16 year old Andrew Alvidez placed first at the Tiny West Memorial Bull Riding Competition.

Photo by Western & Rodeo Photography, Donnie Barkmeyer

The Bulls nearly won the day at the Tiny West Memorial Bull Riding Competition on May 18 held at Yett Park. The bull riders made a comeback in the 3rd and 4th long round. In the short round, one bull rider was able to hold on past the 8 second mark, 16 year old Andrew Alvidez, giving him the 1st place finish.

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Thursday’s storm brought over one and a half inches of rain, and unfortunately some damaging hail.

Friday morning Blanco residents found themselves without power. PEC reported that, “At about 4:30 a.m. power was interrupted to 1,000 members in Blanco. Crews patrolled the lines looking for damage and were able to restore power to all but 140 members, including Blanco High School, at 7:40 a.m.

“Those remaining members continued to experience intermittent interruptions while crews replaced equipment damaged during the storm. By 12:30 p.m. all members had service while PEC crews made repairs to further increase system reliability.”

Power comes and goes, but the lasting effects of nearly golf ball sized hail will not be quickly repaired.

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AUSTIN — Procedural deadlines for legislation began to hit last week, ending the forward progress and the hopes of more than half of the 6,000-or-so House bills and Senate bills filed by Texas lawmakers since November 2012.

And while the main state budget bill for fiscal years 2014-2015 stayed apparently motionless in a conference committee of five Senate members and five House members, a number of bills survived votes and passed through their respective originating chambers.

For example, the House on May 8 approved House Bill 500, legislation that permanently exempts businesses with gross revenues of $1 million or less from paying the margin or "franchise" tax. The current exemption is set to expire next year.

The Legislature enacted the tax in 2009 to offset a reduction in residential property taxes. Other bills filed this session attempt to do away with the tax entirely.

Primary author of HB 500 is Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, chair of the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means. Hilderbran, who said the legislation would spell $667 million in tax relief to Texas businesses, pointed out that HB 500 also:

- Extends the exemption to businesses grossing more than $1 million annually by creating a guaranteed $1 million deduction.

- Ensures that the cost of goods sold deduction “is offered to most businesses equally” by including those engaged in rental, auto repair, transportation, real estate and medicine.

HB 500 is awaiting deliberation by the Senate Finance Committee’s subcommittee on Fiscal Matters.

Retirement buy-in may change

State employees and current teachers would contribute more of their paycheck for their retirement under SB 1458 passed by the Senate on May 8.

Authored by Senate State Affairs Chair Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, the legislation, he said, is to reform the state Teachers Retirement System and make it actuarially sound. The bill, which gained unanimous support in the Senate, was approved by the House Pensions Committee on May 10 and soon will be scheduled for debate on the House floor.

“We were upside down earlier because we were relying too much on investment returns. This puts us in a situation where we are actually having long term fixed contribution rates that should support this system for a long time,” Duncan explained in a Senate News Service report.

Active teachers now pay a state-matched 6.4 percent of their gross pay into the Teachers Retirement System. Under SB 1458, the rate would go up in increments over the next four years to 7.7 percent in 2017 and the state contribution would increase to 6.8 percent. And, Duncan said, all school districts, for the first time, would help foot the bill by contributing 1.5 percent of their annual salary scale into the teacher retirement fund. The bill, many sessions in the making, also addresses retirement age calculations, health care for retirees and cost of living benefit increases.

Bill reduces number of tests

HB 5 by Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, chair of the House Education Committee and sponsored by Senate Education Committee Chair Dan Patrick, R-Houston, is now in a 10-member conference committee tasked with reaching agreement on amendments attached to the bill as the Senate passed it on May 6.

Currently, a high school student must pass 15 end-of-course exams to graduate. HB 5 seeks to cut that number to five while also creating a degree program to give students more flexibility when choosing classes. The five end-of-course exams, if the bill passes, would be U.S. history, English I, English II, algebra I, and biology. Two more exams, algebra II and English III, would be optional and wouldn't be required to graduate nor would they affect school accountability ratings, Patrick said.

Car sticker bill advances

Legislation by Senate Jurisprudence Committee Chair Royce West, D-Dallas, would combine automobile registration and inspection stickers into one sticker.

Interim research that provided groundwork for West’s SB 1350 suggests that a one-sticker system would reduce fraudulent inspections and save the state money. If the House passes SB 1350, Texas will join 27 other states that have enacted similar laws.

Sales tax receipts increase

State Comptroller Susan Combs on May 8 announced that state sales tax revenue in April was $2.15 billion, up 3.9 percent compared to April 2012.

“As expected,” Combs said, “the rate of growth in state sales tax revenue is moderating compared to double-digit growth rates we recently experienced.”

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In 1838, my great-great grandfather, Tarlton Lewis, along with several thousand other converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gathered in Missouri. They were unwelcome, not so much because of their religion, but because they were not sympathetic to slavery. The locals perceived, and with good reason, that the “Mormon” influx could decide whether or not Missouri would enter the Union as a slave state. Intent on driving the newcomers out, mobs gathered, houses and barns were set afire and crops were destroyed. When the Mormons defended themselves they were accused of being the aggressors and the governor issued a declaration that “the Mormons were to be driven from the state or exterminated.”

On October 30, 1838, at a place called Haun’s Mill, a group of Mormons had gathered. Angry mobs were threatening them from all sides and the brethren met in council to deliberate the best course to pursue for the common defense. About 28 of the men armed themselves to be in constant readiness in case of attack. At about 4:00 p.m. a company of about three hundred armed men approached on horseback and, without warning, began firing on the inhabitants of the settlement.

The women and children scrambled for cover as best they could while those men who were able retreated to the blacksmith shop and returned fire through gaps between the logs. Tarlton and his brother Benjamin were wounded but managed to get home where Benjamin coughed up a bullet that had lodged in his stomach. He died before morning. Returning to the blacksmith shop with several others, Tarlton and his wife, Malinda, expected to be fired upon any moment. They gathered up the bullet-pierced and maimed bodies of their friends and threw them down an abandoned well. Although he was badly wounded, Tarlton helped his wife dig a grave for Benjamin. In addition to the many wounded, about twenty persons lost their lives that day.

There was one Isaac Laney who was shot in the abdomen. Malinda tore off her kitchen apron and bound it about his abdomen to keep everything in place. They managed to get Mr. Laney to their home before the mobs returned. When she saw them coming, Malinda had Tarlton hide under the house. The mobbers searched the house and upon seeing Mr. Laney, decided that he was too near death to waste another bullet on and left, never knowing the whereabouts of Tarlton. Mr. Laney recovered and later went on to Utah. Tarlton also recovered but he carried a bullet in his shoulder until he died at a ripe old age.

David F. Boone, Professor of Church history at BYU, tells the story of Amanda Barnes Smith (1809-1886). Just days after arriving in Missouri, her husband and second son were killed in the Haun’s Mill Massacre, and one of her 6-year old twins, Alma, had a hip blown completely out by a gunshot. “Mere days later,” says Professor Boone, “people flocked to the area to hear the story of his miraculous healing, the alleged result of a mother’s prayer. ‘Christ was the physician,’ Smith said, ‘and I was the nurse.’”

A few days after the massacre, the Saints were ordered to leave the state. “Robbed of all her possessions, Sister Smith had no provisions and no transportation except her feet. She had a backbone of steel,” Boone says. “She left her four children at the site of the massacre, walked to the mob leader’s home, banged on the door, and said, pointing to the livestock, ‘You have my horse!’ When the mobster wanted to sell it to her and then charge her for having fed it, she firmly replied, ‘No. I don’t have any money. It’s my horse. I need it. I’ll take it now.’ One account reports that she used her apron as a lead rope to get the horse home.”

“She showed incredible courage in the face of deadly force,” says Boone. “Man’s inhumanity to man always raises my hackles…I don’t care who the underprivileged one is; it’s just not right.” (BYU Magazine, Spring 2013)

“The bravest battle that ever was fought; Shall I tell you where and when, On the maps of the world you will find it not; It was fought by the mothers of men. Nay, not with cannon or battle shot, With sword or braver pen; Nay, not with eloquent word or thought, From the mouths of wonderful men.

“But deep in a woman’s walled-up heart—Of woman that would not yield, But patiently, silently bore her part—Lo! there in that battlefield. No marshaling troop, no bivouac song; No banners to gleam and wave; And, oh! These battles they last so long—From babyhood to the grave!

“Yet, faithful still as a bridge of stars, She fights in her walled-up town—Fights on and on in the endless wars, Then silent, unseen—goes down.” (Joaquin Miller)

(Comments? mustardseeds101@yahoo.com)

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Darryl James Weisenbaugh, age 63, of Johnson City, Texas, passed away peacefully on May 8, 2013 at University Hospital in San Antonio surrounded by his loving wife and children after a courageous battle with liver disease.

Darryl was born in Wayne, Michigan on May 1, 1950 to George and Marion Weisenbaugh. After graduating from John Glenn High School in 1968, he married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Russell, on November 9, 1968. He was drafted into the U.S. Army on December 9, 1969 and stationed at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. During this time, he served in the 32nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division and deployed to Korea. On November 13, 1971, he was honorably discharged as a Specialist 5, Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic. Darryl worked for General Motors in Detroit, Michigan until 1981 and then moved his family to Johnson City, Texas. He owned the Phillips 66 service station and a subsequent auto repair shop. He later became employed as the Fleet Manager/Bus Maintenance Supervisor for Lyndon B. Johnson National Park Service in Stonewall, TX where he retired after 19 years of service. In his retirement years, he opened a small engine business in Johnson City.

Darryl enjoyed helping anyone in the community with small engine repairs, home repairs, or anything else someone might need. People often challenged him to find something he couldn’t do. He enjoyed meeting people everywhere he went and could strike up conversations with anyone. He knew no strangers. Darryl was an extremely proud and loving husband, father, and grandfather as well as an avid hunter and a more avid fisherman.

Darryl served the community of Johnson City in many ways, which included the Lions Club, Masonic Lodge, City Council and was a member of the First United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon, of 44 years; his daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Timothy Moreland; son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Sarah Weisenbaugh; his three grandchildren Ashly Stephenson, Emma and Lane Weisenbaugh; and many nieces and nephews. He was the youngest of a family of six sisters and four brothers and was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and two brothers.

Funeral arrangements were made at Crofts-Crow Funeral Home, with visitation being held on Friday, May 10. Funeral services were held at Liberty Lighthouse Fellowship in Johnson City on Saturday, May 11. Interment followed at the Johnson City Masonic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Johnson City Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 316, Johnson City, TX 78636 or North Blanco County EMS, P.O. Box 557, Johnson City, TX 78636.

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Ashton Lee “Tha Pig” Edwards, 30, passed away on May 5th, 2013. Visitation was held Wednesday, May 8, at Crofts – Crow Funeral Home in Blanco. Funeral services were held on Thursday at Crofts - Crow Funeral Chapel in Blanco. Rev. Rusty Hicks officiated and burial followed in Miller Creek Cemetery.

Ashton was born on November 7, 1982 in Houston, Texas to James and Anne (Matthews) Edwards. He grew up in Blanco where he attended Blanco High School. Ashton was well known for his high school football abilities, playing for the 1999 – 2000 state championship. After high school he entered the U S Army, serving almost a year before being released for medical reasons. Ashton married Christina Holder on August 14, 2004. He worked for Frac Tech as a fluid tech and was a member of The Sons of Liberty motorcycle club. Ashton was preceded in death by his father James Edwards in October 2000.

Ashton is survived by his wife, Christina Edwards of Blanco, Tx; a daughter, Denise Edwards of Blanco; his mother Anne Edwards of Odessa, Tx; great-grandmother Dorothy Matthews of Vidor, Tx; brothers James Edwards and wife Paulette of Trinity, Tx., Duane Edwards of Lubbock, Catlin Edwards of Odessa, Tx; a sister Rochell Mattingly of Lubbock, Tx; mother-and father-in-law Tommy and Trisha Holder of Blanco; sister-in-law Jennifer Hammack and husband Bryan of Blanco; nieces and nephews Ashley and Paul, Haley, Brittany, Kaylee, Cheyenne, and Madison. He is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends from high school and his riding club.

The family requests memorials be made to Security State Bank, c/o Ashton Edwards Memorial Fund.

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Maria Anita Pena of Blanco, Texas has accepted membership in The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS). Maria has resided in Blanco since 2005. She is a single parent of a 10 -year-old son, Vincent, a student at Blanco Elementary. Maria hopes to eventually attain a Masters in Science and Nursing. She currently holds an Associate of Applied Science Nursing degree with a 4.0 grade point average.

NSCS is more than just a symbol of academic achievement. Membership gives students access to a number of amazing benefits including career and networking resources, scholarships, travel, and service projects both on campus and in the community,” says Stephen E. Loflin, NSCS Founder & Chief Executive Officer.

NSCS is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and is the nation’s only interdisciplinary honors organization for first-year and second-year college students. Membership is by invitation only, based on grade point average and class standing. NSCS has nearly one million lifetime members and 300 chapters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

For more information about The National Society of Collegiate Scholars, please call 202-265-9000, visit NSCS’ website nscs.org, or contact: Maria Anita Pena, 370 S Loop Dr., Blanco, TX 78606, 830-554-0072.

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The Blanco County Fair Board has announced that it is conducting a public contest to determine the theme for the 2013 Blanco County Fair and Rodeo’s 82nd annual event.

“The Fair & Rodeo is an important part of our local heritage and culture and we want to keep it alive and well.” said Terri Waxler. “The idea for reaching out to the community to help choose our fair theme was initiated to help spread the message that the Blanco County Fair and Rodeo needs everyone’s help in making it a success,” Waxler said.

The winner of the theme contest will receive a three-day pass to the Blanco County Rodeo and of course the recognition of naming the 2013 Blanco County Fair and Rodeo.

The contest is open to all Blanco County residents and deadline for submissions is May 24, 2013.

Entries need to be mailed to: Blanco County Fair & Rodeo, PO Box 261, Johnson City, 78636.

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Lawrence Coffee, with his peacock named Pico, pose for a great photo taken by Patty Coffee.

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First Grade. Top row: Caleb, Timothy, Pedro, Cesar, Estevan, Skyler, Andrew, Torrance, Alexandra, Ashley, and Tori. Bottom row: Davis, Brent, Trent, and Brian. Not pictured: Hemma

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The Blanco Good Samaritan Center will open in conjunction with the Blanco Market Day on the square Saturday.

Volunteers will staff the store only (no food distribution) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Blanco Good Samaritan Center helps people in need in Blanco and Blanco County.All funds for the center come from donations of several local churches, individual gifts and the sale of second-hand clothing and other items. No local, state or federal funds support the all-volunteer center.

The pantry and store are open weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center is located at 620 Pecan St. For more information and/or to volunteer, call 833-5269 or visit online www.blancogoodsam.org.

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Margaret (Maggie) Kasprak with some of her favorite pieces.

Maggie Kasprak relocated to the Blanco area in 2010 after a sixteen year stay in Kauai, Hawaii. Prior to that she lived and worked in the Dallas area. On returning to Texas, Maggie wanted to live in the beautiful hill country, so here she is!

Maggie has been “artsy” all of her life Nothing was safe. If she had a pencil or crayon, she drew on everything she could find, including all the blank pages of her family’s encyclopedias and other books.

On Kauai, Maggie studied ceramics at her local community college, and loved creating hand built abstract forms and miniatures of local folklore. She enjoyed the studio dynamic and working in an environment with other artists.

She still creates ceramic miniatures and hand built pots here in Blanco, and has begun working with tile and glass mosaics.

Recently she met Olga Ybarra of the Tejas Art Club and joined her oil painting class. Comprised of local artists, the class is very informative, fun and inspirational. Maggie looks forward to learning a lot and producing some interesting art.

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Cy Young will be performing Aesop’s Shop at the Blanco Elementary School May 22

Announcing our special Patron Appreciation Day May 21st! Our Friends of the Blanco Library are hosting a day to bake and bring treats to say we love our patrons. Please stop by the library for a sweet next Tuesday from 12pm to 8pm. Be sure to check out the improvements we are making! The large conference room has been painted and new carpet will be installed this week. We have purchased new computer desks for children and started revamping the teen area through the Tocker Foundation. More improvements are still coming.

We are gearing up for our Summer Reading Program. Cy Young will be performing Aesop’s Shop at the Blanco Elementary School May 22 to kick off our program that will officially start June 7th. 'Aesop's Shop' is Aesop's Fables for the 21st Century! The Fables are as funny and clever now as they were 3000 years ago when Aesop wrote them. Cy Young has been performing these fables with kids interacting for years of fun and frolic. We will have programs every Friday in June and July from 10:30am to 11:15am.

The Blanco Library needs your help! We need front desk volunteers for Tuesday evenings 5-8pm, Wednesday mornings 10am-1, Friday mornings 10-1pm, Friday afternoon 1-4pm, and Friday afternoon 4-6pm. Front desk volunteers need to be friendly, comfortable using computers and scanners, be able to do make change, and shelve library materials. Volunteers must be able to follow directions and work independently with little supervision. Some knowledge of the Dewey Decimal System preferred. Other requirements include the ability to read small print and the ability to lift, stand, stoop, climb or squat when necessary. We are also looking for someone who is willing to volunteer to exclusively care for our plants. We need someone to water at least once a week, trim back plants, and see that they stay happy. You can set your own schedule within the library’s open hours. If you are interested in any of these positions, please come into the library and fill out an application be sure to let us know which one of these volunteer availabilities you want.

Kids and parents! If you are interested in learning about painting, come sign up for Olga Ibarra’s summer art class starting June 4th. This class is for children ages 6-11 years old and will be every Tuesday 4-6 at the Blanco Library. Stop by or call the library for Olga’s contact information to sign up. There will be a display of the art during the month of September at the Library. You must register this month!

As always, remember to check our website at www.blancolib.org or call us at 830-833-4280 for more information.

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The new WWII museum will open soon near the Buggy Barn Museum. Look for a new article about the museum in next issue of Blanco County News. Top L-R: Roxanna Avant, Linda Howard and Tom Avant. Botton L-R: Dennis Moore, Sherry Jenkins and Pat Vallone.

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Let me guess, you are starting to think twice about how far you have to walk when you look for a parking spot. Maybe you ask the checker at the grocery store to put fewer things in a bag so you can carry it to the car. And do you worry more about tripping because your balance isn't what it used to be? If you are between the ages of 65 and 80 and don't have a regular exercise program to maintain your strength, physical endurance, balance and flexibility, this is probably you.

As we age our bodies struggle to perform the simple activities we used to do without a second thought. The good news is you can slow down that aging process and stay active for longer than you might think with just a little effort.

Gem of the Hills will offer a six-week "Boomercise" fitness program for men and women ages 65-80. If you are otherwise healthy, but just need to get back some of your strength and stamina and regain some balance, this class is for you. It will start Thursday, May 23, and run through June 27, at 4:00 PM. You must be a member of Gem of the Hills ($10 per year) to participate. Classes are $6.00. Please visit with your doctor prior to enrolling. We will start slowly and students will be taught ways to modify exercises based upon their own abilities.

Stick with it, and in six weeks you will feel the difference. A minimum number of participants is needed for the class to "make" so recruit your friends and call Connie Barron, RN, CPT at 512-750-6362 with any questions. Remember, in the words of Bette Davis, "getting old isn't for sissies." See you at the Gem!

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The Blanco Woman’s Club Luncheon took place May 8th at the beautiful Red Corral Ranch. Before lunch, we had a spectacular fashion show presented by Liz’s On the Square and volunteer models from the Blanco Woman’s Club. There was a stunning array of dresses, skirts, shoes, and jewelry that was delightfully modeled.

After the fashion show, we dined on delicious food that was catered by Sullivan Street Caterers while the peacocks called in the background. The strawberry desert was as much a feast for the eyes as it was for the taste buds. It was a pleasure to speak to the numerous guests that attended this lovely luncheon as well.

The installment of officers for next year was presented in a touching ceremony by Candy Cargill Wenzel. Every lady officer was presented with a bottle of spice that described their personality and responsibility. Carol Davidson will be our president for 2013-2014 and she was given All Spice that combines all the flavors previously presented. Welcome to the board ladies!

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I would encourage you to read 2Kings 4:8-37 to get a full understanding of today’s message, since I do not have the space to include the whole text here. There are seven lessons I would like to point out this Shunammite woman teaches us. It will particularly benefit mothers, but we all can certainly glean from her actions.

1. She made room for God in her life (vs. 8-10). She would compel Elisha, a prophet of God, to dine with them when he was passing through. She then decided to make a place for him, and prepare a little guest room for him, so when he was passing through, he could stay with them. She put a high value on experiencing the presence of God in her life. Jesus stands at the door of our heart, and He knocks to be let in. Make room for Him today.

2. She believed God’s promise, even though she had doubts (vs. 12-17). To be a great person of faith does not mean you have no doubts. It means you take your thoughts captive, and overcome your doubts. Though she doubted at first when Elisha said she would have a son, she obviously put those doubts aside and received the promise of Psalm 133:9 - He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

3. She comforted her child (vs. 18-20). Mothers are to be comforters. God compares this motherly comfort to how He cares for His people (Isa 66:12-13), and how Paul said he cared for the churches (1Thess 2:7). Though God is a Father, yet the female attributes of mothers come from Him. In fact, in Hebrew, Holy Spirit is feminine in the Old Test. Now, I’m not saying the Holy Spirit is female, but that He has those motherly attributes, such as being the Comforter. Although there is a good case for the Holy Spirit being female, since when He filled the disciples on the day of Pentecost, everyone talked a lot afterwards… It’s just a little humor, don’t get offended!

4. She dedicated/committed her child to God (vs. 21). She laid her dead child on the man of God’s bed. She was committing him to God’s care. As Hannah committed Samuel to God all of his days (1Sam 1:11), so she committed her child to God. This is to be done constantly, not just once. Put your child in God’s hands every day! They are truly His kids, on loan to you. They are gifts from Him.

5. She watched her words (vs. 22-26). What did she say when questioned by her husband? It will be well. When questioned by Elisha? It is well. “Well” in Hebrew is Shalome, which means safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace, favor, rest, and wholeness. She was speaking Bible truth, not her circumstances. She spoke faith, not fear. She wouldn’t let death come out of her mouth, even though her soul was troubled. We could learn a lot from this woman! Don’t speak what you feel, and don’t speak what you see. Speak God’s Word. Prov 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

6. She interceded for her child (vs. 27-30). She lifted God’s Word up to Him. She expected results. Sow the word into your children and grandchildren. Pray for them, teach them, saturate them with Bible truth. This is your God-given responsibility. 2Ti 1:5 - When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

7. She was thankful and worshipped God (vs. 31-37). When God comes through, we need to make sure we remember to always humbly thank Him for His goodness and grace. He is worthy of our worship and praise. Like the one healed leper out of the ten, we need to always turn back and give God praise! Mothers, praise God for His faithfulness! Husbands and children, praise God for your wives and mothers! Love them and honor them. Learn from this Shunammite mother of old, and walk in these principles.

Until next time, rejoice in The Lord!

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Revelation 13:1-18 “1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

As I read and studied this chapter, I compared versions of my bibles and read commentaries, and the best I can tell is there will be three major enemies of God controlled by Satan; two humans (one beast of the sea and one beast of the land) along with a prophet. But if I’m wrong, it doesn’t matter because I believe Jesus will rapture me up before all this happens anyway! And you saw where the 666 comes from, right?! (verse 18)

It might behoove us to study verse eight, if you have an ear to hear.

In our bible study last week we spoke about God’s spiritual law of reaping what we sow (receiving what we dish out), and we see it again in verse ten above.

If we want mercy, we must be merciful (Matthew 5:7) and if we want God to forgive our sins, we must FIRST FORGIVE OTHERS, Matthew 6:14-16.

Jesus said “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12.

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A television program preceding the Winter Olympics one year featured blind skiers being trained for downhill skiing – impossible as it sounds! Paired with sighted skiers, the blind skiers were taught on the flats, how to make right and left turns. When that was mastered, they were taken to the slalom slope, where their sighted partners skied beside them shouting, "Left!" and "Right!" As they obeyed the commands, they were able to negotiate the course and cross the finish line, depending solely on the sighted skier’s word.

The scriptures teach that the Christian walks by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7). The life of a Christian is based on faith, and this faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). The blind skiers didn't have a prayer without the word of their teachers. They had to trust and act. The word of God sometimes gives direction that is the opposite of the way we feel (our emotions) and different than the path in which our own reasoning would guide us. A faithful follower of Christ knows the results of having chosen the right path are not always immediately evident. Nevertheless we keep listening and obeying, knowing that He will lead us across the last finish line. Are you trying navigate blindly down the mountain of life? There is a better way.

To request a free non-denominational Bible correspondence course or to ask a Bible question call 830-833-4884 or email bcc102@gmail.com - No personal contact will be made unless requested.

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Bowie tries on some tactical gear with Mr. Hernandez at Blanco Elementary’s Career Awareness Assembly.

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