The following letter to the editor was the most touching I have ever read . . .

The whole world paused this morning. Do you know why? Because an 8-year old’s tank was empty.

The boys had already started their school day at their desks, and I was preparing to leave for work when I noticed my littlest standing in the bathroom wiping his face.

I paused at the door and asked if he was okay. He looked up with tear silently dripping and shook his head. When I questioned if something happened, again he shook his head.

So, I sat on the side of the tub and pulled him in my lap. I told him sometimes our heart tanks feel empty and need to be refilled.

He cried into my chest, and I held tight.

I asked if he could feel my love filling him up?

A nod, and tears stopped . . .

I waited a minute . . .

‘Has it reached your toes yet?’

He shook his head no . . .

‘Okay man. We will take as long as you need. Work doesn’t matter right now. School isn’t important either. This right here, is the most important thing today, okay? Filing you back to the top. Is that good?’

*nods*

One more minute . . .

‘Is your heart full of mamas love now?’

‘Yeah . . .’

*looks in his eyes* ‘I see it shining in there, you’re full to the top, and you’re smiling!’

You may not be 8 – you may be 28, 38, 48 or whatever— but ALL of us run on empty just like he did. His week was so busy and so full, and his little soul was just dry!

We all have to pause and take a moment to refill with the good things, prayer, sunshine, laughter, friends, hugs. Refill your empty tank, or you’ll find those emotions (tears, anger, snappy words) overflowing with no reason why.

Take a moment. Refill. It’s the most important part of your day!

Sammy H.

New Braunfels, TX

Buffalo Gap Round-up

Paul Harvey was my favorite newscaster of all time. Although he has been gone for many years some of his columns are very timely today. This is one of my favorites . . .

IF I WERE THE DEVIL

If I were the devil . . . If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree.

So, I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first—I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve” ‘Do as you please.’

“To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington . . .’

“And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

“If I were the devil, I’d soon have families that war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions—just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.

“Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography—soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil, I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.

“If I were the devil, I’d take from those who have, and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And what do you bet? I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich. I would caution against extremes and hard work, in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on TV is the way to be. And thus, I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil, I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing. Paul Harvey, Good Day.” —CC—

There are some folks that we wish would just stay where they are. For example, the residents of New York and California. Not because we don’t like these blue state ‘bozos’ but because we are concerned for their safety. The following letter was published to warn these folks about what they may face if they come to Oklahoma.

Housing shortage, rent has doubled, and folks are vacationing here in record numbers . . .

So, if you plan on moving here, or just plan on vacationing at our hill country, rivers, lakes or on our prairies this summer, I think you should know that red ants, fire ants and bedbugs have infested hotels and motels across the area due to the dryer than usual spring.

Mountain lions have eaten all domesticated animals and some small children.

The poison ivy has overtaken all other vegetation, except for the abundance of psilocybin mushrooms. PY ONLY FOR THE

We have had bear ch 13-19 – (ocan031 sightings at every py below that best fits your ONE colu park and town . . . and some cougars in motel rooms.1.66” X 7.6”