Sunday Salute - II

Continuing the series of salutes to people I admire and who I find worthy of emulation.  


Archbishop Desmond Tutu,  Nobel Peace Prize winner.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born 7 October 1931) is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. He was the first black South African Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa and primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (now the Anglican Church of Southern Africa).
Tutu has been active in the defence of human rights and uses his high profile to campaign for the oppressed. He has campaigned to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism in 1986, the Pacem in Terris Award in 1987, the Sydney Peace Prize in 1999, the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2005 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

Quotes:

“When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.”

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

“We may be surprised at the people we find in heaven. God has a soft spot for sinners. His standards are quite low.”

“I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights.

"I am fifty-two years of age. I am a bishop in the Anglican Church, and a few people might be constrained to say that I was reasonably responsible. In the land of my birth I cannot vote, whereas a young person of eighteen can vote. And why? Because he or she possesses that wonderful biological attribute -- a white skin.”

"Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are." 

"My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together."

“Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.” 

“In the end what matters is not how good we are but how good God is. Not how much we love Him but how much He loves us. And God loves us whoever we are, whatever we’ve done or failed to do, whatever we believe or can’t.” 

"Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. "

“Religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone's back.” 


Addendum
“[E]ven the supporters of apartheid were victims of the vicious system which they implemented and which they supported so enthusiastically,” he wrote in his book No Future Without Forgiveness. “In the process of dehumanizing another, in inflicting untold harm and suffering, inexorably the perpetrator was being dehumanized as well.”

Happy Birthday to the Marines

Brother Darryl shared this with us,

HAPPY 236th MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY EVERYONE!!

                                                                

Click on the below links to see the excellent videos prepared for this year’s Commandant’s birthday message, filmed around the World. 
WARNING: watching the video will cause your eyeballs to sweat!

CMC's message

http://www.marines.mil/usmc/Pages/2011MarineCorpsBirthdayBall.aspx

                              

                                 

The definition of Grace

Shirley Sherrod is the definition of Grace. After the way she has been treated she is still a gracious example of the way we were taught to live. She should be given a Presidential Award and inscribed in the Citizen's Hall of Fame (is there one?) for those people who quietly live their lives helping others and doing good. Watch the interview and you will see what I mean.

Salute to Three Brothers

I stole these picture from the Lodge Web Site so they don't translate to well but you get the idea. They are Left to right Bill Yungclas (and it is appropriate for him to be on the left), Tim Grandon and Doug Petty.



Three Masons that I single out for a SALUTE. They are all Past Masters of Arcadia Lodge and have done a lot for the Lodge and deserve the salute. Together and separately they have planned, worked and accomplished much for Arcadia Lodge. They are benchmarks for the current officers to look up to and emulate.

At yesterday's Installation the Chairman of Division and Reference Committee told the Lodge that he was pleased to have been able to serve as our Marshal for the ceremony. He said it was particularly nice because Arcadia was one of the top five Lodges in the state.

In my opinion, it is mostly due to the work, dedication and actions of these three men that we have been able to achieve this. These three guys are Past but they are still active and involved. Bill is serving as our Chaplain this next year (please note that in this picture he is wearing a real necktie) and since he went out as Master he was able to serve Grand Lodge as the Grand Chaplain and has become a M.I. He also serves on the Rowley Home board. Bill is largely responsible for the DeMolay Chapter being established at Arcadia Lodge.

Tim is the Master who is responsible for me being re-activated (a dubious distinction). When I was in the hospital with diabetes and a serious infection he visited me and asked me to serve. I had not been very active for a number of years due to conflicts with school. He was also the Master who helped (along with Su Walker) organize the Masons (and others) to move me from one house to another as I went into the hospital the day I signed the papers for the new home. It was a monumental job. He worked to make Arcadia Lodge have activities which would make us the top Lodge in the state that year in the Lodge of the Year competition. Since that time he has served on the Property Management Board and the board of Trustees. I respect and admire him greatly.

Doug Petty works to keep the Lodge going. He is chairman of the Board of Trustees and he works in the degrees. We were also the Number One Lodge during his year with the Gold Award. Doug instituted the Ames/Eldora (He is from Eldora) Annual Picnic and does a great job with that. He loves going to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota and a couple of times a year he has an Arcadia Boundary Waters Trip with Brothers from the Lodge. doug also supports our Temple by being active in the York Rite. Doug received his KYCH and is serving for the second year as a Grand Officer in the Grand Chapter. Doug also serves the Grand Lodge as a Grand Lodge Committee Member. He is active in the Scottish Rite and inspires all of us to participate in Lodge and both Rites.

These men are the backbone of Arcadia Lodge. I know there is more I could say about each of them so if you want to add something to this entry use the comment form below. I also know there are many others who have done a lot for Masonry in Ames - but it is my Blog and I can salute whomever I want. I chose these three Brothers and friends. They deserve it. Hugs, j

Addendum:
These three guys are all humble. None of them think they deserve what I said. That to me is the true test that they do deserve it. I will share Doug's comment:

"Jay, Thanks for the nice words. The leitmotiv of Arcadia Lodge is men willing to give and serve the Lodge. We are all lucky to be in a Lodge like Arcadia."

You know that is true. We are lucky because of the hard work of Brothers like these. And by the way (Peter et. all) the word in red is your assignment for the day. Be sure to look it up. I had to. :~) It goes along with egregore your last word assignment j

Dan Pushee and Veteran's Day

My friend, Dan Pushee, from Florida, whom I have never met sent me links from the Veteran's Day Program and Parade where he lives. His picture is below.

He tells me there are 1.8 million vets living near him.

Dan does the York Rite Web Site and helps me out with some sites for Grand Chapter/Council and the Research Lodge and the Red Cross in Iowa. (St. Bartholomew and St. Ignatius.) He also has me check things for him on his sites once in awhile. Someday, perhaps we will meet in person. In the meantime he does a great service for Masonry in our country.



Dan is one of many Veterans who were honored yesterday and well they should be. To have served in our military is a high and noble thing and I applaud them for what they have done.

Dan says there is a big VA clinic near where he lives in Homosassa, Florida.
From the map it looks like a good spot to live. Just North of Tampa and near Orlando. The West coast so you don't have to get up early to see the sun rise but can sit in your Adirondack chair with your margarita or diet coke and enjoy the sunset.

Jon and I were near there when we went to NEA in Orlando. At one time I thought about retiring to Florida but gave up on the idea. I guess I like Iowa too much (just ask me again in February) - Anyway I salute Dan and all of the other Veteran's who have kept our country free and safe. Now if the politicians would just leave things alone we might be able to stay that way.

Have a great week, See you tomorrow. Hugs, j-bear

What Teachers Make

Thanks to Bev who sent me this. I've seen it before but it is worth reading again.

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers:
"Those who can, do...those who can't, teach."

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied,
"You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began..."Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table - I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe. I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.... You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE! What do you make Mr. CEO?"

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

Talented Students

When I taught at Roosevelt School I had a student named Derek Anderson (I called him Crane and he called me Birdie) - He is a talented artist and has written and published several Children's Books. He has a Web site here.

When I taught at Edwards School my associate Mrs. Boyd had a very talented son who has now realized his dream of becoming an animator. His blog is here.
Kyle has several of his works hanging at the Stompin' Grounds through September 10 and there will be a reception for him this Saturday from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

Take a few minutes to visit their web sites and look at their work.

And then there is Charlotte. I wrote about her earlier but her mother and she and I had lunch at the Grounds this noon and it was great to reconnect. It was great fun to watch her mind in operation. She goes 90 miles a minute and even composed a slogan/poem while I watched. (OK, I admit I suggested one word but she would have found it eventually). I loved having her as a student and could see the potential. It is great to know her as an adult and see that potential (partially) realized. I am hoping she will start a blog and if she does I will add it to my links on the sidebar. She is selling Costco knives this summer and soaking up experiences to write about whenshe goes back to school this Fall.

2/3 of these students were mine. I have had a lot of talented creative students over the years. I am glad some of them still consider me a friend.

Remember you are loved. Hugs, j

My Friend Carole

I have a friend named Carole Horowitz. You can read about her here.

I can't tell you exactly when I first met her. I came back to Ames and got involved with ACTORS. For those who don't know that is our local community theater. I am sure that is where we first met Carole was my producer when I directed the Children's Theater production of Pinocchio. That was a story in and of itself.

Over the years I have known her she and her husband Jack have become two of my favorite people. Carole is very involved with the Children's Theater and every year she and her group take three productions around to each school. They range from dance to puppets to audience involvement to performers brought in from the big city to reader's theater. Just about any theater experience you could want. They provide it. The students are generally brought into the gymnasium for the production and sometimes it is the only time the entire school is together.

It is a wonderful break and it instills in the students a love for the arts. This is something I find very worthwhile and important. Carole doesn't do it alone. She has a board of directors and they all work to provide this experience for the kids. They also sponsor a play in a theater for the student so that experience is also there for them. All in all it is a wonderful addition to our community.

Carole is FUN! She always has a smile and you can see that she enjoys life and all that it has to offer. She writes a column for the Ames newspaper and keeps us up to date on the Art happening in our city and elsewhere.

Carol used to sell imported jewelry and we had jewelry parties with her. A bunch of us would sit around the table and Carole would bring out treasure after treasure and we had a blast. Because she was so entertaining we had her back time after time and always bought things from her. I remember those evenings with fondness.

In 1994 (I think) I went into Washington, DC for Masonic Week. While I was there I hooked up with Carole who saw to it that I got to go to the Holocaust Museum where she was a volunteer. It was the most profound experience of that trip and I will never forget it. For those of you who do not know the Freemasons of Germany were also victims of Nazi Germany and it was very moving to see that connection as a part of the exhibits. I visited it again later when my nephew and I were in DC. But Carole was the first one to see to it that I got to learn about the museum.

Carole and Jack have also been there for me when I have had health challenges and their visits to me in the hospital brightened my stay. I really can't tell you how much I appreciate their friendship. It is fun to run into them out eating sometimes and we always have too brief a visit.

I always tell Carole that she should receive a Tony Award for her work in Children's Theater but since that doesn't seem to be possible I am awarding her the first Bailey's Buddy Blog award. I salute you Carole Horowitz. Let's do lunch. And oh yes, bring Jack. j