Non Article Blog

Happy Thanksgiving…Normally I would have an article from the newsletter I put out for the Lee County Shrine Club. This month I opted to forgo the writing and simply put a series of pictures of our annual magic show. It was a busy day, but truthfully it was a lot of fun. I couldn’t walk the next day. My legs give out much easier now and my right ankle was really frozen and painful. So all I was really able to do Sunday work on the newsletter. I did include a public relations article on Shrine membership. I honestly try to keep this newsletter fresh for the readers. After almost ten years of producing a monthly newsletter that can be a challenge sometimes. I try to add various elements that will keep people interested in reading it. I find that more women read it quicker than the men. I get more feedback from the women.

The ladies involved in the Shriners are just as important and productive as the men. It’s a shame we (the men) haven’t found a way to “officially” add them as members. Freemasonry being the base for membership prohibits women from joining. Not that I am advocating changing one of the base landmarks in Freemasonry; but, after more than a hundred years plus the public aspect of Shriners International, we should have found a way to make the women’s role more official, at least on the club level.

We do have some movement in the Shriners big picture, a couple of new web sites, www.shrinersvillage.com and www.beashrinernow.com. The first is for Shriners and requires membership to enter and the second is a public promotional website. Being a Shriner is a position of service. http://shrinershq.org/

This year’s magic show included a child identification program; the MSCHIP program sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Mississippi. This is a good program and the odds are we are going be responsible for the recovery of a missing/abducted child.

Our magician was from Madison, MS, Dorian LaChance. He was very good, entertaining and energetic; both the kids and adults enjoyed his show. Our timing was off with the addition of the child ID program. Originally we didn’t need a break between shows, I guess we do now. I think our error was that our original magician didn’t put on as long or as good of a show. Next year we will adjust. The last show started an hour late, but it was because we had fifteen boys from the Tupelo Children’s Mansion show up for the noon show and it took awhile to process them all through the ID program. Only one lady got mad and we were able to serve the waiting audience food before the show instead of after.

The delay didn’t faze Dorian; he put on the third show with just as much energy and excitement as the previous two. He put on a show that made the crowd forget the waiting time. I enjoy dealing with someone with a good work ethic. Those boys from the children’s mansion stayed after the show and helped stack the chairs. It all worked out fine. One thing I noticed about this magician, he had the timing required to obtain the predictive response from the kids in the audience. This skill allowed all the kids in the audience to feel involved in the show and he did without being too unoriginal. I saw even the shy, introverted kids open up and get involved.

Even though my legs were hurting, I was able to go home in a good mood about the show, plus I got to see some cool magic tricks. www.magicbydorian.com
www.mansionkids.org

Today is a day for family and friends. Christy has to work part of the day, retail. Holidays used to be about the holiday and celebrating; now it is about increasing sales. Everything is on sale plus stores expect increased profits. Makes you wonder about the actual value of the product in the first place. What is the cliché? You can go broke saving money.

Have a happy holiday and drive safe.

Mysterious Ways

There is an old cliché stating “God works in mysterious ways.” It’s true and to those who don’t believe that, I feel sorry for you.

I normally avoid any religious discussions on purpose. Religion is often a major source of argument and disagreements. I believe that religious beliefs are “extremely” personal and totally individual. I am sure I am very open-minded about religion much more than most people and less than a minimum few. I don’t think I was put on this earth to judge who is right or wrong concerning religion. I will not tell any believer they are wrong and other than an atheist don’t think anyone is wrong. I certainly would not engage in an argument with an atheist. I am a strong believer in “free will.” The book I am reading explains that the Druid sun god was born on December 25th. That doesn’t mean that it is blasphemy and certainly there can be parallels in pagan beliefs as well and Christian beliefs. One thing humans have is the free will to believe or not to believe; plus, God does nothing to interfere with that human privilege. Free will is a gift.

I guess what caused my feelings of being blessed today is my in-laws. My father-in-law and brother-in-law built a special trailer to pull behind a four-wheeler so I could ride into the woods to deer hunt. They know I have bad legs and made this effort to help me. I didn’t ask them to and didn’t expect it. They just thought it up and built it. When Christy and I went by her parent’s house this afternoon, they were outside. My father-in-law couldn’t wait for me to see this trailer and we actually finished it this evening. It is rather a neat little design.

My point is that I am married to my third wife; the first two didn’t work out too well. I had come to the conclusion that I would forever remain single and really never expected to be married again. I had dated a few women but basically they weren’t much to brag about either. My good friends had formed a committee to screen any potential partners in an effort to prevent me from any further bad relationships. I was told that not only do I attract the crazy ones, but I would talk to them too.

Then boom, five years ago I met Christy. She lost her first husband to a tragic illness. I remember when it happened and knew about it from my friends who were kin to her first husband. After she moved back to Mississippi to help with her parents after her father’s heart attack, we met. Long story short, we slipped around and went out while her sister- in-law who is the wife of a good friend was in the hospital having a baby. The relationship stuck and developed. She is much younger than I am, but that obviously hasn’t made a difference. It has been a wonderful relationship and a great marriage. My family thinks the world of my new wife. Her family and I also get along great. I must be doing something right, they built a special trailer for me. This is really the first true “in-laws” experience I have been allowed to have. My previous two wives didn’t really want me around their parents. I guess they were afraid the fact that I’m not really Satan would come out.

I don’t act any differently around my in-laws. Any time they have asked me to do something, I have always responded happily. It is easy to be myself. We have shared a lot of laughter and fun over the past almost five years. I am very grateful for this gift of a good marriage I have been blessed with. I guess the secret is to not look, but to drop back and allow faith to take place.

I always feel weird when someone does something nice for me. I guess I am more experienced with conflict. I always think it is my place to be the one to do something nice for someone else. It was a lot of fun helping them finalize the construction of this trailer and figure out some of the details. Hopefully we will also have to use this trailer to haul a deer out of the woods this year.

My only advice is to count your blessings. Don’t take a good marriage, parents, children, friends, or positive relationships with your in-laws for granted. Not everyone has the same benefits and until you know otherwise you really have no idea how blessed you are.

First of November

The last few days I have been in a good mood, which has not been normal for the first of November.

Last Friday I made a crock-pot full of chili which turned out nice. I used some beef loin rather than ground beef. I didn't make it spicy as per Christy's request but it turned out delicious, even if I say so myself....

Saturday I went with my Bother in law to get my new rifle sighted in by a gunsmith. He was closed, so Christy and I went back today. This guy lives out in the boonies but uses a computer and a special mount to sight in scopes. I will go test it out before I go hunting. My Father in law swears by this guy's work. This gunsmith also used to make knives so it was a fun visit. BUT that is not why I was in a good mood rather than my usual All Saints Day depression.....

On November 1st, 1981, my first wife left with my two children stating she would return in three weeks. She said she was going to visit with her Mother in Oklahoma giving me some relief while I found a job. I had been laid off a couple of weeks earlier....She failed to return. It is not easy to explain my first wife.

Long story short and avoiding various details and nonsense....I lost contact with my children and had no idea even where they were until last year.....I got a hint they were in Pennsylvania in 1995 but I never actually found them. Efforts were made to prevent me from knowing their location....all it really did was increase my desire to find my two children.....I searched.....for years I searched.....

The Internet aided me in my search efforts but for years I had no luck.....I even drove through Pennsylvania looking through telephone books but with no luck.....

Fast forward....I finally found my daughter last year on the Internet and called her up....The first of July 2008.....We immediately connected or reconnected and have enjoyed a wonderful father/daughter relationship....even though we live a 1000 miles apart, she has a wonderful husband and two beautiful daughters of her own, we stay in contact. I was able to visit with her this past April and we enjoyed a week together....

Now that this is the second November I am enjoying after reconnecting with my long lost daughter....I noticed the absence of the depression I had for so many years not knowing...for 27 years I faced each Halloween and All Saints Day feeling bad because I was missing out on my two children....Now I don't have that situation anymore.....

My son still hasn't decided if he wants to reconnect and I have to give him time and room to decide...He was only two months old when I last saw him and he really doesn't know me. Plus I am sure he hasn't been told anything good about me...Maybe someday.

Thankfully I have my daughter and thankfully we were able to reconnect. Now we communicate through various means on a regular basis. The initial phase of reacquainting is over and our communication is a regular habit....We don't focus on the past or the whys. We live in the present and enjoy knowing each other. We share a lot of laughter and joint happiness.

My good mood replaced the sadness of the past. Now having a daughter is normal. In the past year and a half we have had several telephone conversations, e-mails, Twitter and Facebook messages....(Several is putting it mildly more like a whole bunch and more). I have an entire sub-directory of photographs of my granddaughters....My daughter set up this blog for me.....I finally get to tell her I love her and she can hear me....I never forgot her or denied she was mine....Maybe someday my son will wake up and see who I really am...

Now this November came about with a different tone. My thoughts and feelings are different....thoughts of my children are different now....I can focus on other things and know that whatever those thing are I can always talk to my daughter about them. I can tell her the silly things I said, we can laugh and share.....My father died in November 1993 and I even miss him...I wish I could tell him about my daughter and his great-grandchildren....I look around this year and see new babies in our family.....parents and children should not be separated....Do not take your family for granted...You might not realize what you are missing until you have lost them...and if you are ever denied your children or parents you will understand...I was lucky in having a second chance with my daughter and trust me I don't take it for granted....I am saddened by my son's reaction but out of respect I won't hound him....My daughter just had a birthday in October. She said her husband said she was getting old but I told her no, this was only the fourth birthday I have been able to tell her Happy Birthday....

Now I can call my baby girl up and tell her about the chili or the scope sighting or my wife's new niece or my new great-niece or the Shrine Club or anything....any I am sure she will fill me in on my granddaughters and the large cartoon characters she saw this past week.

I like this new November....feels good.....

Another Article and blogging on Freemasonry

Another newsletter done, another article…..

I’m up too late; again, with my mind racing full bore, again. I labeled and mailed the November issue of the Lee County Shrine Club newsletter today. One of the main reasons for this blog is for me to share my articles on a somewhat wider scale. The following article was influenced by two items, one is the huge book I am attempting to digest, “The Secret Teachings of ALL AGES” by Manley P. Hall and the television special with Dan Brown, author of “The Lost Symbol” and Matt Lauer.

I don’t intend to preach in my articles but rather invoke the various readers to think. We constantly are discussing ways to get members of our Masonic Lodges and Shrine Clubs to get involved, take an interest, attend our meetings and participate. This article was inspired by the early lesson “Seek and ye shall find.” This primary tenet of Freemasonry and life in general is, in my opinion, often overlooked. Freemasons have to seek out the wisdom and enlightenment which Freemasonry has to offer.

Have modern Freemasons forgotten the teachings of our Masonic forefathers? How many Masons today believe that only memorizing degree work is Masonry? How many Freemasons today know about Masonic scholars like Mitchell, Mackey, Pike, Allen, McCoy, Waite, and Coil? On October 1, 1988 in the preface to the Diamond Jubilee Edition of “The Secret Teachings of ALL AGES” Manley P. Hall, after he became a Freemason, wrote, “We were told that the twentieth century was the most progressive that the world has ever known, but unfortunately the progression was in the direction of self-destruction.” He could be talking about society or just the Masonic Lodge, this statement fits both. A brother Mason with considerable Masonic experience, who is long gone now, once told me that Freemasonry goes in circles, it decreases and then increases years later and this is how Masonry has been for centuries. Hopefully he was right. Hopefully the newer generation will find a way to rid us present day internal politics and desire for rank. Hopefully they can take the basic tenets of the craft and return the lodge to the fraternity it once was and can always be again. I wish the leaders of the present would look up from their own pedestals and ask why Freemasonry is getting more recognition from a novel than the actual fraternity.

The events locally of the past week have been extra troubling. I have a friend, someone I trust and strongly respect, do something without logic or reason. It was like watching him walk off a cliff without warning or reason. This is someone I would stand on my toenails and defend until blood shot out of my eyeballs, but he allowed me nothing to defend. He didn’t consult me beforehand and didn’t discuss it with me afterwards. When he was called on it, he displayed anger and even arrogance. This incidence has disturbed me to point I have been physically ill over it. I have no way to logically defend or justify his actions. I don’t think he intended to do harm, but his actions resulted in negative consequences. I know he is angry at me. His anger also has no rhyme or reason because I had nothing to do with his actions and I didn’t encourage the outcome. I am at a loss for a solution.

This incident of the past week, which came about after the following article was written and before it was sent out, made me think about the duality of Freemasonry. The Masonic Lodge has a very major group dynamic. The body of the craft coming together, meeting in tiled lodges is a landmark of Freemasonry. Masonic teachings and enlightenment depends on a group of obligated brothers seeking a single goal. Masons once accepted into the Masonic Lodge and especially after obtaining the third degree or Master Masons degree will see their lives changed. Since my entrance into the lodge in 1987, not a day has gone by without some form of Masonic relationship. My primary life now includes Masonic relationships. My closest friends are Masons. Freemasonry is not for everybody, but for those it does reach it will make a difference.

The singular sector of a Masonic life is that individual effort a Mason will make to seek more light. To be a Master Mason in good standing a man has to do nothing more than pay his annual dues. You don’t have to attend or learn anything more than what it would take to progress from first, to second then third degree. You can do nothing more than belong and you will be as much a Mason as any man. Some never become more than a “Card Carrying Mason” and some will seek more.

The ones that do seek more, looking for more answers and enlightenment are the ones that keep Freemasonry alive. Those studying, researching, asking, and seeking Masonic knowledge, history and philosophy are the masons that grow the craft. To me it’s not enough to know the ritual work but to know the “why” of the rituals. I truly admire the Masons that know the degree work and various lectures. I think it is extremely important to keep this vital portion of the Lodge intact. I think the men that have the skill to learn this work should be encouraged and supported by all lodges. The only thing that distresses me about “memorized” rituals is the men that believe that this all there is to it. Don’t just memorize the words but also “learn” the words. Discover what the rituals are teaching, where they came from, and why the ritual is important. Seek. Ponder on the true lessons of the working tools. Look at what is basic and why, learn and assimilate the basics of the Masonic tenets. Then you can find the more complicated and esoteric messages woven into the whole of the craft. There is no true rank in Freemasonry other than the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Any Mason believing he is more important or above another Mason has missed the point.

Like the common stop signs we see on our streets. No question you learned at an early age that this octagon shape means stop. We know this, we abide by it daily and we take it for granted that everyone driving a car also understands the meaning of this sign. This is the group dynamic. Some will go forever never thinking about it further than applying the brakes. Some will be necessary to teach new drivers the meaning of this road sign and other signs as well. There will be a few that will ask why. Who decided on the shape? When did it become a standard? How worldwide is this sign? This is the singular dynamic. The ones that believe that the stop sign doesn’t apply to them are the ones that cause the destruction.

Freemasonry needs all of us. Freemasonry needs the students, the ritualists, the teachers, historians, record keepers, philosophers and the harmony preservers. The man teaching a candidate is equally important as the man in the kitchen cooking or the man keeping the records. They all formulate a successful lodge. Harmony is a group dynamic supported by many singular efforts. The one Masonic dynamic that we cannot control is the human factor. Freemasons are human and therefore fallible. There is such a thing as a bad Mason.

Freemasonry is too important to the world to allow it to be taken for granted. Freemasonry is not a step ladder to materialistic increase. Freemasonry is a way of life within the internal temple of man. Learn something new about Freemasonry and bring it to your lodge so your brothers can likewise benefit. I hope you enjoy the following article.

Seek & You Might Find Something…
By Melvin Ford


Last week I watched the TV special with Dan Brown, author of The Lost Symbol and The DaVinci Code. In my opinion, this special basically had the underlying purpose of selling books, both the most recent and the next novel he alluded to in the interview. Freemasonry is featured in the interview and this could very well generate an interest in the craft to non-masons. His novel The Lost Symbol has a background of Freemasonry in it. Even though I found some basic errors in his book as well as the interview, I don’t believe either one to show Freemasonry in a negative light. I was very pleased to see the TV special mention the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children and even show Shriners on parade.

I noted that one person in this special stated that if you like bake sales then you will like the Masonic Lodge. I guess we aren’t as dangerous as some conspiracy theorists might believe. We truly aren’t the dynamic social and political force that the Freemasons of our nation’s past once knew. Both Masonic and Shriners membership has fallen to dangerous levels. The average age of Lodge members and Shiners alike is now up above 70 years of age. Some of it is normal changes in the social and economic times and some is totally our fault for not seeing the obvious signs before us.

If a Mason desires to learn our rituals, it is easy for him to find someone to teach him. We have schools and special gatherings all the time for the learning of our various degrees. What if you, as a Mason desired to learn the history, symbolism and philosophy of that same ritualistic presentation? Who would you ask? There are several Masonic authors but in the most recent decades the authors that have brought positive attention to Freemasonry were not masons. I remember in my early years as a Mason I attended a Grand Lodge Congressional School. I was bold enough to ask the question, “Why do we do that?” I got told because we always have done that. I think Congressional schools are great and I encourage you to attend, but I was not satisfied with that answer. So in the spirit of not being a lemming, I sought the answer to my question on my own and actually found the answer. A lesson I have long remembered because of the incident.

I will be the first to admit that I am not a ritualistic scholar, but I truly desire to learn all I can absorb about Freemasonry and its teachings, symbols and history. The Masonic ritual is extremely important to our Lodges and I encourage all Masons to learn everything they can. Even now after several years of Lodge membership and once again serving as Master of a Lodge; when I recite the opening or closing my mind shifts into thoughts of why, origin and definition of the words. So I get lost. I applaud those members that can recite the various paragraphs of ritual work in a way that is very impressive. Each year I become even more impressed with the wisdom of our Masonic forefathers. I believe if you really want to obtain more light you have to make the effort to seek it and keep an open mind about the origins of Freemasonry, its rituals and any religious parallels.

One thing I did gain from the Dan Brown special was the mention of a book which I am presently reading. It’s not light reading but I am discovering some interesting knowledge. The book is The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manley P. Hall published in 1928. I guess in spite of any errors I found in the mentions of Freemasons in Brown’s book and the TV special, I was inspired to seek out more information and history concerning our craft. While doing a little on-line research into Manly P. Hall, 33º I found this excerpt from his book The Lost Keys of Freemasonry.

The true Master Mason recognizes the value of seeking for truth wherever he can find it. It makes no difference if it be in the enemy’s camp; if it be truth, he will go there gladly to secure it. The Masonic Lodge is universal; therefore all true Masons will seek through the extremities of creation for their Light. The true brother of the Craft knows and applies one great paradox. He must search for the high things in lowly places and find the lowly things in high places. The Mason who feels holier than his fellow man has raised a barrier around himself through which no light can pass, for the one who in truth is the greatest is the servant of all. Many brethren make a great mistake in building a wall around their secrets, for they succeed only in shutting out their own light. Their divine opportunity is at hand. The time has come when the world needs the Ancient Wisdom as never before. Let the Mason stand forth and by living the doctrines which he preaches show to his brother man the glory of his work. He holds the keys to truth; let him unlock the door, and with his life and not his words preach the doctrine which he has so long professed.


This passage hits home in so many ways. Timely for this time of year when we as a Shrine Club are going to elect officers for next year. When Masonic Lodges in Mississippi are looking to elect officers for their next year and when Hamasa has its whole unwritten future ahead of us. Don’t sit by and wait. Either you desire to be involved or not. You know what you truly want to be involved with and I surely hope you aren’t waiting for someone else to make the first move. Neither youth nor age is a deterrent; find your niche in your fraternity. From a Shrine Club standpoint, gather your spouse or significant other and come to our meetings. We are long overdue for a good old fashioned party anyway. You never know you might have a good time and even help out a child. Seek what you desire in your fraternity.

More blogging about books….

Since my last blog about books and mentioning “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown I have read two other novels and started a third.

The next book I read after Dan’s latest offering was “A Spy By Nature” by Charles Cumming. He is a British author that I discovered from Facebook. Charles Cumming sent me a friend request and not knowing who he was I looked him up. He is a fellow Daniel Silva Facebook friend from London. So I figured what the heck, any fan of Daniel has got to be ok. I accepted his friend request and the next time I was at Barnes & Noble I ordered one of his books. “A Spy By Nature” published in 2001 was the only Charles Cumming’s novel they had in stock in the warehouse. I have to say, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more by him. I found the British viewpoint interesting and entertaining, being an American. One thing I noticed was that it was very realistic and believable. I was very pleased towards the end when he doesn’t skirt around it and allowed the truth to jump out. I am not a literary expert; I am just a reader so I guess the fact that I will be purchasing more of Charles Cumming’s work says enough.

I had such a good time reading the Cumming novel I went ahead and dove into “The Dark of The Sun” by Wilbur Smith. I first read Wilbur Smith in the seventies starting with his Egyptian novels, “River God” and “The Seventh Scroll.” I had always read for pleasure all during high school. When I spent six months flat of my back either in traction or a body cast, I read several books. I think what attracted me to these novels of ancient Egypt was that I was looking for something deeper. These first two books I read made me a Wilbur Smith fan. When I read his recent Egyptian novel “The Quest” I got to wondering if he had become darker in his writing. After finishing his last offering “Assegai” my curiosity increased about his work. Had his writing become darker more mystical and even more sensual in nature? So I picked up a paperback copy of “The Dark of The Sun” in an effort to see for myself. This is his second novel published in 1965.

Did I find a difference in his 1965 work versus his present day offerings? Yes, but not the difference I expected. I thoroughly enjoyed “The Dark of The Sun” and the African mercenary tale. What I saw was that his more recent writings are smoother and more visual in nature. His story line flows better and the action sequences grip the reader more. One example was the big game hunting portions that were featured in “Assegai” as easily compared to the shooting of water buffalo for food in “The Dark of The Sun” novel. “Assegai” will excite any hunter with the descriptions of the hunt and kill. The 1965 version was still enjoyable but I could see the author’s improvement in skill. The dark human element was there as well as the sensual aspect, I guess his writing style has improved to the degree these elements became more prominent to the reader. So after thirty-two published novels in several languages since 1964, Wilbur Smith hasn’t allowed his work to degrade. It is no secret why he is considered one of the best, if not the best, historical novelist. Personally I am more impressed with the content of his books over the mass marketing campaigns I see of others.

The book I am presently reading is a novel I found on a bargain sale. I think I only paid a couple of bucks for it. Being a bibliophile I like looking over the bargain tables. I have found some interesting books some of which that are an author’s first novel. Finding novels like “The Man Who Ate the 747” by Ben Sherwood and Adriana Trigiani is the reward for looking over bargain tables. I basically have more books than bookshelves but refuse to discard any of them.

The present bargain book I am reading is “The Law of Gravity” by Dennis Morgan Cottrell published in 1995. This is his first novel and from what I have found on the Internet, so far his only novel. What induced me to spend a couple of bucks on this novel was his opening line, “I suspect that most everybody living below the Mason-Dixon Line has heard of me,” How Southern is that?

I guess every author stresses over the first line. It is only human nature to want your own “Call me Ishmael”, “All this happened, more or less” or “Who is John Galt?” Those first key words sometimes sell the book. I am not a novelist but I do write articles for my Shrine Club newsletter, so I also want to grab the reader in the first paragraph so they will want to read more. I can only imagine what a writer goes through in deciding on the elements which make up the marketing of his work. Title, cover art and the synopsis all must take up considerable time and effort. I know if you include a knife on the cover art; I am going to pick it up and look the book over. I also noticed once I owned several red colored books, go figure. There is a lot less stress in buying bargain books; if the novel sucks you can always use it to prop up a couch with a broken leg. I have found more good ones than bad ones though; something to read while you are waiting for your favorite authors to crank out a new one.

I am still in the early stages of “The Law of Gravity” but so far I have found it enjoyable and different from novels I usually gravitate towards. (Pun intended) The author is doing a beautiful job of telling the tale from the perspective of a dirt poor thirteen year old boy. I will finish it while Daniel is locked in a room with Gabriel and until I can get to the north side of town to pick up Charles Cumming’s latest releases. I have no idea what Wilbur is up to but maybe number 33 is in his head.

On a personal note: My father-in-law bought me a new scope for my rifle, so hopefully I will get to have my own hunting sequence this year. Maybe I can bloody up one of the “several” custom made knives I own. I donated one that I have owned for several years and never used to my lodge last night. We are going to raffle it off to raise a little money for the lodge. So I’m in a pretty good mood.

Burned out & droopy fez

I get Google Alerts on any news story using the word “Shriners.” It goes in handy being an active Shriner, writing a monthly newsletter and personally believing so deeply in the work of the Shriners and the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Some of the links don’t really reach anything pertinent about Shriners and some are obituaries. I do see several interesting articles related to our Fez-head fraternity and the 22 children’s hospitals.

I saw an article this morning from the Poughkeepsie Journal about a 12 year girl selling her artwork to raise money for the Springfield, MA hospital. Her family had received a letter stating that this hospital was in danger of closing. The young lady raised $300.00 with her efforts.

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091008/LIFE/910080307/1005/Your-positive-achievements

Nice normal positive feature story for a local newspaper and $300.00 doesn’t sound like much, but it is a whole heck of a lot more raised than a majority of card carrying Shriners. I applaud her efforts and grateful her local newspaper featured her in their publication.

Those that know me best know that I have been extremely active in Hamasa Shriners for the past several years, especially since 2003. I have been probably too active and too involved because when the crash came it came hard. I knew going into the first of this year I needed to slow down and back off some of my involvement because I was feeling burned out. A majority of phone calls I received involved Hamasa or the Lee County Shrine Club. I was heavily involved in every activity and fundraiser. Several friends told me I needed to learn how to say, “No.” I felt obligated and I started to feel like it was someone else’s turn.

Mix my burn-out with a Potentate (The head guy) that has been totally ineffective, narcissistic, and just plain wrong and I had to come to a screeching halt. Screeching is what I did too. We tried to help him. We tried to warn him, but he has consistently refused to listen. It’s not just the internal politics of Hamasa; it’s the basic mistakes that anyone can see. Besides having the main Potentate’s Ball on Easter weekend, he now has scheduled the Fall Ceremonial on the same day as a Mississippi State home football game. We tried having regional meetings to increase participation due to the fact that Meridian is too far to travel on a Tuesday night. Especially for the Northern have of the Hamasa Territory. We had two this year and it was starting to work and we were getting more members involved, but he killed that too. I wrote a few years back in one of my newsletter articles, that “in the absence of good leadership, bad leadership will come forth.” I guess I was right, especially when it come to Hamasa. I sent a nasty e-mail a couple of months ago to the Potentate and Divan (Divan is like the officers) that I regret and feel bad about. I told them I have lost faith in the Hamasa leadership and I have. I have also lost faith in the Hamasa membership. The Potentate has not responded and I really didn’t expect him to respond. The Recorder and Treasurer both sent me replies demanding an apology. I guess I should apologize but like I told the Recorder on the phone, I don’t see other people in Hamasa apologizing. I think what my nasty e-mail really was all about was me trying to commit Fraternal-Suicide, so I could justify not being involved anymore.

A Couple of Days Later…….

I was in the middle of scripting this blog and my phone started ringing, so I never got the opportunity to actually finish my thoughts. My phone rings a lot concerning the Shriners. I ended up attending another Shrine Club meeting in the next county with a member from my Shrine Club. We took the two petitions over there so they could participate in the process. There is a petition to change the location of Hamasa Shriners from Meridian to Starkville and a second one to change the name of Hamasa Shriners to “Magnolia” Shriners. Seems like some people mistake “Hamasa” for “Hamas” and we are confused with the terrorist group. If each petition gets 100 member signatures, then a notice will have to be sent out and then a vote. Then it will take two-thirds vote to pass and after that approval at the Imperial Session next July. I do not expect the name changing petition to get the required 100 signatures to even call for a vote. It might, but I would be real surprised.

Changing the location of the temple to Starkville will centralize it and allow more members from the Northern half to attend meetings. It could even mean a new beginning for Hamasa. Don’t get your hopes up. There are enough members in the South that do NOT have to drive three hours or more to a meeting that will show up and vote it down. Just so they won’t have to drive. Hamasa will become even more divided, more will drop out and we will eventually wither up and die. If more boys from the South would have been active in Hamasa, this petition would have never seen the light of day.

The ironic thing is “IF” our elected leadership had done their jobs and kept their obligations, a petition never would have been written. We had District meetings but our present leadership mucked that all up. If he had been a true leader, this petition to move Hamasa would have never appeared. I claim neither credit or blame for either of these petitions. I have only one vote, period. If the Hamasa membership is truly interested in making a change, they will do something about it. I stand neutral, not willing to argue the subject one way or the other. I have one vote. The subject of moving Hamasa is a long drawn out complicated matter. It seems like people are more interested in obtaining titles for themselves rather than the responsibility and service of office. They prefer to lead by demand and not inspire or enlighten. They forget that even though they think they are a king the servants are not truly bound and simply can stay at home. I prefer peace over turmoil and have declared not to spend six hours in a vehicle to attend a Hamasa meeting consisting of empty meaningless nonsense. I guess we will see……

I am really sleepy so I am going to post this. I have more to blog about, but I think I will go back to bed; maybe I will sleep this time…..Later….

Widows & Orphans…..& Books?

I know it has been a while since I blogged, but burn out takes it's toll. I have felt the need to back off from everything. The problem with people is that they are people. I have done a spot of reading lately, a nice escape from the reality of life. Books and words are a great way to escape and recharge your batteries. I remember a time when reading books was essential to making it through the week. I felt sorry for all those people that could not read. Children should be encouraged to read for pleasure and allowed to develop a love for a great storyteller.

I have read many authors and found some enjoyment from reading an author's first work. It seems like they put more heart and soul in that initial novel or work that makes it a good book. When they can repeat that heart and soul they have proven they can write. When their name becomes more important then the content; they have lost it.

Take John Grisham's A Time to Kill for example. He knocked it out of the ballpark with that one and even followed up with other novels that hit the mark. It was reading The Rainmaker first that made me go back to his earlier work. I quit reading him after The Brethren. I found basic errors in that novel that told me he neglected his basic research, facts that he could of presented correctly if he had only talked to a couple of people. I am surprised his editors didn't catch them or were they only looking at the profit margin by then. I quit reading his books. His mistakes were so simple to avoid, that I lost faith in his work. Am I judging him too harshly? Maybe, but the man is writing bestsellers, mainly purchased on his name creditability alone, not soap opera scripts.

Novelists have tough jobs if they do it right and after writing a few articles I appreciate professional writers. I also work on a monthly deadline which also makes me appreciate reporters that have to produce on a regular basis plus attempt to keep the reading public interested. What I write has very few boundaries and I do not write for profit, so my freedom helps. My writing is vastly different from what a professional writer produces and I recognize it. Novelists that require themselves to preform a lot of research and background knowledge do succeed in their work. Readers do notice.

One author I started reading over thirty years ago is Wilbur Smith. Wow, this dude can write. He wrote his first novel in 1964 and can still spin a tale. I have not read every novel he has written, but I have read his entire Egyptian series and several of his other books including his most recently published. Here is a guy who has been published worldwide in numerous languages and he still puts out a "good read." The last two of his I have read were his newest novels and it seemed like his writing had a slightly different attitude than his early stuff. That may not make much sense, but today I purchased his second novel in paperback put out in 1965 which isn't part of a series, just to see for myself. You might not like his historical work, but it intrigued me. I do think every young man read his Courtney novel The Birds of Prey, it is just a good ole pirate story and very well done in my opinion. I look for his work when I am in the bookstore. http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/

Another good author I have become a fan of is Daniel Silva. (No, I do not get a kickback) He is also a Facebook friend and from my experience married to a very nice lady. I had already read everything he had published before I got on Facebook. It was his writing and not me being one of the thousands of his fans who also owns a computer. People who write a "series" of novels involving the same characters have to work hard to keep the characters and story fresh to repeating readers plus not confuse the new readers. I am curious if he feels any added pressure now that he knows he has so many fans in direct communication with him via Internet. The Internet spreads bad news as quickly, if not quicker, than good news. I have faith in him though. Hopefully his sweet wife won't have to hire a couple of Russian dudes to slap him around. http://danielsilvabooks.com/

I guess the point I am trying to make is that I recently finished Dan Brown's new novel The Lost Symbol. I still think Angels and Demons was his best work. This last one was a decent read and ended okay, but I felt at first he wasn't topping himself with this one. He eventually got into it and it turned out fine. I just feel that this one became an instant bestseller because of his previous work.
We wanted more; we got more but did it enlighten? Did he hit "that" mark in his readers? Will we snatch up his next hardback as soon at it hits town or do we wait a year to pick up the paperback?
Did we say, "Oh Boy I can't wait until good ole Dan Brown cranks out another one." like several of us did after reading The Defector by Daniel Silva?
Mr. Brown, are you writing movie scripts or novels now? Didn't you learn anything from John Galt?

Reading for pleasure is personal and I see some books that I can't imagine anyone buying but each to his own. My dear wife consumes Nora Roberts as fast as the woman can crank them out. I think the lady shoots one out a week. I have accused dear Nora of having a hundred or so female ghost writers, typing furiously while she sits in the back of the room cracking a bullwhip and sipping champagne. Well if my wife is happy, I'm happy and she doesn't need Russians. She will just poke me in the eye, again.

So dear friends, what started to be a simple preamble to my latest Shrine Club Newsletter article, turned into, this....This article goes out Tuesday and there will not be a movie. Enjoy.
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Widows & Orphans…..
Two things happened last month that inspired this article. The first was the death of a Brother Master Mason and his obituary had no mention of his Masonic affiliation. The second was I got a phone call and was ask to assist the widow of a dear departed brother I knew and truly respected. I agreed without hesitation. It isn’t anything awe inspiring to help out a friend and it was actually fun, but it got me thinking about what do the widows of our departed brethren actually think about the Masonic Lodge and Shriners. Do they know that Masons are supposed to lend aid to our widows and orphans?

Dr. Albert G. Mackey wrote in his work, Jurisprudence of Freemasonry in the section relating to the rights of a Master Mason:

“Perhaps it is hardly necessary to add that the wives and children of Freemasons, while claiming relief through the right of their husbands and fathers, are subject to the same principles and restrictions as those which govern the application of Freemasons themselves. The destitute widow or orphans of a deceased Freemason have a claim for relief upon the whole Fraternity, which is to be measured by the same standard that would be applied if the Brother himself were alive, and asking for assistance.”

There is much more to this discussion by Mackey in his writings, but I think you get the point. We as masons are taught that we should lend aid to our widows and orphans. This doesn’t mean that Freemasons restrict our charity works to only relatives of our members; matter of fact, Masons are very charitable to people from all walks of life. Do we leave a positive enough impression on the families of our departed that they will feel comfortable enough to seek relief and do they even know this fact about Freemasonry?

One of the worst things a lodge secretary has to deal with is that note or phone call from a widow saying, “You sent my husband a dues notice and he died two years ago.” Some of these ladies are mad because the “Lodge” didn’t notice her husband died. If a member hasn’t attended lodge in years and the family doesn’t let anyone know, the likelihood is great he will not be removed from the rolls until his dues aren’t paid. If the member or his family doesn’t communicate with the lodge, it is very hard to keep up. There are thousands of card carrying Masons in this state that never attend lodge or even let anyone know they are a Mason. Freemasons should discuss Masonry with their families and if you are unsure what you can talk about, ask. Lodges should host more family events and even discuss items that wives and family members should know about our fraternity. I have never seen a Lodge suspend a member for non-payment of dues that was truly in need of the relief. I have known Lodges to keep a sick member on the membership roll and not ask for his dues money. I have also seen several men reach in their wallet and pay another member’s dues. Like the member we lost last month, if it hadn’t been for a Lodge Secretary doing a superb job, the Lodge wouldn’t have known about the loss because it wasn’t in his obituary. The ladies and families need to know that a Masonic funeral has to be requested and the Brother has to also be in good standing before his Lodge is allowed to conduct a Masonic funeral. Freemasons need to remain in contact with their lodge and make sure the secretary has all of your updated information.

Shriners and our philanthropy have truly benefited from the participation of our ladies. Our clubs, events, fundraisers and notoriety would be sadly lacking if our ladies weren’t involved. The ladies are the unsung heroes of Shriners, everywhere.

Attending a lodge meeting is not only a right, it is a privilege. We are not a secret society but like any fraternal order we have portions that are nobody’s business but our own. Freemasonry is family orientated and anyone attending a Lee County Shrine Club meeting can tell you that we are definitely family friendly. Our wives and families need to know about their relationship with Freemasonry. They need to understand the definition of “relief” from a Lodge point of view and what “measured by the same standard” means.

Freemasonry is back on people’s minds now with the release of Dan Brown’s recent novel, The Lost Symbol. Non-masons may be disappointed or surprised by the ending of this novel. Active Freemasons that study and practice the tenets of the fraternity will not be surprised or disappointed. There is no better time for us to improve our family and public perception of the craft. Brothers, call a Masonic widow you know and let them you are still there for them.