Celebrity Endorsements

Celebrity endorsements have always been used to help sell products.

Could this also be true regarding the popularity of older texts and artifacts?

Senior Deacon

"You don't need to see his identification."

"We don't need to see his identification."

Your first few meetings as the new Senior Deacon.

Stepping Up

Stepping up to a challenge does not mean stepping on others in the process.

Running on empty...

If you don't learn how to say "No," you'll be...

...running on empty.

Membership

If it's all about "making good men better," why then do we tend to focus so much on new membership?

More Classics

Can you name some of the classic literature that our ritual points us toward?

Classics

Masonic ritual points us toward a multitude of classic literature.

Yet a majority of Freemasons tend to ignore an education in the classics.

Why is this?

Healy Wind Generators

Not all education in the lodge has to be Masonic in origin.

Sometimes, just learning about something new makes for a great experience.

Remember, it's all about making good men better.

Eva Creek Wind Farm

Healy Alaska

Special Thanks to M.W. Norm K. Gutcher

Crotchety!

crotchety (adj.)

"characterized by odd fancies, eccentric in thought," 1825, from crotchet "whim or fancy."

Doesn't quite seem to fit, does it?

Happy Thanksgiving

To all of the Junior and Senior Stewards (and Junior Wardens)...

...and those that become them at home for the day.

Happy Thanksgiving

Secret Masonry?

Esoteric = Secret • Masonry = Craft

Esoteric Masonry = Secret Craft

What say you?

Investigation

What traits do you look for when investigating a candidate?

What things are we supposed to be looking for?

Passed and Raised

We not only allow, but continue to perpetuate the idea that membership does not require attendance.

What if, we required a certain amount of attendance before an Apprentice could be passed, or a Fellowcraft could be raised?

Tavern Brotherhood

The first Freemasons knew that the best place to promote fellowship and brotherhood was at a tavern with good food and drink.

Veteran's Day - Thank You

To all who have served.

To our Military Freemasons.

With respect, honor, and gratitude.

Thank you.

For the Sake of the Song - Blackmore's Night

"Could you ever fly without the fear of falling?

Does the nightbird cease just because it's dawn?

Could a candle burn with any less resilience?

Should we never love for the fear that it may fade?"

For the Sake of the Song

Blackmore's Night

Labels

 

 

"If you name me, you negate me.  By giving me a name, a label, you negate all the other things I could possibly be."

 

- Soren Kierkegaard

 

What do you think this means?

Organization vs. Craft

 

Craft • Masonry
Freemasonry • Organization

 

The ones that get it, don't need an explanation.  The ones that don't get it, no explanation is sufficient.

Subduing Passions

 

 

Subduing your passions doesn't mean ignoring them...

 

...it means keeping them under control.

The Legend of Hiram

 

 

One Brick at a Time.

Stimulus

How often do you turn off outside stimulus and give yourself time to think and reflect?

Blarney Stone

The Blarney Stone is a wonderful Irish prank.

Basically, they're telling everyone

"Kiss my ashlar."

And people do.

Bob Ross

"As long as you're learning, you're not failing."

- Bob Ross

Heart and Mind

The Craft of Masonry lies within the heart and mind of every Freemason.

Is it idle or active within you?

Too Serious?

"You are the man who would be king of the train locker."

When a Freemason takes himself too seriously...

Corn Quibbling

My Favorite Quibbles

Why is it, when you start a discussion about the symbolic wages of the Fellowcraft, someone undoubtedly goes off on a tangent about the wrong type of "corn?"

What are you favorite quibbles?

Learning from Failure

No one starts off as a Master.  It requires work, effort, learning, and a lot of failure.

There is no better path to Mastery, than learning from failure.

Failure

Why do we fear failure?

Secret

If Freemasonry claims to be a "peculiar system" of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbols..."

...why do we expect someone to tell us some kind of a secret?

Horse

You know what they say...

You can teach a Mason ritual, but you can't make him think!

What say you?

Does learning the ritual require contemplation?

Uniformity

Is it possible to have unity without uniformity?

Conformity

We are all initiated, passed, and raised.  We make obligations, learn ritual, and memorize lectures.  In fact, there are many things that we are all required to do...

At what point do we start worrying about conformity?

Carlin

"What we do, is oratory.  It's rhetoric.  It's not just comedy, it's a form of rhetoric.  With rhetoric, you listen for rhythms, and you look for ways to sing at the same time you are talking."

- George Carlin

Setting Maul

The Setting Maul

was not used to persuade, encourage, or convince.

It was used for compulsive coercion under duress.

Remember, if you find yourself "pushing the point," not to go too far.

Time Ruler

How does one apply the lesson of the 24 inch gauge...

...to a continuously shifting or changing schedule?

Time Corruption

Does time corrupt the creative and learning processes?

Lennon

In the song

"Working Class Hero,"

John Lennon sings:

"As soon as you're born, they make you feel small.

By giving you no time, instead of it all."

How does the 24 Inch Gauge apply to this?

Dream

Etymology helps us understand where words come from, and their original meaning.

So when we read them in older texts, we understand what they meant during the time period, and culture.

Etymological Challenge:

What is a "Dream?"

Etymology and Grammar

Those who do not understand Grammar and Etymology, will have a hard time understanding why specific words are used within our ritual.

Pizza Accommodations

When your goal is to try and accommodate everybody, there is always something that is overlooked.

Pizza

Keeping

"Peace and Harmony"

is similar to getting everyone together to order their favorite Pizza.

Watch how many you have to order in order to prevail...

Traditional Observance Tavern

What is "Traditional Observance" Freemasonry?

Merry Party in a Tavern - 1628

Fear

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

- Psalm 23:4

Is fear a good or bad thing?

Faith

He replied "Because you have so little faith.  Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you."

Has Masonry influenced you in matters of faith?

Billy Joel

"I don't know why I go walking at night

But now I'm tired and I don't want to walk anymore

I hope it doesn't take the rest of my life

Until I find what it is that I've been looking for."

- Billy Joel

Does this sound familiar?

Donkey

People don't always learn if you just take off their blindfold.

Sometimes, all you have to do is stop them from spinning, and point them toward the donkey.

And?

"And?"

- Coach John S. Nagy

300

Whether or not you submit to demands, the outcome is usually the same...

...except, by not submitting, you retain your integrity.

Submission

What would have happened if Hiram had just submitted to their demands?

Seeking

If I take the time to get to know our candidates better before they petition the Lodge, I may find out if Masonry is truly what they are looking for.