February 2009

Page 2 February, 2009 Texas Twister

A man walks out to the street and catches a taxi just go-ing by. He gets into the taxi, and the cabbie says, “Perfect timing. You’re just like Frank.”

Passenger: “Who?”

Cabbie: “Frank Feldman. He’s a guy who did everything right all the time. Like my coming along when you need-ed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time.”

Passenger: “There are always a few clouds over every-body.”

Cabbie: “Not Frank Feldman He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand-Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros. He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy.”

Passenger: “Sounds like he was something really spe-cial.”

Cabbie: “There’s more. He had a memory like a com-puter. He remembered everybody’s birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feld-man, he could do everything right.”

Passenger: “Wow, some guy then.”

Cabbie: “He always knew the quickest way to go in traf-fic and avoid traffic jams. Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them. But Frank, he never made a mistake, and he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good. He would never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immacu-late, shoes highly polished too. He was the perfect man! He never made a mistake. No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman.”

Passenger: “An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?”

Cabbie: “Well, I never actually met Frank. He died. I married his widow.”

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888-355-5263 February, 2009 Page 3

Page 4 February, 2009 Texas Twister

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off brand labeled “Everyday Value”. I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA. Sothrowoutthemyththatyoucannotfindproducts you use every day that are made right here - from a company in Cleveland, OH! So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets....yep, you guessed it --Bounce was more money and made in Canada, the Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

So, my challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you canfindthat ismadeintheUSA-thejobyousavemay be your own or your neighbors!

If you accept the challenge, pass it on to others so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time! Besides, you might save a little of your green in the process.”

Anonymous

888-355-5263 February, 2009 Page 5

NO CHAPPED LIPS THIS WINTERDrink Water Even If You Aren’t Thirsty!

Winter often brings chapping, cracking, peeling lips. What causes chapped lips? Dehydration. In winter, the combina-tion of indoor heat and outdoor environment attacks lips daily. The body actually works harder in the cold.The body is working harder because of the cold. So what to do? It’s a simple 1, 2, 3 approach: water, exfoliate, lip balm. 1.) Water, water, water. Drink plenty of water. That is the first and most important step in keeping lips luscious and moist all winter long. Experts are always encouraging people to drink eight glasses of water a day, not just when thirsty. By the time thirst sets in, you’re already dehydrated. 2.) The second step is to exfoliate. 3.) The third step is applying a lip balm. The best thing you can do for chapped lips is to lubricate them. So it’s simple: For luscious winter lips, prevent dehydration. Drink water, exfoliate, and use a lip balm with UV protection and anti-oxidants. That should keep lips in good condition throughout the winter sea-son.

Page 6 February, 2009 Texas Twister

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Who said we couldn’t have sweets for Valentine? Sure wasn’t me. I have a sweet tooth and I like to feed it ev-ery now and then. So, celebrate Valentine’s Day with your Sweetheart and enjoy these delicious recipes. ( If you have a recipe you’d like me to look up, just e-mail me at [email protected]’lltryandfinditforyou) Snicker’s Dessert Serves 8Ingredients 2 cups no-fat, sugar-free vanilla or praline ice cream or frozen yogurt1 cup “lite” sugar-free frozen whipped topping, thawed1/4 cup peanut butter1small(4servings)packagesugar-freebutterscotchpud-ding mix.DirectionsMix all ingredients thoroughly and pour into a 8-inch square pan and freeze.Serving size: 2-by-2-inch piecePer serving: 135 calories, 21 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 4 g fat**********************Strawberry Shake Serves: 3Ingredients1 cup skim or low-fat milk3/4cupstrawberries(Freshorfrozen,unsweetened)1/2 cup Low-fat frozen vanilla yogurtDirectionsPut milk and berries in a blender. Blend 10 seconds. Add yogurt and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.Serving size: 3/4 cupPer Serving: 75 calories, 11 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 1 g fat **************Black Cherry Salad Serves 9Ingredients8 oz package non-fat cream cheese14 oz can black sweet cherries, drained, reserve juice1/4 cup cold water1small(4servings)packagesugar-freecherrygelatin1 cup boiling water8 oz non-fat whipping creamDirectionsPlace cream cheese in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the re-served cherry juice and 1/4 cup cold water. Beat well with an electric mixer. Mix gelatin with boiling water and add to the cream cheese mixture; blend well. Fold in drained cherries and whipped topping; blend well. Pour into 9-by-13 inch pan and refrigerate several hours.Serving size: 1 3-by-4 inch squarePer Serving: 105 calories, 20 g carbohydrates, 0g protein, 0 g fat

A Sunday School teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem . A small child replied, “They couldn’t get a babysitter.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Sunday school teacher was discussing the TenCommandmentswithherfiveand sixyear olds. After explaining the command-ment to “Honor thy father and thy mother,” she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sis-ters?” Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, “Thou shall not kill.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~

At Sunday School they were teach-ing how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed espe-cially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and she said, “Johnny, what is the matter?” Lit-tle Johnny responded, “I have pain in my side. I think I’m going to have a wife.”

I don’t know why we shop somewhere, and try to tell the people who run the place how to do their job. I am starting to remodel my home, and needed some columns for my front porch. I measured, and I needed them to be 7’ 4”. I went to G & S Sales. (You can see their ad on the back page of this paper.)The columns that I wanted came in a standard length of 6’ or 8’. I told them I wanted them to cut them to 7’ 4”. They said they couldn’t cut them. That just did not make any sense to me. I asked them why, and then proceeded not to listen andpracticallybegthemtocutthem.Theyheldfirm.Theyhadtobeorderedandwouldn’t be in till the next day. Next morning, on my way out the door to pick them up, I measured again. I was being stubborn. I knew what I needed. I was going to give it another shot and ask them to cut them. They had explained to me that they needed to be cut at the job site because of the chances that the cut might be too short. Then, I measured one of the posts, and it was 7’ 4”. I measured the second one.........oops, it was 7’ 6”. I was sure glad G & S knew what they were talking about and didn’t give in to cut them. When I got there, without my paper work, they took about 2 seconds to pull it up on the computer, and told me where I needed to go to pick them up. I pulledup,andthought,“Now,I’mgoingtohavetofindsomeonetohelpme.”Several trucks pulled up at the same time I did. An employee approached me and asked if I was the one to pick up the columns. I have no idea how he knew that was what I had come to get, but they had them right there, ready to go. They loaded them and I turned the truck around to leave. Another employee stopped me and asked if I had gotten the columns. I explained that I did, and he said he was just making sure. I really have no idea how the 2nd man knew what I wanted. It was a really good shopping experience, and the prices they have are great! Two points here. 1. When you are making a purchase from a store, they probably have more knowledge about that product than you do, so listen. 2. And, if you need any kind of building material or hardware, G & S Sales is the place to go!

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At least, it is making me stupid. I can’t turn my TV on without the remote. I can’t believe that I will spend 10 minutes looking for the remote to turn off the TV when there is a perfectly good button I could push and be done withit.Ican’twalkintoaroomwithoutflippingthelightswitch,andI’llspendforeverontheinternettryingtofinda phone number or an address. I could just pick up the phone book and make a call. Sixty seconds later, I have the number and the address. But, what really got me was the other night when I was driving Brownie home. Brownie is my 1988 Chevy PU. She is my work truck. I pulled in the driveway and tried to open the door. It was locked. I hit the automatic lock, tried to open the door, wouldn’t open. I turned the truck back on, no luck. I’m a bit claustrophobic, so the automatic windows came down at this point. I thought for a minute. “What could I possibly be doing wrong?” I tried the passenger door.....locked, reached out the window for the outside handle....locked. OK, I’m locked INSIDE MY TRUCK. I’m sit-ting in my yard, at night, with nobody around LOCKED INSIDE MY TRUCK. I couldn’t believe it. As hard as it was going to be, I was going to have to call for help. I thought about crawling out the window, but falling to the ground just didn’t seem like a good idea at my age. Jesse, my son, doesn’t live far from me. But, I remembered his cell phone was dead. And his girlfriend, Heather, had just changed her cell number so I didn’t have itinmycellphone.(Technologyagain!) IwasjustsittingtheretryingtofigureoutwhoIwas going to call and explain my ridiculous situation to when Jesse just happened to pull into the drive. He parked right behind me, and I waited a couple of seconds to start yelling out the window. “Jesse! Jesse! I’m locked in my truck and I can’t get out!” He came up to the truck, tried the door, then reached inside immediately and clicked the MANUAL door lock. He just shook his head and walked away. I got out of the truck with stupid permanently embedded in my forehead.

My Mom and Dad got a pretty good laugh out of this. My Mom was especially having a good time re-minding me of being locked inside my truck. Then, sweet, sweet revenge. My mother, Jean Mertens, lives in Pittsburg, Texas. Anybody know her? It is important that if you do to mention this next story when you see her. She has certainly had a good enough time teasing me. She went to a gas station and went inside with just her keys and some money. She locked her car, and when she came out , her clicker wouldn’t unlock the door. She tried again, nothing. There is a key code on her door, but they’ve never used it, and she didn’t remember the code. She went back inside and called my Dad. My dad, Kenneth Mertens, has also had a pret-ty good time with my being locked inside my truck. He didn’t remember the code either. She goes back outside and tries several combination and nothing works. She went back inside the gas station and there was a policeman inside. She told him about her predicament and asked for his help. He just looked at her with a bit of a grin, I’m sure. He pointed to the keys in her hand and asked if they were for the ignition. She told him yes, and then he reminded her they would unlock the door. Hah! So, right back at you, Mom and Dad! Neither of them remembered they could just use the key! The technology we have today is truly amazing. It makes our lives so much easier than the generations before us. And, it also gives us another reason to laugh at our-selves..... and others!

Page 8 February, 2009 Texas Twister

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LADIES!

TREAT YOURSELF FOR VALENTINE’S DAY!

I’ve been reading several articles reporting how movie stars have aged. They show a then and now photo. And, though, a lot of them do cosmetic surgery, the ones that were reported to have the best skin for their age said they did regu-lar ‘maintenance’ like acid peels by pro-fessionals. I wish I had started at an ear-lier age taking better care of my skin. I called Gail Brantley’s Electroly-sis/Derma (see her ad here on this page). For us to be able to get a facial acid peel like the stars do, is only about $60 (or less). All of us work hard, whether it is a full time job outside the home or inside, we need to and we should allow ourselves to be pampered. Make a list of things you would like to do for yourself, a time frame, and schedule to get it done, and do it!

COME ON LADIES, WE’RE WORTH IT! I’m making my appointment now.

888-355-5263 February, 2009 Page 9

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Q. I have always been fascinated by the Amish religion. Can you tell me how their traditional funerals differ from our funerals?A. The traditional Amish believe in the neighborly prin-ciple of taking care of each other, it’s really like saying that blood relatives take care of their “own”. When death comes, in compliance to state law in states in which no exceptions on the grounds of religious beliefs and prac-tices are made, the body is turned over to a non-Amish funeral director for embalming. Formerly, embalming was considered a denial of God’s will but through time, tradi-tional groups have begun to be more liberal with the rule. The word of death is spread from family to family through personal visits- the Amish do not use telephones- and a death notice is placed in the local newspaper. As the news spreads the whole system of mutual aid goes into opera-tion. The Amish bishop and his assistant go to the home; carpenters offer their services for the casket; the women begin preparations for the funeral dinner; and neighbors join in performing farm and other chores for the bereaved family. The home is prepared for a funeral in much the same manner in which it is cleared for meeting. Friends and family clean stables and yards. Furniture is moved and replaced by backless benches. Although a funeral director has been called upon to supply the professional services required by law, traditionally Amish families themselves handled most of the details of the funerals. The dead, like the living, are simply clothed. The body of a man is clothed inawhiteshroud;andawoman, for thefirst timesinceher wedding ceremony, is garmented in white. The Amish traditionallyareburiedinanoldfashionedcoffin;aplainwooden box narrow at the head and feet and widening at the shoulders. Measurements of the body are taken to the carpenterandacustombuiltcoffinisconstructed.UsuallytheAmishcoffin ismadeofhardwoodbut inWisconsinthedeadareburiedinpineboxes.Thecoffinisoftenleftunvarnished and unpainted. The more conservative Amish insist that the interior be bare but will allow a thin cotton strip cushion to be placed at the bottom. The less conserva-tive will drape the interior with white plain cotton- colored orpatternedclothisnotallowed.Thelidofthecoffinisone piece and slid down to the shoulders during the view-ing. It isplacedonsawhorses(or traditionalstands)andremains ‘half’ opened during the entire service. The embalmed body is returned to the farm house for viewing and services. At the wake, which follows the return of the body to the home, the room is lighted by two oil burning chimney lamps. Friends and relatives come to express sympathy and to view the remains. When the fam-ily goes to bed, six men are left in straight-backed chairs sitting around the coffin, keeping watch throughout thenight.Everythingissimpleandveryplainwithnoflowersallowed. Every Amish from the age of six weeks old and on are expected to attend the funeral. A funeral for a ma-triarch or patriarch may bring together as many as 1,000 people. Normally the funeral is held in the home but may be moved to the barn if the home proves to be too small.On the morning of the funeral, the yard and driveway of thehomeisfilledwithbuggiesandwagons.Mournersare

seated on plain wooden benches and listen to three hours of prayers and scriptural readings delivered in German in a high-pitched uninflected voice. ManyAmish still usethe Ausbund, the world’s oldest Protestant hymnal, which contain words but no notes. Traditional hymns are sung in unison and sound almost like a chant. The Vorsanger (song leader)singsthefirstsyllableofeachlineasasoloandtheothers join in for the remainder of the line. The hymns are sung very slowly and may require 30 minutes to complete one song. When the home services are complete then it is time for the funeral dinner. The dinner takes place on out-side tables within view of the home where the decease re-mains. The dinner is eaten in complete and somber silence andeventhechildren(regardlessofage)areforbiddentospeak. After dinner, the body is placed in a ‘hearse’ wagon withwooden sides and the closest relative (non-spouse)drives the wagon to the place of burial. The procession is slowly formed with exactly one wagon length between buggies. The line may consist of several hundred buggies and plain farm wagons. A typical Amish cemetery is a plot of ground donated by a farmer for burial. Amish men (usu-allyrelatives)digthegravebyhand.Atthecemetery,thecoffinisplacedonwoodentrestlesbyfourpallbearersandagainopened forfinalviewingandanother simplecere-mony follows. Relatives then screw down the lid of the coffinandloweritintothegravebyhandusingropes.TheAmish traditions also require that all hats be worn during theloweringofthecoffin.Woodensticksaretemporarilyplaced at the extremities of the grave to be replaced later by a simple white marker later. Most Amish graves will have foot stones as well as head stones. The Amish still maintain the old fashioned social aspect of the funeral and after the burial many mourners will stand around and chat at the cemetery much like we do. The Amish are plain peo-ple in death as in life. Amish faith stresses simplicity, hard workanddeepseatedpacifism.Theyleadlivesofpeace,serenity and contentment, seeking only to be allowed to pursue their own way of life. (If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, please write to ASK THE DIRECTOR c/o Ingram Funeral Home P.O. Box2218Quinlan,Texas75474).

Page 10 February, 2009 Texas Twister

A young woman teacher with obvious liberal tendencies explains to her class of small chil-dren that she is an atheist. She asks her class if they are atheists too. Not really knowing what atheism is but wanting to be like their teacher, theirhandsexplodeintotheairlikefleshyfire-works.

There is, however, one exception. A beautiful girl named Lucy has not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has de-cided to be different.

“Because, I’m not an atheist.”

Then, asks the teacher, “What are you?”“I’m a Christian.”

The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Lucy why she is a Chris-tian.

“Well, I was brought up knowing and loving Jesus. My mom is a Christian, and my dad is a Christian, so I am a Christian.”

The teacher is now angry. “That’s no reason,” she says loudly.

“What if your mom was an idiot and your dad was an idiot. What would you be then?”

Lucy paused, smiled and said, “Then, I’d be an atheist!”

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FHS History Day Finalists

History Day - Finalists - Ford High School History classes participated in FHS’s an-nual local history day creating group and individual exhibits, documentaries, papers, andmore.Followingarethefinalistsforthe competitions that will qualify to partic-ipate at the Regional History competitions.Group Exhibit• JerryLeeLewis-PatrickLugo& Kevin Stone • ElizabethCadyStanton-Katrina Freeman, Megan Kleiber, & Tyler Robles • HenryFord-SarahBaker,Justin Bigham, & Justin Bremer • HenryFord-TylerBarrett,Britton Wise, & Cole Spencer • BillytheKid-KyleHarper,Korey Davis, & Sam ThomasGroup Documentary• ClaraBarton-AmberWalls& Stephanie OwenIndividual Documentary• Gandi-BrittanyJohnson Papers• GaulHalverson-AmyLandess• RobertOppenheimer-Bunnarack Kuck • JosefMengele-MorganSmithIndividual Exhibit• AuthurDavidson-LucasGriggers• Dr.Seuss-KaylaSims

Support Academics in QISD - Buy a Brick for as low as $50!QISD Foundation FHS Courtyard Expansion - Lasts Through June 15, 2009

Letter from Foundation President Dr. William Clax-ton: On behalf of the Quinlan ISD Education Foundation, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the Foundation’s second largest fundraising efforts since its inception - our 2009 Courtyard Ex-pansion Campaign - expanding the existing courtyard at Ford High School one brick at a time. We would like for everyone to have the opportunity to have an engraved brick permanently displayed in the courtyard. This includes current students, community members, businesses, alumni and more. The most cost-effective way to get this infor-mation out to the students’ families is to send the information home with each child through their homeroom teacher. We are counting on our teachers, staff members, and administrators to encourage

support for our foundation and help make sure that all our students’ families have an opportu-nity to participate in the program. We priced our bricks beginning at $50.00 and even have a 6 month payment plan so more families can get involved. Be looking for these hard-copy news-letters to be going home in the coming weeks.As you know, the money we raise will go back to the schools and provide funds to QISD teach-ers every year for programs and initiatives that the school budget does not allow. If you have any questions about the Brick Cam-paign or the Education Foundation, please con-tact Tiffony Hopper, QISD Foundation district

liaison at [email protected]. She will be able to provide information and answer ques-tions. You may also contact me at [email protected]. The following are links to the newsletter outlining the many great details and plans of the Foundation as well as a brick order form.http://www.quinlanisd.net/uploaded/documents/PR/Community_Foundation_Brick_Campaign_order_form.pdfhttp://www.quinlanisd.net/uploaded/documents/PR/Fall_2008_Newsletter.pdf (warning, bigfile,

so it loads very slow, it will be impossible for dial-up userstosee!)

“Investing in Tomorrow...one brick at a time!”

The Foundation will expand the FHS courtyard into a plaza and expand the current Founding Donor Monument permanent structure pictured above.

Well, the winter weather is here , on and off again. AlongwiththetypicalTexasweather,bassfishingonForkthis month is basically the same as it has been for the month of December. The bass are scattered and feeding on the shad in the creeks and grass beds. There is still a lot of grass in the creeks and some main lake points and humps. Bass holding on the grass can be caught using a variety of methods. Fish a rattletrap type bait over the grass and get the reaction bite. Good baits for this are the Sebile baits in rayburnredandtheoriginalRattletrapincrawfishoranything red or orange. Fish these baits just ticking the top of the grass and pausing it every now and then. Lake fork swimbaits in the 3.5” are another good option. These baits resemble the shad the bass are feeding on and rigged with aweighted4/Ohookandfishedinaneraticretrieve.theywill produce some violent strikes. You can also slow roll a spinnerbait over and around these grass hotspots to entice themorelethargicfishtobite.Fishthegrassfrom3to8feetofwater.Thisseemstobewherethebiggerfishareholding. For the deep bite from 12 to 25 feet, I recommend using a Carolina Rig and the only baits I’ve been using for

my rig is the new Lakefork Trophy Tackles Hyper freek and Hhyper worm. These baits are awesome and really catchthefish.RigthebaitwithaoneounceLakeforkTungsten weight and about a 6 to 7 foot leader. The longertheleaderyoucanhandlethemorefishyouwillhook-up with. I use 30lb Power-Pro braided line for my mainlineandSeguar20lbInvis-xfluorocarbonformyleader.Startfishingattheedgesofthegrassbedsandkeepworkingdeepertofindthedepththefisharehold-ing.When«UniqueIdentifier»youfindthem,fishthemslow.Ifyouthinkyouarefishingtooslow,slowdown.Givethesefishsometimetocheckthedinerout. I’vebeen sticking with green pumpkin and watermelon red dipping the whole paddle with Spike-It Chartreuse. Just keepinmindthatthesefishhavebeenhammeredallyearlong and they have seen it all. Give them some time to checkthingsout.Thosebigfishdidn’tgetbigbybeingstupid. These two techniques have been working pretty good for me this month and last. Get you a plan and stick to it. Make up your mind and realize the numbers won’t be there,butthenextbiteyougetjustmightbethatfishofa lifetime. The water temp. is holding pretty steady at 48 to 50 degrees, so be careful and wear your life vests. No fishnomatterhowbigorhowmuchmoneyisofferedforhim is worth the price of your life. I am booking trips for the spring of 2009, give me a call at 817-999-7876 or call Froggy D’s Bait and Tackle at 903-765-2100 or Fishermans Cove Marina at 903-765-2943. And ask for Tim Walker’s Guide service. We offer trips for the beginning angler or seasoned angler.

Also group and corporate trips. You will get treated pro-fessionally and will have a great time. Making memories with family and friends is what it is all about .

Page 12 February, 2009 Texas Twister

January 2009 is School Board Recognition Month

Governor Rick Perry has proclaimed January as School Board Recognition Month to build awareness and understanding of the vital function an elected board of education plays in our communities. The Lone Oak ISD is joining with other districts throughout the state to thank board members for caring so much about the future of every child enrolled in our public schools. “Texasbenefiteverydayfromthededicatedenergiesandcountlesshoursdevotedbyagroupofmorethan 7,000 men and women across the state. These public servants are elected to serve by local citizens and receive no compensation for their tireless efforts. School board members are extraordinary people who voluntarily tackle the enormous job of governing school districts. Their actions and decisions affect the present and future lives of all our children,” said Mr. White, Lone Oak ISD Superintendent. “Even though we are making a special effort during January to show appreciation to our school board members,werecognizetheirworkreflectsayear-roundcommitment,”Mr.Whitesaid.“Everydaytrusteesdem-onstrate strength and dedication as they focus on excellence for their district programs, their teachers, and most importantlytheirstudents.Theyunselfishlycontributetheirtimeandtalentstowardtheadvancementofpublicschools, and represent a continuing commitment to local citizen control and decision making in education,” he said. The men and women serving Lone Oak ISD are Thomas Patterson, Wayne Burton, Terry Gipson, Danny Calk, Jerry Click, Craig Driggers and Gregg Elmore.

888-355-5263 February, 2009 Page 13

Health Hints:

Use Caution with Pain Relieversaccording to the USDA

Pain relievers, when used correctly, are safe and effective. Mil-lions of people use these medicines everyday. Not using them according to the label directions can have serious consequences. TheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)wantsyoutoben-efitfromyourmedicinesandnotbehurtbythem.Youshouldknowtheac-tive ingredients and directions of all your medicines before you use them. Over-the-counter(OTC)medicineslistalltheiractiveingredientson thepackage.Forprescriptiondrugs, the leaflet thatcomeswithyourprescription lists the active ingredients contained in the medicine.Many OTC medicines sold for different uses have the same active ingre-dient. Also, active ingredients in OTC medicines can be ingredients in prescription medicines. For example, a cold-and-cough remedy may have the same active ingredient as a headache remedy or a prescription pain reliever. There are basically two types of OTC pain relievers. Some contain acetaminophenandotherscontainnon-steroidalanti-inflammatorydrugs(NSAIDs).Thesemedicinesareusedtorelievetheminorachesandpainsassociated with: headaches colds flu arthritis toothaches menstrual cramps These medicines are also used to treat migraine headaches, and to reduce fever. Acetaminophen is a very common pain reliever and fever reducer. Taking too much of this active ingredient can lead to liver damage. The risk for liver damage may be increased if you drink three or more alcoholic drinks while using acetaminophen-containing medicines. NSAIDs are common pain relievers and fever reducers. Examples of OTC NSAIDs are aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and ketoprofen. There are some factors that can increase your risk for stomach bleeding:if you are over 60 taking prescription blood thinners have previous stomach ulcers or other bleeding problems If you have any of these factors, you should talk to your Doctor before us-ing NSAIDS.NSAIDs can also cause reversible damage to the kidneys. The risk of kid-ney damage may increase in:people who are over 60 people who have high blood pressure, heart disease or pre-existing kidney disease people who are taking a diuretic The FDA recommends that you talk with your healthcare profes-sional if you have questions about using an OTC medicine before using it in combination with other medicines -- either OTC or prescription medi-cine. You can learn more about what medicines are right for you by reading the label carefully and talking to your healthcare professional or pharmacist.For more information, visit http://www.fda.gov or call 1-888-INFOFDA.

Amanrunsintothevet’sofficecarryinghisdog,screamingforhelp.The vet rushes him back to an examination room and has him put his dog down on the examination table. The vet examines the still, limp body and after a few moments, tells the man that his dog, regrettably, is dead. The man, clearly agitated and not willing to accept this, demands a second opinion.

The vet goes into the back room and comes out with a cat and puts the cat down next to the dog’s body. The cat sniffs the body, walks from headtotail,pokingandsniffingthedog’sbodyandfinallylooksatthevet and meows.

The vet looks at the man and says, “I’m sorry, but the cat thinks that you’re dog is dead, too.” The man is still unwilling to accept that his dog is dead. So the vet brings in a black Labrador. The lab sniffs the body,walksfromheadtotail,andfinallylooksatthevetandbarks.Thevet looks at the man and says, “I’m sorry, but the lab thinks your dog is dead too.”

Theman,finallyresignedtothediagnosis,thanksthevetandaskshowmuch he owes. The vet answers, “$650.”

“$650 to tell me my dog is dead?” exclaims the man.

“Well,” the vet replies, “I would only have charged you $50 for my ini-tial diagnosis. The additional $600 was for the cat scan and lab tests.

Do you Grind Your Teeth? Do you ever wake up in the morning with you teeth or jaws hurting or have early morning headaches? If so, you may be grinding or clenching your teeth in your sleep. The medical term for this is bruxism. Bruxism can affect children and adults, and many sufferers are unaware of their condition. Children often grow out of this habit, and it is believed that it may be a normal part of jaw development in some, but it can be a bad habit in adults. Grinding the teeth can have many negative consequences. For one thing, it can lead to jaw disorders. This can manifest itself as popping or clicking during opening or closing, and in severe cases can result in the mouth being locked open or closed. Another problem that grinding can lead to is cracked or fractured teeth. The massager, or the jaw muscle, is one of the strongest muscles in the body, so bruxism can lead to un-safe forces being placed on the teeth. This can be especially detrimental to teeth thathavealreadybeenweakenedbydecayor largefillings. Acracked or fractured tooth can be very painful and usually needs a root canal and a crown, if it can be saved at all. Another problem that grinding can lead to is severe loss of tooth structure. I have patients whose teeth are about half the size that they should be because they have worn them away so badly. This can lead to a loss of vertical dimension of your lower face, leading to wrinkles and making you appear older. Once your teeth have reached this point, it takes a full mouth of crowns if you want to correct your appearance and bite! Fortunately, your dentist can usually easily tell if you suffer from bruxism. Yourteethedgesandcuspswilloftenbeveryflatandhavewearfacets. The cause of bruxism, however, may not be as obvious. It is be-lieved to sometimes be due to stress, or it can be due to occlusal interfer-ences, which means your teeth don’t line up correctly. Even if the cause isn’t known, the damage to your teeth and jaws can often be prevented by wearing an occlusal guard or night guard. This can be a soft rubber appliance like an athletic mouth guard or a harder plastic appliance, depending on how severe your grinding habit. There are over the counter boil-and-bite guards that can be purchased at your local pharmacy for less that $20 or your dentist can make you a cus-tomerappliancethattendstofirbetterandismorecomfortable.Thepriceof a customer guard can range from $75 to $500 depending on the mate-rial. Even the most expensive night guard is less that half the cost of one rootcanalandcrown,soifyouareagrinder,itisdefinitelymoneywellspent! Remember regular visits to your dentist can identify problems like bruxism early and correct or treat the problem before it leads to more se-vere consequences that can be painful and expensive to treat.

Take care of your teeth and they’ll take care of you!

Page 14 February, 2009 Texas Twister

888-355-5263 February, 2009 Page 15

Happy Valentine! Don’t forget to have a special meal for the man in your life. Maybehewon’tforgetthecandy,flowers,orasparkly! Ifhelikeschickenorporkchopshereisaneasy(foryou)maindish for that special night.

Diet Coke Chicken (or Pork Chops)4Skinless,BonelessChickenBreasts(or4CenterCutPorkChops)1 C. Ketchup 1 Can Diet Coke Put all ingredients into a large skillet and bring to a boil. Put a lid on the skillet, turn down the heat and cook on low for 45 minutes. Re-move the cover, turn up the heat and let the sauce thicken. Enjoy!

Valentine SaladYou can make this pink salad, chill in a heart shaped mold and make it look more like Valentine’s Day!Pink Salad1 Small Tub of Cool Whip 1 Pkg. Cottage Cheese1 Small Pkg. Strawberry Jello 1 Small Can Crushed PineappleMix all ingredients together and chill.

For Dessert, make a heart shaped cake. Here is an easy way to do this. Youwillneedyourfavoriteflavorandbrandofcakemix(2layersizebox).Followthedirectionsonthebox.BUT,makeoneofyourlay-ers square and one of your layers round. Place the square layer on a large cake platter to look like a diamond. Cut the round layer in half and place onehalfoftheroundlayeronthetopsidesofthediamond(square)layer.Frost it with pink frosting and decorate the top with candy hearts, choco-lateorflowers….youronlylimitisyourimagination…..Enjoy!

Page 16 February, 2009 Texas TwisterDid You Know?

by Ginger Lane

When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you “squeeze” for freshness or softness? Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days aweek?Monday,Tuesday,Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a dif-ferent color twist tie. They are: Monday = Blue, Tuesday = Green, Thursday = Red, Friday = White and Saturday = Yel-low.(NODELIVERYonWEDNESDAYS) So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a weekold)! The colors go alphabetically by color Blue- Green - Red - White - Yellow, Monday through Sat-urday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist ties, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday! Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are shopping.

A woman asked her husband to take her to an expensive place for Valentine’s. He dropped her off at a gas station!

888-355-5263 February, 2009 Page 17

2008 U.I.L. RESULTS6th Grade

Oral Reading1st Nicole Rich3rd Teresa WhitneyMusic Memory1st Nicole Rich2nd Jordan HoneaNumber Sense4th Amber Stone5th Thomas Kielty6th Dylan SmithCalculator Applications5th Zach Spurgin6th Salena RhodesMaps, Graphs, and Charts4th Clara Price6th MaKyla BainMathematics2nd Dreanna Hill3rd Hunter RiceDictionary Skills2nd Chad O’Leary2ndAshleyMcGinn(tie)Social Studies2nd Tommy Jenkins5th Allison Baker6th Anthony MowrerArt6th Garrett HubbardSpelling2nd Corey O’Grady5th Dreanna HillListening5th TeresaWhitney

7th GradeImpromptu Speaking5th Sara ChristopherOral Reading1st McKenzie Coddington3rd Meagan Bailey4th Rebecca ParsonsModern Oratory1stMollieMayfield3rd Samantha Rakestraw4th Hunter McDaniel6th Tabatha MooreReady Writing3rd Jaeli Thomas4th Valerie GonzalesMaps, Graphs, and Charts2nd Daxx Hill3rd Jacie ThomasonNumber Sense1st Jett Johnson2nd Rebecca Parsons3rd Josh Campbell

Spelling1st Jett Johnson2nd Sara Christopher3rd Isaiah SmithMathematics1st Jett Johnson2nd Mary Kate Moran3rd Chandler O’LearySocial Studies2nd McKlane Bobbitt4th Isaiah SmithDictionary Skills1st Isaiah Smith4th Addisyn Block6th Jacie ThomasonListening4th Keaton Jones4thChandlerO’Leary(tie)Calculator Applications1st Mary Kate Moran2nd Rebecca Parsons4th Josh Campbell

8th GradeEditorial Writing5th Elizabeth RutherfordImpromptu Speaking2nd Karina Cuevas4th Hannah HopkinsModern Oratory1st Karina Cuevas3rd Hannah Hopkins5th Emily BarrettReady Writing5th Jenni PattersonArt5th Sara LeesonOral Reading1st Karina Cuevas3rd Laura Stapleton6th Alaina PescheNumber Sense3rd Cody Davis4th Trey SwaffordSpelling4th Ellen BarnesMaps, Graphs, and Charts2nd Hayden Greene3rd Amanda BeeneDictionary Skills1st Ashlee Brown2nd Lauren Ross3rd Colton CookCalculator Applications1st Cody Davis2nd Hayden Greene3rd Brett RayshellMathematics

2nd Hayden Greene3rd Brett Rayshell4th Cody DavisListening1st Anthony Frodl2nd Morgan HoneaSocial Studies1st Kristen Maxwell2ndShawnMayfield3rd Dalton CurryScience2nd Asa Pelt

UIL 2008Griffis Elementary

2nd Grade Story Telling 1st Matthew Marlbor-ough2nd Gavin WilsonCreative Writing1st Jenna Munson4th Sydney Tischendorg5th Shana Headrick 6th Nicole Forga

3rd Grade Story Telling 1st Hannah O’Leary3rd Allison Atherton 4th Victoria Garza Spelling5th Payne Painter

4th GRADEOral Reading 3rd Lindsey Holt5th Emily McDaniel6th Kaitlyn Clements Ready Writing 5th Gabby Watkins Spelling 1st Emma Watts Number Sense 1st Brinkley Cover 3rd Briar Allen (tied for 2nd)

5th GRADEOral Reading4th Lauren HopkinsSpelling 2nd Nadia Romano5th Savannah Joyce6th C.J GrimesNumber Sense1st Tyler Whennan 2nd Austin Sawatsky3rd Kyle Fawks Listening Skills3rd Kelsi Curry

Maps, Graphs and Charts 2nd Kallan Block5th Breanna CrowDictionary1st E’Leesa Welsh2nd Matthew Coker3rd Austin Sawatsky4th Kallan BlockArt 4th GRADE1st Place Tanner Rice – perfect paperKennadie Drews – perfect paperHannah HarringtonArt 5th GRADE1st PlaceMelissa Peterson – perfect paperSiana CampbellE’Leesa WelshMusic 3rd GRADE2nd PlaceAllison AthertonKaylee BlassingamePhillip FarmerHannah HillPayne Painter Music 4th GRADE2nd PlaceDavid BamschEmily CareyElisabeth MarksJessica ReynoldsJustin WhitleyMusic 5th GRADE 3rd Place Kaleb BeeneBreanna CrowMatthew FisherLauren Hopkins

UIL Fall 2008Lee Elementary

2nd grade Story Telling3rd - Sarah Elhassan4th - Paige Larocca 3rd Grade Story Telling1st - Victoria Habluetzel2nd - Abby Sykes3rd - Sadie Howard4th - Bentley Payne4th Grade Oral Reading1st - Logan Brown6th - Savannah Monroe5th Grade Oral Reading1st - Taylor Zachary2nd - Paige Sykes

3rd - Gabby Ocanas6th - Hailey Roberts 3rd Grade Spelling2nd - Bentley Payne3rd - Mason Smart4th Grade Spelling1st - Harrison Swor5th - Tie - Ryan Craig and Hannah Hodnett 5th Grade Spelling2nd - Hunter Tippetts3rd - Tie - Jamie Maxwell and Cacie Lawless2nd Grade Creative Writ-ing2nd - Tristan King6th - Hannah Epperson3rd Grade Ready Writing1st - Taytum Buford3rd - Lauren Farr4th Grade Ready Writing3rd - Hannah Hodnett6th - Zona Alcorn5th Grade Ready Writing2nd - Paige Sykes4th - Alicia Miller6th-BrookeStubblefield5th Grade Dictionary Skills2nd - Ty Cox - Tie with Cooper Student5th Grade Maps, Graphs, and Charts

2nd - Jamie Maxwell5th - Taylor Zachary5th Grade Listening Skills1st - Mason Bartley tie with Cooper Student4th Grade Art1st place team - Adam Davis, Jacob Duffer, Eder Paulin5th Grade Art2nd place team - Josie Katenkamp, Alicia Miller, Bailey Miley and Brooke Stubblefield3rd Grade Music Memory1st place team - Jayden Mullis, Bentley Payne, Mason Smart4th Grade Music Memory1st place team - Logan Brown, Cade Krodle, Amber Ruiz, and Matthew Reagan5th Grade Music Memory1st place team - Hannah Brown, Ty Cox, and Gabby Ocanas4th Grade Number Sense1st - Adam Davis2nd - Brayden Alvarez5th Grade Number Sense1st - Brandon Tadlock2nd - Josie Katencamp

Courtney Guthery signed a letter of committment on January 25th to play softball at Labette Community College in Parsons, KS. The head coach at Labette

is Ryan Phillips and he is assisted by Kim Alexander. Pictured are Front: Caitlyn Guthery (sister), Courtney Guthery, Dina Guthery ( mom), Chelsea Guthery (sis-

ter). Back: Caddo Mills High School Head Coach and Athletic Director Steve Sumrow, Glen Blanchett-Head Coach 18 & Under Texas Spice Select ,Andy Guthery (dad), and Caddo Mills High School Head Softball

Coach Gene Nitson.

Page 18 February, 2009 Texas Twister

1-877-FOOD-MINISTRY (1-877-366-3646)REGULAR BOX - $30.00Balanced nutrition and variety with enough food to feed a family of four for a week.1.5lb. SirloinStripSteaks(4x6oz.)2 lb. Tray Pack Chicken Breast1 lb. Boneless Pork Chops2 lb. Breaded Chicken Nuggets28 oz. Salisbury Steak Entreé12 oz. Sliced Bacon1 lb. All-Meat Hot Dog1lb. StirFry(Broccoli,RedPeppers&Onions)1 lb. Carrots8 oz. Breakfast Cereal32 oz. 2% Shelf Stable Milk35 oz. Crinkle-Cut Fries7.25 oz. Mac ‘n Cheese1 lb. Rice1 lb. Bean Soup Mix Dozen Eggs DessertSENIOR/CONVENIENCE BOX - $28.00For Seniors or People on the Go!Ten perfectly seasoned, nutritionally balanced, fully cooked meals—just heat and serve. Each meal has been developed with the dietary needs of senior citizens in mind, and contains 3 oz. of protein, a starch & two vegetables or fruit.Beef Chili Macaroni Casserole with Diced Carrots and Green BeansHam & White Beans with Diced Sweet Potatoes and Winter Blend VegetablesCreamy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Corn and Capri Blend VegetablesSweet & Sour Pork with Rice, Peas and Carrots, and Squash MedleyFlame Broiled BBQ Chicken Breast with Diced Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli Seasoned Beef Chili with Beans, Broccoli and Apple-sauceBeef Meatballs & Shell Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, Green Bean Casserole and Squash Med leyPot Roast and Gravy with Vegetables, Diced Potatoes and Green PeasCreamy Macaroni & Cheese with Diced Carrots and Green PeasGrilled Chicken Breast over Rice & Gravy with Diced Carrots and Green Peas10 2-pack, individually-wrapped cookies***One or More Specials Available Only with the Purchase of

Either of the Boxes Above***FEBRUARY SPECIAL #1 - $22.006 lb. Assorted Meat Box 1.5lb. Bone-InRibeyeSteak(2x12oz.)1.5 lb. Bacon-Wrapped Lean Ground Beef Patties (4 x 6oz.)2lb. Thick-CutPorkChops(4x8oz.)1 lb. Mild Italian Sausage with Mozzarella CheeseFEBRUARY SPECIAL #2 - $21.004 lb. Steak Combo 2.5lb. T-BoneSteaks(4x10oz.)1.5lb. NewYorkStripSteaks(2x12oz.)FEBRUARY SPECIAL #3 - $21.00SuperValueFajitaKit(5+lbs.)2lb. SteakFajitaStripPacks(2x1lb.)2lb. ChickenBreastFajitaStripPacks(2x1lb.)

1 lb. Onions & Bell Peppers20 ct. 8” Flour TortillasFEBRUARY SPECIAL #4 - $16.00Frozen Side & Fixin’s Box Compliments our Great Steak and Chicken Boxes2 lb. Heat & Serve Corn2 lb. Heat & Serve Green Beans2 lb. Heat & Serve Mashed Potatoes1 Brown Gravy Mix8 ct. Dinner Roll1 PieFEBRUARY SPECIAL #5 - $21.00Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box 3 lb. No. 1 Premium Idaho Baking Potatoes3 lb. No. 1 Premium North Carolina Sweet Potatoes2 lb. No. 1 Premium New Crop Western Grown Yel low Onions9 oz. California Premium Raisins1 lb. Premium California Grown Carrots1 head Premium Fresh Green Cabbage3 lb. New Crop Tree-Ripened Red Delicious Apples2 each Premium Washington State Anjou Pears1 each Premium Golden Sweet Pineapple3 lb. New Crop Premium Florida Tree-Ripened Va lencia OrangesFEBRUARY SPECIAL #6 - $15.00Tangerine Box 2/5 Bushel New Crop Florida Tree-Ripened Honey Tangerines(approximately20-21poundsor70-75tangerines)

Orders Due: Contact Your Local Host Site*Distribution Day: Contact Your Local Host Site*

*Please note that some host sites have earlier order deadlines. Please contact your local host site for information.Visit our website to locate a host site near youwww.angelfoodministries.comAngel Food Ministries is an equal opportunity provider and em-ployer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director,OfficeofCivilRights,Washington,DC20250-9410Angel Food Ministries Reserves the Right to Substitute Any of the Above Items Due to Availability, Cost and Quality We Ac-ceptFoodStamps(EBT).

Royse City Plays Host to Nashville’s Next Star

by: Randy Peterson

Katie Mariah CD Release ShowFebruary 6, 2009 @ 8pm

Sabine Creek Ranch576 Sabine Creek Rd.

Royse City, TX

When Katie Mariah was searching for the perfect lo-cation for her CD release party on February 6th, the choices were plentiful. Being from Oklahoma and living part time in Dallas, she was presented with dozens of historical venues and legendary music halls to host her concert. She passed on the glitz of the big city to follow her heart back to East Dallas where she loved the closeness and connection that was shared with her early crowds.

“It just seemed to be a perfect place to play music. I can debut my disc and invite my fans and friends out to an evening of music!” Her songwriter style com-manded a more intimate setting and she settled for no less. “I love Sabine Creek, what Eddie Walker and his family have built out there is special. It’s warm and connected; it’s the type of venue that my music was written for.”

“There is something really unique about her voice. Her opera background gives it control and strength, but it is her personality that gives her voice warmth. You hear her sing and you are stuck in a moment, her words take you back to times and places in your own life.

The show will begin at 8pm on Friday February 6, 2009. Throughout the evening, she will be interact-ing with the crowd and sharing some of the stories of her favorite songs and the songwriting process. “The idea is to make it much more than just a concert,” commented her manager Davis, “It will be an event. There will be some videos playing highlighting this journey, some storytelling, questions for the band and in the spirit of sharing her music, we are giving away the CD FREE.”

For tickets or more information about Katie and her music, check her out at www.katiemariah.com or call 972-754-9059.

Royse City Intermediate to Join the Channel 8 WeatherBug® Schools

Network

Royse City Intermediate to Install WeatherBug Tracking Station to Provide Live, Local Weather Conditions to the Surrounding Community and Enhance Student Education

Royse City Intermediate, Royse City, TX— WeatherBug®, the leading provider of live, local weather information, an-nounced today that Royse City Intermediate has

joined the WeatherBug Schools Program. The school will install a new WeatherBug Tracking Station and will be able to provide weather data for Channel 8 to broadcast online and on-air. The Tracking Station will also be used to enhance the school’s curriculum using the WeatherBug Achieve program.

The tracking station and accompanying WeatherBug Achieve software suite were funded by Gallagher Con-struction.

WeatherBug’s media partner, WFAA, leverages Weather-Bug’s national network of tracking stations to offer Royse City area residents the most local, up-to-the-second weath-er information available in Royse City and throughout the country. Now, WFAA will also be able to feature neighbor-hood-level reports from Royse City Intermediate during its daily newscasts on-air and online.

The WeatherBug Schools Program is committed to pro-viding an engaging teaching tool for schools nationwide. WeatherBug’s interactive software program, WeatherBug Achieve, enables teachers to apply real-world conditions in math, science, and geography. Teachers and students in K-12 have access to weather data from any WeatherBug site across the country. Using WeatherBug Achieve, teach-ers can create customized learning activities based on cur-rent and historical weather conditions from the Royse City Intermediate WeatherBug Tracking Station, such as wind speed or humidity. In addition, students can compare lo-cal weather conditions to data from more than 8,000 other tracking stations nationwide. For more information on the WeatherBug Schools Pro-gram, visit www.weatherbugschools.com.

About WeatherBugWeatherBug (http://www.weatherbug.com and http://weatherbugprofessional.com) ensures that individuals,schools, businesses and government agencies receive the most precise live weather information, the most relevant weather reports, and the earliest weather warnings to safe-guardproperty, livesand toplanwithconfidence. With8,000 WeatherBug Tracking Stations and over 1,000 cam-eras primarily based at neighborhood schools and public safety facilities across the U.S., WeatherBug maintains the largest exclusive weather network in the world. The live, local weather conditions are delivered to millions of con-sumers via the Internet and mobile devices, more than 100 state and local government agencies including the Nation-al Weather Service, and to 80 broadcast television stations, schools, and businesses. WeatherBug data is unique as it is the only live, neighborhood weather available anywhere. WeatherBug is a brand of AWS Convergence Technolo-gies,Inc.(www.aws.com)

888-355-5263 February, 2009 Page 19

Pet Food DriveThe Royse City High School Interact Club held a pet food drive before Christmas. Pictured are students Kristina Dahmer, Brittany Rogers, and Shelby Morgan unloading the food and delivering it to Royse City Animal Shelter.

Scott Elementary Quilt RaffleThis handsome quilt was handmade by Marlene Roberts, Dyslexia teacher at Scott. Ms. Roberts donated the quilt to the school for a raffle.Thequilt features swatchesofvarious bulldog t-shirts and intricate quilting designs. The quilt is twin size and backed with a white fabric with black polka dots. The quilt is currently hanging in the school office.Raffle tickets areon salenow in theoffice for$2each!Youmay visit the office during normal school hours orsend money with a student to purchase them. The drawing for this quilt will be held at 2 pm on Friday, February 27th. While it is not necessary to be present to win, it will be necessary for a parent or guardian to come and claim the quilt as it will not be sent home with a student.

Royse City Rotary Teacher of the MonthAt the Royse City Rotary Club meeting Thursday morning Renee Wallace, art teacher at Royse City High School was named Teacher of the Month. Ms. Wallace was honored with a sign for front row park-ingandreceivedaOfficeMaxgiftcertificate.RCHSPrincipal Jeff Webb and Renee also received a note pad and pen. Congratulations to RCHS and Renee Wallace!

Faith is a LifestyleBy Pastors Dean & Ruth Remmers

[email protected]

“JUST BE QUIET SO I CAN PRAY!” I had just snapped at my husband to hush, so that I could enter into God’s presence and get my prayers answered. I wasn’t obeying His com-mandment of love, but thank God, He had mercy on me. My husband and I were both in between jobs, and I had felt led to buy a pick-up load of watermelon to resale. We had stopped twice on the 80-mile journey to San Antonio, but there were no takers. We were driving up and down a heavily-traveled thoroughfare in San Antonio, Texas, that was lined with malls, restaurants, and businesses. He had just asked me what I was going to do about selling all those melons, and I almost lost our opportunity for God to bless us when I lost my temper. I quickly asked him and the Lord to forgive me, and then I forgave my-self. Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, yoursins)andpray[also] foroneanother, thatyoumay be healed and restored [to a spiritualtoneofmindandheart].Theearnest (heartfelt,continued)prayerofarighteousmanmakestre-

mendous power avail-able [dynamic in its working]. (James 5:16,Amplified) “Go in the alley behind that shopping mall,” I told him. I had no idea what I was going to say, but I was drawn to a large buffet-style res-taurant on the corner. We believed God to give us favor as we waited at the back door for the manager. A calm assurance settled over us as we presented our product, our price, and our uncon-ditional guarantee. He bought half our load, and within the hour we had sold the rest to another restaurant down the road. It wasn’t long before we began pulling a trailer and making daily de-liveries to several major restaurants, providing a steady income throughout that whole summer. God was so good to us! If you’re at a turning point in your life andyouneedGodto“fixit”likeIdidthatsum-mer, here are some things that will help you:1) MakeSureYourRelationshipwithGodis Solid. He wants to be your Lord as well as your Savior. If you’ve already asked Him to for-give your sins and to live inside you, then He’s your Savior. To be your Lord, you have to step aside and give Him control. Instead of spending all your time telling Him what you want, listen to Him, worship Him, read and study the Bible, and follow His directions instead of doing your own thing.2) PracticeHisPresence.It’seasiertomakeHim Lord when you realize He is with you at all times(Matthew28:20),HeisarealpartoftheGodhead (Colossians2:6-9), andHewants todogood thingsforyou(James1:17). Talk toHim as if He is right there with you—He is! The closer you are to your Heavenly Father, the more readily you’ll know what to do.“…His sheep follow him because they knowhis voice. But they will never follow a strang-er…becausetheydonotrecognizeastranger’s

voice.”(John10:4-5,NIV)3) BeLedbyHisPeace.PracticingGod’spresence will bring a greater measure of peace into your life. There will be adjustments you will make in order to live in His peace—1 You’ll watch your words and actions more carefully. 2 You’ll make decisions based on what pleases the Father. 3 You’ll do “the right thing” even when you don’t have to. You’ll do all these things and more because it’s a lifestyle,notaquickfix. And let the peace (soul harmony which comes)fromChristrule(actasumpirecontinu-ally)inyourheartsdecidingandsettlingwithfi-nalityallquestionsthatariseinyourminds….”(Colossians3:15,Amplified) Let peace be your umpire when making decisions. If you have peace about something, you may have a calm or a restful feeling on the inside of you. On the other hand, if you have a “check” on the inside—or a feeling of uneasi-ness—that’s the absence of peace. Go the other way or do something else! Sometimes, you can just be talking about doing something and that uneasy feeling begins to stir in your inner be-ing. Pay attention and follow God’s peace. He’s leading you; are you listening?

Page 20 February, 2009 Texas Twister

by Ginger Lane

As parents, we always want our children to be their best. We watch them play sports, sing songs, and do their homework. And, we always want them to be suc-cessful in everything they do. But, failure is a part of life as we all know too well, and it is a part of growing up. And, if we take a fresh look at failure, it can be a great success! When we think about the after effects of failing, you will understand what I mean. In other words, the important thing is what they do after they fail. Failing is an opportunity for your child to learn to pick themselves up, and try again. Your child should be encouraged to try different activities, studies and situ-ations. There isn’t anyone who has been a complete suc-cess at everything. They have genetic testing now. Can you believe it? They say they have found the ACTN3 gene. It will supposedly tell you what type of sport your child will ex-cel in. It cost about $150. I am not sure that it is a good idea to predetermine at the age of 2 that he or she will be a great swimmer, or football player. If, in fact, it really works, you might be inclined to only introduce ac-tivities where your child is destined to be good at. And,

if it works, your child might not get the lessons that will help build them into a person who can handle life’s daily stress. As painful as it is for us to see our children fail, it is so great to see them learn take a deep breath, pick themselves up and start all over again.

888-355-5263 February, 2009 Page 21

How wonderful it is that we are once again to-gether to study the Holy Word of the God of the Bible: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As we begin our study, I would like to present you with the Mission State-mentofLet’sGetConnected…thereasonGodhascalledLet’s Get Connected into service. Our Mission Statement is in the New Testament, in the Book of Colossians, which is a letter from Paul who is in prison in Rome to the Christians in the town of Colosse, which would now be in modern Turkey. Paul reminds the Christians there of how at one time they didn’t know the love and forgiveness of God through His Son, Jesus but now they

do and live in His peace. That peace is what Paul wants all peoples of the world to come to know, even though PaulisinprisonforChrist…Infact,Paultellsthemwhathis ministry, his work for Christ is all about in the 1st chapter, 28th verse in this Letter to the Colossians (read itwithme):“Him(God)wepreach,warningeverymanand teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may pres-ent every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Not only is that Paul’s Mission Statement even when he is behind bars, but God has also made it Let’s Get Connected’s no mat-ter where we are. We take it very seriously. Let’s see what it means: “Him we preach,” see Isaiah 45:18, the Creator, the Almighty. We preach to give you the truth of God, not “tickle your ears,” nor to make you feel good, but to let you know Who our Creator is. “Warning every man,” see Isaiah 59:2. Without Christ, without repentance of your wrong doings, you are doomedtoeternalpunishment,separationfromGod…. “Teachingeveryman…”teachingGod’sWordto all that salvation from eternal punishment is a free gift from God, Himself to all who accepts it.

“…in all wisdom,” by the wisdom of God’sHoly Spirit is the only way we can teach about His gift and is the only way you can receive His gift. “Thatwemaypresenteveryman…”thisisthewish of the writers of the Bible and the wish of every minister, missionary, and Let’s Get Connected.” “…perfect in Christ Jesus.” Perfect: mature/complete(notflawless)spiritually.Growingdailymoti-vated by love and not by fear or pride-but motivated by the Holy Spirit. How do we mature/come to perfection? Justlikeanathletegrowsinhissport,weneed1.)nour-ishment-God’sWord2.)exercise-doingGod’sWord,3.)rest-Christ’s peace. How do you receive Christ’s peace? By asking God to forgive you of your sins, your wrong doings, ask God to help you turn from your wrong doings, and, then, thank God for the gift of forgiveness. Then go and tell othersofGod’slove…makeColossians1:28yourMis-sion Statement, too! Til the next time, Pastor Pat P.S. Have a wonderfulNewYear…Give2009toGodandseewhatblessings He has in store for you.

Page 22 February, 2009 Texas Twister

Be Smart About Car Buying!

DON’T SHOW EMOTION about how much you like the car. Play it smooth, like you can take it or leave it.DON’T TRADE YOUR VEHICLE IN , just sell it out-right. Dealerships almost always make a ton of money on the trade.DON’T MENTION PAYMENTS! If you tell them you want your payment to be $500 per month, they will definitely make sure it is!DON’T LET THE DEALERSHIP FINANCE! Study the make, model and price before you ever get there and have your financing ready!USE CONSUMER REPORTS and you can find the REAL dealer’s cost. You will be an informed buyer. And, informed buyers always get the best deal.GO TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS and save the one you really want to buy from last. You’ll have the best deal by then, and you can tell

them what you will pay, with pricing from other deal-erships.DON’T BUY ANY DEALER ADD-ONS like under-coating, paint sealants, upholstery protectants, or anti-theft gimmicks. They are mostly over-priced useless products that you will be paying interest on for years.

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The Female Brain In the hospital the relatives gathered in the waiting room, where their family member lay gravely ill. Finally, the doctor came in looking tired and somber. “I’m afraid I’m the bearer of bad news,” he said as he surveyed the worried faces. “The only hope left for your loved one at this time is a brain transplant. It’s an experimental procedure, very risky but it is the only hope. Insurance will cover the procedure, but you will have to pay for the brain yourselves..”

The family members sat silent as they absorbed the news. After a great length of time, someone asked, “Well, how much does a brain cost?”

The doctor quickly responded, “$5,000 for a male brain, and $200 for a female brain.”

The moment turned awkward. Men in the room tried not to smile, Avoiding eye contact with the women, but some actually smirked. A man unable to control his curiosity, blurted out the question every-one wanted to ask, “Why is the male brain so much more?”

The doctor smiled at the childish innocence and explained to the entire group, “It’s just standard pricing procedure. We have to mark down the price of the female brains, because they’ve actually been used.”