On This Thankful Thursday,  I want to invite all of  us to take a moment to remember the Knights of the Old Code …

A  couple of years ago I was on a camping trip deep in the woods with a bunch of rambunctious scouts.  Sometimes after a long day of cleaning and hard housework my old body reminds me what it is like to camp.

The last time I camped I slept on the ground and was dinner for more than a few bugs and my body ached from head to toe.  Camping makes for a great weekend hanging out in the woods with the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Men Scouts and the women who love them.  It was all good other than the bugs, ticks and spiders. Oh, and the screech owls that literally scream at night and scare you half to death.   Now that is really freaky.

The highlight for me was I got to watch boys be boys and to watch the men remember what it was like to be boys. That is a really great thing in my book.   We must always remember the wonder of seeing the world through the eyes of a child.  I also got to spend time with friends who feel more like family – another part I really love too.

But one thing I loved most of all was that I was given the honor of leading vespers, a simple chapel service where I can use the word “God,” but not “Jesus.” It has to do with that whole interfaith thing that is hard for me to do, but I preach anyway trying to use only God, Bible and other generic words. Let me be honest, that is anything but easy for me and I am sure I dropped Jesus’ mighty name a few times anyway.

I love talking about Jesus, oops, I mean God!  There I go again.  Seriously, it is literally almost impossible for me to talk about God and not lead people straight to the cross of Christ.  Jesus to me is everything, at least in my book. Now for some of the men scouts, they prefer to say “Jesus is just all right with me” in a melody of the Doobie Brothers as they groove with their pretend guitars. Boys being boys and men being boys is a good thing at least in the woods.

So if you have SONs, you all know it is not easy raising men.

Winters and I are working hard at raising our three SONS to be men, real men and most of all real men of God. Men who will man up and not wimp out,  men who will take a stand even if they are the only one standing and those that live a life where their word is their bond.

So Sunday at vespers, chapel, church or whatever you want to call it, I shared a bit about our life around the Winters place and thought I would pass it on to you.  I hope it will be a blessing to you on this Thankful Thursday as much as it was a blessing to me.

I started the service as I usually do, reminding all of us to let  go of the distractions of this world and to celebrate the moment and the beauty of God’s creation.  I wish I did that more often in my everyday life, but the distractions of  the world unfortunately do get in the way; especially the laundry and the dishes and oh heck, you moms know what I  am talking about.

We then prayed. For me it was and always is a perfect moment in time. It is though time stands still and the spirit of God falls fresh and anew each time. Talking to God’s people of God’s love, well, it is awesome.

But moments later I whipped out a few Gigantor Nerf Swords. Yes, you read that right. Two massive rubber swords that could take out a few orcs or trolls. For you see, at our house swords are a necessity around here.  A constant that is, for the SONs and for any Knight in training for that matter.

For deep in the heart of every man resides the passion to be a true knight, a king.  Although I was raised watching Camelot and The Count of Monte Cristo,  I am afraid many young men are not really sure what a true knight and man of valor really looks like anymore.  Sadly, I am afraid we are not  raising men to be men.

But here at the Winters Castle, oops again, I mean house, we are always watching movies that include knights, a king, a hobbit or two, a wizard, as many dragons as we can get, swords and the whole good versus evil thing.  Winters and the SONs just love it.  If there is a princess, well, then it is all good with me. Ok, I’ll be honest I love a true knight any day.  Really, who doesn’t love a knight in shining armor. Sometimes the armor may get a bit tarnished, beat up and dented over time, but so does everything in life.  It is not the armor that makes the knight,it is heart, his valor and his code.

So back to my Chapel service, I was a blessed women that day.  I had the attention of, oh, I would say about 20 little knights, or cub scouts if you prefer. I shared the simple tale of how Winters and I,  along with the SONs, watch movie after movie of knights and kings and princesses. The swords were  a hit, but who wouldn’t love them, they were cool.  But the message of a Knight and the Old Code was even better.

I shared a story from Dragon Heart. There is a knight who is to train and raise up the future king.  Our knight is a knight who is noble and honorable.  He is a knight who  lives by the Old Code. I can’t tell you how many times I had to rewind the movie to get the wording just right.

The Old Code is powerful:

A Knight is sworn to valor,
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His heart knows only virtue.

His blade defends the helpless,

His word speaks only truth.

His might upholds the weak,

His wrath undoes the wicked.

For even in the darkness there is light.

But remember that no one is above the code, not even the king.  For the knight of the Old Code, his word is his bond.

A scout also lives by a code, known as the Law. A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.   The law of the scout in some ways is quite similar to the knight’s Old Code and God’s Word.

There are many oaths that we take ,but  the question is,” Do we live them?  We can wear an oath, or a scripture on an old T-shirt, but that does not really mean anything unless you live it!

So on this Thankful Thursday, it is my pray that we live what we wear, that we follow the Old Code. Yes, we may not live it 24/7, but it is the intent and commitment of the of the heart that counts most of all.  And may we try to live each day by the old code, the scouts law and most of all, the Word of God!

There will always be evil doers, those who are after selfish gain, but there can also always be a Knight, a Robin Hood, a Braveheart, a King Arthur, an Aragon, a Peter, a Stephen, a Mother Terresa, a Sam and yes, even You!

So be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we rise up to be real men and real women of God.  The ones who will take a stand when no one else is standing.  True knights, true warriors, true kings, princesses and queens  – those who live by a higher standard.

 

Psalm 19:7 The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.  The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

Psalm 119:106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.

Psalm 119:9  How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

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