Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh O Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh O Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh O All right well I clicked all the boxes we should be good Hello friends and brothers how are y’all this week what’s up Dennis hey hey hey I have to oh yeah it’s so funny today my uh my daughter she’s awesome she uh she got first place in in two of
Her of her events and then she got fourth placed in the in the other one but uh after her first run on on uh on the one she was so excited about her you know her coach basically like telling her you know she’s a badass or whatever
And then um she throws up this I see her throw this up and it’s like yes that’s my girl wonder where she got that from I know I know Daddy’s Girl yeah that’s funny man yeah that’s pretty awesome and then uh yesterday she uh tied my my my bow tie for me for
Uh for The Grotto and you know of course I’m amazed but what people don’t realize is that she watched me watched me do it myself two times and that’s all it took that’s impressive yeah bow TI suck they suck the tie right and I have H this is so funny this
Morning she’s getting ready to to go to to San Antonio for the competition I’m G to see if I can get this to show up on the on the screen here sure take a why you pull that up like I can I can tie a regular tie no problem without really even looking
Uh a bow tie I will I will get angry after about 15 minutes and then walk away and then come back again and try it later right I cannot do Bow TI funny okay so let me see this it’s this background screen crap hold on just
Second just GNA take this off and let y’all see my let you see my house what I didn’t know that was possible hey man I just I I just want to try that I never saw it before I didn’t know really what okay I didn’t know you could did that either that’s
Funny all right so now take a look at this let me dang it just doesn’t want to pick up the other screen is what it is this off it’s my daughter look at this see that oh nice that was her getting ready for going to San Antonio to to compete this
Morning so she did that all on her own huh yeah she got up this morning by herself and uh had already eaten breakfast ready to go I’m still asleep I get up and I go walk in there and she’s all dressed and has that on with a B tie
On it’s like man wow she is a rock she is a rock star that’s the difference between boys and girls right there cuz my my son he uh he’s uh a little more challenging to get ready to do anything man I got a weird sound does anybody else hear that weird sound when
You’re talking when Justin’s talking do talk again me me me me me yeah it’s just completely G to me it’s not weird I was thinking you were sounded crisper crisper than usual right right uh see what says um do what I was just going to see
What everyone says we hadn’t got any uh Jason rockenberg says speaking of kid accomplishments my son took the Chris Madrid’s burger challenge and got a free t-shirt so amazing kids all around nice yeah that’s pretty cool very cool Jason do you see do you hear anything weird with his voice just David
Lawson and David y says uh sounds fine uh okay cuz when to so that y’all know when I hear it it sounds like one of those guys that has that thing right here oh it does it totally sounds like you’re holding those microp yeah hey um so I wanted to hold on hold
On D crazy boother me yep watch you that was so bad hold on just a second okay okay I’m going to the actual speakers and stuff on the computer here so if your if your headphones are are direct into your Port sometimes like with with my
Microphone I have to kind of adjust how far it is just like a sweet spot where if it’s not plugged in right I don’t know why it just does not work this is a new microphone but if it’s not perfect oh mine’s on my headset that’s it’s the
Way you sound to me it’s my ear part and not the oh I got you yeah let me I’m G to turn off my other computer because I may be linked to it nice one Jason what did he say he said the sound is fine the content needs
Work Everyone’s a Critic yeah yeah nice I’m actually in the process of uh changing Gros since you’re mentioning that I I got the the degree and everything and I I was joining a I won’t name names but I was joining a grot and they were looking at moving Closer by to
Where I live so I wanted to be supportive of them and and you know hey you got people here so I’ll be glad to and uh I guess they decided not to to move and the communication is just not very they’ll like you know like the day
Of the meeting hey there’s a meeting today it’s like no I can’t I can’t do that so I’m actually looking the move to Temple to the uh there that sucks with any yeah body well I mean I never I never even got a dece card or I didn’t
Even got a a fez or anything so I was like wow yeah I like was you don’t want to be a part of that anyways no if they can’t communicate better and and my whole thing is like I was told like there was a shortage right now or at the timee
Like it was hard to get fezes okay but how far in advance did you know you’re going to be doing this Festival right you knew you were getting people out of it probably should have had one or two fees on standby just saying so well yeah
I mean we just we just chartered our goo last night we had at least 20 extra fezes just in case yeah um and it’s not about the Fez hold on let me respond to Dave beon is going to bed sure it is but well no it’s
Not so much about The Fez but the fact that the it’s indicative of bad planning in my mind right um uh it’s not about the Fez it’s about the fact that you knew this was coming up you didn’t plan ahead and get everything prepared you don’t communicate these are all
Indicative of unhealthy organizations to me right and so it’s a small thing right it’s it’ be like if you conferred a uh a a degree at Blue LOD like ah sorry dude we don’t have an apron for you but we’ll we’ll we at that some time how did you
Not have an apron same thing with the Fez how would you not have a fez so I’m working on on on moving my membership just to well you know that’s one of the things that go ahead that’s that’s one of the things that really pissed me off about
Goad for a while is that they would just all of a sudden spur the moment say we’re gonna have a degree like three days notice or four days notice and it’s like you know what dude I’m a real adult with real commitments I don’t do things like that I you
Know what kind of piss poor planning is that and then you and then the arrogance of the people at the time that were doing that that you know that if you don’t show up on my time then then you know it’s all about
Me so you you got to show up on my time and granted I may sound like that by saying you know you didn’t give me enough notice so it’s not a matter of it being my time it’s a matter of not giving me enough time to plan
Around my adult life right my adult responsibilities and and that just pisses me off with any organization that has the arrogance to think that they can just you know throw crap out at any time for for everybody to to be there the same way with with lodges that don’t look at anybody else’s
Programs or what’s going on in the district or you know in in the general area before planning something like a a degree or a or a fundraiser or something like that or like doing something on the same day that the grandm is going to be within 100 miles of you know that’s
That’s just telling the grandm that he’s not as important as what you think you should be doing on that day and putting your members in a bad situation because they have to choose between am I a loyal member of my Lodge or am I um going to support the grandm
Who’s traveling all over the state trying to get a message out to help us as a fraternity you know that’s I don’t know I just feel as though there’s very few causes to actually Rush a degree and like the only few exceptions I could think of it be
Like military service like you’re about to go overseas or something like that right or fix go to prison if you’re going to prison then yeah you need to have it done before you just in case you get shanked oh okay okay that way you can have Masonic burial services
Afterward that that’s a good reason got you got you so we have different views on that apparently but that’s fine but very few reasons why You’ want to rush that like 4 day notice is that’s not it is that give you time to practice does
It give you time to go over your part does it give you time to to actually prepare something for the for the degrees or anything like that it’s um yeah uh I would say two weeks minimum like two weeks from now like that gives you time to get your team together and
So forth uh Brad Hoff asked what is a grotto um it’s not part of the shrine think of it like so the the it own yeah the analogy I have in my own little head Cannon if you compare like Scottish right to York right right Scottish right
Is more centralized and York rat’s more decentralized right York rat’s more local uh Shrine is more centralized um like one area covering a broad uh one one building covering a broad area and Gro is more decentralized like you you you have grot covering smaller areas so I can’t tell you much
More about it because I haven’t been to a grotto meeting but Grotto is so Grotto is all about fun right it’s it’s not a stuffy organization at all if you’re not having fun at Grotto you’re not doing Grotto y it was never meant to be a stuffy
Organization is that the new one the one that was just chartered yeah in your area this is the goad this is laia this is the golad grto nice the South Texas Grotto I should say because it it uh it really and and we have members from North Texas as well
But we have members from all over this was one of the largest Charters established um needed the grand no that just tells you that people wanted to be a part of the one that I’m a part of that’s okay that’s what it is I mean who cares about laia and the
Presidio and you know fan and Massacre and all that kind of stuff who cares about all that the golad massacre you know it’s not it’s not about that it’s about because I’m this is my brother and so you know people just came out of the Woodworks for this one I can
IAS hold all that ego yeah I know Jason’s eyes are are I I can see them they’re just they’re they’re not they they’re so they’re trying to go back so far it’s it’s like that that thing that kicks back and goes like this trying to roll his eyes
Backwards making him miss the Elks Lodge with all your crap like I should have just stayed in the El Lodge goodness should have just stayed in the but no uh the grot is a is an organ organization that’s a pretty good analogy as far as like right in Scottish the grot is a
Less a less institutionalized uh persan based um appendant body Persian based yes that’s why all the words are Persian and all that it’s well it’s a lot like the shine well so that’s all that’s all Persian stuff whether anybody wants to believe it or not that’s what it is and
And it’s all based off of that that type of you know connection I’m just thinking back to the because I was one of the fortunate few that actually saw the degree it’s like was it Persian like I know the names and everything Are Persian I was like but
Was it were the degrees Persian I’m not I’m not sure I remember if they were it’s doing it again I hope it’s not this damn computer log in on my other computer as well and and move it all over and see if it continues yeah it it’s doing that uh Domo robato
Thing yeah you’re not old enough for that I am I’m generally familiar with it generally very generally very generally got Zack Smith in the house and very and and and interested right yeah well once you get once you get it settled I want to I want to talk about something
So if you want to make that transition if you want to transition I’m doing it right now while we speak go ahead um there was a a post on Facebook that I thought was interesting I think I think post I think based off your response and my response I think we’re
Probably insane but on this but I’d be interested seeing what some of the people in chat say um if you are on an investigating committee and you look on someone’s Facebook as you should right and their profile picture or something like that is is very prominently displaying something that um is is
Illegal right the the the example in post but it’s not illegal it’s not illegal in in all situations in Texas it’s not that’s fair that’s fair that’s fair so I was using two general of a term let’s let’s just be specific I was trying to be careful YouTube and everything Lucy Lucy Goose
But this this particular case they had uh marijuana buds on the profile picture is that correct Dennis am I I remember right so um yeah pictures pictures a pot basically and you’re right there are like some people have uh there’s exceptions right and it’s it’s sure in
General case it’s legal but the whole the whole mentality on that particular substance has really changed a lot like the last 30 years and he did doubt oh you’re still there I’m here hold on what happened I’m not seeing you oh you oh okay like what happened I thought I lost
You is just but the but the whole um the whole mentality on it overall has shifted right the the the question was what would you do if you were on the investigating oh was Brad’s okay it was Brad’s post okay yeah it’s Brad H all right like when I saw it wasn’t if
You’re on it wasn’t if you’re on the investigating committee it’s if you’re if someone asks to join up ask for petition they just want but either way it’s still all things apply right so let’s go ahead and so so yeah they ask for petition or let’s just say you are on investigating
Commit you’re looking him up either way the guy’s not in the fraternity yet he’s at the position at the point where we’re deciding if he’s a good fit right what do y’all think that and and I’m going to kind of withhold my response till I see what
Everyone else says but what do y’all think what would you do if you’re in that position where like you’re going to give a petition but you w’t first or if you’re on the investigating committee and you pull this guy up on Facebook and that’s that’s the first thing you see
When you type in his name it’s just those marijuana buds or or or whatever they are like it’s we’re not talking about something reer man we’re not talking about something marijuana joint we’re not talking about something like like a hard drug that’s that’s way illegal we’re not talking about that
We’re talking about something that’s uh let’s be frank it’s it’s it’s it’s not frowned upon like it used to be but it still kind of has a a stigma um it kind of it has a thank you Zack thank you my friend appreciate that um it
Has yeah I guess we’ll go stigma it has a certain stigma around it still so I’ll quit rambling long enough to see if anyone if anyone has anything to add to that yeah so if the question is if somebody wants to petition the Lodge and you see buds on their face
Yep what what do you Do not I’m not seeing or not do what do you do or what do you not do uh oh what happened here or is it all just doooo is it doooo I did I did uh just disconnect one and I I connected one and then disconnected
The other so that might have freaked you out a little bit in your things yeah is uh is your camera back on yeah it’s coming on hold on okay we’ll give everyone time to respond while we’re doing that there we are was everybody on when I talked about my daughter
She’s awesome yeah we had quite a few people on oh you know what I’m going to do this I’m going to change that picture while you’re waiting for people to respond yes and keep going yeah I don’t well I’ll wait yeah let’s see what let’s see what
They say cuz once we get going we know how it’s going to go the the they the they you know what’s interesting you know what’s interesting is today I’m talking about or not today uh Friday I was talking to my daughter on the way back from from uh gymnastics and
We were you know we talk about aund different things every time we talk and so she brought up how we how they had an experience um she was taught about the experiment with plants where if you talk angry to it and talk angry to one and talk happy to another it affects their
Growth and all that kind of stuff yep so of course me being the the um Dad that I am that talks to my eight-year-old like a little human she uh we it immediately goes into hermetic principles and you know the uh uh sound waves and and what those are
And how they how ultimately it’s all the sound waves and stuff like that and uh then I don’t know how the conversation oh because I was talking about the word of God and and and all that and I said so what are your what do you think about God though
Is is is it a he or a she and she said Dad it’s both I said oh that’s a girl I said so really that’s probably the most appropriate uh time to use the they pronoun because it is male and female qualities that that are the Creator
Right baled up into one and so I just thought about that because I was looking at the uh that hermetic princi uh picture back behind me the rias picture and uh yeah that was pretty awesome conversation with my with my little eight-year-old uh we got some comments
Um let’s let’s uh let’s look at those real quick let get to it let’s get to it yeah let’s get to it so Jacob Atcher says have a discussion Hatcher Thatcher ater a c h e r yep have a discussion about how the organization expects its members to be good law abiding citizens
And see what he says and how to discuss it um de CL says some people make their entire some people make it their entire personality and it can interfere with the way they interact with the world otherwise I don’t care much about it uh Will Davis agrees with Devin uh Brad
Hoff says I used to smoke when I was younger I don’t anymore I don’t even drink for the last 12 years but I still don’t have a problem with it I do think it needs to be brought up in questioning him David Lawson says I think social
Media is fair game to look for for things to discuss with somebody want to join I don’t think that specifically should keeps on out and Jason said he messaged you about it and I’m wait I’m fixing a look at it yeah um I’m trying
To get my arm thing back in my arm is hurting only leave it out of the thing for very long Zach gifted a membership and uh David lawon got that congratulations David thank you Z man I love you man your brother uh Jacob ater says I agree Brad what’s the
Best way to bring it up though it’s something that culturally has been losing the appropriateness but in most Texas instances it’s still illegal I I think that the best way to bring it up I’m not I’m not I’m not addressing the original question I’m just addressing Jacob’s question the
Best way to bring it up is straightforward just straightforward yeah when you’re investigating and when you’re talking with them I no you got this on your profile picture what’s the story man like like how much how much of this do you smoke is this is this your personality is like because
When you beat around the bush details get lost and yeah but I wouldn’t address it like how much you smoke man come on how much you smoke what no you don’t want to do that how would you do moonshine I uh I’d say well I noticed
This on Facebook how important is it to you what is this something that you smoke um for fun or is it I mean I I don’t know is this but tell me about yourself yeah that’s what I just said I would I would mention it there well I
Don’t I wouldn’t go into how much you smoke how much you it’s not like it’s not like there’s a gauge to say okay well he smokes a joint he’s bad he smokes a quarter he’s bad he smokes an ounce he’s bad there’s no gauge I mean
You really don’t know but I can tell you go and I’ll let you go ahead and take it from here and I’ll I’ll jump in with what my answer was online because it’s it’s truly how I feel yeah uh yeah so I’ll answer it from my perspective and this applies to anything
If because I have I have friends that smoke I do I don’t personally I don’t have a problem with it but and I have friends that do it like really good friends that that that do it and and I I don’t care it doesn’t bother to me uh
And I probably I probably know several Masons that do it I don’t know I can’t take off hand but I’m sure I do so that’s not that’s not the issue that’s not the issue with me right um there’s two issues I really two concerns I really have one is public appearance right
Because I know this isn’t like the early 1950s and like everybody knows everybody in town and everything like that but if if if this guy that that is 420 all day every day starts talking about Lodge stuff it it’s going to it’s going to it’s going to make us look kind of like
Well we’re not really we don’t really care who we let in um the other thing is if this guy is going to sometimes when people I don’t know if it’s if it’s your personality meaning that’s that’s what you post I mean if that’s your Prof picture that’s what you post all the
Time uh I really I really you mean that’s your identity that’s your identity personality yes saying well sometimes it is your personality that I’ve I’ve I’ve met people are they smoken I mean that’s you can say it’s your identity but I mean everything they do is based off that it’s like it’s who
They are um that that’s concerning to me right because I don’t know I don’t smoke like I said so I can’t really I can’t really tell you from from that perspective but I do think it’s the same thing with with like drinking like I don’t mind if you have a
Drink or two but if you drink all the time how you gonna how you really GNA improve yourself when you’re not really in your right mind at least some of the time right you going to come to the lodge that way like how you going to
Study how you going to do the memory work how you going to do your research and and work on improving yourself it’s it’s it’s one of those things that um it’s one of those um vices and superfluities that if you cannot divest yourself of it’s going to hold you back from your
Progress and I’m not saying completely dest I’m not saying you can’t I mean I know I think some of the founding fathers probably used it there’s evidence of that like Ben Franklin and those guys that’s fine man I mean if you want to do it like recreationally do it but if that’s like
It’s a red flag to me if that’s on your profile picture because that’s just saying like hey man this is such a big enough part of my life that like like here’s my identity if because you put that your profile picture like like Dennis handed that like that’s that’s
What you that’s you what you identify as like that’s my identity man that’s what I’m about right well and that’s and that’s a lot it’s pretty much how how I put it but I think it’s kind of it shows the lack of oh I forgot to
Grab my my glasses and look at Jason’s message um I think it shows a lot of of uh oh my goodness maturity it’s a it’s a lack of maturity so that’s something that you would expect to see from you know the high school Stoners and whatever you know there there was always
Pot leaves drawn on all the all the folders and stuff like that and you know you were cool because you did it but I can’t see that as being uh a productive thing to have on on Facebook I mean it’s it’s just like when you’re you know you see pictures of
People with uh bud in their hand a Budweiser in their hand or or a Jack or or something like that all the time if every picture is centered around you drinking and smoking a cigar then you know you’re saying that’s your personality well if he drinks Bud wer that’s a red flag
Anyway butt wiper but but uh but seriously though if that’s if that’s your if you’re putting stuff like that on on Facebook that is your you that is what you want people to know about your identity and and I don’t know that that’s what we want as as a candidate
Now do I care if he smokes I don’t care I just don’t care yeah it’s not it’s just like I don’t care if somebody drinks but when you know it’s obsessive then I I take issue with it yeah you know I I don’t I don’t like people that are always
Um pushing their religions down my throat yep I agree I am a man of Faith but I don’t need you to save me I’m a pretty intelligent man and I can discern right from wrong good good from bad and I’m not going to say good from Evil either that’s that’s
Another term I hate is Good from Good and Evil you know I I I think that that people that that tend to go to those extremes in one thing are likely to go to those extremes in in other things it’s it’s like uh well it’s the addictive personality right yeah it’s it’s obsessive
Compulsive type behavior and I and I really I’m not a fan of that and that that’s been my experience like I didn’t really want to say it but I mean it has been my experience too like the people that where they make it their identity there there’s some kind of neur
Neuropathy that that kind of tends to start presenting itself like they get neurotic and start developing these their behavior begins to change um dramatically in a negative way right and granted I’ve known some hippies like like they smoke regular right but the people that make it like this is like
They wake they wake and bake they wake and bake and they are under the influence the entire day um I don’t know I I just it it it doesn’t seem to affect everybody the same way so I’m not trying to because I’ve known I mean I’ve known like I said
I’ve known hippie to me that to me that seems like that’s that you know what their God is right yeah yes yes yes exactly yes that’s that’s what yeah they worship at the altar of of that well they’re trying to get like the people I known I think there’s two ways to look
At it there’s some people that do it recreationally but there’s other people that do it to try to get away from reality right and I think those are the people that they’ll develop those neurotic tendencies that that’s a better way that’s been my experience so right
And and to be and you hit on something that’s I I I posted about in response and I think it’s accurate like like the specific question was about the marijuana right it’s not like an old guy he was about the marijuana but by that same token if if
This dude is like like an alcoholic right like his profile pictures like I mean if you open his Facebook profile and it look like a just like a frat boy all the time right right then then and like I I was Pro prop n right so I don’t
Have an issue if you want to have it alcoh like if you want to have a drink at loss if you want to have the alcohol if you want to have the alcohol I don’t care but but the thing is like if that’s your personality and people are going to be
Clicking like hey this guy’s a member of the lodge to see what what what he’s about right it how’s it going to look yeah we’re still on the devil’s lettuce Tren but long story short like I don’t care like what you do in your own what
Your what you do in your own life is is your business man but we had to we have to be careful that the people we let in don’t reflect negatively on the fraternity and that that doesn’t to say that that’s a negative thing if you do
That but if that is your identity and that affects your personality and the way you behave throughout the majority of the day that is concerning that is a red flag yeah sorry I had message yeah well I got something too that’s that’s what I’m I’m steing messages here
Um but I mean if someone smokes like I can be your friend I don’t care I really like like I said some of my best friends smoke it doesn’t doesn’t affect me it doesn’t bother me but um I don’t know but if if if but I’ve also had friends that smoke and
It it it did become a problem right because that’s that’s uh um one example I had a really good friend that I I pretty much grew up with and then he got out of the military came back and he moved in with me and my my my girlfriend at the time
My wife now and he smoke he wak and baked smoked all day long and he eventually had to start going to like a mental hospital right um it ruined our friendship the guy was like a brother to me and ruined our friendship and so like like like I said I have friends that
Smoke and but they don’t they don’t come to work like that like we don’t hang out they’re not like that all the time right this guy was like all day long all day long so it just it’s very concerning if when I see that as like your profile
Picture or your banner or if I open your your Facebook page and it was like I clicked on the fra boys uh Facebook or something like that well it it basically just shows your priorities so if if somebody if if somebody tells you hey man I’d prefer that you don’t
Come to Lodge Half Baked and then you’re and and you decide you’re not going to come to Lodge anymore because you can’t be half baked that’s a problem and so I that’s where I kind feel about it because I feel the same way with drinking if you if you can’t
Not drink then that’s a problem if you see a bar and you feel like you have to order a drink that’s a problem yeah you know and then if you if you drink and you can’t stop you think you’re perfectly fine but you’re not you can’t stop and you make
Yourself look ignorant that’s a problem you know that’s that’s where I draw the line you know I don’t it’s one of the reasons why I sit down with a single M because I I will sip on that for you know half the night and then get another get another drink
And and uh and I’m good I am more than good with just two drinks in that night I’m able to function talk visit you know have a good time but the guys that you know drink and then drink and then drink and I really don’t like people that make that
Do drinking games and stuff like that I just I’m not that guy yeah but that’s my personality I mean I I I’m a thinker and I can’t think if I’m half baked all the time yeah yeah yeah that that’s always my thing like I I uh I don’t like anything
That’s really going to distract me from if I need to be able to focus on something or if I need to be able to think critically that that’s I don’t like to be where I can’t do that for a long period of time if that makes sense and
Yeah and and it’s exactly why I can’t partake in anything that stays in your system long term because what I’m too responsible what happens if something happens to my kids man I don’t want to be that [ __ ] that’s that’s drooling all over himself and thinks he’s functioning taking his kid to the
Hospital I I’m yeah I that’s tough man that’s that’s a tough conversation but I’ve also I’ve also known people people that that use they smoke and they they function completely normally like like uh I have a family member that I never knew like like he smokes daily never knew functions
Completely normal and it kind of levels them out right helps out right but I uh then again I know other people that like man that dude’s that dude’s messed up Will Davis says someone you trust to be around your family without you there if you’re baked all day or drink too
Much it’d be hard yeah it’s the same thing yeah he says it’d be hard for the get past the same thing like we’re talking about something very specific and any brothers here I don’t want you to feel like you’re being targeted because you can say the same thing about
Alcohol like if I have a brother that’s why I keep bringing that up because if if you’re if I can’t trust you to be with my family if if something were to happen to my family and you cannot take the actions necessary to take care of
Them as my brother mhm then I find that offensive to me I I I don’t have any use for you as a brother if you can’t take on that responsibility of of taking care of my family if I’m not there and I think that really brings up really the
Core of everything I think that we’re kind of trying to say without saying it because this kind of points it out if if you’re petitioning my Lodge and if I look through your if I if I look through your Facebook and if I meet with you and
Talk with you and I still don’t feel like I would trust you around my family there you go but right if if like I seen something that raises my eyebrows but I talk to you you’re like yeah I’m not really like that I just y y y okay that’s fine I
Think that really comes down to that like like if I if I could trust you and if I still feel comfortable around you and I feel like my my you wouldn’t be the bad influence on my family and like you would like feels emergency and I’m
Like hey I need you to wash my kids this is this is something like I know this is like SE in my pants but I need you to do it if I can’t trust you to do that that that tells me all I need to
Know I guess yeah and if I can’t trust you that you’re not going to be that guy that says oh I’d rather you smoke this with me than with somebody at your school I’d rather I’d rather you do it with me than at home rather than do it
With your friends at school [ __ ] no I don’t want you doing it in my home with with my kids uhuh oh did I just say the f word I sure did you sure did sorry tube of the u tube of the U um now Jason says what a lot of people say
Which is you know while it’s legal in in at the state level in many cases it’s still e illegal at a federal level and so basically it’s illegal right at the end of the day it’s illegal well here’s here’s my thing in 19 10 alcohol was illegal I
Uh I don’t think things like this is I don’t think this is anybody’s business really yep whe whether somebody does it or not Recreation and I don’t think the government has any right to tell people they can’t do it now they do have every right to prosecute them fully and take
Them to jail if they cause accidents or start fights or anything because of it yeah abolutely there’s already laws that cover that right if if they’re hurting other people if they’re infringing on other people’s rights with that then I have a big problem with it but if they don’t then you
Know why do you care why do I care the only care I have is is if it’s uh going to interfere with with our Brotherhood and with our fames that’s a problem yeah that’s that’s all I care about because tomorrow it may be completely legal all
Over the nation and we just kept a hundred guys out of our fraternity over something that’s completely illegal today that wasn’t ille that wasn’t legal yesterday yeah well no I I agree like at the end of the day it’s not a question I ask when I investigate people because really I
Don’t care right that’s your business like you said it’s when I start but when I when I’m investigating and it comes up I I do get concerned but it’s not something I like actively like go after and ask about or anything like that um what’s funny what I just got in
Trouble he didn’t want me to read that to everybody but it’s but it’s but that’s but you’re right though it is it is basically legal it it I mean it is basically illegal and so that’s a Justified answer and you know while I don’t agree with the answer and and I
Know that it it seems like with your reply here that that’s not really how you feel about it but technically yeah it it is still illegal and you know we do say we’re going to conform to the laws of of the land and and the laws of
Our bod so you’re right it you know it’s something we have to think about but at the same time we can only we’re also told to only keep people out for uh felonies of moral turpitude you’re right or or convictions of moral turpitude I would say because you can’t prove anything that’s not
Convicted right I did I did wonder why you read it when he when he messaged it to you I was like why did he just post it in the chat if he didn’t care if you read it he said it wouldn’t it well that’s the thing is he said it wouldn’t
There’s not enough space on the chat so he’s sending it to me and I thought well okay I’ll read it I got you that makes sense oh I love it I love it man I love you Jason I do I do it was so good to see you in deela
Last night at at the the chartering I I was so happy we hadn’t been together like that in a while and and man last night was refreshing it really was had all of our brothers that we that we love and admire around the state came in to to support
Lahia uh Grotto and like I said I do think that they were saying that we are the largest chartered uh Grotto in many years and uh you know we had the Grands coming in from New York and and uh oh so if you want to understand Grotto our our international meeting our
Next meeting uh big meeting is in June and it’s down in in the in Louisiana down on Bourbon Street in Louisiana yeah in New Orleans that’s louisian when is this in new Orin that’s uh that’s the official Grand whatever thing I it’s like a grand communication except it’s with Grotto
Interesting that might so I might actually go to the Grand The Grotto Grand communication before I actually make it to a a steady meeting anywhere at this rate but that’d be fun do do what said I might make it to The Grotto uh Grand session before I actually even get to
Sit it on a state meeting at this point my first meeting is goingon to be the grand session yep I um I’m looking at going the the the hotel rooms are only $135 a night on Bourbon Street that’s just amazing Bourbon Street Jason sent me a wanted [Laughter]
Poster oh and I’m on it yes I made it B to the big times baby Aus says says I am well I haven’t gone to uh I haven’t been at one of your stadi meetings yet either unless you count the actual one of I got the degree
Oh that wasn’t Jason that sent that that was the that was a while back by by Trent I was looking at something else I’m sorry wasn’t Jason I got you he’s not that cool he’s not as cool as Trenton Trenton’s pretty cool right he can’t make a spreadsheet
Like Den like Jason does though I know I mean that’s limitations oh sorry man Austin said Inner Circle gathering in Nolan to what he said he said uh a hem in Circle gathering in Nolan 23rd of March he’s alluding to like if a lot of inner circle people are going to the
Grand session we should meet up informally oh I’ve have never been to is that not the one in New Orleans you’re talking about no that’s that’s June 1st and 2nd it’s the weekend of June the 2 that’s the grand whatever it is for for The Grotto oh tell us what it is Jason
And Austin tell us what it is y’all should know what’s a okay yeah I’m not sure what you’re saying then Austin because I’m I’m a brand new chter member I I don’t know all about this stuff but I know it’s awesome The Grotto we we get to go and
Have Fellowship have fun and we raise some money for uh the dental needs of of children with with certain illnesses and I think it’s awesome being able to to help a kid smile is is awesome oh okay I’m sorry he 23rd of March is KNX Lux I guess Nola is their
Little short for KN Lux okay oh well I thought I thought it was like short for New Orleans why would I go to that when the phant and Memorial is on people oh my gosh got you you compare yourself to the phanta memorial down in golad Texas are you kidding
Me what kind of Texan do you call yourself nice Austin oh yeah he’s from El Paso that’s not really Texan Austin message me and let me know where the meeting is actually going to be and I want to try to be there oh my gosh because you’re too much of a loser to
Make it down to golad where you should be golad is like 48 hours away some people some people call themselves Masons and some people are real traveling men I mean it’s well some people call me a space cowboy no they do not I can assure you
That is not a term that comes to the lips of anyone who knows you or has even met that’s funny sometimes they call me a gangster of Love Actually on some people call me Maurice oh my gosh are we going to go through this the whole night actually the 23rd of September I
Invite everyone to come to the Symposium at Triune Lodge and the cost is $50 and there are here I’m going to pull that up real quick that is an awesome flyer too I love the the speaker lineup is Right worful Brad villains pass grandm right worful Roberto Sanchez pass
Grand Master Larry Fitzpatrick allaround badass Robert Park all around esoteric bad Chris Williams all around Texas Masonry badass Brad kohen once Texas now aranan aranan whatever they are whatever they are whatever they are fad Dr David Hill one of my very favorite people and deep esoteric badass oh and Dennis Yates Dennis Yates
Is on this list he’s just a badass he’s a guy not es he’s not esoteric he’s not exoteric he’s just a badass and then Brother Carlos worshipful Carlos kantu the worshipful master for training Lodge who will be on our show very soon as our Flagship uh interview for our Premier Lodges of the
World and uh what this is Justin and I talked about it and what it is is it’s uh lodges that we believe are doing masonry uh to the fullest and uh really doing something to help the fraternity and their brothers and uh both on a large scale and individually and
Uh yeah they got it going on and I’m I’m excited that they’re going to be our Flagship interview there’s actually quite a few good just that that I know of in Texas I mean that I mean we could that series could take quite a while just talking with all
These successful Lodgers and there’s more and more successful lers as time goes on so well yeah the I do want this to be a worldwide thing though so you know there’s uh people that I know in Australia and and the UK that that I’d
Like to get on the show and um and I’m sure they will all they got to do is ask and uh but but yes you’re right we have many Premier lodges in in Texas now are all of our lodges premere absolutely not should all of our lodges be in in sanction
No but we’ve got a few oh definitely and that’s where you should be that’s where you should be as a symposium so you can hear some of the brightest Minds from some of the brightest lodges in uh in Texas that’s I’m dead serious that’s why those lodges are successful because they have these
Kind of Brothers in there uh keeping them going yep pushing them forward and I you bring up something that’s interesting I think a lot of people assume if you go to like a successful Lodge that everyone has always been on the same page the entire time and often they’re even then they’re
Not always 100% all on the same page right uh it really it always starts with like one guy and and they start pushing before you know you have two guys and it goes from there right it’s it’s a a larious a larious success or or demise ultimately
Rests on the hands of a few people because most people just are most people don’t take action right they’re there but they’re not taking action and they’re they’re kind of a victim and I’m not trying to like be negative towards anybody but they’re kind of a victim to whatever way the
Wind the waves take them so if a LOD is unsuccessful are they a victim though no they’re not because they’re not saying anything okay but but they’re they’re um you’re right they’re not victims but they’re being carried by whichever way the winds take them and they’re allowing that to happen right
But you’re right like but if you go to like a like a dying Lodge and if you look it’s because most people are pretty apathetic and you got one or two guys there that are just driving it to the ground probably not even intentionally hopefully not intentionally but they’re
Driving it to the ground and if you look at that’s with any or yeah yeah absolutely yeah I’m not saying that that we’re we’re different I’m just saying I’m just throwing that out there for our listeners that that aren’t Masons I mean as for any organization you know if you’re not if
You’re not doing something about it you’re part of the problem yeah if you’re not part of the solution you’re part of the problem but if you look at and simple if you look at really healthy lodges again I usually my experience with healthy lodges you have more people
Pushing in the right direction then you have unhealthy Lodge people pushing it the wrong direction but I think it’s cuz it takes more people to keep rolling that Boulder uphill if that makes sense um and I think once people get what they’re looking for out of Freemasonry
They get behind that people don’t really get behind stuff that kills the organization but they get behind things that are actually providing what they sign up for but it’s still it’s not the majority my point is my point is if you want to see your Lodge be successful
It’s got to starts it’s it starts with one or two people right it’s not it’s not like hey let’s get everybody on the same page and suddenly we can start making changes no you recognize no but you recognize the changes need to be made and you start pushing that you start pushing the
Changes and and I’d like to bring up something because you say something that a lot of young Masons uh mistake mistake um they mistake and create mistakes the pushing doesn’t mean being the thorn in the side of of everybody uh saying that nothing’s good unless it’s your way that’s not what
This is though I had I had a young brother the other day called me that is uh is pretty young in the fraternity and his lodge is uh is having a really rough time right now and he has taken over the seat of the secretary in in um out of
Necessity though he wants to continue on to help you know that’s that’s his goal his job his goal is to actually help he wants to be that person that makes a difference right and he says so um how do I do this he he
He messaged me and said so how do I do this how do I go about uh making the changes that need to be made to to the lodge and I said well you can’t it’s it’s not you that makes the changes it’s the lodge that makes the changes you have to you have
To um in that position what you have to do is make sure you’re absolutely correct on everything that is said and done because you have a responsibility to make sure that you are correct in every situation that you uh give your blessing to right you’re not pushing anything you’re
Helping the way that you you gain support is by offering to help and then people will gravitate to that M you you say you know we can’t do this this is illegal we can’t do this but I tell you what we can do this and I’ll
Help put this in place and and we can and we can go from there and give them better options right you don’t want to just be the guy in the background like the old Past Masters that are always talking crap about everything you want
To try and do you want to you want to give people options say okay so we really cannot do this legally um but here’s some options let’s let’s try these things and and see where we can go and but you better know for sure that that and where it comes from where
It’s legal or illegal or whatever you have to know your stuff so we go in and we help we don’t go in and and try to force our way in anything yep you know we it’s a very important thing to point out the change that we we are trying to be is the
Helpful uh The Helpful Mason man and Mason that uh has the ability to carry out the necessary goals of the lodge and extremely happy to help and be of service to your Lodge for servant leaders absolutely uh we got a few we got a few comments here let’s let’s go through these real
Quick uh bradhoff says and this is very good question uh what do you consider a successful Lodge is that new members roll again keeping members engaged what is it um let me there’s a few answers let me let me hit these answers why you have why you think about it so Austin why
Says you know you do the basics it’s good balance good ritual good Fellowship good education leverage the talent of your members uh Brad says what if we have no new members we have good education no Fellowship outside Lodge but aren’t losing members other than death but tenance is
Down um David says David Lawson says if you push for change you can get accused of Discord you can uh but that goes either way I think and I think it goes back to what Dennis is saying like you have to you have to I would rather be
Accused for Discord than accused for being uh filled with apathy well if you love your Lodge would you rather get accused of Discord or watch it turn in the charter right or watch it be forced to merge I’d rather I mean I’m sure Dennis and I have both been accused of Discord
Numerous times because of the content we put here uh but you know what um I feel like I feel like based off the conversations I have I think this is doing good things for the fraternity and I think people are taking this back to their lodges and
And doing good things in The Lodges so my point is you can’t the only way to keep everyone happy is to do nothing say nothing be nothing right so yes if you want to start raising the bar at your Lodge I’m sure you’ll get accused you’ll
Get eyebrows raised um the only way to avoid that is just be apathetic which is what most people are doing right speaking of Discord um and I’m just just going to use this as an example even though we’re we’re really past this at this point but you know look at Grand
Lodge leading up to Grand Lodge and in Grand Lodge there were thousands of Brothers accusing me of just being the biggest bastard there is for ruining Freemason all I wanted to do was give the West the vote and what happened when the West voted when they got their vote
They made the changes y you know there’s going to be people that are always going to tell you that that you can’t do that this is wrong this is uh this is going to kill the fraternity this is going to do th this or that and in some cases
Yeah you you may kill the fraternity or you may kill it in your Lodge if you if you aren’t thinking about the culture of your Lodge and the and you don’t have a real pul on the on the The Lodge if you don’t have your finger on the pulse I
Can assure you the the uh last year there was no finger on the pulse of of Texas Freemasonry that’s for sure and that was proven it was bleeding out well it it was proven and they said it’s not going to happen another year in a row yeah
Also sorry go ahead goad I was GNA say well I think I was gonna say Austin had a good point a few minutes ago but you can’t be afraid of Discord yeah but you also don’t need to be that jackass that that doesn’t know how to appropriately approach someone who’s
Who’s taking your your Lodge into the ground um there’s a way to do everything and and it’s not by being confrontational in front of people and and being ugly um and it’s definitely not based on feeling MH it’s it’s based off of logic and intellect and um that
Old saying that I always say that J says do you remember Justus for the lodge do it you’re damn straight it’s good for the lodge do it if it’s not good for the lodge don’t do it it’s that simple yeah bradhoff says Marcus aurelus said doing nothing is an injustice I
Like that yes it is but Austin Austin white says also do not hide behind peace and Harmony um sometimes a fight is needed to obtain peace that’s what we did in January man and and I’m not saying I I didn’t fight I didn’t fight it was it
Was it was an uphill battle man uh we didn’t come to blows it wasn’t like a like a literal fight but no you fought the entire we all fought some fought harder than others but we all fought for to get awareness out right it was right it was exhausting man and I can
Only you you were like at the front line so I can only imagine um yeah I don’t know I felt like it was a fight but well we worked real hard yeah we worked real hard we did what we thought was right I I was going to point
On something and I totally got lost track let me scroll back up here real quick uh oh the question original question and we’ll kind of wrap up with this I think was what is a successful Lodge like what what do you how would you go into a lodge and say this is a
Successful Lodge I think I think the internal reflects the external right and so what I’m going to say is sound very it’s going to sound very superficial and vice versa yes and vice versa if you go to a lodge and it is a nice clean M well-maintained
Building with good food and you go into and I’m thinking of Hillcrest I’m actually mentally walking through Hillcrest as I talk about this and you go into the LOD room and you’re like wow this is a nice place this is really good and then the meeting starts and you have
An agenda and everyone knows what they’re there for and you have your education and then you have a program for after the lodge right you have things you do outside of the lodge with your brothers too uh these are all like criteria to me like it you can tell a successful Lodge
From going in it you can tell an unsuccessful Lodge from going into it right and I’m not saying if your Lodge isn’t like wow when you walk into the lodge room that you’re not a successful Lodge yet but they reflect one another right if your Lodge is is successful
Internally then over time it’s not nothing nothing is immediate in Freemasonry but once you start turning over your Lodge and you start making successful decisions over time your Lodge will reflect that because you’re making wise choices um I mean what Su what successful Lodge would want moldy carpet and hot dogs and
Whatever that smell is that’s been on my clothes whenever I leave for the last 6 months right what what what successful Lodge would say ah this is good we have education so this is fine I think I think everything informs it all these different all these different
Um aspects of a lodge inform one another so if you’re doing really well in this aspect these start to do better um you can’t just lift one thing up and everything else just stay down if that makes sense as you raise that bar as you raise that Watermark everything Rises with
It what do you think Dennis what constitutes a successful Lodge there’s a a few different things that I look at when I’m going to lodes when I speak it’s never just about me going and speaking every time I walk into a lodge I walk in
And I take due notice to the energy in the room right I look around and see if you’ve got people huddled in certain areas and you know hiding away talking about things and you know other people being so obnoxious that they’re you know ear you know they’re not being considerate other people
Having opportunities to speak within their you know during their dinners and stuff like that they just feel like they have to steal the show and and uh and all that when when you have a successful Lodge you see everybody engaged with each other right and you don’t see a bunch of
Clumps of of people doing this and that don’t see Whispering back and forth on on uh things when I’m when I’m in a lodge room I’m watching what the you know during the opening and the closing of the ritual I’m watching the expression of of
People in the room and this is just my nature this is what I do when back when I before I owned my transmission shops I was a coach to uh to some of the chains up there in the Dallas area um Eagle Transmissions if y’all I’m sure y’all heard of them
Um and so I would go from uh from shop to shop and then and then it expanded further than eagle and I would go in I would identify the issues within the the uh with the processes that they that they take in all that they do and
And then I was able to pinpoint where they needed to fix it I talking to somebody about this the other day that Lodge is the same way there’s certain things that you know that will tell you if a lodge is healthy or not the very first thing is the energy in the room
When or actually the very first thing is when you’re driving up curve appeal of that Lodge is the very first thing that’ll tell you if that Lodge is healthy or not because if you feel good on the inside you’re going to look good on the outside you don’t want anybody
Thinking that you’re a pathetic little Lodge that nobody cares about in in the eyes sord to the community plain and simple then when you walk in you notice that there’s a a great energy to the room that all the brothers are engaged having fun with their conversation um cutting up with each
Other a little bit you know taking pokes at each other you know and and nothing that’s going to hurt anyone’s feelings in a real way but just uh just having some fun and being able to enjoy themselves around each other then you move into the into the
LOD room oh you you also notice if you have um hot dogs or not if you’re getting sandwiches for dinner you know that’s I’m not a big fan even if you’re going and buying it from HB and they’re the customade sandwiches I’m not a fan of sandwiches every time at dinner even
If they’re you know every once in a while croissant sandwiches is cool um but having at every other meeting is not cool to me I agree that’s uh that’s not a successful Lodge if you can’t afford to feed the lodge then then that’s not successful because that’s that’s part of
What we do is we we break bread get so beyond that you go in and and uh and of course I’m always looking at the cleanliness of everything beyond that I go into the lodge and and I noticed how how they manage their their collars and their aprons for for
The lodge are they just secondary thought where they get thrown on the chair or is there a place for them and are they taken good care of do they care about those Jewels do they really care about them or are they just second secondary a secondary thought
MH everyone should have a the proper housing for their jewels and their aprons that’s just ridiculous if you don’t if you have stained aprons that’s not a successful Lodge that’s somebody who doesn’t care enough about what their duty is because it it clearly states a white apron yeah white whsh clearly white Pure
White it it’s it’s not you know blood stain ketchup stain piss stain whatever whatever that stain is that yellow stain that’s at the bottom of that apron I do not want to think that somebody wore it into a bathroom right then you walk into then you walk into the lodge and
And like I said if they’re if the aprons aren’t taking care of they’re usually hanging on the chairs people are sitting on them when they’re when you’re not in Lodge they’re sitting on the aprons and the and the jewels everything’s messed up and and so they obviously have no they don’t care about
That then you get to the ritual you know opening and closing a lodge is ex extremely important extremely in fact we Justin and I have spoken on this many times that the ritual is the only thing that really separates us from all the rest of the Civic groups the
Ritual do you care enough about your ritual to open and close Lodge properly do you care enough about ritual that you use the proper uh influ in your voice during certain parts do you pause for dramatic effect during other parts and and do you increase your
Your tone and and the joy that you feel in other parts ritual is so important and it’s not just about memorizing the words it’s about the delivery it’s the okay Jus I’ll be back it’s it’s about the delivery it’s about the experience you want to kill your Lodge show all the young Masons
That are coming into your Lodge that you could care less about the ritual that they just spent all this time learning themselves and show them that it means nothing to you in your Lodge that’ll kill your Lodge those guys will walk out because it’s a bait and switch they
Didn’t get what they thought they were going to get you want to know why some people don’t show up and do the work and learn the stuff that they that they’re supposed to learn after getting that in Apprentice degree because it was a pathetic degree and they didn’t see the value in what
They just did is that not just the most heartbreaking thought to any m who gives two shits about what we’re doing in life think about it so when we start our stated meetings even if it’s even if it’s a business meeting we are preparing our hearts and
Minds for the work set before us right so the lodge as most people in the world already know represents King Solomon’s Temple King Solomon’s Temple housed the Ark of the Covenant the Ark of the Covenant housed the spirit and intellect of God that’s what it was so if your Lodge represents King
Solomon’s Temple and King Solomon’s Temple was the house of the holies that held the Ark of the Covenant why do you think we have ritual to open and close it’s to prepare ourselves to be holy in that way so that we will be able to make decisions as gentlemen in
Harmony peace and Harmony is not an end result peace and Harmony is how you go into that conversation peace and Harmony happens when you take the ritual seriously and you’re listening to it while you’re saying it and you believe it and when those new people coming in
See that you believe what you’re talking about you’ll never lose those people and they will want to be just like you well and then they’re gonna and then they’re going to be so excited that they’re G to tell everybody that they know that they A new
Mason that’s going to bring you your new members so if you want to kill your Lodge have bad ritual you w to you want to have a successful Lodge have good ritual and plain and simple you you can’t that’s the very you can’t have a healthy Lodge without good ritual no no
That’s where all of our lessons are if we don’t understand what we’re going through if that has no real value to us then how are we becoming better in any way and how are we going to be the mentors to that new guy that’s coming in
The door looking to us for all the answers how is that going to be possible so you want to wonder you wonder why you lose membership it’s not because people are lazy it’s because you were lazy PL and simple just like there about everybody the dentist is medicated so
I’m going to tell you I I’m not I I am am just as bad as anyone else right when I say you it’s because I don’t have time to to beat around the bush and be all politically correct so that it caters to your feelings because the reality
Is is if your Lodge is having problems it’s because of your piss poor performance and everybody else in your lodge because if it wasn’t if it wasn’t your piss poor performance people would see how you value your Freemasonry and they would be attracted to it they are I say these
Controversial things all the time I piss people off on a regular basis but at the end of the day they come back because they love me because they know that I love the fraternity there’s a com they know they know it means something to me
I like to hit on real quick but before we hit on that go ahead I would just like to say I I don’t disagree fundamentally with what you said but also keep in mind like if you have have these these newer people they’re the product of their raising right like I’ve
Hinted this I’ve said this before like if if you’re raised in a lodge with bad practices you’re going to expect bad practices right you don’t necessarily know what a good Lodge looks like and so I mean it’s still everybody’s it the the health of the lodge is the accumulation
Of everybody’s efforts right but as a as a new member well I’m just saying they have go out and travel that’s the importance of traveling you have to see the this is part of the Reas why we’re going to start highlighting these these healthy these successful lodges because you
Don’t know what you don’t know and I guess that’s just really what I’m trying to get at especially these new guys they don’t know what they don’t know I mean yeah the the burden of The Lodges sucess is on everybody’s shoulders but if you don’t know what healthy Lodge looks like
You have to travel um Gnostic man says the issue in our lodge is the new guard do as much as they can while working full-time jobs but the Old Guard gets really really accept when things aren’t done on their schedule but they won’t volunteer well if they won’t volunteer
Then I I think that that’s that’s it right there right yeah who cares get who cares what they think y if they’re not putting granted I’m sure that they kept the lodge alive for decades before this Resurgence this Renaissance we have right so I’m not saying blow them off
But if you can’t make them happy you just can’t make them happy don’t worry about don’t sometimes we get so focused on trying to appease people and getting their approval that we we lose track of what really we need to be doing right do what needs to be done like like Dennis
Says if it’s good for the lodge do it and if it’s not don’t do it if it’s good for the lodge just do it and do it in your your best capacity right younger guys we have jobs we got families do it in your best capacity and
If it’s not best according to their timeline they can either Step Up or just let them complain because sometimes that’s just what past measures want to do and in five 10 years their complaints really won’t probably have mattered anyway right I would like to i’ would like to say that that oh my
Goodness I okay go ahead read another one because I’m gonna I’m gonna reply to this in just a second because I’m gonna uh Charles of says he’s attending his first lodge meeting tomorrow and he’s very very excited to spend the evening with his brothers well congratulations Charles that’s that’s very exciting
First meeting is always fun um so are you are so are you an ined apprentice Charles he didn’t say but yeah respond let us know if you’re I’m curious what’s going on there so here’s here’s how I feel about those those field guys that are that are causing issues because of timing I
Think I think we all have a responsibility to attempt to um appease the bulk of the membership not just the few and yeah there there are times when the few are the ones that are that are making all the decisions because they’re the ones that are showing up but you know they also
It’s like the people that I’m that I don’t like about uh the people I didn’t like within my Lodge uh that used to call a a degree two or three days before it was going to happen you know they’re going to just decide so we’re at floor
School on Wednesday and they’re going to decide oh we’re going to do a degree on on this guy he just put in his proficiency tonight we’re going to do it on Monday not caring about what anybody else thinks and that’s crappy that’s shitty and if and if you’re that brother
Then yeah that’s no good if you’re doing that and that’s hurting the the the feelings of these older guys then yeah you need to pay attention to what they’re saying because in reality you should be planning your time better and if you have these things scheduled out
In Far Enough Advance then nobody has an excuse not to be there right they can they can plan around it I tell everybody if it’s not in my calendar I’m not going to be there and I’m not going to feel bad about not being there either and if
You give me any crap about it I’m going to tell you exactly where you can put your calendar so so it B bottom line is if if you’re not planning properly for your Lodge then you need to step back and and reassess what you’re doing because while
I agree that you don’t cater to the guys especially the guys that have all this time off and then they they get mad because you want to do a a lodge meeting at let’s say 8 o’clock at night because every nobody can get there oh good example good example so for years my
Scottish R club would meet at six o’clock in the evening dude I’m an hour and 15 minutes away from my Scottish right Club how am I GNA get off work at five o’clock get home change clothes and then get back to that’s funny did you see me pointing
And then you see the the thumbs up that’s going to come up here in just a second watch it’s so funny I’m just sitting here going like this and all of a sudden this thumbs up came up on the screen see it but anyways watch watch so anyways it’s
Working there it is there it is see watch it see there how’ you so anyways squirrel yeah anyways it’s all about it’s all about planning and and and it tells us to do that in our degrees if we pay attention to our ritual we know that we already know that we’re supposed to
Be planning out our stuff our ritual tells us all this stuff and we don’t pay attention and we wonder why there’s no peace and Harmony in our lodge because there’s no balance we’re not trying to work things out I had I had that Lodge that uh my group my my Scottish F club
That met at 6 o’clock there’s no way in hell I would be able to get there on time I have a hard time getting up to San Antonio too and they meet at seven o’clock but I do I I can just barely make it but you know driving all this
Distance and you want membership right so driving all this distance and if you have to go through traffic in Dallas or Houston or San Antonio that’s that’s a long hul man that’s a lot of work to get to Lodge so you have to plan and you
Have to plan at a time of of the evening to where Brothers can make so if if your working brothers can’t get to Lodge until 7:30 then that’s when you should make your your uh times for your for your degrees and stuff like that if you’re concerned about starting a master’s
Degree at 8 o’clock at night then maybe you should schedule it on a Saturday three weeks out so everybody can plan that Saturday y you know that’s that’s the the kicker on that but I get it you have these few that don’t do anything and then they want to they
Want to control what happens in the lodge even though they’re not doing anything to support the lodge right I get it you know their their one vote counts and they’re $25 per per capita that their $ $500 endowment pays for or almost pays for that counts M you know that’s uh and
Their time counts well it does to a degree because all of our time counts but don’t don’t be that guy that just is arrogant and plans something three days out and says well this is when everybody else can make it you should be able to make it too that’s that’s just [ __ ]
Yeah so it goes both way go both ways so now we’re in the go ahead I was going to say I answer your question Charles deru said he’s EA oh very cool then very cool and then we had another comment uh River Cloud said he was rais on the 29th of last
Month and uh it just got me thinking not to derail the conversation it just got me thinking I don’t know about you but I’ve noticed like we get so many people now like hey I’m I’m thinking about joining or I just got my degree or I
Just was raised and it wasn’t like that two three years ago and so it’s it’s very exciting to see all these new people hopping in excited about Freemasonry um it we’ve said it before like we’re in a masonic Renaissance and it really feels like it man it’s seen
All this is a good time to be Amon I’m telling you yeah yeah well and and you know if I I almost it’s also a double-edged sword though because I feel responsible for some of the things that I’ve said that could deter a young brother as well you know I don’t want
You to go to your LOD looking for the stuff that we talked about don’t do that you need to go to Lodge looking for the best in your L and then as you go you’ll you’ll see some of these other things and you’ll know what what needs to be
Addressed later on after you’ve learned all the work that you need to learn you’ve still got a long ways to go you know you don’t go into a lodge rambunctious thinking that you know um these guys are crazy this you know the way they’re doing things is just not
What Justin and and Dennis said and well yes dentist is 99.99999% right um that one 0.000000001 time will get you in the ass every time I’m telling you it’ll bite you in the ass so you know while we we do say a lot of things that are correct
The you know we we don’t want you to just jump in and and and uh destroy your experience going through this because it it’s mostes it’s made to make you reflect it’s made to make you start considering right right just because you when it’s your turn what kind ofon do
You want to be Y what kind of Mason do you want to be that’s what that’s what this is for really is is for all of us to look at ourselves and say what kind of Mason do we want to be that’s why when I I say something so harshly it’s
It’s because it really is our own fault that we have these issues to begin with and we have to take that responsibility and if somebody isn’t blunt and saying look man you got to pick up your Bridges and and be the man that that we want you
That we need you to be you know at at some point you have to do that you can’t we can’t just go around blaming everybody else for our problems we have to become the solution so all of this is what kind of brother do you want to be
In your Lodge it’s not saying you’re going to pinpoint all problems of every other brother is saying what kind of brother are you going to be because I guarantee you when you reach this certain point and like I said I offend a lot of people
A lot of times with what I say because I’m very direct but when you reach a certain point people gravitate towards you they want to be a part of it because they see the good that’s happening from it so go in and and and be the Mason of all
Masons be a sponge absorb everything that got for you do it with a willing heart with a loving heart a helpful heart go in and help help your Lodge go in and pick up the dishes at for all your older brothers you know when I still do this I
Mean you can ask Jason last night and I felt bad because I left the Mel’s because I only had one arm and so I grabbed Jason’s picked it up and took it out to to take it away pick up the brother next to your your plate be
Helpful be that guy that’s the one you want to that’s the one you want to be why stop at his plate pick up your brother take him into the LOD room and set him down don’t make him walk pick up two brothers get three of them just throw them over your shoulder
Take them in there no I am taking applications for a co-host this one has worn out his welcome and his usefulness to this company just stack them up on your shoulder no but to your point and and and I brought up this before Brad Billings like at the L where he was
Serving the beans be that brother yes be that brother and that actually as you’re talking it made me think I made a conscientious effort to try to be more like that because right usually if I’m going to a lodge I’m wearing an i suit I
I like I don’t want to go in the kitchen and get crap on my suit or something take you could take off your jacket man you could you can throw on an apron you can you can do something and be helpful or or like you say just just
Just take their plates and and be a be a servants be a service in that way um yeah because you’re absolutely right you’re absolutely right and not and not every brother is educated right not every brother is the is the server not every brother is is the uh is the
Ritualist right but let’s look at let’s look at our grand line most worful Tommy chatton one of the best Brothers I know he is a black and white brother he comes from law enforcement his yes is yes is no is no you know where you stand with
Him at all times and he’s never going to tell you a lie never his wife is just as pure as he is and I love them for for who they are because they truly love the brothers of this fraternity and they truly love the the potential that they find in
Every person that they meet they look for the potential in the person they don’t look for the negative in the person right which is probably why they’re the he’s the first Grandmaster to serve multiple terms in Texas in like 140 years right right I mean it says a
Lot about him and then look at Raven re I mean he’s he’s he is his own man if he’s going to make a decision on something if he’s going to do something it’s because he genuinely thinks it’s the right thing to do yeah now whether we agreed with with anything that he
Said you know last year or did last year doesn’t even matter I respect him because he is his own man he doesn’t he doesn’t just sway If he if he does something it’s because he believes it we interviewed rer before he before he ran for the grand South we interviewed him
And that’s exactly why I voted yeah exactly I mean he struck me as a very sincere like he did not beat around the bush on his questions very he answered very sincerely and that was very I mean I respect that because a lot of times people will run
For an office and they give you canned answers canned ref answers just like a politician did not do that y right they they say what they think you want to hear Jim Rumsey there is nobody that has a memory like Jim rsy Jim Rumsey knows the work inside and out who
Decided it was the way it is yep he tell the year the 20,000 years ago he can tell you when it was chiseled in the Rock before the wheel was made They carried it on their back how it Formed yes yes now and this is and this
Is to to his and Justin’s the same way I mean Justin knows his [ __ ] I’m going to tell you he does he yes dudy knows his stuff and and this is what’s so cool about this is that while Jim um he’s more of an introverted person he really is
And while he comfortably sits in a in a crowd he doesn’t enjoy you know talking to everybody every night it’s really hard for him he works at it it’s kind of like Justin Jones he works very hard to when when we’re in public until you get a few drinks in him
He’s he’s uh it’s difficult for him to to talk to somebody I’m a little reserved sometimes yeah right right you are and that’s okay you get it from your dad and I love your dad I love your dad more than I love you but but I haven’t heard snore so [Laughter]
We’ll okay so but look at look at Justin dud you ask him a question he knows that freaking answer he knows it and and he won’t beat around the bush and he’s not gonna you know him ha around he’s going to tell you exactly what the right thing
To do is and why sharp sharp sharp they all have these qualities about them that are a little bit different than each other but they’re just badass qualities and our lodges are the same way we have those different those little bits of different nuances in each member and we
Can capitalize if we capitalize on those strengths from each one of those members we are better for it and we are the successful lodge because we’re all going to come up with ideas together we’re all going to be open to each other’s ideas and it will create that momentum that we’re
If I don’t see a lodge making new members I don’t think they’re successful I don’t and and I’m not saying that as we should be on a membership drive or whatever but like I was talking about with that EA those Brothers come in they’re excited they tell their friends
And family hey I’m a Mason I’m a Mason and especially when they’re Master Mason oh my gosh they got the ring on and they can’t wait for somebody to ask them about it right I mean everybody that’s I did man I had that sucker ordered before
I turned in my work and as soon as I turned in my work I put it on and I couldn’t wait for people around me to ask me about it so if we if we’re making members that are enthusiastic and enjoying their masonry then that’s our best advertising
Yeah I agree that’s going to get more people on the door it’s not gonna be parades it’s not going to be parades it’s not going to be fundraisers if if we have a fundraiser and we attract a member from that fundraiser it’s going to be a guy that likes
Fundraisers it’s not going to be a guy that likes to pay for pay the put the bill for that roof it’s going to be the guy that wants to get somebody else to put the bill for him agreed let’s wrap it up man a you’re
Pansy so I’ll just can we go first or you don’t go first I didn’t finish my successful loges oh okay well wrap up with that then I’m going to finish that and then we’ll wrap up education education education catechism is not esoteric esoteric is that right there that’s esoteric catechism is
Memorization and while it is value because once you memorize it it’s easier to relate to when we read on something we can pull that out of memory and attach it to this other thing right so the more we learn the more we can attach to other things and you’ll
Finally read something over here that’ll cause it to kick in over here so education read some books your Lodge has a lot of light in the lodge there is a lot you’ve got members that have been there for 50 60 70 years in a lot of
Cases but I’m going to tell you the person that tells you it can all be found in that Bible and the monitor stay away from that person go find somebody else for your education because while there is good information in there’s a lot it requires a lot more to really understand that
Information that’s in there and the Bible is not your source the Bible has an excellent allegory it really does every every lesson in there is pure everyone is true they all have good points but that’s not your only source because most of the time our finite Minds can only see the literal
That the that the Bible uh explains and while they explain some of the allegory in the New Testament they’re not explaining all of it agree all of it just symbols words are just symbols of thought so you need to read other words so that you can associate it with
Those symbols of thought you need to look at symbols of thought then read those other words and see if you can tie the two together and there’s lots of different symbols of thought in all the different Mystery Schools over time so if you’re Lodge has people that can speak with you
Intelligently you value Fellowship you value good ritual you value the appearance of the inside and the outside of the lodge you value your your jewels and the aprons and all that they represent you’re making new Brothers new Masons instead of just having members that’s how you know you got a
Successful Lodge you can’t sit stagnant now I know a lot of brothers in in rebuilding stages right now brother Hoff I know you’re rebuilding right now and and there is no better place to be than where you’re at right now because y’all are doing it right you’re doing a good
Job just keep on what you’re doing the members are going to come the the Masons are going to come and don’t ever be ashamed if you’re rebuilding because at least you’re moving in the right direction sh Lodge if you’re rebuilding yeah you’re no longer moving backwards and you’re no longer stagnant you’re
Actually moving forward and sometimes it’s slow process and it usually is but but then uh a lot of times after a while that smooth process just starts going look like a roller coaster so that’s what I would say constitutes a good Lodge make sure you have time scheduled for uh stated meetings time
Scheduled for degrees make sure you have meals at all your all your things that you do at your Lodge including cleanup day have some kachis or breakfast burritos don’t serve Donuts not everybody can eat that you know think about your brothers doing it um schedule floor schools stick with
It even if one or two people is all that shows up for the first year stick with that day and be there every day you say you’re going to be there because that’s what’s going to build you a good Lodge yeah that’s going to bring a successful Lodge and furthermore it’s the people
Man brother Huff you you you said it all when when you said that your Past Masters meeting was a great success and that they’re all on board with with doing the things that trying to become a Vanguard Lodge if you’re if if they’re excited about that then they’re excited about
Mason because if you’re doing the things to be a Vanguard Lodge you’re doing Mason so when you find the joy that comes from all the things required from Masonry that’s a successful Lodge very true when you’re counterbalancing when your Lodge counterbalances the outside world that’s a good
Lodge okay I’m sorry I talked a lot tonight it’s all right it was a good right I am medicated it’s all right all right it’s all right sorry guys I had SE um you want you want to go first you want me to for the wrap up um you go
First do you want to give out dates September 7th um or I can do it yeah I was G say I’ll suggest you do it since you’re um okay uh I’ll just say like this has been a really good this has been a really good live like usually we aim for an
Hour but it’s just too good of a conversation I think we we just kept it going and that’s great um I think uh there’s a lot of good information in here to unpack and so uh I would encourage anybody like take some time listen through it again if you have time
If you got kind of hopped in late listen through the whole thing because this is a really good conversation we had about some really good topics we kind of went around to a few different places but I feel like it was very good um some things we talked about really are needed
Um if you are in the chat right now if you haven’t yet if you would just please be sure to drop a like and of course be sure to subscribe if you’re not subscribing yet also um we’re supported by viewers like you right so uh I’m
Going to post a link to the uh the inter circle so if anyone’s interested in joining the inter circle that gives you access to ad free cont content we do some exclusive Live Events uh we had a very nice dinner at Grand Lodge this year I mean it was it was probably one
Of the highlights of last year for me aside from our Summit no because that was this year so that was the highlight of my year so far then uh that’s how good it was it was great um and then we had the summit last year that was at
Members only but we do have things like that long story short there were brothers that left there were brothers that left that that dinner m in Waco and told me it was life changing for them yeah yeah I had Brothers saying that was the freemasony that they’ve been looking
For this entire time so it’s it’s it was awesome and so consider supporting us click the link uh consider joining the Inner Circle it’s pretty awesome we also have uh Inner Circle zooms and things like that but anyway that’s that’s all I have uh I have a busy Masonic week and I’m
Sure Dennis and everyone else does so I’m looking forward to uh to what this week brings what do you get Dennis uh first I’ll throw out a couple of dates that are important um if you find yourself in the South Texas area on Tuesday of this week
There’s going to be a golden trial award down in Corpus Christie and right warful Justin dudy will will be down here for it and that’s always exciting when a Grand Lodge officer finds uh finds the time in in his busy schedule to come down and
And show a brother a little love I mean that’s that’s pretty cool that’s that’s another thing about Justin that I love is that he uh Justin duty is that he finds a way to uh to do those added little special touches for for the brothers he really does
Um topnotch yeah so this week we’ve got that I’ll I’m mcing it I have a little presentation on servant leader ship that I’m going to give um I just wrapped one up with uh with Alamo Lodge if uh any of you Inner Circle members would like to see
That paper just give me a holler I’ll be happy to send it to you you can read it and see uh see what you think um we are in the middle of moving our uh domains and stuff like that we’re we’re changing up our the the way we do
Business and uh so it’s an exciting time be looking for the changes coming and and uh you talk about methodic Improvement right yeah yeah with our website and and all that kind of stuff yeah um on September 7th of this year we have the uh the Lexington degree that’s going to
Happen uh Grandmaster is going to attend it I uh went and and asked him and he saidwell yeah I’m not going to miss that so call and make sure it’s on my calendar and it’s on his calendar and we’re gonna on behalf of of Oso Naval lodge because they’re always um and I’m
A member of Oso now but they’re always setting up for the degree and stuff on the Lexington uh so they usually Miss dinner um but on behalf of also Masonic Improvement is going to host a dinner that’s going to be for uh all Masons and their wives and
Uh and there’ll be some education there I’ve I’ve got an idea that I’m working on putting together uh so I don’t want to say what that’s going to be yet but it’s GNA be awesome if it comes through it’s gonna be cool everybody’s G to love
It but otherwise we’re going to have a lot of uh we’ve already I’ve already got several of the grand officers uh confirmed that they’re going to be there so um that’s always a great time you get to see some excellent ritual and uh and then on uh June or not June that’s skipping
Ahead too far not will there be tickets for the dinner or how are we going to approach that yes yes okay so we don’t know I’m going to do I don’t I don’t think I’m going to do aent bre though no I wouldn’t either I’m gonna I’m G to
Save the save that money towards the the the value of of the brothers uh you know because it cost 10 bucks extra per ticket for people to buy those tickets and and we can pass that on and especially when they’re buying a ticket for themselves and their wives that’s 20
Bucks that they don’t have to spend we can save it on the ticket okay and it’s going to be catered by Wolf Gang the same brother who catered our last event that was so we know it’s tell me oh my goodness he’s he is one of
The Premier Chefs of South Texas so Wolf Gang will be in the house taking care of business for us um wolf G in the house oh my go he may not if he see you do that on March 23rd if you can make it to golad that’s the Phantom Memorial and uh
And we open a a representation of the Grand Lodge of Texas in in our lodge and then uh called refreshment go out to we don’t Grand Lodge opens a representation of grand lot so you get to see our grand officers practice what they preach and nobody misses it our grand officers show
Up for this event they always do so you’ll get to see that and uh we’ll do our our memorial service come back for enchiladas that’s on the 23rd of this month um if you’re over in West Texas I will see you on 15th and 16th of this
Month over in New Mexico in rud Doo and uh I’m bringing my family because uh the ski slopes will still be open because it’s towards the end of the spring break so we’ve got that going on in uh April if you find yourself in Washington state I’ll be up there speaking
Um if you want to come up I’ll be speaking at two different events up there uh but there’s a lot of different that’s another thing there’s a lot of different things going on Justin and I speak all over the place in Texas and and uh I can
Tell you I speak once or twice a week at different lodges so um it’s about time we put that calendar up so that people can see where we’re going to be and uh and see what we’re going to be talking on so that’s coming up that’s going to
Go on the website right away um let’s see there was one other thing that was that was really big on on my personal list that I wanted people to know about um Golly Golly G golly G okay so now I’ll just wrap this up so young Brothers like I said before be the
Brother that you were hoping to to find when you got into masonry be that brother um you probably got those guys in the lodge they’re not always going to show themselves right away um a lot of times the ones that are going to be your your mentors are are not always the first
Ones that are going to come up and shake your hand so uh just go through your processes that you got to go through do your thing get to know your Lodge get to know the the membership and you’ll find your people you’ll find your people and they’ll find you um
For all those Brothers out there that are in areas where they kind of feel like they’re on an island we get it and travel travel is what gets you um where you need to be in your Masonic Journey once you are in a district for so long
All you know is that District’s things right if you never leave your Lodge you’re never going to learn anything different from what your Lodge does and masonry is so much different all around the world a lot of times you have the same Brothers yes a lot of times you have
Brothers circulating in the same district pulling off the same crap in all The Lodges that they belong to and it creates quite a big bubble or Island that you feel like you’re on because you can’t escape it by just traveling 30 minutes away right yep sometimes it
Takes an hour hour and 15 minutes is is kind of my minimum for uh for traveling these days and then um it’s not uncommon for me to go three hours each way when uh when I’m going to give a presentation and I don’t do it just to to show off
I’m doing it because I learn something with every uh trip that I make and I’m able to add to uh the advice that I give and Mentor Brothers with by learning from other builds I have I have become a better man and Mason through my travel
You know I I love the brothers in my lodges don’t get me wrong and and golad is truly a Premier Lodge in South Texas it is and I should be interviewing goad because we’ve done a lot of things right um but I just didn’t want to brag on my own Lodge and seem
Uh pompus right because there’s too many other lodges that are doing the right things as well that need to we need to share that’s and that’s another thing we’ve got a new segment coming and it’s going to be its own category in our in all of the content that we have and it’s
Going to be the premier Lodges of the world Masonic improvements Premier Lodges of the world and and you’ll be able to go on there and get to know all these lodges around the world and take tidbits about away from what they’re doing so that you can try these things in your Lodge and
And hopefully uh find some peace and Harmony in your lives that you hadn’t seen in a while because people will see these new things and and think they’re great and everybody can start wrapping their head around that instead of all the differences that they’ve had for all these years right I’ve seen districts
That are split so heavily because of grudges that were started 20 years ago and while we wait for for natural attrition to serve its purpose and solve the problem it never comes fast enough so we learn these new processes to bring in so that people can join together uh to
Implement them with new ideas new cultures and and so forth but they’re all based on tradition yep don’t don’t um devalue your ritual don’t I talk a lot of trash saying look I’m not the best ritualist but I can tell you what it means if you want to
Sit down with me I can tell you in a deep serious way what each thing means in that ritual I’m just not very good at memorization but I can tell you the parts I do know I know them well and i’ give them in a way that it makes other
People want to do them well and the reason I do that is because I’ve seen it I’ve seen it from other brothers like David Rogers man if you want to be inspired to do good ritual freaking watch David Rogers oh my gosh Premiere premere so you know I get these things
From other people and I know know that you know it inspires me and so if I do it it’s going to inspire somebody else just remember you’re always the master and you’re always The Apprentice you’re a master to somebody somebody’s watching you whether it’s your kids your neighbor
Your other brothers but you’re also The Apprentice to someone else because you are not the smartest person in the room magician always the fool that’s right some times you look around and you just feel fortunate because you do feel like the dumbest person in the room but
You’re in that room yeah and that’s the thing you got to remember that you’re in that room so make the most of it um yeah just remember Brothers faith hope and charity charity is the action of Faith and Hope faith in God hope in the Brotherhood and the charity is that
Brotherly love and affection that peace and Harmony that we share between each other through all the hard conversations through all the hard conversations and we love each other when we walk away so with that being said I’m going to walk away and keep it between the
Points or as my daughter does when she rocks the the podium that was awesome man
source
