CUBMASTER'S MINUTES

Learning from Geese
Sam Houston Area Council

Perhaps this month you have noticed large flocks of geese flying back north after spending their winter and nesting on the warm Texas gulf coast.  As you watch the V’s of birds flying, you will notice that almost every bird takes a turn leading the flock.  Why?  Because that bird works the hardest to fly against the wind and everyone behind him is able to rest a little bit before taking their next turn.  One goose alone would find it very difficult to migrate the hundreds and thousands of miles that these flock travel.  Each of you boys will have your opportunities to be leaders.  When it’s your turn, do your best to lead the way for the others in your Dens.  When it’s not your turn to lead, it is your turn to follow and be an active part of the Den.  Only when the Den (and the flock) works together, can you travel as far as you want to go.

 

Birds
Heart of America Council

Nature uses birds in unique ways. When birds eat food and then migrate, they spread seeds to other areas. Yellowstone National Park has some delicious wild strawberries.  It’s great for a bird to spread these seeds.  However, farmers would not spread Canadian Thistle.  Some of their impact is for good, while others impacts are questionable.   In the same way, we impact those around us.  Our actions affect our family and friends.  Let’s try to always do our best and make all our impacts positive..

 

Feather of Peace
Heart of America Council

The "Feather of Peace" is a white eagle feather with a small bell tied to the end of it.   This is great for use as a closing ceremony in your den or perhaps even when it is your Den’s turn to do a closing ceremony.   Dim the lights (preferably), Narrator - This is the Feather of Peace.  Will everyone please remain quiet as we pass the feather around the room in silence from person to person.  As you think of what peace means to you, ring the bell, then pass it on.

Narrator concludes with:  “ Peace to all.”

 

Cubmaster Thought - Birds:
Heart of America Council

CM begins, “The following article appeared in the 1972 Boy's Life.”

Cub Scout Timmy Timmerman of Den 1, Pack 74, in Sarasota, Florida, was the subject of one of the headline stories in his local newspaper for lending a helping hand to a baby bird.

He found the feathery infant in his yard with no sign of a nest near by. He took the baby bird to the veterinarian, who suggested a special diet.  Timmy nurtured the little bird, and the nestling thrived.

Timmy started giving the growing bird flying lessons and eventually had the little one ready for a take-off.  Timmy felt very proud of himself as he let the beautiful bird flyaway into the sky to soar where it belonged."

Birds form one of the 5 groups of “Higher Animals.”  They are so important, so useful, and so interesting that thousands of people watch and study birds as a fascinating hobby.  One thing sets birds apart from all other animals.  Birds are the only living creatures with feathers.  Birds molt or shed their feathers evenly on both sides, as they must be perfectly balanced to be able to fly.  If a boy has good leaders and parents that give him support, the Cub Scout program will help balance our boys and prepare them for a take-off, like Timmy did with his baby bird.

Thanks for your support and good night.

 

Soar With The Eagles
San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach, Verdugo Hills Councils

There's an old fable that talks about a man who found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken.

He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet in the air.

Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings. The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked. "That's the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbor. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth-- we're chickens."

So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that's what he thought he was.

How sad when we who are children of the King live as chickens when we could fly with the eagles.  Anonymous

 

Chief Seattle
Sam Houston Area Council

Chief Seattle said, “What is man without the beasts?  If all the beasts are gone, man would die from great loneliness of spirit.  For whatever happens to the beasts soon happens to man.  All things are connected.”