ED News

from December 2021

Safety News

by Russell Hamilton, TWUA Executive Director

Father Thank You. In this time of Christmas, we bow our heads and humbly say thank you as we acknowledge the birth of Jesus. We take comfort in knowing that You remain in charge and control of life as we understand it. We need You, and we welcome You in all we do. We come into Your presence, seeking Your grace, Your calm, Your guidance, and forgiveness. Father, we pray for Your mercy and ask that You guide, direct, protect, and bless TWUA and its members. Amen

As we prepare for this time of Christmas, the TWUA Management Committee and Central Office Staff and it is our wish that everyone experiences a truly blessed and joyous Christmas. To those who will be working this holiday, thank you for your devotion and for your part in making this day more enjoyable for others. We urge everyone to remember our troops and their families.

In West Texas, Lake Spence is sitting at 25.4 % (- 0.5 %). White River is sitting at 20.5 % (- 0.7 %). Panhandle - Lake Meredith is sitting at 35.2 % (- 0.5 %) and Greenbelt is at 16.7 % (- 1.2 %). If you want to get a complete look at current lake levels, go to waterdatafortexas.org. The drought has never left for some.

Mark your calendar for 2022 – Mid-Year Board Meet-

ing will be March 8th & 9th. Amarillo will be April 4th – 7th . Beaumont will be April 25th – 28th . Abilene will be May 2nd – 5th . Arlington will be May 16th – 20th . Killeen will be June 6th – 9th . McAllen will be July 11th – 14th . San Angelo will be July 18th – 21st . Ft. Stockton will be August 22nd – 25th . Longview will be October 10th – 13th . Lubbock will be November 1st – 3rd. The links to all the fliers will be activated as soon as possible so that you may register for any region now, thereby making use of budgets more efficiently.

Check the TWUA Website for the most up-to-date information related to TWUA Regional opportunities. If travel and being in crowds cause you concern or your employer has not approved travel, please look at the TWUA Computer Based Training options. (https://twua.org/online-classdates) Dates For Annual School 2022. The dates for the 104th Annual School in Corpus Christi are September 26th – 29th 2022. This will be Monday thru Thursday. The events have been pushed forward a day. The Opening Session and Awards will be Monday. The school will begin Tuesday and conclude with vendor move out at noon Thursday. We will have the information updated on the website soon, and the form will actually be live, so you could go ahead and preregister if you are looking for a legitimate budget expense.

Paper-Based TCEQ Testing - Help Spread The Word – if you want to continue to have the option of paper-based exams at the conclusion of TWUA regional events, we need exam numbers to justify TCEQ’s continued participation.

Click on or copy this link to find TCEQ computer-based testing locations. https://www.tceq.texas.gov/licensing/exams/cbt_occ_lic.html

Call the TCEQ staff in licensing for more information or the official statement related to the Exams, Licensing, and Computer-Based Testing. 512-239-6133

For Clarification – There are three (3) steps in the TCEQ

exam process. (1. application/payment – 2. approval/conditional approval – 3. designate testing location) You are not through if you have not designated a testing location with TCEQ. To test at a TWUA Regional event, TCEQ is asking for a 30-days designation before the event. If you did not meet the 30-day window, go ahead and submit;

sometimes, you get lucky. Some have received their approval or conditional approval letter and think all they need to do is bring the TCEQ letter and challenge the exam. You will still need to follow the directions in the letter and desig-

nate a test location.

The Story Goes Something Like This –

Jesus Came To Dinner

Ruth looked at the envelope again; there was no stamp, no postmark, only her name, and address. She read the letter one more time.

Dear Ruth,

I plan to be in your neighborhood on Saturday afternoon, and I’d like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,

Jesus

Ruth’s hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. “Is this a joke?” “Why would the Lord want to visit me? I’m nobody special. I don’t have anything to offer.”

With that thought, Ruth remembered today was Saturday, and her kitchen cabinets were empty. She went to her refrigerator, but she already knew it was bare as well. “Oh, my goodness, I really don’t have anything to offer. I’ll have to run down to the store and buy something for our dinner.”

She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Seventeen dollars and thirty cents. “Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.” She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, a half-pound of sliced ham, small head of lettuce, tomatoes, a dozen eggs, a half-gallon of milk, half dozen sugar cookies . . . . leaving Ruth with a grand total of two dollars and twelve cents to last until her next payday. Nonetheless, she felt satisfied as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked securely under her arm.

As Ruth hurried down the street, she noticed a dirty homeless-looking man rummaging through a trash receptacle. As she got near, she noticed how peaceful and kind his eyes looked. Ruth asked him how long it had been since he had eaten?

The man lowered his head, and humbly replied, “it’s been a while.”

Ruth placed her bag on a nearby bench and began making two sandwiches. The homeless man had a cup in his coat pocket, so Ruth poured him some milk and offered him one of the cookies. The man was very appreciative and thankful while wishing Ruth blessings as she hurried home, for she did not want to miss her important guest.

As Ruth turned the corner, on a park swing, she noticed a small boy who was sitting, dragging his feet in the dirt and staring at the ground.

Ruth looked at her watch and was concerned that time was slipping by, but something told her she should reach out to the boy.

Ruth crossed the street and entered the playground through an open gate. As she approached the young boy, he looked up and smiled. Ruth introduced herself, and the young boy extended his hand and said: “hi, my name is James, but my friends call me Jimmy.”

Ruth asked James if he was lost or needed someone to help him home or find his parents.

James told Ruth he lived in the little white house nearby and pointed.

James was eying Ruth’s shopping bag when Ruth asked if he wanted something to eat. James said his mom was trying her best, but sometimes work is slow, and she is the first sent home. Those days we have a slice of bread soaked in syrup.

With tears in Ruth’s eyes, she led James to the merry-goround and proceeded to make James two sandwiches. Ruth told James to take one of the sandwiches to his mom, but James had already devoured one of the sandwiches and was biting into the second. So, Ruth made another and asked James if he would take it to his mom.

James was grinning from ear to ear and said: “yes ma’am, I will, and thank you.”

Ruth handed James a couple of cookies and packed up what was left, and headed home. She was thinking, I can make my guest a meal out of what is left, and I will simply say my stomach is not feeling right, so I better pass. I will eat when my stomach is better.

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Ruth crossed the alley between two buildings and she heard, “Hey lady, can you please help us?” Ruth has been so absorbed in her dinner plans; she hadn’t even noticed two figures huddled beside a trash can. A man and a woman, both dressed in little more than rags.

“Please lady, I ain’t got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living here on the street, and, well soon it will be getting cold, and we’re kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, ma’am, we’d be most appreciative.”

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad, and, frankly, she was certain they could get some kindof-work if they really wanted to. “Sir, I’d like to help, but I am a poor single woman myself. All I have is what is left of a few cold cuts and some bread, a little milk, some eggs, and two cookies. I am expecting an important guest for dinner tonight, and I need to serve this to him.”

“Sure, I understand, thanks anyway.” The man put his arm around the woman’s shoulders, turned, and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. “Sir, wait!” The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. “Look, why don’t you take this food. I’ll figure something else to serve my guest.” She handed the man her grocery bag.

“Thank you, ma’am. Thank you so much!” It was the man’s wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering.

“You know, I have another coat at home. Here, why don’t you take this one.” Ruth unbuttoned her coat and slipped it over the woman’s shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street . . . without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. “Bless you, ma’am, and thank you so much!”

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit, and she had nothing to offer him. Ruth fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope tucked in the lid of her mailbox. “That’s odd. The mailman doesn’t usually come twice in one day.” Ruth took the envelope out of the box and opened it. Dear Ruth,

You truly delight my heart. It was so good to see you again today, Thank you for the lovely meals. You may have thought they were inadequate, but I know they came from a loving heart and a faithful servant’s desire to help. James’s mom received a great job today, so things will be looking up for them. And thank you too, for the beautiful coat, it was just what I needed.

Love always,

Jesus

The wind was picking up, and it was getting colder, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.

About that time, a delivery truck pulled up from the grocery store. And as the driver came around, he was struggling with three large bags of groceries. The delivery man said, “a man with the ‘kindest eyes’ selected these items, gave this address, and paid the tab, plus a little extra for delivery.” “Oh, and there is plenty more in the truck, I will need to make several trips.”

Author Unknown