Postcards Magazine-ETX-November 2023

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Lone Star Lights • 100 Years of Texas State Parks • Neal Funeral Home

November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 1

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WE ARE

THANKFUL FOR YOUR TRUST IN US! Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.

Perri Dermatology

Anthony J.Perri, M.D. BOARD CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST

The Woodlands

Conroe

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936-522-4966 4015 I-45 N @ League Line Rd. Conroe, Texas 77304

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November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 3

FEATURES 8

November 2023 | Volume 1, Issue 6

Just for Fun

Lone Star Lights Cover Photo by Michele Miller

14 Texas Treasures

Postcards 2022 Photo Contest Submission

100 Years of Texas State Parks-Part 2

18 Business Focus

Neal Funeral Home

FAVORITES Community Calendar -22 Dear Gabby -6 Mustard Seed Moments - 23 Pet Pals -7 Publisher’s Post -5

Puzzle Solutions -23 Sudoku Marketplace -21 Things My Granddaddy Said -17 What’s Cookin’ -12

Thankful for our Patients, our Staff, our Friends, and our Family.

We are also grateful for all those who are away from their families at this time of year serving our country. May God bless you all!

Huntsville 936.294.0283 127 Medical Park Lane 227 Hwy 75 N • Suite 245

Conroe 936.494.1292 1020 Riverwood Ct., Suite 120

4 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | November 2023

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If you would like to receive our magazine and are not currently on our mailing list, subscriptions are available.

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Published Monthly by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc.

Karen Altom Trash Out. These were the first two words spoken by my husband this morning after he got out of bed. They made me smile.

Today is our wedding anniversary of 31 years. When we got married, scenes of a lifelong romance danced through my head--like those from daytime dramas and romantic movies where you roll over in bed to greet each other in the morning with a soft kiss and a snuggle. Ha! No one ever acknowledges both parties have morning breath and need to get up and empty their bladder more than anything else.

Real life doesn’t look like movies and television. Real life is harder…and better.

Publisher Karen Altom

Today will be a good day. It will be a day we spend working together on this magazine and our family business. The first time he realizes today is our anniversary may be when he edits this column...and that is okay. Because, while I have been writing this, he has been doing what he always does--taking care of me with his servant heart. I have heard him unload the dishwasher and take out the trash. Now I hear he has the Roomba cleaning the floors.

Associate Publisher Kent Holder

Some years, we plan ahead and have big anniversary celebrations. Some years, we don’t. Today, we will do what we have done every day for the last 31 years--life together. And that is a very good thing.

Editor Wes Altom Operations Manager Marshall Altom Advertising Team Kent Holder Nancy Jolly Jennifer Abbrat Leah Lamp Marshall Altom Design Team Mary Partida April Key Online: www.PostcardsLive.com Address: PO Box 690 • Huntsville, TX 77342 Call our Office: 936.293.1188 We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of any unsolicited material. No material from Postcards Magazine™ can be copied, faxed, electronically, or otherwise used without express written permission. Publication of articles, advertisements or product information does not constitute endorsement or approval by Postcards Magazine™ and/or its publisher.

Business Focus stories printed in Postcards Magazine™ are drawn at random from contract advertisers. © 2023 by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc., All rights reserved.

Until next time ~

Karen

November marks the beginning of memory and milestone season. My fondest Thanksgiving memories were at my grandmother’s house. We had separate tables for adults and kids. Kids went through the food line first, with supervision from various aunts and uncles. Typically, an aunt you only saw at Thanksgiving would help with your food selection by plopping down a healthy serving of a dish she made (which Kent Holder was one you would never select). My only hope was to try to trade with a younger kid at the table. The aunt would follow up on how you did, and to the total shock of my parents, report back to the adult table how much I loved her dish. On the way home, I would casually note to my parents it is better to be polite than confrontational. After all, it’s only one day. I narrowly avoided discipline while they tried to contain laughter.

The grand finale of our gathering was the drawing of names for Christmas gift exchanges. My grandmother, perhaps through a bit of trickery in the drawing process, would often end up selecting my name. Each Christmas, I would open her gift--always a unique bottle of cologne. Curiously, the choice of cologne often depended on the aesthetics of the bottle rather than the fragrance within. Some scents left much to be desired, mirroring the annual aunt culinary experiments plopped on my plate. I still have a few of those bottles today, somewhere in a box.

As we approach this season of gratitude, my wish is that you create beautiful memories to warm your hearts. Let’s also extend our hands and hearts to help those less fortunate in creating their own fond memories--we are, at our core, a community…and that is what communities do.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving filled with love and laughter.

Kent

See you around town ~

November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 5

Dear Gabby Welcome back to the Dear Gabby advice column.

November is a month of remembrance and giving thanks. Please remember our veterans on Veteran’s Day, Saturday, November 11. Thank them for protecting our freedoms by serving our country. May God bless them and their families. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 23, and commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621. Be thankful for your blessings and for those who prepare the food and wash the dishes. Gobble ‘til you wobble. Just remember; it’s all fun and games until your pant buttons start popping.

Send your questions to me by clicking on Dear Gabby at www.PostcardsLive.com/share.

DEAR GABBY I try to be helpful to my fiancée. I like to remind him of his appointments and when to take his medication. It’s just my nature to be considerate.

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Just for Fun Story by Wes Altom Submitted Photos

Spotlighting this Christmas attraction… which—like the holiday itself—is about much more than lights.

What is Lone Star Lights? How do you describe it? Over 1.2 million lights, live music, dinner theatre, snow zone with real snow, sledding hill, vendor market, zip line, petting farm, Santa, Nativity—these bullet points fit easily on a brochure or website--yet, they fail to tell the full story. Even a catchy phrase like “Many marvels on a mission to make memories” doesn’t capture it all. Postcards sat down with Wes Armstrong, Director of Lone Star Lights, to gain insight as to the beginning and progression of the inspiration that became Lone Star Lights.

8 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | November 2023

A lightbulb of an idea Winter months are, by default, a low activity period for camp centers. Carolina Creek wanted to develop a plan to use their property and resources during this time to help community and families to connect with each other and with Jesus.

In their research, they located a camp in Washington which had a walkthrough holiday light experience.

In 2016, they developed a plan to create a similar experience at Carolina Creek.

Thus began a two-year period of travel to conferences, other camps, Christmas events, theme parks, and botanical gardens—anywhere that created immersive Christmas environments—to learn what worked and what could have worked better.

This included examining technologies and suppliers as well. “We work with the same companies that supply lights for Disney World, said Lone Star Lights Director Wes Armstrong. We run on a very technical standard, including a control room where all our lighting, audio, and video systems are networked.”

In 2019, the board almost gave a “green light” to the project, but staff wasn’t quite ready yet. This turned out to be a blessing in that it allowed the initiative to avoid a pandemic shutdown immediately after startup. Thus began a waiting period with another year in development to refine the plan and the end product.

Let there be light!

Spreading the Light

In January 2022, the official “green light” came. January through November was a sprint of ordering, receiving, and (in the words of Wes) “learning a lot of things we didn’t know that we didn’t know” in the first year of the attraction.

So, what’s new for the 2023 season?

A lot! Of course, more lights. This year, there will be 1.2 million lights! A Chuckwagon Roundup experience will debut. This is a 45-minute family-oriented dinner experience featuring Coyote Joe with singing, dancing, live animals, and comedy in a highly interactive show with prizes (as well as cowboy stew, cornbread, and peach cobbler). The A.D. Players will return for the dinner theatre experience with a fun, new comedy, “A Christmas of Many Errors.” There will also be a new high adventure activity called Crate Stackin’.

With the uniqueness of their creativity in orders and requests, Carolina Creek found they were also challenging the lighting and display vendors to think bigger as well. “They came into it thinking they were just filling an order for a camp center, and a camp center is not going to be doing these big or crazy things,” said Wes. “Our creative requirements were: it has to be immersive, and it has to be interactive.

You can go see Christmas lights a lot of places. Lone Star Lights had to be highly interactive to be unique. This shines through in things like…the three venues in the park where we invite community performers…the custom talking reindeer… seeing Santa in his workshop…or building your own toy at Toymaker’s Workshop. We tried to create experiences that engage all the senses, not just your eyes in looking at lights.”

In its inaugural season of 2022, Lone Star Lights had just over 1 million lights and saw 16,000 attendees over 16 nights.

Over 2,000 people participated in the dinner theatre experience with Houstonbased A.D. Players, 270 tons of snow were trucked in, 38 animals were in the Petting Farm, and more than 1,200 prayer requests or praises were written and hung in the Prayer Arbor.

Yes, Crate Stackin’--a competitive activity in which the participants stack plastic milk crates as high as they can, all the while climbing the stack to place the additional crates on top (with harness and belay assist for safety).

Also new will be Silver Bell Bakery, where guests can decorate their own sugar cookies. Santa and Rolly the talking reindeer will be in an all-new zone this year called Candy Cane Lane, where you will also find Holly Hall, a community performance stage. Young guests will enjoy The Storybook Place, an outdoor venue where characters will be reading classic Christmas stories. The Fractile Forest zone from last year has been reinvented with the addition of a light maze. And last, but certainly not least, the parking area has been expanded to more than twice the size as last year.

“Our primary motivation in producing

»

November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 9

Lone Star Lights is to create a family-centric, community-oriented event where people can make memories through the Christmas holidays,” said Wes. “We really have a heart of making it accessible to all. From a price point, we try to keep it as low as we possibly can.

If there’s something we can do for free, we’re going to do that. I can’t tell you how many people were surprised last year when they had their photo with Santa, and it was free. People walked up with their wallets open and couldn’t believe it. The snow zone is included. The petting farm is included. The performance stages are included. We really try to make it something that’s affordable for the whole family to come.”

While Carolina Creek is a faith-based organization, you won’t see them forcing this message onto guests. “The way we accomplish our mission is not by preaching a Gospel message,” stated Wes. “Rather, the way our team and staff interact with and treat others should evidence our faith. Guests should walk away feeling like they experienced Jesus in a new way.”

And while there is a zone in the attraction called Reason for the Season, with a larger-than-life Nativity and the Prayer Arbor, these exist simply as an invitation—guests can lean into the experience at their comfort level—or not at all.

Speaking of invitations, you are invited to experience Lone Star Lights and create some special Christmas memories this year. The event runs from November 24 through December 22. Tell your family and friends, then bring them along! Visit lonestarlights.org for more information.

936.744.0134 | Anticipation Drive, Huntsville, TX 77320

Carolina Creek was founded in 2002 by a group of men and women who called Houston home, but saw a need for a space for youth to be able to reconnect with Creation—to have a change of pace and setting that wasn’t inner-city.

The first camp center opened with 200 beds. The property now has three camp centers with 1,200 beds. Each center is self-sufficient, with its own lodging, dining hall, and activities—so three different camps can run simultaneously and never cross paths. Carolina Creek programs are designed for K-12. They write their own curriculum and can provide turnkey events. They also do daytrip events and multi-day retreats for corporate teambuilding, and have hosted groups from companies such as H-E-B, Chick-fil-A, and Walmart.

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November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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What’s Cookin’ Roasted Butternut Squash Salad Ingredients 1 med butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded 1 Tbs olive oil, or as needed 6 slices bacon 1 cup sliced onion 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce ⅓ cup pecans, toasted and chopped ⅓ cup raisins 2 Tbs maple syrup, or to taste Directions Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Step 2: Brush cut sides of butternut squash with olive oil. Wrap each squash half tightly in aluminum foil.

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Step 3: Roast squash halves in the preheated oven until they begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Remove squash from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Remove foil and slice into 3/4-inch thick slices. Remove skin from each slice and cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Set aside 8 cups of the cubed squash, reserving any remaining squash for another use.

Step 4: Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over mediumhigh heat, turning occasionally, until crispy, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Add onions to the skillet and cook in the bacon grease for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add 8 cups squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are soft and beginning to caramelize, and squash cubes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 5: Place romaine lettuce in a large serving bowl; crumble bacon on top and add pecans and raisins. Add butternut squash-onion mixture; toss to combine. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve warm.

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Recipe Tip: You can cook the butternut squash on an outdoor grill over indirect heat, if you prefer.

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Challenge your wits and Take in the lights from new stack those crates as high heights as you zip over the as you can climb ’em!

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November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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Texas Treasures Story and Photos by Mike Yawn

Texas State Parks 100th Anniversary

In part two of our salute to Texas State Parks, an informative account of one couple’s trip, full of adventure… and misadventure.

My girlfriend Stephanie told me to take a left.

We were headed to Estero Llano State Park.

Established in 2006, it is one of the newer additions to the Texas State Park System, less than 30 miles from McAllen.

I thought these blessings could best be found on the right. Gifted with a strong sense of direction, I am almost never wrong about these things. I turned right, where I found a winding paved road, then a dirt road, and then a dead end. Through some error in the urban planner’s design, I had been led astray.

Eventually, we found Estero Llano Grande (it was on the left), and we were soon enjoying another of the State’s 89 parks—a total that does not include historical sites. While at the Park, we saw green jays, chachalacas, and otherwise enjoyed our first foray into the Valley. Seeing the State Parks, we have learned, is a way to see Texas.

and Monahans Sandhills offers a unique geologic setting, what the Park refers to as a “Texas-sized sandbox.”

There are some excellent guidebooks on Texas State Parks. I recommend Laurence Parent’s Official Guide to Texas State Parks and Historic Sites.

Hueco Tanks Humans have occupied—or passed through—Hueco Tanks since at least 10,000 BC. The Park’s mountains were made of sterner stuff than the surrounding rock and have eroded more slowly, leaving us with three large, rocky mounds. But even this hard rock has worn away in places, leaving hollows in the rock. The Spanish called these hollows “huecos,” and the historic site is named “Hueco Tanks.”

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Texas Park System, and when I first heard this, I became more serious in my goal to visit all of Texas’s Parks. To date, I have explored more than 30 parks, many of them multiple times.

Over millennia, the area’s inhabitants created more than 3,000 paintings that still grace various surfaces in the region. Some of the most famous are inside Kiva Cave— which sounds more impressive than “Kiva Crawlspace.” But crawl we did, scooching through tight spaces until we found all eight pictographs. It was an intriguing find, and we exited elatedly, with worm-like maneuvers to inch our way out.

I have my favorites. Cedar Hill State Park, located just 18 miles from Dallas, is a great urban park; Caprock Canyon State Park has the largest bison herd in Texas; the coastal state parks offer numerous beautiful views;

This was quite enough excitement for Stephanie, who did not want to do “overdo things.” Prudently, I refrained from scoffing, but, confident in my own abilities—I am almost never wrong about these things—I

The Park’s Centenary

14 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | November 2023

Hueco Tanks bawl and chain trail

was in no mood to stop exploring. Stephanie retreated downhill, leaving me with a parting reminder to “be careful.”

These words floated by me as I began my climb. Because it is steep, generally slippery, and rocky all over, rangers have installed a chain “rope” to help visitors ascend. Cleverly referred to as the “bawl and chain” trail by some, it can be a strenuous hike.

I certainly didn’t need the chain. I roamed, crawling over boulders, squeezing into tight places, and enjoying the views from the top of the mountain. Eventually, I descended, walking purposefully toward the base of the mountain.

Encouraged by my rapid pace, I cavalierly

refused to use the chain supports. This sense of confidence abandoned me when my foot hit the ground a bit awkwardly, landing in a slick spot next to a small ridge.

My body landed to the right of the chain, and my left arm dangled to the other side, forcing my armpit into the role of a gondola lift, keeping my upper body erect and guiding me such that I slid perfectly parallel with the chain, which collected pieces of my arm. I skidded 20 feet down the mountain, a oneman impersonation of a toboggan, haunted by the words, “be careful,” echoing in my ears.

Big Bend Ranch State Park It was late at night, and a few hours before we would arrive at our destination: Big Bend Ranch State Park. Running low on gas, I suggested we stop at the next gas station.

With the fuel pumping, I wandered, getting in some steps around the unlit lot—when, to my right, I detected movement. I glanced over, seeing what appeared to be a black cat running in my direction. I do not like cats, and they often sense this, so it was an odd sight to see one running toward me. Odder still, it stopped about five feet from me, slowly turned around, and raised its tail. It was then I noticed the black fur was tinged with a white stripe.

The ride to Big Bend Ranch State Park is a long one. From Huntsville, it is approximately a nine-hour drive. But it is longer still when one of the car’s occupants has been sprayed by a skunk.

As the day and the trip drew to an end, we made our way to Closed Canyon. Tackling this hike at golden hour, I thought, might offer intriguing photographic possibilities, topping off what had mostly been a wonderful excursion.

Big Bend Ranch State Park at sunset.

For the next two days, we repeatedly doused the vehicle’s interior with Febreze—using half a bottle in the process.

Apart from the smell, the days were a joy as we took in the natural beauty of Big Bend Ranch. Derrick Birdsall, a friend and photographer, has long extolled the Park’s virtues, and we followed his suggestions in exploring the largest of Texas Parks.

We drove along the El Camino del Rio, which author Laurence Parent described as perhaps “the most spectacular drive in Texas.” We visited old churches; stopped at Fort Leaton; hiked Ojita Adentro and the Cinca Tinajas Trails, and we enjoyed the beautiful views.

On our last day, we embarked on the Hoodoo Trail, a short hike abutting the Rio Grande and predictably adorned with hoodoos, which Park literature describes as “rock structures with strange animal shapes” that “embody evil spirts.” There was, however, nothing foreboding about this hike. It was bright, clear, and beautiful.

Closed Canyon is a “slot canyon,” or a narrow channel, typically with a depth-towidth ratio of at least 10:1. In places, the canyon narrows to a width of six-to-eight feet, while the sheer walls tower some 200 above the trail.

Fortunately, these walls were not crowned with hoodoos carrying evil spirits. We were, however, given fair warning about troubles that can befall careless hikers. The trail’s brochure encourages hikers to be on the lookout for rattlesnakes, mountain lions, and flash floods from even small amounts of rain.

While hiking, we saw evidence of these floods, which had washed and polished some of the canyon’s rock bed. Such floods had also eroded parts of the canyon floor, producing small waterfalls and, in turn, tinajas beneath the waterfalls. The visual effect is striking, but the practical effect is the canyon is marked with slopes and pits that can make access difficult. “Do not go down any slopes,” a park ranger noted, “that you cannot get back up.”

When we arrived at one drop of about 20 feet, Stephanie declined to go further. After some negotiation, she agreed to let me continue, so long as I promised to “be careful.”

I trekked on for half a mile, before a tinaja full of water blocked my path. I

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looked for ways around the obstacle, but I was stymied. There was no safe path to the trail’s conclusion. This was disappointing, but I know my limitations. I am almost never wrong about these things.

Thus, I returned. Stephanie looked relieved when she caught sight of me, but as I approached her, it was I who became uneasy.

The slope on which she stood seemed to be high and steep.

With some trepidation, I made my first attempt at climbing out, which proved in vain.

Before my second attempt, I handed my gear to Stephanie, lightening my load, but this attempt, too, was fruitless.

I paused my efforts, which were both exhausting and futile. I got the sense that Stephanie was looking in my direction with

disapproval, so I looked elsewhere. I glanced behind me, up the canyon walls, and toward the setting sun.

I remembered the park ranger’s admonition: “Don’t go down any slopes you cannot get back up.” I devised a plan. I began collecting rocks, the largest I could carry, and I piled them at the base of the pit. After 100 or so rocks, I tried another climb, again to no avail.

But I was closer.

Stephanie, ever-resourceful, took my cameras, removed the straps, and tied them together, producing a “rope” of sorts more than six-feet long. This rope, combined with the rock scaffolding, did the trick. I emerged from the pit, still a half mile walk to the car.

Hiking can be quite loud when there is no conversation. Bats’ wings whir, owls hoot

noisily, wind whistles through the canyon, and hikers’ breathing is heavy. But, fortunately, there was no sound of anyone saying, “I told you so.”

Coda I reflected as we reached the Closed Canyon parking lot, and I turned briefly to bid the trail adieu. Vestiges of the sunset persisted, and I looked admiringly at the orange streaks against a purple sky. It was beautiful, a fitting afterglow to a three-day trip that taught me a bit about Texas…and a lot about myself.

Armed with this knowledge, I entered the car, detecting a faint aroma of Febreze.

For a moment I wondered, “Left or right?”

Regaining my confidence, I turned right. I am almost never wrong about these things.

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16 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | November 2023

www.CallMcWilliams.com

Things My Granddaddy Said It’s best to stop talking once you’ve said all you know.

If wishes were horses, some folks would need a lot of hay.

Don’t stand behind a coughing cow.

You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar, assuming you want to catch flies.

we are

thankful

for you!

Don’t wear polyester to a wiener roast.

Don’t let the chickens roost over the well.

Folks don’t change. They just get more so.

We are grateful to be surrounded by your Love.

May you be Blessed this holiday season!

NEAL

FUNERAL HOME Publisher Karen Altom and her Granddaddy J.C. Farris

As I grow older, more and more often I find myself saying, “Like my Granddaddy used to say…” In an effort to keep some of these old sayings alive, we are sharing them here.

Please feel free to share yours with us!

NealFH.net 200 South Washington Avenue • Cleveland, Texas November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

17

Business Focus

The Business Focus is chosen each month by random drawing from among Postcards contract advertisers.

Story by Kelly Thomas Photos by Cara Williams

Neal Funeral Home Neal Funeral Home stands as a pillar of the community, a place where people are seen, heard, and cherished; a beacon of unwavering support, love, and dedicated service to the unique journeys of each life and the hearts that hold them dear.

18 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | November 2023

Left to Right: Monica Enloe, Pedro Andrade, Preas Ryan, Judy Davis, Kenneth Douglas, Jodi Bertolino, Bella Rodriguez, & Aurelio Espinoza

In the heart of Cleveland, Texas, a legacy of community, compassion, and care has blossomed through the efforts of Neal Funeral Home. Since its beginning in 2004, this source of hope and solace has been steadfast in its commitment to nurturing the community. Founded by Bryan and Victoria Neal as a single-family owned and operated haven, Neal Funeral Home has provided service marked by immense dignity and personalized care.

Their goal: to serve families as if they were their own. With a state of the art and modern facility, they offer the capabilities of quality service in a friendly and homelike atmosphere. Neal’s staff has a combined total of over 100 years of experience of caring for families through difficult times.

Their approach is personal, heartening, and steeped in community values. Each day at Neal Funeral Home begins with the staff coming together, reading the Bible, and praying--reinforcing their calling in the community.

Funeral Director, Kenneth Douglas

Kenneth Douglas is the Funeral Director and general manager, and his passion for community integration and well-being knows no bounds. Kenneth and his devoted team see their roles not merely as a profession, but as heartfelt callings that resonate deeply with a sense of

purpose and community obligation. Their commitment radiates a warmth and understanding that embraces each family, enveloping them in an atmosphere of genuine care and support during the most trying times of their lives.

When families choose Neal Funeral Home, they find a refuge where they are not just clients, but members of an extended family. Neal operates on a fundamental principle: every soul deserves respect, dignity, and an unrivaled level of attention and care. Their phone line is answered 24/7, and callers are always greeted by the compassionate voice of a staff member ready to provide comfort, guidance, and an understanding ear.

Neal’s team creates a personalized service for each family in their care, accommodating all religions and requested arrangement needs. The legacy Neal Funeral Home has cultivated transcends the confines of their establishment.

Their impact reverberates through the community, reflected in the heartfelt words and testimonials of the families they have had the privilege to serve.

“Neal Funeral Home took great care of us while we sent my father-in-law to be with the Lord. Their attention to detail was

November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

»

19

Being the connection between Christ and the struggling world.

First Methodist Church of Cleveland 100 North William Barnett Ave Cleveland Texas 77327

281-592-0545 church@clevelandmethodist.org

fmcleveland.com

impeccable. The entire process was made so easy by the friendly family unit that represents such a great funeral home. Everything was perfect. God bless all of you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” --The Family of Curtis Beacham “Neal Funeral Home took such good care of my brother, who was homeless. They treated him with such dignity and respect. We will be setting up our funeral with them. Thank you all for everything and your kindness in our time of need.” --Sandra Dickey Financial constraints are met with understanding and adaptability, ensuring each family receives the support and the respectful farewell their loved ones deserve. The journey with Neal Funeral Home doesn’t simply conclude with the funeral services; it lives on in the enduring relationships, shared cups of coffee, and the comforting presence they continually offer to grieving and healing hearts.

Neal provides a multifaceted spectrum of offerings, ranging from funeral to memorial services, and extending to encompass burial services and cremation services. This is complemented by a supportive framework offering guidance on aspects like pre-planning, veteran service assistance, and grief support, among others.

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20 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | November 2023

Kenneth, together with his wife Trena, have woven their lives into the city of Cleveland, embracing its small-town charm and nurturing people. Their involvement spans various community spheres, from leadership positions in the Senior Center to active roles in numerous committees and engagement with the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. They are currently building a new home in Cleveland and are looking forward to spending time with their grandchildren and completing their careers here.

Neal Funeral Home stands as a pillar of the community, a place where people are seen, heard, and cherished. It’s a home where the doors are always open, welcoming individuals to experience the embrace of a team whose lives are dedicated to service, community, and the celebration of every life’s unique journey.

For those who seek to experience the warmth and professionalism that Neal Funeral Home embodies, they welcome you at 200 S. Washington Avenue in Cleveland. Reach out and connect through a conversation at 281-582-2341 or explore the depth of their services and support online at nealfh.net. At the heart of Neal Funeral Home is a ceaseless beacon of community, love, and unwavering support-always there, always ready to help and heal.

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November 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

21

NOVEMBER

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Thru 5

CALENDAR Cleveland

Conroe

Rock-N-Ride Cleveland

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Conroe

“Leading Ladies”

Henry’s Home BBQ Cook Off

owentheatre.com

& Fundraiser henryshomesanctuary.org

College Station

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16-18 Huntsville “She Loves Me”

Relay & Bark for Life

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“Mean Girls” opastickets.org

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Cleveland

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“Clue on Stage”

1-2

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Huntsville

17-Dec 27 Palestine

Veteran’s Day Banquet

Cleveland

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Ronnie McDowell

Johnny Lee

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The Ice Rink at The

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5th Annual “Harvest in the Hills” Fall Festival

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18 Willis

Family Promise Fish Fry Fundraiser

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11 Brenham The Gatlin Brothers thebarnhillcenter.com 22 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | November 2023

Charles Stewart Library: Silent Auction folstewart.org

19 Cleveland Community Wide Thanksgiving Service Liberty Church

Galveston “Annie” thegrand.com

Mustard Seed Moments

by Wes Altom

For Every Action…

One of the flaws in human nature, at least in our culture and time, seems to be a tendency to be more reactive than proactive. We are created in His image, yet we too often fail to take action as His hands and feet; we don’t effectively embrace the example He so often sets by actively pursuing and proactively showering us with blessings.

Being habitually reactive can lead to being reaction-ary. Look no further than social media for your daily overdose of examples. By their nature, social media posts are designed to gain a “reaction,” and this Sudoku inevitably and#2 quickly seems to deteriorate into reactionary bickering of some 5 9form2 or6another.

7 3 Some 1 8seem4 to be eagerly awaiting an opportunity to pounce on another with the extremity of their response.

7 4 1 8 5 2 3 9 6 This brought to my mind the words of Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is 6 8 3 4 1 9 7 2 5 no vision, the people perish.” It makes sense to my logical brain that having prerequisite 3 vision 5 4would 7 be 8 a1 2 6 to9being proactive in following the example set for us.

8 6 9 2 3 5 4 7 1

Here are some additional translations of this verse to digest and meditate on: If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.

MSG Where there is no message from God, people don’t control themselves.

But blessed is the one who obeys wisdom’s instruction.

NIRV Where there is no vision from God, the people run wild, but those who adhere to God’s instruction know genuine happiness.

VOICE God, bring us to realize the only actions and reactions we control are our own. Help us to embrace a vision that compels us to act in positive ways, rather than react in negative ones.

1 2 7 9 6 4 8 5 3 2 1 8 5 4 6 9 3 7 9 3 6 1 2 7 5 4 8 4 7 5 3 9 8 6 1 2

Puzzle Solutions from page 21 Sudoku #4 4 7 1 3 3 8 6 7 9 5 2 4 6 9 8 2 1 3 4 9 5 2 7 6 7 6 3 5 2 1 5 8 8 4 9 1

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2 8

5 7 1 9

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BEYOND REPAIRS, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS Alignment Check Starting at

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