An evening at the theater | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on February 18, 2020:

David and I had a new experience last week. At lunch at the Senior Center on Thursday, our friend Peggy approached us with an offer of theater tickets for that night. She had won four tickets in a call-in contest at Radio Station KMOO in Mineola, and two of her guests couldn’t make it. How could we turn down and invitation to the annual KMOO Valentine Date Night that included dinner and a performance of Skin Deep, the 2020 season opener of the Lake Country Playhouse at The Historic Select Theater in Mineola?

Peggy told us to be there no later than 6:00 pm, but in order to get a good parking place and a good seat, to try for 5:30. We made it a little before 5:30, and on that cold and windy night, there were plenty of parking places. Since the doors opened at 6:00, we decided to battle the crowd rather than the weather and stayed in the car until a few minutes before opening. Fortunately, KMOO didn’t overbook, so we were able to connect with Peggy and get in out of the cold quickly.

Country folks are prepared | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on December 10, 2019:

At the end of last week’s column I mentioned that I was planning to be one of the vendors at the Christmas Around the Square event on Saturday. It took a bit more planning than some of the events I’ve done because it was my first outdoor one.

First of all, I had to plan for the weather. I know that everyone thinks the weather where they live is the most unpredictable, but if you’ve ever experienced a Texas Blue Norther and felt the temperature drop thirty or forty degrees in as many minutes, you know that Texas ranks pretty high on the volatile weather list.

I watched the long range forecast for several weeks, and the predicted temperature was consistently in a forty to sixty degree range. Of course, allowing for a ten to twenty degree variance along with wind chill, that could mean anything from a snowsuit in the morning to short sleeves in the afternoon. I settled on multiple layers and moved on to precipitation.

Plenty to do in Emory | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on November 12, 2019:

Many people don’t like the idea of small town life. “There’s nothing to do!” they cry. That might be true if they want first-run movies, Broadway-style stage performances, world class theme parks, or five-star dining. But if they can be content with fun, heart-warming events shared with warm-hearted, friendly people, Emory just might be the place.

David and I have always been happy to stay at home, working on small projects around the house, reading, or watching football or old movies. But after living in Emory almost nine years and making lots of friends, it’s hard not to get involved. The past few days have been really busy for a couple of less than social butterflies like us.

On Friday, we dropped in on the Women’s Service Club Reception and Open House at the Rose Community Center. The newly renovated building looks amazing, and even though we were a bit early, the women graciously took time from last minute preparations to show us around and answer my reporter-type questions. The trays of cheese, veggies, and cookies may not have been five-star, but they looked beautiful, and whatever was in the covered warming trays smelled even better.  We didn’t stay long, though, foregoing the refreshments and opting for lunch at the Senior Center.

Saturday morning we went to the American Legion breakfast, the place to be on the second Saturday of each month if you’re hungry for a delicious country-style breakfast. Apparently a lot of people decided to start their Veterans Day weekend celebration the same way, because we had trouble finding a place to park or a place to sit. We did, however, find one empty patch of grass and two empty seats at a table with some friends. We chatted with them, and I met a Navy Seabee who spent two tours of duty in Vietnam. There are some really interesting people in this little town.

David had been invited by a friend to ride in his Model A in the Veterans Day parade, so after breakfast I dropped him off among a group of antique car enthusiasts and went in search of a good place to watch the parade and take a few pictures. I was early enough to snag a good spot in the Court House parking lot next to a couple of ladies I had met at the Senior Center. The weather was beautiful, the conversation was entertaining, and before I knew it, I heard the sound of drums as the Rains County High School Band led the parade down Highway 19. The Model As were close to the front, and David was in the second one, so I didn’t have long to wait. He was sitting in the rumble seat, so I got a great picture of him before he disappeared around the corner. The rest of the parade was fun with several floats, some marching groups, and a group of jump rope experts. It was over before the drivers who were stopped behind the barriers could become too restless, and all that was left was a few stray pieces of candy that would soon be flattened by oncoming traffic.

The festivities weren’t over, though. A canopy and folding chairs had been set up in preparation for a short ceremony honoring the veterans and dedicating several new personalized bricks that had been added to the memorial. Across the parking lot, several tables had been set up and filled with hot dogs, chips, cookies, cupcakes, and bottled water in preparation for the annual Veterans Day picnic. It had been several hours since breakfast, and parading raises an appetite, so David and I snagged some food and found an empty stretch of shaded curb. Several friends joined us, and I listened to one of them tell stories about her father’s years of service.

There was a chili cook-off and concert at Sidekicks later in the day, and maybe other events, but David and I had partied enough, so we went home. We’ll go to the high school on Monday for the annual Veterans Day program. There will be a nice Continental breakfast, and friends and family will applaud as each veteran is introduced. The color guard will present the flags, the band and chorus will perform several patriotic songs, and there will be ceremonies in remembrance of MIAs, POWs, and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Most of all, we’ll shake hands, hug, and chat with friends who have become extended family.

As the holidays approach, there are many other activities coming up. The 4^th annual Jingle Mingle, the Women’s Service Club Thanksgiving Luncheon, the Community Thanksgiving Service, and Christmas around the Square just to name a few. These events may not have the “WOW” factor that appeals to the younger generations, but to those of us who’ve fought all the crowds and stood in line for all the hours we care to, they are just perfect. Regardless of how you feel about the activities that are offered, you can’t say there’s nothing to do in Emory.

Blessings,

Linda

Fallen Angel Salvage

Tatia’s Tattoo

Mom’s Long Goodbye

A Long and Winding Road

Community | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains  County Leader on August 20, 2019:

According to several on-line dictionaries, community is 1) a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common and 2) a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

Last weekend I attended the 5^th Annual White Chapel Girls Retreat at the White Chapel Bed & Breakfast in Mountain Home, Texas. Every year about this time, a dozen women withdraw from everyday responsibilities and gather for Bible study and prayer along with lots of food and fellowship.

Before it became a B and B, the site of the retreat was simply the home of Julee White, a woman with a heart that is much bigger than the six acres on which she lives. She has the gift of hospitality, and because of this, she has become the go-to place for strays of all kinds. At present, she has 4 dogs, 4 cats, 7 goats, and 3 donkeys in residence. The dogs and cats have free access through a pet door into the laundry room where they find a variety of food and water dishes which, although intended to be species specific, are often shared equally. The donkeys and goats share their food with each other as well as with the small herd of deer that sidle over when they hear the door to the feed shed squeak open. In addition to the four-legged critters, Julee feeds her feathered friends from countless hummingbird and regular bird feeders. The deer have been known to help themselves to the spillage there as well. Because of her many mealtime guests, especially the goats who have become very well-rounded since coming to live with her, Julee originally named her place the F & H (Fat & Happy) Ranch .

Julee also has many human friends, and her home is a museum of their love. Her lawn is encircled by a walking path lined with yard art, and her front walk is embedded with mementos, all from people who love her. The interior of her home is filled with treasures, and she can tell you who gave her each piece and when.

However, the focal point is the White Chapel, also referred to as the Broken Chapel. Several years ago, Julee felt a Divine Call to build a chapel toward the back of her property. She tried to brush the idea off, but it wouldn’t go away. She wanted it to have special meaning, so she sent out a call to friends for materials that were broken or discarded from other projects, and the response was overwhelming. The resulting chapel is more than can be described in this small space, but it is all she had imagined and more.

In 2014 Julee received a call from two friends who wanted to organize several women’s retreats, and they wanted to know if she wanted to participate. “Now I know why God wanted me to build the Chapel,” she said through tears. “Can we have one here?”

Friend invited friend, and in August of 2015 ten women invaded Julee’s home for the first annual White Chapel Girls Retreat. We were all a little uneasy at first. Some of us knew only one other person, and the teacher had never done anything of this scope, but Julee wasn’t fazed. She spread air mattresses on the floor, pulled casseroles out of the freezer, and by the end of the long weekend, we were all Fat and Happy sisters.

Five years later, the F & H Ranch has become the White Chapel Bed & Breakfast, and the White Chapel Girls, now an even dozen, have become a community. For most of the year, we live in places scattered across the country, but for one weekend a year we live together. I don’t know if that qualifies us as a community, but we definitely have a particular characteristic in common – we all believe in Jesus as our personal Savior. As for the second definition, that fits us to a Tee. Throughout the year, we share attitudes, interests, and goals through Facebook and email so that each year there is a feeling of fellowship as if we had been apart days instead of months.

On our last night together, we shared Communion in the Chapel. Community and Communion come from the same root word, and one definition of Communion is sharing or exchanging intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level. As we communicated with God and remembered His sacrifice, we also looked around the circle and thanked God for each other.

Our world has become a scattered place where we can live, work, shop, and travel without ever seeing another person. But like Julee’s menagerie of birds and animals, we were made for community. “Reach out and touch someone” is more than a telephone company commercial.

Blessings,

Linda

Fallen Angel Salvage

Tatia’s Tattoo

Mom’s Long Goodbye

A Long and Winding Road

Earn This | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on July 16, 2019:

Lake County Neighbors hosted their 10^th Annual Veteran’s Thank You Luncheon on Tuesday of last week at Lake Fork Baptist Church. It’s one of David’s and my favorite summer events for several reasons – the food is plentiful and delicious, it’s a great time to visit with friends, and the patriotic programs and speakers are enjoyable.

This year did not disappoint. The plate of barbecued brisket and sausage, potato salad, and beans was more than I could handle, so I sent home a taste of the brisket to my neighbors’ dog Floppy – and David was more than happy to finish my peach cobbler. The fellowship was even better with at least twenty friends from the Senior Center in attendance. The highlight of the day, however, was the guest speaker – Lieutenant Colonel Allen B. West.

Living in community | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on March 26, 2019:

At the most recent meeting of the East Texas Library Friends Book Club, we discussed the book “The Stranger in the Woods” by Michael Finkel. The subtitle is “The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit.” It’s the story of Christopher Knight who walked into the woods when he was 20 years old and lived there until he was captured 27 years later.

Our initial discussions centered around what a hermit actually is and whether Knight met those requirements. We couldn’t come to a consensus on that issue, so we moved on to the morality of how he supported himself – by stealing from vacation homes and a summer camp facility near his woodland home. Most of us agreed that theft is wrong regardless of the need and the self-imposed limitations on what is taken, although there was one dissenter who thought his actions were acceptable. The majority of our time, though, was spent on the subject of being alone. What was the longest period of time any of us had been alone with no contact or interaction with another person? Most of us had never spent more than 24-48 hours in solitude, much less 27 years – and most of us had no desire to do so.

Counting My Blessings | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on May 23, 2017:

The last couple of weeks have been a bit rough for the Brendles. Actually, David has been struggling with one thing or another for most of this year.

He caught an upper respiratory infection from me toward the end of December, and he didn’t begin to really feel normal again until the end of March. Because of that, the early spring weather, and all the rain, the weeds were way ahead of him by the time he felt well enough to do anything about it.

Finally, about two weeks ago, he hauled out the mower, donned a protective mask and hat, and went to work. He knocked out the front yard in nothing flat, and the back yard up close to the house went well, too. Then, he ventured back a bit further where he made a couple of circuits before I heard him cut the engine and begin walking toward the house. I knew there must be trouble. If he was taking a water break, he would have driven up closer. I stepped out on the porch.