By Kenny Mitchell kenny@westbowiepost.com *As of August 26, 2026 Another week of local volleyball action is in the books and still the hottest team in the area is the undefeated Maud Lady Cardinals, who after a win on Friday went to 10-0 on the season. Last week the high flying Lady Cards knocked off Big Sandy on Tuesday in three sets by a score of 25-9, 25-15 and 25-11, and then finished off the week with a 3-1 match win over the Lady Rebels from Rivercrest. The Lady Cardinals are now ranked at #3 in the state in their classification by the Texas Girls Coaches Association as they head into tournament action on Thursday at Paul Pewitt. It was also a good week of volleyball for both the Redwater Lady Dragons and the Hooks Lady Hornets as both squads saw success in tournament play last week. The Lady Hornets earned victories last week over Chapel Hill, Linden-Kildare and Jefferson and rolled their way to a runner-up finish in the Gilmer tournament, In the championship game on Saturday, the Lady Hornets battled 4-A Pittsburg and came up just short in a tough match by a score of 16-25 and 20-25. Next up for the Lady Hornets they will host teams from around the area for tournament play in Hooks. Thursday’s play has them set to face squads from Linden-Kildare, Smackover and Genoa Central. The Redwater Lady Dragons also earned a runner-up trophy in tournament action last week as they traveled to the Union Hill tourney and took down Leverett’s Chapel and the host Lady Bulldogs on their way to the second-place finish. The Lady Dragons will be back in tournament play this week as they take part in the tournament in Hooks on Thursday and Saturday. In other local volleyball action, it was an up and down week for the Lady Bears of DeKalb. After they were shutout by Pittsburg 3-0 on Friday they bounced back on Monday for a come from behind, four set win over the Rivercrest Lady Rebels with a final score of 11-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-15. The Lady Bears will be at home to play before the Bear faithful with a match against CHAAMP. The Lady Lions from New Boston started their week off last Tuesday with a five-set battle with a tough Avery Lady Bulldogs squad that saw the Lady Lions come out on top by a score of 25-16, 18-25, 25-22, 24-26 and 15-9. This weekend the Lady Lions will also take part in the Hooks tournament on Thursday and Saturday. One more week of tournament action before district plat starts up on September 8.

By Rylee Freeman I have never been a person who is okay with the unknown. I like to be prepared for every scenario that could come next. I could probably live the exact same day over and over again and never go crazy. Recently, I was praying over a situation that’s going on in my personal life, and I just repeatedly said to God that I trusted him and I knew he was in control. So why did I still have a pit in my stomach? Life is not a series of planned tasks to mark off a list. Everything can change in just a moment. And honestly, this terrifies me. Regardless of how organized and meticulously I live my life, I can’t micromanage what God already has planned. Mark 11:24 says, “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you have received it, it will be yours.” The day after wrestling with God in prayer, this verse from Mark chapter 11 happened to be the verse of the day. And for the first time in a while, I just sat there. I realized that regardless of how often I pray the same prayer, if I don’t truly believe that I have received what I ask God for, then I will never feel the peace that he has available for me. Hours after opening the verse of the day, I was worshipping at MCC on a typical Sunday morning and Rose sang, “I pray into the atmosphere, spirit of God you’re here, you have all authority.” This is when I fully handed my worry and fear over to God and the pit in my stomach faded. I gave him all authority over a situation that has consumed my mind for too long. This was truly God’s way of telling me that he heard my prayers and saw my tears. So to all of my fellow control freaks: take a moment to remember who is ultimately in control and remember that regardless of how hard we may try, his plan and his purpose will always surpass what we write on our to-do lists or scenarios we create in our minds.

By Melissa Motes Have you ever stopped to think about why you’re here? Not just what you do, where you work, or what role you fill—but why did God put you here? I remember being a little girl lying on my slide outside and looking up at the heavens and asking God this very question. I certainly didn’t have the answer then. But even as a little girl, I think I understood that there had to be more to life than just being born and dying. We were created for something. When Jesus came to this earth, there was no question about His purpose. He knew exactly why He came. He came on purpose and for a purpose. “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” — Luke 19:10 When you look at the life of Jesus, He completely changed the world’s definition of greatness. He didn’t chase attention or need a title. He served. He washed feet. He met needs. He noticed people that everyone else seemed to overlook. Jesus showed us that you don’t have to be the most talented, the most impressive, or the most followed to make a difference. You just have to be willing. And here’s what I love—the same God who sent Jesus with a purpose created you with a purpose too. Psalm 139:13–14 tells us that God knit us together. That means you aren’t an accident. You aren’t an afterthought. God intentionally created you, and as our Creator He sees things in us that we can’t yet see in ourselves. Just look at Gideon in Judges 6. When God called Gideon, Gideon basically started giving God all the reasons He had the wrong guy. He didn’t feel qualified. He didn’t feel important. He certainly didn’t see himself as a mighty warrior. But God did. Gideon was looking at who he thought he was. God was looking at who He created Gideon to be. I think we do the same thing. Really, I KNOW we do the same thing. We question ourselves. We compare ourselves to other people. We look at our mistakes, our failures, what we’ve accomplished—or haven’t accomplished—and decide we’re somehow not enough. But those things don’t get the final word about who you are. Your Creator does. The only one who can define you is the one who made you. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Think about that for a minute. You are God’s masterpiece. You were custom built by God. He gave you your personality, your gifts, your experiences and opportunities—and He wants to use all of it for His Kingdom purpose. And our purpose isn’t just about what we can accomplish for ourselves. Jesus showed us a different way. A life of purpose is a life that looks beyond ourselves and asks: “God, how can You use me to make a difference in someone else’s life?” Serving isn’t just a one-time act of kindness. It’s a way of living. It’s choosing to notice people. To meet needs. To encourage. To help. To point people toward Jesus. You don’t need a title to lead. You don’t have to work at a church to lead. You don’t need a platform to make a difference. And you certainly don’t have to prove your value to the world. You just need to be willing to take action. You were created on purpose. And you were created for a purpose. So don’t spend your life wondering if you matter. Start living like you know you do—and let God use your life to make a difference in DeKalb, Texas and beyond.

Can you feel it? That twinge of electricity that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up and that sense of unbridled excitement that only happens during one time of the year? Can you hear it? The echo of that roar that only comes from one place and rings loud with the sounds of fanaticism and pride. That twinge and that roar only come from one place and that is the local football stadium on a fall Friday night in Texas. And folks, it is back! Those proverbial Friday night lights will shine again starting this Friday as all of the fun, flavor and fanaticism of local high school football returns for another year. It doesn’t matter who your team is, what colors you deck yourself out in, or even what stadium you find yourself, there is just nothing like a Friday night during football season in the Lone Star State. Local high school football has power. It has the power to bring people together for a common goal of cheering on the players, band, cheerleaders, coaches and whoever else is down on that field. You can be sitting on the front row of the bleachers, or way up high in the nosebleed section, it just doesn’t matter. When your high school band plays that first note of the fight song and the players on your team come running out of their tunnel, a real football fan becomes a different person. I have seen the stodgiest lawyer, the most timid librarians, and even little church mice absolutely lose their minds cheering on their football team. That twinge explodes into a full-blown electric shock when your squad scores a touchdown. That roar rockets to a deafening crescendo when that final whistle bows and the scoreboard shows your team won. It is just how we do things here, and we do high school football better here in Texas than anyplace else on the planet. I’ll fight ya over that remark. High school football, and ya, college too, just means more to us, I think. It is borderline to religion maybe. In fact, maybe if we got as excited about going to church as we do about going to a stadium, we might have a closer walk with God. Just sayin’! I throw in college ball too for one reason, and let me tread lightly here. I have rarely seen a more devoted bunch of folks than Texas Longhorn fans or Texas Aggie fans. If you are one or the other, that is a hard line to cross. It is akin to a line you can’t cross or even a bloodline. Ya sure, Baylor has its fans, OU has its share of fans in our parts, even Arkansas, but you just can’t find a stronger bond than if you are a Longhorn or an Aggie. A very good friend of mine, Gail Davis, said to me recently that it was once said by Joe Mack that you wouldn’t catch him in maroon. But as those around him know, he was swayed by love to do so. It happens I reckon, and there isn’t much else that could have made that happen other than love. Football fans are just a different sort of folks. Heck, I have been waiting for nigh on 30 years for the Cowboys to put on another ring. We have a guy here at the WBP that is a devout Buffalo Bills fan despite the hurt the Cowboys have put on them in big games over the years. Ouch Charles! But seriously, we are all so happy that football has returned for another season. And whether it is a Friday night cheering on our local high school, a Saturday pulling for the Longhorns to beat the Sooners (ya I went there) or a Sunday yelling at the tv when Dak or Josh throw one deep for a TD…we love our football. You reckon they will have football in Heaven? I mean, Philippians talks about pressing forward toward the mark and 1Corinthians talk about running to get the prize. The mark is the goal line, and the prize is a championship. Right? I joke, but hey, I am serious about this. All the concession stands this year need to have lemonade. Winning is always sweetest with lemonade. Good luck to all the athletes and teams out there. Even the Sooners.

By Kenny Mitchell kenny@westbowiepost.com What began as just another bus route for Redwater teacher and bus driver Greg Frachiseur has now become a warning to all as his quick actions are being heralded for preventing a tragedy. “Mr. Frachiseur’s actions are a powerful reminder our students are cared for far beyond the classroom,” Superintendent Dr. Kelly Burns said. “In a split second, he recognized the danger, remained focused, and responded decisively in a critical moment, which speaks volumes about his commitment. We are incredibly proud of the way he represented Redwater ISD and grateful for his dedication to our students.” Live video shows the scene on August 12 as Frachiseur was driving his bus route after a day of school. As he approached a stop, the fifth-grade teacher recalled how the incident unfolded. “I came up to the stop and put on my yellow lights to warn traffic that I was about to stop. When the bus stopped, I put on the reds. Two cars in the oncoming lane stopped but a third car, the Jeep in the video, swerved into my lane and was coming right at us. I blew the horn and then instinct kicked in and I reached out and grabbed his backpack and pulled him back in. I just grabbed and pulled as a reflex.” That quick reflex prevented a tragic scene as the Jeep swerved directly in front of the bus and came to a stop in the very driveway the two young passengers were about to step onto, the driveway of their home. Frachiseur reported the incident to transportation officials and the Redwater SRO Dustin Thompson immediately upon returning back to campus and he also called the mother of the two bus riders to let her know what had happened. Frachiseur notes, “He was coming right at us. It could have been very bad. I hope they find that driver.” He went on to say, “People run our lights all the time. They fly by us at full speed with no consideration for safety. It’s dangerous. Something bad could easily happen.” Redwater ISD Police Chief Dustin Thompson told the West Bowie Post, “Redwater ISD is very thankful for Greg Frachiseur’s actions. His first priority was the safety of our students and when he was able to do so he gathered as much information as he could while continuing to keep our children safe.” Transportation Coordinator Mack Wommack added, “As schools across the country begin a new school year, this incident serves as an important reminder for all of us to remain diligent, alert, and safe on the roads. Because of Greg Frachiseur’s quick thinking and even quicker actions, we have a cautionary tale rather than a tragedy. His professionalism and response in a critical moment are a credit to our district and should serve as an example to all school bus drivers. We are grateful for Greg’s commitment to the safety of our students and staff.” The incident has been handed over to Texas DPS and according to Chief Thompson, “I would also like to add as soon as we were notified of the situation we coordinated with DPS to attempt to locate the vehicle. As of right now, we are still actively searching for the vehicle.” The Texas Department of Public Safety is reminding drivers to be wary that school buses are back on the road as school starts back up. They noted on social media about the incident, “Pay attention. Eliminate distractions. Slow down and give yourself time to react. That quick thinking may have prevented a tragedy.”

By Kenny Mitchell kenny@westbowiepost.com Pregnancy and having a child can be one of the most beautiful experiences a mother can have, while at the same time being one of the biggest challenges of their life. Whether those months are easy for the mother, or filled with challenges, having someone there to help face all that may come with having a child is a blessing. That is where Channing Moore and Moore than Birth comes in. Moore is a New Boston native that is now a Certified Childbirth International Birth Doula and the heart behind Moore Than Birth. A doula is a trained, non-medical professional who provides ongoing physical, emotional, and informational support to a person and their family before, during, or after childbirth. A doula does not deliver a newborn child or replace professional medical care but rather takes part in the process of pregnancy by providing much needed support for the mother. Channing says she created Moore Than Birth out of a belief that childbirth is a transformation, a preparation, a surrender and the beginning of a new chapter…each one contributing to it being “Moore than Birth.” Moore says that as a doula, her heart is to walk alongside mothers and families with compassionate support, encouragement, and faith throughout their birth journey, while assuring those that she cares for that they deserve to be heard and informed while they receive compassionate support. She wants them to know that they have someone to walk alongside them during their journey to childbirth. As a Christian doula, Moore is guided by words found in Genesis 8:11 which state, “When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.” She explains the importance of that verse by saying, “Each contraction rises and washes over you just like the flood waters, but each time the contraction recedes just as it came. That message of hope and renewal is one I hold close. Birth holds so many emotions such as anticipation, excitement, uncertainty, strength, fear, joy, and surrender. Then comes the moment when everything changes. A new life. A new beginning. A new chapter.” Moore drew the inspiration to follow on her path to be a doula from personal experience. She says when going through her pregnancy with her first son, Beau, she knew she wanted to utilize a doula and a birth center to help her through the process. She now credits that birth experience to Stacy Hutchins, her doula and then birth education teacher in the Dallas area. She gleaned from Hutchins’ teaching and experience that mothers today need to be prepared for marathon length labor and be prepared to go past 40 weeks gestation. “We try to teach them to be prepared to have the endurance and for the pregnancy to go longer than expected.” Fully certified now through Childbirth International, Moore states that the self-paced training allowed her to get her certification while she worked to support her ever growing family, that now includes Beau and his twin sisters Ava and Ellis. Beau is now five years old and the twins are now three. It was the birth of those twin girls that led Moore back home to Bowie County where she is surrounded by her family and a community that loves her and her family. Coming home gave Moore the time she needed to finish her training and to receive her certification in March of 2026. It was also in March that she began Moore than Birth, and since that time, Moore has been busy, walking the path through pregnancy with multiple mothers in the last few months, while she is also in the process of earning a certification in childbirth education. She says, “That certification will allow me to help first time mothers and many others as they deal with all of the things that come with childbirth and motherhood. Working in the labor and delivery area of a local hospital, I saw the need, and I want to help.” Moore wants all of the mothers that she helps to know that birth preparation can be about so much more than medical preferences, and that it is also about knowing what helps them feel grounded, supported, peaceful and encouraged through one of life's biggest moments. She also encourages those that she walks with to make space for faith in their birth and notes, “As a Christian, I believe God is present in those moments, even when birth doesn’t look exactly the way we imagined it would.” If you would like to learn more about Moore than Birth, look for her on Facebook, email her at moorethanbirth@gmail.com, or give Channing a call at 903-908-0392.

PRESS RELEASE HOOKS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT In 2019, Hooks Independent School District (“Hooks ISD” or the “District”) had a chance to partner with TexAmericas Center (“TexAmericas” or “TAC”) on an arrangement that seemed to make sense for everyone involved. TAC wanted to make its property more attractive to businesses considering locating in Bowie County. The District wanted to support economic development without giving away tax revenue that belonged to the schools. There was a way to accomplish both. TexAmericas asked Hooks ISD to support legislation that would exempt businesses leasing TAC property from certain ad valorem taxes. Those businesses would instead make payments to TAC through a Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes, or PILOT, program. Hooks ISD was told TAC would return the entirety of the money it collected through the PILOT program to the taxing entities, protecting Hooks ISD and other taxing entities from most of the lost tax revenue. During a public board meeting on February 25, 2019, Jeff Whitten, then the TAC VP of Operations and Hooks ISD Board Vice President, made a presentation to the Hooks ISD Board on behalf of TAC. Mr. Whitten specifically represented to the Hooks ISD Board that TAC would remit all collected PILOT payments back to the District. Specifically, Mr. Whitten stated as follows: MR. WHITTEN: So, what the TexAmericas, formerly Red River Development Authority, now TexAmericas, is doing, is we’re seeking legislative change to make property owned by TexAmericas tax-exempt. MR WHITTEN: [T]enants, prospects, anybody that comes in and leases property from us, we’re going to put together – TexAmericas are going to put together a PILOT program which basically stands for Payment In Lieu of Taxes……And right now, as indicated on the next to last line, we’re looking for that payment to be 90 percent of what the real property records or taxes are. MR. WHITTEN: So TexAmericas Center has legislation that’s been endorsed by Senator Hughes, the State Senator for our district, and one of the things that he has requested is a resolution passed by the different taxing entities in Bowie County that would be in support of this so this can move forward. MR. WHITTEN: [W]hat would happen is those entities would pay to TexAmericas, and TexAmericas would then cut a check to the school district in that amount. MR WHITTEN: This is Eric Voyles. Eric Voyles is the Chief Economic Development Officer for TexAmericas Center and he’s here to make sure that I am telling y’all the truth. Scott Norton, TAC CEO, later reaffirmed that promise in writing to Hooks ISD Superintendent of Schools, Keith Minter. Specifically, Mr. Norton stated as follows: At the time this was in place [referring to the Special Legislation], TAC agreed to put a PILOT Policy in place, charge each existing business 90% of their ad valorum [sic] taxes they were paying to each of the taxing entities on our property, or a 10% discount as an incentive to locate on our property, and then TAC would give the entire amount back to the taxing entities. Hooks ISD trusted TAC, took them at their word and supported the legislation. TAC got the legislation, but the District did not get the deal it was promised. Instead of returning the PILOT money as represented to the Hooks ISD Board, TAC created a program that allowed it to keep most of the money for itself. When Hooks ISD eventually went to court in 2024 to hold TAC accountable, TexAmericas did not defend its actions before a judge or jury. It argued that, as a governmental entity, it was immune from the lawsuit. That argument ultimately worked. The Texas Supreme Court has declined to review the appellate court decision dismissing Hooks ISD's case, which means TAC will not have to go to trial and answer for what happened. The Texas Supreme Court’s decision not to review the Court of Appeals’ decision does not change the fact that TAC failed to honor its promises to the District. This was not a handshake deal or a private conversation that no one can prove happened. TAC’s promises are part of the Hooks ISD public record. Hooks ISD relied on TAC’s assurances in supporting the legislation. TAC secured the tax exemption it needed because of Hooks ISD’s support and gained a new incentive it could use to recruit businesses to its property. Then the arrangement changed. Had TAC told the District’s Board in 2019 that it planned to keep most of the PILOT revenue for itself, Hooks ISD would not have supported the legislation. It would not have made financial sense for the District or its taxpayers. The Part That Is Hard to Accept TexAmericas Center is not a private company. It was created by the State of Texas and is, under state law, a governmental agency and political subdivision. Its purpose is to redevelop former military property, attract businesses and jobs, and promote public welfare. That makes what happened even harder to accept. A governmental entity asked another governmental entity for its help. It made specific promises about how public money would be handled to get that help. Hooks ISD acted in good faith. Then, once TAC had secured the legislation, it did not follow through on those promises. And when the district tried to hold TAC accountable, TAC used the protections that come with being a governmental entity to keep the case from ever reaching a trial. No court has ruled that TAC kept its promise. No court found that Hooks ISD misunderstood the arrangement. No judge or jury heard the evidence and concluded TAC acted appropriately. Those questions were never decided because TAC successfully argued it was immune from having to answer them. That distinction matters, especially if TexAmericas attempts to portray the dismissal as proof that Hooks ISD was wrong. Hooks ISD believed it had the facts right. And then another governmental entity took taxpayer money, broke its promises, and walked away without ever having to answer for it in court. That may have been enough to end the lawsuit, but it does not change what happened. Hooks ISD stands by what it said from the beginning: TAC made promises, Hooks ISD relied on those promises, and TAC did not keep them. Taxpayers have every right to know how this happened and why they were left footing the bill. Our Taxpayers Deserved Better TexAmericas was created to serve the public. With that should come an expectation of honesty, transparency and accountability, particularly when dealing with another public entity and money that would otherwise support local schools. Hooks ISD understands why TAC wanted the legislation. The District supported the goal of bringing businesses and jobs to Bowie County, and the arrangement presented gave everyone something. Businesses got an incentive and TAC got another economic development tool. Hooks ISD could support that effort knowing most of the tax revenue would still come back to their schools. That was a reasonable partnership and it could have worked to everyone’s benefit. What Hooks ISD could not have reasonably expected was that TAC would secure the District’s support based on one arrangement, implement another, and then use governmental immunity to avoid defending those actions in court. TexAmericas may have won the legal argument over whether it can be sued. It did not prove it kept its word, and the Hooks ISD community deserves better. Review the Source Documents Hooks ISD encourages members of the community to review the underlying public records rather than relying solely on anyone's characterization of what occurred. These records provide the history of the agreement and TAC's representations so taxpayers can review the facts for themselves. ● The February 25, 2019, Hooks ISD Board meeting transcript ● The February 25, 2019, Hooks ISD resolution supporting the proposed legislation

By Kenny Mitchell kenny@westbowiepost.com The new hydration rules became a fact of life for area schools this week with marching bands and football squads around the area using the new guidelines as they started practices this week, like the coaches and staff of the Hooks Hornets pictured here. The Texas UIL issued new mandates and guidelines to address heat stress among high school athletes and band members this year, with the new rules taking effect on August 1, just ahead of the first day of football practice on Monday. School districts across Texas are now required to use the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature to keep track of heat related conditions during outdoor physical activities, such as marching band practice and two-a-days. WBGT was initially developed by the United States military all the way back in the 50’s to as a stop gap for heat-related deaths for recruits going through boot camp training exercises. This is how it works. The wet bulb temperature monitors how fast water evaporates from a wet cloth, which tells coaches how the local humidity and wind speed impacts a person’s sweat, while the globe temperature measures the actual radiant heat from sunlight with a thermometer inside a hollow black globe. A dry bulb temp is also taken to measure the current air temperature in the shade. The new processes are different from the past as it takes into consideration the local humidity, and not just the temperature. With the humidity in Texas always being a factor in the “feels like” or heat index numbers. To come up with the WBGT number you take 10% of the air temperature + 70% of the natural wet bulb temperature + 20% of the black globe temperature. Under the new UIL guidelines, a WBGT score of 82 or less allows normal activities with at least three separate breaks per hour. A WBGT score of 92.1 or more signals a total stoppage of outdoor activities. Experts say the new mandates are a direct response to heat related deaths and illness of Texas high school athletes in recent years, including a 15-year-old football player in Lancaster, Texas last year. New Boston Athletic Director Stan Kimball responded to the new rules by saying, “It gives us a good idea of how the body is affected and the precautions necessary for preventing bad situations from happening.” Hooks AD Todd Ledford stated, “We’ve been very intentional and very mindful of the new policy on wet bulb. We intend on being compliant with this and all UIL policy. I have been coaching in other states where this same policy has been in practice for years, so I have dealt with this issue before. If it keeps kids safe, I’m for it. Most of our practices will be conducted in the mornings as to avoid putting kids at risk.” DeKalb AD Troy Zeringue echoed the thoughts of his coaching colleagues by saying, “As coaches we obviously want our kids to be safe, and I understand the reasoning behind it but we will have to play in the heat and get their bodies adapted one way or the other.” And James Bowie AD Chance Blackburn added, “As coaches we obviously want our kids to be safe and I understand the reasoning behind it but we will have to play in the heat and get their bodies adapted one way or the other.” The new rules will see coaches and band directors across the state giving their students regular breaks to hydrate, as well as, extra breaks when the temperatures are extremely high and dangerous. There is also the possibility that outdoor activities could be cancelled when the heat reaches a point above a certain threshold. Simms ISD Superintendent Eddy May told the West Bowie Post, “Our student/athletes safety is always of the utmost importance. We will follow the UIL regulations exactly the way they are written to protect our kids.”

By Kenny Mitchell kenny@westbowiepost.com Hooks ISD was happt to welcome Vincent the Dancing Umpire to campus this week to help the district in their efforts to claim the top spot in the T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights contest. Four local school districts are now competing in the T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights contest with thousands of dollars in prizes, weight room upgrades and the $1 Million dollar grand prize up for grabs in 2026.Hooks, along with local Redwater ISD, Simms ISD and Maud ISD are now in the contest and are asking their fans to share the news and keep them in the running for those big prizes down the road. T Mobile says that Friday Night 5G Lights is about celebrating the pride of hometowns across America. It’s about showing up with integrity, sportsmanship, and creativity—on the field, online, and in the community. When communities come together the right way, incredible things happen. This season, 1,000 schools will win $5,000, 40 Division Finalists will receive $25,000 and a hometown celebration, four Division Champions will earn $250,000, a Gronk Fitness weight room upgrade, and a $5,000 Student Spotlight Award, and one school will score the $1 million football field transformation. Plus, schools can also win the T-Mobile Fan Favorite Award and School Spotlight Awards. Hooks ISD and Maud ISD have both already been awarded one of those $5,000 weekly prizes. Those weekly prizes will run through September 25th. Division finalists will be determined from October 8 through October 25 and then the division champions and final voting will run from October 29 through November 8. On November 12, the grand prize winner of that $1 million will be announced. Schools are encouraged to be competitive for the top prizes by showing your school spirit right away on your high school’s official Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) by creating standout social content for Friday Night 5G Lights. Then get everyone involved. Rally your classmates, teachers, parents and the whole community.; The more posts your community shares using #FN5GL, #Entry, tagging @TMobile, and your school, the better your school’s chances of winning. For more information on the contest go to www.t-mobile.com/brand/friday-night-5g-lights Good luck to each of our four local school districts.

Over the last week or so it has again come to my attention a fact that everyone should know, and that is, you just can’t please everyone. You can try…but you will fail. Doing what we do here at this newspaper, and other community newspapers all across the country, you learn to have a pretty thick skin. We are never going to make every reader happy, and will often be the focus of criticism and ridicule. In my more than 25 years in this industry, that is a fact that just can’t be argued. At a community newspaper like ours, we simply just do our best to report the news as it happens, quote those that are credible sources, and do our best to get every story right. It does happen every now and then that a story we publish is found to not be completely accurate, and most times that is because what we recorded, or what we were told, was not accurate. And, to be honest, there are rare times when we miss the mark. With all that said, a long time ago I was told by someone else in the news business that it was our job to report the news, not make it. That is wisdom that is best followed and so, most of the time, it is. That is exactly how I have chosen to respond to the accusations over the last week. Instead of firing back, pointing fingers, or starting a debate that just can’t be won, silence has been and will be my choice. It is surely an instance where we were handed lemons but are choosing to make lemonade. It was timely to say the least that Pastor Steve McMichael, at Maranatha Christian Center, preached last Sunday morning on Ephesians 6:12 that says, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The minor negativities of the last week very well could have become so much more than it was, but instead we lean on our faith and beliefs and recognize that those bringing the accusations, and those who were a tad less than truthful, are not the real enemy. The real enemy for all of us is those rulers of darkness and that spiritual wickedness that is so prevalent in our world today. If you ask a Christian that knows their Bible and has walked the walk for a while, they will tell you that to be a Christian does not make us impervious to bad things. In fact, it pretty well makes us a target for those same said rulers of darkness and Satan’s minions. You see, if you are living a life focused on Christ and doing your best to live for Him, Satan is not going to like that much, and he will try to knock you off course. We just have to keep our focus clear, and not let him. That is often a daunting task. Luckily, as Steve also mentioned, we have the armor of God and it covers everything but our backside. So friends, just keep moving forward, let the fiery darts of the enemy bounce off that breastplate and helmet, and keep your eyes on the maker of all things. You know…the one who stirs that sweet lemonade of life.

By Connie Pinkham At the time of this writing, I am waiting for my two youngest grandchildren to wake up. Their parents both work very early today. I came to their house and made myself comfy on their couch. I didn’t want the children pulled out of bed and brought to me in the wee hours of the morning. Not a great way to start a day…for them or for me! I’ve spent a lot of time waiting. Even as a child, I remember waiting. Waiting with raised arm for my turn in the school classroom. Waiting for recess. Waiting for milk-break. (Anyone remember those?) I waited for my skinny little body to ‘fill out’. (Not waiting on that anymore! Chuckle,,,) I waited to be in junior high, then waited for high school, then waited for graduation. I waited to leave home, get a job and work for my own money, have my own place to live. I waited to be married, to have babies. I waited nine months then waited nine long hours of labor. I waited for crawling, walking, talking, and for potty training to be done. Waiting is a regular exercise in life, but with each passing year, the waiting is different. Maybe it is because my birthday is looming and the years are piling up. What is it I am waiting for now? How much time to wait do I even have left? On the mirror of one of my salon work stations, I once had a familiar scripture, “…those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” ( Isaiah 40:31) I had come thru a long and difficult season. I had waited even though I sure didn’t want to. He did indeed renew my strength, eventually. I had a fresh start, new place, new business, and new energy. The waiting seemed so long in the midst of it, but after it was over, it seemed brief. I guess that is the norm as we look back. Hindsight is so different! 20/20 the old saying goes… I thanked God many times for bringing me thru the waiting, and for what He provided on the other side of it. I thanked Him for the ‘want-to’ that fueled my going on. I don’t always have the ‘want-to’ even when I know I SHOULD want to. (‘Old and tired’ has been my excuse for years. And I wasn’t even old when I started to humorously use that phrase as an excuse to complain and procrastinate.) There are people older than I am who have more ‘want-to’ than I do and are busy going about DOING it. People younger than I am have dropped dead! I wonder if they accomplished all they wanted to. More importantly, did they accomplish all God wanted and purposed for them? With birthday #71 looming, I think about things like this, but will anything change because of it? I mean, at this point, waiting sure might not be a good idea. There is a spiritual truth here we should not miss…waiting on God is best. Our rushing God’s timing is never a good idea. But on the other hand, delayed obedience is DISobedience. If I wait to be obedient, I have chosen to be DISobedient. I wish I could say I am like the Psalmist, “I made haste and did not delay to keep Your commandments.” (Psalm 119:60 MKJV) I simply can not say that of myself. Can you? Like me, do you stall and procrastinate? I confess, I sometimes don’t obey because I simply do not want to. I chronically suffer from a lack of ‘want-to’. (Is it just me, or have you ever understood God’s instructions and found them something you just did not want to be obedient in? Maybe just me….but I doubt it.) I am in good company even if you aren’t in this predicament. The apostle Paul struggled with the same human problem. “What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another…I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it: I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions…it happens so regularly that it’s predictable. ” (taken from Romans 7:15-21 from The Message) When we don’t have enough ‘want-to’, we have an alternative, the same alternative our brother Paul had when he despaired, “What a terrible failure I am! Who will save me…the answer, thank God… He will do it through Jesus Christ…” (Romans 7:24-25 NIrV) Reader, it will matter how long you wait. You will never conquer your own ‘want-to’. You need help and there is only One Source. Jesus. Hallelujah.

By Pam Kumpe Some days, our wandering feels a little more like wondering. We take steps that leave us confused or tired, or that end up leaving us with calluses in places nobody can see. But even there, the Lord is working—within us, around us, and often beyond what we realize. He reminded me of that again after I had spent time with a few homeless friends, dropping off Gatorade and little nuggets of friendship. I had emptied my trunk and was driving away when I rounded the block and noticed five or six people sitting beneath some oak trees. I looked over, but I kept going. After all, I was out of everything. That should have settled it, right? Apparently, the Lord and I were not finished with that conversation. As I drove, the thoughts came like letters dropping into a mailbox. Why did you come to town today? To ignore or to love on people? You can probably guess where I ended up, back at the store buying more Gatorade. Soon I was under those oak trees, greeted by smiles and one woman who wrapped her arms around my neck. Her days, weeks, and months had been hard, and life had left bruises on her heart. She and I headed for cheeseburgers for the dozen or so friends who had now gathered. And listen, when you’re hungry, a cheeseburger is practically a postcard from heaven, and fries are the stamp of approval. As we drove, she began talking as if she had opened a stack of long-lost letters. She told me about the past year, the hurt, the loneliness, the broken pieces. She cried, and I listened. I didn’t have answers for all of it, but I know the One who does, so I reminded her of Christ, His care, and His nearness. When we returned, she touched my arm. “I’ve been asking everybody if you still came to see us. And here you are.” “But I’m just me,” I told her. “The Lord is our help in time of need. He’s your truest help.” “I know,” she said. “But you remind me of that. I just needed a friend.” Before I left, we gathered beneath those trees and prayed specifically for one another. A woman across the park had been watching us, and as I got into my car, she motioned me over. “I saw you pray with them,” she said. “Will you pray with me?” So I got back out, and the same friend who had cried with me earlier followed. Together, we prayed with a stranger beneath another oak tree. When the burgers were handed out, one homeless friend realized someone else was even hungrier than he was, so he gave his lunch away. I have thought about that ever since. Would I do the same? Maybe that’s part of what God keeps teaching me on these streets. We are all carrying messages. Every conversation writes something on somebody’s heart, every act of kindness delivers something, and every prayer can carry hope into a place where hopelessness has been sitting far too long. We don’t have to be the answer. Thank goodness—that job is already taken. We simply have to be willing to carry the message: Christ sees you. Christ loves you. Christ has not forgotten you. So pay attention today. There may be an envelope waiting to be delivered through your hands, your words, your lunch, your time, or simply your friendship. God is still the mail carrier of hope, and sometimes He lets us help with the delivery.