July 2018 thread

[ccm2361]

I can't believe I am starting this thread & 5 days into the month no less

90+ degrees & 90+% humidity for the last week. (gotta love Michigan summers)

Not much to report on my end. I go up & down the road every night & sleep by day.


How is everyone doing?

[joecool]

Just got back from the Trump rally. Fours hours standing in line in the hot sun, followed by 3 more hours sitting inside. But the final hour with the president made it worthwhile.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Philip and I have been slacking on the monthly threads 3 demerits and kp duty for us...!

My last Trump rally was Mon of the rnc week but no Trump. We had several speakers including Alex Jones, Jan Morgan, Milo (gay conservative from the UK), and several others. Brushed up against an all polymer ak-47! One of my friends who went with us kept getting asked by media for comments. He ended up on local news.

[joecool]

As of this writing, half of the Thai boys have been rescued from the flooded cave. No details on how it's being done. Were they taught scuba procedures, did they use Elon Musk's plastic air tunnel, or something else?

Been thinking about someone's RR campouts in a cave. What if the bat guano mountain collapses and blocks the entrance?

[joecool]

As it turns out, saving our campsite at Ranger Mountain doesn't have anything to do with resurrecting our outpost. The children's pastor just wants to use it for a father-son campout while the PowWow is going on. I think he knows the value of Rangers, having been a guest speaker a couple of times in past years, but for whatever reason, he won't bring it back to our church. Perhaps the senior pastor won't let him.

[Claymore]

As it turns out, saving our campsite at Ranger Mountain doesn't have anything to do with resurrecting our outpost. The children's pastor just wants to use it for a father-son campout while the PowWow is going on. I think he knows the value of Rangers, having been a guest speaker a couple of times in past years, but for whatever reason, he won't bring it back to our church. Perhaps the senior pastor won't let him.

Maybe, you should evaluate if your CHURCH is utilizing its resources (you) properly.

I went to an Assembly of God Church in Milwaukee for 20 years, prior to moving to Mississippi.  After moving here, because my wife's parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, & uncles attend a local Church of God, we made the COG our home church.  However, the Church Council learned that I had been a Ranger Commander, and wanted me to start a boys' program.

I went to the Assembly of God, down the street, knocked on the Pastor's door, and explained that I was thinking of starting a Ranger Outpost, and asked if he had a Point-of-Contact, or a GPH Catalog, so that I could plan on purchasing materials.

The Pastor just-about started hopping up and down, saying, "Royal Rangers! Oh, I love Royal Rangers.  I'd love to have someone here to start-up Royal Rangers....".

My impression was that, he would have welcomed me into the church, right then and there, if I would agree to start a R/R Program at his church.

My point is this:  You may be squandering a valuable resource (you) by staying where you are.  Do not cast your pearls to swine.  The pigs will not appreciate them, and will only trample them into the ground, wasting something of great value, that could have been used to do much good.

And there may-well be someone, down the street, who would appreciate its value and put it to proper use.

[joecool]

The children's pastor just...won't bring it back to our church.

Maybe, you should evaluate if your CHURCH is utilizing its resources properly.

Just like the "new guy", who only had one tool (sports theme) in his belt, our current children's pastor seems to use only one. He's comfortable as the big goofy guy, getting a good reaction out of the kids, who probably tell their parents that class is fun. I pray that it has the desired impact on the kids.

Our church is way different from before, in style and in people, and that's not entirely a bad thing. We had to purge the gold dust thing, along with all the leaders that brought it in. I'm convinced that our current pastors don't want anything to do with the old days, even that which worked well. For example, we recently lost a deacon. Two months later, I brought up the subject of replacing him. Our pastor plans on a special business meeting this fall to accomplish that. Thinking it would be helpful, I told him how our church previously handled unplanned losses. We would see which deacon candidate just missed the last vote, and use him to fill the vacancy. The pastor said he had been curious how we used to do it, and then repeated his special meeting decision. He also added that some newer members would be eligible for selection this fall. Hmmm, it seems that he doesn't want anyone from the old guard to have influence going forward.

That probably includes me, and not only with Royal Rangers. There was a recent call for anyone who would like to teach an adult class this fall. I volunteered, along with what I would like to teach, but there wasn't a wisp of a response. The call went out again last week, but I haven't taken the bait this time.

Pearls and swine, eh? I love bacon, but not in this context.

[RRCmdrBennett]

Sounds like baby got tossed out with the water.

[joecool]

Just back from 4 days at Glacier Nat'l Park. You just have to go there, as words fail to adequately describe it. And I added mountain goat hair to my collection.

[joecool]

Maybe, you should evaluate if your CHURCH is utilizing its resources (you) properly.

I believe the Lord put something specific in my heart and mind last week about apologetics for kids, so I sent details to the children's pastor. To summarize, I can develop a 4-week interactive puppet show that helps kids choose between Creation and evolution. I call it "Jurassic Jury." No response so far.

[Mark Jones]

July 19th and yesterday I visited National Rendezvous for a few hours. Had originally planned on going earlier in the year. With the Pathfinders Trip to Alaska my vacation days were getting few and far between. 2 weeks of vacation this year I worked 2 of my vacation days so I could use them later on. I did the same this week.

Tuesday night picked up a load of 8' x 10' 36" high stack of double thickness cardboard. Got it to the back home and then on Wed morning laid out 6 pallets behind the new Church in Ozark and then off loaded them pulled 13 from the stack of 85. Nice stuff for building cardboard boats and other projects. Covered and wrapped the stack with vinyl sign tarps 2 and trucker ratchets. Farm and home had them for only 8 bucks each for 27' long. What a bargain.


Then Sr. Commander and I went to Nat Rendezvous for a day visit. Meet up with another local church we had 3 cars and 11 folk. Met several of our District Staff visiting there as well. Good to see some of the guys from around the nation.
They held a FCF Adventure this time. Numbers were about 520 in attendance. Last time was 800 ish. Traders Row was 4 tents. I bought a Canvas Haversack and a Damascus Sheath knife and sheath laid out 80.00 so they could turn a profit and be there again next time.

With the passing of our National FCF President the week before it was hard on everyone. Paul always treated us with friendship and always tried to help. He shared his heart many times and good men like him are hard to find. I know He is better off than we are yet I feel for the loss of his family with it being unexpected.

Been building Cardboard boats getting ready for the Big Cardboard Boat Regatta. I started a boat a week ago Saturday and have about 20 hours into it. The boys and leaders worked a bit on the ribs and gluing them down on the boat bottom and sides and made ballast boxes for the sides. I am building a 'non sinker" this time. Lots of time to wonder out into the garage and do some detail work in between Ranger Meetings. (Boys are at District Kids Camp this week as well)

Here is the boat build. So far.

Boat Build

It will be a Aircraft Carrier when the top goes on.

I should have went to Nat. Rendezvous. I feel guilty not going. My past church would have had 10 going if I was still there. It saddens me that they didn't get to go. Jesus has it all in control. Just gotta keep my eyes on HIM.

Mark Jones

[Phillip Gross]

Working 7 days a week trying to get these school renovations done. Phillip Jr in his 3rd summer on the job has been doing well. The next in line, Seth, has done well too and now knows what real work is like. I think they're both looking forward to school starting so they can have a vacation...

Now that Jr is 15 and driving, he decided to buy an '81 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead for his first set of wheels. It's a beautiful bike that made me just a little jealous. I say enjoy it while he can! A wife and kids will be his main focus before he knows it. Life happens so quickly. Might as well enjoy some frivolous purchases over the next few years before all the necessities crowd them out...

[joecool]

Might as well enjoy some frivolous purchases over the next few years before all the necessities crowd them out...

And the opportunity doesn't come back for a long, long time. There's a small window to enjoy toys between retiring when you still have a little energy and when all you can do is

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