I used to be a Boy Scout. I remember taking a trip to Lake Wappapelo one time.

Our Scout leaders had hiked through the woods before we arrived, marking certain little signs for us to find and follow along a certain path.

Each scout's responsibility was to follow those signs that marked our trail back to our campsite.

The signs were not always clearly visible, but neither were they invisible. Once found, those signs enabled us to find our way "home," so to speak.

Signs -- Certain signs enable trained educators to identify students with learning disabilities, including poor vocabulary, poor reading skills, a problem expressing ideas meaningfully, and difficulty understanding directions.

Educators use these signs to help identify these students so they can work with them in specific ways to get them "home," so to speak. That is to help them learn and graduate with their peers.

Comedian Bill Engval has made this little expression very famous -- Here's your sign!

When I was a teenager, the Five Man Electrical Band sang a song about signs. It went like this: "And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply, so I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why. He said you look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do. So I took off my hat I said imagine that, huh, me working for you. Sign, sign everywhere a sign blocking out the scenery breaking my mind , Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign."

As you can see, I've been thinking about signs this week. There's another sign I want to mention. I've been thinking a lot about it recently too.

"In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened, but the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all people; for today in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.'" [Luke 2:1-14]

-- Another sign helping us find our way home.

This particular column runs each December.

Jack Rollins is the managing editor of the Daily Dunklin Democrat.