For the few or for the many

"Sacrifice the few to save the many"

I was speaking to my captain the other day in terms of the numbers in our sections and the like in the calm after the storm.  We sat talking with the other officers after the company night as to how to go forward in the new year.  However something my captain said bugged me.

" Some kids are great to have in the group, but as much as we try to keep these kids, they will eventually give up."  Referring to the odd kids, the loners so to say.  Imaginative, artistic and highly creative are often major characteristics.  Sport on the other hand is not.  So when it comes to games which the others enjoy greatly, these ones often sit on the sidelines.

Of course when running the games you are often stuck to almost ignore the one.  I struggle with this concept.  When I'm not running an activity i make it my duty to encourage those whom sit aside.  The answers from them often being, "i'm no good at sports", or in some rare cases "i like it but i just want to sit out".  (Some kids really confuse me).

So unless another officer does the duty of talking to these kids I can do but shout encouragement in between running things, a task that is often unsuccessful.  I have rarely seen another officer do so, they've often tried and given up.

Sometimes you even make headway with a child, who then leaves without word. Somewhat soul destroying.

So my thoughts lie with the singular statement above.  Is it worth more to run our activities for the many, or try to do so for the few at the risk of losing the others?

Sadly, my captain may have wisdom I'm too stubborn to accept.  How about you?

Fill-in Games: Elevens

Another one for the younger lot.

Equipment:
       None!

Setup:
 Get all the kids sitting on the floor in a circle, legs pointing inwards.

The Game:

Starting with one foot the kids count to eleven for each foot.  I.e. first kid taps right foot on floor and says 1, then 2 on the left and round the circle.

The kid who is unlucky enough to be 11 takes that foot out of the game then starts with the next foot from 1 again.

That's it!!!

The winner is the person with the last foot in wins.

No idea why this game is fun but they enjoy it!

Expanding the game.

I must admit this is drawn from a more adult version with beverages but it is the natural extension. My friends would call it 21 and the same principle, but you can each say upto 3 numbers.  The person that says 21 is still in but chooses a new rule for the game.  I.e. miss 8 or make a noise instead of 12, a sign or the like.  Pretty much anything goes within reason.  This is more suited to teenagers.  Of course the target switches to wanting to say 21 to make up a rule often.  If you fail to do the right thing however you loose a life and the numbers start again with till 21 is reached and a new rule is created or someone else makes a mistake.

Fill-In games: Port Starboard

One for the younger ones!  But one of my favourites.

No equipment needed!

A very popular game for 5-10 year olds to run around like crazy!

The leader shouts Port or Starboard and the kids run left or right, simple as

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Then add extras like...

• CAPTAINS COMING - Kids salute "aye, aye captain!"
• STERN / BOW - Run forward or back
• SUBMARINE - On their back, one leg in the air like a periscope (lol)
• CLIMB THE RIGGING - pretend to be climbing
• MAN OVERBOARD - Swim
• MAN THE LIFEBOATS - row your boat
• SHARKS! - they run around screaming
• SCRUB THE DECKS - kneel down, pretending to clean the floor

I'm sure there's more but I shall add them when i think of them!  Comment if you think of any more!

This is an OUT game so the last to do the call is out and sits out of the way.

It's a great game and I hope you enjoy it!

God and the Devil or God then the Devil?

Good and Evil?
         Yin and Yang?
               Right and wrong?
 Is that really what God and the Devil are?          Arch Enemies?

God created everything...   Everything!

He is All Powerful                               All present                             and  All Knowing

 That was the foreword, now the main part!

                 The world today is, as ever, filled with Human beings.  We are perfect imperfections, filled with Good, but with great power to do bad.  We are taught to love one another, yet grow feelings of Jealousy and hatred and act them out in numerous ways, whilst our love often lies hidden.  We suffer from Lust and greed, wanting the very things we know are wrong, the very things we know are that of sin.  The very people we love the most are the very ones we often hurt.

                 Why?  the devil, satan, el diablo?  or simply through free will?  Or perhaps a mixture...  This time of the year of course reminds us of Jesus being tempted in the desert by the Devil himself.  Where he is tested, put through thirst and offered the oppurtunity for drink, hunger and offered bread.  As with Jesus he doesn't force us to do bad, it is simply in giving us the oppurtunity, perhaps he changes our mind towards it but simply putting the chance in front of you is the deal maker!  Tried and Tested!

                But we ourselves often do this work for the devil is in you, we dare, bribe and cheat people into doing evil.  We ourselves pass on oppurtunities for others.  We are as bad as those who carry out the deed.

                The story of Job shows intimately the work of the Devil.  A defined story of Job being tested, under the supervision of God himself.  God is simply judge, the Devil the prosecutor (as Alan Watts so bluntly puts it) and tests him.  He gives him the oppurtunity to avenge the many problems that have been made in his life.  But though he is destroyed more and more at each onset of tests, he refuses to falter, up until he is so bedraggled that he questions God himself.  The God who then presents what I have already said, that He created everything and everything is as it should be!  From then Job is awakened and blessed many times over.

               As with Job it is down to us what we choose, Good or Evil.  Luckily for us though the scales are biased!  For you may say that on the one side we have God and the other the devil, but this is not so.  For God created Everything, he is all powerful and all present!  The devil is not equal he does not stand on the same level!  The devil was created by God himself and is weak.  Jesus is the one standing on the other side of the scales and if you choose to have Him at your side then you are winning throughout.  You must prove yourself and choose carefully but you can win!  Through God all is possible He is above all, on a level far beyond anyone or anything... for it is not God and the Devil it is most definitely God then the Devil!