Greetings Brethren,

From outside the door, I would like to thank MWB Tom Shank for the appointment to serve as the Grand Tyler for the Grand Lodge of New Mexico.  It has been joked around that I make a good deterrent for the approach of cowans and eavesdroppers or cowhands depending on your Lodge. 

A little bit about me and my Masonic walk. I was raised in Chama Lodge in 2005 by MWB Jess Martindale, for years I had no interest in being a Mason until I met Jess where he persuaded or railroaded me into joining Chama #17.  He told me I had a long line of Masons in my family and that I should join and experience the same  brotherhood of my dad and both of my grandfathers,  My dad PeeWee was raised in Chama Lodge in 1976 and was the last Mason to be raised in the Lodge in Chama before it was moved to Cuba. Where he has been a member for the past 47 years.

Growing up he told me and my sister, as a Mason there is nowhere in the world that he couldn’t get help for us  as a son/daughter of a Mason that always impressed me.   His father T.W. Stevenson was raised in Chama in 1951 and served for 35 years as a member of Chama and was a 32⁰ degree Scottish Rite until his death in 1986.  My other Grandfather was raised in Chama in 1965 and was a member until his death in 2014, 64 years as a Mason and was also a 32⁰ degree Scottish rite. 

Once I became a Mason, he told me stories of the old El Paso Natural Gas guys driving to Chama in snowstorms to attend lodge all on dirt roads 65 miles away.  I have had the pleasure of serving as Grand Sword Bearer for RWB Earnie Shoop, and several tours as DDGL and DDGM for district 1 over the past few years.  What being a Mason has taught me, is that we all meet on the level, we all come from different backgrounds, social, economic, cultural, political, but when we as brethren shake hands, our feet are on the same foundation and that we as brothers are level.  That is how we all should meet all of our fellow man. 

This coming year  as you see me standing outside guarding the outer door, please feel free to stop and shoot the bull with me, I am always eager to hear about another Brother’s walk in Masonry and build a friendship that can last a lifetime.