Opinion

According to my extensive research (approximately five minutes on Google when I should have been folding underwear), the Chinese zodiac system assigns an animal symbol to each year. It is believed that people born in a given year have the personality of that year’s animal. For example, based on the placemats at my favorite Chinese buffet, I was born in the Year of the Dog, which means I am loyal, honest and difficult to housebreak.

Dear Editor: Some 10 million illegals he poured into Texas at the southwest border the last 3 years, thanks to Biden’s Open Border Policy. Democrats plan to give them amnesty and enroll 10 million new Democrat voters, thus forming a one-party dictatorship.

We moved around a lot when I was younger, and sometimes it was hard for our family to find a nearby Church. One annual event that impacted my life was when we spent the summers with my mother’s parents. We always went to church, and it was there in those little Sunday School classes, and Church I learned about God. But I probably learned a lot more from the Vacation Bible Schools the church had during the summer.

I am I measured my worth by the opinions of people around me. Let it be relationships, family, work, but what hurt the most was from my church family. Now, we all go through a rough patch where you have conflict with someone or with a lot of ones about your ministry. You think you are doing right but somehow it takes a wrong turn. That’s what happen to me and well, I lost my identity and followed my feelings.

GARDENER’S MAILBAG Dear Neil: I hear many people suggesting that we “leave the leaves” on our lawns this fall and winter. What is your opinion? We put a lot of money into fertilizers and even water that we apply to our lawns and landscapes.

The 88th Texas Legislature was a strong water session – but our work is just beginning. Groundwater, and the need to preserve and protect local uses was clearly a concern during the regular session of the legislature that ended on May 29.

Dear Editor: A sign on a store in Fort Stockton says, “You can be a success if you believe in yourself!” Wrong! You can be a success if you believe in God! What are non-Christian humanists going to do on their deathbeds? Believe in themselves? The problem with the human race is everyone just believes in theirselves: Hamas, The Taliban ISIS, Iran, Putin, etc. just believe in theirselves.

Early voting is now underway for the Nov. 7 general election. Voters will decide the fate of 14 proposed amendments, including measures to provide property tax relief and raise the homestead exemption to $100,000.

It was a term I heard my father frequently use. Over the years his job put him in charge of a large number of men and it was very important because it had to do with national security. Many times they would assign new men to be trained in that special field. Those particular jobs required teamwork and each person had to be very dedicated to do his part. I have seen my dad unofficially advise men at our home that they needed to consider moving or transferring to another group as this one was very intense and required a lot of dedication and commitment. A few transferred, others received a court martial for dereliction of duty. Those situations reminded me of something in the Bible. It is one thing to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior but totally another to live in a way that honors Him. Many start with Christ but quickly abandon or slowly drift away, (2 Timothy 4:10, Revelation 2:4&5). So many things can cause someone to depart from the Christian way. We are warned and told to watch out for this danger in the Christian life, (2 Peter 2:20-22, Matthew 5:13, 1Timothy 6:9&10). If we have drifted or abandoned there is hope, we can return. God is willing to accept us back if we repent and ask Him, (James 4:8-10, 1 John 1:9, Revelation 3:2&3, Malachi 3:7).

The month of October brings to mind that famous old Peanuts cartoon of Lucy and Charlie Brown. Lucy is holding the football, and she tells Charlie Brown to kick it. As Charlie Brown goes running up to kick the football, Lucy pulls it out of the way at the last minute. Charlie Brown then ends up on his back. The worst part of this is that Lucy plays the same trick on Charlie Brown year, after year, after year. I always felt so awful for Charlie Brown. I kept asking myself why he hadn’t learned that Lucy was going to trick him?