Fred Milliken,Freemason Information,The Beehive

What Do You Bring?

Once again we bring the yearly Allocution from Royal Grand Perfect Matron R. Lucille

R. Lucille Samuel
The 1st Royal Grand Perfect Matron
Margaret A. McDow Grand Court
Ladies Of The Circle Of Perfection
Texas
PHA

Samuel as she continues to inspire and lead her troops. This Sister spreads love and joy wherever she goes while at the same time holding tightly the reins of leadership. She is a Master at organizing, deputizing and inspiring those whom she leads.

I truly believe in the 3 Cs to success Confidence, Curiosity and Courage. 

WHAT DO YOU BRING!

Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.  Proverbs 16:19

Again it is my honor and privilege to stand before you as we celebrate our 2nd year as the Margaret A. McDow Grand Court.  We are blessed beyond measures.

I truly thank the membership for all the time spent in making this great body successful.

We have accomplished so much but we are still on that road to Perfection.  I truly believe in the 3 Cs to success Confidence, Curiosity and Courage.  We are on a Journey that has no destination.  Our compass is set in the direction of continuous labor and service.  The road may be rocky at times but the ride will be smooth.

Revelations 2:19 – I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

Innovation distinguishes between a Leader and a Follower.

Have you ever asked yourself What do I bring to the organization?  How does the organization benefit from my presence?

Let’s start with communication.   Are you the type that loves to share information or keep it to yourself?  Do you feel well if I share then that gives them the upper hand on me.  I can’t get to the top if I share my ideas of vision.  Sometimes we have to set aside our opinions and selflessness in order for our organizations to thrive and flourish.  In order for our mission to be complete support of each other is a must.  We are here to serve not to be served.  We made a pledge and promised to respect and assist when necessary.  Those that came before us paved the way for our benefit.  We must maintain the same enthusiasm and honor their memories.

Honesty is another attribute that is not popular in our Order.  How can you expect members to respect you if they cannot trust your words?  Honesty means being upright of character or action.  Would you follow a person that constantly feeds you false information?  Honesty is one of the most admired traits of a leader.  Being truthful and honest shows respect and integrity.  Remember you can pay for school but you can‘t buy class.

What about Flexibility?  Are you willing to listen to ideas of others?  Do you feel intimidated if someone has a greater idea or suggestion?  Are you afraid that your position or title is in jeopardy?

Sometimes leaders become complacent and have a deaf ear to change.  You may hear a comment such as you have not been a member long enough to have an opinion.  You don’t have enough experience in the Order to have any new ideas.  We are never too old to learn.  Fresh ideas bring oxygen and motivation.  Being able to work with others is a trait that we all must have in order to succeed.  A positive attitude will take you further than negativity and animosity.  Being the leader does not make you the expert and there is always someone else with more experience.  We are an equal opportunist and there is no place in our organization for intimidation and old beliefs of exaggerated prejudice.  Many times your attitude of superiority toward members can be the demise of your organization.

Sometimes you need to look in the mirror and ask yourself am I the problem or the solution?  Is my work in order?  Am I organized?  Am I qualified to be in this position?  We need to practice what we preach or change our speech.  If you can’t lead the song you don’t sing.

You can’t lead anyone if you don’t know how to follow.  Using large intelligent words only fool people for so long.  Your friends will only cover for you for so long and that smoke screen does not last forever.  You can’t use $30 words and have a Dollar Store’s worth of common sense.  A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.  Don’t let these collars around your necks out weigh the efforts you put forth in serving the organization.  Innovation distinguishes between a Leader and a Follower.

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Royal Grand Perfect Matron Samuel can be reached for comment at: rouchellion@yahoo.com.

Spare Wheel Or Steering Wheel

Perhaps you remember from previous articles Sister R. Lucille Samuel, Grand Princess Captain of the Lone Star Grand Guild, Heroines of the Templars Crusade of Texas, PHA Texas. Well, Sister Samuel has moved on to found the Margaret A. McDow Grand Court, Ladies Of The Circle Of Perfection, Texas PHA. In her new position, she serves as Royal Grand Perfect Matron.

As The 1st Royal Grand Perfect Matron, she is responsible for chartering 7 LOCOP Courts in the cities of El Paso, San Antonio, Ft Worth, Houston, Dallas, Killeen, and Austin.

I have been republishing Sister Samuel’s annual Allocutions for a while now. She always has such insight into leadership.

This time Sister Samuel told her Order that Leaders have a Vision and so should we all. They don’t just see, they have a plan. They have a map. They have a goal.

Don’t get lost. Don’t get off track. The road ahead may be rocky and full of pitfalls sometimes so know who and what you can depend on to implement your vision.

Never look back. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

 

“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” ~ Carl Jung

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.” ~ Ralph Lauren

“When you have a vision, you make believers out of dreamers.” ~ Frederic L. Milliken

”Where there is no vision the people perish.” ~ Proverbs 29:18

In the long run men hit only what they aim at.  ~ Henry David Thoreau

June 17, 2017 Left – RM Crystal W. Brown, Royal Grand Perfect Matron of Tennessee presents to L. Lucille Samuel – Right-the charter for Margaret A. McDow Court

 

June 17, 2017 Left – RM Crystal W. Brown, Royal Grand Perfect Matron of Tennessee presents to L. Lucille Samuel – Right-the charter for Margaret A. McDow Court

 

The Charter

 

SPARE WHEEL OR STEERING WHEEL!

Margaret A. Macdow Grand Court

by

R. Lucille Samuel

Royal Grand Perfect Matron

 

Psalms 37:5 – Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

 

Have you ever been driving along and all of a sudden your tire goes flat?  Hopefully you were able to pull over on the side of the road in a safe manner without any accidents or injuries.  So either you call for Roadside Assistance or if you are mechanically inclined you change your tire with the spare in your trunk or under your vehicle.  Of course you expect the tire to be full of air and ready for use.  You depend on it.

 

Many times in life we depend on someone or something like that spare tire.  The problem often times is that you only use that spare wheel when you are in trouble or need assistance.  Do you ever check that wheel to ensure it is ready or serviced?  Do you even know where that spare wheel is located?  How many of us depend on prayer when you need a spare?  You never pray or pick up the Bible until you need help.  I am not saying that any of us are perfect and we should live in church.  Church is not where prayer is it is in your heart.  Such as friendship.  Some of us claim to be our brother and sister’s keeper.  How often do you converse with them?  How often do you pick up the phone or send a message just to check on them.  Not just when they are sick or in need but just to say hello.  But when you need that spare wheel you expect them to jump when you call.  Have you ever wondered why the windshield of a car is so large and the rear view mirror is so small?  Our past is not as important as our future so you should focus on looking forward and not behind you.

 

You have to remember although that spare tire is not used often it is needed.  Value your close friends and treat them with kindness because all things in life are temporary.  Just because your life is going well remember you will have speed bumps along the way.  Friendships can end like the blowout of a tire.  Remember God determines who walks into your life.  It’s up to you to let them stay or walk away.

 

The steering wheel directs our path in life.  It is our navigation and allows us to avoid danger in our paths.  You need both hands at all times.  If you remove your hands you lose control.  Sometimes temptations along the way grab our attention and we tend to swerve on the road.  We must stay focused to reach our destinations.  Many of us rely on the GPS System to direct us.  We trust this system to get us where we need to be.  Sometimes you may be in an area where the GPS system does not work and your signal is lost.  If you are unfamiliar with the area you are lost.

 

Don’t allow this to happen to you in the Masonic Organization.  I was once told the only thing worse that than losing your eye sight is your vision.         We can become complacent and lose all sight of what is important.  If you run into a wall don’t give up figure out how to climb it, go through it or work around it.  As a leader you must keep both hands on the steering wheel and navigate the Order.  When you lose your vision it is time for a new Driver.  You will never have passengers if you can’t control the wheel.

 

The task of a leader is to get your people from where they are to where they have not been.

 

In closing I ask that we all remember “The easiest thing to be in the world is YOU.  The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be.  Don’t allow them to put you in that position

 

ARE YOU INTERESTED OR COMMITTED!

“When you have a million dollar vision you don’t surround yourself with one cent minds.”

R. Lucille Samuel
The 8th Grand Princess Captain
Lone Star Grand Guild

Once again I am pleased to present R. Lucille Samuel, Grand Princess Captain of the Lone Star Grand Guild, Heroines of the Templars Crusade of Texas,  PHA Texas, with her annual (2017) Allocution. This is her last Allocution as Grand Princess Captain as she will be moving on to Royal Grand Perfect Matron of the Texas LOCOP in September.

Samuel is a fighter for being all you can be and getting the most out of your participation in your Fraternity. Never the shy one, she is not afraid to speak up and speak out to inspire and encourage those that she leads to step up to the plate and hit a home run. As many a great leader has done before her she is not afraid to criticize her fraternity or herself when the effort is lacking or the decisions are poor.

A very hard worker, a great speaker, and the definition of a leader here is what she had to say:

ARE YOU INTERESTED OR COMMITTED!

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.

Are you committed to help our fellow brother or sister?

Last year was the Big “D” and now we have arrived in the ALAMO!

R. Lucille Samuel
The 8th Grand Princess Captain
Lone Star Grand Guild

I am thrilled to bring you greetings on behalf of the Lone Star Grand Guild, Heroines of the Templars Crusade of Texas, PHA!  The best in the WORLD!

So much has changed since we convened at this time last year.  Again there are smiles that are missing and empty voids in our lives.  However we continue our Crusade as Christian Soldiers in protecting our banner!  2017 is a New Year and we will embrace it.

Psalms 37:5 – Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

When you are interested in something you tend to do things when it is convenient for you.  When you are committed you make no excuses and you only produce results.  So you set goals for yourself and you start to become immersed in your work.  You put in long hours and become consistent in your strategies.  You are focused and feel confident in yourself.

Well, one day you wake up and you think I have achieved everything that I dreamed about and this show can run itself on autopilot.  So you start to slack off and start making excuses instead of keeping your commitment.

In these organizations today we have too many members that are only interested until they get in the door.  Once they become members we lose their commitment that they swore upon at the Altar.  They start with well you know I have to work late or I have something at church or I forgot about the meeting.   Well as long as you were looking pretty in your aprons, collars and bling it was all great.  When we asked you to serve the needy or feed the hungry or assist with a donation you lost interest.

You start out with innovative ideas and some where along the road you debated in your head and lost your commitment.  All those promises you made fell by the wayside.  Your total behavior has gone South.  Your service is the price you pay to occupy space on this earth.  It is the least you can do.

I have never known anyone to be successful by just being interested.  You have to have that driven desire to be committed.  Talk is cheap.  Put your work where your mouth is and Put Up or Shut Up!

Have you ever met people that have been everywhere and done everything?  Or as soon you speak they speak behind you to belittle you?  Like Social Media Stalkers when you post they are just waiting to post behind you.

If we as members do not retain our commitments to the Masonic Order it will die.  Some are already in the Hearse headed to the cemetery now.  Just because you may be the Leader does not mean you are LEADING!!!!!  When you stand before your Body and notice there are more empty seats than members Houston you have a problem!  They have lost interest in you and the organization.  Some of you that have reached the top floor in the elevator need to send it back down because you need HELP!  There is a fine line between “The Good of the Order and the Good of Self!  Stop promoting your own Agenda.  When your most passionate people become silent or walk away you need to realize your leadership is failing.

We need to switch our focus from our needs to their needs.  Take an interest in your membership.   How often do you visit your local organizations?  I don’t mean when you need a free trip but to really teach and talk to your membership.  Are you an assignment or an attachment?  You must seek to understand before seeking to be understood.  You cannot continue to be selfish and significant at the same time.

Another issue is worrying about what others think of you.  If Christ didn’t care why should we?  Never allow someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.  Education is when you read the fine print and experience is what you get when you don’t.

We need change!  We can’t keep doing the same repetitious programs and expect new results.  Sometimes people need to leave their positions in order for it to work.  Complaining every year about attendance and members not working for the order will not make progress.  I was once told when you have a million dollar vision you don’t surround yourself with one cent minds.

R. Lucille Samuel
The 8th Grand Princess Captain
Lone Star Grand Guild                                                                                                                                                               In closing I ask that we all remember “Wherever you go no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine!”
I will continue to lead BY THE CROSS,
Lucille Samuel
The 8th Grand Princess Captain
Lone Star Grand Guild

You need to commit to the Order and realize that if you don’t peak their interest or motivate the body you will continue to sink like a Rock!  You have to lead from the front and the back.  If you are not willing to show your sweat and labor then don’t expect it from the members.  Encouragement is oxygen for the soul.  You can begin with an attitude of gratitude and stop being arrogant but try being humble!  You can’t gain the respect of others if you have no respect for yourself.  Materialist items don’t make you important.  Whether you drive a Mercedes or a Hyundai or you use words to intimidate others your effectiveness as a leader is defined by results not attributes.  The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.

Your Energy is Contagious and either you affect people or you infect people.  Which are you?  If you affect people in a positive way it is always a plus.  But if you are a virus that infects people in a negative way then you need to remove yourself before you contaminate your membership.