Celebrating 126 Years of Serving the communities of Devine, Natalia, Lytle, Bigfoot, and Moore in Medina, Frio, and Atascosa Counties
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Lawmakers in the Texas Senate are considering a measure that would require home insurers to get approval from regulators before increasing rates more than 10%, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, would also create a three-member commission to oversee the Texas Department of Insurance. The veteran legislator and others have accused the agency of failing to prioritize consumers.
Homeowner insurance rates have skyrocketed in recent years, up an average 21% in 2023, double the average hikes of previous years. Insurers currently can file rate increases with the state and immediately put them in effect. TDI has not denied a single rate filing out of 22,000 submitted since 2017, according to a Hearst Newspapers analysis.
“That’s a question mark I have regarding how aggressively TDI is overseeing rate changes,” Schwertner said.
In a recent hearing, insurers defended their rates, blaming the state’s extreme weather and saying the present system has enabled Texas to have a “highly competitive market,” according to Scot Kibbe, the vice president of state government relations at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
Abbott: Texas on ‘cusp’ of approving voucher bill
Gov. Greg Abbott continues to push his top legislative priority, a universal school choice plan that allows public dollars to be spent for private-school tuition, The Dallas Morning News reported.
“We’re going to get this across the finish line,” Abbott said during a Capitol news conference. “When we do, Texans will see that when it comes to education, it’s not one or the other. It’s not either public schools or school choice. We can do both.”
The Senate version of what is popularly known as a voucher plan passed in February. House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said last week that chamber’s proposal would likely be approved this week.
Critics point to a similar plan passed in Arizona, which has grown more than 10-fold since being implemented. They also point out private school options are limited in rural areas and for low-income families.
The state’s Legislative Budget Board projects costs for an education savings account program would increase from $1 billion in 2027 to about $4 billion in 2030, a project Abbott said was “based on nothing but fiction.”
Senate passes $336 billion two-year state budget
The Senate unanimously passed a $336 billion proposed budget last week to fund state government through 2027, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The funding supports a wide array of new investments in education and infrastructure, as well as property-tax relief.
State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, said the budget will allow the Legislature to use some of the state’s $24 billion surplus to make one-time investments.
“At the same time, we were very careful to craft a budget that is fiscally conservative and sustainable in future years,” Huffman said.
The Senate’s budget, which will have to be reconciled with the pending House budget, does not include an increase in per-student funding for public schools. That allotment has not changed since 2019, despite pleas from educators who say local districts are suffering financially.
“Even though hundreds of school districts throughout Texas have been cutting back on programs because of inadequate state funding and inflationary pressures, the Senate budget, SB1, doesn’t even raise the basic school funding allotment,” said Texas State Teacher’s Association President Ovidia Molina in a statement Tuesday.
‘Volatile’ hurricanes expected in 2025, forecasters say
As hurricane season approaches, meteorologists with AccuWeather are predicting 2025 could bring “volatile hurricanes” similar to those seen in 2017 and 2023, the Statesman reported. “AccuWeather is forecasting near to above the historical average number of named storms, hurricanes, major hurricanes, accumulated cyclone energy and direct impacts to the United States,” said AccuWeather’s Alex DaSilva.
Forecasters expect 13 to 18 named storms in the Atlantic, with three to five major hurricanes reaching Category 3 strength or higher. Texas is among states facing higher-than-average risk of direct hits from hurricanes, and storms could rapidly intensify before making landfall.
The state was hit by two hurricanes last year. In June, Hurricane Beryl turned into a Category 5 storm quickly, gaining 95 mph in less than two days before striking Matagorda Island.
Funding haul transforms Texas community colleges
A bill passed in 2023 that took effect last year has proved a financial boon for the state’s community colleges, The Texas Tribune reported. HB8 sent a record $683 million to the state’s community colleges.
As a result, community colleges have introduced free tuition and are reshaping how they are run and who is attending school.
“HB 8, at its heart, was an attempt for the Legislature … to say, ‘What’s the most impactful way that we can ensure alignment between educational outcomes and business and industry needs?’” Ray Martinez III, the president of the Texas Association of Community Colleges, said. “That’s why this is so significant … We have seen tremendous outcomes.”
As The Tribune reported, the five ways community colleges have been transformed because of the new funding formula are:
Dual credit boosting enrollment, especially among low-income students.
Free tuition expanded.
Students hired as peer advisers, greatly increasing the number helping classmates register and stay on track to graduate.
Increase in workforce training.
Schools form alliances so credits transfer from a community college to a four-year institution.
UPDATE: Measles outbreak reaches 327 as funding reduced
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports 400 cases of measles primarily in the South Plains and Panhandle regions as of Friday, with one fatality and 41 people hospitalized.
Politics continues to infuse the debate, as lawmakers consider several bills that would make it easier to opt out of getting vaccinated, the Texas Standard reported. Virtually all the cases of measles reported – more reported in Texas in three months than in the entire nation last year – were among unvaccinated people.
Meanwhile, federal funding for DSHS to fight measles has been cut by about half by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Statesman reported. DOGE plans to cut $877 million of a $1.5 billion federal grant and $97 million from a $473 million grant, both from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grants were used to help state, city and county health departments fight infectious diseases.
“We’re evaluating the potential effects of the funding changes,” said Chris Van Deusen, director of media relations for DSHS.
Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com
Winston A. Hoffman, age 90, of Slidell, Louisiana, passed away peacefully in Slidell, on Friday, March 14, 2025, while surrounded by his loving family.
Winston was born February 16, 1935, in Lytle, Texas, and spent his first 18 years on a farm just south of town. He was active in the Lytle FFA and played basketball at Lytle High School, where he graduated as valedictorian of the Class of 1953. Determined and hardworking, he paid his way through college by selling cookware door-to-door. He went on to earn his degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and built a successful career as an insurance agent, serving his community with dedication for over 40 years. Winston was honored as the Alumni Homecoming King by Lytle ISD in 2023.
Winston was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and friend. His deep love for the outdoors brought him joy. Hunting, fishing and gardening were some of his most beloved pastimes.
A loyal sports fan, Winston never missed a chance to cheer on the New Orleans Saints and the Texas Longhorns.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Lynn Rito Hoffman; parents, Adolph and Elizabeth Hoffman; sisters, Evelyn Hoffman Wilson (Willard) and Dorothy Hoffman Moore (LD).
He is survived by children, Daniel Hoffman (Diana Mehn Hoffman), Paul Hoffman, Lauren Hoffman Cerny (Rick Cerny), Nicol Hoffman, Samantha Hoffman (Kyle Keating), Carlee Hoffman Kline (Taylor Kline) Steven Hoffman; grandchildren, Justin Hoffman and Jason Hoffman, Stephen Cerny (Katie), Kelley Cerny, Elizabeth Cerny Benavides (Jerry), Cason Hoffman (Shellsea), Connor Hoffman (Lexi), and Camryn Hoffman (Aiden Robinson); great-grandchildren, Luke and Emilia Cerny, Kennedy Hoffman, and Gracelynn Benavides; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and extended family.
A Memorial Service will be held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 360 Robert Blvd., Slidell, LA 70458, on Tuesday, April 8th, 2025, at 10:00am, with a reception to follow at the church.
Burial services will be held at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Honaker Funeral Home) 1751 Gause Blvd. West, Slidell, LA 70460, at 1:30pm.
Natalia Police Report
03-24-25 – Officer responded to a Disturbance at 700 block of Palfrey Street.
03-26-25 – Officer responded to a Canine at large at the 200 block of 5th Street.
03-26-25 – Officer responded to a Civil Matter at the 200 block of 3rd Street.
03-28-25 – Officer responded to a Family Violence call at the 300 block of 3rd Street.
03-28-25 – Officer responded to a Major Accident Highway 132 and Flores Street.
03-29-25 – Officer responded to a Burglary at the 2300 block of Highway 132.
03-31-25 – Officer responded to a Minor Accident 21000 block of FM 471.
Devine Police Report
March 21
14:44PM – Officer dispatched to IH 35 S for a minor accident.
15:37PM – Officer dispatched to Zig Zag Ave for a minor accident. A truck hit a utilitiy pole and drove off towards the high school. Unable to locate.
March 23
1:00AM – Officer observed a vehicle parked unoccupied at city park on Hester Ave.
1:37AM – Complainant on Dilley Ave W called in reference to an unknown person knocking on his door and then left in a white vehicle.
4:00AM – Complainant on Dilley Ave W called in reference to same car returning and was spooked off by couple’s father. Described as a white Mitsubishi.
8:50AM – Complainant on Teel Dr N reported a white car in street. Unable to locate.
19:34PM – Officer dispatched to LC Martin Dr for report of loud music coming from the pavilion/BBQ area. Unable to locate.
March 24
0:09AM – Complainant on Zig Zag Ave reported a male in the middle of the roadway yelling. Unable to locate.
2:15AM – Report of possible person yelling again on Zig Zag Ave.
2:29AM – Complainant on Warhorse Dr reported a white 4 door sedan doing donuts at the corner of Colonial Parkway and Warhorse Dr. Observed car at Warhorse parking lot with an adult female and 2 juvenile males. Both juveniles released to their parents.
March 25
1:29AM – Officer observed gate open to back of property on Dixon Dr. All appeared okay.
7:53AM – Complainant on Teel Dr called in reference to sight of smoke. Contact made with resident who advised they weren’t aware of the burn ban. Fire was put out.
9:16AM – Complainant on Hondo Ave E stated vehicle was driving erratically starting at Tortilla Factory and ended up in parking lot of Triple C.
10:57AM – Complainant on Hondo Ave W reported a stolen vehicle, gray in color. Vehicle later recovered. Driver was jailed.
13:21PM – Complainant on Colonial Pkwy E called in reference to male subject undressing in front of business. ID’d by police, given ride to Natalia area.
15:08PM – Officer dispatched to Hondo Ave E for minor accident.
18:31PM – Complainant on Moore Ave W called in reference to vehicles parked blocking driveway. Subjects were attending a Little League game.
20:55PM – Officer dispatched to CR 675 to assist with assault.
21:13PM – Complainant on Ross Dr observed a male subject who appeared to have something wrong with him, walking towards park.
March 26
14:31PM – Officer dispatched to Teel Dr for two vehicle major accident.
16:09PM – Officer dispatched to Hondo Ave E for a minor accident.
March 27
4:00AM – Complainant on Moore Ave reported possible gun shots or fireworks in the area. Unable to locate.
11:21AM – Complainant on Park Ave W called in reference to male subject stating he was “running from the cops”. Unable to locate.
19:43PM – Officer dispatched to IH 35 S for theft in amount of $15.92. Cited and released.
21:27PM – Complainant on Gutierrez Ave advised she heard a knock on her window. Unable to locate.
21:45PM – Complainant IH 35 SB reported a two truck with no lights. Unable to locate.
Lytle Police Report
Monday, March 24
2:15 AM – Doc Holiday – Officer responded to a report of a Police Officer chasing a suspect on foot but was unable to locate the officer or suspect.
6:49 AM – 19900 Blk. FM 3175 – Officer responded to a 911 call. Everything was okay.
9:25 AM – FM 3175 @ IH 35 S. – Officers responded to a report of a downed yield sign. TXDOT was notified.
9:33 AM – 18000 Blk. FM 2790 – Officers responded to a report of a loose cow. The cow was returned to the pasture.
10:17 AM – FM 2790 @ Cottage St. – Officers removed a construction tarp that was blocking the roadway.
10:51 AM – Lytle PD – Officer spoke to a female regarding service dog restrictions.
11:07 AM – 19300 Blk. McDonald St. – Officers responded to the theft of stolen plants valued at $41.00.
11:55 AM – Lytle PD – Officers received evidence on an open case.
6:32 PM – FM 2790 E @ Bexar County Line – Officer responded outside the city limits of Lytle but was unable to locate the accident.
Tuesday, March 25
9:35 AM – Lytle PD – Officer spoke to complainants regarding an assault that occurred on 2/28/2025.
9:40 AM – 19300 Blk. McDonald St. – Officer responded to unlock a 2018 Toyota Highlander.
11:00 AM – Assist Medina County Sheriff’s Office –3900 Blk. SH 132 – Officer responded outside the city limits of Lytle to assist recovering a stolen vehicle.
11:36 AM – IH 35 Frontage Rd. @ FM 3175 – Officers responded and provided traffic control until a commercial motor vehicle was moved out of the roadway.
6:57 PM – 14600 Blk. Railroad St. – Officer removed a large piece of metal from the roadway.
8:15 PM – 19700 Blk, IH 35 – Officer responded to a report of rocks being thrown by juveniles from the trailer park but could not locate them.
8:25 PM – Assist Lytle VFD – 14900 Blk. Bruce St. – Officer responded to assist with a burning odor at a residence. It was the water heater.
9:15 PM – 19200 Blk. McDonald St. – Officers responded to a report of a heavy-set male running from a person in a vehicle on McDonald St. Unable to locate.
Wednesday, March 26
10:48 AM – 14800 Blk. Main St. – Officers provided a funeral escort.
1:40 PM – 19200 Blk. D’Hanis – Officers responded to a report of an open fire. The fire was extinguished by the homeowner.
2:33 PM – 18600 Blk. Wisdom Rd. – Officers responded and arrested a 25 year old male on three active Felony Warrants out of Lytle for a domestic violence event that occurred on 2/28/2025.
4:49 PM – 19300 Blk. McDonald St. – Officer spoke with Loss Prevention regarding an internal issue.
8:01 PM – 14800 Blk. Main St. – Officers responded to a suspicious person call and could not locate the person after searching the area.
9:00 PM – IH 35 Frontage Rd. @ Lytle-Somerset St. – Officers responded to a report of an 18-wheeler blocking the roadway. The truck was moved.
Thursday, March 27
7:31 AM – 18900 Blk. Wisdom Rd. – Officer responded to a report of loose dogs that almost bit him while jogging.
9:45 AM – 14800 Blk. Main St. – Report of a downed temporary power pole. The property manager was notified.
2:45 PM – FM 2790 @ N. Prairie St. – Officer responded to a report of a homeless male sleeping at the Fire Station. He was okay.
2:47 PM – 19700 Blk. IH 35 SB – Officer spoke to a complainant regarding his missing son.
4:37 PM – 20200 Blk. IH 35 – Officer responded to unlock a 2005 Cadillac.
4:47 PM – 14800 Blk. Main St. – Officer responded to an active alarm. The business was secure.
5:30 PM – 19300 Blk. McDonald St. – Officers responded to a two-vehicle non-injury accident.
Friday, March 28
3:09 AM – Main St. @ Diaz St. – Officer initiated a traffic stop for no lights which resulted in a vehicle pursuit. The officer terminated the pursuit outside the city of Lytle per Department Policy. Medina County Sheriff’s Deputies stopped and arrested the driver near Natalia.
9:35 AM – Lytle PD – Officers spoke to a female regarding an eviction notice.
10:30 AM – 14900 Blk. Main St. – Officer responded to a report of two males in the dumpster.
12:52 PM – 14800 Blk. Main St. – Officers provided a funeral escort.
1:30 PM – Lytle PD – Officer released personal property to a male.
2:00 PM – 15400 Blk. Ruiz Foster Way – Officer responded to a verbal disturbance which resulted in the issuing of a Criminal Trespass Notice from the Lytle ISD to an unruly female.
3:02 PM – FM 2790 @ Main St. – Officer responded to a report of a reckless driver and determined everything was okay.
4:37 PM – 15800 Blk. Third St. – Officer spoke to a male regarding threats received over the phone.
6:55 PM – 14800 Blk. Main St. – Officer responded to an active alarm. The business was secure.
9:02 PM – Area of FM 2790 @ CR 6710 – Officer responded to a report of a green laser being pointed at an aircraft but could not locate the laser or incident.
9:23 PM – 14900 Blk. Main St. – Officer responded to a report of threatening text messages.
9:44 PM – 14500 Blk. FM 2790 – Officer responded to a vehicle vs deer minor accident.
Saturday, March 29
1:14 AM – Main St. @ Davis St. – Officers initiated a traffic stop for speeding that resulted in the “citing and releasing” of an 18 year old for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
1:40 AM – 15300 Blk. Main St. – Officer responded to a vehicle parked in front of the business. The driver moved the vehicle.
9:15 AM – 19500 Blk. IH 35 – Officer responded to a homeless unwanted female on the property.
10:33 AM – John Lott Park – Officers attended the opening day of the Lytle Little League.
10:43 AM – 14800 Blk. LytleSomerset St. – Officers responded to an unwanted homeless female on the property.
2:30 PM – N. Benton St. @ Lake St. – Officers responded to a report of a water leak. Lytle Public Works was notified.
7:23 PM – Assist Atascosa County EMS – John Lott Park – Officers responded to assist a patient having a medical emergency.
Sunday, March 30
7:30 AM – 1800 Blk. CR 6710 – Officers discovered an open vehicle door. Everything was okay.
7:58 AM – 19300 Blk. McDonald St. – Officers responded to unlock a 2007 Mazda 6.
12:21 PM – 14900 Blk. Main St. – Officers were flagged down by a pedestrian regarding his grandkids discipline issues.
2:51 PM – S. Somerset St. @ Lytle-Somerset St. – Officers initiated a traffic stop for an expired motor vehicle registration that resulted in the “citing and releasing” of two 22 year old males for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
8:38 PM – Assist Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office – 400 Sarah Ln. – Officer responded to an active disturbance outside the city limits of Lytle and was cancelled by dispatch before arrival.
The 35th Annual Devine Lions Club Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, June 7 with a shotgun start at 10 a.m.
Chartered on April 22, 1952, the Lions Club can be found all over the United States and are the largest service organization in the world.
“We help in all different aspects of the community,” Devine Lions Club president Lewis Stroud said.
Stroud, who has been president for 25-30 years, says that their annual golf tournament is the only fundraiser and all the funds accumulated go right back to Devine, which includes non-profits and scholarships.
“We help Devine Salvation Army, Mission Devine, and we give 2,000 dollar scholarships to two Devine ISD seniors,” Stroud said. “Anywhere there’s a need, there’s a lion.”
Devine Lions Club help other non-profits such as Medina County Livestock Show, Devine Little League, Devine Youth Sports Association, Devine EMS, Devine VFD, Friends of the Devine Library, Devine Food Pantry, Medina County Crime Stoppers, Devine PD Blue Santa, Medina County Sheriff’s Brown Santa, Devine Police Nightout, Gift of Hope, and so many more.
“Hole sponsors are also very important,” Stroud said. “Hole sponsors pay $100, which is a form of donation — all donations of any amount will gladly be accepted.”
There will be three member teams, Men and Women.
Individual entry fee will be $100, this includes the cart, green fees, and beverages and one mulligan will be $10.
First place team will win $750 — sponsored by Brown Chevrolet, second place team will win $570 — sponsored by Chaparral Ford, third place team will win $450 — sponsored by American Momentum Bank.
Entry deadline is Saturday, June 7 and mail entry fee, form and check(s) will go to Devine Golf Course, 116 Malone Drive, Devine, Texas 78016. Please include entry fee for each golfer listed. If fewer than three golfers are listed, Devine Lions Club will complete the threesome from individual entries. To reserve a cart, or for more information, please call the Devine Golf Course at 830-665-9943.
By Anton Riecher
Property expected to be home to the proposed Project Cinco data center was designated a reinvestment zone by the Lytle City Council during a March 26 special meeting, the initial move required in anticipated tax abatement action set for April.
No comments were addressed to the council during the public hearing required before the reinvestment zone vote.
City Administrator Zachary Meadows said establishing the reinvestment zone for the 440-acre site near the Coal Mine neighborhood is required under the Texas Tax Code.
“This is the first step in the request by Rowan Digital for purposes of pursuing an eventual tax abatement under (Section) 312,” he said.
On a motion by District 4 Alderman Michael Rodriguez, seconded by District 2 Alderman Richard Hughes, the council voted 4-0 to approve the reinvestment zone. District 3 Alderman David Emery was absent for the vote.
Meadows suggested that the city council serve as the board of directors for the reinvestment zone.
Project Cinco is described as a “hyperscaler” undertaking – a large scale build-to-suit data center that will provide data storage and Cloud computing services to millions of users. Rowan hopes to break ground on its $500 million facility this summer, bringing nearly 600 construction jobs to the community.
The council voted in January to extend the city extraterritorial jurisdiction to include the Project Cinco property. ETJ refers to an area surrounding the city’s corporate limits where it has powers related to land development and annexation, but not full municipal services.
Plans announced by Rowan call for requesting the city annex the property into the city limits proper.
In December, Medina County commissioners unanimously approved an 80 percent property tax break covering the initial 10 years of Project Cinco. Rowan predicts that the facility will yield a $3.6 billion economic impact on Medina County over 20 years.
It is also expected to yield tens of millions in tax revenue shared by Medina County, the city of Lytle, the Lytle and Natalia school districts and other local authorities. School districts may not enter into abatement agreements.
Action on the actual Lytle tax abatement is scheduled for April 28, Meadows said…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING AT www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
“First, listen to the patient, and learn to ask the right questions,” Dr. Neel said. “Secondly, make sure you do a thorough examination, and the third thing is to make sure the patient understands what you are telling them. Communicating is one of the hardest things.”
What are 3 things patients should know about doctors?
“First, no doctor knows everything. Secondly, if you are not getting better with the course of treatment they are giving you, follow up and ask about Plan B. Thirdly, doctors are dealing with people all day, who are sick, and at their worst. They just want to come in, and get back home, and get well,” Dr. Neel adds.
“On the other hand, doctors need to realize that patients may be a little more short-tempered and impatient, because they are sick and at their worst.”
“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Abraham Lincoln
The quest for happiness is part of the American psyche, embedded in our cultural DNA. Thomas Jefferson immortalized this sentiment when he penned the Declaration of Independence writing, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Most of us would admit that the energy of our lives is spent in this pursuit of happiness, for ourselves and others. But there is a real question here. Where does happiness come from? How do we obtain it? Is happiness dependent on our external circumstances or is something deeper involved?
In The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle argued that happiness is primarily the result of what you possess internally (your character, virtue, and disposition) rather than your external possessions (wealth, material goods, honor, and the pleasures of this world). Aristotle believed that happiness and a good life were obtainable despite adverse conditions and the storms of life. This was because our good interior disposition can’t be taken from us. However difficult our lives are, we always have control over our interior self. We often don’t choose our life circumstances, but we can choose our reactions to them.
In his classic book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl wrote, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Frankl was an Austrian psychologist and Holocaust survivor. His riveting memoir describing his extreme suffering in a Nazi concentration camp during WW II is one of the greatest books ever written.
Our attitude is one of those internal possessions that is most important. As the Bar Kays (that great R&B funk band from the 1970s) sang – “Your attitude is what describes you.”
Cicero (the famous Roman statesman) argued that among these attitudes and internal possessions, gratitude was the most important. He wrote, “I wish to be adorned with every virtue, yet there is nothing which I can esteem more highly than the being and appearing grateful. For this one virtue is not only the greatest but is also the parent of all other virtues.”
Why does gratitude matter? Because the spirit of gratitude comes first and forms a core part of our happy life. Gratitude can illuminate the darkness of discontent and is necessary for happiness.
With gratitude, viewing what you have with thankfulness, you are emotionally wealthy. Ingratitude fosters the opposite. Ingrates experience emotional poverty by focusing on what they do not have.
If gratitude is necessary for happiness, what can we do to foster it? And what are the enemies of gratitude that worm their way into our minds like parasites sucking our happiness and joy?
Discontent is one happiness killer. Contentment is the fruit of gratitude. Discontent, or a focus on what we don’t have or cannot have is the opposite. Discontent brings with it frustration and sadness. But the attitude of discontent is a choice, as is gratitude.
Gratitude allows us to see the little things in our world as gifts. A songbird in the window, a sleeping dog at your feet, a cold Dr. Pepper on a hot afternoon, all of these small pleasures are blessings to savor and enjoy.
But what if we want to get serious in our quest for happiness? How can we grow in gratitude and contentment? Here are two suggestions.
The first is this. Instead of seeking happiness in possessions and passing pleasures, engage in meaningful and challenging activities, what the famed psychologist and researcher Martin Seligman calls gratifications.
Gratifications are actions that are mentally engaging and require effort but provide us with a strong sense of meaning – doing things that matter. Gratifications might include actions we consider hobbies, like painting, writing, and creating music. Gratifications often involve altruism where you have the opportunity to bless others.
Secondly, to cultivate happiness consider pursuing a foundation of faith. Recent studies have shown that actively religious people, as compared to those less religious, more often describe themselves as “happy.” Gregory Peck, that great Hollywood actor from years ago (think Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn) once said, “Faith gives you an inner strength and a sense of balance and perspective in life.” To be happy, we need that balance. How do we start? We can all pray. Consider going to church. Maybe open a Bible. That is a good place to start. And make up your mind to be happy.
© 2025 Jody Dyer
typewriterweekly.com
Devine Area Hospice Thrift Store scholarships
Attention Devine, Natalia, and Lytle High School seniors. This year, the Devine Area Hospice Thrift Store is awarding two $1,500.00 scholarships to each High School. If you are pursuing a MEDICAL career at a technical school, community center and/or university after you graduate from High School, please contact your high school career counselor for a scholarship application.
Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Application deadline is Monday, April 7, 2025.
By Anton Riecher
A “wish list” from Devine ISD administrators regarding general maintenance, repairs and tutorial improvements was submitted to the school board during a special meeting called Monday night.
Superintendent Todd Grandjean said the board will take the proposals under advisement in preparing the budget for the 2025-2026 school year.
“It’s like have a wish list for taking a trip or anything else you might want to do,” he said. “You have to whittle it down to fit within the budget and make sure we’re being effective with the way the money is being spent.”
Among the requests submitted to the school board were…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING AT www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
