GPH and National did it again?

So I needed to put in a rush order tonight for some more medals and the GPH website stopped me cold. Yeah, I know the last medal in each age group is "restricted", needs extra paperwork and processing time, AND costs extra money. But I wanted to order lesser DR medals. Up pops the familiar note that says all the stuff that the last medal requires. So now I can't get them in time for my C of A next week. The 13-14 GPH catalog still says the lesser medals aren't restricted. What's up?! Sent an e-mail and I'll call them in the morning.

Ya know, I was starting to get a "good attitude" and re-charter as an Act of Good-Faith.

But.....

They've got to start working to help Junior-Grade and Field-Grade Officers. Maybe an Outpost-Level "restricted" award should be available with a Certification from the Senior Commander (I will NOT use that "Outpost Arts & Crafts Basket-Weaving Coordinator" title).

"Changes will continue until your attitude improves!"  

Talked to GPH this morning and they passed me to national's office. "As of March of this year, all medals are now restricted."

Sent an e-mail to "National Arts & Crafts Basket-Weaving Coordinator" Hicks. Politely, but pointedly, expressed my displeasure. Ended by saying that Reach-Teach-Keep used to be the focus, not Restrict-Take away-Kill off. It will take me awhile to cool off. I keep thinking about the 5 boys who won't get their medal next week.

Coordinator Hicks and I exchanged a couple of e-mails today. He said that national is looking to change the "lesser medals" process, because it does cost the outposts more money and time. It doesn't have anything to do with any negative feedback. Please have patience with us. If all that is true, why did they mandate it just a couple of months ago?

"Ours not to reason why. Ours but to do and die." Lord Alfred Tennyson, The Charge of the Light Brigade

There are now applications for Gold Falcon & Gold Hawk on the National website

I am soooooo glad we issue our own medals   

Seriously, are they going to track and number those recipients as well? Probably, doing it to prevent any boys with girl parts from applying for these lesser medals. They likely have a gender requirement.

Nah. It's more about money flowing in. Anytime there is a application it's to get money flowing. They don't really have any product to sell besides lifelong servant leaders and hand sanitizer. So they got to get it from somewhere.

They need to step back and say this isn't working. What used to work and let's get back to it.

Let God provide the increase instead of trying to whip it up themselves....as we have seen for the past 7 years now and that really works well doesn't it... uhuh. Don't listen to what they tell you...look around and judge the fruit.

Mark Jones

Mark Jones wrote:Nah. It's more about money flowing in. Anytime there is a application it's to get money flowing. They don't really have any product to sell besides lifelong servant leaders and hand sanitizer. So they got to get it from somewhere.


Mark Jones

Ohhhhhh! So the true mission of National HQ is to bring in Money and Servant Leaders.

I thought that I read something, somewhere, about ....."not being able to serve both God and Mammon......".

Naw. I was probably mistaken.

Organized religion is like any other political machine its about self preservation and building their own lil kingdoms. Only difference modern western political systems don't claim divine authority or demand a tax based old testament laws.

I haven't done an in depth study of tithing, but I subscribe to the practice. I don't think it's a heaven or hell issue, but I do it. There are two things I know for sure in my personal and observed experience. One is that you can't out give God. Try it and see who wins... The second is that I have seen and experienced that things seem to work out for tithers. I have been in situations that I shouldn't have been able to make it through, but God has always provided. I know people who either reject tithing practices, or simply refuse to do it and they seem to always struggle financially.

I don't know if it's as much of a "law" as it is a heart issue. I'm not talking about people who tithe out of some obligation, but those who do it with an excitement. I don't know if we're actually required to give 10% or not. I known that everything belongs to God anyway, so even if it was 10%, that's still a deal! My goal is to eventually tithe 90% and live off of 10%. I heard of a guy who did that and was still a millionaire with the remaining 10%.

If you tithe 90% and live off 10% where does Obamacare get its cut?  When I hear live off 90% I wish I had 90% of my check.

Remember what Paul said salvation is by grace not by works. Tithing is a good thing not a thing we do to get or stay saved. I think tithers who are blessed financially are probably good stewards of $ already so its easy to tithe. When it was determined what the gentiles were bound to tithing wasn't an issue on the table. Most preachers incorrectly teach cause Abraham did it at least once it remains after the law.

Each of us is to give as we purpose in our heart. If we do it out of obligation its a tax like Obamacare.

When I got married and started to go to church regularly, I tithed on my take home pay for the first year. After that, it was on the gross. Was it tough at times? Yeah, as a junior enlisted guy, you bet it was. But we were faithful and God has never failed to meet our needs. Give what you give with a cheerful heart. If you're going to grumble every time the plate comes by, just keep it.

Being completely debt free for the last decade (did I just hear Dave R. scream "Freedom!"?), we've been able to be very generous in giving to a variety of ministries. For us, to do less would be unfaithful to His promises.

I have read his book. Very good logic using the snowball effect to kill debt. Unfortunately, the wife and I have different views of what we need to do financially.

That's tough. It's hard to make any advances without a united front in marriage.

I'm not sure we're the best stewards of our money now, and to be honest, there was a time when we were downright terrible with money. Our definition of a budget was to drive by the ATM to see if we had money in our checking account. If we did, and we wanted something, we'd go buy it!

Yes we had some hard times financially, but tithing is one thing I never dreamed of NOT doing.

I don't think it's a salvation issue anymore than ignorantly breaking the law of gravity is a salvation issue. You may break your leg, or even die from falling off of a house, but you'll still go to heaven. I believe it's the same with tithing. I don't think it's a law leading to, or away from salvation, but I do believe it's a law, much like a natural law, that God implemented on earth.

You can love God and go to heaven, but I believe there will be unnecessary financial frustration due to the unobservance of the law.

Here's another one to make y'alls heads spin and smoke. I don't eat pork either. Not because I think it's a salvation issue, but because it's a health issue. God didn't just randomly pick an animal to say "Just don't eat that one". There was a reason not to, and is still today. There are parasites in pork that cannot be cooked out. Those parasites transfer to the eater at the time of consumption.

The only time I eat pork is if I go to someone's house and they serve it without prior knowledge of my stance, then I eat it so as not to cause embarrassment to the host.

Not every law affects our salvation, but there are laws nonetheless that will affect our life.

Life without bacon? Actually, look back at the camping disasters thread to see my pork story.  

joecool wrote:

Sent an e-mail to "National Arts & Crafts Basket-Weaving Coordinator" Hicks.

Hey you guys take it easy on John. He is a fine man that loves Rangers and does his best to weave it all together. He brings his boys and does his best to put Rangers into practice.

Pray for him and for God to use him in Rangers. He has a good heart and a good attitude. So bless him please.

Mark Jones

Can't even remember why I wrote "basket weaving" back in May. Must have had something to do with our phone conversation. In any event, I'll lay off, especially now that they're under new/old management.

It's my fault, as I had remarked that I still called myself "Senior Commander" and not Senior Outpost Crafts & Basket-Weaving Coordinator.

Bruce only transposed the Title to National Level.

It was a jab at the previous Regime taking away any Military-Sounding titles & replacing them with New-Age Touchy-Feely Ones. It was not directed at any Individuals.

I wished we would go back to the other names. We pretty much still use the old names anyway. It would be good to see them put the flag protocal back to the military. This turnning towards the flags during the pledges puts us all in dissarray.

Mark Jones