Scouter's Minute - Sand And Stone

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument; and one friend slapped the other in the face.
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
"Today my best friend slapped me in the face."

They kept walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but his friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
"Today, my best friend saved my life."

The friend who had slapped and then saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now, you write on a stone. Why?"
The friend replied, "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand, where winds of forgiveness can erase it away.
"But when someone does good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."
Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your benefits in stone.

-Author Unknown - from 'The Leader Magazine' May'07

YIS...Scouter Lyndon

Scouter's Minute - The Carpenter

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire.

He told his employer of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he would build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work, and the builder came to inspect the house, his employer handed the front-door key to the carpenter.

“This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you for many years of faithful service!”
What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up with less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely.

It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. Your life today is the result of your choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your choices you make today.


Buffalo Eagle
Taken from: "The Lonestar Scouter"

Scouter's Minute - The Starfish Thrower

I was walking on a beach one evening. In the distance I saw a man approaching who was constantly bending over, picking something up and tossing it into the sea. As he got closer I saw that he was picking up Starfish that had washed up on the shore and was throwing them back.

In this particular area it was a daily occurance that the tide would wash up thousands of Starfish on the sand that would soon die if they didn't get back in the water. I asked him why he was doing this? It was surely an effort in futility and what difference would it make?

His answer made me stop and think. He said, as he tossed another Starfish into the water, "It made a difference to him!"

So when you think that a task might be overwhelming and you won't make a difference just think of the man who made a difference to that Starfish!!

YIS...LE

Source: Tom Fletcher and Scoutorama.com

Scouter's Minute - The $20 Dollar Bill

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill.
In the room of 200, he asked, who would like this $20 bill?
Hands started going up.
He said, I am going to give this to one of you, but first, let me do this.
He proceeded to crumple the bill up. He then asked, who still wants it?
Still the hands were up in the air.
Well, he replied, what if I do this? He dropped it on the ground, and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

Now, who still wants it?
Still hands went into the air.
My friends, you all have learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it, because, it did not decrease in value. It was still worth 20 dollars.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel that we are worthless, but, no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you.

The worth of our lives come not in what we do, or who we know, but, by who we are.
You are special, don't ever forget it!

YIS...LE

Scouter's Minute - The Golden Rule

Every religion has some variation of the "Golden Rule" or principle.

I thought today that I would include some examples of what they are, from Christianity and Muslim to Sikhism and Buddhism.

********************************************

Blessed are those who prefer others before themselves. -- Baha'i Faith
Hurt not others in ways that you would you yourself would find hurtful. -- Buddhism
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. --Christianity
This is the sum of all duty: treat others as you yourself would be treated. -- Hinduism
No one of you is a believer until you desire for another that which you desire for yourself. -- Islam
In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, regard all creatures as you would regard your own self. -- Jainism
What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. -- Judaism
Be not estranged from another for God dwells in every heart. -- Sikhism
Human nature is good only when it does not do unto another whatever is not good for its own self. -- Zoroastrianism

********************************************

Happy Easter to all!

YIS...LE

Scouter's Minute - The Wolves Within

"The Wolves Within"

An old Grandfather, whose grandson came to him with anger at a
schoolmate who had done him an injustice, said, "Let me tell you a
story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so
much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does
not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy
would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times." He continued,
"It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and
does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take
offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is
right to do so, and in the right way."

"But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will
set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no
reason.
He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is hard to live
with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my
spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eye and asked, "Which one
wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather solemnly said, "The one I feed."

Source "The Netwoods Virtual Campsite."

Have a wonderful Sunday!

YIS...LE

Scouters Minute - Prayer Time

This weeks Scouters Minute comes to you in the way of a prayer. It is from an American blog called The Scout Master Minute. I thought it to be an inspiration, especially if you are a leader.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help to keep my honor bright and teach me that integrity of character is my most priceless possession. Grant that I may do my best today, and strive to do even better tommorrow.

Teach me that duty is a friend and not an enemy, and help me face even the most disagreeable task cheerfully. Give me the faith to understand my purpose and life, open my mind to the truth and fill my heart with love.

I am thankful for all the blessings you have bestowed upon my country. Help me to do my duty to my country and to know that a good nation must be made from good men. Help me to remember my obligation to obey the Scout Law, and give me understanding, so that it is more than mere words.

May I never tire of the joy of helping other people or look the other way when someone is in need. You have given me the gift of a body, make me wise enough to keep it healthy, that I might serve better. You are the source of all wisdom, help me to have an alert mind, teach me to think, and help me to learn discipline.

In all that I do and in every challenge I face, help me to know the difference between right and wrong, and lead me in obedience on a straight path to a worthy goal.

Amen

By Michael F. Bowman

Have a wonderful day.
YIS...LE

Scouters Minute - Life's Choices

Life isn't about keeping score.
It's not about how many friends you have or how accepted you are.
It's not about if you have plans this weekend or not.
It isn't about who your family is or how much money they have or what kind of car you drive or where you go to school.
It's not about how handsome or ugly you are, the clothes you wear, the shoes you wear, or what kind of music you listen to.
It's not about if your hair is blonde, red, black, or brown or if your skin is too light or too dark.
It's not about how smart you are, how smart everybody else thinks you are.
It's not about what clubs you're in or how good you are at "your" sport.

Life just isn't about those things.

Life is about choices.

It's about who you make happy. It's about kindness and generosity. It's about holding and sharing trust. It's about friendship. It's about faith, integrity, and character.
Most of all, it's about using your life to touch other people's hearts in such a way that could have never occurred alone.
Only you can choose the way those hearts are affected, and those choices make up what your life is all about.

Dan Boschert

Scouters Minute - The Mustard Seed

Since this is Sunday, I thought that I would take a minute and share a wonderful Scouters Minute that I found from the University of Notre Dame website recently.

A noted brain surgeon, Dr. Bronson Ray, was taking a stroll when he saw a boy on a scooter smash headfirst into a tree. Realizing that the boy was seriously injured, the doctor told a bystander to call an ambulance. As he proceeded to administer first aid, a boy not much older than the injured one nudged through the crowd that had gathered and said to Dr. Ray, “I’d better take over now, sir. I’m a Boy Scout and I know first aid.”

That Boy Scout reminds us of the mustard seed in the parable told by Jesus—small but ever so mighty in potential. Did you know that the mustard seed is a plant of tremendous growth? Though it appears the smallest of all seeds, its destiny is greatness. This seed will grow up to 15 feet tall! In the parable the sower knew exactly where to toss the seed so its life could fully develop. In the divine scheme of things, the mustard seed would flourish for a particular purpose – to serve. It’s very common for birds to seek its treelike bush for shelter and companionship.

Do you ever doubt your potential to lead an extraordinary life? Ever feel a bit insignificant? Remember who sowed you; he knew exactly which gifts you needed – and did not need – to build his kingdom. Today guard against comparing yourself to others. You cannot control if someone is more intelligent, better looking, wealthier, more athletic, etc. You can, however, control doing your best. Keep the faith. The mustard seed is destined for greatness. Someone needs you to keep on growing!

“It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”. (Mark 4:30-33)

YIS...LE