FRONT PORCH MAGAZINE - Fall-Winter 2023-2024 by Digital Publisher

Experience

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On the Cover For Such a Time as This Through the Eyes of a Teenager Charitable Gifts of Faith & Care About the Cover From Us To You Spotlight Professional Directory How Long Do We Have Just Stay Will You Fall For It Again Family Favorites Old Red Rooster Slower Times & Simple News Now This is a Teacher A Stranger in a Strange Land Born 1925 - 1955 Do You Not Know I Wish You Enough Mom Drops Nuke on School Board Jim Wilson Poetry Poetry by Jim Wilson Where to From Here America’s Frontline Doctors Bidenomics... There are ‘Cooties’ Out There... Why It is Important to Support..... To Kill an American This is a Call to Service Communist Rules for Revolution Solutions are Scary Small Town Chatter A Mystery of Life... A Bulldog Named Colley See a Problem...Create a Solution It’s Time to TEXIT Info You Should Know The Dove Hunt Reminisce Days Gone By Earth’s Population... From the Back Porch A Funeral Story A Girl & A Gun

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Shop Local...Benefit Yourself & Your Community Small town people, do you realize that you are the backbone of America? The values of most small-town residents are representative of what is good and decent and fair in life. Small town people generally care about their neighbors, know many of them personally, and are concerned about the community at large. With those thoughts in mind, consider for a moment how valuable your small-town merchants and providers are to each of you here in Caldwell, Somerville, or Snook. Numerous times, the needs that arise for necessities or desires, can be met right here in your small town. Need a Drain unstopped? AC/Heating restored? Is your puppy sick? Need some copies made? Has an appliance gone out? Pests bothering you? Did you just find a flat tire? How about needing a haircut or a tooth worked on? Need a quick bite to eat? Right here in your small town, you can have your needs met. And, in using your small-town businesses, you are supporting people you know and indirectly their families. Shop local, and even if you have to pay a little more, the convenience is worth the cost, and don’t forget that you are supporting your neighbors, or friends, who are the backbone of America. Shop Local and benefit yourselves and your brothers and sisters who live near you.

“FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS” “OK, but I can’t do great things.” Could you stand, just stand? “Well, yes, I can stand. But that is no big deal.” OK, what if you are just standing – a little thing could make a big difference, that would have an everlasting impact? The poet Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney wrote: Little drops of water; Little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land. Thus, the little minutes, humble though they be, Make the mighty ages of eternity. 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.

One of the most dramatic stories in the Old Testament took place in Persia around 479 B.C. during the reign of the ruthless King Xerxes. The Book of Esther tells the story. It has God’s finger prints all over it (though it never mentions His name). The Fast of Purim which has been held annually by the Jewish people honors Esther. This is why they celebrate: The Jews were in danger of being totally wiped out because the evil Hamon had conned and bribed the king into signing a decree to kill ALL JEWS. Mordecai, a leader among the Jews learned of the decree and took action. You see, Mordecai was the uncle of the new Queen of the kingdom – ESTHER. Esther was Jewish but only Mordecai and Esther knew that. Mordecai was not allowed in the king’s chamber, but Esther was, if she was summoned. Mordecai got word to Esther about what was about to befall the Jews. “You must do something,” he said. She hesitates! Her Uncle Mordecai persists: “Who knows but that you have come to this royal position FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.” Esther 4:14. ESTHER rose to the occasion, answered the call, accepted the challenge and the Jewish people were saved. You have had “royal moments for such a time.” Did you answer the call – The challenge? You may say, “Well, I have never been called on to take action that would save a people like Esther whose actions saved a nation.” Most of us, in fact, few of us, were or are going to be challenged to such a great deed. BUT, there are times…As Shakespeare reminds us in the play Julius Ceasar, Act 4, Scene 3: There is a tide in the affairs of men Which taken at its flood Leads on to fortune Omitted, all the voyages Of life are bound in Shallows and Misery

Think about each deed you are asked to do – think about the possible long-range consequences of your actions or the lack there of. As I was writing this, my mind raced through many things in my life and the lives of others. I thought about the little decisions that accumulated in the founding and sustaining of my Alma Mater, Baylor University, but I want to use a story from another great school, Texas A&M (yes, I really said that). Have you ever watched a Texas A&M football game and wondered why the student body stands and cheers the entire game? Well, it started on January 2, 1922. The underdog Texas Aggies were facing the number 1 ranked Center College in what was called the Dixie Classic in Dallas, TX. The Aggies had several injured players even before the game started, and as the first half progressed, they lost several more. The bench was almost empty. Coach Dana X. Bible was almost out of substitutes. Then he remembered that a basketball player who was on the football squad (but had never played) was up in the broadcast booth helping to identify the players on the field for the announcers. His name was E. King Gill. Coach Bible waved for Gill to come down to the field. He told him to put on the uniform of injured running back Heine Weir who had been knocked out of the game in the first quarter. Gill changed under the bleachers and rushed back to the sidelines. He stood on the sideline for the rest of the game. He was alone; the bench was now empty. E. King Gill was ready if any of the 11 on the field could not continue to play. He was ready. E. King Gill became the “12th man”! He did not play, but he was ready if needed. The Aggies, with only 11 players were inspired by the “12th Man” and pulled off one of the greatest upsets in college football. They beat the top ranked team 22-14. Gill’s willingness to serve in that “royal moment” was the start of a tradition that few other colleges can match. The “12th man” has been passed down from generation to generation for over 100 years. When you see the Texas A&M students standing through the entire game, you are watching the spirit of E. King Gill’s willingness to answer the call to serve. The poet said, “They also serve who only stand and wait.”

Through the Eyes of a Teenager Secilia Salzmann Ledesma Hello, my name is Secilia Salzmann, and I’m a 16 year old girl and a junior in high school.We have all been teenagers in our life whether that was 20 years ago or 5. Life as a teenager in 2023 is very difficult, and I’m here to tell you all about social media through the eyes of a teenager. Social media has revolutionized the way we connect and interact with others in this digital age. It encompasses a vast array of online platforms that enable individuals to share ideas, information, and experiences with a global audience. With the ability to create profiles, post content, and engage with others, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. It has redefined communication, allowing us to stay connected with friends, family, and even strangers across the globe. Social media has also provided a platform for businesses, celebrities, and influencers to reach and engage with their target audiences on a massive scale. However, all of this is not without its drawbacks, as concerns about privacy, misinformation, and the addictive nature of social media have emerged. Nevertheless, social media continues to shape our society, bridging gaps and enabling the exchange of ideas on an unprecedented scale. As a teenager, social media is an integral part of my daily life and how I navigate the world. It’s a platform that allows me to express myself, connect with friends, and stay updated on the latest trends and news. Social media provides me with a sense of belonging and a space where I can find others who share my interests and experiences. It allows me to showcase my creativity, whether through sharing photos, videos, or writing. However, it also comes with its challenges. The pressure to conform to so-

cietal standards and gain validation through likes and followers can be overwhelming at times. It’s easy to get caught up in the comparison game and feel a constant need to present a curated, or organized, evaluated, version of myself. Additionally, online bullying and the spread of false information are prevalent issues that can negatively impact mental health. Despite these challenges, social media has opened up opportunities for activism, self-expression, and connecting with diverse communities. It’s a powerful tool that can be both a source of empowerment and a source of stress, depending on how it is utilized. And, I will add that young teens, and especially children should not be allowed to have free access to use of Social media without direct adult supervision. That’s social media through the eyes of a teenager. Secilia (Seci) is a Junior at Bullard High School and is a member of the Bullard Belles Drill Team, FFA, Spanish Club and HOSA and plays high school softball. HOSA will enable Seci to graduate as a Pharmacy Tech, which is the first step in her dream of becoming a Pediatric Anaesthesiologist. She attended First Baptist School and Caldwll Elementary before moving to Round Rock and then on to Bullard in the summer of her Freshman year.

Charitable

gifts of Faith and Care by Lori Olivarez

The Pro-Life Ministry at St. Mary’s Our Lady of Lourdes located in Caldwell, Texas, is currently in the re-structuring phases. Our goal is ultimately to help and to support local maternity homes, as well as parenting and pregnancy homes located in the Brazos Valley. We want not only to help with monetary donations, but also with physical items such as diapers, new and gently used clothing, toys, strollers, and types of bedding. The long-term plan will eventually be to have a maternity home for our own Burleson County citizens with these needs. Not only will these homes supply a place to live for these mothers, but these new mothers/parents are required to either work or attend school, and they must attend Sunday Service, Bible study, Financial Aid assistance classes, and/or so many other informative classes and opportunities. This past September St. Mary’s hosted a “Monthly Baby Shower” at our parish. We decorated a baby crib and asked parishioners to bring listed items to fill the baby bed. It is amazing what was donated. The endeavor ended on Oct. 1, which is ironically the start of Catholic Respect Life Month. Simultaneously, we are collecting

monetary donations through small folded “baby banks,” allowing all family members to be involved by adding left over pocket change to the “banks.” Last year our parish raised a little over $1,500, mainly in coins. It was a huge success. If anyone is interested in assisting with Pro-Life activities (you do not need to be Catholic), please contact Lori Olivarez at lolivarez77@msn.com or call the church office at 979-5673667. Thanks. God’s blessings.

Happy living in

Small Town Caldwell Where

People are Close & Friendly Rick and Ann Marie Kennon and his son Jack are relatively new residents in Caldwell, having moved into their home at 811 Copperas Drive in 2019. Fortunately, they bring a wealth of life experiences and involvements to our hometown. Rick, a native Texan, attended Baylor University and Texas Tech Law School in preparation for 29 years’ work as a trial lawyer. Then in 2013, Governor Perry appointed him to preside as judge of the 365th District Court in Georgetown. Now retired from politics, he presently serves as visiting judge in Williamson County, as well a provider for Caldwell-based mediation and arbitration. Ann Marie, from northern Virginia, attended the University of Virginia. For 30 years, she was in marketing and communication. More recently, she writes and edits for a small publishing company in Jarrell, Texas. Rick grew up playing on every court or field. Now his passion is golf, and he is a member of two golf clubs, Copperas Hollow and Pebble Creek. When home, he joins the men’s group here in Caldwell. Ann Marie moved to Georgetown in 2012 with her former spouse, an Army aviator whom she had met on tour with Armed Forces Entertainment. As an NFL cheerleader for 5 years, Ann Marie cheered and proudly traveled to entertain the Troops, traveling to 21 countries. After meeting while Ann Marie was covering politics, Rick and she married in 2019. Now, they are happy to be living in small town Caldwell, where, as they say, people are close and friendly, and where there is every-

thing a family needs for quality time and healthy living. They enjoy the lack of traffic and the genuine interest people have in each other here. Rick’s son Jack, now an 8th grader at CJHS and member of the Boy Scouts, played on the school golf team last year. Jack volunteers at the library, and is creative, enjoying theatre and art. As a child on the Spectrum, he sometimes struggles with studies; however, he was inducted into the Junior NHS and this year he is in Honors English and Algebra. The Kennon’s home, a modern farmhouse, was built in 1984. The original owner sold to a couple from California in 2021, who didn’t like the “country” very much. In October 2021, the Kennons purchased the house, ready to the enjoy the home they will retire in, and get to know the people here. Their 3,570 square feet house is located on 1.47 acres. Its sitting to the back of the lot provides them a spacious front lawn, and area for many trees which provides privacy. A screened back porch allows year round use and pleasures, eating meals, sitting in the swing, and viewing as well as hearing nature. They admit that their front porch is not used as much as the back, but when they do use it, they enjoy short visits with neighbors, such as Ken across the street, or waves from neighbors as they are passing by. Ann Marie says she does sit on the front porch when she is expecting Rick’s return from travel.

rom us to you Editors Note

Dear Readers,

What a hot summer we’ve experiences...temperatures over 100 degrees for so many days. It seemed the heat would never end. Now that a few cooler days have come for us, I hope we will be grateful and will fully enjoy the change as God changes our weather. We at the Front Porch have worked hard to prepare for you the best magazine we could. It’s informative and funny, and hopefully your heart will be touched when you read some of the articles. We appreciate the kind words from so many of you. You encourage us. We know that the economy is so changed, everything is so very high. Life is difficult for many. And because of that we hope the Front Porch will have a source of enjoyment. Blessings on you, our readers. We could not exist without you. Sincerely, Sandi & Scarlette

potlight Unique Heritage Burleson County’s

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.

Debbie Stefka Smith

Exemplary . Dedicated Educator & Person . Caring

Besides school involvements, Debbie grew up on a dairy and showed steers in the Burleson County Fair to pay for college. While attending Texas A&M, she earned Bachelors and Masters degrees, specializing in math and history. Debbie also participated in their study abroad program which allowed her to teach in Australia and New Zealand. For educational enrichment, Debbie attended Sam Houston and Texas A&M studying the graphing calculator for instructional purposes. She says, “The graphing calculators changed education forever.” At Caldwell High School, beginning in 1982, Debbie taught Honors and regular classes of pre-calculus Algebra I and II, geometry, math models, and SAT/ACT. As most teachers sponsor some class or organization, Debbie sponsored the National Honor Society, and she did it for 30 years. Also, she won the award of Texas A&M teacher of the Year in 1998, and she was recognized as teacher of the year three times at Caldwell High School. Having been married to Scott Smith 21 years, Debbie and he have traveled extensively, going to 34 states and 35 countries. Some of their travel has included South Africa, 11 times, Botswana, Dakar, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Cook Islands, Paris, France and Dubi.

Debbie Stefka Smith, our Spotlight person, is an individual who has done much for our community, especially through her many years of educating the students of Caldwell. Debbie is the daughter of Johnnie and Shirley Stefka, the brother of John and Mark, and wife to Scott Smith. She grew up in the CaldwellNew Tabor Community where she attended elementary in Cooks Point, then she attended junior high and high school in Caldwell where she excelled. Her involvements and awards abounded: 4H Girl Gold Star Award, band, flag corps, UIL state finalist in typing, UIL informative speaking, One Act Play, All District in basketball, and Outstanding Senior.

These days, when not at school or traveling, Debbie and Scott enjoy the beautiful home they built high on Stefka family land with their 2 dogs, and 17 chickens. Their hill avails grand views of parts of Rellis, TAMU campus, and Kyle Field. They often sky watch as well from their back porch. Debbie is a member of New Tabor Brethren Church where she is involved in Sunday School and VBS. Also, Debbie still finds work to do at her beloved Caldwell High School where she presently works as math instructional coach. She, as well, somehow finds time to tutor math students after school. Debbie says, “I believe hard work pays off. I am blessed to live in Caldwell and to work for Caldwell ISD. We are all blessed with a great community.” Debbie, you are indeed a worthy and exemplary person, ever learning, instructing, and enjoying the fruits of your labor. Congratulations on a life of service well lived.

professional directory Air Conditioning-Installation & Repair Reliant Mechanical 53 Weaver’s Refrigeration 27 Attorneys Burns & Reyes-Burns 47 Automobile Parts-Supplies-Repairs Burleson County Motor Supply 61 Wilde Auto Plus 59 Banks Citizens State Bank 25 BBQ Matus 6 Beef - Local - All Natural Diamond A Ranch Beef 33 Burleson County Events Fair Association 41 Childcare Kid’s Zone 18 Churches Caldwel Methodist Church 17 Church of Christ 53 St. Mary Catholic Church City/Civic/Government City of Somerville 45 Convenience Store Cat’s Pitt Stop 17 Construction C & H Building Construction 21 Copy Center ImageMaker 2 County Club Copperas Hollow 27 Dentistry Drgac Dental 29 Dozer Services Loehr Dozer 32 Feed Faust Farms 46 Homeyer Feed & Supply 37 Financials LPL Financial 15 Funeral Home Phillips & Luckey 49

Health Care Hope Pregnancy Internet Airplexus Insurance Richardson Insurance Liquor Store King’s Liquor Livestock Commission Caldwell Livestock Com. Lumber Company Woodson’s Lumber Company Pest Control Armstrong Pesticide Solutions Photography Dusty Daisy/Scout Hare Plumbing DP Plumbing Real Estate Becky Schenk Home & Ranch Real Estate Polansky Realty Restaurants & Catering Masfajitas Mexican Restaurant The Garden Spot Service Station Groce’s Service Station Tax Preparers & Advisors Danny Koerth Taxidermy Palermo Taxidermy Title Company Botts Title Company Truck-Auto-Tires-Supplies Mitchell Tire Service Trucking NR Trucking Veterinarian BVMVS Vitamins/Supplements Roots & Shoots Welding & Fabricating C&H Welding & Fabrication

23 61 28 14 55 19 25

Sandi Balcar & Scarlette Taylor

sandi balcar

61 61 3 27 41 54 18 39 12 46 51 26 39 9 44

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.

publishers

layout & design EDITOR

scarlette taylor advertising sales EDITOR

Dusty Daisty/Scout Hare photographer

contributing writers

neal beard MICHELLE BOYD SHARON BRIGGS EDWIN COOPER Sharon ann laffere Ehlert tammy kubecka bOB lIVINGSTON dr. jack Mckemie dvm SANDY MILLER CARA MILLER KAVON NOVAK renita odstrcil lORI OLIVAREZ MARCI RAMIREZ dEL rOGERS, sR. sECILIA sALZMANN-lEDESMA BECKY SCHENK JASON SHUTT John Taylor SCARLETTE Taylor pastor charles “rusty” wALTON ED WETTERMAN POLLY WILLIAMS jim wilson BRUCE GOLDEN - CONTRIBUTOR CHRIS VAUGHN - CONTRIBUTOR Phone 979.567.7871 979.567.6753 301 Hwy 21 E Caldwell, TX 77836

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE?

This is the most interesting thing I’ve read in a long time. The sad thing about it, you can see it coming. I have always heard about this democracy countdown. It is interesting to see it in print. God help us, not that we deserve it. About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier: ‘A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.’ ‘A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.’ ‘From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.’ ‘The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years. ‘During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence: 1. from bondage to spiritual faith; 2. from spiritual faith to great courage; 3. from courage to liberty; 4. from liberty to abundance; 5. from abundance to complacency; 6. from complacency to apathy 7. from apathy to dependence; 8. from dependence back into bondage’ Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the 2020 Presidential election: Number of States won by: Democrats: 19 Republicans: 29 Square miles of land won by: Democrats: 580,000 Republicans: 2,427,000 Population of counties won by: Democrats: 127 million Republicans: 143 million Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: 13.2 Republicans: 2.1 Professor Olson adds: ‘In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of this great country. Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in governmentowned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare...’ Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the ‘complacency and apathy’ phase of Professor Tyler’s definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation’s population already having reached the ‘governmental dependency’ phase. If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegals and they vote, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers LAUGHING IN COURT How do court stenographers keep a straight face? These are from a book called "Disorder in the Court" and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and published by court reporters, who had the torment of staying straight-faced, while the exchanges were taking place. _________ ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact? WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks. ___________ ATTORNEY: What is your date of birth? WITNESS: July 18th. ATTORNEY: What year? WITNESS: Every year. ___________ ATTORNEY: How old is your son, the one living with you? WITNESS: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which ATTORNEY: How long has he lived with you? WITNESS: Forty-five years. ___________ ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn’t it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning? WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam? ___________ ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the 20-year-old, how old is he? WITNESS: He's 20. Very close to your IQ. ___________ ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken? WITNESS: Are you kidding me? ___________ ATTORNEY: She had three children, right? WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: How many were boys? WITNESS: None. ATTORNEY: Were there any girls? WITNESS: Your Honor, I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney? ___________ ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?

WITNESS: By death. ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated? WITNESS: Take a guess. ___________ ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual? WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard. ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female? WITNESS: Unless the Circus was in town I'm going with male. ___________ ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney? WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work. ___________ ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people? WITNESS: All of them. The live ones put up too much of a fight. ___________ ATTORNEY: ALL of your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you attend? WITNESS: Oral. ___________ ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body? WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 PM. ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time? WITNESS: If not, he was by the time I finished. ___________ ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor? WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar. ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless? WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law. Or serving in Congress...just my .02 cents

Just Stay A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. “Your son is here.” she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but he Marine interrupted her, “Who was that man?” he asked. The nurse was startled, “He was your father,” she answered. “No, he wasn’t,” the Marine rplied. “I never saw him before in my life.”

“Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?” “I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn’t here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed. I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His Son was killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman’s Name?’ The nurse with tears in her eyes answered, “Mr. William Grey.....” The next time someone needs you...just be there. Stay. You must read this...a proper decision by the courts...for a change. FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY In Florida, an atheist created a case against Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days. The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, “Case dismissed!” The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, “Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays...” The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, “But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant.” The lawyer said, “Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists.” The judge said, “The calendar says April 1st is April Fool’s Day. Psalm 14:1 states, ‘The fool says in his heart, there is no God.’ Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned...” You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Global Warming The Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot, according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from the Consulate at Bergen, Norway. Reports from fishermen, seal hunters and explorers all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard of temperatures in the Arctic zone. Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes. Soundings to a depth of 3,100 meters showed the gulf stream still very warm. Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well known glaciers have entirely disappeared. Very few seals and no white fish are found in the eastern Arctic, while vast shoals of herring and smelts which have never before ventured so far north, are being encountered in the old seal fishing grounds. Within a few years it is predicted that due to the ice melt the sea will rise and make most coast cities uninhabitable. I must apologize. I neglected to mention that this report was from November 2, 1922 as reported by the AP and published in The Washington Post 96 years ago. This must have been caused by Model T Ford emissions or possibly from horse poots.

It’s been 3 months since I bought that book on how to scam people online…. it still hasn’t arrived. 15

Will You

Fall For It Again?

Political season is right around the corner. Here we go again!

The powers to be gearing up for more fear mongering, more indoctrination of medical needs, and dividing people more than ever because it’s what they do! My question is, will you fall for this one more time? Did you learn anything over the last three years? If you did, my hat’s off to you; if you didn’t, then you will be caught in a trap again, and it may not have a parachute.

I say all this because I for one don’t want to have to go through the same exercise again. My mother Scarlette Taylor was my English teacher, (those of you who had her know how tough she was.) So, she would grade our papers and would make us rewrite them. I got tired of rewriting things, so I got better at doing the assignment right the first time. Did politics divide you, did religion divide you, did race divide you, did vaccinations divide you, or my favorite, did your love for the Texas Longhorns or the Texas Aggies divide you?

ments. He wants you to look for the answers by giving him the problems. So, if you fall for something over and over and over and over, just know if you give it to God, he will take you to the next level and start working on more things that you need to get right in your life. I don’t have time to fall for any of this because I’m too busy trying to tell everybody about a relationship with Christ because that’s the only thing everyone really needs to fall for. The ultimate conspiracy theory happened when they hung our Creator Jesus Christ and put him in a tomb for three days. But, he arose after three days. Some would say that didn’t happen. But hundreds of people saw Him and it was recorded by historians as well as in God’s Word, the Bible. So for me and my house, we will always have that conspiracy in us because we do believe he died, rose from the grave and walked among the people before he ascended to heaven. And He’s coming back. His name is Jesus Christ! That’s the only thing you should fall for, as you do so on your knees, your hands reaching to the heavens and praising God. I will never fall for not believing or telling others about my Savior Jesus! God bless you all!!

I love humor, because if we look at everything with a little bit of joy and happiness, then we make better decisions and aren’t so angry when we see things again. Will you fall for division of people? Living in Dripping Springs has been such a pleasure: Friday night football, volleyball games, saying hi to the same people all over town and at church, just like when living in Caldwell. Perhaps this is true for you in whatever town you’re in as you read this. Being in Houston for 25 years wasn’t the same. Everyone wasn’t connected like they are here or in small towns. There you really couldn’t get a pulse on how everybody felt because there wasn’t that emotional connection that a small town gives you. In a small town you can disagree. Heck, you may not get along great, but one thing is for sure, you will have to see each other, so you better figure out how to coexist. Whether you believe any of this or all of this, it doesn’t matter, but what really matters is be kind and love each other and put God first in all you do. God wants you to love each other, he wants you to follow his commandments, not your command-

John Taylor is an Influencer in Direct Sales/a lead marketer for Prime My Body. John, wife Sandra, and daughters Addison and Avery live in Dripping Springs Texas, with Rocky and Dixie May their beloved rescue dog and Lab. Mr. Allin is his business identity.

Family Favorites By Sharon Laffere Ehlert

Enjoy! Lemon Bars Ingredients for Crust: 2 cups flour ½ cup sugar 1 cup butter, softened 1 tsp. lemon zest

Ingredients for Filling: 4 eggs 2 cups sugar ¼ cup flour 1 tsp. baking powder ¼ cup lemon juice 1 tsp. lemon zest

Directions: Heat oven to 350. Mix ingredients for the crust together until it forms a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Bake 20 minutes until the crust is light golden brown. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk in the sugar, flour, and baking powder. Then whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Pour the filling over the crust and bake another 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Refrigerate leftovers. This is my husband’s family recipe and one of his favorite treats. Enjoy with your family and friends!

Anyone who says their wedding day was the best day of their lives clearly never had 2 candy bars fall at once from a vending machine.

Old Red Rooster by Polly Williams

“Cock-a-doodle do,” he crowed one morning. Looking out my back porch door onto a cool, sunny autumn morn, there stood erect and statutory our Old Red Rooster. How else do you describe a rooster? This time he was standing in place doing a little jig and jerking his head about, ruffling his feathers, and all the while staring at the white hen standing in the corner of my flower bed by our front porch. The Old Red Rooster then did a little dance, strutted about, all the while staring at the ole white hen. If you could read his mind, he was probably thinking, “Why in heck isn’t she paying any attention to me? I’m showing her my best stuff—a little dance, a little jig, and strutting around like I am the king of this Barnyard! I can’t stand it! What’s the matter? Hummph! If she doesn’t pay me any mind, I’ll go find another chick to do my stuff with,” he said, and off he strutted. Was there a chip on his shoulder? Did he feel snubbed? Was his dancing a little droopy? Did he feel rejected by not being able to win the ole white hen’s heart? I didn’t have the heart to tell him that the ole white hen in the corner of my flower bed was my plastic lawn ornament!!! It must have been pretty realistic if it fooled the Old Red Rooster, or did he just need some glasses? Cocka-doodle to you too!

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Being a little older, I am very fortunate to have someone call and check on me everyday. He is from India and is very concerned about My teacher pointed at me with his ruler and said: “At the end of this ruler there’s an idiot!”

my car warranty.

I got detention after asking which end.

SLOWER TIMES & SIMPLE NEWS 125 Years Ago

by Tammy Kubecka Times have changed in Burleson County over our 177 years of formal existence. Settlers arrived, towns were formed and businesses flourished. Our county and towns have grown a good bit over the last couple of years. But what’s important in the news nowadays and what was important 125 years ago? Our old copies of The Caldwell News-Chronicle can offer us a view of days gone by. Newspapers then were largely filled with snippets of news from county communities, plus wire stories from around the United States. From the news around the county, it was clearly a simpler and more sedate time than today. The first issue of the newspaper in 1898 featured a boxed ad on the front page from merchant J.F. Cobb, proclaiming that even though the past year or 1897 had been the “hardest of hard years in this cotton country”, they had just experienced the largest cash sales in the history of their business. Other community news from Lyons, Yellow Prairie, Birdsong, Deanville and Hix appeared on the front page, with final reports about holiday parties and school resuming after the holiday break. The paper was also pleased to announce that they’d expanded from eight to ten pages because they had so many requests for more community news, and needed the extra space for that news and advertisements. Their “Rural Staff ” seemed quite busy reporting about who visited who, who took a trip into Caldwell or maybe as far away as Gause or Brenham, plus recent weddings and funerals. And while the mood in Caldwell was still high after the New Year, a story was picked up from January 12, 1898, that Fort Smith, Arkansas had been destroyed by a tornado. With no warning in the middle of the night, 40 people lost their lives as the storm swept through downtown. By the end of February, news in our county centered on the abundant rain, and plowing had come to a stop in the Merle area as farmers tried to ready their fields for planting. Cattle buyers were in the county and the hog raising business looked good. News from the Brymer Community stated that everybody was busy and in the last months and “none have found time to run away and marry. The health of the community, in general, is good.”. The end of March 1898 saw a cold snap throughout Burleson County and news from every community expressed the concern about fruit trees that had been “nipped around the bud” and possible damage to the young corn crops. It was hoped that home gardens fared better. Despite the cold north wind, the “military boys” had met at different residences to go through drills to become more

proficient in the manual for arms. Downtown Chriesman had much excitement when a rabid dog appeared one day, biting two milk cows, a calf and two dogs. Nothing else was said, but apparently the men of the community resolved the issue of the rabid dog. June brought cotton-chopping time and farmers enjoying a big harvest of various vegetables, along with corn crops still growing nicely. Rain came when needed clear into July. It never hurts to be ready for summer days though, and Cobb’s had over 500 straw hats on sale, starting at 15 cents each! Corn gathering and cotton picking brought in September, but the weather had turned hot and it made progress slow. To combat the heat, the ice house was offering ice for sale on Sunday mornings until 10 am. Not slow were candidates filing for the upcoming November elections. Most offices seemed secure, but the Sherriff and Treasurer’s races had three candidates each. By the end of the month, the cotton was in, school had started, but butter and eggs were scarce. There was a terrible train crash in Somerville on November 3, and no doubt was the talk of the area for some time. Two cars and a caboose were left standing on the main line while their engine was in the yard switching, when a second engine also heading south, came in under a full head of steam and struck the idle caboose, smashing in both ends and throwing it over onto another switch. The two stationary cars, loaded with cotton, were thrown twenty feet from the main track and smashed into splinters. The tender of the engine was badly injured and the cowcatcher torn from the front of the engine. The engineer and fireman managed to jump from the train before the collision happened. The accident happened about 4 am when fog was so dense that the engineer didn’t see the switch lights. And finally, life in Burleson County was busy in December with winter illnesses, cold rainy weather, social events, and Christmas preparations being made. Stores in town were well-stocked for holiday shopping and there had even been a little snow the middle of the month. Several communities reported their populations had increased due to births outnumbering deaths during the year. Squirrel hunting was good in Hookerville, and it was time for hog butchering everywhere! Our lives seem to be filled with busy schedules and electronics these days. Will that be our only memories and legacy? 1898 news might not sound that special, but it was every day survival, and a time centered on family and community. What a difference 125 years makes.

Now This is a Teacher By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

In September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a History teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock , did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks in her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks. ‘Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?’ She replied, ‘You can’t have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.’

Martha said, ‘You didn’t earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have Now, it’s up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don’t ever forget it’ By the way, this is a true story. And this teacher was awarded the Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher of the Year for the State of Arkansas in 2006. She is the daughter of a WWII POW . Let us always remember the men and women of our military and the rights they have won for us.

They thought, ‘Well, maybe it’s our grades’ ‘No,’ she said. ‘Maybe it’s our behavior.’ She told them, ‘No, it’s not even your behavior.’ And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom. Kids called their parents to tell them what was happening and by early afternoon television news crews had started gathering at the school to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room. The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom. Martha Cothren said, ‘Throughout the day, no one has been able to tell me just what he or she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now, I am going to tell you.’ At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.

Abortion in Texas

A Stranger

In a Under the Heartbeat Act Strange Land Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor in Germany back in the 1930s, in the days when that country began to get caught up in the rhetoric of the National Socialist (a.k.a. Nazi) party. The German people were still reeling from their country’s defeat in the Great War of 1914. Once the dominant power in Europe, after the first World War Germany was economically and militarily wrecked. The economic uncertainties that the average German citizen faced, not to mention their humiliation as a people, had Germans looking desperately for someone who could lead them back to greatness, that could restore their honor as a nation and ensure them and their children a stable and prosperous future. It was during this time that Bonhoeffer, an insightful man and serious Christian thinker, began to sound a warning. He saw where this desperation could lead. He warned people against the dangers of looking for a savior. Not a divine savior, but a political one; a man who seemed to have all the answers. He warned that “such a leader will become a mis-leader.” When the German people elected Adolf Hitler chancellor and his National Socialist party officially came to power, Bonhoeffer had to accept the fact that his voice, and the few other sane voices in Germany, had been drowned out. But he didn’t back down. He had the opportunity to seek refuge in the United States, but he believed his people needed him. He willingly bought a plane ticket to Germany and served as a leader in the Confessing Church, a relatively small group of German Christians who refused to acquiesce to Nazi ideology and maintained a biblical, Christian view of God and humankind. His courageous, conscientious stand as a Christian led to his involvement in an underground resistance movement that sought not only to rescue Jews and others persecuted by the Nazis, but to bring down the Third Reich itself. His involvement with this group resulted in his execution. Those of us living after World War II know that Hitler, and his evil dreams, didn’t last long. By 1945, justice was raining down horribly on his regime from the skies over Berlin. But though this man, and his followers, were destroyed, the evil they embodied has a way of sticking around, rising again to take another shape. People remember Hitler and the Nazis as those with twisted dreams of a world ruled by “supermen” who would build a perfect society unencumbered by the presence of those deemed weak or unfit. To most people, looking back at these events in history, such ideas seem utterly cold and inhuman. But consider the case of five U.S. citizens found guilty last week by a federal judge. Their crime? A “civil rights” violation. What was the nature of this violation? They entered a local abortion clinic and locked arms across an interior door to prevent people from entering and exiting. Their stated in-

tention? To keep babies from being killed. What evidence did they have that babies were being killed? The facility’s doctor stated, on camera, that if an unwanted baby was somehow born alive in his clinic, they would do nothing to help it live. Why, in God’s name, would they not help a helpless human being live? Simple--because it was unwanted, a drain on the resources of those that could help it. So what does Bonhoeffer, a man whose life was cut short, have to do with those of us serving in the pro-life and pregnancy-help movement? Or what does he have to say to any of us who have lived to see such times in this country? Several observations of his situation and his response to it occur. For one, the evil he faced in Germany under the Third Reich is with us still, though it may have altered its flag, its slogans, and its colors. It is near to each one of us, perhaps in our own hearts, and it shows itself whenever a preoccupation with our own earthly dreams causes us to turn away from our neighbor. For another, he died for love of God and for love of those who had no voice. His actions were not based on an assurance of short-term success. He knew he was risking his life. He knew the resistance to Hitler might fail in the short run. But Bonhoeffer, being a Christian, was assured of two things: the unavoidable judgement of the wicked, and the imminent resurrection of the righteous. He could hold his own life loosely as he served God fearlessly in an evil world. One of Bonhoeffer’s famous sayings was: “When Jesus Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Those that were with him shortly before his hanging by the Gestapo remember Bonhoeffer as a supremely happy man, humbly seeking to serve and help those imprisoned with him in any way he could. He was a man looking forward to something better that nothing in this life could alter or take away. That, to me, seems to be the indispensable thing for anyone seeking to be resilient in doing long-term good in this world, a vision of oneself as a citizen of another. Bio Jason Shutt, 52 years old and married to Elaine for 16 years. They have five children they homeschool in College Station. Jason started volunteering at Hope Pregnancy Center in College Station about 4 years ago and began working as the Men’s Programs Coordinator this past January. About Hope Hope Pregnancy Center of the Brazos Valley is a faith-based, non-profit 501(c) (3) organization providing a safe and confidential place for those experiencing unplanned pregnancy. Services (all of which are free) include pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, options consultation, parenting classes, and material aid based on an “earn while you learn” system. More information may be found at www. hopepregnancy.org.

Born 1925 - 1955 The best years to be born in the history of Earth & we got to We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and experience it all. Thank God for all the times, the adventures, then ride them down the hill, Only to find out that we forgot wars won, technology developed. Generations after future gen- about brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we erations will never experience what we did. What a generation learned to solve the problem. We did not Have Play Stations, Nintendo and X-boxes. There we turned out to be. were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVDs, no surround-sound or CDs no cell phones, no perTO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE sonal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms. 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s !! WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and Lost teeth, and First, we survived being born to mothers who may have there were no lawsuits from those accidents. smoked and/or drank - While they were pregnant. They took We would get spankings with wooden spoons, switches, pingaspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn’t pong paddles, or just a bare hand, and no one would call child get tested for diabetes. Then, after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tum- services to report abuse. mies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based We ate worms, and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, 22 rifles for our 12th, rode horses, made up games with sticks and tennis balls, doors or cabinets, and, when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps, not hel- and although we were told it would happen - we did not put out very many eyes. mets, on our heads. We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s house and knocked on As infants and children, we would ride in cars with no car the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them. seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. and sometimes no brakes. Riding in the back of a pick- up Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment. truck on a warm day was always a special treat. Imagine that!! We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, unheard of ... They actually sided with the law! and no one actually died from this. These generations have produced some of the best risk-takWe ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And we weren’t ers, problem solvers, and inventors ever. The past 60 to 85 years overweight. WHY? Because we were always outside playing... have seen an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we that’s why! learned how to deal with it all. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as If you are one of those born between long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one 1925 &1955, CONGRATULATIONS! was able to reach us all day and, we were OKAY.

Do You

Not Know?

by Scarlette Taylor

th all of the craziness of the events, ideologies, and thought in our world swirling around us now, and especially over the last couple of years, I’m wondering what you might think when you consider the idea of “At such a time as this,” which is the theme of this edition. The optimists want to see as much as humanly possible the good, or even the best in the issues of this life. Of course, being positive about things is a good ideology. Of course, it is wise to be one who looks at events, wanting to deem all things good. However, the optimists often don’t look at the total picture, the whole enchilada, as they say. The pessimists, on the other hand, approach life with the frustrations of what bad is going to happen next? what bad situation will I be in next? who is going to cheat me this time? That, as we know, is an unhealthy state to live in, whatever the level, be it limited or extreme. But there are pessimists, and we all truly are pessimistic some of the time. However, pessimists also so often fail to look at the total picture. Now, considering the idea of “At such a time as this,” lets take some time to consider the idea of living at Such a time…. Yes, we do have big, actually ginormous, problems in our world today with people and work, play, faith, protection, education, marriage, health, law, justice, homelessness, open borders, and the list goes on and on. And too often lately, too many of our young adults look at knowing the history of our nation with indifference or disdain, ranging from total rejection of value in knowing it, to openly opposing what our history is and stands for. Nevertheless, I’d like, for the sake of consideration to think about “For such a time as this,” in light of the comparative good of the time that we live in, its improvements and advancements that most Americans know today. Considering day-to-day life, most men and women of the 1950s would not have dreamed of the things we give no, or very little, thought. And these are what we often think of as basic. The A/C and Heating throughout the house controlled by the touch of a screen, lighting, often with a dimmer, at the flip of a switch, refrigerators with cold water and ice cubes available right on the door, microwaves, Keurig coffee machines, sprinklers that water the entire yard. Washers and dryers offering temperature settings, and some even steam cleaning. All this and giant-sized color TV, surround sound in houses, and Lap tops with all they provide, as well as instant communication from Siri with the limitless information from your phone. All this and so much more available. Then there is the consideration of transportation. For centuries, men and women worked hard and traveled very little; life was work,

and life expectancy was low. Ford’s early models boasted basic engines with small tires and simple interiors. 50 years ago, modes had no frills. The car was for necessity. Certainly, here was no 4-wheel drive SUV or Van, no ATV, no Hummer. The engines were simple enough that a “shade tree mechanic” could fix a car, nothing like our computer diagnosed repairs today. The interior of cars had no AC, no air bags, no seat belts, no GPS direction, no safety locks, no TVs, no speaker systems, and there was no Sirius. Few people flew on airplanes, comparing 6,000 flying in 1920 to 124 million last year. Flying back then was cold, loud, and expensive. Rarely anyone was an owner of an airplane. Vast improvements in the medical field have changed many lives compared to the 1950s and before. Vaccinations, DNA, Stem Cells, now more of the Cillins, Antibiotics, and now probiotics, pre and postbiotics, MRI, CT scan, ultrasound, and myriad life-saving surgeries and therapies. And, no longer are we limited to the knowledge of the one field, we can also use professionals from different areas: chiropractic, allergy, massage therapy, and natural herbal and natural whole-body treatments. Herbs found to be effective for treatments include Echinacea, Ginseng, Elderberry, and many, many more. And, of course, the dental field now offers not only care for our natural teeth, cleaning, filling, crowning, brightening, it even provides new teeth beyond the old denture, implants, but also structural work, for alignment. And I didn’t even consider the valued ophthalmologists who help us see things more clearly…especially in later years, and have their capabilities enhanced over the years, implants and treatments of all kinds of vision issues such as Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration. So, as can readily be seen, we live in a time “Such as this” with all its advancements and offerings, its worldly wisdom and accomplishments, yet we have a nation that is in turmoil, with homelessness, hunger, lawlessness, laziness, divorce, obesity, out of control insensitivity to others. Plus lots more… So, I ponder how can we, who are so richly blessed to have so much, become so blind or so hopeless or so lost? I did not research the movement of Americans away from Church, away from Jesus, and I did it intentionally. I know that anyone can see it in the neighborhood, or among friends, or in his or her own life. This country is just like the people the Bible tells us about, the people God chose to bless and to work through, the Israelites. But, they rebelled. They turned to false gods and evil ways. And their own children saw their ways and followed their parent’s ways. A few stayed faithful. And I see a few faithful here in our city. You may say, “I don’t have to go to Church to worship God. I can worship him wherever”… that is true. But, do you? When you are away from Godly men and women, and their influence and encouragement, and hearing God’s word, are you worshipping? I truly believe the answer to this nation’s turmoil is Jesus. The Church is God’s creation…we go to a building, which is not the Church. The Church is the body of believers, the people there worshipping our Amazing, Almighty God. He tells us he will heal our land…if? If what? If we’ll be humble, pray, and turn to Him.

A Letter to My Cats Dear Cats, When I say to move, it means go someplace else, not switch positions with each other so there are still two of you in the way. The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest. The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help, because I can fall faster than you can run. I cannot buy anything bigger than a king size bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue to sleep on the couch to ensure your comfort. Look at videos of other cats sleeping, they can actually curl up in a ball. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space used is nothing but sarcasm. My compact discs are not miniature Frisbees. For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob, or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. In addition, I have been using bathrooms for years -- feline attendance is not mandatory or helpful. The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other cats’ back end. I cannot stress this enough. To pacify you I have posted the following message on our front door... Rules for Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to Complain About Our Pets: They live here. You don’t. If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That’s why they call it “fur”-niture) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people. To you, it’s an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn’t speak clearly. Cats are better than kids. They eat less, don’t ask for money all the time, are easier to train, usually come when called, never drive your car, don’t hang out with drugusing friends, don’t smoke or drink, don’t worry about buying the latest fashions, don’t wear your clothes, don’t need a gazillion dollars for college, and won’t get pregnant because they’ve been “fixed.”

I once dated a girl with a twin and people always asked me how I could tell them apart... It was simple, Alison painted her nails red, and Bob had a beard.

I wish you

ENOUGH

Recently overheard was a father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the father said, ‘I love you, and I wish you enough.’ The daughter replied, ‘Dad, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Dad.’ They kissed and the daughter left. The Father walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, ‘Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?’ ‘Yes, I have,’ I replied. ‘Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?’.. ‘I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,’ he said. ‘ When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough..’ May I ask what that means?’ He began to smile. ‘That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone...’ He paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and he smiled even more. ‘When we said, ‘I wish you enough,’ we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.’ Then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory. I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting. I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye. He then began to cry and walked away. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them. *TAKE TIME TO LIVE....* To all our Friends and Family - *I WISH YOU ENOUGH*

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers THE DOCTOR AND THE LIGHT There was no electricity, the doctor handed the father-to-be a latern and said, “Here. You hold this high so I can see what I am doing.” Soon, a baby boy was brought into the world. “Whoa there, “ said the doctor. “Don’t be in such a rush to put that lantern down, I think there’s another one coming.” Sure enough, whthin minutes he had delivered a baby girl. “Hold that lantern up, don’t set it down there’s another one!” said the doctor. Within a few minutes he had delivered a third baby. “No, don’t be in a hurry to put down that lantern. It seems there’s yet another one coming!” cried the doctor. The redneck scratched his head in bewilderment, and asked the doctor, “You reckon it might be the light that’s attractin’ ‘em!”

Pro Cooking Tip: If you stir coconut oil into your kale, it makes it easier to scrape it into the trash.

Mom Drops Nuke on School Board

This is from a heartfelt speech presented at a North Carolina School Board Meeting by a concerned mother. Surely, her words ring true for North Carolina as well as most other states.

“Hello, everyone. I’ve been coming here for 5 years, and I was going to talk to you about some things you could change about 3210, but I’ve changed my mind. I’ve been really confused over the last 5 years as to why we spend 45 minutes to an hour of every public meeting talking about how great everyone is and how great everything is in the schools. And now I have figured it out because all these people came here to defend you all from hurtful words. This so obnoxious. Let me say there is one goal for the educational system. It should be to prepare children to enter careers to be productive members of society. It is not a counseling session. It is not a self-help arena. It is not somewhere to find yourself. And we should not be led by the children, for goodness sake. The children are called dependents for a reason. They depend on us who have fully developed brains. You cannot feel your way through life. The issues that we are talking about, we bring you statistics. We are talking about funding. We are talking about busing. We are talking about trying to figure out how to make our children as successful as possible. And, I am sure that this is your goal. And what we have been called tonight is what they are claiming that we’re saying to children. We are having an adult conversation. There are no children in the

room. We aren’t going into the schools and calling them names. They call us Marxist and hateful and bigots and everything else under the sun. Well, let me tell you, less than 5% of the entire population of North Carolina identifies as LGBTQ. You guys all claim you want democracy. Well, you know what democracy is? It’s the majority +1. It’s 50% plus 1. You know what? More than 50% of the people in this state claim they believe in God Almighty, Almighty God who made us male and female, God who made marriage between a man and a woman, God who said that we must protect our children. The fact that we can stand up here and we can brag about all the wonderful graduations, but we know. We know the statistics. 50% of children did not pass their end of grade tests. What are we celebrating? We have children coming up here telling us how horrible the mental health crisis is. Why? Most of us went to public school, and all of our peers are not in mental health crisis. We have to ask ourselves, “What are we doing to our children?” I’m going to say we are discussing things with them that they are not emotionally, intellectually, and morally able to handle. That’s what is causing the anxiety. That’s what is causing the depression. That’s what is causing the confusion. We need our children to be children, to be able to be innocent, to be able to enjoy childhood and not know all of the drama and all of the difficulties in adult life. That is what we want. We want our children to be able to read and write and to think for themselves. And we demand that the children who fear God be protected.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers After his return from Rome, Will couldn’t find his luggage in the airport baggage area. He went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that his bags hadn’t shown up on the carousel. She smiled and told him not to worry because they were trained professionals and he was in good hands.

The boy shouts from the other side of the wall: “Maybe an elephant!” *************** The teacher of the earth science class was lecturing on map reading.

Then she asked Will, “Has your plane arrived yet?”

After explaining about latitude, longitude, degrees and minutes the teacher asked, “Suppose I asked you to meet *************** me for lunch at 23 degrees, 4 minutes north latitude and 45 The class teacher asks students to name an animal that be- degrees, 15 minutes east longitude…?” gins with an “E”. One boy says, “Elephant.” After a confused silence, a voice volunteered, “I guess you’d Then the teacher asks for an animal that begins with a “T”. be eating alone.” The same boy says, “Two elephants.” Front Porch Magazine The teacher sends the boy out of the class for bad behavior. After that she asks for an animal beginning with “M”.

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When A Soldier Comes Home he finds it hard

....to listen to his son whine about being bored.

....to be tolerant of people who complain about the hassle of getting ready for work.

....to keep a straight face when people complain about potholes.

....to be silent when people pray

to God for a new car.

....to keep from laughing when anxious parents say they’re afraid to send their kids off to summer camp.

....to keep from ridiculing someone who complains about hot weather.

....to be civil to people who complain about their jobs

....to be forgiving when someone says how hard it is to have a new baby in the house.

The only thing harder than being a Soldier...

IS LOVING ONE. 31

Poetry by Jim Wilson After boiling down 73 years of life I have either gotten down to the distilled nectar or the scum at the bottom of the pot. Frankly any particular day can go either way, but this is what I want to tell you. Live in the now moment of your life, touch it, twist it, clarify it, gripe about it, enjoy it, but above all be conscious of it. So live now. Make the most of it because now is where your pot is boiling and where you can turn the heat up or down as necessary. This is where you can affect your life. do it. Enjoy. My verses are short and to the point. Plain English. I would love to hear from you. jwilson@abilene.com

Jim Wilson, our most talented poet, has written and published a wonderfully illustrated hardback children’s book Freckles and Speckles Save the Day!!! Jim feels it is a story that had to be told. For information to purchase, you may email Jim at jwilson@ abilene.com or jamesraywilson. com. It is a truly delightful story. Two cousin calves and their bad influence lead a younger calf to danger. But!! The book also includes pages to color, as well as pages for children to create their own pictures. We love the book, Jim.

The Original Tonight Show

Sometimes

On a night when everyone was reasonably healthy and you didn’t have cause to fear for your safety.

When I come to you with a problem I don’t want you to fix it. I want you to listen.

A spring evening on the prairie Sleeping on the ground Next to the wagon Watching the universe light up Is probably why you don’t hear About too many pioneer atheists

I already know the right thing to do. Don’t take a chance You might help me justify not dong it.

Touches of the Spirit A smile A kind word A helping hand A prayer With spiritual touches the current runs both ways changing both body batteries to shine a brighter beam to pass the glow to lift the human spirit to pass on and on a human domino effect that on the last tip is caught by the hand of God. God smiling and saying Well done children.

A Country’s Strength The character of the people is everything Decide patience, kindness, love. It won’t always work. Evil is around every corner, but you will find comrades. Don’t give up. God promised. Jesus produced. We believe and that’s what counts.

kept in Gulag without fair trials, a leader not physically capable of governing our nation not held accountable, average Americans struggling in the present economy…and fed the lie that costs are and have been stable. What are you willing to do? Stay silent? Accept the status quo, believe lies, let America lose it place in history as a nation of worth? For this edition of the Front Porch Magazine, we have chosen the theme “For a Time Such as This.” Of course, the most known reference to this theme is to Esther, from the book in the Bible with the same name.

Esther, having become Queen of Persia, had the opportunity to help her kinsmen, the Jews, by going to her husband King Xerxes, and telling him about the plot to annihilate the Jews in all the provinces of Persia. Since the king has not summoned her, her very life could be in danger. Noone arrived at the Court without an invitation. She must decide whether to help her people and risk her own life. She must decide to act in spite of the fact that she had not been invited, and in spite of the fact she had not revealed that her heritage is Jewish. Her Uncle Mordeci advises her that she may have been born for such a time as this. Esther, after fasting and praying for three days, goes to her husband, the King, and saves the Jews in all the provinces of the land. Her uncle, Mordeci also told her that if she did not help the Jewish people, God would use someone else to do His work. This is an amazing story of a young woman facing the loss of her life, and choosing to do what she could to save her people. As we Americans face a time of drastic changes, of wrongs in our beloved America, what are we willing to do? Are we turning a blind eye to wrongs? Do we choose not to see the lack of morality in so many areas: the lack of truth being reported by the news media, the blatant disregard for punishing those who break our laws, the wrong the judicial system allows by corrupt judges and lawyers, the harm private citizens experience who chose to stand for their Christian beliefs. The list goes on and on. Christianity is belittled, abortion is seen as choice, not wrong, private citizens have been taken and

“How? What? Where? When?” we may ask. The first steps are to pray for our nation, then when you see wrong, do something. “See something, Say something.” Be an influencer, not a do nothing. Vote…and make your concerns known to your congressman before you do. If we all would as one speak out against wrong, we would be heard, and change would come. Encourage others to stand for right. Our early patriots risked all, their fortunes, their very lives, for the creation of our country. Can we not work to bring changes that need to be? Be an Esther!

America’s Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) stands up for every American looking for the best quality healthcare by empowering doctors working on the front lines of our nation’s most pressing healthcare challenges. We help to amplify the voices of concerned physicians and patients nationwide to combat those who push political and economic agendas at the expense of science and quality healthcare solutions.

It is imperative that we continue to stand against any attempts to compromise our medical freedoms, especially during these challenging times with chatter about “dangerous” Covid variants increasing.

I am thrilled to share with you a recent development in our on- We must not return to the days of “government sanctioned” Cogoing battle to safeguard the rights and choices of individuals vid protocols pushing deadly experimental vaccines and failed across the nation. lethal treatments like ventilation, intubation, and Remdesivir. Just a few days ago, America’s Frontline Doctors filed an amici curiae brief in support of the plaintiff-appellees in the landmark cases of Missouri and Louisiana et al. v. Biden et al. This case represents a critical juncture in the fight against government overreach into our healthcare decisions and personal liberties.

AFLDS has truthful and accurate medical information that is essential for the health and wellbeing of our nation, and we must be able to distribute these crucial resources.

With new mandates and Covid 2.0 on the way, the work of AFLDS’ legal team is critical to fight medical tyranny through In the amici curiae brief, we strongly condemn the brazen and the legal system. Our legal battles require significant revenue repeated collusion between the Biden Administration and their from friends like you to ensure our voices are heard in the highco-conspirators in Big Tech to suppress free speech. These First est courts in the land. Amendment violations are dangerous to the health of the entire nation and threaten the rule of law in America. We are doctors and medical experts and lawyers who refuse to be As we articulated in the brief: This unconstitutional censorship is particularly dangerous, harmful and life threatening in the medical freedom arena, where dangerous and experimental mRNA injections were falsely and relentlessly promoted as being ‘safe and effective’, and when information regarding numerous other completely safe, well-known and reliably effective early treatments was demonized, denounced, and deleted.

silenced in the face of adversity. Our support will enable AFLDS to continue providing accurate information, defeat mandates in court, and engage in meaningful conversations about the most healthcare freedom issues of the day. American Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) is totally funded by donations. If you wish to donate to this organization go to secure.anedot.com/america-s-frontline-doctors. Your donation is tax deductible.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers So there is a Priest, a Rabbi, and an Atheist in a

` boat fishing.

The priest says, “Oh Heavens, I forgot my lures back on land” and steps out of the boat, walks across the water back to the land, and grabs his lures before walking back to the boat. The atheist was astounded, but before he could make sense of the situation, the rabbi Says, “Oh Yehweh help me, I forgot my bait. And he also steps out of the boat, and walks across the water back to the land to grab his bait, before walking back to the boat. The atheist was stunned, but refusing to believe in divinity of any sort or it’s impact on the world, he says, “Yeah...I left my extra line on the land.” The atheist hops out of the boat and, “SPLASH!”, he sinks right through to the bottom of the lake. After a moment the priest looks at the rabbi and says, “Come to think of it, we probably should have told him where the rocks were.”

Kids today are soft, I died once when I was five, and my mom made me walk it off.

MY WIFE MADE ME COFFEE THIS MORNING AND WINKED AT ME WHEN SHE HANDED ME THE CUP. I’VE NEVER BEEN MORE SCARED OF A DRINK IN ALL OF MY LIFE.

Bidenomics, a

failed, corrupt federal government

For times such as this, we need to talk cannabis!

Cannabidiol (CBD) usage began around 2010 and has been exponentially growing both in people and pets since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. Unfortunately, because of the legal status in different states, proper research both in humans and veterinary patients, lags far behind. Therefore, almost all hemp/CBD products are sold without a therapeutic claim as required by the FDA. This makes the use of CBD products very unpredictable and sometimes dangerous. There is no regulations or oversight of product quality, efficacy and recommended dosage. Any jack wagon can extract hemp oil and sell it with implied therapeutic benefits provided they tell you its not for use on any specific medical condition. To understand cannabis homeopathy, we must know the taxonomy/language and its major components. The genus cannabis has three species; C. sativa is the one we will focus on today. C. sativa has two sub-species, low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and high THC. The high THC has many notable physiological effect, federally illegal to have and still illegal in most states. It has no therapeutic value in pets or humans provided the claims of low THC/CBD oil are true and accurate! The remainder of this discussion will pertain to the low THC or CBD/hemp oil only. Low THC or CBD is a cannabidiol extracted by a chemical solvent and should have a THC concentration less than 0.3%. The extract of hemp is typically an oil that can be administered topically, ingested or aerosolized and inhaled. The therapeutic effects of CBD include analgesia, anti-emetic inflammatory, epileptic and anxiety. The oil extract of C. sativa has three main components, phytocannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids. It is the interaction of these three compounds, call the entourage effect, that enable the patient to benefit medically from CBD administration. Very little is known about the entourage effect in humans and pets. Most of the current and reliable research of hemp oil usage is in the human field and I feel it is very unwise to extrapolate human data to veterinarian patients. I learned a long time ago that each species can react totally different to the same medication. Much more unbiased research must be done to use this product effectively in all patients. Currently, there are only a few FDA approved CBD products on the market. Epidiolex, for seizure modification in children and various synthetic low TCH cannabidiols used for anti-nausea in chemotherapy patients. However, these compounds are prohibitively expensive to use in veterinary medicine. Let us not forget what happens

when we start administrating medication without proper research and licensing. Does the Covid mRNA vaccines ring a bell? It should. The vaccines did not prevent covid infection nor reduce morbidity of the disease. The premature release of that biological has cost us many lives and misery in otherwise healthy people, all with the approval of the CDC, FDA and that swamp maggot Fauci. Myocarditis, autoimmune disease and long covid syndrome are just a few things that we now know the premature release of a mRNA vaccine are causing and may continue for multiple generations of people. Do you hear the laughter coming from China and the White House? I do, but I digress! Okay, let’s say you already have been using CBD or plan to use it on yourself or pet in the future. Let’s go over a few ground rules. First and foremost, a veterinarian cannot prescribe or even legally advise you to administer CBD. I am not aware of current medical doctor regulations and will not speak for them. Second, if you are going to purchase CBD products, always use reputable third parties and require a certificate of analysis from a laboratory, certifying the ingredients and their concentrations. As previously discussed, it is the entourage effect of all the ingredients in C. sativa extract that produces the desired effects. Additionally, because there is no oversight on the distillation process of CBD, many other containments can end up in your product, most notably heavy metals, herbicides and pesticides. Third, dosage of CBD varies immensely! Cats and horses are more sensitive to hemp versus the dog. Hemp oil is usually given twice a day, with a meal is best. Dosage of CBD products vary from 0.5 to 2.5mg/kg, however, that can vary dramatically with the purity of products. It is always best to start at a lower dosage and adjust up if needed. Finally, low THC cannabis appears to be safe to use in both humans and pets provided you are using a laboratory certified product. Minor elevations in liver enzymes have been noted in prolong CBD usage in pets and periodic bloodwork would be recommended. After making a deep dive into CBD literature and available research, it was noted by the author that cannabidiol therapy has great promise for management of chronic medical conditions in both pets and humans. Pray for our country and the return of sanity! Most of all, HAPPY TOKING Y’ALL! Jack F McKemie, DVM

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers This young Cowboy in the old West wanted to be the best gunfighter alive.

One night as he was sitting in a saloon, he spotted an old man who had the reputation of being the greatest gunfighter in his day. The young Cowboy walked up to the old man and told him his dream. The old man looked him up and down and said, “I have a suggestion that is sure to help.” “Tell me, tell me.” said the young Cowboy. “Tie the bottom of your holster lower onto your leg.” “Will that make me a better gunfighter?” “Definitely. said the old man. The young Cowboy did what he was told and drew his bun and shot the bow tie off the piano player. “Wow, that really helped. Do you have any more suggestions?” “Yeah, if you cut a notch in the top of your holster where the hammer hits, the gun will come out smoother.” “Will that make me a better gunfighter?” “It sure will,” said the old man. The young Cowboy did what he was told and drew his gun and shot a cuff link off the piano player. “This is really helping me. Is there anything else you can share with me?” “One more thing,” said the old man. “Get that can of axle grease over there in the corner and rub it all over your gun.” The young Cowboy didn’t hesitate but started putting the grease on the barrel of his gun. “No, the whole gun, handle and everything,” said the old man. “Will that make me a better gunfighter?” “No,” said the old man. “But when Wyatt Earp gets done playing that piano he’s going to shove that gun down your throat, and it won’t hurt as much!”

I like to make Lists. I also like to leave them laying on the kitchen counter and then guess what was on the list while at the store....FUN GAME.

Me: (sobbing my heart out, eyes swollen, nose red)... I can’t see you anymore...I am not going to let you hurt me like this again! Trainer: It was a sit up. You did one sit up.

Rusty Walton is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but has been a proud Texan for more than forty years. He and his wife, Brenda, currently make their home in Conroe, Texas, after serving as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Conroe for nearly fifteen years. In retirement, Rusty has served seven Texas churches as an Intentional Interim pastor, assisting those churches to prepare for a successful newly “installed” minister. Additionally, Rusty and Brenda enjoy their two children, son and daughter-in-law, and five grandchildren, one of whom is a proud Texas Aggie. (Whoop!)

Do you ever think about hand washing? Perhaps you should. There are “cooties” out there, you know. My friend Jon Mark Beilue used to write for the Amarillo GlobeNews. In 2007 he wrote an article about personal hygiene. I still remember it because it reminded me of elementary school and “cooties.” A school district where I live recently reported an increase in student illnesses. One reason for the increase is that everyone has come back together again. But another reason is a lack of hand washing and the resulting growth of dangerous cooties. Kids don’t think about washing. I know I didn’t. I just wanted to get back to recess, cooties and all. One of my college science profs asked us to identify the most effective “germ killer” in the world. After we had named every antibiotic our sophomore brains could remember, the professor said, “It’s not a drug. It’s just soap and water.” It’s not surprising that the males in the class didn’t know about soap and water. Half of us were unfamiliar with the regular, appropriate use of these two basic ingredients of hygiene. It’s surprising what young men think Old Spice covers up. (Yuck!) The article in the Amarillo newspaper cited hygiene surveys involving 6000 “observations” of hand washing (or not) in large public facilities such as sports stadiums. (Who wanted that job?!) The results of the surveys were startling. Up to 33% of men and 15% of women did not wash after...you know. (Double Yuck!) In 2020, I nearly scrubbed the skin off my hands with rubbing alcohol, vinegar, mouth wash, bleach, cactus juice, and diluted gin. It turns out that soap and water were probably enough. When your mother asked you if you had remembered to wash your hands, she wasn’t merely being a disciplinarian. She knew the value of soap and water, and she loved you too much to let you go around covered in cooties.

There are “Cooties” out there, you know.

We live in a world filled with cooties, and not all of them are physical. American Revolutionary War hero, Thomas Paine wrote, “These are the times that try men’s souls...”. Once again we are in a “soul trying” environment. But in our current culture wars we must not have an “us versus them” mentality. The truth is that we all have cooties (Romans 3:23). I have decided to avoid large public facilities, but if I go to a football game I may not shake your cootie-covered hand. I have also renewed my appreciation for my mother and her daily battle against cooties. Additionally, I thank Providence for soap and water. Without these God-given gifts, we would get “dirtier and dirtier” and “sicker and sicker” until the cooties finally won. That’s in the Bible somewhere. The times may be challenging, but God gave us soap and water for the similar reason he gave us Jesus—to get clean again. God loves us too much to let us go around covered in cooties. In times like these our nation needs to get rid of our cooties and get clean again (Psalm 51). We can start by simply washing our hands…and then our hearts. Thanks for reading. CDW Copyright 2023 Reproduction only by permission Hope you have a great day, and remember that the living is good where the people are good. And the people are good in Burleson County.

cootie | koo-tee | noun plural coot-ies. Informal A child’s term for an imaginary germ or disease that one can catch by touching another person.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers

“Man has to wring Liberty not only from tyrants, but also from his fellow men who are not only unwilling to fight for it, but to let anyone else fight for it.

To Kill an American Written by an Australian Dentist You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is. So they would know when they met one. (Good one, mate!)

the people who built America Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11 , 2001, earning a better life for their families. It’s been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

‘An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world.. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans. An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than inAfghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President; I’m beginning to believe it.

An American is also free to believe in no religion.. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God. An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness. An American is generous.. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country! As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan .. The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are

This is a Call To Service by Ed Wetterman

ervice is the action of helping or doing work for someone else. We have lots of churches and lots of folks who identify themselves as Christians. There is an old hymn that sings, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” In John 13:34, Jesus gave us a new commandment that we “love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Love is not a only a feeling. It’s an action, an action of service.

in Caldwell and is a place to take donations. They would welcome anyone willing to volunteer to help them see to our community needs.

Another opportunity to serve is to contact the Caldwell Harriet P. Woodson Memorial Library as they need volunteers to help teach basic math and English to adults in the G.E.D. program, and they will even provide training to help teach others. Please contact Heidi Fraser at the Service is patriotic. Galatians 5:13 tells us that “You were library for more information. called to freedom, brethren, only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love Impact Burleson County Foundation assists people with serve one another.” We live in a fallen world of pain, hard- various addictions with Bible based recovery meetings ship, troubles, and tribulations, but we also live a world like Celebrate Recovery and even a jail ministry on Thursthat offers help for the needy, food for the hungry, clothes days. They are always accepting monetary donations and could use dedicated volunteers. Contact John Pate at for the naked, and, through love, hope for the future. 979-575-7704 for more information. According to Feeding America.org, nearly 1 in 6 people in New Beginnings in Cade Lake is located at 1005 Elm Drive Burleson County do not know where their next meal is in Caldwell (Cade Lake Community Chapel) and it offers coming from, and that number is growing. Many folks are several service opportunities such as Wednesday evejust a paycheck away from losing their homes, their cars, nings from 5:30 to 7:00 pm, as they feed and play games or not having their basic needs met. An accident, major with those in the community and provide school help surgery, disease, illness, and many other things could with the children. Also, on the second Saturday of the month from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, they serve fresh cooked cause financial ruin for most of us. meals and give out hygiene and cleaning products, as well This is where the church should step in. In this case, I’m as clothing for those that could use some assistance. A talking about the true Church, those who identify them- women’s group meets on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm selves as Christ followers, who have accepted Him as their and are always looking for more ways to serve and grow Savior, and who wish to follow His greatest command- the community. And they are planning to begin a men’s group as well. Please contact Reverend Kay Polasak (979ment to love God and to love others. 220-1289) or Ken Hardy (979-567-1078) for more information. Remember, love is an action. It is an action of service. There are many ways we can get involved in our commu- There are many opportunities to serve in our community. nity. The Christian Care Store is located at 208 Buck Street Remember, Love God, and Love Others.

Communist Rules for

REVOLUTION Submitted by Mildred Miman

When Mildred was teaching Junior high school, this article was handed to her by her principal in 1958.

In May of 1919, at Dusseldorf, Germany, the Allied Forces obtained a copy of some of the Communist Rules for Revolution. Nearly 50 years later, the Reds were still following them. A. Corrupt the young, get them away from religion. Get them interested in sex. Make them superficial; destroy their ruggedness. B. Get control of all means of publicity, thereby: 1. Get people’s minds off their government by focus ing their attention on athletics, sexy books and plays and other trivialities. 2. Divide the people into hostile groups by constanly harping on controversial mattersof no impotance. 3. Destroy the people’s faith in their natural leaders by holding the latter up to contempt, ridicule, and disgrace. 4. Always preach true democracy, but seize power as fast and ruthlessly as possible. 5. By encouraging government extravagance, de stroy its credit, produce fear of inflation with ris ing prices and general discontent. 6. Incite unnecessary strikes in vital industries, en courage full disorders and foster a lenient and soft attitude on the part of government toward such disorders. 7. By specious argument, cause the breakdown of the old moral virtues-honesty, sobriety, self-re

straint, faith in the pledged word, ruggedness.

Cause the registration of all firearms on some pretext, with a view to confiscating them and leaving the population helpless.

Editor’s Note: To the best of our knowledge, this article was first printed in the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise in 1919. It was reprinted again in 1946 in The New World News, after the Florida Attorney General secured it from a known member of the communist party, who acknowledged that it was then still a part of the communist program. (This note is from the 1958 article.) That is quite a list, isn’t it? Now, stop and think how many of these rules are being carried out in this nation today.

Communism is a religion that is inspired, directed and motivated by the Devil himself who has declared war against Almighty God. Billy Graham

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? JOE BIDEN: Why did the chicken do the...thing in the...you know the rest. SARAH PALIN: The chicke crossed the road becaause, gosh-darn it, he a maverick! BARACK OBAMA: Let me be perfectly clear if the chickens like their eggs, they can keep their eggs. No chicken will be required to cross the road to surrender her eggs. Period. GEORGE W. BUSH: We don’t really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road or not. The chicken is either with us or against us. There is no middle ground here. DICK CHENEY: Where’s my gun? BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. AOC: Chickens should not be forced to lay eggs. This is because of corporate greed! Eggs should be able to lay themselves. HILLARY CLINTON: What difference at this point does it make why the chicken crossed the road. JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken’s intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it. AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? GRANDPA: In my day we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough for us. COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

I miss the good old days... when you could actually have an opinion without offending someone. 47

Solutions Are Scary by Bob Livingston

Bob Livingston is the Editor of The BobLivingston Letter. Bob is an ultra-conservative American who has been writing a newsletter since 1969. Bob has devoted much of his life to research and the quest for truth on a variety of subjects. Bob specializes in health issues such as nutritional supplements and alternatives to drugs as well as issues of privacy (both personal & financial), asset protection and the preservation of freedom.

The most common retort you will encounter from skeptics and dishonest people when it comes to discussing the issue of economic decline, social breakdown and the proven conspiracy by globalist institutions to centralize power under the formation of a worldwide financial system and a world government, is that “It’s all well and good to talk about the problems, but unless you can come up with solutions your analysis is irrelevant.” This is a classic disinformation tactic: Suggesting that the person who identified the problem must also solve the problem, otherwise they should not be taken seriously. It’s obvious nonsense. Often solutions to economic and social decline require that masses of people become educated on the threats so that they can organize to make changes, and that requires talking about the problems. Talking about the danger is the solution (to a point). In terms of conspiracy and tyranny, the solution is usually war and the elimination of the cabal. That requires talking about the problem and inspiring people to organize for the fight. But what happens when you finally have the numbers to do something? I would partly agree that the conservatives, libertarians, independents and moderates that make up what I call the “Liberty Movement” tend to talk a lot more about the problems, to the point that solutions become lost in the fervor of discussion. Over nearly 20 years of writing for the movement, I have noticed a consistent pattern. When I publish an article identifying a concerted attack on the U.S. economy, for example, the audience numbers run high. When I write an article about methods for preventing collapse, such as independent barter markets and localized production, the traffic is cut in half. The truth is, solutions are not sexy, they are scary. People can become addicted to watching the system break down, and I realize it’s hard to look away from a train wreck. But when it comes time to do something about the mess a lot of people run away. This has to change. It is with this issue in mind that I am launching a series of articles focusing only on solutions. These are not silver-bullet solutions; they will not save people from struggle or hardship. They will not end the globalist empire with a single calculated social shift or technological innovation. Such solutions do not exist and anyone who claims otherwise is either ignorant or a fraud trying to lure you into complacency. The real solutions require hard work, sacrifice, courage and tenacity. If the solution to tyranny and collapse doesn’t scare you, then it’s probably not a solution. And, if there is one solution that has been demonized more

than any other in our modern era, it’s the citizen militia. It’s hard to think of a greater taboo, a more sneered at and disdained concept than the militia, and that’s on both sides of the political aisle. Many leftists hate the militia because they fear it; many Republicans hate the militia because they think it makes them look “extreme.” Sorry sunshine patriots, but if there was ever a time for extreme measures, it is now. Why America Is About To End... Violently You see it every night on the news. America just isn’t the same as it was. Do yourself a favor and check out this new film to learn how to protect yourself and your wealth here. Maybe it’s a matter of public conditioning? Militias are the villains in every movie, every TV show, every book and comic book. Articles in every major publication warn year after year of militias as the dark underbelly of American culture; a mode of organization for “racists” and “fascists” and most of all “terrorists.” They are the bad guys, right? Who wants to be seen as a bad guy? So, conservatives and libertarians stumble around trying to come up with ways to organize a physical defense against the encroachment of authoritarianism without actually calling these efforts a militia. It’s understandable; the M-word has a stigma that was carefully crafted by the media over the course of decades. Say you are starting a “neighborhood watch” and people listen with an open mind. Say you are starting a militia, and people see images of fat rednecks playing Batman in the woods with their butt cracks hanging out (rednecks are some of my favorite people, by the way). They shut down immediately, and they might not even know why. It’s because they have been trained to react this way. The reason the establishment media has been so hostile to the militia concept over the years is because they fear patriot organization more than anything else. They want people isolated from each other, focused only on their own preparedness efforts but constantly vulnerable due to their limited ability to project defense or offense. If you are alone, your circle of security is your house and your front door – you are doomed. If you are part of a militia, your circle of security is your town, or your county, or perhaps even your entire state. You now have a chance to survive and stay free. There will be people who argue that a militia solution is impossible because in order for such groups to be constitutionally legal they must be approved by the state government they reside in. This argument misses the greater concern, which is that militias need to exist whether they are approved or not. State cooperation should be pursued, but this is dependent on the honor of that government. If they are not cooperative and are not honorable then citizens will have to organize anyway. Continued on Page 50

Small Town Chatter by Sandy Miller

Sandy Miller is a newcomer to Burleson County. She and husband Lee moved to Caldwelll in 2022. Sandy loves to write and has ventured into creating children’s books, poetry, and short stories. The Millers enjoy working their two acres and just appreciating God’s wonderful creations in nature. Wilbur was one of the finest butchers in the countryside. His meat market was well known for its tasty bacon which he seasoned with a secret spice mixture. Wilbur owned Flatsville’s only meat market where he did his own butchering and packaging. Wilbur even looked like the typical butcher. He worn jeans and a flannel shirt, protected by his butcher’s apron. He was bald on top, with tufts of hair on the sides and back. A long handlebar mustache, thick with wax to hold its shape, assured Wilbur first place in the mustache contest at the county fair each year. He was in pretty good shape, for his age that is. Sure, his belly was starting to hang over his belt just a little, but for 42, that wasn’t too bad.

Some of the townsfolk, women mostly, even commented on his newly-muscled arms. Wilbur was gaining confidence. When discussing this with his barber, the barber only laughed at Wilbur. “You can build up all the muscles in the world, son, but you’re still bald!” And as expected, Wilbur was the center of many“shinyheaded” jokes that were to follow. He was given several nicknames, all in fun of course. But to Wilbur, this was a serious matter. He finally decided to order the hairpiece he had seen in the mail-order catalog. He didn’t tell anyone about it, and nobody knew, at least for the 6-week waiting period. But the postmaster was sure to let everyone when he saw the box labeled Hairpiece come through Flatsville’s Post Office.

The townsfolk were eager to see Wilbur with his new hair. He’ll be a new man, they discussed. They placed bets on what color the hairpiece would be, then all gatheredtogether to go to the meat market. They were sure surprised when they discovered the store was locked up, with a sign on his door that read: Wilbur was a bachelor. Not that he had planned it that way. But he “Closed. Hair Today, Gone to Molly” had put most of his time into his meat market, with not much time to get out and meet the ladies. Lately, however, Wilbur had become rather interested in a lady from the nearby town of Rock Canyon. She I never called you stupid, came into the market on her way through Flatsville, just to get a taste but when I asked you to spell of that delicious bacon,” she had said. The next time she came into the “Orange” store, Wilbur introduced himself and the two made quite pleasant and you asked me conversation. By the time she left, he found out her name was Molly Parker, she was single, 39, and she travelled to her mother’s house in the Fruit or Color Lake Hollow once a month to visit. This seemed rather promising to it kinda caught me off guard. Wilbur, and he discussed the possibility of courting Molly while his barber was giving his tufts a trim. Being a small town, word got around quick in Flatsville that Wilbur was interested in Molly. Word also go back to Wilbur that the townsfolk had discussed the issue and they agreed (most of them anyway) that a good looking girl like Molly would probably be more interested in the younger fellers, younger than Wilbur that is. Especially one in better shape, and definitely one with hair! The more Wilbur thought about Molly and her long, slender legs, the more he was convinced that he had to court her. So he took the advice of his barber and started working out. Now, he didn’t have any fancy weight sets, so every day after he closed the market, he would go back into the meat locker and move the slabs of ham and beef one from one table to the other, trying to build up some muscles. He was sure he was looking younger, and he COULD fasten his belt one notch tighter.

Solutions Are Scary Cont’d from Page 48

I do foresee some red state governors taking action to form militias. I’m not the type of person who thinks every single political leader is “controlled.” If that were true then all the red states would have continued the COVID lockdowns and tried to enforce vaccine passports as the blue states did. Instead, they fought back. I’ll give credit where credit is due. If any governors are reading this now, I would suggest that they seriously consider stepping up efforts to bring back the constitutional militia system in their state. These groups are going to form eventually anyway, adding some legitimacy through the state would defuse a lot of conflicts in the future. And I’ll tell you this, if you truly believe in freedom and the American ideal, there will come a time when you will have to lean on the common citizenry to maintain the security of your state. Not just from corrupt adversaries at the federal level, but from foreign invasion (illegal immigration) as well as rioting and looting by leftist groups within your own cities. Don’t wait until it’s too late. If a state government is not willing to back legally recognized militias, then it may be possible to organize at the county level. I would even say that the first county government to do this will start a firestorm and hundreds of other counties will follow their example. All it takes is one to step forward. The same goes for state militias. What would be the purpose of these militias? To act as a deterrent to forces with ill intent, first and foremost. We cannot allow the federal government and establishment elites to have a monopoly on the ability to project violence. If we do, then the country will be enslaved eventually. And though I have faith in the power of asymmetric tactics, the 50 million+ gun owners now active in the U.S. could be far more effective if they were working together to utilize those tactics. They would certainly offer a much more imposing obstacle to the elites. Deterrence is the best possible defense. Secondly, there is ample defense training going on all over America and there are millions of serious shooters here. Dare I say, there are more serious shooters here than in all other countries combined. And by “serious shooters” I mean truly dangerous shooters that can do extensive damage to an enemy. However, there is virtually no large unit training going on right now; everything is aimed at personal defense and sometimes small unit tactics. Militias would be useful in teaching Americans how to fight as a larger force if necessary. But of course that would be “paramilitary training” and that would be “bad.” Finally, I think it’s time to draw the line in terms of the course our country is taking. Political efforts rarely bear fruit. One surprising exception was the COVID lockdowns. It’s a good thing

we had so many conservative governors willing to end the mandates and stop the madness at the state level. So, yeah, voting can do some good, but it should not be relied upon to save us. There needs to be organization beyond political parties into the realm of active problem-solving and security. Millions of citizens sitting around doing nothing while waiting 2-4 years to drop a ballot in a box is not a solution to our current predicament. The old disinformation arguments will surely surface in response to the militia idea. They will say that a militia wouldn’t stand a chance against a tyrannical government backed by a modern military and your “AR-15 is useless against an F-16.” The Taliban in Afghanistan has something to say about that, just as guerrilla groups have had something to say about that for generations. There’s not a military on the planet that can take on 50 million+ gun owners, they would run out of ordnance long before patriots ran out of people. But beyond that, we have to ask the question yet again: Why are they so intent on dismantling 2nd Amendment rights and stopping the return of militias if these things are not a threat to their power? If gun owners could be wiped out by a handful of drones and tanks, then why haven’t they done this already and rounded us all up? The reason is clear. Because if the establishment starts that fight, they know there’s a chance they could lose. If they are afraid of unorganized and isolated patriots now, imagine how afraid the technocrats would be if we reestablished militias... Yours for the truth, Bob Livingston

Militia is a military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency. Bob Livingston proposes that too often our political leaders spend far much more time discussing problems of our country than coming up with solutions. He suggests that it is time to stop discussing, and rehashing the facts that there are huge problems in our country today. He offers one solution, and points out the thought surrounding it and the reasons for it.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers

My doctor asked if any members of my family suffered from insanity, I replied, no, we all seem to enjoy it.

I can’t believe we don’t have world peace and harmony among all peoples..,.. We changed the name on pancake boxes and syrup bottles 51

A Bulldog Named Colley the end, to describe what would happen if anyone even thought of Going AWOL. (that AWOL is a bad thing.) He fumed and cussed for half an hour, telling us how for the next weeks he would be our family. A storm cloud hung black and threatening over my liberation. We pillowed our heads around 3:00 A.M., with our ears ringing from Sgt. Colley’s verbal obscenities. He awakened us at 5:00 A.M. by clanging two garbage can lids together next to our heads while emptying his cuss word cache on us.

The Climatic battle of World War II began on June 6, 1944---the day on which the invasion of Normandy, on the northern coast of France, began. It started the successful Western Allied effort to liberate mainland Europe from Nazi occupation. That historic day when history’s hinge could have bent in either direction, was dubbed D-Day. Exactly 14 years later, on June 6, 1958, my personal D-Day occurred. I was liberated from the mundane life of milking a cow, feeding hogs, and being subservient to my parents. With the ink barely dry on my Douglas County High diploma, I raised my right hand and was inducted into the U.S. Air Force. I had achieved adulthood; I was free at last. During the three-week recruitment process, I was always called Mr. Beard. I lowered my hand and was never again referred to as Mr. Beard. The captain said, “You have a plane to catch at 2:30 PM. If you miss it, you will be AWOL.” I didn’t know what that was, but his scowl made me think I didn’t want to be guilty of it.

The Sgt. then herded us to the mess hall (appropriately named). We side stepped down the chow as K.P.’s slammed slop onto our trembling trays. With little sleep, bug eyed with fright, and a knotted stomach I didn’t feel like eating. St. Collie saw me about to dump my food, and, from some deep well of reserve, he hauled up a bucketful of virgin cuss words, and painted a gloomy picture of what would happen to me if I ever took food that I didn’t eat. And so it went for 11 endless weeks. Too late I discovered that D-Day stood for disaster, defeat, discouragement, doom, and perhaps death. We’re indebted to General Eisenhower’s troops on their success that began on June 6, 1944. However, on D-Day 1958 history’s hinge, greased with liberal gobs of cuss words, swung in another direction, without a squeak, and left me wondering, “what kind of mother would name her bulldog, Colley?”

I arrived in San Antonio in the small hours of the day. A dozen or so other liberated recruits, from different parts of the country, were arriving as well. We were pointed to an Air Force bus in the parking lot where we met bleary-eyed Staff Sgt. Colley, who would be our T.I. (training instructor). Sgt. Colley lined us up beside the buss and broke bad on us. We were recipients of some serious cussing. He cussed about having to get out of bed and come to the airport at 1:00 A.M. to pick up a load of soft sissies, who would most likely receive dishonoable discharges. He cussed us for all the trouble we would be to him for the next 11 weeks. He cussed us because, he predicted, most of us would never learn to march properly. He used double barreled, newly minted, loose jointed, cuss words with curly cues on

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.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers A young man was inspired to help out with his church’s fund raiser. He asked the preacher if he could participate in the door-to-door selling of bibles. The preacher agreed, but knowing the young man had a bad stutter, only gave him 3 bibles to sell. The following day the young man returned asking for more. The preacher give him another 5 bibles. The following day the preacher gave him another 10. By the end of the week, the young man broke the church’s all time record for the highest number of bible sales in one week. The preacher believed that divine intervention had occurred. He was dumbfounded and had to know the young man’s secret. So the preacher asked the young man how he was able to sell so many bibles in such a short amount of time. The young man smiled and said, “I asked tha tha them if the the they wanted to baa baa buy a bible or have mahh mahh me read it to tha tha them.”

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See a Problem...Create a Solution by Michelle Boyd In my last article I shared how much the cost of food had changed. As we all know it really isn’t any better. Some items like eggs have come down substantially, but a case of eggs (15 dozen) still ranges around $36 and up. That is double what we paid in 2020. Turkey and chicken are back down to an affordable price. When things started to settle down with supply, turkey and chicken are running around 27% more than in 2020. The situation we all find ourselves in now is everything else has increased by at least 60%. Not to mention many items have disappeared. That is a problem. My solution is to reach out to as many local sources as possible, purchase only what is needed and keep as much money in my community as possible. This solution also led towards the creation of many community gardens all over Burleson County. A lot of wonderful people worked many days to set up above ground gardens for the neighborhoods and senior citizens. At the same time, I was able to create a large above ground garden behind the cafe, and even though we had a brutal summer, I was still blessed with a bountiful harvest. Our customers have really enjoyed our ability to serve them fresh from the garden vegetables. My garden is still producing a few items and maturing for fall. This is a lot of extra work, but the reward is worth it. My thanks goes to Yahweh!

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers The only reason our government would want to disarm us after 243 years is because they are planning on doing something to us that we would shoot them for.

If liberal politicians treat the people this poorly when we are armed to the teeth, well then, just imagine if you will, what they will be willing to do to you once they’ve taken away your guns.

The Green Thing In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.” That’s right, they didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But they didn’t have the green thing back in her day. In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks. But she’s right. They didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they washed the baby’s diapers because they didn’t have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 200 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got handme-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand new clothing. But that old lady is right, they didn’t have the green thing back in her day. Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoan or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she’s right, they didn’t have the green think back then.

The Federal Government Leaves Us No Choice:

It’s Time To TEXIT. by Cara Miller

While the Biden administration continues to intentionally neglect securing the southern border, many Texans are looking for a solution to what has become a complete and total invasion of our state. Texans are now realizing that one thing is very clear: The federal government cannot be trusted to keep Texas secure. That’s why it’s time for something new – it’s time for TEXIT (Texas Exit).

for American Immigration Reform, the total fiscal net burden of illegal aliens on taxpayers has increased from $116 billion to $150 billion annually in the last six years alone.

The impact of U.S. border and immigration policy is felt in nearly every sphere of the public sector. Texas taxpayers especially bear some of the highest costs for this virtually unrestricted mass migration, accounting for nearly $12 billion. Due to this lack of The Texas Nationalist Movement is the 3rd largest political commitment to border security from the federal government, group in the state of Texas - and it seeks to return the right of Texas itself has to budget its own $412 million annually. Texans self-governance to Texans and make it a free, independent, and didn’t create this problem - we shouldn’t be on the hook for it. prosperous nation again, away from the neglect of the federal government. The invasion happening at our border must stop now, and we can’t count on the federal government to do it for us. It’s time This year, the TNM is working to put TEXIT on the ballot for a that Texans take matters into our own hands now before it is too statewide vote through a statewide petition campaign. Through late. If you want a government that will put Texans first, put an an advisory referendum, the TNM seeks to ask the people of end to the $160 billion dollar annual overpayment, and create a Texas, "Should the State of Texas reassert its status as an inde- substantive border policy, sign the petition campaign now. pendent nation?" TEXIT will give Texas the opportunity to work in the best interMany may be asking why bother putting this on the ballot, as est of its people and craft a better future. TEXIT seems so out of reach, but a SurveyUSA poll recently showed that over 66% of Texans would vote to leave the union. TEXIT is the term used to refer to Texas existing This overwhelming support is due to the fact that the political establishment in Washington has become largely unresponsive to Texans - and has continued to fail to meet the needs of our people. Little known fact: Texas overpays $160 billion to the federal government annually. Despite this massive ‘investment’ in the federal government, Texans still cannot get relief on our number one concern: border security. The federal government’s negligence forces Texans to carry the financial burden of the administration’s weak stance on border security. According to a 2023 study released by the Federation

the union and becoming an independent, self*-governing nation. TEXIT is NOT Texas Independence. Rather, TEXIT is the process that gets Texas to independence. TEXIT means that Texans determine our own laws and not 2.5 million unelected bureaucrats in Washington. It means that we get a government that begins and ends at the borders of Texas. It means an end to the giant sucking sound of $103$160 billion dollars per year being siphoned from the pockets of Texas taxpayers. Most importantly, it means that for the first time in our lives we control our own destiny.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers MAYBE IF WE START TELLING PEOPLE THE BRAIN IS AN APP, THEY’LL START USING IT.

Over 1,000 people arrested in connection with J6, but zero arrests for: the J6 pipe bomber Ray Epps people who built the gallows undercover federal agents (but I repeat myself)

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers In World War I there was trench warfare, and neither the Americans nor the Germans could get the upper hand. They were reaching a stalemate. One day an American came up with a plan that would win them the war. The private explained his plan to his trench mates, and they figured, “Why not? It’s not like we have any better ideas.” The next day, an American soldier called out. “Hans?” A German popped up and shouted back, “Ja?” Boom, the German was shot dead. The next day the Americans shouted again, “Hans?” “Ja?” Shot dead. This process continued over the next couple of days. The Germans were losing large numbers and were now finally catching on. The Germans had an emergency meeting. They thought they could come back from the heavy losses using the same tactics as the Americans. Thus a German asked, “What is a popular American name?” “John” replied another. The next day, the Germans decided to execute their plan. A German shouted, “John?” An American called back, “Is that you Hans?” “Ja?” And that is how the Americans won WWI.

tHE

DOVE HUNT

Edwin H. Cooper, writer of human interest stories and articles, has been published in many Texas magazines and newspapers, and prior to his death was active in numerous civic and school organizations. His book, 40 Years at Aggieland, was published in 2013.

A bunch of us boys got an invitation to hunt doves up at Blanco one September in the 40’s. We were all in our teens except Billie Joe’s daddy, who was a butcher in one of the meat markets in San Marcos. Red and White Grocery, as I remember.

The afternoon was hot and calm, so we gave the old man the place of honor, seating him on a nail keg under a live oak beside a caliche water tank, which we figured to be a natural for thirsty incoming doves. We then walked on toward the weed fields excited about the hunting prospects for the day. About thirty-forty yards away from the old man, I was warning Billie Joe that he should not be firing those highpowered smokeless shells through the old double-barreled Damascus twisted, steel shotgun, but he wasn’t worried about that. About then we all stopped in our tracks upon hearing a dove whistling in toward where the old man was seated. When I saw the bird coming in line with Billie Joe’s daddy, I said, “Don’t Shoot.” By then, the old man saw what was coming and did the only sensible thing---he dropped to the ground on hands and knees with face away from us. Billie Joe missed the bird but did manage to spray his dad with number-6 shots, from the back of his knees up into softer areas. Following a bit of inspection with trousers down and in considerable distress, the old man hobbled up, removed the double barrel from Billie Joe’s grasp, broke same in two pieces against a Shin oak tree and suggested we move toward the hospital in downtown Blanco, which we promptly did, no questions asked. Sure enough, the old doctor was on duty in the limestone rock building right down town. Replete with a green-eye-shade, he invited us boys in to observe minor surgery, the pellets being embedded only one forth to a half inch. The pellets were skillfully removed and dropped with fanfare, into a metal tray. Afterword and while in considerable pain, Mr. Stevenson inquired as to the cost of his medical treatment. The old doc counted the BB’s carefully and announced a fee of $24.00. “It’s a dollar a BB, you understand.” The hunt was over at that point, followed by a painfully quiet return to San Marcos.

Pretty wild, how we used to eat cake after someone had blown out the candles.

Want an outlet for your writing.... Please contact Scarlette or Sandi at 979-567-7871 or 979-567-6753 60

Do You Ever Take a Minute to Reminisce of Days Gone By! Becky Schenk, wife to Raymond Schenk, was born and raised in Burleson County and is a mother of three children, Austin, Alyssa and Easton. She loves reading, listening to spiritual or motivational speakers, networking and volunteering. Becky is a Licensed Realtor at HOM Realty in Caldwell and may be reached at 979-587-0059 or beckyschenk@experiencehom.com. Becky would love to hear from you and receive feedback on her writings.

Do you ever think what our ancestors must have reminisced about and how different their memories were of days gone by? How different our children’s memories will be from ours? I have these images in my mind like a slideshow that plays in my head of memories and moments I hold dear. These images comfort me when I need it most. My earliest memory, however, is after my mother gave birth to my younger sister. I’m not talking about photos I saw in the photo album, nor at the hospital, or the delivery room. Back then, fathers were not let into delivery rooms with their wives. I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was only eighteen months old, standing near the back porch while my paternal grandmother was keeping watch from inside the house behind the screen door. I heard the rumble of Dad’s Chevy Impala and looked up from playing in the dirt and saw daddy pulling up to the house with Mama in the passenger seat. I was so happy to see her. Daddy hurried to open the door for Mama. There were no ultrasounds, nor appointments to hear the heartbeat to try to grasp what was growing in Mama’s belly. So you can imagine my surprise when she got out of the car holding this tiny thing wrapped in a blanket. It wasn’t a doll. It was a real baby. So what is different now? What has changed? Today we don’t have to conjure up the memories in our head; we pick up our Ipads and see all of the slideshows of images we took with our handheld computers. If we want to look at photos from today or anytime earlier, we have them saved, scanned in, ready to review, or to share at a moment’s notice since they were all saved in “the cloud.” We can view them through any one of our shared devices. Also, we don’t have to wait to find out the gender of our baby. Some still choose not to find out, but today we can see genetically engineered pictures our baby. We can design our nursery from Amazon and choose gender neutral decor and clothing as seen before in magazines, but now online. We hold digital baby showers, our guests can order from our online baby registry with QR codes, and the gifts are delivered in just two days from almost anywhere in the nation. Our 2-year- old can see daddy pull into the driveway on the family’s video surveillance, and we can throw our dogs treats while at work via our phone apps. What? I literally cannot keep up with what all is available to make our lives easier and faster. These, of course, are minuscule examples of how our lives have changed so drastically from the past. Really amazing, isn’t it? The array of digital technology gives us such easy access to what we used to have to wait for. The technology world is constantly catapulting our lives into the future so easily and quickly that we are constantly ready and looking for the next new adventure or the newest device, super flash! We find ourselves moving so fast! What I’m wanting to convey is that perhaps if we didn’t have the technology we have today, we’d be forced to slow down. Then, we’d make the sun tea and wait all morning to enjoy it in the afternoon. We wouldn’t use the fancy Keurig for the cup of coffee; we’d wait while we let coffee brew over a hot stove. After looking back on the simpler days, it’s easy to become nostalgic and want to go back to slower times. Yet this is what humans have said for years. So, what do we do? Let’s embrace the changes and use them to enhance our lives, but let’s continue to connect, or work at connecting with others in ways we never thought possible. After all, isn’t that what life is all about? We may not be able to go back, but we can certainly move forward - together! “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:33-34

Earth’s Population Statistics in Perspective The population of Earth is around 7.8 Billion.

22 - are Muslims 14 - are Hindus For most people, it is a significant figure. However, if you con- 7 - are Buddhists densed 7.8 billion into 100 persons, and then into various per- 12 - are other religions centage statistics, the resulting analysis is relatively much easier 12 - have no religious beliefs. to comprehend. 26 - live less than 14 years 66 - died between 15 - 64 years of age. Out of 100: 8 - are over 65 years old. 11 - are in Europe 5 - are in North America 9 - are in South America 15 - are in Africa 60 - are in Asia 49 - live in the countryside 51 - live in a city 75 - have cell phones 25 - do not. 30 - have internet access 70 - do not have the availability to go online 83 - can read 17 - are illiterate. 33 - are Christians

If you have your own home, Eat full meals & drink clean water, Have a cell phone, Can surf the internet, and have gone to college, You are in the minuscule privileged lot. (in the less than 7% category) Amongst 100 persons in the world, only eight live or exceed the age of 65! If you are over 65 years old, be content & grateful Cherish life. Grasp the moment.If you did not leave this world before the age of 64, like the 92 persons who have gone before you, you are already the blessed amongst humankind. Take good care of your health. Cherish every remaining moment.

If you think you are suffering memory loss, read on. Anosognosia, very interesting: In the following analysis,the French Professor Bruno Dubois, Director of the Institute of Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease (IMMA) at La Pitié-Salpêtrière - Paris Hospital addresses the subject in a rather reassuring way: “If anyone is aware of their memory problems, they do not have Alzheimer’s.” 1. forget the names of families. 2. do not remember where I put some things. It often happens in people 60 years and older that they complain that they lack memory. “The information is always in the brain, it is the “processor” that is lacking.” This is “Anosognosia” or temporary forgetfulness. Half of people 60 and older have some symptoms that are due to age rather than disease. The most common cases are: - forgetting the name of a person, - going to a room in the house and not remembering why we were

going there, - a blank memory for a movie title or actor, an actress, - a waste of time searching where we left our glasses or keys. After 60 years most people have such a difficulty, which indicates that it is not a disease but rather a characteristic due to the passage of years . Many people are concerned about these oversights hence the importance of the following statements: 1. “Those who are conscious of being forgetful have no serious problem of memory.” 2. “Those who suffer from a memory illness or Alzheimer’s are not aware of what is happening.” Professor Bruno Dubois, Director of IMMA, reassures the majority of people concerned about their oversights: “The more we complain about memory loss, the less likely we are to suffer from memory sickness.”

From the Back Porch A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be very liberal, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words redistribution of wealth. She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch conservative, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his. One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn’t even have time for a boyfriend, and didn’t really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying. Her father listened and then asked, “How is you friend Audrey doing?” She replied, “Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She’s always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn’t even show up for classes because she’s too hung over.” Her wise father asked his daughter, “Why don’t you go to the Dean’s office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off you GPA and give it to you friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.” The daughter, visibly shocked by her father’s suggestion, angrily fired back, “That’s a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I’ve worked really hard for my grades! I’ve invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked by tail off!” The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, “Welcome to the conservative side of the fence.”

Amusing Stories From Here and There

Got Dad’s Number

One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, “Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?” The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. “I can’t, dear,” she said. “I have to sleep in Daddy’s room.” A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: “The big sissy.”

Three Wise Women Do you know what would have happened if it had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men? They would have asked directions, Arrived on time, Helped deliver the baby, Cleaned the stable, Made a casserole, Brought practical gifts and There would be Peace On Earth

The Speed of Light My new father-in-law is a research engineer. He contends that people would better understand the speed of light if it were broken down into smaller increments. Traditionally it has been taught that light travels 186 million miles per second. He feels that people could more easily relate to light traveling 10.8 inches per nanosecond, which is approximately one-billionth of a second. He says, “If you still have trouble relating to the speed of light in terms of nanoseconds, just think of the time it takes for the car behind you to honk its horn after the light turns green. That’s a nanosecond!”

A Funeral Story by Marci Ramirez

Marci Ramirez is a Licensed Funeral Director at Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home in Caldwell, Texas, Certified Life Celebrant and Certified Cremation Specialist. She spends her time volunteering for several nonprofit organizations, locally and in Bryan-College Station, is a member of Caldwell Methodist Church. She enjoys baking, visiting friends and family and her dear pups, Charlie and Bones.

Why would anyone want to work in the death industry? I have been asked countless times, “How can you stand to do that job? or “It takes a special person to do that kind of thing, isn’t it depressing”? These questions are understandable, the subject of death is not a popular one. If someone would have told me that I would be a funeral director one day, I would say they had lost their mind. I wasn’t one to even attend funerals, much less conduct them. But I soon discovered that a career in funeral service is not just a job, it is a ministry to care not just for the dead, but the living. I am not special, I’m a normal person like everyone else except I have learned through many trials the importance of loving one another, and the loving expression of a warm embrace. My first experience with death was December 26, 1978. I was just 10 years old. My mother had made the best chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate that afternoon, and we danced in the living room to the theme song of the musical Grease and then we settled in front of the living room bay window to watch the snow fall. The snowflakes were huge and you could almost distinguish the unique design of each one. Little did I know that this would be the last time we would see them together. Just before bedtime, I went to my mother to say goodnight and found her lifeless body, sitting in her favorite chair. Words cannot describe the sudden rush of grief and loneliness I felt. I overheard

When the store manager returned from lunch, he noticed his clerk’s hand was bandaged, but before he could ask about the bandage, the clerk had some very good news for him. “Guess what, sir?” the clerk said. “I finally sold that terrible, ugly suit we’ve had so long!” “Do you mean that repulsive pink and blue double breasted thing?!” the manager asked. “That’s the one!” “That’s great!” the manager cried. “I thought we’d never get rid of that monstrosity! That had to be the ugliest suit we’ve ever had! But tell me, why is your hand bandaged?” “Oh,” the clerk replied, “after I sold the guy that suit, his seeing-eye dog bit me.”

people as they expressed condolences and would say to my father, “She’s so young, kids are resilient, she will be fine.” I may not remember yesterday, but that day is forever etched, every detail, in my mind, my heart. I remember every detail of the funeral. From the freezing Wisconsin weather, to the overwhelming smell of flowers in the chapel, and in our home. At the funeral service, the pastor talked about God, the importance of salvation and everything else under the stars, but not mom. Not her warm hugs, delicious meals, her patience and loving spirit; the beautiful person we would miss forever, none of that was mentioned. Forty years later, I became a licensed funeral director. Why, because I believe that we should celebrate the memories of those we love. To grieve is normal, it is part of life, but we must celebrate, celebrate every moment, every memory of those we love and have lost. We should love and encourage one another, not only to be better but to be kind, and most importantly to love. When a family entrusts their loved one to my care, it is not a service I provide, it is a great responsibility – an honor. When I came to Caldwell, I never intended to stay. The friendships, love, and care that resides within this small community has embraced me like never before, and I know, now more than ever that this is where I belong. Being a funeral director is not a job, I will never be rich, but I will know that when I lay my head down at the end of what may have felt like an endless day, I will have honored the memory of someone who so dearly loved. I am blessed and so very thankful for the opportunity to serve, not just the dead, but the living.

Little Bobby was spending the weekend with his grandmother. His grandmother decided to take him to the park on Saturday morning. It had been snowing all night and everything was beautiful. His grandmother remarked... “doesn’t it look like an artist panted this scenery? Did you know God painted this just for you?” Bobby said, “Yes, God did it and he did it left handed.” This confused his grandmother a bit, and she asked him “What makes you say God did this with his left hand?” “Well, said Bobby, “we learned at Sunday School that Jesus sits on God’s right hand!”

It’s More Than

Shooting by Shannon Briggs Several times a month, a group of women gather at a local private range for target practice, drills and education on firearms, defensive tactics, situational awareness and more. There are many different reasons for each to have joined the Caldwell chapter of A Girl & A Gun (AG & AG), but the one thing they have in common is a feeling of sisterhood. Camaraderie blossoms as they gain confidence through the support of each other’s encouragement. A Girl & A Gun is a membership organization with events that offer successful stepping stones for thousands of women entering the shooting community by fostering their love of shooting with caring and qualified instructors who coach them. AG & AG breaks barriers for women in self-defense, and in pistol, rifle, and shotgun shooting sports by welcoming beginners to learn the basics of safe and accurate shooting, and by providing experienced shooters with advanced-level opportunities. The organization has members in all 50 states and hosts recurring Girl’s Nights Out (GNO) at more than 200 ranges throughout the United States. AG & AG events are fun, social gatherings where women get firearms training and encouragement, ask questions in a safe and nonjudgmental environment, improve their marksmanship, and make new friends. While the mission for AG & AG is to educate women on safe and accurate shooting, the organization is about so much more than shooting! It is about confidence, empowerment, support, friendships, knowledge, fun, self-reliance, and other positive attributes. Each member witnesses transformation as women who set out to learn how to shoot, and in the process, discover a confidence in themselves that improves all areas of their lives. Whether one’s interest is in competition, concealed carry, home defense, the safe storage of guns in the home, or to just get out of the house and try something new, please join in at an upcoming event. All AG & AG events are supervised by Certified Firearms Instructors. The Caldwell chapter facilitator, BJ Hegemeyer, as well as the chapter instructors, can provide techniques and tips for female shooters. If anyone does not own a firearm, no problem! Come try some from local members to find one that “FITS YOU” before making a pur-

chase. The goal is to empower, educate, and have fun at the range. For more information about A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League, or to learn how to join, please visit www.agirlandagun.org or drop by a Meet and Greet at 700 Hwy 21 West (building across from Edward Jones office) on Thursday, October 5 from 5:30- 7:30 pm, or Sunday, October 8 from 3:00-5:00 pm. Caldwell chapter members will be present to answer any questions regarding the organization. Help us break barriers for women in shooting sports!

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Communicate with John (JT) Taylor at john@taylorjt.com