Rock Sugar Band - gotta check them out

Here is a link - you gotta listen to the first 2 minutes before you "get it" - after you check out the video go their homesite and buy a CD cause this stuff is too good to be missing out on.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80928662/

http://rocksugarband.com/home.aspx

*disclaimer - this is only of interest to those that lived, loved, and breathed 80's music.

Andrew "addicted to Rock Sugar" Brown

Guess who just became an EAGLE SCOUT!!

OH YEAH!! Call the RS President cause all my shirts have just lost their buttons!! So this picture is of Chase this morning as I realized I wanted a picture of him to post on my blog. I wanted a picture that occured after he passed his Eagle Board of Review last night. He was interviewed by men similar to my own Scout Master Doug Baker (actually Doug was doing another Eagle Board in a nearby room since so many young men had prepared themselves). Chase has been waiting for 2 months to get a chance to have his Board but they were booked.

I'm really happy for him and all that he accomplished in getting to this point. He was so nervous because this was so important to him. When he came back in after the Board discussed their decision to pass him or not, Glory was able to accompany him to hear the verdict. They told him that he is going to have to come back next month and report again to them . . . to tell them how it felt to be an Eagle Scout for a month!! He's was totally confused asking "Wait, so I passed?". You gotta love their twisted sense of humor.

Way to go Chase!! You've accomplished a great thing!! I'm so proud of you.

Andrew "where the heck did all those shirt buttons go" Brown

. . . for those of you not getting the "button" comment, it's related to my chest puffing up with pride to the extent that the buttons popped off - get it now?

Arrogant Majority

I believe that I am a devout member of my faith - someone who has deep convictions that are based on faith and experiences. Having said this, I am not touting any level of spirituality on my part. I'm just trying to say that I am one who continues to strive to do those things that my faith requires of me because I believe as I succeed in being obedient I will obtain a higher level of long term happiness. Now, I am a bit unconventional by the standards of other people that would consider themselves devout in my faith. I don't have a set of traditions that I follow that were passed on to me. Any traditions that I pursue have been validated by my belief system - not to be confused with "what others think our belief system is". So here's my thought now that I explained that - what gives any majority the right to be arrogant? Feel free to discuss this point - my answer is "ignorance, insecurity, inferiority complex"; so, basically all of the things that do not exhibit meekness, faith, and hope. In any group that is a majority there is a feeling of superiority expressed by some. Naturally, being a majority, more people agree with you in effect making you "more right" than the others simply by population. This is good if you seek the approval of others and you enjoy the semblance that factually you are right. However, being arrogant automatically precludes anyone from being right. So, why is it then that we worry so much about the arrogant majority? Because if we are not in agreement with them, we are considered "wrong", ignorant, and incapable of gaining the higher light that others have received. I'm sure I'm missing a plethora of other reasons, feel free to enlighten me. Only one more point after this one - if you are a majority, please don't be arrogant about it because it automatically makes you wrong (even if you are right, no one is going to stick around to be convinced). If you are a minority, don't take offense to those that are arrogant (and happen to be the majority) as they are just ignorant and really have a baseless belief system that has caused them to be so arrogant - they don't know any better and their thoughts don't warrant any concern on your part. My final point is this - if you are right, regardless of whether you are a majority or a minority, don't be arrogant about it. Be meek. Be subtle. Share your wisdom humbly, not forcefully. Realize that there are other reasonable ideas to be had and you are fortunate enough to have the truth. I believe that one of the biggest setbacks in my faith is that we are arrogant. In small communities where we are a majority it is unbearable what we do as an arrogant majority. In circles of society where there are predominantly our members in attendance we are arrogant. All of this is against our teachings and yet we are so ignorant that often we continue to offend those that might otherwise give our faith a chance and learn for themselves what is true. One of my favorite scriptures is Jacob chapter 3 verses 1-2. It talks about being "pure in heart". I believe that as we strive to be pure in heart and share our faith (not arrogantly insisting we are right) and not get so concerned that others are convinced that we are right; to learn to work along side non-members as easily as we work along members that we will not be concerned if others agree or disagree with us. We will learn to "agree to disagree" and will learn to enjoy being with those that we disagree with and appreciate our differences. Avoid being arrogant as you strive to base your beliefs on truths and not on the traditions of men that just happen to be of the same faith. Pursue those ideals we know are true and be pure in heart doing the right things for the right reasons.

Andrew “hate’n on the arrogants” Brown