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Welcome back!

Many Lodges will be coming back this month from being dark over July and August. If your Lodge installs Officers around the turn of the year like Clinton does, it’s a short jaunt until the swapping of chairs begins.

Thinking about the upcoming installation, and the new job I took over the summer gave me an idea for this posting: Change and Comfort Zones.

While often feared, change is a good thing. Change allows us to grow, to learn, to experience new things. While the particular change may not be something you like, it will present you with new options and new chances to prove yourself. Frankly, after working at my last job for 17 years, I was terrified of moving on to a new job. I knew everything I needed to know at my old job. Where everything was, the history of the building and the items in it. I knew the quirks and ins and outs of all the software and hardware. But things had grown stale for me and unless I made that jump to a new job, I was not going to grow any more.

What I found was that I’d settled into a comfort zone. I took comfort in the fact I knew what I knew. The problem was, I wasn’t learning anything new or moving out of that comfort zone.

The deal with comfort zones is that while we are happy inside of them, they can become barriers that keep us in unless we work to try things outside of those boundaries. If you don’t push out of your comfort zone now and again, you may even find it shrinking in on you.

So look for things in your life that may be getting stale and head them off before it becomes an issue. Make positive changes in your life, and help others do the same in their lives. Step out of your comfort zone and try new things, new foods, new experiences.

Masonically some options are to take a speaking part in a ritual, visit another Lodge, ask how you can help keep your Temple clean and maintained, or assist on a committee.

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how even little changes can improve your outlook on life.

Jason Owen
Worshipful Master
Clinton Lodge #175

We’re in the middle of a awfully warm summer and while the Lodge may be dark, our minds should still be bright and sharp.

Continuous education should be something everyone strives for. Be it a whole new trade, a new method for doing something you already know, or even “re-discovering” an old passion and building on it.

So far this summer, I’ve learned a fair amount about kayaking and designed and built a contraption to help my daughter in volleyball. I started learning a programming language, a database manipulation language, read some of Aristotle’s Rhetoric, thanks to the Lodge’s summer book discussion, and learned a fair amount about my own motivations thanks to some taking some time for reflection on my life these 39 years.

I hope everyone reading this is taking time to learn and grow, for that’s what humans are meant to do in life. Don’t get stuck in a rut, find a passion, an interest, and work toward that goal.

On a similar note, I’ve been asked a couple times why I setup a Lodge “gameday” as a reoccurring event. What benefit is there to sitting around and playing board and card games (and complicated ones at that)?

First off, it’s a time for bonding. Being in a smaller setting of usually 3-6 people playing an individual game, you have a great opportunity to get to know those at the table. Find out what they’ve been up to, how their family is, etc. It’s less intimidating than talking in open lodge or even the big communal dinner before Lodge.

Once you know the people better, you can communicate with them on a higher level. Communication is key in work, family life, and any recreational activity that involves more than just you. Playing these games you often need to work with other players to either accomplish a common goal, or to convince them not to interfere with you accomplishing your goals; which brings us to negotiation! Being able to successfully negotiate treaties, trades, etc in games are skills that can easily be put to use out in the world. You learn to recognize what you have, need, and can offer to others while also seeing what they can offer you, and need themselves to reach their goals.

Speaking of goals, (bringing this all back together here!) in a game, much like life there are often multiple routes to victory. Learning to recognize what your goal is, devising a plan to get there, and adapting that plan to changes will lead you to victory in the game, as well as life.

Please don’t be intimidated by Game day, we love teaching people new games and explaining how they work. It’s a great time and hope to see you at the next one.

Keep cool out there!
Jason Owen, WM

The Grand Lodge of Michigan’s Annual Communication was this week. This was my second trip, and I highly recommend all Masons attend one of these events, especially upcoming Worshipful Masters.

One of the things I love about Grand Lodge, is the passion members have for Masonry. Some might see the arguing of grumpy old men, but I see men who are passionate about the Fraternity and it’s laws and customs. These men have strong opinions and are there to express them to keep Masonry what they feel it should be, or to help guide it from something that isn’t working into something they think will help us all.

•  Wednesday, May 31st – 5th Wednesday Discussion Night
• Monday, June 12th – Visit Olive Lodge #156 in Chelsea
• Monday June 19th – School of Instruction @ Palmyra Lodge #184
• Wednesday, June 21st – Standard Communication and “3H” night: Dress code is Hawaiian, Hillbilly, and/or Harley.

March is winding down and Spring weather is settling in. I wanted to talk this month about a section of the closing that always caught my attention.

Sometime in February my youngest was looking at the Masonic sticker on the back of the vehicle as she helped me unload groceries. She piped up in her sweet little voice and asked, “Dad, do you think you’ve been living better since you joined the Masons?”

My immediate thought was “Yes, of course!”, but I didn’t answer right away. I took a moment to reflect on the happenings of the last few years to make sure it was true.

When I did answer, I told her. “Yes I do honey. Since joining the Lodge I’ve become a better friend, father, husband, neighbor, and person in general.”

“What do you mean?”, she asked.

I explained, “Well, I make it a point to ask more how friends are doing rather than just hang out. I look for ways to help where before I might have just wished them well. I try to spend more time with you girls as well as your Mom. And I’ve learned to move out of my comfort zone and do and try things I would have avoided before. It’s not that I was a bad person before, I’ve just learned to be better.”

She agreed with me and we finished our task.

It’s always a good idea to take a little time now and again and reflect on how you are going about your journey through life, and she gave me a chance to do that just then. The growth the Fraternity has helped me to achieve has come through the things we are taught in our lectures and educational pieces, as well as just hanging out with a wonderful group of guys. I can’t say enough how members of the Lodge have helped me out over the years. Through listening, advising, encouraging, assisting with problems, and just being there as a friend and Brother. I would not be where I am in life without them.

Speaking of which, we had our annual Past Master’s Dinner with oyster stew and a Master Mason degree all in one day. Seeing some of the Past Masters come up to Lodge and carry on with each other and Brothers they’ve not seen in a long time was a wonderful sight. It was like they’d only missed a meeting or two and were right back at giving each other a hard time, chatting about their lives, and having just a great time.

That kind of Brotherly Love is hard to come by, and the Fraternity promotes it so well, I’m proud to be a member of this Lodge. We had another Brother we’d not seen in awhile make it back up for the Business meeting and it was great seeing him. He had a good time and expects to return more regularly.

I’m hoping we’ll be seeing some more returning members, as I miss a lot of the guys from my early years who helped myself and so many others like me get involved in everything the Lodge has to offer.

As always, feel free to drop me a line and I look forward to our next meeting (be it formal or informal).

Jason Owen

Worshipful Master

Come join Clinton Lodge for an Irish Afternoon filled with family, friends, food and fun March 11th from 1-5p.

This family friendly evening will feature Irish food selections including kid friendly food alternatives. After dinner stick around for fun family games, kid friendly movies and other activities. Be sure to bring your families favorite game and/or activity to share.

Seating is limited so be sure to RSVP right away, as they tickets will go fast.

If you would like to help or have a dish you would like to bring feel free to contact Bro. Joseph McKelvie using the link below.