Commentary – Page 8 – The Devine News

Silent Night, Hold on Tight

 “The Herdmans moved from grade to grade through the Woodrow Wilson School like those South American fish that strip your bones clean in three minutes flat…which was just about what they did to one teacher after another.” book quote

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

 I like Christmas movies (and books).  There are few holiday traditions more enjoyable (after ingesting gluttonous portions of turkey, or ham, with all the trimmings, including fudge), than plopping the family down on the couch (surrounded by dogs) and watching a good Christmas movie.  I’ve written about Christmas movies before.  Older movies are the best.  Family favorites include the following:  White Christmas (1954 – starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, & Vera Ellen – this is the classic Christmas movie), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946 – starring Jimmy Stewart & Donna Reed – Frank Capra’s gem - one of the greatest films of all time), A Christmas Story (2012 – with Peter Billingsly as nine-year-old BB gun loving Ralphie), Home Alone (1990 – with Macauly Culkin defending his suburban home from nincompoop burglars), Elf (2003 – featuring hilarious Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf), Die Hard (1988 – a wonderful Bruce Willis feel-good movie), and Christmas Vacation (1989 – with Chevy Chase leading the side-splitting fun).  All of these movies I would include on my must-see holiday playlist.  
 This week I have a new movie to add to our list – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  This film is the latest project from Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen TV series.  The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is based on the brilliantly written book of the same name by Barbara Robinson.  I think this movie is destined to become a classic.  Another movie was made in 1983 (same title), but this one (the 2024 version) is much better.  It is playing in theaters now – go see it!
 The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever tells the gut-busting story of the Herdmans (“the worst kids in the history of the world”) and their involvement in their town’s annual celebrated Christmas pageant.   
 The story is told through the narration of young Beth Bradley.  Beth’s mother Grace is drafted to direct the pageant after an unfortunate debilitating accident lands the busybody current director in the hospital with two broken legs.  Grace has big shoes to fill, which is even more trying because this year’s performance marks the much-anticipated pageant’s 75th anniversary.  Matters soon become complicated by the arrival of the dreaded Herdmans.
 The Herdmans are feral children who are used to terrorizing the town.  With absent parents, they roam the streets and schoolyard menacing all they meet.  They lie and steal and talk dirty and hit little kids and start fires.  They are just so awful Beth says that “you could hardly believe they were real – six skinny, stringy-haired kids all alike except for being different sizes and having different black-and-blue places where they had clonked each other.”  
 After a careless reference by Beth’s younger brother Charlie about all of the delicious treats available at the church for free, the Herdmans drop in one Sunday to graze, searching for snacks.        Coincidentally, their arrival corresponds with tryouts for the annual Christmas pageant.  Imogene Herdman, the cigar-smoking oldest sister of the family, decides that she wants to play the part of Jesus’ mother Mary, and the pageant slides downhill from there.  “I’ve got the baby here,” Imogene barks at the Wise Men.  “Don’t touch him!  I named him Jesus.”
 With meddling neighborhood moms stoking revolt behind the scenes, and the cantankerous Herdmans front and center, the story rolls on with hilarity.  
 The movie does a very good job of illuminating the true message of Christmas without being too “churchy.”  The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world.  And that’s the whole point.  As Grace tells Beth, “Jesus was born for the Herdmans as much as He was for us.”  
 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a solidly entertaining movie that deserves a place in the holiday movie classics hall of fame.  I recommend you drag your family out of the house and go see it.  Merry Christmas!

My week was fairly busy as we’ve been doing workshop more regularly, because we give tray favors once each week in December, rather than once a month. The patients seem to like them. This year, we made one that could be used as an ornament, and the next one can also be used the same way. Saturday my sister and I did some Christmas shopping (mostly me), and she picked up stuff she needed for a Christmas meal at her home. This year, I only addressed about 20 Christmas cards as compared with the 50 or more I usually send, the price of postage has become ridiculous!
Our Auxiliary is counting down the days until our annual bake sale. I’ve made a cake and two different types of seasoned crackers and have started a batch of the Rolos® with the pretzel under them. One more cake and I will be done, we have such a shortage of members that most of us have doubled up a bit and are making more. Tuesday, we will have a workday and put together some jar gifts, as well as Christmas mugs with hot chocolate in them. We’re working on the theory that more hands make light work and will be doing an assembly line. We will also pack the seasoned crackers the same way using the zip lock snack bags.
Here is a little bit of Christmas trivia for you. It appeared several years ago during Christmas week in the Victoria Advocate. They state that it is from Old Icelandic tales that give the following as the names of Santa’s elves: Askasleikir, Bjugnakraekir, Faldafeykir, Stekkjarstaur, Gattathefur, Giljagaur, Gluggagaegir, Ketkrokur, Og Kertasnikir, Pottasleikir, Skyrjarmur, Stufur and last but not least Thvorusleikir! (This is the source that was listed at the end of the article: Source, didyouknow.cd).
Since I haven’t given y’all any cookie recipes this year, here are a few that are tried and true and have been printed before. The following recipe for mini-muffins is from a friend of mine. She made them recently for the bake sale at her church and said they sold quickly.

Continue reading “Bake sale time!”

Hayride and Downtown Activities a Success

Lytle P.D. responded to or handled 52 calls for service and conducted 60 traffic stops. Of those 60 stops, 28 were citations and 32 were warnings.
We didn’t have any property crimes reported last week! Let’s keep that streak going.
There were four (4) arrests last week. #1- While officers were attending training at the Horace Fincher Annex (Priest Blvd.), an 18-year-old male stopped and said he was lost. He provided the officers with a paper with his DL on it when they ran it, he came back with an active warrant out of Comal Co. for tampering with evidence. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #2 – A traffic stop on N. Benton and Laredo St. resulted in a 19-year-old female being cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. #3 – Ofc. Initiated a traffic stop for speeding on Main St. (88 in a 55!). A short pursuit ensued, and the driver of the motorcycle was arrested for evading arrest or detention in a motor vehicle and unlawfully carrying a weapon. The 26-year-old male was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #4 – A disturbance at the Stripes C-Store resulted in the arrest of a 31-year-old male for public intoxication. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail.
As the fireworks season approaches … remember fireworks are prohibited in Lytle by city ordinance. It is dry and fireworks pose a significant fire risk. Our officers will be out and about, and we will take enforcement action if needed. The other side is that I am not naive enough to think that a few officers on patrol will eliminate the “popping” of fireworks. It is all about safety, I will leave it at that.

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Things & Stuff

Gonna be here in a week! Christmas is finally here and instead of concentrating and focusing on givin and gettin, remember why we celebrate the greatest gift ever given to mankind.
See where the Senate is set to vote on the SS Bill this week so, if you aint contacted Sen. Cruz or Sen. Cornyn, time to do so. So far, according to the ever so accurate internet, there are 62 Bipartisan supporters in favor of sending this to a final vote that only requires 60. Believe it or don’t, even Chuck Schumer is in favor of it. Don’t use this as a reason not to call the Senators and show support of this Legislation. (202-224-3121)
Took my child bride to Charlie’s Daughter for breakfast Saturday mornin and sat next to the Big Table. If you ever get a chance to sit down and listen to the likes of Bo and Cullen and Stroud and Charlie and Weisinger and Aubrey, don’t take none of it as anywhere near factual or truthful. You will hear a lot of useless information and mind numbing chatter. You may even leave the restaurant a little dumber than you were when you came in. I sit at one of these on Wednesday and Friday mornings and I usually recover before I get home.
Won’t go into the particulars of our ESD 4 meeting last Wednesday cause I am sure that the paper will cover it in depth. Gonna meet with ESD 1 (Castroville) on Thursday and get the lowdown on how to pass a Homestead Exemption for everyone in ESD 4 as well as an additional Exemption for those 65 and over. Heard that ESD 2 (Devine Fire) is also looking at this type of taxpayer relief.
When you see Martha Wall and Co., congratulate them on a very well presented and organized Wreaths Across America event this past Saturday.
Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy family while we are still together. Won’t be writing until next year so, have a safe and Happy New Year too.

“Coffee, the finest organic suspension ever devised.”Captain Janeway – Star Trek

 “Coffee, the finest organic suspension ever devised.”

Captain Janeway – Star Trek

 Coffee is the world’s favorite hot beverage.  Approximately two billion cups are consumed daily around the globe.  Here in the U.S., nearly three in four Americans enjoy coffee every day.  Most of us appreciate consistency in our coffee.  We find what we like, and we stick to it.  But occasionally, especially at this time of year, it can be fun to change things up a bit.  Consider spicing up your coffee.  This Christmas, try making some howling holiday treats!
 The first rule for making Christmas coffee is to add what you like to your cup.  This may require some experimentation.  Common coffee additives include cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, vanilla, honey, and of course your creamer of choice.  Note – I am not recommending the addition of commercial bottled creamers that you find in your supermarket.  These are full of seed oils and chemicals and are not good for you.  Coffee is good for you.  Don’t mess it up with poison creamers.
 Here are a few holiday worthy recipes you might consider:

Everyday Christmas Coffee
The first is my simple and quick everyday Christmas coffee recipe. When in the mood for something different, I drink this year-round. Start with good quality freshly roasted specialty coffee, if possible. Brew your coffee (I prefer using a French press, 66 grams of coffee per liter of water, steeping time exactly four minutes). After coffee is brewed, I fill my 16 oz. travel mug ¾ full and add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, one scoop of collagen powder (optional, but gives coffee extra creamy texture), and two tablespoons honey. Mix well. I like to use a small handheld frother. This gives your coffee a nice mild foamy texture. Then add creamer to taste. I prefer heavy cream and like to stir in creamer instead of frothing it for this recipe. Frothing creamer makes coffee too bubbly for my taste. Add a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkles if you are in a party mood. This recipe can be adjusted as you like.

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The Power of Three Outs

Having been interested in sports for virtually my entire life, I have seen the influence of the number three in those endeavors. Three strikes, three outs, and three-time outs come to mind immediately. But while listening to a speaker while driving my old F150 4×4 along IH 35 on a drizzling December day, another concept of three came into my fuzzy old brain.
This time it was related to the power of influence on other people as a Teacher, Coach, Mentor, Friend….you get the idea.
Step 1: FIND OUT. That means gathering as much information as you can about the topic, situation, or circumstance. Become as well versed as possible. Now to be certain this work at insight, mastery or whatever term seems right to you, connotates the idea that if something is worth your while, it requires some effort. And this might take a considerable amount of time.
STEP 2: SHARE OUT. In the proper setting it is appropriate to offer the information and conclusions you have gained from your efforts and experiences found in Step 1. This may be in a formal setting such as a speech or classroom. It may be during “windshield time” with a friend or mentee. The point is to NOT keep what you learned to yourself but pass it along. Even the Good Book warns about not keeping a Lamp under a Basket!
STEP 3: NOTE: THIS ONE MAY BE THE HARDERST!
ONCE STEPS 1 AND 2 ARE DONE, GET OUT. By this I mean let the person(s) you are sharing with have the freedom to accept/reject/revise whatever has been presented. Not much good comes from “beating a dead horse” or “hounding a person to death” with your opinion on things. In my semi-qualified opinion, failure to adhere to Step 3 may ruin the impact/good the first steps might have accomplished.
Now, to be clear, I am FAR from being Wise or a Genius. The Boss Lady sometimes uses Wise to describe me, but adds another word dealing with Anatomy in her terminology.
But it sure does seem to me keeping all 3 of those Steps in that order might have some merit. What do you think?

Home-made Christmas gifts

Thanksgiving Day dawned bright and beautiful and just begged for people to be outdoors as well as indoors, with the weather being just cool enough for a light jacket or sweater, and many family members did just that.
My son got his large turkey-fryer out and soon had everything set up to begin cooking a turkey while the ladies were inside getting ham and dressing into the oven to heat and tables set up so everyone had a place to sit as we visited and compared notes.
It is always an interesting time for me, as we never have “just family” for a Thanksgiving Day at their home, it has always been family, extended family (from both sides), and basically anyone who decided they wanted to be with us. One year, we had Military members with us, and even though, technically, we were a little ways out of the distance allowed, (at that time, it was thirty miles from the base), since a family member was stationed in San Antonio, it was allowed, and we had an interesting and fun day.
This year, we were family members, and a couple of friends but we were missing several family members due their being with their spouses’ family. However, we still had another great and memorable day, sitting around the table playing games after the meal and dessert! This has become a tradition with this group and the amount of game players and the games change from year to year. All I can say is “Thank you, Lord for another great Thanksgiving with my family”.
Well, everyone, since Thanksgiving is over and done with, most of the leftovers eaten, and our memories made, the so-called Black Friday, (which to me, started early and was followed by Cyber Monday), with shops opening at all hours beginning on Thanksgiving Day, is over as well, and you either were up until all hours shopping, or like me, didn’t even bother to go, maybe it’s time to think about making some Christmas gifts.

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Lytle’s Annual Christmas

Lighting and Santa’s Hayride this Saturday

Calls were up a bit from last week when we only had 32 calls. This week we made it to 47, that’s still low but 32 is “rock bottom” low. Officers conducted 82 traffic stops. Of those 82 stops, 31 were citations and 51 were warnings.
Only one property crime was reported again this week! A 2018 Ford F250 was broken into at Best Western Plus. Nothing was taken, but the damage was estimated at $600.
Only one arrest last week! It only made it into this week’s report by 35 minutes. Ofc. R. Garcia stopped a vehicle on Wisdom Rd. on Sunday at 11:25 PM. The passenger was found to be in possession of a controlled substance, the 48-year-old female was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail.
We recently assisted our Lytle I.S.D. campuses with lockdown drills. As always, they do a fantastic job safeguarding our children. It’s nice to see a well-oiled machine in action.
It’s time! This Saturday, Dec. 14th, is Lytle’s Annual Christmas Lighting and Santa’s Hayride. The event will be held at the Lytle Community Center located at 19031 Priest Blvd. We will start loading the trailers at 5:30 PM. Admission is $1 per person or 1 canned good. There will also be activities in downtown Lytle. Stop by the Shops at Lytle to visit Santa’s Workshop with events for the kids including an Ornament Workshop, North Pole Post Office, and Gingerbread Bakery. Other businesses in the DLEADD (Downtown Lytle Entertainment and Dining District) will be having events, food, or other activities. For now, it looks like the Bakery Pub, Tommy Joe’s BBQ, and the 702 Tejas will be the hot spots that evening. So, make the rounds and check them out. They are all within walking distance. Disclaimer, DLEADD is something I made up so don’t expect to find any info about it on the web. I’m sure somebody can produce something better.
Did you know that a recent change in the law made Texas Peace Officers’ licenses and training records available online to the public? You need to register, and you can access them from the TCOLE main website, https://www.tcole.texas.gov. You can search by name or agency, and you can see what the training and tenure of your local peace officers are like. Transparency is good, and this is a neat tool.

Where’s that Blood Coming From?

I was about 20 when my Grand Dad, Charlie Rosenauer, was the age I am now. I recall thinking how strange it seemed for him to say he could walk by a mesquite bush and start bleeding. Like him, I find myself now on Blood Thinners given both sides of my genetic make-up include a history of heart problems. And I FULLY understand how easy it is to bleed these days.
I was taking off my Sweatshirt the other evening getting ready for bed when some red dots appeared on the floor. I did a “Body Search” and could not find any broken parts on my arms or torso. I called out to The Boss Lady who proceeded to conduct a quick check. She was likewise unable to find the culprit of the red stuff and was talking about a full body inspection.
Then, looking closely at my sweatshirt we found a spot where some Cherry Jello had “slipped” off the spoon and landed on the shirt. Those globs shook loose when I pulled off the garment. They sure enough did look like blood spots on first inspection.
While no real harm was done to the fabric or the tile floor, it was a good reminder that “jumping to conclusions” can sure take a person down the wrong road of thinking. I plan to be more careful about assumptions in the future, IF I can remember this lesson. Now where is that Bib she said I better wear from now on when snacking on red colored stuff?

Bulletproof Bible Reading

Easy Like Sunday Morning

“The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.” Patrick Henry

 If I could offer one piece of advice to all of humanity, it would be this.  Read the Bible.  Read the entire Bible.  If you are a believer, then this is an obvious consideration.  If you are convinced that the God of the universe is real, and we have a book, accepted now for centuries as revelation of His existence and work, then you might want to read it.  Few Christians do this.  If you are a non-believer (atheist or agnostic, or perhaps have a different belief system), then I would challenge you to read the Bible anyway.  You might want to know more just in case this God and Jesus stuff is real.
 At this time of year, with many contemplating New Year’s resolutions, I would encourage you to read through the Bible.  Reading through the entire Bible might be considered a daunting task, but it doesn’t need to be.  It can be easy – easy like Sunday morning.
 What follows is the Bulletproof Bible Reading method.  If you apply these suggestions, you will easily read through the Bible in one year, or less, guaranteed!
 Read the New Testament first.  Begin reading in the New Testament.  When finished with the New Testament, go on to the Old Testament.  This will allow you to get off to a solid start and gain momentum.  If you begin in the Old Testament, you may stall out in the harder books, like Leviticus or Numbers, and quit before Groundhog’s Day.  If time allows, after finishing the Old Testament, you might consider reading the New Testament again, for a full lap through the Bible and a heavy dose of the scripture.
 Read Monday through Friday.  Do your regular reading Monday – Friday and use weekends to catch up or read ahead.  This will give you some flexibility, without the stress of a rigid schedule.
 Count your pages.  Commit to reading a certain number of pages most days.  Decide when you want to finish your read-through and count the total number of pages you need to read.  Then do the math and determine how many pages you need to read each day to meet your goal (adjust this as needed).  Most people can easily get through the entire Bible in one year reading about 4 to 6 pages a day (approx. 20 minutes), five days a week.
 Make a habit of reading at a set time.  It will be easier to stay disciplined if you read at a designated time each day (e.g. – read before bed each night, or first thing when you wake up, or during your lunch break).  You might also read at other times to make faster progress but keep your daily scheduled time.
 Don’t stop reading.  When reading, if you have questions or want to better understand something, make a note, and come back to it later.  Don’t interrupt your regular reading.  Think of your reading as a foundation for all other Bible learning and do in-depth study at another time.
 Accountability is important.  To complete your reading successfully, you will need to be held accountable.  One easy way to do this is to email or text one or more of your slew foot friends on a regular basis to keep them posted on your progress.  Give them permission to hold you accountable.
 To make your reading more meaningful, learn something about the specific book you will be reading.  For example, before beginning the book of Matthew, read a commentary introduction or study outline of Matthew.  You can also watch YouTube videos that offer brief interesting Bible commentaries.  Taking a few minutes to learn more about the book you will be reading will greatly enhance your experience and help you better ingest, digest, and enjoy scripture.
 Use a TEXT Bible for your daily reading.  Do not use a study Bible for your read- through.  It will be easier to read pages without the extra notes found in a study Bible (text Bibles have no added notes or references).  These extras can be a distraction and slow your reading.  Also, a text Bible is thinner and much less intimidating to read through than a thick study Bible.  And do not read using a smart phone or other electronic device.  Using a real Bible (one that you can feel and hold in your hands) gives you a visual and tactile advantage, allowing you to see and feel your progress.  You can watch your bookmark move each day.  You lose that in an

electronic format. A text Bible with large print and standard two-column format will enable you to read at a faster pace, helping maintain momentum.
Here’s another tip. Do not write in your reading Bible. Clean pages without markings or underlining will foster faster reading. Use a clean Bible for your read-through and write in your study Bible.
The Bulletproof Bible Reading method is not a plan. It is a simple way to read through your Bible. With most Bible reading plans, you have a schedule that plots your course. If you miss a day or more and fall behind schedule (and you will), you then have to go back and make up your reading when you begin again. This can be very discouraging (and when discouraged, many people quit). With the BBR method, you never really fall behind because you do not have a schedule. You simply keep moving forward every day that you read, without the guilt of falling behind. Keep in mind that you will need to spend approx. 1 ½ hours a week reading your Bible in order to finish within a year.
You are essentially reading your Bible as you would a novel, from beginning to end. Enjoy the Bible as you would any other fine literary work. Easy like Sunday morning.
© 2023 Jody Dyer