Re: It's the most wonderful time of the year December Thread

[Claymore]

I do.

Three years ago, we got 8 inches of snow overnight. Everything in Northern Mississippi shut down for 3 days.

I went deer hunting.

[RRCmdrBennett]

I do.

Three years ago, we got 8 inches of snow overnight.  Everything in Northern Mississippi shut down for 3 days.

I went deer hunting.

You're an exception because you're a northern transplant.

[Phillip Gross]

RRCmdrBennett

I wouldn't mind having some snow if it's going to be cold anyway... At least then I get a forced day or two off since everything shuts down here when any flurries hit the scene.

Funny, most southerners don't know what to do when the white stuff hits the fan..


Oh, you're right about that! The shelves at the grocery store are bare in hours when snow comes. In fact, I think that's why it is nice when it comes. It creates a forced holiday compared to other regions where life trudges on in all but the heaviest of snows.

[ccm2361]

Hate global warming. Hate it, hate it, hate it.  

Global warming


YES PLEASE!!!!  my world needs some more warming  

[ccm2361]

We had our award ceremony tonight   
awarded most medals ever in one night.

We awarded:
3 Gold Falcons
2 Gold Hawks
1 Silver Medal (our first)
2 Jr. Leader Achievement medal (our own award-given to recognize 2 years service as a Jr Leader)
1 Jr Leader Service Award (our First)

We issue our own medals, so they look a little different
Our 3 Gold Falcons


these two (my kids) earned Gold Hawks &  Jr Leader Achievement awards


Our Senior Patrol Leader took home a Silver Medal & the Jr Leader Service Medal for Outstanding service as a Jr Leader. (he is the best Senior Patrol Leader we have ever had)

[Claymore]

Congratulations, Chris. Good job.

That's a good measure of the Outpost Leadership: how well the members are advancing.

[ccm2361]

Hey we have already had almost 12" of snow this year. More than we got all of last year.  Love this stuff.  Well for a few days anyway. GRIN!

Mark Jones

about time somebody else got some   

[Phillip Gross]

Little Judah had his first birthday yesterday and took his first step today.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Congrats to Judah!

The other day after work I noticed a license plate with an Eagle Scout medal painted on it. Has anyone else seen these before? I was wondering if states allow anyone to submit an image like that to be painted on their tags or just ones already in their system?

[Phillip Gross]

Had our outpost Christmas party tonight, which also happened to be our final Friday night meeting. I'm pretty excited about this new season we're going into because I think it's going to work a lot better! I already know that a couple people who've fallen be the wayside have expressed that Sunday afternoons will work better for their schedules than Friday nights because of sports etc.

I also know that we'll be losing a Ranger and American Heritage Girl leader (husband and wife) because they say the Sunday afternoon time won't work with their schedule... There's always going to be some collateral damage with any decision made, but I believe that it'll be best overall in the long run.

I gave out the flyer for our CWC tonight and met with a good bit of enthusiasm.

[Claymore]

Good luck with the new schedule, Phil.

So how did you come about the decision to move nights:

Church Staff Meeting?

Ranger Staff Meeting?

Canvass the Parents?

Senior Commanders Proclaimation?

Other?

[RRCmdrBennett]

It was a divine decree... Question not the man behind the curtain...   

[Phillip Gross]

Yeah, what Dan said!

I had the feeling off and on for awhile that the Friday deal wasn't working as well as I'd originally imagined when we started. A couple weeks ago, I finally had enough and talked to my wife, AHG coordinator, about the plight. After discussing it, we decided Sunday nights seemed like the best time to change it to. She happened to be at the pastor's house hanging with the kids (while I was down in Charleston), so it wasn't a difficult thing to run out by him to make sure he didn't have a problem with it. He agreed that it seemed like a good change and that we'd given the Friday night deal a fighting chance. After that phone call I called the other commander who's been with me from the start on this, and ran it by him. He was totally down with it, so the decision was made. 

Took all of about 30 minutes from the time I came to a conclusion that it needed to change to a final decision. Not a lot of bureaucracy to trudge through here. I guess that's why I have such a different point of view on a lot of discussions around here, from what national says, to local church politics. I've only run into one issue (with Rangers) in 1 1/2 years that pastor had a problem with what I wanted to do. I got aggravated, chewed on it, realized that he gives me carte blanche in a lot of things, so I swallowed it and it was no longer an issue.

[Mark Jones]

I like Sunday nights. Sunday afternoons are there as well if you need to do a little prep work or a extra event. Most of the time it's just the Ranger meeting 6pm to 7:30 pm. Same as our normal church time.

I like it.

I had one seminary pastor tell me one time that Sundays was family time. I looked at him and asked what do you call the rest of the week with your family? I admonished him and told him if his church people had the same convictions he wouldn't have much of a church...grin!

They had issues. I was glad to see the collateral damage fall into that heap. Not everyone has a heart for it. Those that don't your better off when they find something more suited for them. (I don't kick folks off the bus). Some have one thing they like to do for Rangers. I just put it to use and ignore the other 99% fail! GRIN!

Mark Jones

[Claymore]

We have Children's Church on Sunday Mornings, but nothing on Sunday Evenings; so kids often sit in Evening Services bored or playing on I-Phones.

I had thought that we could have a supplamentary Ranger Night during Sunday Evening Services. It wouldn't be mandatory, but that boys could work on additional merits or advancements.

My wife said, "No. I want you to be in the Sanctuary with me" and I have heard exactly the same thing said by other Commanders' wives; even about Wednesday nights.

So I relented. There is no kids' programs on Sunday nights.

.....and we haven't attended Sunday night church in the past 7 weeks

[Phillip Gross]

... But if y'all did, she'd want you sitting there with her!  

I like that idea of a supplementary meeting for those wanting to excel, or for those struggling with things.

[Claymore]

OK, and here's the "rub".

Over 25 years ago, SHE was the one who pushed me for 2 years to be a Royal Rangers Leader. "Oh, you've got so much Outdoor and Leadership Experience. You could teach those boys so much. They really need you at church...(yadda, yadda, yadda)...."

Of course at the time, I had my plate full, working on the Narcotics Task Force doing 10 to 20 hours per week of overtime.

So I was supposed to take time that I didn't have to be a Ranger Leader and work at Church. But now that I am retired and have the time to donate, it's too much.

[Phillip Gross]

Stop right there sir! You are attempting to enter a dangerous area of trying to understand female logic. (Boy, that's an oxymoron! )

[Claymore]

I was the first one from our Academy Class to be promoted to Detective (after 10 years of Patrol, Narcotics, & Undercover).

So after the Promotion, I was assigned back to the Bureau for General Investigations at the Detective Level.

I had only been there for a few weeks, and something had come up (I don't recall the exact details).  

I was puzzling over it, and one of the Senior Men in the Bureau looked at me and said, "Detective.  All women are nuts!.  It's just a matter of 'to what degree' ".

I looked at him, shook my head, and said, "If you had shared that with me 17 years ago, you could have saved me a lot of frustration".

[Phillip Gross]

Ha! But none of us would listen no matter who told us what! :)Yes, Percy Sledge summed it all up in that old classic "When a Man Loves a Woman"







Now I like to joke around, but in full disclosure, I'd never go back to being single for anything! My life would be a mess without my helpmate.

[Mark Jones]

If you guys get it figured out let me in on it I still scratch my head and ponder...how God could really do all this knowing the begining to eternity. Perhaps woman have more in common with God then we do...hum.. a thougth to ponder and a easy way out of this trap we have got ourselves into.. gRIN!
\Mark Jones

[Phillip Gross]

Yeah, that was an even better save than my attempt!  

[RRCmdrBennett]

I was just about to say good save Philip. To me men and women are like the old Trek episode where Kirk is split mentally into two halves. One is driven by pure instinct and emotion. The other is logic, rational reasoning, and intellect. Neither are good or evil just two pieces of a whole. So, I think God did a transporter accident on Adam and split him up mentally. Put the two together they become one flesh. I recall Kirk had to fight with his baser half in order to become one flesh again.

[Phillip Gross]

Good analogy. If you ever read "Bringing Up Boys" by Dobson, you'll read in the beginning that the male brain is literally damaged by the sudden rush of testosterone during the gestation period. He was making the point about how we are truly different from before birth in contrast to those who say men and women are only different because of social expectations.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Damaged how?

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