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The story of the Scoutmasters minute.


jsharr

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It is a scouting tradition for troop meetings to end with an inspirational story from a leader.   At this weekends event, I was asked if I had any good Scoutmaster minutes as they were looking for ideas.   I had one rolling around in my mind and explained it to the leader of the event and not only did he like it, he asked if I would present it at the camp fire that evening.  It went something like this.

Recently I was honored to be able to serve on an Eagle Scout project where the prospective Eagle Scout was building a fenced in storage area at his church for the use of the church and the neighboring YMCA.  I explained how the scout took great care in making sure the posts were plumb and then he ran a level line for the botton of the pickets to align to and stopped every few boards to check that the pickets were all straight and true using a long level.

But late that afternoon, a storm rolled in and in the rush to get as much work done as possible he joined us in putting the boards on the fence and stopped looking at the line and checking the pickets with a level.

After the storm we went back out to work on the fence and we found that our boards were no longer straight and level and we had to remove all the pickets we put up in a rush.

I then stopped and asked the scouts what the heck building a fence had to do with Scouting.  I was met by silence so I asked one scout sitting way in the back, in the dark to stand and repeat the Scout Oath and Law.    Without being able to see him, I was able to walk straight to his voice.

I then explained that just like the levels and line that we used to build the fence, to keep it straight and level that Scouts had the words and principles of the Scout Oath and Law.  And just like when the storm came and we forgot to pay attention to our guides, our fence got unlevel and crooked,   I encouraged them to live their lives by the words of the Scout Oath and Law, not only when it was bright and sunny, but when the storms of life came, it was even more important to have a moral compass to keep you headed in the right direction.

 

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2 hours ago, jsharr said:

But late that afternoon, a storm rolled in and in the rush to get as much work done as possible he joined us in putting the boards on the fence and stopped looking at the line and checking the pickets with a level.

So, was he supposed to stop? Stay out in the storm? Get struck by lightning?  Just do a few well, stop, have a snack, and finish up after the storm?????

I feel like you left those kids hanging!!!!!

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