times that we will need to be the one who needs to be open to someone who is reaching out in order to know us more.

Back to our young man Ben,

Do you know who he was? He’s W. Ben Hunt. The Boy’s Life artist and the writer of over 1,000 articles on Indian lore and handicraft.

2021-23 Aspens

Located in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest is one of the world’s largest organisms. It’s a 107 acre forest of more than 47,000 genetically identical quaking aspen trees which all stem from a single root system known as Pando.  The name Pando is Latin for “I spread”.  Aspen trees are capable of reproducing by seeds, but most of the time the trees will shoot up spouts from their roots and form a group known as “clones”. This grove of trees is capable of withstanding anything that the elements can throw at them. They can do this because they are tightly bound together in their trunks, limbs, and in their root system. Each tree draws strength from the other.  There is the occasional Aspen that will grow separate from the group, exposed to face the elements alone. Mother nature is not selective of which trees get attacked by the storms.  When the wind blows, the rain comes down, the lone tree has a greater risk of being damaged.  The group of aspens on the other hand, they stand together, strong, and protecting each other as the storm rages on.

Your patrol is a lot like this grove of aspens. The strength and teamwork you can accomplish together would be impossible for you each to do individually. Each one of you brings skills and talents that complements the other members of the patrol and troop.  

2021-22 Scout Spirit

A younger Scout and his family were headed to church one Sunday morning. On their way in, an older man who had trouble walking was struggling to make it to the entrance. The young Scout kindly held open the door for him and his wife.
As the old man passed him, he questioned the boy, "Are you one of those Scouts?"
Surprised by the question, the young boy replied that he was. The old man asked, "So how's that coming for you?"
The Scout replied, "Well, I'm First Class."
Finally, as he managed to reach the entrance of the church, the old man smiled and said, "You keep on working for that Eagle Badge."

The young Scout had never seen this man in his life, never talked to him, yet his Scout Spirit had shown by doing such a simple action as holding the door for an elderly man. Showing Scout Spirit doesn't require a uniform, or patches of any kind. All Scout Spirit needs is an opportunity to help someone in need.

May we continue to due our duty to help other people at all times.

2021-21 The Emperor's Seeds

The emperor was old and dying. He had no children of his own so he called all the children in the surrounding villages to the castle.

He said, "It has come time for me to choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you." The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One seed. It is a very special seed. I want you to go home, plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring to me, and the one I choose will be the next emperor of the kingdom!"

One boy named Ling, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the whole story. She helped him get a pot and some planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.

After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept going home and checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by. Still nothing.

By now others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she encouraged him to go, and to take his pot as his emperor had told him. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace.

When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by all the other youths. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey, nice try."

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. After looking over all the pots in the room, the emperor said, "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown. Today, one of you will become emperor!"

"But, first, I see one pot has no plant. Whoever owns that pot, bring it here to the front immediately!"

Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!" But, being brave, Ling picked up his pot and approached the emperor.

When Ling got to the front, the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grown, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

Let us all have the integrity as young Ling as strive to be a little more Loyal, Obedient, and Brave.

2021-20 The Sheep, The Wolf, and the Stag

This weeks Scouter’s Minute is an Aesop’s Fable.

This week’s Scouter’s Minute is an Aesop’s Fable tilted. “The Sheep, The Wolf, and the Stag.

One day a Stag came to a Sheep and asked her to lend him a measure of wheat. The Sheep knew him for a very swift runner, who could easily take himself out of reach, were he so inclined. So she asked him if he knew someone who would answer for him.

“Yes, yes,” answered the Stag confidently, “the Wolf has promised to be my surety.”

“The Wolf!” exclaimed the Sheep indignantly. “Do you think I would trust you on such security? I know the Wolf! He takes what he wants and runs off with it without paying. As for you, you can use your legs so well that I should have little chance of collecting the debt if I had to catch you for it!”

The moral of this story is that two wrongs do not make a right.

As Scouts, we do our best to live the Scout Law. This includes being Trustworthy and Loyal. In the above fable, the sheep had little confidence that she would be paid back by the Stag. Especially since she found out that the Wolf would be the one paying the debt if the Stag could not. Knowing the true nature of the Wolf, the sheep did not agree to the deal as she felt that she would never be paid back.

In life, we will have the same experience as the sheep. It may be someone coming to you to borrow money. or even a business deal that your gut is telling you seems too good to be true. Just be sure to be honest in your own dealings and continue to be Trustworthy and Loyal.