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About the Cover It’s Not About Me Back at the Ranch From Us To You Spotlight on Burleson County Professional Directory The Joyful Service Satisfaction is the Goal We Can Make Your Dreams a Reality An Ounce of Prevention is... The Challenge of Historical Indifference Procrastinators Unite...Tomorrow Words, Words, Words...Their Power The Ace at Your Gathering The Perfect Mistake Beginning of Transformations Can’t Do Much? Think Again Challenges of Parenting Children Facing the Challenge Classic Quiche Lorraine Facing the Challenge of Weight Loss... Confronting Life’s Hornets’ Nest Rising Interest Rates & Stock Investments Visit, Sip, Shop First Steps on a Long Road Times Remembered Watermelon Time Buster Bees & Bruton Cowboy Rules for the Wild West The Rescue Small Town Law Enforcement My Mom Hunting With a Purpose Don’t Mess With Texas Ubiquinol Finding My Place Bullies Need Love, Too

There is a real challenge that is often hidden in the challenge itself. Think about any challenge you may have had or observed in others. Kids who made a bad decision, marital issues, health challenges or a friendship that was challenged beyond repair. Many times as we observe others with a challenge we have our “own” thoughts on how it should be or should have been handled. Clearly, if they had just (fill in the blank), things would have been different, better! The hard part is often trying not to judge while remembering…it’s not about me. Despite the decisions made by the parent, the couple, the sick one or the estranged friends, sometimes the task is in reminding ourselves that the decisions made most often by others while facing a challenge are not about us at all. In other words, we all have challenges, and we reach another parallel in life and career when we can comprehend and embrace the fact that it’s not about me. These decisions, (clearly in our minds wrong decisions) were made by another individual in a space or place of their own at that moment. Surely much of this comes with maturity and hard lessons learned along the way. For me, it’s often a moment when I’m inclined to take something personally, that things get real and almost calming. Seriously, think about that meeting, dinner, or family gathering, listening to someone. Sometimes I listen because it’s polite and because I have visions of my mom popping me with a wooden spoon if I speak out inappropriately. The person speaking is almost annoying in my mind…when I again realize, it’s not about me. Recently, I spoke at a local women’s forum. My usual audience is in dentistry, but it’s always interesting to watch how a group reacts when I ask a question or for their input on something I share from the front of the room. It was interesting that once these ladies recognized that I asked because I truly wanted to know, they were eager to respond. My dental audiences are no different. It’s strange how I’ll ask a question and the audience initially won’t respond. Not be-

cause they are being rude or disrespectful or can’t relate, but often because people don’t ask because they really want to know. They’re used to people talking “at” them, and asking rhetorical questions. We have all witnessed people ask out of habit. You’ve seen it with moms and children or even trainers; “You need to do your homework. Okay?” or “This is how we will handle the issue of clients who are not compliant. Okay?” Then they barrel off into their next comment, never really wanting or waiting for a response. Many people just don’t know how to pause or be curious about another. Moreover, rushing to give an opinion isn’t always the best way to win friends and influence people as Carnegie suggested. They only know how to “tell” someone how it would be handled, if it was my kid. Versus, what Steven R. Covey shared with us; “seek first to understand…” For me, it’s always been easier to remain curious in challenging times. Remaining curious keeps me from finishing someone’s sentence or while they are speaking…already rushing ahead to prepare my response. RELAX, take a deep breath when facing the challenge, it may be the one thing you are still in control of. So much of the issues that create challenges for all of us start with communication. In my speaking business, calls are a large part of what happens before I ever get to the podium. My role in our practice with a patient is often about learning their concerns and desires. I’ve learned in the process, that when I get someone who has this need to “verbally vomit,” it’s generally not about me. Recently, on a conference call the CEO, would not stop talking. It was a join me meeting, so I could see his team, which clearly he was ignoring. Facing this challenge all I could think was are you curious about how they see this product? I asked “Do you think you could ask them if they see value in this product?” No, he never missed a beat, and I wondered why I was on the phone at all. Even in those moments when a call might be so disengaging – all “telling” versus asking or engaging, the need

We all have challenges, and we reach another parallel in life and career when we can comprehend and embrace the fact that it’s not about ME. is theirs – not mine. When a patient might share how he “hates the dentist because the last dentist hurt him and didn’t stop even when he felt it,” I know that the experience is theirs and not mine. Therefore, it’s not about me. Remaining curious helps to create a different environment. I wrote in my second book about “Managing Your Own Morale,” it was so much about how I face challenges. I’ll first ask myself, “What’s my role in this and what is my desired outcome?” It is at that point that it all becomes clearer. Often this simple step back and question allow me to see that this “emotional or mental” place I’m in. Rather than getting upset or taking these things personally at this point in my life, it’s most important to recognize how important it is to pay attention to the audience. The audience might be a patient, team member, family member, someone on a conference call, or an audience in the traditional sense of the word. I’m thankful that so much of what I am blessed to share, teach, or model for others is about being curious and learning to ask and engage others. Often using “Tell me more about that or help me understand what you’re saying”…Whether it is in my role as podcast host in our online learning community, professional speaker, comprehen-

sive care coordinator in our practice, mom, grand mom, or spouse, I pray I’ll continue to remain curious enough to truly “hear” and understand that it’s not about me. See you on the road, JoAn Majors JoAn Majors is a professional speaker and published author. Her articles have appeared in over 25 national and international magazines and newsletters. She writes articles regularly for many magazines. She is a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who also supports in the marketing efforts for her husband, Dr. Chuck Majors at MajorSmiles.com. You can learn more at www.joanmajors. com or call 1.866.51.CHOICE.

What’s my role in this and what is my desired outcome?

BACK AT THE

Ranch

This house with its spacious front porch is the home of Blake and Marsha Kocurek and is our feature for this edition. Located in the Deanville area, the white rock, one story, four bedroom home is graced with external cedar columns and kingpins. The front porch has stained concrete and is surrounded by a bed of pink rose bushes. Adirondack chairs invite family and friends to sit awhile and enjoy the view. The land their home is built on belonged to Blake’s Great Uncle Anton who had raised animals on it. Greg, Blake’s father, and Greg’s brother Randy took over the land after Anton’s death and continued to raise cattle there. When Randy died in the ‘80s, Greg and Blake kept the cattle raising going. Blake’s parents are Gregory and Judy Kocurek. They live on the Kocurek home place in Deanville, Texas. Greg grew up with his 4 siblings there. He worked for ALCOA 37 years, and partnered with his family raising cattle most of his life. He’s an avid fisherman, and enjoys fishing with his grandchildren. Judy, the daughter of Dan and Lydia Blaha, grew up between Deanville and Lexington and attended Lexington

schools. She is a beautician at The Cottage now, and finds herself shuffling time between being with grandchildren and watching their other son Kris coaching the Detroit Lions. Of course, Blake grew up in Caldwell, attending Caldwell schools. Blake has followed in the footsteps of the Kocurek family by raising cattle. Blake began working cattle with his dad, uncles, and grandfather. He then went into the hay bailing business before going into the oilfield business. In 2007, Blake married Marsha Broesche of Burton. Her parents are Marcus and Susan Broesche. Susan grew up in Dime Box, while Marcus lived in Burton. His family of 10 children came over to America, and he was the youngest, so Marsha knew few of her father’s siblings. Marsha gained a college degree after graduating from Blinn College, Texas A&M in 2005, OSU 2007, and TWU 2011. Blake and Marsha moved to the land where their home is now and lived in a trailer till they began building in 2011. Fisher and Langham Custom Builders out of Giddings, cousins of Marsha, built for them. Continued on Page 43

rrom om us to you

Editors Note

Dear Readers,

s our 17th year of publication is well underway, we are mindful of how blessed we have been to be able to offer to you the best we could provide in our Front Porch Magazine. Our focus has ever been on the people, history, nutrition, faith, and the future of our small town. We are aware that without the readership that we have, we would not be publishing our magazine. We want to tell you that we never tire of you telling us how much you enjoy reading the Front Porch: the stories that tug at your heart, the jokes, the stories that inspire you to be the best you can, and the ones that inform you. Thank you for being a faithful reader and encourager. We hope that this April edition is our best yet. Of course, that is our goal each edition. Enjoy the warming weather of Texas, and if you aren’t pleased with it, as the saying goes: Just hang around a while…it’ll change. Blessings and thanksgiving to each, Sincerely Sandi Balcar Publisher Scarlette Taylor Editor and Advertising Manager

potlight on

Burleson County’s

Unique Heritage by Linda Chamberlain

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.

The Kraitchar Family Their home has become a Texas Historic Landmark ed as Representative to the State Legislature from Burleson County’s 48th District. Sadly in June of 1911, Thomas Kraitchar, Sr. died of cancer of the stomach at the age of 63. He had a very illustrious life and was looked up to by many in the town of Caldwell. Thomas Kraitchar, Jr. (Tom) was born the 22nd of April, 1870 in Wesley, Washington County, Texas. He worked with his father in the Kraitchar & Son Dry Goods store and he also served Burleson County as tax collector from 1895-1897. He served the City of Caldwell as an Alderman from 1901-1905 and again from 1914-1916. He, like his father, was a highly respected resident. He married Marie (Mary) Kocurek and they had four children:

Thomas & Mary (Kocurek) Kraitchar Jr. Thomas Kraitchar, Sr., was born in 1848 in what was then Bohemia of the Austrian Empire. (“Bohemia sometimes refers to the entire Czech territory including Moravia,” according to Wikipedia.) He emigrated to the United States in 1853 as a small child with his father (also a Thomas Kraitchar) and his mother. The family lived in Washington County and it was there in 1868 he married Annie Mikeska. Sometime later in the late 1880’s he moved his family to Burleson County and was one of the first Czech settlers in Caldwell. He opened a Dry Goods store on Echols street called Kraitchar & Son next to Cobb’s Store and was one of the first five alderman to serve on the City Council after Caldwell was incorporated in 1891. Also in 1891, he built the Kraitchar House on Buck Street as a wedding gift for his son, Thomas Kraitchar, Jr. In 1910, Thomas, Sr. was elect-

Thomas Kraitchar Sr. Ella (1891-1978); Annie (1893-1936); Hubert Thomas (1895-1982); and Mary (1898-1924). Miss Ella Kraitchar never married and continue to live in the home place on Buck Street until having to go to the rest home in 1972. She was very well educated, was an accomplished pianist, and she raised hunting dogs, and was very proud of her flower beds which she maintained around the house. The Kraitchar House is an example of Vic-

Cont’d on Page 13

professional directory Air Conditioning-Installation & Repair Reliant Mechanical Weaver’s Refrigeration Antiques BM Love Creations Miss Scarlette’s Automobile Parts-Supplies-Repairs Burleson County Motor Supply dBm Auto Repair Automobile Sales-Detail Douglass Nissan Milton Hodges -Caldwell Country Banks Citizens State Bank Prosperity Bank BarBQ Matus BarBQ Beauty Shop Foundations Salon & Spa Beef - Local - All Natural Diamond A Ranch Beef Burleson County Events Fair Association Churches Church of Christ First Baptist City/Civic/Government Offices City of Caldwell City of Somerville Cleaning Service Vertical Clean Construction C & H Building Construction RSC Homes & Cabinets Convenience Store RockinG Copies/Printing/UPS/Fax Service ImageMaker Cosmetics Seacret Country Club Copperas Hollow Dentistry Drgac Dental MajorSmiles Michael K. Reese Rivers Family Dentistry Dozer Services Double O Dozer Hubert Hoyack J7 Service Loehr Dozer Electrical Service Stevenson’s Electrical Feed Faust Farms Homeyer Feed & Supply

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Fencing Drgac Fencing Financials LPL Financial Funeral Home Phillips & Luckey Furniture BN Love Creations Health Care CHI St. Joseph Hospital CHI St. Joseph Skilled Nursing Hemp Oil Hope Pregnancy Center Insurance Alford Insurance Company Texas Farm Bureau Livestock & Commission Caldwell Livestock Com. Liquor Store B&C Wine & Spirits Lumber Company Woodson’s Lumber Company Massage Therapy Renew Your Temple Oil & Gas - Minerals & Leases Prairie Falcon Exploration Prairie Mineral Company Pest Control Armstrong Pesticide Solutions Photograpy Schuman Photography Plumbing DP Plumbing Political Republican Party Port-A-Pottys Addy’s Poo Pots Real Estate Home & Ranch Real Estate Polansky Realty Real Estate Listings Home & Ranch Restaurants & Catering Golden Chick Lissa’s Sip & Shop Lo Nuestro de Mexico Mad Hatter’s Masfajitas Mexican Restaurant Super Donuts Septics Addy’s Poo Pots Easy Flow Tax Preparers & Advisors Danny Koerth Towing Andy’s Towing Truck-Auto-Tires-Supplies Burleson County Motor Supply Mitchell Tire Service Veterinarian

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BV-MVS Vitamins Roots & Shoots Water Well Drilling Loehr Drilling Co, Inc Welding & Fabricating C&H Welding & Fabrication Wine B&C Wine & Spirits

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SANDI BALCAR & SCARLETTE TAYLOR

67 67

SANDI BALCAR

PUBLISHERS LAYOUT & DESIGN EDITOR

SCARLETTE TAYLOR

SCHUMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

ADVERTISING SALES EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHER

61 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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NEAL BEARD LINDA CHAMBERLAIN SUZY COHEN EDWIN H. COOPER SENATOR JOHN CORNYN TRACY FRANK TAMMY KUBECKA SHARON ANN LAFFERE EHLERT DR. KRISTEL LEUBNER, DO JOAN MAJORS DR. JACK MCKEMIE DVM THOMAS NORSWORTHY KAVON NOVAK RENITA ODSTRCIL DONNA VARNER PRESNAL MATTHEW RENNER DEL ROGERS, SR. IDA SCHUMAN SCARLETTE TAYLOR TONY TAYLOR POLLY WILLIAMS Phone 979.567.7871 979.567.6753 301 Hwy 21 E Caldwell, TX 77836 www.frontporchmagazine.com The contents of all articles do not represent the views of the Front Porch Magazine. The magazine claims no responsibility for the accuracy of information or content.

The Joyful Service Last week I was having breakfast at a local restaurant and as I was sitting in my truck eating I noticed a homeless guy sitting on the curb behind the building with his dog. He was holding a sign asking for money or food donations to help feed him and his dog (did not look like a druggy or alchy just an older man down on his luck). I observed him the entire time I ate my breakfast, he mostly just sat there scratching his mutt and holding the sign while people drove past ignoring them. When I finished my breakfast I decided to make another run through the drive-through and ordered a large chicken biscuit combo. As I was leaving I pulled up along side him and handed him the bag of breakfast and a small bag of dog food I had in my truck for when I bring my dog to work. The bag of food put a huge smile on his face but when I handed him the bag of dog food the guy literally lost it and started bawling right there on the side of my truck. After regaining his composure, he exclaimed that it had been so long since somebody had treated him like a human being. I asked him if he would be willing to work hard for a decent dayâ€™s pay, and he immediately straightened up and exclaimed that he could be the hardest worker I had ever seen. I gave him my business card and a fiver and told him to meet me at that spot the next morning and I would put him to work.

The next day I stopped in and sure enough he was waiting there for me, I took him and his dog to the jobsite. He wasnâ€™t kidding about being a hard worker; this guy carried wood around and fetched tools out of my truck for me all day without complaining once. His dog just shadowed him the entire time. During the day I learned about how he had lost his wife in a car accident, had his home that he had lived in for 35 years repossessed by the bank, had no children or family, was staying at a KOA campground, and had a bunch of his life possessions stolen, had been spit on by strangers while begging for money and had all but given up on the human race as a whole. At the end of the day I took him to my bank and withdrew his dayâ€™s pay which amounted to $80. The look on his face was well worth it. My random act of kindness seemed to put a spark back in his eye and I continued to pick him up the rest of the week in the same spot and paying him at the end of each day. Yesterday when I dropped him off he asked me to take him to a different spot, near the KOA. He explained with the money I paid him he was going to be able to afford camping provisions for the next couple of months and told me how much it meant to him and his dog to not have to sleep outside on the cold ground. When I left him last night he looked like a different person than the man I saw hanging his head in shame behind the restaurant. He promised me he would be there for me next week if I needed him, and although my job-site is going to be on the other side of town next week I have already decided to continue going out of my way to pick him up and put him to work. Feels good, man.

The Kraitchar Family (Cont’d) torian cottage style house and was built of cypress which was brought to the site from Louisiana in horse drawn wagons. The residence remained in the Kraitchar family until the Burleson County Historical Society obtained it in 1982. It had sat vacant for ten years from 1972 when Miss Ella went into the nursing home until 1982 when the family sold the property, and it had fallen into serious disrepair. The Society immediately began planning a total restoration of the home, hired a preservation architect, and began the long and tedious task of compiling the plans which were finally submitted to the Texas Historical Commission in October of 1983, under the name “Kraitchar House, Caldwell, Texas.” With that restoration, the Kraitchar House was recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an excellent example architecture of that period and it houses countless examples of artifacts used during that time. It has served the community as a house museum, meeting and reception facility, and is opened for educational tours to school children and tour groups throughout the year. The Society sponsors several “First Friday Luncheons” each year which raises money for the upkeep of the house. They also sells bricks to honor or memorialize special family members or friends along with note cards, tote bags, and various books, including the most recent history : Burleson County A Tapestry of History ($65). In late 2016 and early 2017 The Society once again has undertaken some major repairs to the home which would not have been possible without the donations from many concerned residents. The Kraitchar House, now in its 126th year, is returning to its former glory. It is on the westernmost part of the “Main Street Project” on Buck Street. The House has appeared on many publications about Caldwell and is recognized as one of the “faces” of Caldwell. Drive by and take a look and watch for coming events to be held in the house. It is truly a landmark in the city and county.

Satisfaction is the

Goal Amanda Mc Donald is opening Vertical Clean, a new cleaning service in Caldwell and the area. Amanda chose the name for her business because her philosophy in cleaning is to look up for areas to be cleaned, overhead, and then to clean her way down till all is covered. Amanda is no new comer to cleaning. Growing up in Houston, she worked with her grandmother who was a cleaner, and also worked with her uncle who had a construction cleaning company, which provided cleaning services for new houses being built. “It’s in the blood,” Amanda laughed when discussing her cleaning history.

Cleaning done quickly and efficiently Amanda’s new business is really new, having started in January 2017. She is bonded and has worked in the area for some three years now, with other cleaners. Amanda feels her new business is a service to families. If she cleans their homes, then they are provided more time with their families. And, the opposite is true…if she cleans in the day, then she and her husband Michael have more time for their two children. She says, “It is a personal satisfaction for me to, in essence, give parents time with their family.” The hours for residential cleaning are mornings till 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday. Commercial and construction cleaning times vary. Amanda will clean during work hours or after closing. Check with her to schedule your job. Amanda has two other workers, so a duo will go in and get cleaning done quickly and efficiently. If you want her to clean for you, she will go through your house with you and, depending on size and frequency of cleaning, she will give you a price for the service. Amanda has recommendations from people she’s cleaned for in the past. Amanda presents herself as a customer friendly individual and service. Her goal is your satisfaction; for her, this is first and foremost. She says her approach to her business is “a Servant Mentality.” Contact information: 979-446-7419, or email to verticalclean16@ gmail.com.

“Let your light so shine before men…” Matthew 5:15

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers They May Not Find Us Abe and Esther are flying to Australia for a two-week vacation to celebrate their 40th anniversary. Suddenly, over the public address system, the Captain announces, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I am afraid I have some very bad news. Our engines have ceased functioning and we will attempt an emergency landing. Luckily, I see an uncharted island below us and we should be able to land on the beach. However, the odds are that we may never be rescued and will have to live on the island for the rest of our lives!” Thanks to the skill of the flight crew, the plane lands safely on the island. An hour later Abe turns to his wife and asks, “Esther, did we pay our $5,000 PBS pledge check yet?” “No, Sweetheart,” she responds. Abe, still shaken from the crash landing, then asks, “Esther, did we pay our American Express card yet?” “Oh, no! I’m sorry. I forgot to send the check,” she says. “One last thing, Esther. Did you remember to send checks for the Visa and MasterCard this month?” he asks. “Oh, forgive me, Abie,” begged Esther. “I didn’t send that one, either.” Abe grabs her and gives her the biggest kiss in 40 years. Esther pulls away and asks him, “What was that for?” Abe answers, “They’ll find us!”

Two little kids went in to their parent’s bathroom and spotted their mother’s scale on the floor. “Whatever you do,” said the first kid to the second, “Don’t step on it.” “Why not?” asked the second. “Because,” replied the first, “every time mom steps on it, she screams.” ***************** Paul walks into the boss’s office. “Sir, let me get straight to the point, I know the economy is really down, but I have a couple of companies after me, and I would like to ask for a raise.” After a few minutes of haggling between them the boss finally agrees to a 10% raise, and Paul gets up to leave happily. “One minute,” says the boss to Paul , “which companies are after you by the way?” “The gas company, cable company, and phone company,” Paul replied!

I can’t understand why women are okay that J C Penny has an older women’s clothing line named, “Sag Harbor .”

Come See Us

We Can Make Your

Dreams

A Reality

in a new home or some custom cabinets

RSC

Homes & Custom Cabinets, located at 3907 Hwy 21 East, Caldwell, TX 77836, is the brain child of Brian Rok. He started focusing on custom homes about a year ago and is eager to offer the Caldwell area the best of the best in workmanship and quality. He also does some home repair. Working with Brian comes with 25 years of construction background… 17 years in business for himself. His work has been in Ohio, Florida, and now he’s in Caldwell, and has been since 2008. He has been hands deep in every project he has constructed. RSC also offers custom cabinets. They provide a variety of design options for all types of kitchens, baths, closets, pantries, and many other custom ideas the customer might have. All cabinet work comes standard with 3D viewing. Their 3D computer software gives their customers the ability to view their kitchen or other rooms before Brian constructs the cabinets. All cabinets are computer designed and cut to provide correct measurement and assembly. All RSC cabinets are constructed in house and come with quality built in so that they will provide years of worry free use. You can contact Brian at rs.construction@live.com or call 979-219-1740 during normal business hours. He will help you create the home of your dreams. See Brian with your bank’s pre-approved letter, and he can help with construction funding. Allowances are set for fixtures and floorings, creating the custom experience.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Drummer Problems A musical director was having a lot of trouble with one drummer. He talked and talked and talked with the drummer, but his performance simply didn’t improve. Finally, before the whole orchestra, he said, “When a musician just can’t handle his instrument and doesn’t improve when given help, they take away the instrument, and give him two sticks, and make him a drummer.” A stage whisper was heard from the percussion section: “And if he can’t handle even that, they take away one of his sticks and make him a conductor.” *********************** Bernard, who is noted for his gracious manners, was awakened one morning at four forty four a.m. by his ringing telephone. . . “Your dog’s barking, and it’s keeping me awake,” said an angry voice. Bernard thanked the caller and politely asked his name and number before hanging up. The next morning at precisely four forty four a.m., Bernard called his neighbor back. “Good morning, Mr. Williams.... Just called to say that I don’t have a dog.”

Pearly Gates Story A man dies and goes to heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. St. Peter says, “Here’s how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you’ve done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in.” “Okay,” the man says, “I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart.” “That’s wonderful,” says St. Peter, “that’s worth three points!” “Three points?” he says. “Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service.” “Terrific!” says St. Peter, “that’s certainly worth a point.” “One point? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans.” “Fantastic, that’s good for two more points,” he says. “TWO POINTS!!” the man cries, “At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God! “Come on in!”

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure Kristel Leubner, DO Specialty: Family Medicine Dr. Kristel Leubner grew up in rural Hamshire, Texas, dreaming of becoming a physician in a community much like her own. She had an unusual childhood curiosity about the body, illness, and how it was connected at a very early age, and that has been the fuel behind her love of what she does. In her eyes, each patient story is a unique puzzle waiting to be put together. After attending the University of Texas, she received her medical degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Leubner became a family medicine practitioner because she enjoys caring for patients of all ages. She chose to practice at HealthPoint because she found its principle of providing patient-centered wellness consistent with her own. Dr. Leubner practices medicine with a holistic approach, realizing that mental and physical health are intricately connected.

We’ve all heard this familiar saying. However, jumping on the preventive health bandwagon isn’t always an easy sell. Like everything else we have come to expect in modern times, we may not immediately see results. When you are suffering, it’s easy to remember a doctor’s appointment, as you just want to feel better. Now, the push in medicine is to prevent the problem before it occurs or to detect it early so that timely treatment can be administered. Modern medicine now has cost effective screening techniques for a vast array of common ailments. These discussions are given more attention at an annual wellness exam or checkup. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Since cholesterol levels are a risk factor for heart disease, screening should be performed periodically starting in early adulthood and perhaps even sooner if you are overweight. High blood pressure is another risk factor. It’s important that your doctor discuss appropriate parameters with you and start lifestyle intervention before reaching a range that would necessitate blood pressure lowering medication. Fasting glucose measurements performed at the annual physical can screen for insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle interven-

tion and pharmacotherapy can prevent progression into overt diabetes if caught soon enough in many patients. Breast cancer remains a leading cause of death in the United States. Annual mammography should start at age 40 and continue yearly. If one has a first degree relative (parent or sibling) that has been diagnosed with breast cancer, this screening should occur ten years prior to his/her age at diagnosis. For patients in which a genetic pre-disposition to breast cancer is present, screening may be recommended more frequently or with different modalities. Yearly fecal immunohistochemical testing for colon cancer can be performed in the comfort of your own home. For a more thorough evaluation, a colonoscopy procedure can be done. Typically, if this is clear, a repeat is recommended in 10 years. For men, prostate cancer screening begins at age 50 and continues annually through the age of 65. Cervical cancer, once a leading cause of mortality in the U.S. has been improved with the papiniculou or pap smear, starting at age 21. Innovations in screening for high risk HPV, a known risk factor for cervical cancer, can be performed concurrently to potentially reduce the frequency of screening in women. In addition to testing, vaccinations can prevent some illnesses or reduce the severity and duration of others. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended in all adults. A series of two vaccinations offers increased immunity against streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common cause of pneumonia. The shingles vaccine, or Zostavax, can be received starting at age 50. Tetanus vaccination should be updated every 10 years with the pertussis booster once during adult life. For those at risk, vaccinations exist against both hepatitis A and B.

Speak with your healthcare provider about how you might be proactive regarding your future health.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers We had phone solicitors calling all the time. One day a basement water proofing company called, my son picked up and let the lady talk, you were able to hear how excited the lady was having found someone who would listen. Finally, she asked, “When can we send someone down to give a estimate?” My son answered, “As soon as we dig a basement!”

*************

A teacher was having trouble teaching math to one little boy. “If you reached in your right pocket and found a dime, and you reached in your left pocket and found a nickel, what would you have?” she asked him. “Someone else’s pants” was the reply.

Paul is being indoctrinated by the Russian government: Govt. Official: “If you had a yacht, what would you do with it?” Paul: “Give it to Mother Russia.” Govt. Official: “And if you had a palace, what would you do with it?” Paul: “Give it to Mother Russia.” Govt. Official: “And if you had a sweater, what would you do with it?” No reply. Government official asks the question again. And still not reply. Finally he shouts: “Paul, why don’t you reply?” Paul: “Because I have a sweater.”

If you have any good jokes you would like to see in the Front Porch....please send them to us at imagemaker@airplexus.com

The Challenge of Historical Indifference by Tammy Kubecka

Reading journals from early Texas, or anywhere, will boggle the mind. Early settlers and travelers faced some of the harshest conditions imaginable with rugged terrain, Indian attacks, floods and illness. People waiting two weeks or more to cross The Brazos River, or even Davidson Creek here in Burleson County, is just beyond our scope of comprehension. We zip down State Highway 21 and never give a thought to how easily we can cross a creek. Walking through county cemeteries, we can connect to our local history just by reading the names. We see our merchants, politicians, teachers and doctors. We read the names of our ancestors and for a few minutes, we are reverent to their memory. But once you leave the cemetery, or cross the creek, the past is usually shoved to back of your mind. While a handful of us are trying desperately to preserve the past, the majority of the population could simply care less. The Burleson County Historical Commission receives numerous calls every year about overgrown cemeteries. We are as concerned as anyone and we deal with questions all the time, but the simple fact is most cemeteries are ignored unless an individual steps up to care for it. We’re sorry to say there is not funding on any level of government for cleaning cemeteries. Some have associations that take donations, while others have a designated person who overseas cleanup and would probably appreciate a donation to help with mowing and other maintenance. Or, best yet, why don’t YOU roll up your sleeves and help? There’s plenty of historical preservation work to do, with a group or on your own. We recommend letting someone know if you’re pursuing a historical project because there’s resources available you might not know about. We also get complaints from genealogists who want more county records online. We hope they understand that transcribing records is a slow and meticulous process, and we lack the manpower to instantly make information appear. It might take days or weeks to transcribe one volume of records. If the availability of online records is something you feel passionate about, then why not volunteer YOUR time to do some of the work? Quite often, when historical groups begin work on a project, or completes it, someone is on hand to immediately tell us what we did wrong, or what we should have added or left out. Yet we constantly lack in volunteer help for anything we do, not to mention funds. Where were these people when the work was being done? There’s a growing problem of historical indifference across the nation. People enjoy a meeting or presentation as long as it

entertains them, but they aren’t willing to give a little time to help preserve the history that’s rapidly disappearing right in front of us. Conferences and meetings draw folks from miles around, but when they leave they never implement one single project when they get home. The challenge historical people face is an uphill battle: Frantically trying to do dozens of things at once to save names, to save photos and to save YOUR history. A few dedicated souls that truly care who is buried in our cemeteries walk them out to transcribe names from stones, and a few dedicated genealogists who are determined to make it easier for others to find their ancestors transcribe marriage records from newspapers. We volunteer hundreds of hours per year in Burleson County with events, a museum and projects. Why don’t YOU accept the challenge of historical preservation? Someday it’ll be YOUR memory we’re trying to save.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Railroad A man who had spent his whole life in the desert visited a friend. He’d never seen a train or the tracks they run on. While standing in the middle of the RR tracks, he heard a whistle, but didn’t know what it was. Predictably, he’s hit and is thrown to the side of the tracks, with some minor internal injuries, a few broken bones, and some bruises. After weeks in the hospital recovering, he’s at his friend’s house attending a party. While in the kitchen, he suddenly hears the teakettle whistling. He grabs a baseball bat from the nearby closet and proceeds to batter and bash the teakettle into an unrecognizable lump of metal. His friend, hearing the ruckus, rushes into the kitchen, sees what’s happened and asks the desert man, “Why’d you ruin my good tea kettle?” The desert man replies, “Man, you gotta kill these things when they’re small.”

Back at the Ranch (Cont’d)

Their son Bailen, 5, and daughter Marley 3,truly enjoy life. Bailen goes to preschool at First Baptist School and enjoys soccer, Rodeo Play Days with his sister, and baking goods and entering them at the County Fair. He also enjoys making fudge with his JuJu. Marley goes to Mother’s Day Out at the Methodist Church. With their four dogs, Danica, a Great Dane; Bella, a Border Collie mix; Dot, an English Bulldog; and Deuce, the Dachshund, and their two cats, Mermaid and Hulk, they have no end of enjoyment. Blake and Marsha are community people and find life fulfilling as they work with others in Deanville organizations: Park Assn, Lions, and Hermann Sons, Heritage Foundation, & Little League, as well as St. John’s Lutheran Church. They enjoy Burleson County Go Texan, and Burleson County Fair Pet Show, too. When they slow down some, they find pleasure sitting on their front porch enjoying the beautiful view. And the kids like drawing on the porch floor and just being there. Life is good in Deanville, Texas.

Procrastinators Unite….. Tomorrow

Renita Odstrcil is a licensed Texas Realtor. She is a member of the National and Texas Association of Realtors, and the local B/CS Association of Realtors.

I did it again! I put off writing this article until the last minute. Yes, I am a procrastinator, but aren’t we all? Just a little? I believe the urge to procrastinate is within us all and it starts at an early age. Remember putting off cleaning your room when you were little even after you were told to clean it countless times? How about waiting until 9:00 the night before a project was due in school? What about those last minute book reports and essays? We have all procrastinated at some point. Studies have shown that there may be more to procrastination than just not doing or putting something off until later. There has been quite a bit of research in the last 30 or so years to learn about why people procrastinate, what can be done to help people avoid procrastinating, and if there are any adverse health issues related to procrastination. As with many of the articles I write, my subject is often situations that I have dealt with or can relate to. While I research facts and ideas that I can add to my article, I usually learn a little myself. In one article I read, Piers Steel, a professor at University of Calgary was asked how he got interested on the subject of procrastination and his reply was, “Research is me-search.” I like that answer! In Steel’s research on procrastination and human behavior, he developed an equation to help calculate a person’s likelihood to procrastinate. His formula is called the Temporal Motivation Theory which combines what Steel says boils down to three human traits: a person’s confidence, values and impulsiveness. Although procrastination usually tends to be frowned upon, some researchers say procrastination isn’t always a bad thing. Their studies have shown that procrastinators can be classified as ‘active procrastinators’ or ‘passive procrastinators’. Active procrastinators are those who use procrastination as a time management tool and to prioritize tasks. They tend to be more creative, make better decisions and overall have less stress. Passive procrastinators are those who tend to put off something completely because it may feel overwhelming. Procrastinating becomes a form of escape for them. They also tend to suffer more stress and depression. Other researchers believe that procrastinating is never a good

thing. They believe that procrastinators almost always end up suffering more and performing worse than other people. They’ve done, and are still doing, studies to prove that procrastinating is a behavior that is much more entwined into the neuropsychological parts of the brain and that there is far more to it than simply putting something off until tomorrow. They believe that you can no more tell a chronic procrastinator to ‘just do it’ than you can tell someone with depression to ‘just cheer up.’ My belief is that there are varying degrees of procrastination which can have positive as well as negative effects in your personal life and in your professional life. I am a believer in self-improvement. I believe that no matter what your conflict, challenge, vice or habit in life is, you always need to strive to be better than you were yesterday. And, with all things, it probably is better to do it today instead of putting it off until tomorrow. I’d like to finish my article by inserting a paragraph written by my daughter. When she asked me what I was writing about this time, I told her ‘procrastination’. Her response was, “I know what procrastination is, I’ll help you.” Here is her contribution: Procrastination is when something needs to be done and you put it off until later. Many people do it when it is something they don’t want to do such as cleaning the kitchen. It is okay to say you will do it later as long as you do it, but sometimes the job never gets done. The world will not succeed unless there are more doers than procrastinators because people who procrastinate will slow down business. Everyone should have a future goal and hopefully yours is to become a doer. This should be everyones number one future goal. Proud mommy moment! I believe this girl is going places, and I believe The Front Porch may very well have a new little contributor in the making. I think she said it best with “the world will not succeed unless there are more doers than procrastinators.” Even though we all have a tendency to procrastinate here and there, we must ultimately spend most of our time ‘doing’ if we are to have a successful and fulfilling life.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Tony had just finished reading a new book entitled, ‘You Can Be The Man of Your House.’

3 OUT OF 4 VOICES IN MY HEAD WANT TO SLEEP (the other wants to know if penguins have knees)

He stormed to his wife in the kitchen and announced, ‘From now on, you need to know that I am the man of this house and my word is Law. You will prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I’m finished eating my meal, you will serve me a sumptuous dessert. After dinner, you are going to go upstairs with me and you are going to draw me a bath so I can relax. You will wash my back and towel me dry and bring me my robe. Then, you will massage my feet and hands. Then tomorrow, guess who’s going to dress me and comb my hair?’ His Sicilian wife Gina replied, “The funeral director would be my first guess.” ************ A woman phones up her husband at work for a chat... Says He: “I’m sorry honey but I’m up to my neck in work today” Says She: “But I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you dear.” Says He: “OK darling, but since I’ve got no time now, just give me the good news, OK?” Says She: “Well, the air bag works...” ************ The math teacher saw that little Johnny wasn’t paying attention in class. She called on him and said, “Johnny! what are 4, 2, 28 and 44?” Little Johnny quickly replied, “NBC, CBS, HBO and the Cartoon Network.

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Call 979-567-6753 23

WORDS, WORDS, WORDS… THEIR POWER by Scarlette Taylor

“You just shut your mouth, you loud mouth! I’m sick of hearing you. You don’t listen… to a thing I say…you don’t care. No! don’t try to say anything to me. Just shut up NOW! SHUT YOUR TRAP.” How in the world do we get into these situations in our lives? How do we find ourselves screaming at someone we truly love? How do we lose our jobs, or money, our spouses, or our self-esteem? I believe too often it involves the use or misuse of words. And too often we overlook the truth of the power of words. Our words to our wives or husbands, friends, and children help or hinder our relationships. If we use words that are encouraging and uplifting, we are on solid ground. If we aren’t, we will end up hindering our relationships. Words have power. The use and misuse of words greatly affect every relationship. The misuse of words, I.e. words used to tear down or belittle, affects the person spoken to, and it affects the person speaking them as well. One of the greatest tragedies is that some people don’t even know they’re hurting others with their words; they’ve just grown up so desensitized to the hurt of cruel words that they don’t even realize anymore, and so they shout and demean through their days. Are your words to your spouse and children, to your friends and coworkers what they should be? Are you aware of what you say and how you say things? Think about these: Are your words positive? Are your words uplifting? Are your words encouraging? Are your words gentle? If you can answer that you are consistently speaking positively and encouragingly, you are well on your way to avoiding many pitfalls in life, and are on your way to positively influencing others. Too often husbands and wives get careless with their words to one another. They know each other so fully that they get sloppy with their words, perhaps just as they do with their appearance. Do you build up your spouse? encourage your spouse? Do you affirm him/her and sincerely use loving words or words of endearment often? A consistently positive, encouraging, uplifting use of words certainly helps keep love in the relationships. Flippant, harsh, sharp, biting, thoughtless words do nothing but divide and hurt. Also, the words that you speak to your children are the primary influence on them. Children truly reflect what they live. If the father or mother is constantly critical, then the child will expect critical responses in life, and learn to be critical himself. If he is yelled at or spoken harshly to all the time, most often he will in turn yell and have a harshness in speaking. I hate those children’s T-shirts that have plastered on the front, “Here Comes Trouble!” The 3 or 4 year old who wears the words

hears comments about being one who causes trouble. So what does he do? He realizes he looked at as one who causes trouble. A child is in need of good models in his life, even with t-shirt logos. Speaking in a way that is encouraging, uplifting, positive, and gentle will help every child develop into a person others want to be around, want to listen to, and want to be a friend of. Words truly have power. God Himself used words at Creation; He spoke the Universe into being, the World into being, He spoke and brought forth light and stars and plants and even man. His words were the best. Satan came to Eve and through his words destroyed. His deceiving words were accepted by Eve and changed the lives Adam and she had been given…changed their perfect lives. And as a result, they were banished from the wonderfully perfect Garden they had inhabited. Then they lost the relationship with their Creator, their Heavenly Father. The Bible has much to say about our words: Ecclesiastes 12:11 tells us: “The words of the wise are like goads (moving one in the right direction).” Proverbs 15:1 states: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” The Bible also tells us in Proverbs 15:23 “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is.” (Proverbs was written by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, and he devoted many verses to the consequences of words.) Solomon wrote “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness (rebelliousness) in it breaks the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4 And the Bible talks about choosing life or death, blessings or curses. We can bless by what we say, and how. And we can curse by our words. May we be more mindful of our words and use them wisely.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Two factory workers are talking. The woman says, “I can make the boss give me the day off.” The man replies, “And how would you do that?” The woman says, “Just wait and see.” She then hangs upside down from the ceiling. The boss comes in and says, “What are you doing?” The woman replies, “I’m a light bulb.” The boss then says, “You’ve been working so much that you’ve gone crazy. I think you need to take the day off.” The man starts to follow her and the boss says, “Where are you going?” The man says, “I’m going home, too. I can’t work in the dark.”

************ A thief stuck a pistol in a man’s ribs and said, “Give me your money.” The gentleman, shocked by the sudden attack, said, “You cannot do this, I’m a congressman!” The thief replied, “In that case, give me MY money!”

Arguing with a woman is like getting arrested. Everything you say can and will be used against you.

************

A doctor and a lawyer are talking at a party. Their conversation is constantly interrupted by people describing their ailments and asking the doctor for free medical advice. After an hour of this, the exasperated doctor asks the lawyer, “What do you do to stop people from asking you for legal advice when you’re out of the office?” “I give it to them,” replies the lawyer, “and then I send them a bill.” The doctor is shocked, but agrees to give it a try. The next day, still feeling slightly guilty, the doctor prepares the bills. When he goes to place them in his mailbox, he finds a bill from the lawyer.

************

As a group of soldiers stood in formation at an Army Base, the Drill Sergeant said, “All right! All you idiots fall out.” As the rest of the squad wandered away, one soldier remained at attention. The Drill Instructor walked over until he was eye to eye with him, and then raised a single eyebrow. The soldier smiled and said, “Sure was a lot of ‘em, huh, sir?”

Ace The

at your

Gathering B & C Wine & Spirits is one of Caldwell’s newest businesses, located at the corner of Hwys 36 and 21, across from the Surrey Inn. The owners are Chris and Rebecca Mc Daniel. However, the store is in the capable hands of the friendly, fantastic management team of Cindy Boeger and Jerry Stolarski who were contacted by the Mc Daniels at the end of June to become part of B & C Wine & Spirits. Cindy and Jerry worked hard getting all the state and local requirements and details of opening a new business, and successfully opened the doors in August of 2017. The purpose of the business is, of course, to provide wine, spirits, and beer to individuals for their varying needs. However, it is Jerry and Cindy’s desire to get involved in the community… to participate in the charities and fund raisers and the needs of Caldwell, and as she stated: “to be community involved.” Chris and Rebecca Mc Daniel have been Caldwell residents for some three years now. Chris works for Evers and Sons as a supervisor, and Rebecca is a biologist who does deer consulting out of their ranch. Cindy and Jerry had been working with hospice patients prior to Chris and Rebecca involving them in B & C Wine & Spirits. Cindy comes from a nursing background, having been a nurse in the Army for four years and then continuing in the career for the next 33 years. Jerry is a retired entertainer and truck driver. Future plans are to revamp the store soon, and to add cooking and baking goods. At Christmas, they ran some cake and sweets recipes in the local paper, and are hopeful they can share recipes with Caldwell people. They are open Monday through Sunday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, excluding major holidays. You can call B & C Wine & Spirits at 979-567-6700 or 979-200-8788. And their email is: chris@bcwinespirits.com .

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers No Excuse Sunday To make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday, we are going to have a special “No Excuse Sunday”: Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, “Sunday is my only day to sleep in.” There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our pews are too hard. Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching TV late Saturday night. We will have steel helmets for those who say, “The roof would cave in if I ever came to church.” Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot. Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present. Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can’t go to church and cook dinner, too. We will distribute “Stamp Out Stewardship” buttons for those that feel the church is always asking for money. One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature. Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday. The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them. We will provide hearing aids for those who can’t hear the preacher and cotton wool for those who think he’s too loud.

“When Did You Graduate?” I Asked. He Answered, “in 1959. Why Do You Ask?” “You Were In My Class!”, I Exclaimed. He looked at me closely. Then, That Ugly, Old, Bald Wrinkled, Fat, Gray, Decrepit old man asked, “what did you teach?”

Looking Old Have You Ever Been Guilty Of Looking At Others Your Own Age And Thinking, “surely I Can’t Look That Old.” Well... You’ll Love This One. I Was Sitting In The Waiting Room For My First Appointment With A New Dentist. I Noticed His Dds Diploma, Which Bore His Full Name. Suddenly, I Remembered A Tall, Handsome, Darkhaired Boy With The Same Name Had Been In My High School Class Some 40-odd Years Ago. Could He Be The Same Guy That I Had A Secret Crush On, Way Back Then? Upon Seeing Him, However, I Quickly Discarded Any Such Thought. This Balding, Gray-haired Man With The Deeply Lined Face Was Way Too Old To have Been My Classmate. After He Examined My Teeth, I Asked Him If He Had Attended Morgan Park High School “Yes. Yes, I Did. I’m A Mustang,” He Gleamed With Pride.

The Perfect Mistake My mother’s father worked as a carpenter. On this particular day, much in prayer about this. Then your crates arrived. When my staff he was building some crates for the clothes his church was send- removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses wedged between ing to orphanages in two blankets. China. On his way home, he reached into The missionary paused his shirt pocket to find long enough to let his his glasses, but they were words sink in. Then, still gone. When he mengripped with the wontally replayed his earder of it all, he continlier actions, he realized ued: “Folks, when I tried what had happened; the on the glasses, it was as glasses had slipped out though they had been of his pocket unnoticed custom made just for and fallen into one of me! I want to thank you the crates, which he had for being a part of that.” nailed shut. His brand new glasses were headThe people listened, ing for China! happy for the miraculous glasses. But the The Great Depression missionary surely must was at its height and have confused their Grandpa had six chilchurch with another, dren. He had spent $20 they thought. There for those glasses that very were no glasses on their morning. He was really list of items to be sent upset by the thought of overseas. But sitting having to buy another quietly in the back, with pair. “It’s not fair,” he told tears streaming down God as he drove home his face, an ordinary in frustration. “I’ve been carpenter realized the very faithful in giving Master Carpenter had of my time and money used him in an extraorto your work, and now dinary way. this.” There are times we want Months later, the directo blame God instead tor of the orphanage was of thanking him! Peron furlough in the Unithaps it is something we ed States. He wanted to ought to try more ofvisit all the churches that ten, “Thank you, God, supported him in China, for not allowing my car so he came to speak one to start this morning.” Sunday at my grandfaHe may have been savther’s small church in ing your life from a car Chicago. accident. “Lord Jesus, thank you for letting me The missionary began by lose my glasses; I’m sure thanking the people for they’ll be put to good their faithfulness in supuse or there is a lesson porting the orphanage. “But most of all,” he said, “I must thank you to be learned.” for the glasses you sent last year. You see, the Communists had just swept through the orphanage, destroying everything, including my Always look for the “perfect mistakes.” glasses. I was desperate. Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses. Along with not being able to see God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by well, I experienced headaches every day, so my coworkers and I were Christ Jesus. - Phil 4:19

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Medication A distraught senior citizen phoned her doctor’s office. ‘Is it true,’ she wanted to know, ‘that the medication you prescribed has to be taken for the rest of my life?’ ‘Yes, I’m afraid so,’ the doctor told her. There was a moment of silence before the senior lady replied, ‘I’m wondering, then, just how serious is my condition because this prescription is marked ‘NO REFILLS’.’ Pious Man A pious man who had reached the age of 105 suddenly stopped going to synagogue. Alarmed by the old fellow’s absence after so many years of faithful attendance the Rabbi went to see him. He found him in excellent health, so the Rabbi asked, “How come after all these years we don’t see you at services anymore?” The old man looked around and lowered his voice. “I’ll tell you, Rabbi,” he whispered. “When I got to be 90, I expected God to take me any day. But then I got to be 95, then 100, then 105. So I figured that God is very busy and must’ve forgotten about me, and I don’t want to remind Him!”

Well....it’s official The weather has been diagnosed with Bi-polar Disorder.

The Dying Man A priest was preparing a man for his long journey into the night. Whispering firmly, the priest said, “Denounce the devil! Let him know how little you think of his evil.” The dying man said nothing. The priest repeated his order. Still the dying man said nothing. The priest asked, “Why do you refuse to denounce the devil and his evil?” The dying man said, “Until I know where I’m heading, I don’t think I ought to aggravate anybody.”

Beginning of Transformations The Beginning of Transformations stated with my opening Foundation’s Salon & Spa located at 1706 State Highway 21 West of Caldwell. I had no idea what I was getting myself into by opening a salon. Oh by the way, my name is Stefanie GourleyJancik. I would like to take credit for the task of opening the salon. I was given the desire by My Heavenly Father, yes! He gets all the glory. I would not have taken on the task of such a big adventure, fear would have taken over, and I would have put the idea away like so many of my heart’s desires. I would not have put myself at risk of failing. That’s when the beginning of transformation started in my life, knowing all things are possible and I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Phil 4:13)

A peaceful place to go for your beauty and skin needs. My adventure begins-Wellness starts with our hearts. Foundation’s Salon & Spa is an Eco-friendly salon that embraces the health and environmental awareness. We are a full-service salon that takes pride in being natural, botanical and organically driven. We firmly believe that wellness not only starts from the inside, but on the outside as well. You want the best nutrition for your body. Your hair deserves the best, too. Hair is a fundamental element of our personality, health, well-being and the search for our own personal look. We have started values that guide us towards the hair’s natural beauty. The expert hairstylists of this salon have 15 years + experience and a history of continued education. We offer hair design cuts, and color for women and men of all ages. The salon also offers facials, massage, tanning and spray tanning. We take great pride and have carefully chosen our wide selection of latest professional certified natural/organic products free from chemicals, including ammonia-free hair color, perm, and hair care products that we firmly believe in. Foundation’s Salon & Spa is just the beginning of our wellness. We gather here on Tuesdays for Bible Study to heal our soul.

Perfectly Imperfect is what we like to call our little spot in Caldwell. We invite you into our Perfectly Imperfect World. Look forward to meeting YOU. Open Mon-Sat Call 979-567-1700

Can’t Do Much? Think Again

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.

In the mid-1800’s, a Sunday School teacher, while buying a pair of shoes, witnessed to the young shoe clerk and won the young man to the Lord. The young man joined the man’s church. After awhile, his fervor for the Lord and for the Lord’s work prompted him to ask for a Sunday School class, and he was given a class of small boys. That class outgrew the church and eventually became the largest gathering in the entire city. He began preaching, although he was never licensed or ordained. He became the greatest evangelist and preacher since the Apostle Paul. His name was Dwight L. Moody. Moody literally preached around the world! In fact, one newspaper columnist said that he single-handedly drew two continents closer to one another and closer to God. When Moody preached in England, he was invited to preach in the prestigious church led by the great and world renowned pastor, F. B. Meyer. A week or so after Moody left, Dr. Meyer was visiting in the home of one of his parishioners, an older lady who had been teaching a girls class for several years. Dr. Meyer asked, “How goes it with your class of girls?” She said, “Oh, Dr. Meyer, since Moody was here I have won every one of those girls to the Lord.” Meyer said that from that and Moody’s preaching, his ministry was changed to a deeper love for souls and more evangelistic fervor. F.B. Meyer came to the United States for a preaching tour on college campuses across the country. In one particular bible college for preachers where he preached, there was a young man who, the night before, had given up the ministry. He just did not have anything left in him but he wanted to hear the great preacher, F.B. Meyer. That morning as Meyer preached, the young man heard very little except this one challenge. “Young men, if you are not willing to be used of God, at least be willing for God to make you willing.” One young man bowed his head right there and said, “Lord, you know that I am not willing — I just don’t have it in me; but I am willing for You to make

me willing.” Well, God did make him willing and He made him one of the greatest preachers of that day. His name was Wilbur Chapman. He became a tremendous evangelist; preaching and winning thousands and thousands of souls across the country. Chapman needed someone to help him in his evangelistic meetings in his later years. He met a young man who was a clerk at a YMCA — a former baseball player. He asked the young man to join his evangelistic team and help him set up his tent, spread out the sawdust and put out chairs and the young man did. A while later, Chapman gave his tent, chairs, sawdust and sermon notes to that young man who began preaching across the country and around the world. That former baseball player who became a flaming evangelist was Billy Sunday. Billy Sunday preached tremendous energetic evangelistic services. One of those revivals was in Greenville in the Carolinas. As a result of the spiritual uplift of that revival, a group of farmers began meeting every week for prayer. They prayed one prayer each week, “God send another revival to Greenville that will touch the world.” God honored that request by sending Mordecai Ham to preach in a series of revival services. During that revival, a lanky kid off a dairy farm gave his heart and life to the Lord and shortly there after surrendered to the ministry. The young man’s name was Billy Graham. Heaven alone will tell the impact of the life and ministry of Billy Graham. Someday in the portals of heaven I can imagine the Lord saying, “Billy Graham, Mordecai Ham, Billy Sunday, Wilbur Chapman, F.B. Meyer, Dwight L. Moody, step aside. “Mr. Kimble, you thought that you were just a Sunday School teacher of a small class of boys but Mr. Kimble, your faithfulness in sharing the gospel started this sequence of events AND all the souls won into My Kingdom by those great evangelists – All those souls – are stars in your crown – WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL STEWARD.” Whose Mr. Kimble are you?

by Tony Taylor Tony Taylor, currently an Athletic Director and teacher at McMullen High School in Tilden, Texas, has also been published in Coach Magazine.

I must say I thought my late night, early morning procrastinating writing assignments as from high school and college were done with, but my mom keeps asking me to write for the Front Porch, so here I am up early in the morning preparing to do “another assignment” for her. Hey Mom, “It’s Spring Break for goodness sake, can’t a guy catch a break?” Actually, I’ve known about doing this for quite some time, but “old habits are hard to break”!! I was hoping she had forgotten that I said I would write something for her but I should’ve known, “Mom, always remembers!!” She asked me to write about challenges and what keeps “popping into my head” is the challenges that we face as parents to lead/mold our own children into productive people with values and morals which is something that seems to be lacking in our world today. To me, the lack of parenting in today’s society is very evident as I see it on a daily basis in a school setting. Parenting is WORK as my wife, Tracie says. It’s 24/7 if you do it correctly; the problem is that many parents nowadays don’t want to make that commitment because it’s HARD, but as she says, “If it was EASY, then everyone would be able to do it,” which sadly isn’t the case nowadays.” We have a teenage daughter Hallie who is a junior in high school and a fourth grade son Mason. We both work daily, actually SHE more than me, in teaching and developing our children into what we hope will be a product that is respectful, accountable, honest, and spiritual. Are there times when it is easy and enjoyable? Absolutely “YES”, but there are also times that are not much fun when we have to discipline them and dole out consequences for their actions. To me, and it’s just my opinion, this is what’s lacking in families and school nowadays, not many want to discipline, hand out consequences, or as I like to say, “Be the tough guy or lady.” What people don’t realize is that they are allowing a pattern to develop that will only hinder their child down the road. As I always do when I write, I can’t help but think of my late father, Richard Taylor. There was one thing about Dad that I always remembered, regardless if he was being a father at home or a principal at school, WE, meaning my two brothers and me, or his students at school, all of us knew where we stood with him when it came to discipline. And I don’t mean this in a negative way. If any of us didn’t follow the rules or act correctly, then we had consequences. As he would say, “You reap what you sow!” He joked later in life after he had retired that the only students who would make an effort to visit him at Brookshire Brothers or

Walmart were the “knotheads who were always in trouble with him at school.” The reason they would come up to him is because they knew where they stood with him back in their school days, and I honestly believe that some of them have turned out to be good mothers and fathers because someone made them act correctly, do the right thing, have a consequence for a wrong action, be respectful, or go apologize, like my father did. Now back to my wife Tracie. As I’ve figured out over our twenty- two years of marriage- she’s much smarter than I am. She has a challenge for men, mainly ME, when it comes to helping raise our children. Here are a few “Tracieisms” I’ve learned over the years that might help husbands out- 1. Be the spiritual leader of your home 2. Realize when you have children that they grow up fast. Our daughter will graduate next year from high school and be off to college. 3. I get this one often when I’m tired from work- “Quit parenting from the couch!! 4. Spend time outside of the house with your children. Put down the TV remote and cell phone. 5. Love on your children- Hug them and give them kisses!! 6. Don’t take them for granted (as I’m learning with loved ones, “they’re here today and gone tomorrow.” Now, I’m no Dr. Phil or profess to be one and am just an average JOE who lives in a small rural town in South Texas with a wife, two kids and a dog named Dottie. I, by no means have all the answers to parenting, and my wife and I have had successes and regrets with our parenting, but we’ve learned what does and does not work in certain situations. Is it a challenge raising our children? The answer is 100%, YES! But we hope to instill values in them that they can pass down to their own children someday like our parents did for us. MEN, and I’m meaning myself, please be involved with your families. Let’s rise up and make our families the best that they can be, and let’s support our wives throughout the parenting process as well. I can’t leave without telling this story and it truly relates to parenting. I remember one year when my wife stayed home with my son when he was born. I made the mistake of putting my foot in my mouth (Hoof in Mouth Disease) as I often do and made the comment about her “not working” and staying home with Mason. She quickly informed me that she does have a JOB and a FULL TIME ONE and it’s called raising our kids!!! As I finish this “writing assignement,” let me say, my wife is absolutely correct, parenting is a JOB if done correctly; we don’t get paid, but the rewards are priceless for not only us but for others if done correctly. “Have a Blessed Day!!”

Facing the Challenge F

acing the Challenge is the theme for this eedition, diti di tion ion on, and and I believe it is a fitting one for us to consider most any anytime. nyti time me.. W me Wee all face challenges of all kinds, and the truth is that how w well our lives well we handle the challenge/s determines how go. If we let challenges rule ourr lives, our focuses, our minds’ energy, we cheat ourselves. As you look at the center fold, d, you will see a gold fish leaping high into the air to get into the bigger fish bowl. Isn’t that often ove up, to improve, to better our the reason for challenges…to move situation at any given time? Wanting ti to t improve i is i nott b bad. d We want to challenge ourselves to be the best we can be in life…in so many areas; however, too often the desire for being the best we can is for the wrong reasons- to impress others, to fit in, to seem more mature, or smart, or sophisticated, to be like someone else…the list goes on and on. You get the picture. The truth is we are not facing challenges for our own worth, our own value. The right challenges that we choose for ourselves (because there are many challenges that we don’t choose) are the ones that will make us better people…in health, relationships, work, and spiritually. Live wisely…you only have one life.

CHALLENGES ARE WHAT MAKE LIFE INTERESTING

OVERCOMING THEM IS WHAT MAKES LIFE

MEANINGFUL

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Good Impression An older man, not in the best physical condition, asked the trainer in the gym, “I want to impress that beautiful girl. Which machine should I use?”

The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything, the young know everything. ~Oscar Wilde~

The trainer replied... “Use the ATM machine outside the gym!”

Name of the Restaurant? An elderly couple had dinner at another couple’s house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, “Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly.” The other man said, “What is the name of the restaurant?” The first man thought and thought and finally said, “What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know... the one that’s red and has thorns.” “Do you mean a rose?” “Yes, that’s the one,” replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, “Rose, what’s the name of that restaurant we went to last night?”

My grandfather (a boarded pediatrician) use to say, “Weight loss is simply a function of calories in versus calories out. All you need to do is operate in a caloric deficit and the weight will come off.” While I agree with that in principle, there are some additional things we should consider. This article will discuss the proper way to achieve a healthy weight for your pet and the consequences when they are obese. The process should begin with a thorough history, physical exam and complete blood work to help evaluate if a medical condition has contributed to your pet’s obesity. It is important to determine if there are physical limitations such as arthritis, respiratory or cardiac disease that we will need to factor into your pet care. It is also critical to determine organ health and evaluate for any hormonal imbalance that could affect your pet’s weight. A thorough history will also include normal husbandry. Your pet’s normal diet, activity level and roaming habits will be critical in determining why they are obese. Calories in and calories out will be the repeated mantra from here on out. OVEREATING contributes to 90% of all cases of obesity. Never free feed your pet, cats or dogs. Determine the recommended daily amount of diet by the manufacture. This information is usually on the bag/can or it can be found on the company’s website. Divide the daily portion into several feedings to eliminate hunger. Always remember, feed for the weight of pet you want, not for what they are currently. Use a USP dry measuring cup to measure recommended amounts of diet. Remember, pet food manufacturers estimate the amount of diet that is optimum for your pet’s health. In cowboy language, that means a pet food manufacturer’s profits are directly related to the amount of food you buy. Take that for what it is worth.

Do not allow pets to scavenge additional food. It is critical not to allow both cats and dogs access to each other’s diet. These diets are formulated species specific and allowing a dog to eat cat food or cat to eat dog food will create imbalances in essential nutrients, possible gastro-intestinal upset and obesity. Do not feed your pet table food. This is a major cause of obesity because of the increased caloric content of people food. In addition, table food can cause life threatening gastro-intestinal disturbances and unwanted behavior, like begging. Keep your pet out of other sources of calories like the litter box, other canine/equine/cattle feces, pecans, acorns and road kill. Exercise is very important for both cats and dogs. Straight line walking is best for the canine to maintain joint health and less pain from arthritis. Cats can be encouraged to exercise by placing food in elevated regions or in several places throughout the house. It is important to note that if you keep your pet at a healthy weight, many degenerative medical conditions can be delayed or avoided all together. Disease like osteoarthritis is first and foremost, followed by cardiac, liver, diabetes, respiratory and dermatological issues. You pet’s health and life longevity are directly related to obesity and the prevalence of these medical conditions. Bottom line, a combination of medical issues and husbandry causes obesity in our pets. I repeat, 90% of all obesity is from over feeding! We must identify and address the medical issues, concentrate on restriction by caloric intake and add the appropriate amount of physical activity to help your pet live a longer and more disease-free life. Jack F. McKemie DVM

Facing the Challenge of Weight Loss for My Pet

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Rigorous Exercise for Over 60 Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax. Each day you’ll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato sacks. Then try 50-lb potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I’m at this level.) After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks.

Cheese Farm

As they stopped at a cheese farm, a young guide led them through the process of cheese making, explaining that goat’s milk was used. She showed the group a lovely hillside where many goats were grazing. “These”, she explained, “are the older goats put out to pasture when they no longer produce.” She then asked, “What do you do in America with your old goats?” A spry old gentleman answered, “They send us on bus tours.”

When one door closes, sometimes you want to get a hammer and nails to make sure that it stays shut.

COMMON SENSE is like deodorant. The people who need it most never use it.

Confronting Life’s Hornets’ Nest

Jumping off into something you are not prepared for can be downright disastrous. Challenging yourself makes life a lot more interesting, but can sometimes get you into trouble. One summer a school friend and I went to visit her relatives who lived in Hawaii. We almost drowned. We put on our bikinis, went to a picture perfect beach, and walked out into the crystal water without even thinking about giant waves. We wanted to try body surfing. The waves seemed to get bigger and bigger, slamming us to the sandy bottom, without giving us much chance to get a breath. Luckily, we got out of the churning water, but later discovered that this particular beach was known for dangerous waves. Could that have been why there was no one there but us? On that same beach I got sun poisoning and had to visit a local doctor. I was not prepared for the intensity of the sun. It did not seem that hot. There have been days in life that made the foreign legion seem inviting. These particular ones seem to have made a permanent dent in my memory. In my pre-children life, while working as a Kelly Girl; (a temporary help employment agency in Houston, Texas), I drove to a private residence to type a mystery novel for an aspiring writer as part of my assignment. I rang the doorbell, and was greeted by a tall, stocky, blonde woman standing in her birthday suit. My eyes got as big as saucers. Was she into character for the book? I stood there, frozen. To her credit, she did go put on a robe. Reluctantly walking inside, I sat down at the manual typewriter, and began working. We never discussed our bizarre introduction. When I was just twenty years old, newly married, and taking classes at Sam Houston State University to prepare for a teaching career, I was also working at the Texas Prison Wall Unit. Among us were trustees who had done bizarre and mostly despicable acts. My job was to listen to a Dictaphone recording of incoming inmate confessions. It was recorded, as told to a resident psychologist. I typed the story up, and then placed the finished product in their admittance file. “Last year I shot my irritating parents, and set our weird house on fire, but just before I shot my uptight Mom and Dad, I beat them senseless with the leg of our family dining table. The tuna casserole every Sunday was getting tiresome.” During my teaching career, I had dealings with a towering, disgruntled ex-prison mom, who came to our elementary school with a definite chip on her shoulder, and what I imagined was a switchblade, strapped to her thigh. She was very creative not only in her language, but in her dress, and presentation of the facts. Peeping from the edge of her spaghetti strap shirt were tattoos of fingers, which emulated hands holding her mams. This completed the “Orange to Black” prison toughie effect she was

by Donna Presnal Retired Teacher Caldwell High School Graduate

successfully pulling off. It was utterly convincing. Numerous incidents and discipline reports about her over-age son, from his fifth grade teachers, brought the unsavory Mrs. Mom to “get things straight.” Shaking her calloused finger very close to my nose, Mrs. Mom threatened to come back to deal with me, if need be. “He is a sweet boy, just misunderstood,” she shouted. My thoughts were not exactly in tune with hers, considering my knowledge of his career in-school suspension addiction, gang member want-to-be notoriety, and his unsavory reputation as king of the bullies. I had seen him in action. She returned a few weeks later, apologizing for her behavior. I always suspected it was part of her probation terms, or her twelve step program. The upside of every hornet’s nest is that I increase my vocabular y, am more insightful, compassionate, paranoid, or terror stricken, h a v e awareness of other lifestyles, and points off vview. I am repeatedly made aware off God’s sense of humor, and loving nature. On reflection, past challenges seem to be a lot more entertaining than when they are actually happening. I’ll admit that sometimes I emerge stung, and needing an anecdote, or a walker, but, like most of us, I’ve survived. I hope I’m a somewhat better person. I’ve found that making it through and learning a bit as we go is what life is about. What doesn’t kill makes us stronger, and all that. Right?

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Walgreens Jacob, age 92, and Rebecca, age 89, living in Florida, are all excited about their decision to get married. They go for a stroll to discuss the wedding, and on the way they pass a drugstore. Jacob suggests they go in. Jacob addresses the man behind the counter: Are you the owner? The pharmacist answers, Yes. Jacob: Weâ€™re about to get married. Do you sell heart medication? Pharmacist: Of course, we do. Jacob: How about medicine for circulation? Pharmacist: All kinds. Jacob: Medicine for rheumatism and scoliosis? Pharmacist: Definitely. Jacob: Medicine for memory problems, arthritis, jaundice? Pharmacist: Yes, a large variety. The works. Jacob: What about vitamins, sleeping pills, Geritol, antidotes for Parkinsons disease? Pharmacist: Absolutely. Jacob: You sell wheelchairs and walkers? Pharmacist: All speeds and sizes. Jacob: We would like to use this store as our Bridal Registry.

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How Might Rising Interest Rates Affect Your Stock Investments by Kavon Novak

Kavon Novak is a registered Investment Consultant and Branch Manager with LPL Financial. He holds Series 7, 24 and 63 licenses. Kavon has over 19 years of experience in the financial industry and is a member of the Financial Services Institute and the Burleson County Chamber of Commerce. He is a multi-year â€œOutstanding Client Serviceâ€? award recipient and a Fightinâ€™ Texas Aggie â€™91. For more information please call 979-255-8796.

The Federal Reserveâ€™s actions can have a marked influence on the economy and financial markets. For instance, some market analysts believe that the Fedâ€™s massive, multi-year bond-buying program coupled with a record-setting period of near-zero interest rates fueled the six-year bull market for stocks. Now investors are awaiting news of when -- and by how much -- the Fed will raise short-term rates, and what that action might mean for stocks.1 While many market watchers have speculated about the effect of rising rates, history provides a window into how stocks have reacted to such policy shifts in the past. A Look Back Research that looked at the past 35 years (and six rate-hiking cycles) found that stocks donâ€™t necessarily follow a straight path up or down in reaction to a rate hike. Instead, they present a mixed bag of performance. For instance, analysis reported on CNBC.com found that in two of the six cycles, stocks, as represented by the S&P 500, were lower a year after the initial rate hike. Even so, the average gain for all six periods was 2.6%. And on average, a year and a half after the first rate hike in a cycle, the market was up 14.4%.2 Whatâ€™s Different This Time? While heightened volatility is often a byproduct of the Federal Reserve initiating a rate hiking cycle, there are unique variables at play this time that may help to lessen the marketâ€™s reaction. First, with the federal funds rate set at 0% to .25% for nearly seven years -- far below its starting point for the previous several rate hiking cycles -- it is believed that the Fed has a lot of leeway to move rates up before creating a significant drag on the economy. Second, many economists and Wall Street analysts expect that when the Fed does begin raising rates for the first time since the Great Recession, it will do

so slowly in an attempt to minimize market disruption.3 Considerations for Investors Given the inevitability of an interest rate hike looming on the horizon, you may be cautious in your outlook for your stock portfolio. But donâ€™t let your emotions get in the way of potential investment opportunities. Consider discussing the following strategies with your financial advisor at your next meeting. t #VZ PO UIF EJQT *G TUPDLT EP TXPPO XIFO UIF 'FE BDUT NBOZ BOBMZTUT feel the drop will be short-lived and may in fact prove to be a good time to selectively add to your portfolio. A systematic purchasing plan, also known as dollar cost averaging, can help in volatile times, as it provides for regular purchases over a period of time, taking the guesswork out of specific timing of purchases.4 t $POTJEFS IJHI RVBMJUZ EJWJEFOE TUPDLT &RVJUZ JOWFTUPST MPPLJOH UP limit volatility may want to consider an income-producing strategy via dividend-paying stocks. Although a company can potentially eliminate or reduce dividends at any time, a dividend may provide something in the way of a return (i.e., income plus any potential price appreciation) even when stock prices are volatile. t 3FWJFX TFDUPS BMMPDBUJPOT )JTUPSZ TVQQPSUT UIF OPUJPO UIBU 'FE actions affect equity sectors in different ways. For instance, in a ratehiking cycle, defensive sectors, such as utilities, energy, and consumer staples have tended to perform better, as these sectors produce necessary goods and services that have less reliance on consumer discretionary spending. In a rate-cutting cycle, leading sectors tend to be those that are more dependent on consumer spending, such as retail, autos, and construction.5 These are just a few of the strategies you may want to consider heading into a rate-hiking cycle. Work with your financial advisor to review your unique circumstances and make changes, as deemed appropriate, for your situation. Source/Disclaimer: 1Investing in stocks involves risks, including loss of principal. 2CNBC.com and Nuveen Asset Management, â€œWhen the Fed raises rates, hereâ€™s what happens,â€? September 17, 2015. 3CNBC.com, â€œWall Street history says stocks can survive Fed rate hike,â€? September 15, 2015. 4Dollar cost averaging involves regular, periodic investments in securities regardless of price levels. You should consider your financial ability to continue purchasing shares through periods of high and low prices. This plan does not assure a profit and does not protect against loss in any markets. 'PSCFT i)PX 3JTJOH *OUFSFTU 3BUFT 8JMM "ÄŒFDU Ä‡F 4UPDL .BSLFU "OE :PVS *OWFTUments,â€? May 19, 2015. Required Attribution Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by Wealth Management Systems Inc. or its sources, neither Wealth Management Systems Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall Wealth Management Systems Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscriberâ€™s or othersâ€™ use of the content. LPL Tracking # 1-443556 ÂŠ 2016 DST Systems, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part prohibited, except by permission. All rights reserved. Not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers My Tax Remittance Enclosed is my 2005 Form 1040, together with payment. Please take note of the attached article from “USA Today” archives. In the article, you will note that the Pentagon paid $171.50 each for hammers and NASA paid $600.00 each for toilet seats. Please find enclosed in this package four toilet seats (value $2,400.00) and six hammers (value $1,029.00). This is in payment for my total tax due of $3,429.00. Out of a sense of patriotic duty, and to assist in the political purification of our government, I am also enclosing a 15 inch Phillips head screw driver, for which HUD duly recorded and approved a purchase value of $2200, as my contribution to fulfill the Presidential Election Fund option on Form 1040. It has been a pleasure to pay my taxes this year and I look forward to paying them again next year in accordance with officially established government values. Sincerely, Another satisfied American taxpayer. Let the Trucker Sleep After driving for about six hours, a trucker decides to pull over and sleep for a little while. As soon as he falls asleep, he is awoken by some knocks on the door of the cab. “Can you tell me the time, please?” asks a jogger. “Yeah, it’s 4:30,” answers the trucker. He falls asleep again, but he is awoken again by another jogger who wants to know the time. “It’s 4:40!” yells the trucker. Deciding to really try to sleep a little, he writes on a piece of paper: I DON’T KNOW THE TIME. He sticks the paper in his windshield. But he is awoken again. ‘It’s 5:25,” says another jogger.

Visit Sip Shop

Melissa and Matt Brune persevered several months to be able to serve the people of Caldwell in their wonderful “new” shop at 205 S. Main. Although the building was purchased in April 15, 2016, the renovations and setbacks kept them from opening for business until October 15, 2016. However, they did accomplish a soft opening for one day for the Kolache Festival, September 2016. This unique shop with its inviting sofas, sectionals, wing back and upholstered chairs, as well as tables and dining chairs, exudes a welcome to all who enter. The shop and furnishings are to be enjoyed when sipping, eating, and talking, or possibly working on your laptop. However, as you look around, you may see some piece of furniture you truly love. Guess what. It can be yours! This furniture selling is the brainchild of Melissa. She not only provides customers what they put in their tummies; she also provides them what they put their bodies on. Melissa says she’s always wanted a home décor for her customers. And that is just what she gives them. The wonderful old building Lissa’s is in dates back to the 1850’s. Melissa was told the original building, built in 1850, was a Mary Baylor Dorm for students attending a satellite campus in Caldwell. Later, it was a restaurant and bar in the 1950’s, and later Speckman’s Printing was housed there. Lissa’s offers a variety of foods and beverages. Organic brewed coffees, hot teas, and wines are specialties. And her baked goods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all “homemade.” Coffee cakes, scones, muffins, Frittata’s (carb free) and a variety of sandwiches from regular ham and turkey to pastrami, and a number of soups, plus many desserts such as cream pies, cupcakes, and cookies. And for evening there are appetizers such Avocado crab Melissa wants to provide a place for people to come and visit, and she even wants them to play games on Friday nights. She is planning a Mother’s Day Dinner for May 13th and hopes to have a monthly event for family, couples, or the girls. Watch for info on FACEBOOK for what’s happening at Lissa’s.

For our Lissa’s hours follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/lissasrestyled 44

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers A woman awoke in the middle of the night to find her husband not in bed. She put on her robe and went downstains to look for him. She found him sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of hot cocoa in front of him. He appeared to be in deep thought, just staring at the wall. She watched as he wiped away a tear from his eye. “What’s the matter, dear?” she whispered as she stepped into the room. “Why are you down here at this time of night?” The husband looked up from his drink. “It’s the 20th anniversary of the day we met.” She couldn’t believe he had remembered and started to tear up. The husband continued. “Do you remember 20 years ago when we started dating? I was 18 and you were only 15,” he said solemnly. Once again the wife was touched to tears thinking that her husband was so caring and sensitive. “Yes, I do,” she replied. The husband paused. The words were not coming easily. “Do you remember when your father caught us kissing in the back seat of my car?” “Yes, I remember, said the wife, lowering into a chair beside him. The husband continued. “Do you remember when he shoved the shotgun in my face and said, “Either you marry my daughter or I will make sure you spend the next 20 years in prison?” I remember that, too,” she replied softly. He sighed as he wiped another tear away from his cheek and said, “I would have gotten out today.”

I am so old... I remember when Hashtag was the pound sign.

I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots. ~Albert Einstein~

The First Steps on a Long Road Handling the Challenges in Life By Tracy Frank, Executive Director Hope Pregnancy Center of Brazos Valley

There is a lot of advice available for those facing challenges with family, work, school or any area of life. That famous group “THEY” say, “The first step is to admit you have a problem.” This is certainly true, as you can’t overcome a challenge if you haven’t even identified it as one. Whether it is denial or just a lack of understanding regarding the size and scope of it, no progress will be made until the problem, challenge or crisis is recognized and a decision has been made to do something about it. The online Cambridge Dictionary states a challenge as something needing great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully. A problem is something that causes difficulty or that is hard to deal with and a full-blown crisis is something extremely dangerous or difficult.

Challenges are part of life. God uses them to mold and shape us. These definitions are in the eye of the beholder and one man’s problem is another’s challenge and yet another’s crisis. For example, a teenager with car trouble might consider it a problem. Well, the teenager might consider it a crisis, but the parent responsible probably sees it as a problem. A college student with car trouble faces certain challenges, including planning travel around public transportation and the kindness of friends. However, a car breakdown for a working parent who needs to get to work on time and take care of the transportation needs of the family would certainly consider it a crisis for however long the situation might last. Yet, car trouble is minor compared to the challenges many face in life such as the loss of a job, health issues, a troubled teen, caring for an elderly parent, an untimely death in the family or an unplanned pregnancy. So if the first step is to admit there is a problem, challenge or even a crisis, what is the second step? For Christians, we can trust that God is in control, He has a plan and the plan is good. Through prayer, we can request wisdom, clarity, guidance and as-

sistance. We can be confident through our trials and tribulations that in the end we will be ok. God’s grace is sufficient. When a challenge or crisis first hits, we might not be able to clearly see the options before us. God may answer our prayers by providing wise counsel to assist us. Brainstorming solutions becomes easier as just talking about our fears could make the crisis less formidable. Once various options and plans have been identified, prayer is required again for the wisdom to make the right choice. A plan could look attractive because the timeframe appears short or the cost low, but the reality could be something entirely different. God has a unique, custom plan for each individual’s life. His plans are not one size fits all, so what was the right solution for someone else may not work for you. Finally, once a plan has been prayed over and selected it must be implemented. It all sounded good during the praying and talking stage, but doing it can be a struggle. We could be tempted to take short-cuts, daily life can cause us to lose our way or we might decide the effort just isn’t worth it. Those same people who helped during the brainstorming period can also help as accountability partners. When the road becomes difficult they can encourage and refocus efforts. This is also a time for more prayer! Challenges are a part of life. God uses them to mold and shape us. He uses them to motivate and direct us. Most of all He uses the challenges of life to draw us to Him. About Hope: Hope Pregnancy Centers of the Brazos Valley is a faith-based, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization providing a safe and confidential refuge for those in crisis. Services (all of which are free with no eligibility requirements) include pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, options peer counseling, parenting classes and material aid based on an “earn while you learn” system. Our STI/STD Clinic, doing business as Testing 4 U, offers free STI/SDI testing and Building Family Connections; which is a program to teach parents how to talk to their kids about sex. More information about Hope may be found at www.partnerwithhope.org.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers High School Dropouts Two high school students are digging a ditch in the hot summer and they’re complaining about it nonstop. “Sheesh, this is hard work. I hate this job!” “Yeah. How come we’re down here working, and the foreman is up there sitting under a shady tree with a cool drink, and making 3 times as much as us? It’s not fair!” “That’s it! I’m sick of this! I’m gonna go ask him!” So the guy climbs out of the ditch and goes up to the foreman under the shady tree. “How come we’re down there working in the burning hot sun, while you sit up here under this shady tree with a cool drink?” The foreman says, “Well, it comes down to one word: Intelligence.” “Whaddya mean, intelligence? You calling me stupid!?” “Well, here. Let me show you.” So the foreman holds his hand up against the tree and says, “Punch my hand as hard as you can.” The guy figures, now’s my chance for some payback! He winds up and swings at the foreman’s hand as hard as he can, but at the last moment, the foreman yanks his hand away. The guy nearly breaks his hand smashing it against the tree. “See what I mean?” the foreman says. “Intelligence.” “Alright. I get it.” And he goes back to work with his hand throbbing in pain. His buddy in the ditch asks him, “So whad he say?” “He said we’re slaving away down here because of intelligence!” “Intelligence!? Is he calling us stupid!? What does he mean by that!?” His buddy says, “Well here, let me show you.” Seeing no tree around, he holds up his hand in front of his face. “Take your shovel and hit my hand...”

''I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has

already been born.'' —Ronald Reagan, The New York Times, September 22, 1980

NO MATTER HOW BIG AND BAD YOU ARE, WHEN A TWO YEAR OLD HANDS YOU A TOY PHONE, YOU ANSWER IT.

Times Remembered Brent Riethmayer and Nicole Hearne, owners of BN Love Creations, are excited to open their spacious antique and collectible store in the heart of down town Caldwell, Texas. Located at 123 West Buck, across from the Burleson County Court House, their new business stays open six days a week. Brent and Nicole are ready to help customers with what they are looking for: furniture, old and refurbished ; old western pieces, of varying descriptions; collectibles of all kinds, jewelry, vintage and costume; glassware, Depression and elegant; some new clothing; and a variety of Yellow Box sandals The 5,500 square foot store, the largest antique store in Burleson County, was the previous location of Manuel’s Department Store. In late 2016, Brent and Nicole began negotiations with the Feigenbaums to purchase the building. Manuels Dry Goods had originally opened in June 1945. As is often the case, things did not move as quickly as had been anticipated, and Brent and Nicole found themselves literally removing clothing racks, shelving, etc out as new vendors moved in their wares. The upper part of the building houses the antiques and collectibles of the Riethmayers while the smaller, adjoining part of the building houses offerings of vendors. As soon as news spread about the business opening, 18 vendors were ready to become a part of Caldwell’s new Antique Mall. At present, they have only 4 kiosks available. Nicole is no newcomer to antiques, of all types. She and her mother had owned an antique store in Brazoria, Texas, known as Katherine’s Collectibles. And even after they moved, she and her mother both continued to pursue selling of antiques. Nicole had been married to Hubert Hearne III until his death. Moving to Caldwell allows now her to enjoy Hearne family members. Brent, however, is a rather newcomer to the business side of old things. He says he just grew up enjoying “old stuff,” but his work background is in real estate. He grew up in the Amarillo area and left to study at Texas A&M, where his focus was economics and construction science. In 1992, he created Froehling Riethmayer Realty. He then moved to Classic Realty, which merged with BCR, in Bryan/College Station. Starting in 2009, the company was the fastest growing business in the Brazos Valley for 3 years in a row. . After a very fast paced life, and graduation of his son, he was ready to make some changes and sold out his realty business. Brent met Nicole not too long after that, married and soon moved to Caldwell. They’d been involved in selling at antique shows across Texas; then for a few months they rented the building on West Mustang and sold their antiques here. They were happy when the old Manuel’s building came open On March 23rd, BN Love will be starting painting classes…”Not to Shabby” Go learn how to enliven old furniture.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers A college student needed a small two-hour course to fill out his schedule. The only one available was Wildlife Zoology. After one week the professor gave the class a test. He passed out a sheet of paper divided into squares. In each square was a carefully drawn picture of some bird legs. No bodies, no feet, just legs. The test asked each student to identify the birds from their legs. The student sat and stared at the test and got more and more angry. Finally he stomped up to the front of the classroom and threw the test on the teacher’s desk. “This is the worst test I have ever taken.” The teacher looked up and said, “Young man, you have flunked this test. What is your name?” The student pulled up his pant-legs and showed the professor his legs and replied, “You tell me!”

Traffic School The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), The FBI, and the CIA are all trying to prove that they are the best at apprehending criminals. The President decides to give them a test. He releases a rabbit into a forest and each of them has to catch it. The CIA goes in. They place animal informants throughout the forest. They question all plant and mineral witnesses. After three months of extensive investigations they conclude that rabbits do not exist. The FBI goes in. After two weeks with no leads they burn the forest, killing everything in it, including the rabbit, and they make no apologies. The rabbit had it coming. The LAPD goes in. They come out two hours later with a badly beaten bear. The bear is yelling: “Okay! Okay! I’m a rabbit! I’m a rabbit!”

Watermelon Time by Edwin H. Cooper

In barefoot summer days long ago, the news of the arrival of the first shipment of watermelons at Mrs. Murray’s fruit stand caused jubilation among children of all ages. The excitement would taper off a bit however, with the news that those first melons were bringing four cents per pound. Only bankers, doctors, lawyers and other wealthy folk could afford prices like that. So we waited until the prices dropped as new shipments arrived. When the price reached two cents per pound, the melons carefully weighed on Mrs. Murray’s scales, we boys were within buying range. She would let us stand on apple crates and select a melon from the huge wooden ice water cooling vat. One of her sons would then pluck the melon out and upon request, would cut a plug from the melon to show its ripeness. Every time a melon was plugged, we would buy it, not having the heart to have the melon returned to the vat floating around with a rejection notice carved into it. That is one reason the Murrays did not object to the plugging procedure. In those days (1930’s-1940’s) I do not remember any melons for sale other than those round, dark green “Black Diamond” variety. Our mothers liked them because the rinds were thick and thus made great watermelon rind pickles. The mothers had to make special requests that we save the rinds, otherwise watermelon rind fights would break out… The thin-rind little “Charleston Greys” and “jubilee” melons we buy today taste much better, are better for shipping, cost much more, but aren’t worth a hoot for rind-fights, or pickles, either. That is for the better, anyway, considering possible damages to eyes, ears, noses, and throats, plus expensive trips to the emergency room. At the time Mother was teaching me to swim in the San Marcos River, we would stop enroute and buy a watermelon at Mrs. Murrays and dunk it in the icy river water for a couple of hours dur-

ing myy lessons. When we figured the melon was cool enough, we would slice it on the riverbank and have a watermelon picnic then and there. How w she s found time to spend so many hours like that with me, I’ll never know. Because of those hours together we had special affection a for each other that lasted her 94 years and continues ev even now, long after her roll call. day a watermelon farmer from nearby Late one summer d Luling (home off the an annual Watermelon Thump) hauled a giant Blackk Diamond melon to display from his pickup on our courthouse square. He repor reported that the melon weighed 110 pounds and, indeed, appeared to do so. Sox Younger saw that melon, id a handsome h d i for it and displayed it in the entry way of paid price Younger’s Café until the melon finally collapsed due to intense staring from startled customers. We were told that a watermelon farmer near Luling decided to discourage midnight raids on his patch of melons. Local teenage boys being suspect. He erected a sign prominently on the fence which read: “ONE OF THESE MELONS CONTAINS POISON.” Then next day he found evidence of another raid on his melons. And the sign had been changed to read: “TWO OF THESE MELONS CONTAIN POISON.” My friend Donald and I were reminiscing about watermelons during our boyhood days. After telling him that a drop to two cents per pound was the price we could afford to start buying, I asked him about his boyhood policies on this matter. He answered, “We started buying watermelons when they took the scales down.” I stil get excited seeing the first watermelons on the market each summer. But the prices don’t drop off nearly as fast as they used to and they don’t even use scales anymore. Edwin H. Cooper, writer of human interest stories and articles, has been published in many Texas magazines and newspapers, and is active in numerous civic and school organizations. His new book, 40 Years at Aggieland, was published in 2013.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers Ready for Promotion The colonel had three Second Lieutenants eligible for promotion. The problem was, he only had one First Lieutenant Slot available. The colonel called the first butter-bar into his office and said, “This is a promotion test. If I was to tell you that I wanted a flag pole erected in front of Post HQ by 1700, what would you do?” The Lt. thought about it for a second, and said, “Sir. I would get a shovel, head for HQ and start digging...” “You’re not ready to be promoted,” the Colonel interrupted.

That terrifying moment when your cat enters your room, stares at something you can’t see, and then runs away in panic

The colonel asked the same question of the next candidate. “Sir,” said the next butter-bar, “I would fill out a CE work order, making sure I made provisions for the appropriate environmental study and...” “You are definitely not ready to be promoted,” the Colonel said. The Colonel asked the question of the final candidate. Without hesitation, the Lieutenant said, “Sir. I would call the First Sergeant, and say, ‘Top, I want a flag pole in front of HQ by 1700!” “You’re ready to be promoted!” the Colonel said.

DENIAL, ANGER, BARGAINING, DEPRESSION ACCEPTANCE... THE 5 STAGES OF WAKING UP. 51

uster ees & ruton

In all my 12 years I had never known as mischievous a menace as Monk Eye. Something, usually catastrophic, happened when my neighbor was involved. One such venture began when Monk Eye traded a billy goat for a dog named Buster. The dog had spindly Rat Terrier like legs, the coloring of a Blue Tick hound, and he had some Dachshund length to him. One ear bent down and one pointed up. He had a semi-bulldog face, and the deep bark of a Bassett hound. The F.B. I. could not have traced his ancestry. One cold blustery night Monk Eye and I went to the woods to catch a ‘possum or two. His mama would pay us 50 cents each for them. We took a three cell flash light, my Red Ryder B.B. gun, a burlap bag to carry the ‘possums in, and Buster. After half an hour of rambling through the woods, Basset voiced Buster struck a trail. He led us to a sweet gum tree. We spotted the ‘possum out on a bottom limb about 15 feet above us. Buster was pawing and gnawing the tree. His excited Bassett bark was reduced to a snuffling sound, like a hog in distress. Our plan was for one of us to climb the tree and shake the ‘possum out; the dog would catch it; and we would take it away from the dog. I let him persuade me to stay on the ground while he climbed the tree to shake the ‘possum out. He shinnied up the tree ad found a knot hole well situated to put his foot in and support himself while he shook the ‘possum out. He began shaking the limb and yelling at the ‘possum. “Jump ’possum, jump. Ya aint’ afraid a’ ol’ Buster are ya?” He hollered and yelled and shook. Buster, anxious for action, was frenzied, and trying to climb the tree. Monk Eye’s banshee screaming became frantic and reached new notches on the decibel scale. He was in dire distress. The knot hole was the front door for a colony of honey bees. He was covered with crawling bees before he knew he was in trouble. As if on cue, they seemed to all begin stinging at once. He was squalling and clambering out on the ‘possum limb. “Hep’ me, please hep’ me.” I said, “Monk Eye they ain’t no way fer me to hep ya’.” I had compassion for him-but not enough to get mixed up with those

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.

bees. “Go get Mama to come hep’ me. I’m ‘agonna die up heah. Hep’ me Lord an’ I won’t cuss no more, never.” Slapping bees with both hands he lost his balance and came crashing down, Kawhump, it sounded like an elephant hitting the ground. I thought he was dead. Bees by the dozen were humped up on him pumping their venom into his hide. Buster, assuming the world’s biggest ‘possum had just hit the ground, attacked Monk Eye. I began smacking the dog with the flash light and trying to decide how I could tell Monk Eye’s mama that he was dead. Then I heard him capture a breath. He livened up fast, stripped off his bee infested clothes, and headed for home and relief. His mama daubed 57 stings with Bruton snuff. He looked like a Dalmatian puppy. Monk Eye resumed cussing, quit ‘possum hunting, and traded Buster to the rolling store man for a crippled duck. It was a good swap. Ducks have never been known to tree a ‘possum in a bee tree.

Wake Up Call Bernard, who is noted for his gracious manners, was awakened one morning at four forty four a.m. by his ringing telephone. . . “Your dog’s barking, and it’s keeping me awake,” said an angry voice. Bernard thanked the caller and politely asked his name and number before hanging up. The next morning at precisely four forty four a.m., Bernard called his neighbor back. “Good morning, Mr. Williams.... Just called to say that I don’t have a dog.”

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Cowboy Rules for the Wild West Cowboy rules for Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico,Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Nebraska, Idaho, Nevada, South Dakota, Kansas and the rest of the Wild West are as follows: 1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot. 2. Turn your cap around, your head ain’t crooked. 3. Let’s get this straight: it’s called a ‘gravel road.’ No matter how slow you drive, you’re gonna get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way. 4. They are cattle. That’s why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don’t like it? I-10 & I-40 go east and west, I-17 & I-15 goes north and south. Pick one. 5. So you have a $60,000 car. We’re impressed. We have $250,000 Combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year. 6. Every person in the Wild West waves. It’s called being friendly. Try to understand the concept. 7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/ ducks/doves are comin’ in during a hunt, we WILL shoot it outta your hand. 8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and elk. You really want sushi and caviar? It’s available at the corner bait shop. 9. The ‘Opener’ refers to the first day of deer season. It’s a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November. 10. We open doors for women. That’s applied to all women, regardless of age. 11. No, there’s no ‘vegetarian special’ on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef ’s Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey. 12. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh, yeah ... We don’t care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat... IT AIN’T REAL CHILI!! 13. You bring ‘Coke’ into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring ‘Mary Jane’ into my house, she better know how to shoot and drive a truck. 14. College and High School Football is more important than the Giants, the Yankees, the Mets, the Lakers and the Knicks all combined, and a dang site more fun to watch. 15. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don’t hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish. 16. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump ain’t music, anyway. We don’t want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1! We’re friendly, so we share in hopes you can begin to understand what life in the real West is all about!!!

Seek to be worth knowing rather than be well known.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers As I Get Older I Realize: 1. I talk to myself, because sometimes I need expert advice. 2. Sometimes I roll my eyes out loud. 3. I don’t need anger management, I need people to stop irritating me. 4. My people skills are just fine. It’s my tolerance of idiots that needs work. 5. The biggest lie I tell myself is, “I don’t need to write that down, I’ll remember it.” 6. When I was a child I thought naptime was punishment. Now it’s like a mini-vacation. 7. The day the world runs out of prune juice is just too terrible to think about. 8. Even duct tape can’t fix stupid, but it can muffle the sound. 9. Wouldn’t it be great if we could put outselves in the dryer for 10 minutes, come out wrinkle-free and three sizes smaller? Right and Wrong I caught my son yet again at a prank, “Don’t you know the difference between right and wrong?” I asked. He replied, “Of course I do, Dad!” “Yet you always do wrong,” I said. He smiles and says slyly, “That shows it’s not guesswork!”

Here At Home One day a sergeant came back home and said to his wife, “Everything has changed in the army; “From now on,” he added, “we are free to follow the orders of our officers or not, and we can discuss the matters with them.” His wife answered, “That is in the army. Here at home none of that. Get up and wash the dishes!”

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The Rescue

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the overworked shelter keepers get too busy, and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them. As she read my kennel card, I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek, and I raised my paw to assure her that

all would be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one. I rescued a human today.

Top Reason to Adopt a Pet! Because you'll save a life....Each year, 2.7 million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States, simply because too many pets come into shelters and too few people consider adoption when looking for a pet. The number of euthanized animals could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them. When you adopt, you save a loving animal by making it part of your family and open up shelter space for another animal who might desperately need it.

Small Town Law Enforcement by Thomas Norsworthy Burleson County Sheriff The Burleson County Jail is a ninety-six bed facility that houses inmates, male and female, from a Class C Misdemeanor to the charge of Capital Murder. The inmates have to be monitored and taken care of twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days a year. We at the Sheriff ’s Office have many responsibilities to do, but a very important and very challenging job is that of a Jailer. Jailers have to be patient, tough, and always on their toes all the time. Jailers have to be trained and certified to be commissioned by the State of Texas. Once they complete that testing they are required to maintain certain training that is mandated by the State of Texas. The Jail staff has to maintain and keep up with daily, weekly, and monthly reports. Some paperwork is filled out every few minutes for inmates who have special requirements. Jailers are responsible for making sure the inmates are fed, have their meds and also all the day-to-day items we may take for granted. The Jail Division also has the challenge of making arrangements and making sure all the right inmates get to all the different courts when they are needed. It is also the Jail’s responsibility to transport inmates after they are accepted to the designated Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities. On Sundays and Wednesdays the Jail staff monitors visitation that takes place and makes sure inmates get visits with their family and loved ones. Our dispatchers are also certified jailers who help open and control the doors for the jail. They also assist with visitation and help with jail book-ins when needed. These are just a few things that the Jail

Staff deals with on a daily basis. As you can tell, Jailers have a pretty tough job. Then on top of all those above items, let’s add in dealing with unruly inmates who have no respect for authority and like to fight back or even throw food trays at the Jail staff. They also get called in to work when a fellow co-worker is sick, some type of special court date is set, or an inmate is sent to the hospital for treatment and has to be monitored since they are in custody. The Burleson County Jail has some dedicated Jailers who on top of their regular duties train extra for what we call the DRT (Detention Response Team). These groups of officers train to deal with the very hostile inmates that can cause problems in the jail. Burleson County is also fortunate to have a full time Jail nurse who helps keep the inmates well and makes sure that proper medicines are handed out. The Jail Administration staff handles budget items, arranging jail transports, making sure that the jail paperwork is properly done and that the Jail stays in compliance with Jail Standards. Jail Standards is the State agency that regulates jails across Texas. The Burleson County Jailers are a very vital and important part of the operations of a Sheriff ’s Office. It is very challenging job and takes a special person to be able to stay in the jail for a twelve hour shift dealing with people that do not want to be there or do not respect them. I would like to thank the Jail Staff that I have for the job they do and for the challenges they handle on a daily basis.

Chuckles, Giggles & Snickers A blonde and a redhead have a ranch. They have just lost their bull. The women need to buy another, but only have $500. The redhead tells the blonde, “I will go to the market and see if I can find one for under that amount. If I can, I will send you a telegram.” She goes to the market and finds one for $499. Having only one dollar left, she goes to the telegraph office and finds out that it costs one dollar per word. She is stumped on how to tell the blonde to bring the truck and trailer. Finally, she tells the telegraph operator to send the word “comfortable.” Skeptical, the operator asks, “How will she know to come with the trailer from just that word?” The redhead replies, “She’s a blonde so she reads slow: ‘Come for ta bull.’”

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A professor was giving a big test one day to his students. He handed out all of the tests and went back to his desk to wait. Once the test was over the students all handed the tests back in. The professor noticed that one of the students had attached a $100 bill to his test with a note saying, “A dollar per point.” The next class the professor handed the tests back out. This student got his test back and $64 change.

Don’t be Nervous An elderly man was on the operating table awaiting surgery to be performed by his son, a renowned surgeon. Just before they would put him under, he asked to speak to his son: “Don’t be nervous, son, do your best and just remember, if it doesn’t go well, if something happens to me… your mother is going to come and live with you and your wife.”

Hunting With a Purpose by Matthew Renner

The 2017 Boars of Texas Hog Hunting Competition concluded this past February 5th. It was a huge success, and an amazing time was had by all. We had lots of hunters, great payouts, record setting numbers of wild hogs weighed in, and some fantastic action at the chutes for everyone to enjoy. For many, hunting with dogs is a way of life here in Texas, much as it is across a large part of these United States, but regardless of whether your quarry of choice is a feral hog, a bear, deer, cat, coon, rabbit, squirrel, or bird; at the heart of it all is the “dog man”, the “houndsman”. We all share that commonality. It is the enjoyment of seeing your dog do what it loves to do, and do it well. It’s developing your ‘line’, training and watching them realize their full potential. It’s time spent with good friends and family out in the field and on the hunt. Those memories will stay with a person forever, but it is becoming harder and harder for future generations to be able to live those same experiences. Many states have seen restrictions, if not outright elimination, of their use of working dogs, and it seems that a lot of that opposition is born out of the sheer lack of direct experience or knowledge of the practice. It is important to expose new people to working dogs of all types, so that they may see firsthand what it’s like in the field… to experience the hunt, the bond, the excitement, and the pleasure derived from watching these dogs do what they were bred to do. The reality of the situation is that we’re outnumbered, and if we want to see the ability to utilize working dogs in any form or fashion preserved for future generations, we must organize as well as reach out. Take a moment to research the groups who are active in your state, and join in. If you are located in Texas, there are organizations such as the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance (RPOA), the RPOA Texas Outreach, and the Texas Working Dog Alliance (TWDA). The TWDA - of which I am a member - is currently free to join, and I have a link to their membership application on the homepage of BoarsofTexas.com. Anyone is welcome; simply print the form, fill it out, and mail it in. Wild hogs are a big problem here in Texas, and what these houndsmen do in our state is a huge help to the public. For the purposes of this tournament, teams had a total of 43 hours from the start of the hunt until having to be in line at the weigh-in location. All feral hogs had to be pursued with dogs, brought in alive, and weigh a minimum of 100 pounds to count for any portion of the contest. Of the total teams participating, only 14 made it in before deadline, but they weighed in over 40,000 pounds of wild hogs. I would like to see this continue, and tournaments such as this one help demonstrate the impact these individuals have on the feral hog population. It is hard to even guess at the total number of animals which were taken out of circulation during the course of this event, but if one were to extrapolate this over an entire year of combined efforts by the houndsmen of our state, I’m sure the figures would be staggering. Congratulations to Bo-N-Da-254 (Richard Elfrez, Rex Bumpus, Clint Hegefeld, Jeff Hughes) from the Riesel area, who won first place in the competition with a 1284-pound total for their top five heaviest hogs. They left with $5,000 in prize money, a full set of

Wild Boar USA cut gear, and some brand new 2017 Boars of Texas Hog Hunt buckles. Second place went to Can’t Get Right (Brandon Leftwich, Jeff Baranowski, Dustin Morrow, Dillion Morrow) from the Yoakum area, whose top five hogs totaled 1223 pounds earning them $4,000. Third place went to Goldsmith Ranch (Chase Goldsmith, Scott Mackey, Eric Patterson, Greg Gunta) from the Baird area, whose top five totaled 1217 pounds. They also took the ‘Longest Stringer’ with 41 head of qualifying hogs weighed in, and left with a total of $5,500. J&K (Kody Gerke, Kurt Kelso, Dusty Koesche, Mathew Macha) from the Wharton area won $2500 with the ‘Largest Boar’, weighing in at an impressive 274 pounds. Double HH Hog Dogs (Matt Hall, Branson Ponder, Stephen Tolar, River Hall) from the Merkle area won the ‘Largest Sow’ category with a monstrous 310-pound hog. They also won the Wild Card Drawing, bringing their team winnings to a total of $3000. A number of other great prizes were awarded to the contestants through our Free Hunter Raffle as well. We had additional items donated through Citizens State Bank of Somerville, TX; Double U Hunting Supply of Yacolt, WA; Gun Dog Supply of Starkville, MS; and Will Smith Freeze Branding of Quitman, TX. On top of that, all contestants who checked in at the hunt also received a complimentary Boars of Texas Hog Hunt cap or t-shirt of their choosing. This turned out to be a great hunt, and I appreciate everyone who helps support this tournament each and every year. Thanks to all the volunteers who come out and help at the weigh-in. You folks are invaluable, and I really appreciate all of the hard work. Thanks to the prize donors, sponsors, hunters, and recipient organizations for making this year another success. Sponsors & Donors include: Burleson County Chamber of Commerce (TX); Burleson County Fair Association (TX); Wild Boar USA of Hallettsville, TX; WW Paul Scales of Duncan, OK; Double U Hunting Supply of Yacolt, WA; Citizens State Bank of Somerville, TX; InkDots of Houston, TX; Burleson County Detail of Caldwell, TX; Gun Dog Supply of Starkville, MS; Will Smith Freeze Branding of Quitman, TX; & Homeyer Feed & Supply of Caldwell, TX. For more information on the Boars of Texas Hog Hunting Competition, a list of team standings, weights, and photos, visit www.BoarsofTexas.com and www. facebook.com/BoarsofTexas

Don’t Mess with

Constitutional Rights over Regulations by John Cornyn, US Senator for Texas Since the start of the new Congress, the Senate has been rolling back some of the more than 22,000 rules and regulations issued during the Obama Administration. Many of these onerous regulations have strangled local economies, increased the bureaucratic grip on our natural resources, and empowered Washington bureaucrats at the expense of Texans and folks across the country. Most recently, a bipartisan coalition of Senators blocked a Social Security Administration rule that threatened to take away some law-abiding Americans’ 2nd Amendment rights without due process. Texans with disabilities should not be blocked from exercising their constitutional rights as punishment for seeking help with managing their finances, which is what this would have done. Numerous disability-rights groups opposed the regulation as unfairly stigmatizing the disabled, and they supported our effort to stop this overly broad rule. Additionally, Congress overturned a job-killing regulation that would have stifled energy production and caused major damage to rural communities across the country. The Obama Administration’s Stream Buffer rule would have threatened coal jobs and infringed on the ability of states to regulate energy providers in a way that’s best for their citizens. Ending this rule was a bipartisan effort in both the House and the Senate. Texans need Washington to get off their backs so our state can do what it does best: create jobs and grow our economy. Working with the President, the Republican majority is committed to continuing to roll back the previous Administration’s harmful, job-killing regulations.

You have to think anyway, so why not think big? ~Donald Trump~

MAKING AMERICA GREAT

AGAIN!!!

Ubiquinol

Suzy Cohen, RPh www.suzycohen.com People call me “America’s Most Trusted Pharmacist®” because I’ve been a licensed pharmacist for over 25 years and is a functional medicine practitioner for the last 15. I am able to share the pros and cons of medication use as well as offer natural substitutions for most any of your health concerns. While I pride myself in ‘thinking outside the pill’ let me just say that I am still very proud to wear my white coat because I realize that there is a time and place for medications. We need to consider all of our options, and often, a combination is best. In addition to writing a syndicated health column, “Dear Pharmacist,” which circulates to 20 million readers each week, Suzy Cohen is the author of many different books on natural health. You may have seen her on The Dr. OZ Show (6 different appearances), The View, The Doctors, Good Morning America Health and hundreds of morning shows. www.suzycohen.com

The most commonly recognized supplemental of CoQ10 has been known as “ubiquinone” or “coenzyme Q10”. Now CoQ10 has been stablized ina form of the nutrient. It is called ubiquinol, and it’s the downline metabolite of CoQ10. In other words, it’s the biologically ACTIVE version of CoQ10 so it’s stronger, and it slips right into your cells. There is no need to worry about whether or not your body (and your gut) can convert the CoQ10 to it’s active form (ubiquinol). This is REALLY IMPORTANT: As you age, not only do you produce less CoQ10, but your body becomes less efficient at converting CoQ10 to the active form – Ubiquinol Certain people have a real hard time converting the CoQ10 to ubiquinol, especially people with diabetes, GI problems, autoimmune disorders, and those with heart disease. So ubiquinol would be ideal for people who fit in this group. But because you get higher plasma concentrations with ubiquinol, I recommend

it for everyone. It’s definitely new and improved and worth it becuase ubiquinol is a powerful antioxidant that nourishes your muscle cells. It can help you with leg cramps, especially those related to the drug mugging effect of your medications (see below). It can improve the look of your skin, it can improve liver function and detoxification. It can increase ATP in the cells, so it’s an energizing molecule…it’s great for fatigue and low thyroid!!! There are hundreds of medications which could be slowly stealing the life out of you. In fact, I wrote a book on the subject, called “Drug Muggers” and consider myself an expert on drug-nutrient depletion. I believe that when a drug steals a nutrient, you will develop a new symptom. You may not realize that your new symptom is related to a drug-nutrient depletion and so Drug Muggers could really save you money, save your health and extend the quality of your life. Please consider all the reasons why you might not be feeling as good as you used to, it’s not always black and white, and based on some lab result. If you are weak and tired, it may be your blood pressure medicine, or your statin, or your hormones, you’ll see these drugs on the list below. There Are Absurdly Inexpensive Way to Feel Better When it comes to your health, go with your intuition, and research the best you can. I have many free articles posted on this website, and you can share them with your friends, print them for your doctor, or post them to your website (just credit me please). My book(s) can help you too and when you buy them off my website, your support goes to helping me learn more and write more free articles and terrific health books to help everyone. The subject of vitamins, minerals and nutrients is explored indepth in Drug Muggers, which explains to you how to feel better when you develop a symptom (so you don’t have to start yet another new drug!!!) Wouldn’t that be wonderful? If you knew what medicines were depleting a nutrient, you could quickly fix that deficiency and hopefully erase the symptoms that plague you (without having to resort to more and more pills).

Finding My Place by Ida Schuman I recently had the pleasure of joining a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in February. I have only traveled outside the states one other time and it was a trip to Rome. I was 24, I was with friends and although we saw many sites of Roman that would move almost anyone religiously, my friends and I were not exactly in a pilgrimage state of mind but more of a party state of mind. Well, my lost. Twenty-six years later I’m on an 11-hour flight to Tel-Avi. There are so many sites that I could tell you about and so many pictures I took that I could show but when it came down to what touched me the most spiritually it was The Church of Primacy of Peter, also known as St. Peter’s Church. It is located at the Sea of Galilee’s northwestern shore in Tabgha, Israel. If you remember your Bible stories, this is where Peter and his disciples were on the boat trying to catch fish to feed themselves and after casting their net several times were unsuccessful. Then a man on the shore shouted out to them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. When they did, their net caught so many fish that it was very difficult for them to pull the net back into the boat. This was a miracle and as Peter realized this, he also realized who was on the shore… Jesus Christ. So as the story goes, Peter jumped out of the boat and swam towards Jesus and the rest of the disciples followed on their boat pulling the heavy load behind the boat.

on Peter’s face when Jesus asked him, “Do you love me,” not once but three times and saw how Peter continued to say, “you know I do, Lord,” as he desperately tries to convince him of his true feelings. I also could see how Peter humbly accepted what Jesus gave next, officially receiving the title of Head of the Church. Of course, I didn’t physically see all this, but I imagined what it would have looked like in relation to the Bible story I have read and heard about. The feeling I came away with was gratefulness of what our Lord did for us. It humbled me so much knowing I walked on the sand and rocks of the shores of Galilee where Jesus once stood and actually touched the rock that Jesus and his disciples feed by on the shores. I don’t think I have ever felt as close to God as I did right there. It centered me, showed me where my faith lies, showed me where I belong and what I am meant to do. I took this pilgrimage not only for the sites but to find my place, and I came back knowing exactly who I am and what Jesus wants me to continue to do… Feed His Sheep.

The rock where Jesus and his disciples dined on the fish they caught.

A boat like the one the disciples were fishing out of. When they reached Jesus, they discovered Jesus had a fire going for their fish and they dined together. Now, I am not an expert just a simple Sunday school teacher, but as I sat on the Shores of Galilee and thought about the story I begin to imagine myself watching it all take place in front of me. I saw the look on Peter’s face as he recognized Jesus Christ. It was a look of pure joy and excitement of seeing someone he thought he had lost forever. I saw the look of satisfaction that Peter and the disciples had as they sat and ate yet another meal with Jesus. I saw the look of pain

Spring Garden Favorites By Sharon Laffere Ehlert It’s Springtime again! This is a great way to use some of your excess vegetables from the garden. This recipe is a vegetarian version, but you can also add ground meat to this dish or substitute some of your other favorite vegetables.

Dear Life...when I said, “Can my day get any worse,” it was a rhetorical question, not a challenge.

VEGGIE LASAGNA 1 box no-cook lasagna noodles (9 oz.) 2 Japanese eggplant 2 zucchini 3 cups marinara 1 container ricotta (32 oz.) 1 cup shredded mozzarella ½ cup grated Parmesan 1 large egg Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice eggplant and zucchini lengthwise into thin strips. Arrange on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes to draw out moisture; then pat dry. This prevents your lasagna from becoming watery. In a mixing bowl, combine your ricotta, half of the mozzarella and Parmesan, and the egg. Whisk together to form a filling. Now it’s time to layer. Coat the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish with marinara sauce. Add a layer of noodles, a layer of eggplant slices, a layer of the cheese filling, a layer of zucchini slices, and another layer of marinara. Repeat layers. Top lasagna with a final layer of noodles and marinara. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Bullies Need Love, Too

“I’m going to kill you!” I told Julie as she came out of the bathroom stall. In the third grade, I was in the bathroom of the old school house washing up a little craft knife. She started crying; I started crying. I told her I was sorryy and then blocked that memory out of my life until 65 years later when I read of her death in the local paper. Julie, I had thought, was the ugliest classmate. Hair always straggly, nose snotty, clothes wrinkled, hair lip. I now realize at age 75 and a lifetime of experiences, reading and understanding, that she was everything on the outside that I felt like I was on the inside! I was in the third grade, apparently not feeling loved. I telephoned her aunt who was in charge off the funeral, confessed my sin, asked forgiveness, and asked if Julie had had a happy life. She replied that Julie was wonderful, warm, loving, kindhearted, and loved her dolls, and made beautiful crafts. She never married. Now, she was at home with her mother and father and has a happy life. In the movie Tombstone, Doc Holiday lay on a filthy cot dying of TB when his friends Ringo Starr and Wyatt Earp visited him. On his deathbed, Doc asked Ringo what the reason was for his killing and being so mean. Ringo’s reply was “the revenge for having been born.” I question his upbringing. What atrocities and horror did Ringo Starr suffer as a child? Not having been loved by parents or grandparents or siblings-makes me wonder about all the bullying going on today. Having the 50th class reunion behind me, I remember hearing classmates lamenting over the fact of being embarrassed because “their dad” was a custodian or a butcher or a poor farmer. It seemed most of my classmates had something they were ashamed about. I was singled out because my dad was the doctor. I had the wealth, but didn’t realize that my classmates were really poor. One day the girls at school in my class decided not to talk to me. I was bewildered at what was going on. Another time later in high school two boys let the air out of the 1956 yellow Chevy convertible I was driving. Dah! What in the world was I doing driving that kind of car to school in the 50s” A mother thing! It didn’t help me to have friends. Jealousy is a terrible mind set. I don’t think Ringo was jealous. In the same way as the guy in 50 Shades of Grey, he wasn’t jealous. I forced myself to read the 3 books to try to figure out what the big deal was. I flipped page after page just getting through the books, and finally realized the poor guy was so terribly traumatized as a child that his deepest need was for someone to love him after childhood. By making the girl endure all that he had, she ended up still loving

by Polly Williams

him, not the things he had done to her. Finally, it dawned on me… to love and be loved is the greatest thing on earth! A granddaughter now going through bullying as a middle schooler brought home just how self-loathing has penetrated our culture. I told her to say to the girls bullying her in the hall way between classes, “It takes one to know one!” She exclaimed, “Grandma, I can’t be calling them names!” But she is devastated and is so tenderhearted. I exclaimed to her, “They are jealous of you. Just grab them and say, “Let’s go have lunch together or something.” Of course, this isn’t going to work. I am just helpless and kidding myself. I don’t know how to advise her. Bullying today is not so unlike bullying years past. Just different words and actions. In 3rd grade, I dared a classmate to put her tongue on the cold, winter slide. Lying, telling her it wasn’t going to hurt, she did and it did!!!! Bullying! February 1st of this year a quiet voice in my thoughts said to call the foster boy of 42 years ago. I did. He answered. Both of us were overwhelmed with memories. He said, “I didn’t know what faith was until the summer in your home in 1975. At age 30, I accepted Jesus as my Savior.” And here I had thought we had failed him. Who knows what a little love, prayers, and God’s timing will bring about! Kill bullies with love. Polly Williams is a doctor’s daughter, pastor’s wife, mother of 3 sons, farmer’s wife and widow. She completed her RN degree at the age of 40. Her desire now is to submit inspirational stories of her life.

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