March 2018 Thread

[Claymore]

Badda-Bing.

Into the third month of 2018.

"March", named after the ancient Roman Patron Saint of the Military.

[Phillip Gross]

It truly is like everyone said. Time just keeps going faster and faster.

[ccm2361]

Spring is coming!

[joecool]

Spring is coming!

Not around here. Haven't seen the grass since Nov 16th. And we aren't likely to see it on March 21st, either.

[Claymore]

The grass is greening up here.

I had to leaf-blow last week, to keep from getting dead spots in my lawn. I could have mown, but it is still too soft.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Thorsday it rained all day and blizzard that evening.

Last couple days were good surge days for Uber Cleveland. Downtown cops or sheriff’s dept really pushing us out hard to make pickups. People gonna walk if they want a ride out of club districts. Not getting $100 citations for you. Month ago threw a Lyft pax out for his bad attitude. I guess he thought I should double park by cruisers to get him at his original location.

[Phillip Gross]

Thinking heavily about taking my two older boys backpacking on the Appalachian Trail for Spring Break. I toyed around with opening it up to everyone, but several reasons have made me think I should just keep it me and my boys.

We plan on being out on the trail for most of the week, so there aren't any other leaders that can take a week off of work (in addition to what they've already planned for family vacations and such). I know my boys' gear and their abilities and don't feel comfortable taking anyone else along (especially without additonal commanders along).

But I think the biggest reason is that I need "dad time" in the mountains with my two teenagers. I see them more often nowadays vs when I was working out of town doing construction, but I work all the time now vs when I would come home before, I was off and hanging with the family. I need some quality time with the boys.

[joecool]

I need some quality time with the boys.

My top 3 campouts ever:
1. Just me and my 2 boys for 4 days on a mountain.
2. Two men and our 3 boys on a backpacking trip over a mountain.
3. Two men and our 3 boys on a survival weekend.

When you don't have to constantly watch other people's boys, you can slow down and take advantage of it.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Now is the time seize it won’t come again.

All that you said Philip reminds me of the lyrics to “Cats in the Cradle” song. Maybe secular song but so true.

[Phillip Gross]

It is somewhat surreal watching a boy a LOT like yourself plunge into his mid-teens. Nothing rebellious yet in the typical sense, but definitely some, at times slightly awkward, grappling with the onset of manhood: The desire to be with friends (with the ever present debate between parent and child who is acceptable or not) vs the desire to work (school work, chores, job, etc). The struggle between childish reactions and manly responses to situations. Time management. Etc, etc, etc.

Then there's my internal struggle with how much to pull on the reins vs when to let him find the way. Basically trying to decide which ditches are less likely to cause permanent damage and allow a trip up every now and then by his own doing. Hoping, obviously, that he doesn't trip at all, but knowing that there will be slips and falls along the way. Not wanting to hold the reins too tightly all the time so the young stallion doesn't feel the need to buck and run off.

Oh how funny it is that we thought the sleepless nights with a crying baby, or the terrible 2's were tough. I suppose those days were tough in their own right, but more akin to arm wrestling whereas these days are like a serious game of chess...

[joecool]

I hate social media. Another rough day at school today, spending 4 hours dealing with a multi-student spat that grew into one parent threatening another overnight. At one point, the thought crossed my mind to call it quits at the end of the year. Just take my family deeper into the woods, away from the world's problems. But the Lord pushed that thought out pretty quick.

I think about the days when everybody was busy enough just taking care of their own business, contributing towards the food on the family table and clothes on their backs. Yesteryear wasn't perfect, but it was a heck of a lot better than these days.

[RRCmdrBennett]

I hate social media. Another rough day at school today, spending 4 hours dealing with a multi-student spat that grew into one parent threatening another overnight. At one point, the thought crossed my mind to call it quits at the end of the year. Just take my family deeper into the woods, away from the world's problems. But the Lord pushed that thought out pretty quick.

I think about the days when everybody was busy enough just taking care of their own business, contributing towards the food on the family table and clothes on their backs. Yesteryear wasn't perfect, but it was a heck of a lot better than these days.  

You know RangerChat is a form of social media...?

[joecool]

You know RangerChat is a form of social media...?

I would not deign to liken/lower RangerChat to a form of modern-day social media. It's more professional, and certainly more Christ-like. (Well, usually anyway. )

[Phillip Gross]

Semantics. While an online forum by strict definition is in fact social media, I don't group them in the same category as fb, twitter, snapchat, etc.

[RRCmdrBennett]

I don’t think the medium is evil. Its a tool like most others. Many forums exist besides ours that Really are same as you describe “social media” to be. My days on ranger forums prove we can go either way. We’re not immune and we’re undeniably a social gathering albeit a smaller scale.

[Mark Jones]

Wow those Rangernet and Ranger Forum days were wild. I can honestly say we did our best to warn them of what would happen if they continued..... GRIN! A sad grin. It reminds me that men will fail us. It reminds me to keep my eyes on Christ and to follow men when they follow Christ. It also reminded me to choose our leadership wisely.

So many years ago almost 13 years. When I heard right out of the get go we want to beat every other ministry and be the best ministry out there I shuddered. Those words still make me shudder. How can Born again folk even hold thoughts like these in their mind and heart. 'PRIDE I beat you!", is not what I glean from God's Word. Man, none perfect. Working up here in Springfield I get some first hand insight in to the lives of these folk that run these ministries. Folks they have as many holes in them as I do. GRIN! Saying that...follow me as I follow Christ. When I get out on a rabbit trail that leads us away from the Cross of Christ then quit following me and go back to that place where God met man and paid the price for it. In that the Power and MIGHT of a Holy God then has the bought and paid for price and legal note stating HE can come to our Aid as the Holy Spirit starts working in our lives... not what we do. Not by 21 days of great things we should be doing but by MY SPIRIT says the LORD.
Coming back to what works in Rangers is a neat thing and a refreshing thing. The fleeting pride thing made me sick in the spirit.

Mark Jones

I don’t think the medium is evil. Its a tool like most others. Many forums exist besides ours that Really are same as you describe “social media” to be. My days on ranger forums prove we can go either way. We’re not immune and we’re undeniably a social gathering albeit a smaller scale.

[joecool]

In related news, I've been weaning myself off conservative news sites. One major one down, two to go. Got better things to do with my time. In the old days, we had a half hour with the major networks, along with the local newspaper. That was more than enough.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Wow those Rangernet and Ranger Forum days were wild.  I can honestly say we did our best to warn them of what would happen if they continued..... GRIN!  A sad grin.  It reminds me that men will fail us. It reminds me to keep my eyes on Christ and to follow men when they follow Christ.   It also reminded me to choose our leadership wisely.  

So many years ago almost 13 years.  When I heard right out of the get go we want to beat every other ministry and be the best ministry out there I shuddered.  Those words still make me shudder.  How can Born again folk even hold thoughts like these in their mind and heart.  'PRIDE I beat you!", is not what I glean from God's Word.  Man, none perfect.  Working up here in Springfield I get some first hand insight in to the lives of these folk that run these ministries.  Folks they have as many holes in them as I do.  GRIN!  Saying that...follow me as I follow Christ.  When I get out on a rabbit trail that leads us away from the Cross of Christ then quit following me and go back to that place where God met man and paid the price for it.  In that the Power and MIGHT of a Holy God then has the bought and paid for price and legal note stating HE can come to our Aid as the Holy Spirit starts working in our lives... not what we do.  Not by 21 days of great things we should be doing but by MY SPIRIT says the LORD.  
Coming back to what works in Rangers is a neat thing and a refreshing thing.  The fleeting pride thing made me sick in the spirit.  

Mark Jones

I don’t think the medium is evil. Its a tool like most others. Many forums exist besides ours that Really are same as you describe “social media” to be. My days on ranger forums prove we can go either way. We’re not immune and we’re undeniably a social gathering albeit a smaller scale.

We forgot, “with God’s help I will do ‘My Best’...” not, “with Warren’s help I will be better than the rest..”.

[Mark Jones]

What is sad is did we learn from it?  YES we did for a season.  Ranger Lite!  All the goof and spoof just keeps going on in our lives.  About time I think we have it going right a "new" idea comes in and breaks it again.  

Going back and revisiting our Certified Instructor teaching.  We know. It's common knowledge.  Folks forget 90% of what they are taught in 2 months unless it is taught again or practiced.

So knowing that 2 months or less really about 1 month...we need to be repeat teaching or put into practice what we are teaching.  If not what real benefit is it? Are we entertaining them?

I would prefer we go back to the Johnnie Barnes methods of teaching, doing and reteaching and doing until were like in the old days know what we know and glad to demonstrate it.

It worked it met the challenge and it was fun. All the while pointing our folk to Jesus and His Church.

You would think I would forget about 90% of that stuff that worked and it's been over 2 months too...GRIN!

Mark Jones

[joecool]

 About time I think we have it going right a "new" idea comes in and breaks it again.

Whether it's ministry, education or the military, the problem is the same. There's somebody back at headquarters whose livelihood depends on him coming up with new ways (programs) to do the same old thing. And everybody out there in the field suffers from being forced to do what he comes up with. A pox on headquarters!

[Claymore]

 About time I think we have it going right a "new" idea comes in and breaks it again.

Whether it's ministry, education or the military, the problem is the same. There's somebody back at headquarters whose livelihood depends on him coming up with new ways (programs) to do the same old thing. And everybody out there in the field suffers from being forced to do what he comes up with. A pox on headquarters!

AIR-BORNE!


That's Paratrooper Talk for "Right-On"

[joecool]

Well, Spring stuck its head out for a little bit and then went back into the burrow. Our temperature dropped 40 degrees this evening and it started to snow.

[Mark Jones]

I pulled out my garden hose and hooked it up and washed the truck last night with the power washer. Now I am wondering if I need to unhook it from the water hydrant. GRIN! Love springtime. Survival camp in 3 weeks... ooooh it better warm up.

Mark Jones

[joecool]

He is risen...

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