# Initiating my Son...



## luftx (Aug 20, 2009)

This past Friday, 14 Aug 09, I had the *GREAT* pleasure of initiating my 18 year old son.  It was the first degree that I ever put on, and it was *TOTALLY AWESOME*!  Other than a couple of bobbles I made it through without my CRS striking (CRS=Can't Remember ####) too bad.  And at the end, I almost had him in tears (and it was all I could do to stop my self from laughing), but I got him through it, and he sure was relieved when I stepped down to the secretary's desk, grabbed his hand, and said "Congratulations Little Brother!"  That's been a joke between us for years, I'm barely 5'10" and my son stands 6'7 (or there about).

He had an awesome degree team, everybody on his team was someone that he's known personally for the past 3-4 years to all of his life (some he even respects  ).  Afterwords he told me how much it meant to him to be able to recognize every voice that he heard and know that he "was in the hands . . . "! 

And, this week, I've been teaching him his work.  He's doing SUCH a good job, that tomorrow evening, after another EA degree, I'm going to have him turn in Part I.

We've spent some time this week traveling, so he's seen 4 other degrees, and on the 29th, we're driving to Alexandria, La, for the meeting of Tranquility Lodge #2000 (the master is a good friend of mine).

I believe he's just what the doctor ordered in our lodge, a young mind that wants to learn the work!


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## HKTidwell (Aug 20, 2009)

That ROCKS!  Congratulations!


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## luftx (Aug 20, 2009)

HKTidwell said:


> That ROCKS!  Congratulations!



Thanks!  Appreciate it!


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## Bryan (Aug 20, 2009)

luftx said:


> This past Friday, 14 Aug 09, I had the *GREAT* pleasure of initiating my 18 year old son.  It was the first degree that I ever put on, and it was *TOTALLY AWESOME*!  Other than a couple of bobbles I made it through without my CRS striking (CRS=Can't Remember ####) too bad.  And at the end, I almost had him in tears (and it was all I could do to stop my self from laughing), but I got him through it, and he sure was relieved when I stepped down to the secretary's desk, grabbed his hand, and said "Congratulations Little Brother!"  That's been a joke between us for years, I'm barely 5'10" and my son stands 6'7 (or there about).
> 
> He had an awesome degree team, everybody on his team was someone that he's known personally for the past 3-4 years to all of his life (some he even respects  ).  Afterwords he told me how much it meant to him to be able to recognize every voice that he heard and know that he "was in the hands . . . "!
> 
> ...



That is excellent news !!  Do you have photos ?

I'm also planning on being at the Tranquility lodge meeting in Alexandria.. look for me.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Aug 20, 2009)

Congratulations, that is an honor!!


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## luftx (Aug 20, 2009)

Bryan said:


> That is excellent news !!  Do you have photos ?
> 
> I'm also planning on being at the Tranquility lodge meeting in Alexandria.. look for me.



No, I was so excited about the evening, I *TOTALLY* forgot to take my camera.

I'll be sure to look for you, and we should be easy to spot, we're like Mutt and Jeff with him being so tall.  

So look for the short bald guy with the TALL heavyset young guy!

Robert


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## luftx (Aug 20, 2009)

Bro. Stewart said:


> Congratulations, that is an honor!!



It sure was.  I had such a GREAT time.  And we still have two more degrees to go, with the best part (for my son) left to come.  I have three MM rings, one which I bought (just to wear normally), my grandfather's and my dad gave me his, and that one is real special to me.  So, the night he is raised, I'm giving my dad his father's ring back so he can present it to my boy.  It needs some work done on it (the Compass and Square needs to be replaced), and I'll take care of that if I EVER find a job.  But he's admired it for years, so I thought I'd let him wear it.


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## rhitland (Aug 20, 2009)

I am a son of a MM/PM and have a soft spot for Dad-Son in lodge, I cannot begin to tell you how my realtionship with my Dad has grown. Last year he was WM and I his SD and working with him taught me more in that year than I learned in the last decade. I wish you both well and the good times you two will have would rub off and do any Lodge good.


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## Sirius (Aug 20, 2009)

What a beautiful story, Brother. Thanks for sharing. I cantr wait to hear about the trouble you're gonna have in the MM degree. J-lum better be UT lineman.


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## JEbeling (Aug 21, 2009)

Looking forward to pictures of the MM degree.. ! 

That must be a thrill.. !


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## JTM (Aug 21, 2009)

very nice.  congratulations.


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## luftx (Aug 22, 2009)

Sirius said:


> What a beautiful story, Brother. Thanks for sharing. I cantr wait to hear about the trouble you're gonna have in the MM degree. J-lum better be UT lineman.



That's the part that my Dad usually does, so I'm going to enjoy the show, and see if my old man can get the job done!


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## luftx (Aug 22, 2009)

JEbeling said:


> Looking forward to pictures of the MM degree.. !
> 
> That must be a thrill.. !



It has been, more than I actually thought it would be.  And before anyone takes that the wrong way, I mean that I didn't think my life with him could be any more thrilling.  I knew that there would be more 'high' points, but I didn't think that the events in his life (so far) could be topped (I delivered him, almost 19 years ago, and I just didn't think that could be beat), but this sure has been close if not better.

It's been GREAT!!!

As an update, he turned in Part I of his work last night, and he just can't figure what he has done that causes everyone to come up and re-inforce the 'Good Job!'  I've been trying to explain it to him, but he doesn't even have a clue.  So now I have to teach him the rest, and if he picks it up as easy as he did the rest, I'll be putting on his FC Friday...

Robert


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## Ben Rodriguez (Aug 23, 2009)

Awesome story, thanks for sharing with us, and congratulations to him for entering our beautiful fraternity!


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## Gerald.Harris (Aug 24, 2009)

Congratulations Brother , I can only imagine what your experience felt like. I conferred all three degrees on my blood brother several years ago, and am hopeful that I will eventually get to do the same on my son of 34 years. I bet it was awesome !!


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## Gerald.Harris (Aug 25, 2009)

Gerald.Harris said:


> Congratulations Brother , I can only imagine what your experience felt like. I conferred all three degrees on my blood brother several years ago, and am hopeful that I will eventually get to do the same on my son of 34 years. I bet it was awesome !!



Brothers, now that it is a done deal, I can tell you that I did iniate my son into masonry last evening, I have to admit that it was possibly one of the most emotional times in my entire  life. I got lost during some of the ritual, and had to swallow back some of the emotion before I could proceed furthuer, one of my dear brothers was able to give me a prompt and get things back on track. Thank you my brother if you are reading this post.


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## Bill Lins (Aug 26, 2009)

Wow! I only hope I will have the privilege of conferring the Degrees upon my son someday.


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## Gerald.Harris (Aug 27, 2009)

Bill_Lins77488 said:


> Wow! I only hope I will have the privilege of conferring the Degrees upon my son someday.



Brother Bill, the feeling is just one that I don't have the words to describe. I also hope that you get the opportunity to live the experience.


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## scottmh59 (Sep 2, 2009)

great story


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## nick1368 (Sep 2, 2009)

Awesome story thanks for sharing.  Can't wait to hear about the MM...


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## Ben Rodriguez (Sep 4, 2009)

Just saw a MM degree last night with Dad being J-Lum, it was a beautiful ceremony!


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## luftx (Nov 2, 2009)

Well, just to bring everyone up to date on my son, he is now a Master Mason, and has turned in his work.  I apologize for the long delay in posting.

We are all very proud of him.  So everyone understands the story, I had been in possession of my grandfathers MM ring for years.  It's been safely stored in my wife's jewelry box so it was never misplaced.  About a week before my son's MM degree, I gave it back to my dad, and he looked at me with questioning eyes, and I told him, that it was his dad's ring, so he should be the one that gave it my son.

So on the night of the degree, to the lodge's consternation, I brought back in most of the degree team that were there when Nathan (my son) got initiated, with a few changes, my dad was the WM, I was the Senior Deacon (I can't tell you how cool it was when I got him inside the door and whispered to him "It's OK son, you're in Dad's hands now, nothing to be worried about" and then the degree started.  The degree went VERY well and I didn't screw it up too bad, and my dad was JB and had fun there.

After the degree, lecture, charge, apron/bible/ballot box presentations were done, my dad did the "On Yonder Book" charge, and then walked up to my son (who was still at the alter) and but his arm around him (which isn't easy, Nathan stands about 6'6") and said "Son, we (the family) are all proud of you.  We love you very much, so would you please stick out your right hand."  Nathan did, and my dad placed the ring on the finger, and said, "Nathan, this is your great-grandfather's ring, and we want you to wear this ring with pride.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house."

The ring is worn, the compass and square are almost worn smooth from the amount of time my grandpa wore it, but my son wears it with pride and protects it like it was the Crown Jewels.

Robert


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## Hippie19950 (Nov 2, 2009)

Bro. Robert, that is an amazing story. I have experienced a 3 generation Degree, and was probably the best (well, next to mine...). As in your case, Granddad was the WM, Dad was SD, and the son was brought before all of us. I hope one day to be a part of something like that, but not sure it will happen. Closest so far, was my Father-in-law being at mine.
Thanks.


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## Gerald.Harris (Nov 3, 2009)

Congratulations Brother, what a moving story. I wish the best of everything to your son. It sounds as if he will be one who will contribute to our great fraternity in a positive way.


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## JTM (Nov 3, 2009)

pretty cool.


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## TxManx (Nov 3, 2009)

luftx said:


> This past Friday, 14 Aug 09, I had the *GREAT* pleasure of initiating my 18 year old son.



Heart warming...so cool you got to experience that, and him too!


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