Scoutmaster

They've made me a scoutmaster in my church. I've been associated with the scouting program since I was eight years old and I have always enjoyed it. You'll never here me complain about being asked to help out in scouting.

I have fond memories of my scoutmasters. For the first few years my dad was it. He was always a different man when we were out camping. Not better, not worse, just different. I feel like I know him better because of the time that I spent watching him interact with my friends. My second scoutmaster was the scoutmaster in his troop for decades. He still had the scouting spirit burning strong when I moved back to my hometown a decade after leaving. He was awarded the Silver Beaver for his decades of selfless service.

I see the young men I am teaching now and I marvel at the potential they all have. We're going camping tomorrow, (I'm writing this late Thursday night,) and once again I find myself feeling that thrill of anticipation before the big event. I'm scoutmaster to one of my own boys. I hope he'll have the same fond memories of scouting with his father that I do. I hope that decades from now, I'll still love scouting and the joy of teaching scouting to young men. I hope that some day my boy will look back at his youth and want to be a scoutmaster too. And make a difference in at least on person's life.

Tribal Politics

I realize that political parties are a pemenant reality of the American landscape. I am glad that we have developed forums for the large masses of people inhabiting America to state their viewpoints, build concensus, and fight for a common good.

I have just one question. When did politics turn into a religious debate?

I am a religious man. I hold dearly to the values that my parents have tought me and I indeed feel on my own. I will readily admit that the political debates that we have around gay marriage, abortion, sex scandals, and the interaction between church and state move me to strong emotions. It upsets me; however, to be so deftly manipulated.

What are the real issues that the state should be concerned with?

Establishing Justice, insuring domestic Tranquility, providing for the common defense, promotingthe general Welfare, and securing the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.

If a candidate has a platform on healthcare. That's a real issue. If a candidate has a platform on prayer in school, gay marriage, or condoms in the school. Pay attention. That candidate thinks you're a dupe and will fall in line becuase he or she has successfully pushed your hot button.

I won't fall for it this go around. I'm going to vote for the cadidate that talks about what they are really going to do for America. Not the one who talks about what we should believe in America. I'll leave that job up to my conscience and the Sunday School teacher.

As you hear the tribal drum beating this election cycle. Just realize its meant to make you dance.

A quick catch up

I apologize to the four people that are at all interested in my ramblings. After three months of a no excuse absence I have finally felt a stirring of a desire to post some of my thoughts online once again.

A quick recap of my life happenings while I've been away.

I took the scouts to scout camp (where I grew a Fu-man-chew for the first time in my life.) Bug's first year... We had a blast.

My parents had a fiftieth anniversary... My wife was two weeks away from delivering our #7. I flew up to Salt Lake to celebrate with my parents and spent the whole time wishing that my wife and kids could have come with me.

Lucky #7 was born on July 30th. We thought he was going to be a girl. I'm sure he'll have to endure some teasing about that point for the rest of his life. He does have some luck heading his way. He is the seventh child, of a seventh child, of a seventh child. Not quite a seventh son, of a seventh son, but still cool. He's also the fiftieth family member on his paternal side starting with the grandparents and including spouses.

I've started back to school after a month off during the summer.

They've hired a new man at work to take on about a third of my previously assigned responsibilities. He's gung-ho and doing a great job. I'm stressing a lot less at work as you can imagine.

I've started teaching myself Mandarin Chinese. Mainly just to keep the mental juices flowing.

I'll try not to take nearly as long of a hiatus, but I can't make any promises for two reasons: Blogspot is now a taboo website from work, so I won't be checking anybody's posts except in my spare time from home, and that is a pretty rare commodity.