CELEBRATION TIME
HE IS ALIVE! HAPPY EASTER
Because He lives we will live also. John 14:19
When Jason was a teenager he started his own landscape business. He mowed grass. But instead of buying an expensive pair of tennis shoes or the latest electronic device,
Jason bought bigger and better tools. Then he needed a truck. Karmon, his mother, gave him her 20-year old truck as a graduation present. He graduated when he was 17 by taking some online courses to earn high school credits.
Now he could work full time. Soon he needed space to store his equipment and bought a small piece of land with a barn. At age 20, he parked an RV inside the barn to live in.
Jason didn’t have much time to play around but almost from the day he was born he had time to go to the Almeda Baptist Church which is now Southview Baptist. He also found time to meet a very pretty girl. Now it was time to build a house. At the age of 30, Jason has his own work crew, more equipment, a nice home on ten acres, a wife and three children.
Jason values his time and uses it carefully. He never did have time for college which might have provided an easier way to make a living, but he has no regrets. He likes his work even with all the hassles of running a business in today’s world of regulations.
If he could have started a business when his great, great, great, great grandfather came to Almeda, he would not have had many, if any, regulations. But he would not have had any trees to cut since there wasn’t any, nor grass to mow since the cattle roamed freely.
IS COLLEGE RIGHT FOR YOU?
Nearly half of employed college graduates in the US hold jobs that don’t require a college education including 323,200 waiters and waitresses, 115,520 janitors, and 83,028 bartenders.
About five million college graduates are in jobs that the Bureau of Labor Statistics says don’t even require a high-school education. Richard Vedder, an Ohio University economist, says the trend is likely to continue over the next decade. The problem is an oversupply of college-educated Americans compared to the number of jobs requiring a college degree:
•The number of Americans whose highest academic degree was a bachelor’s grew 25 percent to 41 million from 2002 to 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
•The number with an associate degree rose 31 percent during that period. •Americans with a master’s degree rose 45 percent, and those with a doctorate degree rose 43 percent.
•Labor Department data from 2010 show that there were 41.7 million college graduates in the workforce, while the number of jobs requiring a college degree was just 28.6 million.
•In 1970, about 10 percent of Americans over age 25 had a college degree, while today the percentage has tripled to 30 percent.
Depending on the person, college can be very good.
A Challenge from Jason and Ron Carlson
"If you do not believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, if you do not believe that the Bible is of a supernatural origin, then I challenge you to a test.
I challenge you to go to any library in the world. You can choose any library you like, and find 66 books which match the characteristics of the 66 books in the Bible. You must choose 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1,500 years, in 3 different languages, written on 3 different continents. However, they must share a common storyline, a common theme, and a common message, with no historical errors or contradictions."
History of Almeda
Almeda was a two horse town stretching west of S. Post Oak & East of 288. Call 713-433-1098 to have the book,“Back Yonder In Almeda” mailed to you, or pick up a copy for $12 at Debbie’s Barber Shop.
Read what life was like in the early years of Almeda .
Find out about Almeda, Hooper, Anderson, Riley etc.
PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED IMPROVEMENS ON HWY 288 FROM US 59 TO COUNTY ROAD 60
Hearings held March 5th, at 3100 Shenandoah in the DeBakey High School cafeteria. Presentation starts at 7 p.m.
The same info will be given on March 7th at Berry Miller Jr. High in the cafeteria at 3301 Manvel Road in Pearland.
The findings of the preliminary engineering and environmental studies, and the proposed roadway improvements which include the •Construction of toll lanes in each direction within the existing grassy median between US 59 and CR 60 •Interchange improvements at IH 610 and Beltway 8
•Construction of general-purpose lanes between IH 610 and Beltway 8 •Improve access to Texas Medical Center will be presented. •Approximately 69 acres of additional right of way would be required (95 percent is agricultural or undeveloped, 5 percent is residential or commercial/industrial)
Women’s Pregnancy Center
WPC reaches out to compassionately meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of pregnant women and their families, while fostering the TRUTH of Jesus Christ in their lives,”·Teaching Biblical principles, Redeeming lost hope, Unifying families and relationships, Training in righteousness, and Healing wounded hearts.
WPC has served SW Houston since July 15, 1986. As a Christ-Centered, pro-life ministry formed “to help a pregnant woman in a state of crisis to understand her options,” we provide counsel and information that will empower her to make informed decisions about the outcome of her pregnancy. “Three churches from Ft. Bend Co. provided the resources that resulted in opening this “place of help and hope.”
8300 Bissonnet suite 160 713-774-0126
consultant1@wpchouston.com
FROM THE CROSS
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34
Truly I say to you, Today you shall be with me in paradise. Luke 23:43
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? (that is to say) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Matthew 27: 46
Woman behold thy son. Behold thy mother John 19:26 & 27
I thirst. John 19:28
It is finished. John 19:30
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Luke 23:46
CHICKENS
Young female chickens are called pullets. They grow up to be hens. Hens lay eggs. Young male chickens usually grow big enough to become fryers and then they go to church: Churches Fried Chicken that is. A few males are allowed to survive until they are full grown roosters. They like to crow early in the morning. They also grow spurs on the low part of their leg and can be dangerous.
Without a rooster, a chicken can lay eggs but it cannot lay fertilized eggs. Fertilized eggs can produce a baby chick in 21 days if the egg is kept warm.
Have you heard the question, “What comes first the chicken or the egg?”
Keep in mind you cannot have an egg that will produce a chicken unless it is a fertilized egg. You can’t have a fertilized egg without a rooster and a hen.
Chickens also have two wings. If you clip the feathers short on both wings it can still fly. If you clip the feathers on just one wing it cannot fly.
Even the eagle needs two wings to fly high. A right wing and a left wing. We, nor chickens, need two right wings or two left wings. Perhaps we need more appreciation for those that are on the opposite side.
TEXAS LEGISLATURE
In 2011, 5,796 bills were introduced, 1,379 bills passed. March 8th is the deadline to get your rep. to file a bill. Legislature ends May 27th For info on legislators status of bills and dates of hearings go to www.capitol.state.tx.us or go to legislative library www.irl.state.tx.us or call 1-877-824-7038.
Prayer – Does It Make Any Difference
One theme in the book by Philip Yancey is that genuine prayer changes my perspective and helps me distinguish between what only seems to be real and what is. One reality that seems to be buried by the voices of so called “reason” is the transcendency of GOD above everything. Prayer is the reset button that restores my mind to this truth. All day everyday I’m bombarded with messages of the power of mere men.
The fate of an innocent man held in the hands of a corrupt judge. The dangers of man induced global warming and the power of man to change the climate and the forces of nature. The control of the global economy by men who answer to no one. The usurpation of authority by corrupt governments around the world. Doctors and politicians deciding whose life has value and whose does not merit the care of a physician or the protection of a society.
Without prayer all of these problems seem real and really big. These are the kinds of things that have motivated people to rush out and buy guns, hoard gold and stockpile food. But with prayer these problems can be seen as they really are compared to GOD as HE really is.
As I was reading Yancey’s book I had this image in my mind of an ant stealing a crumb of food from the KING’S table. How insignificant is the ant in the presence and power of the KING. How much of the KING’S energy would it take to deal with the ant. And what about the crumb. All the world’s power fight over the crumb fallen from the KING’S table. In reality all the wealth of this world doesn’t amount to a single crumb from GOD’s table. And yet men fight and die for this crumb as if this was all there is.
I have no fear of ants because I know the reality of the differences in our size and intelligence. I don’t fear the loss of a single crumb of my food because I know the reality of the proportion of that crumb to what resources I have. The reality of the vastness of GOD’s resources is incomprehensible. Prayer shows the reality that even a 16 trillion dollar debt is only a small crumb compared to GOD’s resources What need could I possibly have that JESUS cannot meet? There is none. God is good. By Robert Andrews
EVOLUTION FACTS & IMAGINATION
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| LUCY |
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| RECONSTRUCTED |
How did the scientist determine from the bones they found which they called Lucy have dark skin? How could they determine that the eye brows were smaller than on a regular chimp? Since they did not find a fossilized eyeball what made them decide that the iris of Lucy’s eyes were surrounded by white, like a human eye?
Finding human bones or chimpanzee bones is no big deal, but to find bones that they consider transitional bones is of great value. So when they reconstructed Lucy, she or he needed to have dark skin since they believe the first humans evolved from chimps to humans in Africa. Sound racist?
The eye brow looks more human and for sure Lucy’s eyes look much more human than a chimps. All this based on those little bones combined with big imagination..
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| CHIMP |
ANOTHER OLD TIMER’S HOUSE BITES THE DUST
If you came to Almeda (which stretched from east of 288 to west of South Post Oak) before 1953, you probably remember Charlie Pretty who lived between the first Almeda Methodist church and Mr. and Mrs. Fellows home on Fellows Road which is now called Bridgeport. The original Almeda Methodist church building is now the property of Christian Life Fellowship.
Although Charlie believed in God and lived next to the church, he didn’t go to church, according to his neighbor, Sue Hughes. Sue found him to be a sweet old man although unusual. When he had to go to a nursing home, he gave Sue a handmade rocking chair.
Charlie’s parents built the first house in Almeda in 1893. Without electricity it was handmade too. The only thing left of his childhood home is a picture. Don’t know if there is even a picture of Charlie’s old house except in our memories.
BURGER KING REPLACES CHURCH
At first the South Post Oak Baptist Church was a mission started by the Almeda Baptist. The property and building was given to the congregation which later became the Fountain of Praise. They moved to Hillcroft. Now Burger King occupies the property.
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” Thomas Jefferson
HOMEGROWN STRAWBERRIES
On Jan. 31st, I called Bob and Margaret Keyworth to brag. My strawberry plant had a bloom. Bob was not impressed. They had strawberries for breakfast. He did admit they only had two berries. They set their plants out in early Nov.
ALMEDA MOE
Moe had a chat with Joe, and asked him how he became so successful. Joe said I surround myself with intelligent people. “How do you know who is intelligent,” asked Moe. Joe said he asked a simple question then he called in Clayton his top executive.“Clayton, if your mother and father had a child and it isn’t your brother or sister can you tell me who it is”? Clayton replied, “It would be me.” So Moe went to his own business and called Charlie, his top man, and asked him the same question. Charlie replied “I’ll get back to you on that Moe.” Charlie started asking everyone else. Nobody could answer the question until he asked the janitor. The janitor said, “That’s easy. It’s me.” Charlie ran back to Moe and said, “I found the answer to your question, it’s the janitor.”
Moe yelled, “You idiot. It’s not the janitor. It’s Clayton.”
Happy Birthday
Rose Andrews turned 93 on December 5, 2012, but she feels like celebrating now since she is getting out of rehab after breaking her hip. Caroline Mayfield celebrated her 89th birthday on Feb. 8th, by going camping (in an RV). Her granddaughter and three greats met her and daughter, Carla, at Palmetto State Park.
HEART ATTACK
60% of people who have a heart attack while sleeping don’t wake up. But if you do immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth swallow with a little water, call 911 and a neighbor, say ‘heart attack’, unlock door, sit. DO NOT LIE DOWN!
The wind howls the wind blows
Trials in our lives they come and go
We look here-we look there
We seek answers for our grief to bear
All this has been dealt with so long ago’
That we sometimes forget to use what we know
We cry, we plead, we suffer for naught
When we don’t use what God has already taught’
The Bible, God’s Holy word is a light to our path. Sometimes we don’t go there so our troubles last
He wants to comfort—He wants to abide
So why do we sometimes go and hide
He has given us all things freely and has paid the price
He wants his children to enjoy this life
Follow Jesus’ lead while He was here on this earth
Then He alone will give you new meaning and new birth.
By Sherry K.
Condolences
Willie A. Battiste, 69, passed into Eternity on February 2, 2013 in the Houston Hospice on Holcombe Blvd. Willie suffered a stroke on Dec. 24, 2012 and was never able to return home. His funeral was at Winsor Village UMC Church on Feb. 9,2013 and he was buried in Houston Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Willie was a Deer Park Solvay Plastics company retiree. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia Garner Battiste, 2 daughters, Marlena Johns and Sharaisse Landry and 6 grandsons.
Fannie Jane "Janie" Crippen, 77, passed away February 7, 2013. A big Houston Rockets fan, Janie also loved to read and sew. She grew cotton in her flower bed to make hand-made pillows for her family. At Christmas she made each family member their favorite desert. Janie was very strong in her faith and enjoyed studying her Bible. Preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Charles Crippen, and four siblings, Janie is survived by her son, Mark/Toni Crippen, a daughter, Cathy/Les Hansen; grandchildren: Amanda, Jonathan, Julie, and Megan; great grandchildren: Jeremiah, Jayden, and Joshua.
Janie’s funeral service was at Southview Baptist Church. Pastor Steve Brumbelow officiated. Interment in Davis, TX.
Johnny ‘Pop’ Kembro, 61, was born March 9, 1951, and passed away February 11, 2013. He came to Almeda in 1963. After 20 years with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Johnny retired, then worked in his younger son’s metal construction business, tended cattle and fences. He was committed to his family and so proud to be a grandfather. Johnny participated in the Commit for Life program donating blood for over 20 years. He was one of the Trinity County Adult Leaders for 15 years and a founding member of the Trinity County Youth Livestock Show. Johnny is preceded in death by his parents, Norman and Marie; siblings: Michael, David and Susan Kembro; father-in-law, Dick Bockel. He is survived by his wife, Denise; sons: Eric/Tanya, Brian/Kimberly; grandchildren: Kayla and Andrew; a brother: Kenneth; mother-in-law Evelynn Bockel; and brother-in-law, Jim/Lola Bockel Pallbearers were Jim Bockel, J.J. Bockel, Gilbert Haffercamp, Roy Lucas, Robert O’Neil, David Spencer, Keith and Kurtis Thomas.
Harold Barron 77, born March 25, 1935 died Friday, February 22, 2013 Harold lived on FM 2234 his whole life. He was out penning up some steers for youngsters who were coming to take roping lessons.
Preceded in death by three siblings, he is survived by his wife, Oralia; children Sherry Glazener and Steven “Button Barron, eight grandchildren, nine greats and seven siblings. Services to be held at Grand Parkway Baptist Church.
