RE: Matching Dress and Necktie

Aggressively pink.

RE: When an animal passes away, where does its soul go?

When an animal passes away, where does it go? Where does its soul go?

I am not overly religious or spiritual, so forgive me for not knowing all the details. "Heaven/Hell" seems to be a mostly Christian construct. More broadly, an" Afterlife" is a more universal Human construct. It seems to me that Man, at the end of his life, doesn't want to be done. He wants to go somewhere. Or perhaps more importantly, the "left-behinds" want something more and better for the "moving ons."

When an animal passes away, does its soul go to "Heaven" (or not)? In which case, there must be some Christian Goodness inherent in animals.

Or does the animal move on to a more generic "Afterlife," where he gets to play with the other animals who came before him?

But if the animal was a pet, his happiness, presumably, was tied to being around humans. So an animal-only "Afterlife" wouldn't be that great. Would the pet go to people "Heaven"?

That implies that:

(1) There is one "Heaven" for everyone and everything. That seems to defeat the purpose of multiple religions. Or,

(2) There are multiple "Heavens": one for each all-powerful deity. That doesn't make much sense as animals, presumably, do not have religious preferences. Or,

(3) There is no Heaven. Because the other options are to complicated.

The spiritual side of me opts for (1). The scientist side of me opts for (3).

Thoughts?

RE: RIP Nordo

I talked to Link tonight.
He spent most of today reading to and with Nordo in the backyard.
When it was time, it was time.
Nancy and Emilee and Andrew FaceTimed from Florida. Nordo was happy about that.
It went quickly.
Sweet little puppy.
God Bless.

Scoutmaster Recognition

So here's some stuff about me...

I had never been camping until I joined Boy Scouts.

I had never worked at a Community Breakfast until I joined Boy scouts. Or worked at the Library. Or worked at the Food Pantry. Or taught anyone how to tie a bowline. Or a sling. Or how to pitch tent. Or clean a Dutch Oven.

Or worked with a young man to overcome his fear of heights or help him expand his comfort level in the outdoors or talk in front of adults or lead a Troop meeting.

During my seven years with Troop 701, I have done all that and more. Things I never would have imagined.

I have camped in the snow and sub-zero temperatures. I have been to Philmont. I have hiked on the AT. I have zip-lined and fun-yakked. I've seen a bear. And a moose. I have been involved in amazing Eagle Projects. I have helped find lost children. I have helped represent the Troop in important projects in the Wakefield Community. I have helped guide 11 year old squirrels into becoming 18 year old quality young men.

I can't tell you how proud I am when I walk into a store and hear "Hey, Mr Purdy!" from a former Scout or current Scout. Or get an email saying "Mr. Purdy, we have a project in town and need some help, so we first thought of the Boy Scouts."

So, without being too dramatic:

I would like to thank Charles, who has left his own legacy within the Troop, for bringing me to the church on that Tuesday long ago...

I would like to thank Rick Robinson for getting me to drink to Kool-Aid and convincing me it's just Tuesdays, only an Hour a Week.

I would like to thank the Parents and Committee for supporting a great Wakefield Scouting program by giving the Troop their Hour a Week.

I would like to thank the Sorebacks, especially Eric and Jeff and Mike, who have helped keep Tuesdays and camping trips to more or less an Hour a Week or so. Ish.

I would like to thank Mike Marando, with whom I have spend many an Hour a Week a Day. This morning. Or evening.

And most especially,

I would like to thank the Scouts of Troop 701. You are the guys who make Tuesday meetings and camping trips and service projects and summer camp where I have been proud to spend my hour a week.

It's all good.

(Delivered June 3, 2014, Troop 701 Court of Honor)