Pass It On!

Boy Scout Oath or Promise

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

The boy scout oath makes three promises:

Duty to God and country

Duty to Others

Duty to Self (note this being the last promise)

A few weeks ago, our family faced saying goodbye to a loved one, an uncle, and it was clear that what this person had learned through the boy scout oath, had stayed with him is entire life.  I could go on to tell you, he achieved his eagle scout award and even got elected to the order of the arrows, but what is more important is the values he set in his life.

My own husband achieved those same awards and even though only about 4% percent of boy scouts achieve this accomplishment it seems to run deep in the family, like roots that last generation after generation.  Another young man in our family is soon to finish his service project to achieve eagle scout.  Someday, I would hope our son would take same oath and follow the example of a great uncle, a father, and a cousin has laid out. 

Yet, if my son never achieves eagle scout, or gets voted into the order of the arrow, I would pray that the promise, the oath would last within my son as it has with the man we said goodbye to a few short weeks ago.

A vietnam war veteran with a purple heart, a heart for serving others, and a love for his country was laid to rest with family, friends, and the community mourning his loss. 

But like the boy scouts, and the miltary, God too is looking for a few good men.  Men who’d serve him, serve others, and themselves to further His works in the community.

This isn’t a promo for boyscouts, but being a girl scout, I do encourage others to find programs for your children that influence moral rightness and God’s beliefs in their lives. 

Today, do you know a few good men?  Men who do for others? Men who serve their God and Country?  Celebrate them, thank them, and pray for them.

Pass It On

 Pictured above is a cute and adorable Sugar Glider, although this pet may not be for anyone, it can be a very great companion.  Unfortunately, there are still four states that do not allow the possession of these exotic animals - Pennsylvania, California, Alaska, and Hawaii.

I recently discovered this pet when looking at options for my oldest daughter, who’d love to have a pet, but due to allergies and asthma in the household is limited to anything without hair and fur. 

We had a pot bellied pig, adopted from a rescue, for eight years before it passed away last fall.  Pigs in the house are like running after your two year old, you always have to be on the look out, plus our neighbor’s didn’t appreciate his finer qualities.

Please join me and help legalize Sugar Gliders in Pennsylvania.  If you live in Pennsylvania, please write to your Pennsylvania State Representative.  You can find them at this link: http://www.pasen.gov/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm

Below is a letter I recently wrote on my family’s behalf of getting these cute critters legalized.  Feel free to copy this letter and edit it for the purpose of forwarding it on to your own Pennsylvania State Representative.

Thank you for this help.

Pass It On!!!

Dear Honorable Representative (insert name),

Since 1992, Sugar Gliders have been illegal to possess, breed, or buy and sell in the state of Pennsylvania.  A Sugar Glider, whose scientific name is Petaurus Breviceps, is a small marsupial originally native to eastern and northern mainland Australia, New Guinea, and the Bismarck Archipelago, and introduced to Tasmania.

Outside Australia, Sugar Gliders are a popular domestic pet because of its lively and inquisitive nature.  With plenty of attention (a minimum of 1-2 hours of daily human interaction), it bonds well to human companions.

According to Wikipedia, “as of March 2009, Sugar Gliders are legal to own as domestic house pets in the United States in 47 of the 48 contiguous states, with California being the only exception. In Pennsylvania, they are legal as solely house pets, but breeders require a special permit and there are restrictions on the sale. However, individual U.S. cities may prohibit the keeping of Sugar Gliders.”

Unfortunately this isn’t true.  According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission it is ILLEGAL to posses a Sugar Glider as a house pet, and has been since the chicken pox/monkey pox scare in 1992 when several exotic animals were banned.  Yet, a bird known as a Mock Parrot was allowed to stay and has done far more damage in the United States by destroying power lines and crops.

The number one killer of Sugar Gliders in the United States is toilet bowls.Sugar Gliders pose no threat to the natural species of our state or their habitation.  They are not known to carry disease and bond well with their human companions making them the perfect pet for the elderly and children.  Sugar Gliders are hypo-allergenic due to their stretchy membrane instead of fur and hair like other common household pets.

Due to allergies and asthma running rampid in our family – my husband and my son – we have only ever been able to adopt a pot bellied pig as a pet.  When Harley, our pig, passed away last year, our three children have missed having a pet ever since.  Pigs are not as easily acceptable in town settings as Sugar Gliders.  They do not bond and travel as well as Sugar Gliders, and still pose a small threat to an asthmatic, unlike Sugar Gliders.

When we were recently introduced to having a Sugar Glider as a pet from a family in New Jersey we were excited.  Sugar Gliders would be the perfect family pet for us, and we started to do our research and prepare to bring one in our home.  Except, no one will sell or give us a pair of baby Sugar Gliders because inside Pennsylvania it is illegal to have this cute critter as a house pet.  Yet, if we lived in any state except Pennsylvania or California we’d be allowed to invite a Sugar Glider into our home.

The most recent state to legalize Sugar Gliders was Georgia last year.  Senator John Bulloch, “pulled a Sugar Glider from his pocket on the Senate floor as he pitched a bill that would allow Georgians to keep these critters—like mini flying squirrels - as house pets.  It proceeded to walk around his arm as he addressed the assembled senators, who subsequently passed the measure 53-0.”  (As published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on 3/6/08.)

According to Jason Delkoski, Chief Technical Supervisor of the PA Wildlife Commission, whom I spoke with on Tuesday (August 11, 2009) in Harrisburg, it has been sitting on their desk for quite some time for Sugar Gliders to be legalized as house pets, but unfortunately no State Representative has picked up the bill and ran with it to legislation.

I’m asking you to please help present and pass a bill to legalize Sugar Gliders in Pennsylvania.  Not only for my own family, but for other families in Pennsylvania who could otherwise never enjoy the experience of having a pet in their home.

Thank you for your support,

(your name)

Each night, right before bed, my oldest comes up with a list of aches and pains.  “My foot hurts,” or “My legs itch,” or last night, “My stomach hurts.”

These aches and pains don’t became evident or complained about until she hears the magic words, “It’s bedtime.”

As a parent, the aches and pains of bedtime had turned into a slight throb in my head from all the bantering back and forth to get my oldest to settle down for the night. 

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses……  But, they all lead up to a young girl wanting attention.  Wanting just one more goodnight hug, one more story to be read, and one more chance to have that special time with mom or even dad before going to sleep. 

Last night, after my oldest had finally settled, my husband remarked on our child getting her way.  “Had she?” I asked, “Or did she just want a little of your attention?”

Is your child trying to get your attention?  Tonight, put down the book, shut off the computer, and spend some quality time with your child/children before bed.  Soon the aches and pains of children will fade away.

Pass It On