inside FP
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About the Cover Deep in the Heart of Texas are People My Thank You, Lord, Front Porch From Us To You Spotlight on Burleson County Professional Directory Good Friends & Great BBQ Making Life Sweet Again A Taste of Mexico... Healthy Heart, Healthy You Magic Connection to the World Whoever Pays the Piper, Picks the Tune Just Stay Calm Dreams Can Come True The New School Prayer Spring Favorites 14 Short Stories Worth Reading Dinner with Billy Graham Deanville Dancehall Legend Deep in the Heart of Texas... Terry’s Deviled Eggs Burleson County Historical Society... Heartworms...An Old Foe Deep in the Heart of Texas Estate Planning Checklist What to Wear for the Best Family Portrait Passion Jake’s Journey Number Please The Flying ‘Possum The Meaning of the Flag-Droped Coffin All Good Things The Stars at Night Two Great True Stories The Weirdest Health Headlines of 2017 Small Town Law Enforcement Good Ole Texas My Future America Effie
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Deep in the Heart of
People
who have wants, needs, & desires...
often the same.
are people!
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t the end of the day, down a long and winding road, deep in the Heart of Texas there are people. One thing we know about people is that many of them have the same wants and needs. Although some are better at expressing them than others, it’s often the same passion or emotion that drives them. People want and need nutrition as well as the ability to care for their young and old alike. They have basic wants and basic needs (although NEEDS can be confusing to teens today). Truly the desires of the heart, however, are not always the same. When you think about the desires of your heart, this is where we might not have the same longings. What comes to mind for you when considering the desires of your heart? There is often a greater passion for these desires to become reality. Hard work or dedication to see something through is often required. Although many people have the same basic wants and needs, their “havingness” is where things really differ. This is not a judgement by any means. It’s only a reality about our true desires. I believe at the core of this great state is a desire for peace. It is often our peace that drives our behavior. It’s interesting that some people are quite comfortable living life content, with an 8 to 5 “job” so that their schedules and many things are predictable. Some still fight to continue owning a small business. Others might put in extra hours or take a job that takes them away from home for weeks at a time to get ahead or enjoy greater income. This often provides them much-needed resources to afford for their child to participate in a higher level of training for a sport or extra-curricular activity. Others do this to allow a spouse to be a stay-at-home parent so that their desire to be the best parent is met. Maybe the extra is to allow them to travel or volunteer where they can. All in all, no one way or one person is right or wrong. However, it is fair to say that each has different desires of the heart. Theirs is pas-
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At the end of the day, down a long and winding road... sion for prosperity as only they could describe it…a passion for peace as only they might know it. I grew up the youngest of 7 with a dad who worked hard as a pest control operator and owned his own business. My mom as many of the regular readers know, was a stay-at-home mom, but not by choice. She suffered a stroke at the early age of 30 which created her future role in our family. The matriarch, the mother to all in her circle, the carpool queen, the seamstress extraordinaire, the lover to animals and people often ignored. A favorite to her doctors, grocery store attendant, gas station manager, Avon lady and most in her small circle. My mom had a peace about her. She had peace about her “status” in life. Even in the end of her life when told she had stage 4 inoperable lung cancer, her peace could still be seen. It was beautiful, and I find myself striving for that very peace in my life daily.
I believe at the core of this
great State is a desire for peace.
Today, following a spine surgery 10 months ago and other medical issues, my love, desire and passion for the privilege of the platform, aka front of the room, may well have come to an end to some degree. It doesn’t define me because I am more than my label as a professional speaker. I am a passionate advocate for dental patients and their understanding of options for a healthy
mouth. Sharing the wisdom I have gleaned for years from the industry’s best is ultimately the bedrock message to our own patients these days. Now, I have a peace about my audience being a patient in a chair often with a family member rather than a large seminar room a flight away every other week. Deep in the heart, I believe most people want peace. They want peace about life decisions. They want a peace about their safety and their family’s safety. As I watched one of my neighbor’s young daughters (having a birthday sleep over) and her 4 friends walk around our block last weekend, I was reminded of that peace. Her mom and dad I know well. They are at peace understanding that these young girls could go for a walk in a neighborhood where they would be safe. One reason is because their neighbors like me are constantly watching. Another neighbor is having peace knowing that if her sweet four-legged kiddo gets out, someone will be calling her as they round up that pretty Vizsla.
...it is fair to say that each has different desires of the Heart.
Let’s not judge our friends and neighbors for what they desire or better yet what brings them a peace and contentment only they can describe. Although we are all quite different in our descriptions of wants, it is our natural desire to have and find peace that unites us. Deep in the heart of Texas (and most other places) and in most humans, is that desire for peace. Yes, there is tragedy around us. There is tragedy every day and in every community, but it is the peace that will unite us: the peace that only He, Jesus, can bring to every situation from beginning to end. JoAn JoAn Majors is a professional speaker and published author. Her articles have appeared in over 25 national and international magazines and newsletters. She writes articles regularly for many magazines. She is a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who also supports in the marketing efforts for her husband, Dr. Chuck Majors at MajorSmiles.com. You can learn more at www.joanmajors. com.
Betty calls her Front Porch...
My Thank You, Lord, Front Porch About a mile off Highway 21 West, in the Deanville area, sits a wonderful, two-story Farm House. This great house was built in 1920 and owner Betty Doughtie laughingly says, “This house has been in renovation for some 25 years.” Betty and husband Buddy moved to this country home from the city in 1993, when Betty retired. They had been planning to make it just that, a country home, and not their permanent residence. However, plans changed and the Farm House has been a joy for many years. The house was bought by them back in 1961 but not recorded until 1968. Buddy, an architect and graduate of Rice University, had worked as an architect and built schools and office buildings in the Pasadena, Texas, area. So, when he saw the farm house, he saw the beauty of the old design and loved it, and wanted to restore the house to its beauty. So renovation began. The early renovation done was all by local construction, AC and plumbing workers. Little by little, the Doughties added on, changed, and created what they wanted. The first floor houses living spaces and is decorated in Shabby Chic. At the back of the
first floor is an added-on bath and utility. And on the front there is a 200 + square foot front porch with rails. The second floor is one big room furnished in antiques, and decorated in reds and greens. It has often been the place of rest and refuge for many family young people. The house originally had two front doors. Now, there is one entrance from the porch to the front of the house. However, there is a door that leads to the upstairs. And one must go through the outside stairs to get to the second floor. Betty says she grew up in the city, Dallas to be exact. Then later she lived in San Diego, California, and in Houston, Texas. She calls the leaving the city life the opening of a new chapter for her. However, she says that she loves her country life. When speaking of the joy of her front porch, Betty said she loves sitting there, looking out at the yard, hearing the birds chirp and seeing nature. She says her porch is “A Thank You, LORD, Porch.” She added that out in the country all the time is devotional time. She sees all the day long as a spiritual experience. In fact, she says that the Sun is always a signal to her that there is a God.
F
rom us to you
Editors Note
Dear Readers,
A
s Sandi and I begin the work on the April edition of the Front Porch Magazine, we are mindful of you, our advertisers and readers. Without your faithfulness in advertising in our magazine and without your faithfulness in reading the contents, we would not be able to provide Caldwell what we’ve been told over and over is our inspiring, informing, and educating pieces…along with the down right funny jokes. We say, “Thank you” to each who advertises and to each who reads The Front Porch Magazine. It is truly a Texas Style magazine, as you will see directly in the theme of this edition: Deep in The Heart of Texas… from prosperity to passion to people and everything in between. Hope you will enjoy it, whether you are from Caldwell and the area, or from Iowa and beyond. And don’t forget to drive around and enjoy the beauty of the Bluebonnets. They create such uniquely colorful landscapes in our area. Dear Reader, If you’re not from Texas, a driving trip to see our bluebonnets would be an awesome adventure. Devotedly to you, Sandi Balcar Publisher Scarlette Taylor Editor and Advertising Manager
S
potlight on
Burleson County’s
Unique Heritage
People in all walks of life influence those around them. In this column, we will be featuring those who have made an impact in our small towns.
Gladys Loehr
The Teacher Who TRULY CARED!
G
ladys Lightsey Loehr, well known in the Cooks Point, Caldwell area, is a woman deserving of recognition. What a woman of determination, courage, compassion, and faith all the 98 years the Lord has given her! Born in a two bedroom, unpainted frame house five miles south of College Station, Gladys was the second of 4 children of a cotton farming family. At age 5, her family relocated to Wheelock. There she began her schooling, which she loved. She never wanted to miss a day. And she did literally walk to and from school, occasionally riding a horse. Gladys’ public education was in Wheelock , Cooks Point, and then Bryan, graduating from Stephen F Austin (1936). An interesting side note: Gladys was on the tennis team at Stephen F Austin and pole vaulted! She was indeed ever learning, and in a variety of ways. She commuted to A&M that summer. Then she left for Sam Houston State, but had to drop out because her father died. But, ever determined, Gladys began to work to meet teaching certification requirements. The first place Gladys taught, 1938, was 5 miles from Caldwell in a two-teacher school,
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where she was a teacher, janitor, principal, play director, and playground supervisor. That fall, Gladys took an extension course toward her degree. In spring, she left Caldwell at 4:30 am Saturdays and attended Sam Houston till 12:00 noon. She earned her B.S. Degree the summer of 1940. What perseverance! In 1942, Gladys moved home to be with her mother since both brothers were in the Military Service. That summer she took a refresher course from Kansas City Business College and gained worked at A&M as a secretary. But she always missed her contact with students. In 1943 at age 24, Gladys married Rudolph Loehr, a farmer and rancher. She tells of their honeymoon to New Orleans. They went by train, which was an expensive venture. When they got to their hotel, there were no rooms! It was wartime, and people were everywhere. The couches of the lobby were filled with military people, so they simply joined them, and spent a night of their honeymoon on a couch in the lobby of a filled hotel lobby. The next morning someone checked out, so they got a room. As Gladys says, “Life is not always easy.” Gladys and Rudy became parents in 1950 with the birth of (Gladys) Dianne and in 1952 with Rudy. Then Gladys’ roles changed to housewife and devoted mother. She stayed home till Dianne was in school and Rudy was ready. Her children were the joy of her life. Gladys’ mother instilled in her the desire to teach. And another incident influenced her greatly as well: she remembered that in the first and second grades, a teacher would have 3 houses drawn on the blackboard, A, B, and C Houses. “A” was a beautiful house drawn with colored chalk; “B” looked nice; but “C” was drawn with white chalk and looked like it was ready to fall down. Students’ names were written in the houses according to how well they read orally. Gladys knew the students in A House were the ones
who had more opportunities and plenty of selfconfidence. Those in the C House usually lived in houses that looked as if they were ready to fall down, and they could expect little help at home. And, sadly, older students made fun of them. Gladys dreamed of someday becoming a teacher and encourager of EVERY student. To help them improve according to their ability rather than comparing unjustly. She never forgot that. Gladys’ life has been filled with much accomplishment. Her awesome work in teaching at Caldwell High School, helped youth know a teacher who wanted success for them academically, but also one who cared about them. And back when she’d worked at A&M in extension work, she used the knowledge she’d gained, and helped many young students get jobs. When teaching retirement came in 1983, Gladys didn’t stop helping people. Much of Gladys’ life had been and continued to be devoted to Cooks Point Methodist Church where she was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ by serving in her church: Sunday school class teacher, Bible School leader, United Methodist Women worker, and more. Another service of love Gladys and Mildred Novosad shared was the Christian Care work. These women founded and ran the Christian Care Store that provides families in need food, clothing, and necessities. Gladys served as treasurer from the beginning until she was nearly ninety years old. Gladys was one to meet needs of individuals. Whether it was helping a neighbor boy with his reading, or helping with proficiency in English, she got directly involved, spending time reading, encouraging, helping. She truly cared. If you would research old yearbooks of Caldwell High, you’d see numerous UIL winners Gladys helped prepare. Name after name could be seen: UIL winners, district, regional, and state levels. She worked tirelessly with youth, helping them be the best they could be. She said occasionally she’d ask herself about teaching and think: Teaching is a tremendous challenge; often the workload is heavy, and there are students who are not motivated. Then I’d ask myself, ’Is it worth the effort?’ And all at once a student would respond in a way that I knew I had had a positive influence on his life, and the answer is there. ‘IT IS WORTH EVERY EFFORT.’ So many still remember you, Gladys, and are thankful for the influence you had in their lives.
professional directory Air Conditioning-Installation & Repair Reliant Mechanical 53 Weaver’s Refrigeration 41 Attorney at Law Burns Reyes-Burns 65 Automobile Parts-Supplies-Repairs Bud Cross Ford 27 Burleson County Motor Supply 61 dBm Auto Repair 51 Wilde Auto 29 Automobile Sales-Detail Bud Cross Ford 27 Milton Hodges -Caldwell Country 14 Banks Citizens State Bank 23 BarBQ Matus BarBQ 26 Beef - Local - All Natural Diamond A Ranch Beef 33 Burleson County Events Fair Association 49 Churches Church of Christ 53 First Baptist 44 City/Civic/Government Offices City of Caldwell 47 City of Somerville 48 Convenience Store Cat’s Pitt Stop 18 Construction C & H Building Construction 41 Richard Boyd Construction 28 Copies/Printing/UPS/Fax Service ImageMaker 37 Cosmetics Seacret 13 Dentistry Drgac Dental 21 MajorSmiles 2 Michael K. Reese 63 Rivers Family Dentistry 55 Dozer Services Hillbilly Dirt Work 20 Hillbilly Dirt Work 66 Hubert Hoyack 25 J7 Service 57 Loehr Dozer 32 On Point Land Development 7 Feed Faust Farms 39 Homeyer Feed & Supply 37 Financials LPL Financial 15 Florist Wine & Roses 51 Funeral Home Phillips & Luckey 49
Gun Shop H&H 55 Health Care CHI St. Joseph Hospital 54 CHI St. Joseph Skilled Nursing 17 Hemp Oil 9 Insurance Alford Insurance Company 68 Livestock & Commission Caldwell Livestock Com. 16 Lumber Company Woodson’s Lumber Company 19 Oil & Gas Hilberling Packer Services 6 Pawn Shop H&H 55 Pest Control Armstrong Pesticide Solutions 12 Photograpy Schuman Photography 8 Plumbing DP Plumbing 61 Real Estate Coldwell 61 Home & Ranch Real Estate 3 Polansky Realty 27 Real Estate Listings Home & Ranch 5 Restaurants & Catering Firebox Grill 12 Golden Chick 15 Lo Nuestro de Mexico 16 Masfajitas Mexican Restaurant 49 Super Donuts 45 The Sweet Shoppe 14 Roofing & Construction Richard Boyd Construction 28 Sir Top‘Em Hat Roofing 68 Septics Easy Flow 57 Tax Preparers & Advisors Danny Koerth 29 Truck-Auto-Tires-Supplies Burleson County Motor Supply 61 Mitchell Tire Service 47 Wilde Auto 29 Veterinarian BV-MVS 39 Vitamins Roots & Shoots 9 Water Well Drilling Loehr Drilling Co, Inc 25 Welding & Fabricating C&H Welding & Fabrication 45 Wine Wine & Roses 51
SANDI BALCAR & SCARLETTE TAYLOR PUBLISHERS
SANDI BALCAR
LAYOUT & DESIGN EDITOR
SCARLETTE TAYLOR ADVERTISING SALES EDITOR
SCHUMAN PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHER
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
NEAL BEARD BEAR BRYANT KIM CEDIDLA LINDA CHAMBERLAIN SUZY COHEN EDWIN H. COOPER CAROL DODDS MARSHA KOCUREK TAMMY KUBECKA SHARON ANN LAFFERE EHLERT DR. KRISTEL LEUBNER, DO JOAN MAJORS DR. JACK MCKEMIE DVM THOMAS NORSWORTHY HATTIE NOVAK KAVON NOVAK RENITA ODSTRCIL DONNA VARNER PRESNAL DEL ROGERS, SR. IDA SCHUMAN BECKY SCHENK TONY TAYLOR SCARLETTE TAYLOR POLLY WILLIAMS Phone 979.567.7871 979.567.6753 301 Hwy 21 E Caldwell, TX 77836 www.frontporchmagazine.com The contents of all articles do not represent the views of the Front Porch Magazine. The magazine claims no responsibility for the accuracy of information or content.
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May you always be surrounded by
Good Friends & Great BBQ Are you fired up for some good BBQ? And all the sides? And ya’ll want them all homemade? Well, get ready to satisfy your hankerings, fill your tummy, and do it right here in Caldwell, Texas, at Caldwell’s newest spot, The Firebox Grill. Located at 112 Eloise Street, adjacent to Walmart, The Fire Box Grill opened on Decemebr 8, 2017, by owners Jordyn Riley and her mother Kristyn Riley. Jordyn had always wanted to open her own restaurant, so her parents asked her, “Why not now?” Her dad James Riley told her he’d teach her how to do the BBQ-ing. So the venture began. Their new business presently is a To Go Business with limited seating, so make your plans accordingly. But don’t miss some awesome food! Their hours of operation are Tuesday-Saturday 11am to 7pm; Sundays 11am-2pm; and they are closed on Mondays. Bar B Que by the pound may be purchased as sliced brisket, pork loin, ribs, turkey, sausages (Cajun Sausage or Texas Chaw Smoked Sausage, local) Chopped beef, and pulled pork. Their homemade sides are available in 8 oz, 16 oz, and 32 oz cartons, and they include potato salad, pinto beans, and coleslaws, regular or Apple Cranberry Almond Coleslaw (which is beyond good; you’ve gotta try it) and Spicy Coleslaw. The Firebox Grill also offers you Bar B Que sandwiches of Chopped Beef, Pulled Pork, Sliced Beef, Sliced Pork, Sliced Turkey, or you may choose a great Sausage wrap of your flavor of sausage. There are also Flatbreads, Nachos, and Tacos, as well as Potatoes which have a variety of filling besides the original ones: chopped beef, Pulled Pork, Beef Fajita, Chicken Fajita, Sausage stuffed, or Turkey Stuffed. Awesome homemade desserts are also available: Hot Chocolate icebox Pie, Banana Pudding, Lemon Bars, and Rice Krispies. And The Firebox Grill makes holiday desserts like their Cheesecake creation with strawberries and chocolate for Valentine’s Day. Call-in Orders are truly welcomed. However, you are asked to give them 24 hours to prepare big orders for take out for 10 people or more. Future plans are to provide catering for larger groups. To contact The Firebox Grill by phone, call 979-5670668, or email them to order or discuss items, use thefireboxgrill@gmail.com. Be sure to reach out to our new business, and in the process, enjoy some good grilled grub!
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You Know You Are A Texan...
When tea without ice is a FOREIGN CONCEPT!
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Helps to know what you want! A husband and wife who worked for the circus went to an adoption agency. The social workers there raised doubts about their suitability. The couple then produced photos of their 50-foot motor home, which was clean and well maintained and equipped with a beautiful nursery. The social workers then raised concerns about the education a child would receive while in the couple’s care. “We’ve arranged for a full-time tutor who will teach the child all the usual subjects along with French, Mandarin, and computer skills. Then the social workers expressed concern about a child being raised in a circus environment. Our nanny will be a certified expert in pediatric care, welfare, and diet.” The social workers were finally satisfied. They asked, “What age child are you hoping to adopt?” “It doesn’t really matter... as long as the kid fits in the cannon. **************
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The newest and sweetest shop has come to downtown Caldwell: The Sweet Shoppe. Located at 205 West Buck, a delightfully bright golden exterior calls out to everyone to come on in. You are greeted from the display window to the immediate interior. Massive lollipops and gigantic ice cream cones delight the eye. Giant jars of individual candies cover the left wall, open and ready for kids, and parents alike, to take a handful to take home or to enjoy right in the shop. Owners Sonya Chaka and Cesar Mora came from Houston, wanting to get away from the big city, and wanting to get involved in small town life. And that is exactly what they are doing. Their shoppe provides Bluebell ice cream in a cup or a cone, and many toppings, and sundaes, malts, shakes, and banana splits, as well as their signature grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. And they also have sodas and water. However, there is more to The Sweet Shoppe than the food. They also have a variety of tables in the back of the building where kids and family members can play games together: board games such as dominoes, chess, checker, and cards, as well as others. One of their goals was just that, to provide a place for friends or families to sit and play a game, or talk, laugh, and generally have a good time. This Shoppe is a new venture for them. Cesar was in construction in Houston, and continues to do the work in construction here in Caldwell. His business is Finishes Solutions. The Shoppe is good evidence of his construction abilities. He did all the work in the building himself, and is presently working on a back deck for cyclist to have an area to sit and visit. Sonya teaches science in Bryan and works five days a week there, but their Sweet Shoppe is a joy to her. Another offering at their shop is bike repair and sales. Cesar is happy to repair tires, chains, seats, and anything that needs to be done to keep a bike in good shape for riding. He says he’s not out to make a “killing.” He just wants to encourage kids to ride, and ride on safe bikes. He also commented that the location is such that parents seem open to their children riding to the Sweet Shoppe and spending a little while there with friends. They have many plans for the future. A few they have experimented with already. They’ve make gift baskets of several kinds, and will special order the kind of basket you want. They also make piñatas. And they plan to host Kid Parties in the future, so look for that. Their hours of operation are: Monday-Thursday 11.30 am to 7:00 pm. Friday-Saturday 11:30 am to 9:00 pm. Sunday-1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
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You may call The Sweet Shoppe at 979-436-3109 or you may email it at sweetshoppe.caldwell@gmail.com. Be sure to go see the wonderful shop and try some of the great sweets. You won’t be disappointed.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers
A friend of mine tried to beat a red light and one of those automatic cameras caught him red-handed. Three days later, he got a ticket in the mail along with a picture of his car running the light. He sent back the ticket and a picture of a check to pay the fine. Four days later he received a picture of a pair of handcuffs. *************** This older fellow was having trouble hearing, so the doctor fitted him with hearing aids in both ears. For the first time in years, his hearing was better than normal. On his next checkup, the doctor said, “I’ll bet your family was really happy when they found out you could hear again.” The old fellow said, “I haven’t told anybody about the good news yet. After the last three family get-togethers, I’ve changed my will four times. *************** Doctor: “Your wife’s mind is completely gone.” Husband: “I believe it. She’s been giving me a piece of it for 30 years. *************** A lady ran an ad in the classifieds: “Husband Wanted.” The next day she received 200 letters. They all said, “Okay, you can have mine.”
Son: “Is it true, Dad, that in some parts of Africa, a man doesn’t know his wife until he marries her?” Dad: “That happens in the USA too, son.”
BASIC FLYING RULES. ‘Try to stay in the middle of the air. Do not go near the edges of it. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, and trees. It is much more difficult to fly there.”
A Taste of Mexico... In the
Heart of Texas
Irma Smathers and Juan Salazar have a new building opening up for Lo Nuestro . The Grand Opening date will here soon! Look for the new place at 512 Highway 21 West, Caldwell, Texas, in late spring or early summer. There will be many new varieties of food, as well as many new services. Homemade tortillas will be made right in the building as you watch, and you may buy tortillas to take home, whether you want one or a dozen. And for call-in orders, you may drive through to pick them up if that is your preference. Presently, Lo Nuestro is open Monday through Saturday, 5 am to 3 pm. After the new location is up and running, the business will be open 7 days a week, 5 am to 8 pm. This new location will seat 80 people in its 3200 square foot structure. And along with the food to enjoy, there will be a bar where beer is sold to drink or purchased to go with your meal. And another wonderful thing that they are very happy about is the abundance of parking space there will be. Irma originally lived in Mexico, but when she came to the United States, she came to Caldwell. Then moved to Houston, Austin, Giddings, and then back to Caldwell. For 14 years Irma was serving Mexican food at North Main. Then she moved her business to 1206 Highway 21 W, and has been there for four years. Now, she says this new building to open will be her last move! Juan, also from Mexico, and Irma met in 2008, and they’ve been together ever since. When Irma was asked about what brought her to the food industry, she said first that she was a single mother and needed to provide for her two children. Then she said that she had worked in fast food, but that it was not for her. She was more entrepreneurial in spirit. So, after opening a small gift shop in Giddings in 2005, she then moved back to Caldwell to open Lo Nuestro , and knew that she had found her place. Irma loves the local people and is very appreciative of their continual support of the business. Lo Nuestro has given her a place to do what she loves, cook and interact with people. Be sure to watch for the Grand Opening and be ready to go in and see the new Lo Nuestro, and eat some of Irma’s new creations, as well as some of her all-time favorites.
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Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers A 93-year old man was confessing to a Catholic priest that he had been dating two 21-year old women at the same time. The priest asked if he was Catholic? The old man said he was Baptist. The priest asked, “Then why are you telling it to a Catholic priest?” The old man said, “At 93-yers old, I’m telling everybody I can.
*************** I came up behind a horse and buggy. The gas crunch wasn’t bothering him. He had a sign on the back of his buggy: ‘Energy Efficient Vehicle: Runs on oats and grass.” CAUTION: Do not step in exhaust. *************** There was a shooting in my neighborhood last week. This woman had shot her husband at close range. I heard the policemen ask if there were any powder marks. She said, “Yes, there were. That’s why I shot him.”
Did you know that dolphins are so smart that within a few week of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish? Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says “If an emergency, notify:” I put “DOCTOR.” What’s my mother going to do? Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
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Healthy Heart, Healty You
Kristel Leubner, DO Specialty: Family Medicine
Dr. Kristel Leubner grew up in rural Hamshire, Texas, dreaming of becomin,a physician in a community much like her own. She had an unusual childhood, showing curiosity about the body, illness, and how it was connected at a very early age, and that has been the fuel behind her love of what she does. In her eyes, each patient story is a unique puzzle waiting to be put together. After attending the University of Texas, she received her medical degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Leubner became a family medicine practitioner because she enjoys caring for patients of all ages. She chose to practice at HealthPoint because she found its principle of providing patient-centered wellness consistent with her own. Dr. Leubner practices medicine with a holistic approach, realizing that mental and physical health are intricately connected.
The average adult that sets a New Year’s resolution to get healthy has fallen back into daily habits that neglect self by the time spring arrives. Hopefully, you are the exception and live wisely on a daily basis. If not, perhaps the invigorating daylight and fresh spring air can re-ignite your efforts at those forgotten resolutions. What does it mean to be heart healthy? Experts suggest a combination of smart eating habits, incorporating fresh fruit and vegetables, avoiding substances that can be harmful to the cardiovascular system, and increasing physical activity.
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Most individuals know what foods are good for you and what to avoid. Limiting sweets, junk, processed foods, sodas, and fast food are a no brainer. However, few know how many calories they consume on a daily basis, and the nutrient breakdown. It sounds rather complex. However, in today’s technologically savvy society, “there’s an app for that.” Some even have a bar code scanner, automatically inserting the nutrition facts for you. Rather than fad diets, focus more on a “lifestyle change.” After all, diets are temporary. For a healthy heart, you must not only eat smart, but get active. Benefits of exercise include lower resting heart rate, better oxygen delivery to muscles, better body shape, better sleeping patterns, less stress, and increased self-esteem. When asking about exercise, I hear common myths and themes. Patients are too tired, do not have time, feel it is boring, painful, or feel they already exercise a sufficient amount at work. Exercise improves energy and creates better sleeping patterns which can help with fatigue. Just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four days per week is heart healthy. For individuals who still think they are timestrapped, find other opportunities to add activity to your day. Walk your furry, four-legged friends, or your toddler. Park farther away shopping. Take the stairs. Set up a reward system for compliance (i.e. pedicure, round of golf, dance!) Exercise improves chronic pain conditions, including fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and other conditions such as depression. Low impact exercise routines abound on the internet and show how to help problem joints. For cardiovascular fitness, cardiologists recommend achieving your target heart rate and maintaining that for at least 30 minutes. Most jobs, even active ones with vigorous lifting or exertional duties, have intermittent bursts of activity that do not keep and maintain the heart rate at its target. Affordable options abount if your know where to look. Frequent a garage sale or social media buy on-line ads. Go to the park, mall, or even make laps around your local Wal-Mart. Search the net for workout videos, free workout apps, or set the DVR and search for free exercise programming. For more information, refer to The American Heart Association at www.heart.org, or consult with your local primary care provider to find a plan that is tailored to you.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Bill was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife told him, “Tomorrow morning I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in less than 6 seconds, and IT BETTER BE THERE!! The next morning Bill got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up, she looked out the window, and sure enough, there was a gift wrapped box in the middle of the driveway. The wife ran out to the driveway and brought the box back in the house.
A good landing is when you can walk away from the plane. A great landing is when you can reuse the plane.
She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale. Bill has been missing since Friday. Please pray for him.
If you have any good jokes you would like to see in the Front Porch....please send them to us at imagemaker@airplexus.com
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Magic Connection to the World... Early Newspapers from the Heart of Texas by Tammy Kubecka There’s probably too much information available nowadays. We’re bombed from every direction with television news, social media, and a zillion other reliable and unreliable sources on the internet. But what about communicating 170 and 120 years ago? We had real letters with questionable delivery service, and a magic connection with the world called the newspaper! One of the earliest newspapers in Texas was The Western Texan from San Antonio. Only a dozen years after Texas’ Independence and the battle at the Alamo, a glimpse into the want ads of December 1848 provides an insight about the changes going on in San Antonio. Two ads immediately stand out for the Veramendi House and the Navarro House, each offering rooms for weary travelers and boarders. They boast new furnishings and quality accommodations. Both families were prominent players for Texas’ Independence. Ursula Veramendi had been the young wife of Jim Bowie, who would die at the Alamo. Jose Antonio Navarro had signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. The families had spread out, and the original homes near the heart of San Antonio had morphed into boarding houses with Anglo owners. Ads appear for men looking for lost Discharge Papers from their time with the Texas’ Army. Proof of time served meant a free land grant of approximately 300 acres. An Army Quartermaster was looking for a number of lost guns, last seen at his post at the Alamo. Their return would garner a reward, but no questions asked. There were ads for liveries, land and liquor. And finally, a “Lost” ad from a Mr. A.L. Adams, hoping someone had found his gold spectacles along the road from Gonzales to San Antonio. They were in a red case. A reward was offered.
Taking a jump of fifty years, a January 1898 issue of the Caldwell News-Chronicle opened the year on a sad note announcing the death of former Governor Lawrence Sullivan Ross, who died at his home at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. Caldwell was also mourning the death of former resident Virgie Jones, who was called away in “the bloom of young womanhood.” She had earned a degree in art from Baylor and was teaching in Palestine when she fell ill and passed away. Train routes for the Houston & Shreveport Railroad offered connections in Galveston and Kansas City to anywhere. There were unaway wagons, missing livestock and even a shooting or two. Stone and Hitchcock offered bibles starting at twenty cents, Herbst and Windhausen had a fine line of fabrics and drygoods and Jenkins & Jenkins had premium lumber for house building. J.H. Fouss offered clocks, jewelry and watches, and it was “A Convincing Fact” that O.W. Johnston had the best furniture in town. The newspaper offered as much information as the internet does today. Ads gave sources for a cure for anything from deafness to consumption, with One Minute Cough Cure and Parker’s Ginger Tonic. We knew who visited who, who hosted a party, who applied for a marriage license, who was sick, who died, and had long missives of local, state and national politics. And mark your calendar for the Caldwell Stringband concert in Deanville! Ironically, these and other old newspapers can be read on the internet, on the Portals of Texas History website, courtesy of the University of North Texas. Wonder if Mr. Adams ever found his glasses?
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Bilingual Lawyer A Mexican bandit made a specialty of crossing the Rio Grande from time to time and robbing banks in Texas. Finally, a reward was offered for his capture, and an enterprising Texas Ranger decided to track him down. After a lengthy search, he traced the bandit to his favorite cantina, snuck up behind him, put his trusty sixshooter to the bandit’s head, and said, “You’re under arrest. Tell me where you hid the loot or I’ll blow your brains out.” But the bandit didn’t speak English, and the Ranger didn’t speak Spanish. Fortunately, a bilingual lawyer was in the saloon and translated the Ranger’s message. The terrified bandit blurted out, in Spanish, that the loot was buried under the oak tree in back of the cantina. “What did he say?” asked the Ranger. The lawyer answered, “He said ‘get lost, Gringo. You wouldn’t dare shoot me.’”
Of Course I’m Awesome... I’m Texan
...Because you forgot to put the lid down on my waterbowl, Dave. When I fell in, I tried to get out, but the lid fell and hit me in the head, Dave.
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Whoever Pays the Piper, Picks the Tune
Have you ever received a regular or monetary gift from someone and felt it came with strings attached? If you have, then you probably didn’t feel as excited about receiving the gift. When something is given sincerely, it wouldn’t make you feel this way, but many times the giver of a “strings attached” gift does so intentionally. These types of givers are usually narcissistic and use the ‘giving’ technique as a way to manipulate and control people. This is their ultimate goal and what easier way to gain control of someone than by giving them something. It’s pretty much human nature that when someone gives you something or helps you in some way then you feel more obligated to give back or help them in some way. The narcissistic givers are fully aware of this and use it to their full advantage. Sadly, the person on the receiving end may not even be aware or perhaps just doesn’t want to believe they are being manipulated. They want to think of the gift as a sign of love or caring. So, even though they’ve most likely been through this situation with this person before, they have an innate need to want to believe that this time it’s sincere. The Bible warns us of those with narcissistic tendencies in Romans 16:17-18, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve.” Narcissistic behaviors are also addressed in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power: “from such people turn away.” I’ll give you a little break down on how some of these behaviors relate to a narcissistic person. 1. Men will be lovers of themselves- This doesn’t refer to the healthy self-love everyone should have for themselves, but rather a self-centered type of love. Everything in life is about them. 2. Lovers of money- Money provides the narcissist a false sense of power. He thrives on the attention money gives him and will use his money to control others. Narcissists may also be compulsive shoppers who are trying to fill an empty void inside themselves.
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3. Boasters- Most narcissists have no self-esteem and because they also suffer from jealousy, they will brag about everything to inflate their ego and have people believe they are superior. 4. Proud- Again, the narcissists’ pride makes them believe they are superior. They will not tolerate anyone who doesn’t think the way they do since they believe they are always right and never wrong. 5. Blasphemers-The narcissists will set out to destroy anyone they see as a threat. They cannot handle someone being more successful, prettier, smarter or anything else they consider as better than themselves. 6. Disobedient to Parents- In regards to narcissism, “disobedient to parents” means a disregard for authority in general. The narcissist doesn’t like to have to answer to anyone. It’s his/her way or the highway. 7. Unthankful- Although they may declare and want others to think they are thankful for what they have, it is all an act. Narcissists have a very high sense of entitlement and feel they deserve it all. 8. Unholy- The narcissists has no desire to be holy. Their whole world revolves around themselves, and they are only concerned with their needs and wants. 9. Unforgiving- Since a narcissist believes he/she is always right and never wrong, anyone who begs to differ will surely trigger a volatile response that will deem them unforgiveable. 10. Slanderers- Narcissists suffer from an unhealthy envy of others. And once again, anyone they see as better than them will become the target of their envious rage and most likely subjected to a smear campaign. 11. Without self-control- There’s no doubt that narcissists are control freaks. However, “without self-control” in this sense means that even though they come across as being charismatic and confident, they, in fact, lack confidence and have an obsessive need for attention. These days you can see this need for constant attention played out excessively on social media sites. 12. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- Narcissists believe their needs and wants come before everything else, including God. 13. Having a form of godliness but denying its power- Narcissists strives to maintain a false image to others of themselves being good and just, but they are unable to truly see the power of godliness. In their minds, the power is in themselves, and the delusional fantasy world they think revolves around them. Remember that in both Bible passages we are told to ‘avoid them’ and ‘from such people turn away.’ Although our ultimate command from God is to love one another, God is fully aware that there are some people who we can only love by keeping our distance. Narcissism is considered a mental illness called Narcissistic Personality Disorder. It is very likely that a majority of us have encountered someone with this disorder at some point in. As mentioned, our best defense is usually avoidance or as little contact as possible. What the ultimate cost to you will be when a narcissist comes bearing gifts? You will be wise to think long and hard before accepting. Ultimately, it may also be in your best interest to pay the piper yourself and pick your own songs. Renita Odstrcil is a licensed texas Realtor. She is a member of the National and Texas Association of Realtors, and the local B/CS Association of Realtors.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers CALLER: Is this Gordon’s Pizza?
CALLER: I have other sources of cash.
GOOGLE: No sir, it’s Google Pizza.
GOOGLE: That doesn’t show on your last tax return unless you bought them using an undeclared income source, which is against the law.
CALLER: I must have dialed a wrong number. Sorry. GOOGLE: No sir, Google bought Gordon’s Pizza last month. CALLER: OK. I would like to order a pizza. GOOGLE: Do you want your usual, sir? CALLER: My usual? You know me? GOOGLE: According to our caller ID data sheet, the last 12 times you called you ordered an extra-large pizza with three cheeses, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and meatballs on a thick crust.
CALLER: WHAT THE HEck? GOOGLE: I’m sorry, sir, we use such information only with the sole intention of helping you. CALLER: Enough already! I’m sick to death of Google, Facebook, Twitter, Whats App and all the others. I’m going to an island without internet, cable TV, where there is no cell phone service and no one to watch me or spy on me. GOOGLE: I understand sir, but you need to renew your passport first. It expired 6 weeks ago...
CALLER: OK! That’s what I want ... GOOGLE: May I suggest that this time you order a pizza with ricotta, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and olives on a whole wheat gluten free thin crust? CALLER: What? I detest vegetables. GOOGLE: Your cholesterol is not good, sir. CALLER: How in the world do you know? GOOGLE: Well, we cross-referenced your home phone number with your medical records. We have the result of your blood tests for the last 7 years. CALLER: Okay, but I do not want your rotten vegetable pizza! I already take medication for my cholesterol. GOOGLE: Excuse me sir, but you have not taken your medication regularly. According to our database, you only purchased a box of 30 cholesterol tablets once, at Drug RX Network, 4 months ago. CALLER: I bought more from another drugstore. GOOGLE: That doesn’t show on your credit card statement. CALLER: I paid in cash. GOOGLE: But you did not withdraw enough cash according to your bank statement.
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During the ten days I spent home alone with the flu, I felt out of sorts in several ways. But, one was not getting to go to church those two Sundays. However, I watched several TV preachers whom I respect. One of the two Sundays, I heard a sermon about the way the world will be when Satan becomes more and more powerful, and things become increasingly evil, and the hearts of many will grow cold (And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matt 24:12). As I listened, I honestly felt unsettled and a bit fearful just hearing about the horrible things that will happen to people before Christ comes. However, thankfully, the sermon did not end there. The way the Holy Spirit led the pastor in concluding the sermon was such a blessing. We listeners were told how we are to live till Christ does come again, or till our time on earth comes to its preset end. The advice on how to live was so helpful. The first thing said was Stay Christ centered. Of course, we believers are to do that anyway. In fact, it is the only way we can live our lives with power. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Without me, you can do nothing.” ( John 15:5). Our lives can’t be lived as they should be without Christ as the center. Secondly, we were told was we must stay true to the Word of God. Again, as Christians, we should be staying true to the Holy Spirit’s inspired Word of God. Men wrote it down inspired by the Holy Spirit. But in light of the end times, we believers may be even more drawn to the Word of God. (And should be, in my humble opinion). The Word guides our lives—the Old Testament points to the New Testament, and the New Testament presents Christ, and the way God gave Christ to man. We Christians are not to live carrying out the sacrificial laws that predated Christ. We don’t have to sacrifice a lamb, or anything for that matter. It is all about obedience to God’s Word, and asking forgiveness when we fail. We have Christ, the sacrificial lamb who died and took on our sins. And through belief in Him, which we learn about in the Bible, we are directed to love God and man, to be gentle, to be judgeless, and to be reaching out to others who aren’t Christians so they may come to know Jesus, the Savior. The Word is vital to all Christian, new or long time believers. Thirdly, we listeners were told to be compassionate toward each other, and all. Jesus felt compassion even toward those who were out to kill
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Him. Our compassion for others is to be like His. Of course, Christ was sinless, perfect when he walked on this earth, and we can never achieve that. But that is to be our goal. We are to be compassionate, as He was. And that is only possible through believing and living life as Jesus followers. The fourth thing said was that we are to stay connected to the Church Hebrews 10:25 states: “Do not forsake the assembling as believers, as some are prone to do.” Some in the Bible Study Class I attend say, “We need each other, we Christians need each other for fellowship, encouragement, and accountability.” I totally agree. We need each other. If we live to ourselves, it is a harder life. God’s Word, again, helps us know how to truly live. The fifth and last point was to stay calm in our spirit. The disciples who walked on this earth with Jesus when He was here often feared. Especially at and after His Crucifixion. They even ran and hid in fear for their own lives. Even when they’d seen Jesus’ power over the 3 years of His ministry together! But fear was and still is very real. However, Jesus said in John 14: 1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me. In my father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself: that where I am, there you may be also.” All is under control, really. Whether we Christians are alive and suffer for the Kingdom, which the Apostle Peter talks about in I Peter, or whether we die, we win!!! Followers of Jesus Christ win. 21st Century Christians in America today are not prone to desire to suffer for Christ. So many have life so very easy, have so many material things, have entertainment all the time. So many have turned away from the church and from leading others to Christ. But, the advice we should receive concerning the coming of Satan’s greater evil and the coming of such coldness of hearts of others is stay calm. Just stay calm and trust in God. Keep your focus on God in all aspects of life. We are where we are through His divine placement (He has appointed their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for him and find him, though he is not far from us. Acts 17:26-27). That was such great advice. We should stay calm in our Spirit and know that whatever comes, “I (God) will strengthen you.” Isaiah 41:10.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers USRSF The U.S. Army announced today the formation of a new 900-man elite fighting unit, called the United States Redneck Special Forces (USRSF). These Mountain boys will be dropped off in Iraq and Syria with plenty of cold beer, ammo and gunships. They have been given only the following facts about ISIS: 1 - The season opened today. 2 - There is no limit. 3 - Their quarry hates beer, bacon, BBQ, pickups, rednecks, country music and Jesus. AND 4 - They are directly responsible for the death of Dale Earnhardt. The Pentagon expects the ISIS problem in Iraq to be over by next Friday about noon.
Listen carefully to how a person speaks about other people to you. This is exactly how they will speak about you to other people.
*************** As the crowded airliner is about to take off, the peace is shattered by a five-year-old boy who picks that moment to throw a wild temper tantrum. No matter what his frustrated, embarrassed mother does to try to calm him down, the boy continues to scream furiously and kick the seats around him. Suddenly, from the rear of the plane, an elderly man in the uniform of an Air Force General is seen slowly walking forward up the aisle. Stopping the flustered mother with an upraised hand, the white-haired, courtly, soft-spoken General leans down and, motioning toward his chest, whispers something into the boy’s ear. Instantly, the boy calms down, gently takes his mother’s hand, and quietly fastens his seat belt. All the other passengers burst into spontaneous applause. As the General slowly makes his way back to his seat, one of the cabin attendants touches his sleeve. “Excuse me, General,” she asks quietly, “but could I ask you what magic words you used on that little boy?” The old man smiles serenely and gently confides, “I showed him my pilot’s wings, service stars, and battle ribbons, and explained that they entitle me to throw one passenger out the plane door, on any flight I choose.”
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Dreamscan come true! Turn off State Highway 36 onto County Road 315, outside of
Caldwell, TX, and go over the railroad tracks. And you’re there! The farther building will most likely have people seated on the front porch, visiting away. This is the Yellow Prairie Emporium, Gift Shop, and Country Store. The original building burned down in the 1940’s and was rebuilt in the 1970’s. The co-owners are Stacie Brundy and Venus Ihlenfeldt. Stacie has been in the area for four years and feels so at home. “The Yellow Prairie is more than a store,” she says. Having moved 26 times in Texas over her young life, she is at peace among the people on the front porch in Chriesman. She says her mind has always been full of dreams. She had moved here 21 years ago, and had thoughts of coming back. And she did just that... watching sunsets for the last year and a half at the house she had always dreamed of living in. Partner Venus Ihlenfeldt was riding around with Stacie before the partnership days, and commented, “I wish this place had a store so we could buy milk and bread.” Of course, Chriesman folks bought necessities in Caldwell. Then the girls got the chance to open the store. Venus is the organizer behind the ven-
ture. She keeps the books, and is an awesome baker: great pies, treats, and Banana Nut Cake Brownies, which they can’t keep in stock. She takes the morning shift at the store. Yellow Prairie was the name of the area before it was called Chriesman. The community back then was the largest in the county. There was a pickle packing business, a cotton gin, a post office, two churches, a bank, a school, and a blacksmith, according to locals, who Stacie and Venus enjoy visiting with and hearing stories. Chriesman’s claim to fame is Perk Williams… legend has it that Perk wrote the lyrics of Please Release Me Let Me Go. The Emporium opened last June, and responses from the people, regulars, and visitors alike, have been positive. People enjoy the time on the porch as they visit, and eat. During conversation, when the train blares by, everyone quickly learns that it’s “Pause for the train” time. The building is jam packed with Moon pies, RC and other Colas, wine, candies, and snacks, gifts and T-shirts, Montana West purses, pocket knives, and natural lotions and balms, as well as relics from the area. And of course, milk and bread, and there is honey. Future plans include canopies and picnic tables so people can have room. And an ultimate goal is for singing and music to be played at Yellow Prairie Emporium. Stacie loves to sing and is a writer of songs. Their hours are Monday-Thursday, 8-7 and Friday- Saturday 8-8 pm.
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Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers
How the Government Works
Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, “someone may steal from it at night.” So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe. - Friar Jimmy Durante
Then Congress said, “How does the watchman do his job without instruction?” So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies. Then Congress said, “How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?” So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports. Then Congress said, “How are these people going to get paid?” So they created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people. Then Congress said, “Who will be accountable for all of these people?” So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary. Then Congress said, “We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost.” So they laid off the night watchman.
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The New School Prayer Written by a 15 Year Old Student Now I sit me down in school Where praying is against the rule For this great nation under God Finds mention of Him very odd.
We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks. They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible. To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
If Scripture now the class recites, It violates the Bill of Rights. And anytime my head I bow Becomes a Federal matter now.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, And the ‘unwed daddy, ‘ our Senior King. It’s ‘inappropriate’ to teach right from wrong, We’re taught that such ‘judgments’ do not belong.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green, That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene. The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
We can get our condoms and birth controls, Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles. But the Ten Commandments are not allowed, It’s scary here I must confess,
For praying in a public hall Might offend someone with no faith at all. In silence alone we must meditate, God’s name is prohibited by the state.
When chaos Reigns the school’s a mess. So, Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot; My soul please take! Amen
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Spring Favorites By Sharon Laffere Ehlert After a cold winter, we are ready for spring. We love spending time outdoors enjoying long nature walks, picnics in the park, and backyard barbecues. As we fire up the grill, I will share my husband’s favorite barbecue sauce recipe.
BBQ SAUCE 44 oz. bottle of Ketchup 1/8 stick Butter 1/2 Lemon, peeled 1/2 Onion 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 teaspoon Vinegar 1 teaspoon Sugar 1 Bay Leaf 3 cloves Pinch of Salt
ONE OF THE KEYS TO HAPPINESS IS A BAD MEMORY
Combine ingredients in a pot and simmer. Makes a delicious marinade and dipping sauce.
TELL OUR ADVERTISERS YOU SAW THEM IN THE FRONT PORCH MAGAZINE
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14 short stories worth reading
1. Fall and Rise Today, when I slipped on the wet tile floor a boy in a wheelchair caught me before I slammed my head on the ground. He said, “Believe it or not, that’s almost exactly how I injured my back 3 years ago.” 2. A father’s advice Today, my father told me, “Just go for it and give it a try! You don’t have to be a professional to build a successful product. Amateurs started Google and Apple. Professionals built the Titanic.”
it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.
3. The Power of Uniqueness Today, I asked my mentor – a very successful business man in his 70’s – what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiled and said, “Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing.”
9. Looking Back Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother’s hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, “I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often.”
4. Looking Back Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I’m working on for my Psychology class. When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, “Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile.”
10. Affection Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.
5. Try and You Shall Know I am blind by birth. When I was 8 years old, I wanted to play baseball. I asked my father- “Dad, can I play baseball?” He said “You’ll never know until you try.” When I was a teenager, I asked him, - “Dad Can I become a surgeon?” He replied “Son, you’ll never know until you try.” Today I am a Surgeon, just because I tried! 6. Goodness and Gratitude Today, after a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug. When I tensed up, she realized I didn’t recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, “On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center.” 7. Love Conquers Pain Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face. 8. One Door closes, Another Opens Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3 PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare,
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11. Innocence Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, “Why?” She replied, “So you can help me save the planet.” I chuckled again and asked, “And why do you want to save the planet?” “Because that’s where I keep all my stuff,” she said. 12. Joy Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughter’s antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again. 13. Kindness Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, “I hope you feel better soon.”. 14. Sharing Today, I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn’t eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thing the man said was, “We can share it.”
Dinner with Billy Graham
Del Rogers, Sr., founder and CEO of Stewardship Enrichment is a recognized authority on successful fund raising for churches, ministries and personal stewardship growth for individual christians.
Billy Graham said, “One day you will read that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I will be more alive than ever in the presence of my savior in Heaven.” That day came on February 21, 2018. The young man who grew up on a dairy farm and had little interest in church or religion gave his heart to Jesus as a teenager during a Mordicai Ham Revival. As he later said, “I walked to the altar on the last verse of the last song of invitation.” It took a while after that conversion. but he eventually heard and answered God’s call to preach and preach he did. Dr. Billy Graham preached to more people than any other man in history. He saw over 3 million people walk the aisle in his crusades to accept Jesus as Savior. We are told that over 2 million others have accepted Jesus through Dr. Graham’s website and internet messages. That’s a lot of souls. But what was he like one on one? I met Billy Graham the first time when he came to preach in the early 60’s at the Seminary I attended. None of us knew he was coming. We went to Chapel, and he was introduced as our Chapel Speaker of the day. I was awestruck. I went to the stage afterwards and shook his hand and talked with him – I was still awestruck. That day he preached on prayer. He said, “Young men, I know that your professors teach you to make your sermons ‘three
points and a poem’, but I have 46 points today.” And he preached everyone of them. To Illustrate the scripture, Philippians 4:16, ‘Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God,’ he said, “This morning at the hotel, I lost my favorite pen. Couldn’t find it anywhere. Finally got down on my knees to look under the furniture; it was not there. So since I was on my knees, I said, “Lord you know how much I like that pen – Ruth gave me that pen. I am thankful you will help me find it.” I opened my eyes and there it was in front of me. I thanked God for answered prayer. Young preachers, pray for and about everything. God is interested in even the small things like a lost pen.” The second time he preached at the Seminary, it was announced that he was coming, so I brought Judy with me to hear him. As I had done the previous time, I went up on the stage to speak to him. He was absolutely the most striking and warm person I had ever met. Judy was mesmerized by his deep set eyes that seemed to see right into your heart. In that brief encounter, he made us feel that we were the only people in the room, and that he really was interested in us and meant it when he said, “God bless you in your service to our Lord.” And with a twinkle in his eyes he asked, “Did I preach too long?” We met him several times after that when we joined First Baptist Church in Dallas in the late 60’s and found out that Billy had joined FBC when he conducted the Cotton Bowl Crusade in 1953. Billy preached at FBC at least once a year. This is how the dinner with Billy happened. One day in the late 70’s, I was reading a book while waiting in line to get a boarding pass at DFW Airport. The gentleman behind me in line, tapped me on the shoulder. He said, “Aren’t you reading Chuck Colson’s book, “Born Again?” I said, “Yes”. He said, “There he is” pointing to the lounge area. Sure enough he was there; so I said, “Hold my place, walked over; and introduced myself. He invited me to sit down, thus began a long and meaningful relationship with one of the smartest and most committed Christians – I ever knew. As I left to catch my flight, I had prayer with him for his Prison Fellowship Ministry and committed that Judy and I would begin to support the ministry financially, and we did from that point on. Each year Chuck would invite Judy and me to join him and a few others at the President’s Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC. We always had dinner the night before the breakfast, as did other groups and ministries in various meeting rooms in the host Hotel. One year Judy and I were seated near the entrance to the room where we met for dinner. As the meal was being served, the door to the room opened and in walked Billy Graham. He walked up to me; shook my hand and said, “Everybody asks me to speak to their groups but no one has asked me to dinner. May I have dinner with you?” I said, “Of course,” and pulled out a chair. He sat down and we had a delightful time visiting. He made it seem like a visit across the fence with a next door neighbor. He was humble and fun. I was still awestruck. That is how we came to have dinner with Billy Graham.
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Deanville Dancehall Legend by Marsha Kocurek
On a quiet country road sits an old metal building whose walls could tell more stories about Burleson County then you could imagine. The round, silver tin building serves as a relic to an era of Texas dancehall history. The Deanville Hall was built in the late 1920’s as a meeting place for the Deanville Lodge of the Sons of Hermann (now Hermann Sons Life-Deanville). Over time, the hall became a place for community gatherings and dances. The hall has been part of the Hermann Sons-Life Deanville’s 104 year tradition of hosting 4th of July celebrations. Country music stars including Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Ray Price, Rose Maddox, and Hank Thompson and Melody Masters have stood on the stage in Deanville Hall to sing their popular country music songs. Over time, though, the hall began to deteriorate. After a severe storm in the late 1990’s, the hall suffered major roof damage. Local volunteers were able to save and begin restoring the building. Recently, the hall has undergone several more improvements, including updating the men’s restroom area, replacing all of the windows, and painting the interior walls. In 2017, the Hermann Sons Life-Deanville group received a grant from the Texas Dancehall Preservation Group to update and repair the electrical wiring in the building.
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This Deanville, Texas icon continues to be a vital part of this small Texas town. If you would like more information about Deanville Hall or the Hermann Sons Life-Deanville group, visit the Facebook page for Hermann Sons Life-Deanville or contact Donnie Blinka at 979-219-3126 or Tammy Jones at 979-3247274.
Pictures (Deanville Hall) - Pictures 1 thru 3 are current photos of hall. The last photo is of Deanville School Students performing a play at Deanville Hall approximately 62 years ago.
Deep in the heart of TEXAS From Prosperity to Passion to People & Everything In Between Our theme for this edition, DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS, from prosperity to passion to people, and everything in between, is one that is dear to my heart, from the get go, being a NATIVE TEXAN. I’ve known this state and some of its uniqueness by virtue of living in some of the areas, Liberty County, Walker County, Harris County, San Jacinto County, Jefferson County, and Burleson County…and I’ve visited extensively in Mason County, San Saba County, McMullen County and others. However, I’ve not scratched the surface when you consider that there are 254 counties in Texas. We Texans have enjoyed our state for so many reasons; one being that our state has prospered greatly over many decades. We’re independent, hard-working, and friendly people. Anyone can trace our history and see how we won our independence and carved out a diverse state… how we worked to build a state that is now STATE of the art, and in doing so brought prosperity for so many Texans over the years. We do brag some about our OIL, though most of us are not offensively braggadocious, and we do value our cattle, especially our Long Horns. Of course, there is the issue of size. We brag a bit more about our size and with it its great variety…from the Gulf Coast waters, to the mountains of far West Texas. And we have the bustling cities of Dallas and Houston, as well as Austin and the sprawling Hill Country. But, then, there are the scores of small towns that dot the north, south, east, and west of our great state. Texas has several major universities: Baylor, Rice, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, UT and there are scores of smaller colleges. We are serious about educating our youth!! I could go on and on about our state. Truly, we are a big, blessed state. Scarlette Taylor, one native Texan
The stars at night are big and bright Deep in the heart of Texas The prairie sky is wide and high Deep in the heart of Texas The sage in bloom is like perfume Deep in the heart of Texas Reminds me of the one I love Deep in the heart of Texas The coyotes wail along the trail Deep in the heart of Texas The rabbits rush along the brush Deep in the heart of Texas The cowboys cry, “Ki-yip-pee-yi” Deep in the heart of Texas The doggies bawl and bawl and bawl Deep in the heart of Texas.
Burleson County Historical Society Spotlight Burleson County first began historical J. Allen Whitt, PhDpreservation in 1936 when three Texas Centennial Markers were erected in Burleson County first began historical the county. The first major goal of the early preservationists preservation in 1936 whenso three Texas was to publish a history of our county, in January 1979, the Burleson County Historical Society, Inc was chartered. Centennial Markers were erected in the The Society was created to write a local history and maincounty. The first major goal of the early tain funds. was to publish history preservationists After the Society was chartered, the resultingaproject was Astride Old San Antonio Road, published in the 1980.BurSince of ourthecounty, so in January 1979, then, the Society has sponsored several other publications, leson County Historical Society, Inc was including Burleson County - A Tapestry of History. chartered. In 1982, another major project was purchasing the Kraitchar House, a Victorian cottage. house madeproposAnd their purpose was toThe maintain sible the housing of many period pieces, and as a result, ceeds to be used in historical preservation offering tours to school children and tour groups, and hostprojects. ing various events related to local history. Some needed-repairs on the exterior of the house have been accomplished. But interior work needs to follow soon. After the Society was chartered, a project People are always needed to serve in our non-profit orfor Astride the Old San Antonioinvolvement Road was ganization. We depend on the community’s in our we want to thank you, faithful theprojects, result,and published in 1980. Sincesponsors, then, for always being willing to support our efforts. the Society has sponsored several other Two UPCOMING EVENTS of the Society include: publications, including APRIL Burleson County FIRST FRIDAY LUNCHEON: 13, 2018. We can seat about 30,Abut take-out orders will be available. AdTapestry of History. vanced tickets at $10 per meal will be required. Contact any Society member for tickets or call Jacque Bray at 979-204In 1982, major was pur5249. Menu is another lasagna, salad, bread,project and dessert. LOADEDthe BAKED POTATO SALE: JUNE 2018. $10 chasing Kraitchar House, a 19, Victorian each. DRIVE THROUGH ONLY at the FIRE STATION cottage. The house made possible the hous11:00-1:00. Contact any Society member for tickets or call ing ofBray many period pieces, Jacque for information after Juneand 1st. as a result, Come and support us, and know that the Society open offering tours to school children andistour to ANYONE interested in preserving local history of our groups, and hosting various events related county. Business memberships are also available. Meetings to the local Some needed-repairs on are 3rd history. Tuesday each month. Get involved and help preserve our Burleson County history! the exterior of the house have been accom-
Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it. ~Edmund Burke~
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Heartworms An Old Foe That Should Not Be Forgotten
Spring is almost here and the biting flies, fleas, gnats along with the dreaded mosquitoes will return, that is if they ever left. Our climate stays so ambient, these pests are rarely killed outright, they just go into a hypobiosis for a few weeks. Heartworm infection is one of the most common conditions in dogs, documented in all 50 states. In Texas, the infection rate is near 100% in dogs and around 30% in cats, and (NO), it does not matter if you pet does not go outside. Heartworm disease and infection should be further defined to understand the condition and its relevance to your pet’s health. The heartworm is a very old parasite, killing and shortening pet’s lives until the 1980’s with the advent of the first preventatives. These preventatives would stop infection by killing the immature or larval stages of this parasite. The life cycle of heartworm starts with a pet infected with mature adult worms in the pulmonary arteries producing microfilariae (L1). The L1 can circulate in the bloodstream up to two years in the host’s body, causing chronic inflammation and disease. A mature mosquito takes a blood meal from the host and acquires the L1 which matures to a L2 larvae inside the mosquito. The mosquito then takes another blood meal from an uninfected pet and transmits the L2-L3 larvae into the new host. The larvae then mature to an L3-L4 larvae in the new host. This is a critical stage of the infection because heartworm preventatives kill L3-L4 larvae at this stage only. If the parasite matures to an L5, or adult, you will need to use more invasive and dangerous methods to clear your pet of this deadly infection and prevent actual disease. Heartworm disease occurs when the parasite reaches maturity and colonizes the blood vessels that lead from the right side of the heart to the lungs. These adult heartworms resemble angel hair pasta in size and length. The adult worms further damage blood flow to the lungs causing chronic inflammation and in the end, congestive heart failure of your pet. It is important to note that there is a window of time to kill the L2-L3 larvae of approximately one month because of their slow maturation process, that is why administration of a monthly pre-
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ventative is so important. Now days, there are many options; oral, topical and injectable products, so there are no excuses not to provide your pet with the best chance for a longer and healthier life. Preventatives have evolved and now treat multiple parasites but do vary with product selections. Gastrointestinal worms, mites and fleas that your pet is exposed to daily and can affect your family, are controlled with a simple application of a monthly preventative. These preventatives will not only increase your pet’s health and welfare but prevent spread of heartworm infections to other people’s pets, thus stopping the disease. In the southern or gulf cost united states, it is important to maintain year-round protection because of the warmer climate and thus more mosquitoes, a vital role in transmittance of infection. Protection should begin before four to five months of age and continue for the life of the pet. Testing for heartworm infection is also important as well. The heartworm, like any other infectious disease, has evolved and now becoming resistant to some of our preventatives. In addition, there are product failures and application errors we must guard against to protect our pet’s health. Use only approved medications as preventatives, do not free hand large animal products. Administration of Avermectin compounds for large animals can lead to life threatening illness or death in your pets. In closing, heartworm preventatives are a must in the health maintenance program of your pet, not only for a long disease-free life, but for the over all welfare of your family and other pets. Jack F. McKemie, DVM
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers According to a recent government publication ... A billion seconds ago Harry Truman was president. A billion minutes ago was just after the time of Christ. A billion hours ago man had not yet walked on earth. A billion dollars ago was late yesterday at the U.S. Treasury. *************** Mom thought I was going to be a preacher. She watched me at different times set my cat up on a table and preach to him. That’s the way I would learn my Sunday School lesson. One day my mom heard the cat scream and asked what was wrong. I said, “I’m baptizing the cat.” She said, “Stop! Cats are afraid of water.” I said, “He should have though about that before he joined my church!”
“I hope you’re all Republicans.” President Reagan’s speaking to surgeons as he entered the operating room following the 1981 assassination attempt.
Deep in the Heart of Texas Heart – the center or innermost part of something. I’m from the heart of Texas. Texas is where I learned about character. If we are to judge someone, we are to judge not by color, political leanings, life style choice, pocket book, or nationality, but by character. Texas is a cool place. Tell someone from another country you are from that magical, bigger than life place called Texas, and they see independent spirits, renegades, John Wayne. Say Lone Star State, they think rugged individualism, good looking spirited cowpokes, fierce Indians, oil wells, distinctive foods, boot scooting music, and sassy women. If you are a Texan there are some basic, but important things you know. If you are an import, there are important things you need to know. Yes, there is a specific “Texas Food Group.” Chicken fried steak tops our list. Bar-B-Que is cooked over a pit, slowly. Our Mexican food is different from northern Mexican food. It’s much better! Pecan pie is a staple; served with Blue Bell ice cream. Texans are mavericks; nonconformists. We became our own country, for gosh sakes. Being a state of migrants, we celebrate, and show respect to our different cultures. Observe our country dances, including our carefree cotton-eyed Joe, lively polkas, and root tootin’ rodeos. These lively activities mirror our approach to life. Understanding that life is short, we strive for a good time. GOOD TIME, being number one on our ‘what is my goal in life list.’ There is not much we are afraid to try. A challenge is a dare we feel the need to conquer. Our word is our bond. We give our word, we keep it. A hand shake among honorable people is still a bond. Being both competitive, and compassionate, we work towards solving our problems ourselves, but we will gladly help those in need. The coming together of the people of Texas in giving all after Hurricane Harvey is our latest example. Our men and women have a strong sense of the importance of family, and God. Our home spun sayings pretty much reflect our wit, and grip on reality. My knowledge of these is passed down from my never a shrinking violet Mom; a character and Texan personified. “He’s so country he thinks a seven-course meal is a possum and a six-pack.” “If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.” “She’s tight as a tick,” and “his elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top,” were just a few of the life teaching jargons of our childhood. A Texan’s greeting might be considered a little unique. “Look what the cat drug in,” or saying goodbye, “It’s time to put out the fire, and call in the dogs.” If you hear “He split his britches,” you know he really made a great big faux pas. If they “split the blanket,” the couple is no longer together. Mary Alice is “Swollen up like a toad frog,” tells you she’s “mad as a wet hen.” We all know not to trust someone who is “slipperier than pudding.” Be sure not to tell them secrets if you “can’t trust them any further than you can throw them.” Well- bred Texans don’t tolerate bigots, or bullies. It’s a myth
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that southern people are more bigoted and racist than northerners. There are enlightened, as well as ignorant people all over the world. Ignorance, and meanness are not geographical characteristics, and they certainly didn’t get their start in Texas. Being polite to everyone is an important trait for us. We will play nice, but, believe me; we’ve got your number. Sometimes Texans like to be a little shocking. Wearing colorful attire, such as cowboy boots, big buckles, and over the top jewelry, pretty much bears this out. We definitely have our own unusual rituals, customs, and even our own head coverings, or as we like to call them, cowboy hats. A pickup truck with a pair of bigger than life size brass bull testicles hanging under a trailer hitch, always makes me chuckle. Surprisingly, we are sometimes thought to have our own foreign language, Y’all. A southern drawl can fool you, and often it is meant to. Moseying along on a trail ride aboard a mellow horse, wearing a cowboy hat and boots, enjoying chicken fried steak, choosing to hang fake bull testicles on your truck, or speaking with a southern accent, are all traits of people who are not afraid of being diverse. Texans understand the importance of respecting different lifestyles better than almost any other group, or culture. We are about as free of the need to follow the herd as anyone can be. What I have learned from Texans is that judging a book by its cover is no way to judge a book. I’m proud
Donna Presnal Retired Teacher Caldwell High School Graduate
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Our Adult Sunday School class was discussing formal and informal prayer, when one man remarked, “I do some of my best praying while I’m driving.” From the back of the room, in a quiet voice, the man’s wife agreed. “I too, do my best praying while you’re driving. ************** One of my granddaughters wanted to borrow my car one weekend. About 10:30 that night she called me and said, “Grandpa, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.” I said, “Give me the good news first.” She said, “Your air bags work!” I said, “Where are you?” She said, “in the drug store just down the street.” I asked her, “Where is the car?” She said, “In the drug store with me.”
*************** I told the teacher one day that I didn’t want to scare her, but Dad said if my grades didn’t get better, somebody was going to get spanked. **************** I told the teacher that I didn’t think I deserved a zero on my test. She told me that she didn’t think so either, but it was the lowest grade she could give me. the fact that there’s a highway to hell and only a stairway to heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers.
Have funny jokes you would like to see published in the Front Porch Magazine
email to imagemaker@airplexus.com
Estate Planning Checklist
Kavon Novak is a registered Investment Consultant and Branch Manager with LPL Financial. He holds Series 7, 24 and 63 licenses. Kavon has over 19 years of experience in the financial industry and is a member of the Financial Services Institute and the Burleson County Chamber of Commerce. He is a multi-year “Outstanding Client Service” award recipient and a Fightin’ Texas Aggie ’91. For more information please call 979-255-8796.
Because you’ve worked hard to create a secure and comfortable lifestyle for your family and loved ones, you’ll want to ensure that you have a sound financial plan that includes trust and estate planning. With some forethought, you may be able to minimize gift and estate taxes and preserve more of your assets for those you care about. A Needs Evaluation One of the first steps you’ll take in the estate planning process is determining how much planning you’ll need to undertake. No two situations are alike. And even individuals who don’t have a great deal of wealth require some degree of planning. On the flip side, those with substantial assets often require highly complex estate plans. Two key components of your initial needs evaluation are an estate analysis and a settlement cost analysis. The estate analysis includes an in-depth review of your present estate-settlement arrangements. This estate analysis will also disclose potential problems in your present plan and provide facts upon which to base decisions concerning alterations in your estate plan. For example, you may believe that your current arrangements are all taken care of in a will that leaves everything to your spouse. However, if you’ve named anyone else as a beneficiary on other documents -- life insurance policies, retirement or pension plans, joint property deeds -- those instructions, not your will, are going to govern the disposition of those assets. You want to ensure that all your instructions work harmoniously to follow your exact wishes. In addition, you may want to consider alternative asset ownership arrangements under certain circumstances. An estate plan that leaves everything to a surviving spouse enjoys the unlimited marital deduction against all estate taxes but fails to take advantage of the decedent spouse’s applicable exclusion amounts against
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estate taxes under federal and state law. This may result in a larger estate tax burden at the death of the second spouse. Yet these are taxes that can potentially be minimized with careful estate planning. While your spouse will receive your estate free of estate taxes if he or she is a U.S. citizen, anything your spouse receives above his or her federal applicable exclusion amount may eventually be subject to estate taxes upon his or her death.1 Many states also have their own estate tax regimes and apply different (lower) estate tax applicable exclusion amounts, which you will need to consider with your estate planning professional. An estate settlement cost analysis summarizes the costs of various estate distribution arrangements. In estimating these costs, the analysis tests the effectiveness of any proposed estate plan arrangement by varying the estate arrangement, the inflation and date of distribution assumptions, as well as specific personal and charitable bequests. Estate planning is very complex. And while a simple will may adequately serve the estate planning needs of some people, you should meet with a qualified legal advisor to be sure you are developing a plan that is consistent with your objectives. Finally, be sure to recognize that estate planning is also an ongoing process that may require periodic review to ensure that plans are in concert with your changing goals. In addition, because estate planning often entails many facets of your personal finances, it often involves the coordinated efforts of qualified legal, tax, insurance, and financial professionals. Estate Planning Checklist Bring this checklist to a qualified legal professional to discuss how to make your plan comprehensive and up to date. Part 1 -- Communicating Your Wishes • Do you have a will? • Are you comfortable with the executor(s) and trustee(s) you have selected? • Have you executed a living will or health care proxy in the event of catastrophic illness or disability? • Have you considered a living trust to avoid probate? • If you have a living trust, have you titled your assets in the name of the trust? Part 2 -- Protecting Your Family • Does your will name a guardian for your children if both you and your spouse are deceased? • If you want to limit your spouse’s flexibility regarding the inheritance, have you created a qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust? • Are you sure you have the right amount and type of life insurance for survivor income, loan repayment, capital needs, and all estate settlement expenses? • Have you considered an irrevocable life insurance trust to exclude the insurance proceeds from being taxed as part of your estate? • Have you considered creating trusts for family gift giving?
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Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Estate Planning Checklist Cont’d from Page 42
The Lexus Mechanic and The Cardiologist A Lexus mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a LS460 when he spotted a well known cardiologist in his shop. The cardiologist was there waiting for the service manager to come and take a look at his car when the mechanic shouted across the garage, “Hey Doc, want to take a look at this?” The cardiologist, a bit surprised, walked over to where the mechanic was working. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked, “So Doc, look at this engine. I opened its heart, took the valves out, repaired or replaced anything damaged, and then put everything back in, and when I finished, it worked just like new. So how is it that I make $48,000 a year and you make $1.7M, when you and I are doing basically the same work?” The cardiologist paused, leaned over, and then whispered to the mechanic....... “Try doing it with the engine running.”
Part 3 -- Reducing Your Taxes • If you are married, are you taking full advantage of the marital deduction? • Is your estate plan designed to take advantage of your applicable exclusion amount?1 • Are you making gifts to family members that take advantage of the $14,000 annual gift tax exclusion? • Have you gifted assets with a strong probability of future appreciation in order to maximize future estate tax savings? • Have you considered charitable trusts that could provide you with both estate and income tax benefits? Part 4 -- Protecting Your Business • If you own a business, do you have a management succession plan? • Do you have a buy/sell agreement for your family business interests? • Part 3 -- Reducing Your Taxes • If you are married, are you taking full advantage of the marital deduction? • Is your estate plan designed to take advantage of your applicable exclusion amount?1 • Are you making gifts to family members that take advantage of the $14,000 annual gift tax exclusion? • Have you gifted assets with a strong probability of future appreciation in order to maximize future estate tax savings? • Have you considered charitable trusts that could provide you with both estate and income tax benefits? Part 4 -- Protecting Your Business • If you own a business, do you have a management succession plan? • Do you have a buy/sell agreement for your family business interests? • Have you considered a gift program that involves your familyowned business, especially in light of “estate freeze” rules? (These rules were enacted by Congress to prevent people from artificially freezing their estate values for tax purposes.) Source: The Internal Revenue Service. Required Attribution Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by DST Systems, Inc. or its sources, neither DST Systems, Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall DST Systems, Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscriber's or others' use of the content. © 2017 DST Systems, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited, except by permission. All rights reserved. Not responsible for any errors or omissions. LPL Tracking # 1-666281
What to Wear for the “Best” Family Portrait by Ida Schuman
Ida Schuman, born and raised in Texas, has been married to John for 21 years and they are the parents of two grown sons. Ida has gone from a stay home mom to a successful career woman, reopening her photography studio in Dime Box, Texas. Ida’s passion is using photography to show others there is another story on the other side of the lens. You cannot photoshop what you don’t like about your life. As a photographer, I get asked time and time again to erase the unwanted, but by showing others a healthier and permanent option, beautiful isn’t always healthy but being healthy is always beautiful.
are great. The shirt colors should be within the same color palette, or be complimentary colors. The pants can be similar, such as a light denim, a dark denim, or a tan.
The main purpose of your portrait is to see the family... The best place to start is picking out a color you like best for your children to wear. Then coordinate your colors to match theirs. The same top colors with denim always photographs well and shows off the family. There are many shades of the same color, so check for matching shades. If you are unsure if the outfits will coordinate, lay them together on a bed and see if anything stands out. To have a beautiful portrait that focuses on you, definitely avoid loud, busy patterns and repetitive lines. Also, iron your clothes. Although it may sound silly, be certain your clothes have been ironed because every single line shows up on the photo. And, the last tip that helps create the best photo is wear quarter length sleeves or long sleeves. They photograph the best. Bare arms tend to stand out in a photograph and draw the attention to the arms rather than the faces. With spring and summer around the corner, you might want to start looking online for different clothing ideas that would suit your family’s style. Then you’ll be ready for your next family portrait.
As a photographer for more than 30 years, I have experienced all sorts of Do’s and Don’t with clothing in family portrait sessions. Although I want each family’s style to be shown, I can offer a few tips for those who need a starting point for their portraits. Hopefully, these suggestions can make your clothing selections easier. The main purpose of your portrait is to see the family, not the clothes. The color you choose sets the tone for the portrait. Solid colors are by far the best choices. Burgandys, blacks, blues, and browns photograph well. Textures and layers look nice, and knits and sweaters are great for fall portraits. Summer colors such as white, off-white, tan and softer colors
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Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Marketing Speak Tipper Gore discovered that her husband’s great great uncle, Gunther Gore, was hanged for horse steal ing and train robbery in Tennessee in 1889. The only existing photograph shows him standing on the gallows. On the back of the picture is this inscription: “Gunther Gore; horse thief. Sent to Tennessee Prison 1883, escaped 1887. Robbed the Tennessee Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.” After letting President Clinton’s large staff of professional image consultants review this discovery, they took the following actions to assist Al’s campaign to become our next president. They decided to crop Gunther’s picture, scan it in as an enlarged image, and edited it with image processing software so that all that is seen in the final picture is a head shot. Along with this enhanced photo, the accompanying biographical sketch was sent to the Associated Press: “Gunther Gore was a famous cattleman in early Tennessee history. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Tennessee railroad company. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave to resume his business enterprise with the railroad. In 1887 he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889 Gunther regrettably died suddenly during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform on which he was standing collapsed.”
Adulthood is like looking both ways before you cross the street and then getting hit by an airplane.
“Passion.” Just hearing or reading that word can evoke in each of us the very essence of its meaning, as our thoughts turn to all those things about which we are, well, passionate. It can be applied not only to an emotion, but also to a belief system; hence, the power of just speaking the word. For Christians, there is another meaning, one that wraps up deep emotions and powerful belief systems into the most precious gift any of us could ever receive – the perfect sacrifice of perfect love – the Passion of Christ. That gift, His gift, to each of us, is the gift of Life. At Hope Pregnancy Center of Brazos Valley, we are passionate about the gift of Life, working tirelessly to spread the Good News that Life, both physical and spiritual, is available to all. We not only spread that word about the Word, but we provide guidance and resources to those who desire to accept that gift, both physically for their child and spiritually for themselves, given in the ultimate sacrifice, over two thousand years ago. There is no turning back from an unplanned pregnancy. That woman will always have been pregnant, no matter what choice she makes. There is no doubt at all that it is one of life’s most difficult passages. In fact, that is true whether a pregnancy is planned or not! We understand that. We want to help. That is why we exist. Regardless of political persuasions or belief systems, all of humankind values helping others, and the tender, passionate hearts that seek out those in need simply to serve them and to love them through difficult times. Joyous moments fill our days at Hope, whether it is the beaming face of the young Korean woman who stopped by the other day to donate Bibles for other Korean women we help, as her way of expressing gratitude for the help we had given her, or the sparkling, mischievous grin of a five-month old little princess we all got to hold while her mom shopped for clothes in our baby boutique, a shopping spree that mother had earned by participating in our Parenting Education Program.
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We are passionate about what we do, so regardless of the ups and downs of the day, or the week, or the month, or the year, we at Hope feel immeasurably blessed to be serving the Brazos Valley. We are here to help, and to love, and to support, and to cherish the lives of the women and men and children that we serve, with passion. BIO: Carol Dodds became the Executive Director of Hope Pregnancy Center in College Station in November 2017, after serving almost seven years as Executive Director of a pregnancy clinic in Northern California. Previously, she spent 25 years working with developmentally disabled adults as a music therapist, case manager and clinic manager. Carol lives in Bryan with her mother Jeana and, occasionally, her son Travis, a senior at Oklahoma Christian University. About Hope: Hope Pregnancy Centers of the Brazos Valley is a faith-based, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization providing a safe and confidential refuge for those in crisis. Services (all of which are free) include pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, peer counseling, parenting and life skills classes, and material aid based on an “earn while you learn” system. More information may be found at www.partnerwithhope.org.
Conundrum............... “A gun is like a parachute. If you need one, and don’t have one, you’ll probably never need one again.” The definition of the word Conundrum is: something that is puzzling or confusing. Here are six Conundrums of Socialism in the United States of America : 1. America is capitalist and greedy - yet half of the population is subsidized. 2. Half of the population is subsidized - yet they think they are victims. 3. They think they are victims - yet their representatives run the government. 4. Their representatives run the government - yet the poor keep getting poorer. 5. The poor keep getting poorer - yet they have things that people in other Countries only dream about.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” ~Albert Einstein~
6. They have things that people in other countries only dream about, yet they want America to be more like those other countries. Think about it! And that pretty much sums up the USA in the 21st Century. Makes you wonder who is doing the math. By the way.................... 1. We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, But we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works. And here’s another one worth considering... 2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. But we never hear about welfare or food stamps running out of money? What’s interesting is the first group “worked for” their money, but the second didn’t. Am I the only one missing something?
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Jake’s Journey The #1 question I get when people hear our story is “How did you do it?”. The answer is easy. We didn’t do it, Jake did it. He was a fighter from day one. With only a 5% chance of survival, our one pound zero ounce baby boy defied all odds and showed the medical experts that a tiny Czech baby is full of fighting spirit. At only 24 weeks, Jake was delivered by emergency C-section in Houston where I was flown via helicopter. I will never forget the neonatologist who came in to tell us Jake’s terrible prognosis. He even told us we could hold our dead baby for hours after his birth if we chose to. They were all preparing us for his death. We didn’t yet know that we were about to start a 9 month NICU stay and most importantly, watch a miracle unfold. On September 15, 2015, the unimaginable happened. The doctors said Jake was giving up. He had no blood pressure reading and even with medications maxed out, he couldn’t raise his blood pressure. He was like this for over 12 hours. They said there was no way any of his organs would be vital. He was 3 weeks old and the size of a TV remote control. We had never been allowed to hold him, and we were desperate to do so. His sister Kadie has only been able to look at him through the incubator glass. We were told they could unhook all his equipment and I could hold him as he died. I refused and told them we would not consider it. The doctor said he was braindead from the lack of blood pressure. But when we sat there and talked to him, Jake turned his eyes our way. Those eyes told us he was a fighter. If he was willing to fight, then so were we. We paced the NICU halls all night, taking turns staring at him through the glass of his incubator. The alarms, smells and sounds of the NICU still haunt me. About 2:30am, it happened. His blood pressure shot up, and all his organs were functioning beautifully. It was truly a miracle. Even the hardened, veteran neonatologist told us with tears in her eyes that she had no medical explanation as to how this could have happened. After that night, Jake had many more trials, but there was no doubt in our minds that we were bringing Jake home to Caldwell. We didn’t know he would endure a tracheostomy, months on ventilation, 7 brain surgeries, and 9 months in 3 different hospitals. We also didn’t yet know Leslie & Fabian, or their precious baby girl who was also born too soon. We would soon find out that strangers who were grieving the loss of their sweet baby, Abigail, would selflessly help save ours. Jake’s survival story is one of divine intervention. Keep watching Jake grow and amaze everyone. He’s Caldwell’s miracle baby, and we have so many stories to tell. We also have so many people to thank. Keep the prayers coming and keep watching Jake show us what he’s got!
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Pictured Brandon, Kim, Kadie Hartman and Jake Cedidla Kim and Brandon Cedidla reside in Caldwell with their children Jake and Kadie Hartman. Brandon and Kim are natives to Caldwell and enjoy raising their family here. Brandon, a long time Frontier Communications employee, and Kim, is your home town Dental Hygienist at Drgac Dental. Kadie is looking forward to her freshman year at Caldwell High School, where she plans to play Volleyball and golf, and most of all keep her Mom running! Kim’s experience with Jake’s 9 month hospital stay she has developed an interest in nursing or neonatology. On any given day you can find Jake “engineering” all of his toys and watching Sesame Street. He loves playing outside and the family has recently sold their home on Gray Street to begin building their forever home in the New Tabor area.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers A man was walking down the street when he was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless man who asked him for a couple of dollars for dinner. The man took out his wallet, extracted ten dollars and asked, “If I give you this money, will you buy some beer with it instead of dinner?” “No, I had to stop drinking years ago,” the homeless man replied. “Will you spend this on green fees at a golf course instead of food?” the man asked. “Are you NUTS!” replied the homeless man. “I haven’t played golf in 20 years!” “Well,” said the man, “I’m not going to give you money. Instead, I’m going to take you home for a hot shower and a terrific dinner cooked by my wife.” The homeless man was astounded. “Won’t your wife be furious with you for doing that? The man replied, “That’s okay. It’s important for her to see what a man looks like after he has given up drinking and golf.”
A lot of folks don’t know this, but
TEXAS
is an old Indian word that roughtly translates to “We don’t care how you do things up North.”
Number Please
Some funny things happened to telephones not too long ago. Many of these things I still do not understand. For instance: how you can select from so many different models---changes in dialing long distance calls---changes in billing systems---choices of companies to deal with. The thing I understand least, however, is how I am supposed to answer the phone when the ringing comes from a little console in the kitchen, but the cordless receiver cannot be found high or low. Sometimes it’s in the backyard. I hate it when that happens to me, but it’s fun to watch others lurch, grovel around, wildly throwing pillows and newspapers in search of the infernal thing. My not understanding shouldn’t be a surprise, though, since electronics went well beyond me when they invented crystal sets. Please understand, I strongly favor telephones, I just cannot keep pace with their constant evolution. Charles Darwin would have been proud of the telephone companies. Survival of the fittest, I believe he said. Once having mastered the newer systems, an eight-year-old grandchild could ring up Cleveland or Sioux City or Montreal, for that matter. No questions asked. Now that is a frightening thought! The first telephones I can remember were hand cranked versions in and around Athens, Texas. They were all attached to party lines. You could crank two longs and one short, or two shorts and one long. It made no difference-you could hear receivers lifting all up and down the line as the signals went out. If one phone on the line rang, all the phones on the party line rang. The party line was the predecessor of “The Young and the Restless,” “Days of our Lives,” and such. Once the topic of conversation was known and the prelimi-
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naries were over between the principal parties, all sorts of free advice came across the lines from friends and neighbors. From how to can peaches, to how to cure the croup; the topic made little difference. A good time was had by all. Suffering of all kinds was thereby alleviated and at precious little cost. A prized possession of mine is a December 1911 San Marcos Texas telephone directory. This telephone company was a privately owned institution. “A home institution. Owned and operated by San Marcos people. Try our long distance service. Cheaper and quicker. Call by number, please.” From the “Information and Advice” Section: “In order to get the best service, remember to CALL BY NUMBER. We have five operators, and occasionally make a change. The new operator does not know the numbers and when you call by name, she must take time to find out from one of the other operators or from a directory what the number is. After several months’ practice they generally learn most of the numbers, but you will get quicker service, with less chance for a mistake, if you give the number instead of the name. Help us to give you good service by doing that much. “When through talking, hang up the receiver. If you want another connection, hang up the receiver and wait a while. Don’t work the hook up and down, but hang up for about half a minute. The operator will notice the signal quicker than if you try to attract her attention by flashing the lamp.” Some years later, I followed these Telephone Company instructions one day when wanting to speak with my Dad. So upon lifting the receiver and hearing Mrs. Netherland (the operator) say, “number please,” instead of Cooper’s Bakery, as I was want to do, I said simply, five please.” Mrs. Netherland responded, “Edwin, do you want to talk to your Dad?” “Yes, Mam, I do.” “Well, he’s not at the bakery-he’s over at Younger’s Café. Want me to ring him there?” “Yes, Mam.” I don’t know how she knew, but that is where he was. Well, things have changed for sure. I can call a friend or relative in Cotulla, Texas, with much less hassle (and without a word being spoken) than it took back then, but I still miss Mrs. Netherland’s personal touch in transferring my call to Dad over at Younger’s Café, some 100 yards away from the bakery. Edwin H. Cooper, writer of human interest stories and articles, has been published in many Texas magazines and newspapers, and is active in numerous civic and school organizations. His new book, 40 Years at Aggieland, was published in 2013.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers About Family I’ve just discovered the quickest way to call a family meeting. I turned off the WiFi router and simply waited in the room where it’s located. Life was so simple before I got married. I had absolutely no idea there was a wrong way to put the milk back in the fridge. A couple was attending their family reunion. At the banquet, everybody wanted to know how they managed to stay married so long in this day and age. The husband responded “When we were first married we came to an agreement. I would make all the major decisions and my wife would make all the minor decisions. And in 60 years of marriage we have never needed to make a major decision.”
1. Going to bed early. 2. Not leaving my house. 3. Not going to a party. My childhood punishments have become my adult goals.
During labor, the pain is so great that a woman can almost imagine what a man feels like when he has a fever. 51
The Flying ‘Possum One of God’s wonders is the flying squirrel. A fold of skin, called a patagium, stretches from the wrist of each front leg to the ankle of each rear leg. This enables the little creature to glide from tree to tree. Flights of up to 240 feet have been recorded. Most people are aware of flying squirrels. Few, however, have ever heard of a flying ‘possum. I am an exception to this ignorance; I knew one, up close and personal. In the summer of 1953 I acquired a baby ‘possum that had been abandoned by his mother. He was about the size of a mouse. I named him after Walt Kelly’s comic strip character, Pogo Possum. I fixed him a cozy home in a shoe box. Pogo became a nocturnal nuisance. He would doodle out the air hole in the box, escape and plunder the place. One morning Mama put on her apron, reached in the pocket and was horrified to shake hands with my furry friend. Another time Daddy slid his foot into a shoe occupied by a snoozing baby ’possum. Threatening clouds were thickening around Pogo and me. The storm broke with a frenzied fury one night after we had gone to bed. Mama took exception to being awakened with a cold ‘possum nose nestled against her leg. I had read THE YEARLING by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and was beginning to identify with young Jody Baxter. An uncle visiting from Arizona saved Pogo from the executioner. It was love at first sight when he saw the baby. He bought him from me for $2.00 and prepared to drive back home with him. Headed west, he stopped in Birmingham for a visit with his brother. He couldn’t find Pogo when he got ready to leave. He searched in every ‘possumy place he could think of. Time constraints compelled him to leave. He hadn’t been gone but about 2 hours when Pogo crawled out from under a platform rocker. My Birmingham uncle took care of him until his brother got home. They then made arrangements for the baby to be shipped air freight, fragile, special delivery, to Phoenix. The flying ‘possum logged about 1700 miles on that flight—far outdistancing the puny 240 foot record of the flying squirrel. My uncle and his privileged pet ‘possum got along well. But
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by Neal Beard, a retired pastor living in Douglasville, Georgia. He writes history / humor about the rural northwest Georgia community where he grew up in the 40s and 50s.
one night Pogo got cold and crawled in bed with him. In his sleep he rolled over on the juvenile ‘possum thus sending him to—wherever dead ‘possums go. In case the IRS reads this, I need to confess that I didn’t pay income tax on my ‘possum pay. PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals) hadn’t yet been invented and SPCA (the society for prevention of cruelty to animals) had not yet discovered Bill Arp. But if they hear about this they may all want to stick their cold noses into the matter. Hey, I was just a kid. I didn’t know about big brother. If I have it figured right my income tax on the $2.00, plus interest and penalties compounded for 52 years comes to exactly $9,261.28. If I disappear, check with the IRS, PETA or the SPCA.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Repairman Gets the Shock of His Life Wanda’s dishwasher quit working so she called a repairman. Since she had to go to work the next day, she told the repairman, “I’ll leave the key under the mat. Fix the dishwasher, leave the bill on the counter, and I’ll mail you a check.” “Oh, by the way don’t worry about my dog Spike. He won’t bother you. But, whatever you do, do NOT, under ANY circumstances, talk to my parrot!” “I REPEAT; DO NOT TALK TO MY PARROT!!!” When the repairman arrived at Wanda’s apartment the following day, he discovered the biggest, meanest looking dog he has ever seen. But, just as she had said, the dog just lay there on the carpet watching the repairman go about his work. The parrot, however, drove him, nuts the whole time with his incessant yelling, cursing and name calling. Finally the repairman couldn’t contain himself any longer and yelled, “Shut up, you stupid, ugly bird!” To which the parrot replied, “Get him, Spike!”
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“The Meaning of the Flag-Draped Coffin” What a wonderful lesson this was for me. I do not recall ever being taught this in school. All Americans should be given this lesson. Those who think that America is an arrogant nation should really reconsider that thought. Our founding fathers used GOD’s word and teachings to establish our Great Nation and I think it’s high time Americans get re-educated about this Nation’s history. Please pass it along and be proud of the country we live in, and even more proud of those who serve to protect our ‘GOD-GIVEN’ rights and freedoms. I hope you take the time to read this ... To understand what the flag draped coffin really means ... Here is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to so many widows and widowers: Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776? Have you ever noticed that the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day! The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life. The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life. The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world. The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance. The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, ‘Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.’ The 6th fold is for where people’s hearts lie. It is with their heart that they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic.. The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day. The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded. The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born. The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews’ eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians’ eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding them of their Nations motto, ‘In God We Trust.’ After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today. There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you’ll see flags folded and now you will know why.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Man Refuses An Opportunity To be Romantic With His Wife. What Happens Next is Genius A married couple in their early 60s was celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary in a quiet, romantic little restaurant. Suddenly, a tiny yet beautiful fairy appeared on their table saying, “For being such an exemplary married couple and for being loving to each other for all this time, I will grant you each a wish.” “Oh, I want to travel around the world with my darling hustand.” says the wife. The fairy waved her magic wand and - poof! two tickets for the Queen Mary II appeared in her hands. The husband thought for a moment: “Well, this is all very romantic, but an opportunity like this will never come again. I’m sorry my love, but my wish is to have a wife 30 years younger than me.” The wife, and the fairy, were deeply disappointed, but a wish is a wish. So the fairy waved her magic want and - poof! - the husband became 92 years old. The moral of this story: Men who are ungrateful should remember that fairies are female...
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He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary’s School in Morris, Minn. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million. Very neat in appearance, he had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful. Mark talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving “Thank you for correcting me, Sister!” I didn’t know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day. One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, and then I made a novice teacher’s mistake. I looked at Mark and said, “If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!” It wasn’t ten seconds later when Chuck (Mark’s friend) blurted out, “Mark is talking again.” I hadn’t asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it. I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my desk, very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape. Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark’s desk, tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room. As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That did it!! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark’s desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, “Thank you for correcting me, Sister.” At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math. The year flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again. He was more handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to my instruction in the “new math,” he did not talk as much in ninth grade as he had in third. One Friday, things just didn’t feel right. We had worked hard on a new concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, frustrated with themselves and edgy with one another. I had to stop this crankiness before it got out of hand. So I asked them to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. Mark said, “Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend.”
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That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. “Really?” I heard whispered. “I never knew that meant anything to anyone!” “I didn’t know others liked me so much.” No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn’t matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again. That group of students moved on. Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual questions about the trip - the weather, my experiences in general. There was a lull in the conversation. Mother gave Dad a sideways glance and simply said, “Dad?” My father cleared his throat as he usually did before something important. “The Eklunds called last night,” he began. “Really?” I said. “I haven’t heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is.” Dad responded quietly. “Mark was killed in Vietnam,” he said. “The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend.” To this day I can still point to the exact spot on I-494 where Dad told me about Mark. I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, “Mark I would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me.” The church was packed with Mark’s friends. Chuck’s sister sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? It was difficult enough at the graveside. The pastor said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps. One by one those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water. I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to me. “Were you Mark’s math teacher?” he asked. I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. “Mark talked about you a lot,” he said. After the funeral, most of Mark’s former classmates headed to Chuck’s farmhouse for lunch. Mark’s mother and father were there, obviously waiting for me. “We want to show you something,” his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. “They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.” Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good things each of Mark’s classmates had said about him. “Thank you so much for doing that,” Mark’s mother said. “As you can see, Mark treasured it.” Mark’s classmates started to gather around us. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, “I still have my list. It’s in the top drawer of my desk at home.” Chuck’s wife said, “Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.” “I have mine too,” Marilyn said. “It’s in my diary.” Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. “I carry this with me at all times,” Vicki said without batting an eyelash. “I think we all saved our lists.” That’s when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again. The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don’t know when that day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.
The Stars at Night by Becky Schenk
Are BIG and BRIGHT! Clap, clap, clap, clap...Deep in the heart of Texas! There is not one Texan soul whocan read that title and not finish the line of that song about Texas from 1941. Ya’ll, Texas is one of those places where locals know when someone is an outsider. They can’t pronounce the names of certain towns, don’t wave at strangers when they drive by and when they wanna talk about Texas, they wanna hear about riding horses and believe we walk around with cowboy hats on, right? Wait a doggone minute… they might be right about that! Being from Texas is all about how you talk, what you did on Friday night and asking those important questions like where the best place to eat barbeque is. And, we all know when it comes to Texans, a pair of boots, a pair of blue jeans that fit just right, a hot country tune playing and a twirl around a dusty dance floor is enough for us to put our best boot forward and shine on! And you know what folks? There ain’t nothin like being from The Lone Star State. We’re proud, yall. We’re ...a whole other country. The biggest state in America, well, second to Alaska. There ain’t nothing wrong about that. The one thing you can bet on that you’re sure to find is that Texas is full of folks that shine bright. The good ‘ol folks, those everyday gems, those jewels, whether sitting or standing, dancing or belly-laughing, you’re sure to find ‘em!
Dispersed within their locale or wherever their horse, I mean, big truck takes them! Those Texas-size personalities that could sit a spell and tell you so many fascinating family stories, city and town history! Heck, you don’t even need a name. Just wake up tomorrow and go looking for those stars! You won’t have to go far and that, my friends, is the best thing about it. Walk into any local bar, restaurant or store in a town and you’ll find them. Interesting folks, young, old, all with stories to tell! Go ahead, make the time to slow down. Buy a cup of coffee and find the Star of the Day. Heck, make yourself the Star of the Day! Don’t be afraid to sparkle! Be attainable, be like a child of wonder and engage in one another’s world. Smile. Laugh. Bring back that old time hospitality and respect. Gain knowledge from a person instead of the web. You’ve got a lot to say! And not just you! Everyone has a story to tell. You’d be surprise how much we each shine. Stories of triumph and success, love found, love lost, lessons learned, travels made. People are significant. We, need to be significant. And you can! You can be the star that shines! Big and Bright, morning, noon and night! If you’re not from Texas and you finished that line out of the song, bring that Texan soul Deep in the Heart of Texas! How’s that saying go? “I may not be from Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!” See ya’ll on the dance floor! Yeehaw!
Two Great True Stories The choices we make have a powerful impact...
STORY NUMBER ONE Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago . Capone wasn’t famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder. Capone had a lawyer nicknamed “ Easy Eddie.” He was Capone’s lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie’s skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time. To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well.. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block. Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him. Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn’t give his son; he couldn’t pass on a good name or a good example. One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al “Scarface” Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. But, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie’s life ended
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in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street . But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine. The poem read: “The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power, to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time, For the clock may soon be still.” STORY NUMBER TWO World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific. One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn’t reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.
Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber’s blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent. Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly. Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch’s daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft. This took place on February 20, 1942 , and for that action Butch became the Navy’s first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O’Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man. So, the next time you find yourself at O’Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch’s memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It’s located between Terminals 1 and 2. SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER? Butch O’Hare was “Easy Eddie’s” son.
Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Husband Is Shocked When He Gets This Horrifying Email From His Wife Before you return from your overseas trip I just want to let you know about the small accident I had with the pick up truck when I turned into the driveay. Fortunately not too bad and I really didn’t get hurt, so please don’t worry too much about me. I was coming home from Wal-Mart, and when I turned into the driveway, I accidentally pushed down on the accelerator instead of the brake. The garage door is slightly bent but the pick up fortunately came to a halt when it bumped into your car. I am really sorry, but I know with your kindhearted personality you will forgive me. You know how much I love and care for you, my sweetheart. I am enclosing a picture for you. I cannot wait to hold you in my arms again. Your loving wife.
P.S. Your girlfriend called for you.
My tolerance for idiots is extremely low today. I used to have some immunity built up, but obviously there is a new strain out there.
The Weirdest Health Headlines of 2017 “cheese gene,” I sure have it because I adore cheese. If you too are a lover of fromage, this will give you a new excuse to make Baked Brie with Blackberry Compote. Mmm! I’ve made cheese platters that are so pretty, they’re Instagramable, but I’m usually too busy eating to post the pics. Researchers suggest that eating about an ounce and a half of cheese every day could help to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke! It isn’t going to “protect your heart” in my opinion, as it’s loaded with casein and saturated fats, but I’ll still mentally award an A+ to the researchers for making me drool. FYI, if you have MAO genetic SNPs (or take MAO inhibitor drugs), avoid cheese due to the tyramine content, as it can provoke a headache or worse! Putin’s Habit of Bathing in Deer Antler Blood: A Scientific Investigation One, I don’t believe he did that, and two, I don’t want to talk about something this absurd. Suzy Cohen, RPh Libby Trickett Experiencing a Pregnancy Side Effect www.suzycohen.com We Never Even Knew Existed People call me “America’s Most Trusted Pharmacist®” because I’ve been a Olympian swim champion Libby posted pictures of her toenails licensed pharmacist for over 25 years and is a functional medicine prac- on social media, her big toenails are breaking, chipping and essentitioner for the last 15. I am able to share the pros and cons of medicatially coming off. This can happen due to the changes in hormones tion use as well as offer natural substitutions for most any of your health concerns. While I pride myself in ‘thinking outside the pill’ let me just during pregnancy, it’s not that uncommon as the baby ‘sucks’ the say that I am still very proud to wear my white coat because I realize that calcium and other minerals out of mother for its own developing there is a time and place for medications. We need to consider all of our bones, while simultaneously impacting thyroid, progesterone and options, and often, a combination is best. estrogen hormones. (Libby’s nails will grow back.) In addition to writing a syndicated health column, “Dear PharmaWeird Health Benefits of Stress cist,” which circulates to 20 million readers each week, Suzy Cohen is the It’s true that a little stress can temporarily improve your menauthor of many different books on natural health. You may have seen her on The Dr. OZ Show (6 different appearances), The View, The Doc- tal sharpness, but chronic stress can deplete your adrenals, so I’d tors, Good Morning America Health and hundreds of morning shows. say it’s best to minimize your stress levels as much as you can. www.suzycohen.com Stressful situations increase bonding with friends, relatives and One of my favorite things to do is make notes of weird, bi- your spouse. That’s why if you’re stuck in an airport overnight, you zarre, and otherwise nutso health headlines that make the news might make new friends after sharing the experience. The reason throughout the year. Believe it or not, there is some truth to some is short term stress boosts oxytocin, a bonding hormone. Further, of them! (Definitely not all, but some.) Here were a few that people are forced to rescue you, if not physically, then emotionally. caught my attention in 2017: Stress can even become the glue in an otherwise unhappy marWHO to Officially Recognize Video Gaming Disorriage. The trouble with this is, some people thrive on stress in their der as a Mental Health Problem life because it victimizes them, provoking others to give them at Gaming is an official disease, and classified as a mental health tention and affection. disorder. The symptoms include anxiety, withdrawal symptoms Low Thyroid Levels Affect a Woman’s Fertility and antisocial behavior as well as the obvious, becoming non- Agreed, this very topic was covered in one of my books in 2010, productive! This disorder will surely generate a lot of money for seven years ago! It just made headlines in 2017. Low thyroid can companies who can “treat” the condition, which by the way, im- definitely contribute to infertility, miscarriage and premature pacts the same parts of your brain as alcohol, porn, gambling and births. It’s easy to test for and repair. shopping. What health headlines grabbed your eye this year? I’m sure there Eating Cheese Every Day May Protect Your Heart were plenty that I didn’t even hear of. Wishing all of you a happy I’m not sure why, but this headline cracked me up! If there’s a and healthy 2018!
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Small Town Law Enforcement by Thomas Norsworthy Burleson County Sheriff
It is an honor and a privilege to be elected Sheriff of Burleson County. As all new elected officials, you have things you want to change and make things “your way” when you come into office. I was fortune to have Dale Stroud as Sheriff before I was elected; his views and abilities to manage and make things operate set a good foundation and made for a smooth transition from his tenure as Sheriff to my tenure. I did have some ideas that I wanted to get started when I took office and have learned to pace myself to make them happen. One of the first things I was able to do coming into office was purchase County Issued handguns for the full time Deputies. This is both an advantage to the Deputy and to the County. This is the first time we were able to supply Deputies with issued handguns. Another program that has been started was a work program using current inmates known as trustees to help work in the community. We have been able to pick up tires at County dumpsites that needed to be cleaned up. We still have more tires to pick up but are waiting for our weather to get better. Trustees have also assisted in the planting of flowers and other plants at the County Annex. The trustees have also been helping doing some remodeling at the Courthouse also. I hope that this spring and summer to have some more projects taken care of around the county. I would like to say thank you to our County Judge and County Commissioners for working with me on this program. They worked with me and we were able to inherit the red Emergency Management truck and will be using it to help get the work crews around. Another program that I wanted to start in Burleson County was an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, “Drone” program. The idea is simple and makes good business sense for our county. We will be able to the UAV to help in search and rescue, missing persons, natural disasters and used as a tool to assist Law Enforcement when needed. Our agency was blessed to have an employee, Sgt. Tim Davis that had the same idea and drive to get the program started. He is now a certified UAV pilot and is in charge of our program. Another blessing for this program came from Wildhorse Resources when they purchased us the new UAV we have with the needed cameras that attach to the UAV. I hope the program will continue to grow and hopefully soon we will have two certified pilots in our agency so we can better support and assist the citizens of Burleson County. I would like to say thank you to our Emergency Management Coordinator Duane Strange for all his help in this program. We will work close ly with him and assist when the occasion arises. We have added a new Deputy position to the Sheriff ’s Office, and I am excited to say that Deputy will be assigned as a School Resource Deputy. It was a group effort to make this happen and I am excited that it has. That Deputy will work close with School Officials to make the Caldwell campuses safer for our children. They will attend special training for the school setting. The School Resource Deputy will be our patrolling the school grounds and will eventual put on programs for the kids. Since being in Office we have also made some changes within our office and are still currently working on writing a new updated policy manual for the Sheriff ’s Office. One issue that we have had at the Sheriff ’s Office is space to store things. We have done some needed construction within the building to help with that problem. We have been able to construct an evidence room that will help the deputies store their evidence they collect. I also started a Facebook page for the Burleson County Sheriff ’s Office to help relay information out to the public. There are still changes being made within the Sheriff ’s Office to help better our community and to benefit our citizens. I look forward to a successful future at the Burleson County Sheriff ’s Office and look forward to serving you as Sheriff.
Don’t Mess With TEXAS
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Good Ole Texas!!
Tony Taylor, currently an Athletic Director and teacher at McMullen High School in Tilden, Texas, has also been published in Coach Magazine.
I couldn’t think of a better title to describe our great state of Texas. I’ve witnessed all aspects of prosperity, passion, and people in my area of South Texas, not only this year but in the six previous years as well. When I consider the word prosperity, I think of the South Texas ranchers and landowners who toiled for many years trying to squeeze out a living. I currently live in Tilden which is located within the Eagle Ford Shale. I’ve personally witnessed several people instantly become very, very rich overnight due to the oil and natural gas exploration and production. The thing that impresses me about these prosperous people is that they haven’t changed much. If a few of these “overnight millionaires” walked into our only store in town, a person wouldn’t know that they could pretty much purchase the store and probably build a new one right down the street. What also impresses me is that they haven’t forgotten the previous generations who worked, scratched and clawed their way to survive on the South Texas rugged terrain so the current generation would enjoy the “fruits of their labor.” Pretty much every one of them realizes that their good fortune isn’t really about them, and it shouldn’t be taken for granted because they all have heard the past stories of drought, unbearable weather and other harsh living conditions. I’m going to go a different route with passion, and for me it’s personal because I grew up around this. The first three words that came to my mind when I saw the title were “Friday Night Lights.” I love high school football, and I got the itch at an early age because my late father, Richard Taylor, was a football coach at East Chambers High School in Winnie. People in other states have football, but it’s not like Texas. There’s nothing like a Friday night wheN local communities get together and cheer on their hometown teams. These “lights” bring people from all walks of life and race together for a few hours where they support their local teams. Sure, there are ups and downs and tears of joy and sadness, but there’s an escape to me that allows people of all ages to think of not only their glory days but the current and future days ahead as well. Trust me, there’s passion
in these games and in the stands as well. I’ve witnessed it all in my fifty-one years of living, and let me give you some of my all time favorite examples of PASSION: 1. There’s the “coach in the stands” who always knows more than the coach on the sidelines and his passion can be heard through the many examples of what the team SHOULD be doing from his or her perspective. 2. I’ve witnessed the parents living vicariously through their child because they want him to be just like he or she was in high school or maybe better. This passion normally is negative, but I have seen instances where it’s channeled in the right direction. I’ve actually felt sorry for the athlete because most of the time they didn’t “measure up” to their parents’ standards. My personal advice is to encourage and love your child no matter what. As I like to say, “We only get one shot in life,” so let’s make the best of it for our kids in whatever endeavor they are doing. 3. I could go on and on in other areas of passion associated with “Friday Night Lights,” but for my last example I’ll go with the fans. There’s nothing like watching a community get all “geared up,” as I like to say, and cheer on their team. What’s neat is when a winning streak or a long run in the playoffs creates the “one heartbeat” effect within the community. Passionate fans and cheerleaders will decorate the town with signs and banners, and students will paint their faces and bring their favorite noisemakers to games. There’s nothing better than “Friday Night Lights” in Texas where the passion burns from the kickoff till the end of the game. The last “P” word in the title is what makes our state the greatest. The people in Texas are second to none. I’ve witnessed Texans really come together this year through the floodings and Hurricane Harvey. I’ve read about or seen videos where people all over the state have performed acts of kindness and bravery to help others in need. In Texas, we like to say there are “good folks” everywhere and that statement is so true. As I stated, Texans were really put to the test this year through the floodings in Houston and Southeast Texas, as well as the Harvey destruction on the Texas Coastlines, but through it all we’re still standing. What struck me most during these times was that when things had to be done such as moving debris, cooking for communities, providing housing for evacuees, or just providing a shoulder to cry on, it was the people of Texas who did this, TEXANS!! I’ll end with this phrase and for me, it sounds so true. I read it somewhere but don’t where, probably in a convenience store as I was traveling our great state. “I wasn’t born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could!!” Texas, what a great place to live where a person can truly achieve prosperity, see great passion, and most of all, meet great people!!
My Future America A winning entry in VFW VOICE OF DEMOCRACY 2017-2018 written and submitted by Hattie Novak Two hundred and forty-one years ago, on July 4, 1776 when John Adams, George Taylor, and the other fifty-four men signed the Declaration of Independence, it was after a hard-fought war between the thirteen colonies and Great Britain. The battle was not easy—many innocent men were killed—the ground stained with the blood of husbands, sons, and brothers. Yet they fought, with courage and determination, hard and brave. They fought for what they thought was right: freedom and independence. They desired a free country that was self-governed and selfmade; a country with free speech, free religion, and freedom to prosper; a country that would be united, civil, and prosperous. To the Founding Fathers unification was vital to a productive country and they knew that unity was needed, not conformity. People were drawn to helping the economy succeed. They had just been through seven years of war and were not going to allow them to be wasted. Individually, each worked to provide a bright future for their children by reminding them the cost that it took to supply freedom and uniting to build prosperous businesses. Yet, as I look around, what happened to unity? It does not seem congenial anymore. Surely rallies, marches, and demonstrations do not fulfill the intentions of the first amendment, nor do they bring about prosperity. The future looks bleak. Today, if you do not believe what another person believes about transgender, abortion, gay marriage, or entitlement programs, you are called a bigot, an anti-socialist, a hater of people, or even a racist. We need to study history and understand it cannot be changed. All countries struggle with the wounds and sins of their past, but taking away statues and historical landmarks is not going to solve the problem—it is just going to make forgetting history easier. As Abraham Lincoln clearly stated, “Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, compared with the men of this [the Civil War], we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good. Let us therefore study the incidents of this (or any war), as philosophy to learn wisdom from, and none of them as wrongs to be revenged .” “Let us therefore study the incidents of this” or, in other words, to study History is vital! We should examine it to recognize the past mistakes leaders have made so that we do not repeat them. We must embrace history and remember the price it cost to get us here. Felix Frankfurter a US Supreme Court Justice of 19391962, knew this when he said: “We have enjoyed so much freedom for so long that we are perhaps in danger of forgetting how much blood it cost to establish the Bill of Rights.” So, what is my hope for the future? I hope that eventually both unity and civility will be re-established. I hope citizens begin to realize they can disagree with one another in a civil and mannerly way. I hope people come to know that to respect a person of
different beliefs or opinions does not mean they accept the said belief nor do they support that opinion. It means they acknowledge that being an American, by nature, is freely choosing what we believe instead of it being forced upon us by propaganda or fear. These animosities we feel toward each other need to be abandoned! We need to become united, civil Americans again, truly loving another as we love ourselves. In conclusion, we, as Americans, need, not only, to remember what America is by nature—freedom to choose—but also what America is by grace: God’s grace. Our Founding Fathers knew what it was like to see a nation united. They gave our country a plan for prosperity and a future. They established the Government to bring men life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Let us give our children and grandchildren something to hear. A story about how America was re-united! Hattie Novak is a sophomore student who is home schooled. Her varied interests include: baking, basketball, playing the violin and reading. Hattie’s favorite author is Alexandre Dumas, who wrote The Three Musketeers stories. Her favorite scripture is Psalm 145:8 “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy.
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Effie by Polly Williams
What keeps Effie alive? I thought walking into her room ready to give yet another dose of morphine. She just seems to hang on, lingering for what? I decided to talk with her again about dying and being ready to let go of whatever it was that kept her hanging on. “Effie, this is the night nurse. I know you can hear me as I believe hearing is the last sense to go when a person is ready to die. We’ve talked about this before, earlier when you were still able to visit with me. I’m not sure what it is that you’re thinking about; you’re barely hanging on. It’s ok to let go and go be with the Lord. I know we talked about faith and heaven and Jesus.” Sighing, I made sure she was positioned with pillows and bedding for a good night sleep. Then I turned away but was startled to hear a soft, quiet voice saying, “I’m going to be married.” “What did you say, Effie?” I muttered, shocked and questioning what I had heard. “I am going to be married. I’m waiting for Henry,” She replied. She was more coherent now than she had been for many days. “Please tell me more, Effie,” I encouraged, as I stood close by her. In the next half hour an amazing story came forth. Apparently back around 1916, she was a young woman and had
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met Henry Odem who was working in the North for the summer. He was from the South. They fell in love and talked of marriage. But he got word from home that his parents were ailing, so he returned to the South to care for his folks. About the same time, Effie’s parents were ailing and needed her help. Quickly, the years passed and no further contact had been made by either of them. But, Effie knew in her heart of hearts that she and Henry would be married, so she would wait. Now, 71 years had passed. Effie was 91 and still had the hope of being married. As she quieted down for the night and fell back into silence, I pondered her story and wondered just how true it was. As I prepared to end the night shift, I had an idea that perhaps there would be a way to check out her story. At home the next day, I dialed the long distance operator and asked for any Odems who had lived in the Southern city she had mentioned. I told the circumstances of the call and of Effie’s hope of getting married. I explained that I didn’t know any of the people she had talked about, but the operator put me in touch with a family by that name. I explained to the woman on the phone who I was, who Effie was, and asked if there was anyone there who might know of Henry Odem. The woman didn’t but said she would ask her husband and call me back. Lo and behold, the joy I felt when the phone rang a few hours later! I talked to a gentleman who said that Henry was his father’s brother and that he had passed away a few years ago. I was so excited and told him of Effie and her story. “Yes, the man replied, “Henry had worked in the North around 1916. But he never talked about it. He’d come back North to take care of his parents. He married late in life, had two children and was a very successful business man.” The man I spoke with was so delighted to hear of Effie, and he said he would send me pictures that he had of Henry. He said that he hoped this would settle her mind and give her peace about Henry. What a surprise to receive a few days later the pictures of a young Henry. I was excited to take them to show Effie, provided she was still living. I hadn’t worked the weekend. That evening after checking in, I quickly went to Effie’s room, and there she was still clinging to life. I nudged her gently, told her who I was and what I had done. She opened her eyes, and I had her look at the pictures, but she didn’t know if that was Henry or not. Her eye sight was failing, and it had been 71 years! But oh, the peace and contentment she had just to know something about Henry. She smiled and quietly spoke, “I’m so glad he had a good life.” Then silence. I sighed and returned to my desk. I hadn’t been sure about what to do with the pictures, so I took them back to the desk with me. Finishing the night shift, I checked out and left for home. The next day, after returning to work and hearing report from the evening nurse, I was stunned to learn that Effie had passed away early in the morning hours. As I contemplated the last few events with Effie, I couldn’t help but think how important it is for closure in a person’s life. I was so thankful that I had followed through with the impulse of wanting to know if what Effie had said was true. I contacted the family I had spoken with on the phone and told them of Effie’s passing. They replied that being the romantic people they are, they had contacted their local newspaper about how they had been contacted by a nurse up North who had told them of Effie’s hope of being married to Henry. They said that sparked a lot of wonderful thoughts and interest among their friends. Having closure from the past, finding peace at the end of life… what better way to go! Bless you, Effie.
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