Well next week I will proceed to the 3rd degree. I am excited to become a Master Mason. One thing I can honestly say is that my past 8 months have been life changing. I have really took the teachings of masonry and applied them to my life. I have gotten allot more organized.
What all has happened? I have a beautiful 9 month old daughter. I have started a diet and fitness regimen that so far I have lost about 10 lbs in weight. I have won 3 distinct awards in my company as well as completed a 800 page training manual and trained 16 employees over a course of 3 months. This has all happened since I have put my petition in and knocked on the door. Has masonry had anything to do with it? I think it has.. It definitely has been the rule and guide of my life along with my fortitude to do better. I am proud to say I am a brother and to be a part of a wonderful organization that has helped me keep my bearings during turbulent times.
You get out of Masonry;what you put into it!
Freemason Store
Freemasonry and the past 6 months
3rd Degree
So I received a message from my Coach Jim that I was voted in favor to receive my 3rd degree in a couple of weeks. I am actually looking forward to this. I will be able to wear a ring place decals on my car attend monthly meetings and join appendent bodies. I am signing up for the York Rite with Jim in the fall to go for Knight Templar degree. I want to experience Scottish Rite as well. There are so many opportunites in Masonry and I am looking forward to experiencing new things and meeting new people. To me the York Rite seems mysterious and exciting and has a very interesting appeal to me. Well I am truly ready for my 3rd degree. It seems I have everything lodged in my head. Well I want to keep my blog going as much as possible and bring positive aspects to Masonry. I see so many blogs out there that are suspect or used for negative propaganda. Until next post....
Protecting your kids from Myspace
Thursday, 24 April 2008
After having a daughter for 8 going on 9 months and having my wife research and find some of our nephews myspace pages and to see the filth behind it. I have come to the conclusion to take some actions to help others out there and research product online. I came across http://www.pctattle.info/ also http://www.kidshield.info/ and it seems like a very impressive piece of software which is what I am going to try out and post the findings I have heard very great reviews on it and was going to try it out for myself and give it to my in laws to try. Stay tuned on the outcome. The best action is done at home!!
Here is how predators are using it to find information online about your children!!
Predators looking for teenage girls or boys have a tool that makes it very easy for them to find and groom their victims and millions of teens are playing right into their hands. I wouldn’t be writing this column if I thought I were spilling secrets or, in any way, aiding adults who have an inappropriate interest in teens but, unfortunately, predators tend to be very good at what they do and most of them probably already know about what I’m about to tell you. The sad fact is that it is very easy to find teenage victims in your community, thanks to an online social networking service called MySpace.com. This advertising-supported site, which was acquired last year by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, presents a veritable smorgasbord of teenagers, organized by community and high school. If you know the name of your local school and the sex and age of teens you’re seeking, you can find them on MySpace. What’s more, in most cases, you can find pictures, names and photos of their friends, details about where they were born, what they like, and where they hang out. In many cases, you can also find their full names and cell phone numbers.
After looking around I found a tool that might can help with at least monitoring activity? Ecityweb is proud to announce KIDSHIELD also known as PCTATTLETALE it will help monitor your kids activity and keep a eye on anything and everything your kids can do online.
Sacred Geometry
So while I dwell on things I learned from Second degree lecture and doing research back to Greece 512 BC on architecture and ancient structures. To me, I found one of the true reasons they use structures and Masonry as a way to teach morality and becoming a better man.
I look at reality of today and we see all the time on CNN of bridges and buildings collapsing. However, you look at the a little deeper you will wonder if this reflects most men and their standards cutting corners,laziness, and no accountability for their actions. While bridges are collapsing and buildings topple. You see more and more people shooting people in cold blood for 5 bucks or children being harmed on a day to day basis. TV has no bounderies anymore of what they show. Is the the decline of Man himself? Are we collapsing such as the new structures of today. Are we evolving ourselves into some sort of primitive beast with no logic for self control and acting on primal instinct? It is a shame that most men do not seek Masonry to help improve their lives. I think in order for the world to become a better place we need to look at some of the old structures of the world. Who built them? How were they built? Wonder how they still stand compared to the current buildings of today and look at ourselves and wonder are we a old solid building with a strong foundation and intricate details; Or are we a flimsy building with a weak foundation ready to fall at any gust of wind.
As I ponder the philosphy of this I also have been researching a great bit on sacred geometry of the world and found some decent links. If anyone else does research on this I would entertain the idea of leaving any reference links that could help me. Godbless you all!
“If you do not know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere.” -Henry Kissinger
Passed Second Degree
Saturday Morning March 22nd 2008 I was passed to second degree. I have to say the lecture was the most memorable. I was completely amazed with the whole degree and now can't wait to attend more FC degrees. I have heard the 1st and 3rd are most memorable. I really enjoyed the Second. Since I was only one to be going through this I was very nervous but found out I was harder on myself than I should have been. Any which way I enjoy fellowship with all my brothers and enjoyed seeing all of them dedicate their time to help improve another brother to move up in a degree.
It is about Brotherhood along with Faith Hope and Charity. Masonry is truely a art form along with guide and ruler to self improvement.
Nice Turn out
Last night I had the honor to attend a older lodge downtown it actually looked like one you would see overseas in England. The moldings to the seating everything was beautiful and immaculate. The turn out was 70 people from 6 different area lodges some from far away as Massachusetts. We had barely enough room to the point I was asked to kindly try and push as far North East as possible. This was impressive. I've read where some were saying masonry was older gentlemen and how lodges were dying out.
Well, not in SC the average age of the lodge seems to be in 30-40 range. It is truly a wonderful site to see young and old brethren carrying out our legacy of our brothers whom have gone this way of masonry before us. I look forward to my fellowcraft and becoming more involved. On the other hand I was told I should look my second to be voted on in a week.
Second Degree
Been awhile since last post after attending many degrees from various local lodges I really think I get it and have the work behind me. There are somethings I am shaky on but I think in the long run I will duly and truly knock it out. My coach told me that they were going to vote on my second degree but decided to wait til they get a couple more that will be ready in March. I am looking forward to visiting the lodge again since I have not been there since my 1st degree. As mentioned I have visted many degrees even one done by the local sheriffs office which seemed to be my most memorable. I also found out one of my friends was WM of a lodge across town which I attended some 1st degree work. Things are definitley coming together even our website was approved for our lodge recently by the grand lodge I had the great opportunity to help with. Things are coming into fruition.
