 | Volume 1, Number 8, April 2005 LET'S GO RACIN' PINEWOOD DERBY 2005 |
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| Volume 1, Number 8, April 2005 LET'S GO RACIN' PINEWOOD DERBY 2005 |
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FOCUS
Some of the purposes
of Cub Scouting developed through this month’s theme are:
ü
Character Development, Cub Scouts grow and develop a sense of
accomplishment in a job well done as they work
on
their inventions.
ü
Fun and Adventure, What better way to have fun than by creating
something from our dreams!!
ü
Respectful Relationships, Cub Scouts learn that they must cooperate with
each other and help others for all to be successful.
The core value highlighted this month is:
ü
Resourcefulness, Looking at things a different way and finding other
ways to use them can help boys develop a life skill of
learning to use resources to solve any
problem.
CUBMASTER’S CORNER
Bob Grimm
Cubmaster Pack 163
A Simple Prayer:
Gilbert and the
Pinewood Derby
by Peggy Porter
My son Gilbert was eight years
old and had been in Cub Scouts only a short time. During one of his meetings he
was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return
home and give all to "dad."
That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. Dad was not receptive to doing
things with his son. But Gilbert tried. Dad read the paper and scoffed at the
idea of making a pine wood derby car with his young, eager son. The block of
wood remained untouched as the weeks passed. Finally, mom stepped in to see if
I could figure this all out. The project began. Having no carpentry skills, I
decided it would be best if I simply read the directions and let Gilbert do the
work. And he did. I read aloud the measurements, the rules of what we could do
and what we couldn't do.
Within days his block of wood was turning into a pinewood derby car. A little
lopsided, but looking great (at least through the eyes of mom). Gilbert had not
seen any of the other kids cars and was feeling pretty proud of his "Blue
Lightning," the pride that comes with knowing you did something on your
own.
Then the big night came. With his blue pinewood derby in his hand and pride in
his heart we headed to the big race. Once there my little one's pride turned to
humility. Gilbert's car was obviously the only car made entirely on his own.
All the other cars were a father-son partnership, with cool paint jobs and
sleek body styles made for speed.
A few of the boys giggled as they looked at Gilbert's, lopsided, wobbly,
unattractive vehicle. To add to the humiliation Gilbert was the only boy
without a man at his side. A couple of the boys who were from single parent
homes at least had an uncle or grandfather by their side, Gilbert had
"mom."
As the race began it was done in elimination fashion. You kept racing as long
as you were the winner. One by one the cars raced down the finely sanded ramp.
Finally it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, fastest looking car there. As
the last race was about to begin, my wide eyed, shy eight year old ask if they
could stop the race for a minute, because he wanted to pray. The race stopped.
Gilbert hit his knees clutching his funny looking block of wood between his
hands. With a wrinkled brow he set to converse with his Father. He prayed in
earnest for a very long minute and a half. Then he stood, smile on his face and
announced, 'Okay, I am ready."
As the crowd cheered, a boy named Tommy stood with his father as their car sped
down the ramp. Gilbert stood with his Father within his heart and watched his
block of wood wobble down the ramp with surprisingly great speed and rushed
over the finish line a fraction of a second before Tommy's car.
Gilbert leaped into the air with a loud "Thank you" as the crowd
roared in approval. The Cub Master came up to Gilbert with microphone in hand
and asked the obvious question, "So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?"
To which my young son answered, "Oh, no sir. That wouldn't be fair to ask
God to help you beat someone else. I just asked Him to make it so I don't cry
when I lose."
Children seem to have wisdom far beyond us. Gilbert didn't ask God to win the
race, he didn't ask God to fix the out come, and Gilbert asked God to give him
strength in the outcome. When Gilbert first saw the other cars he didn't cry
out to God, "No fair, they had a fathers help."
No, he went to his Father for strength. Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer
time asking God to rig the race, to make us number one, or too much time asking
God to remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to
get through the struggle. "I can do everything through Him who gives me
strength." Philippines 4:13
Gilbert's simple prayer spoke volumes to those present that night. He never
doubted that God would indeed answer his request. He didn't pray to win, thus
hurt someone else; he prayed that God supply the grace to lose with dignity.
Gilbert, by his stopping the race to speak to his Father also showed the crowd
that he wasn't there without a "dad," but His Father was most
definitely there with him. Yes, Gilbert walked away a winner that night, with
his Father at his side.
(Reprinted
from http://usscouts.org/usscouts/pinewood/gilbert.html)
In Canada the Pinewood
derby is called “Kub Kar”
WANTED:
Cubmaster
Committee Chairman Newsletter
Editor
Pack 163 Supports Our Troops
Pack 163 is sponsoring a new unit in Iraq. The contact address is:
PFC Foley Timothy
596 Signal Company, 125th FSB, HQ PLT
3rd BDE, 1st AD, 3rd ID
Camp Taji
APO AE 09378
Also, some dens have adopted servicemen deployed
overseas, please keep them in mind
SUMMER CAMP
Final Payments Are Due May 1st
Please turn into Mrs. Cue
Also medical forms are due!
Sleepover July 24 –28th
Day Camp August 8th-12th
Friday, May 27th
Meeting Starts at 7PM
Other Meeting Reminders
Held 2nd
Thursday of Month 7PM
Chester Academy
Media
Center
2nd
Wednesday of Month
6:45 PM
at Naval Recruit Center
(by Stoneyfield
Yogurt)
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO:
Mrs. Tammy Boeski and Mr. Ted
Young for leading the way at the
Annual Chuck Wagon Derby.
Pack 163 Entered TWO wagons!
DISTRICT NEWS
·
Fisher
Cat Baseball
Saturday,
May 21st 5 PM
Saturday,
June 18th 5:05 PM
Sleepover,
movie, breakfast June 8th ONLY
Saturday,
August 19th 6:35 PM
Tickets
$9.50
·
Manchester
Wolves Arena 2
Friday,
July 8th
Tickets
$9.75
·
DISTRICT
PINEWOOD DERBY
Saturday
May 14th
Candia
Athletic Complex
SPECIAL
TIGER CUB ADVANCEMENT
and RECOGNITION
MAY PACK MEETING
TROOP 163 YARD SALE
June
24th – 26th
Wasson
Pond
Volunteers
get credit for Pack, please check in before working!
Happy Passover (Pesach)
Saturday, April 23rd to
Saturday, May 1st
Visit website for more information