1 SAMUEL 8:4-5 "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel and said unto him; behold thou art old: now make unto us a king to judge us like all the nations." (7) And the Lord said unto Samuel, "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected ME, that I should not reign over them."

This week we’re going to go outside of the county lines and check out the Colorado River Basin area. In any given year, damaging floods are likely to occur on at least one major river or stream in Texas, affecting hundreds or even thousands of homes and businesses, and often, loss of life.

Television. It has a good side but it also has a bad side just like a lot of other things. What are some of the good things about TV? It is entertaining. It can be educational. It can open up new worlds for kids, giving them a chance to travel, learn about different animals and cultures and see things they might never otherwise see.

Saturday the Cherokee Church of Christ had their annual Back To School Bash. They had a Star Wars theme this year. Many children from the community came and had a good time. Robert Baugh was in charge and did a good job pulling things together for the children. Payton Suggs had to go home after spending the week with grandma and grandpa.

Some people have learned to make excuses as to why they cannot do something. There may be many reasons lying behind all of this, but the fact is, we make excuses. Usually, if there is something we want to do we do not have any trouble jumping in and getting it done.

Why Do Victims Stay With or Continue to Return to Their Abuser? As I travel across Texas sharing my personal testimony of having been married to an abusive husband for 16 years, I hear a question so often: “Why do victims stay or return to their abuser?” While some say the question is not why does the victim stay but “why does he batter?” as a victim, when I left my husband in 1994 and began Christian counseling that was my exact question.

We have been missing out on the rains in the area and although it is still fairly green, we need a good old soaking rain. There were only four members present at the Busy Bee quilting day on the 11th. They were Grace Hardman, Marilyn Miller, Fay and Gloria Lusty.

Reading Recommendations: The Rise and Fall of a Texas Dynasty, The Murchisons, Jane Wolfe- An intimate biography of one of America's richest families, The Murchisons reveals the secrets of the ultimate Texas oil clan. The rise and fall of the Murchison family in three generations is a paradigm of Texas during the last half century.

Not far from my home was a covered bridge. When I was a child, my uncle took me to see it. We stopped before we entered. I said, "Look out, Uncle. You may drive in, but you wont' drive out of that little, dark hole at the other end." But I was wrong.

Have you encountered God’s love? It’s something you need to confront and experience. Perhaps you have not known God’s love because you do not understand what it’s all about. There are two important aspects to the love of God. On one hand, we have the historic objective demonstration of God’s love.

Late Saturday afternoon a cloud appeared and after much lightening and thunder 1/10 of rain fell, only making it more humid. Sunday afternoon a light shower fell between Lampasas and Bend, but nothing at Bend. The school bus will be coming out to Bend to pick up children for school, so please everyone stop when you see a bus loading or unloading their passengers.

While traveling in several foreign countries I noticed the way children have to dress for school. In those countries they have to wear school uniforms. For instance, Elementary school students will wear uniforms with certain colors and Junior High students other colors and High School students even different colors. To attend school you have to have a uniform.

Lights! Camera! Action! School has begun and I hope everyone is in their places. Parents should have received the handbook with its many pages that need signatures. Some are at the front, some are at the back, but they all need signatures. This summer seemed to have gone by very quickly.

The veterans of the Wiley B. Murray Post No. 27 will meet Friday, August 28th, 2009 at the legion Hall in San Saba. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. A pot luck supper will be served at 6:30 p.m. Members are asked to bring their favorite Mexican food meal to include complimentary side dishes of salad, bread, and dessert. There will be no business meeting but there will be a short rehearsal for the awarding of the Texas Service Medals.

The first ever Back to School Health and Safety Fair was a huge success on August 21st. Even though the event was scheduled to last until 2pm, we had 282 school age children apply for school supplies by noon before we ran out. However, most of the people who came did get something.

Twice the blessings, two times the love, announcing our gifts from heaven above. Will and Sarah Broyles are proud to announce the arrival of Leslie Allen and Lily Marie Broyles. Leslie and Lily arrived June 22nd at 6:31 and 6:43 p.m. weighing 5 lbs. 1 oz., and 5 lbs. 4 oz.

Curtis and Christine Rainbolt are proud to announce the birth of Zoe Marie Rainbolt. Zoe was born on August 4, 2009. She weighed 7 lb. 10 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. Curtis, Christine, and Zoe live in Fresno, CA. Maternal grandparents are Jim and Karen Bateman; maternal great grandmother is Pearl Zoerb, all of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

The First United Methodist Church is continuing an exciting, after-school mid-week program for children in the community. FaithWeaver Friends is a family-friendly weekly program for kids ages 4 through 4th grade. Beginning September 9th we’ll meet every Wednesday between 3:45pm and 5:30pm to sing upbeat songs, play cooperative games, make tasty treats, create special projects, and explore Bible stories in wild and wacky ways.

Over 500 Hill Country energy consumers gathered in the Fredericksburg High School Auditorium on August 18th, as Central Texas Electric Co-op hosted its 62nd Annual Members’ Meeting. Board President, David D. Smith welcomed them and CEO Robert A. Loth III introduced the other CTEC directors and Dr. Don Higginbotham, pastor of First Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, who gave a heartfelt invocation.

The Red Hatters and a random group of other exuberant San Saba ladies were welcomed to Ann McElroy’s playhouse near Harmony Ridge to celebrate the end of summer. Twenty three ladies attended the event which began with a gourmet-quality potluck buffet. How, you might wonder, did these ladies learn to cook so well?

Kathy Sanderson-Baca of Taylor, Texas was recently awarded 12 certificates of appreciation for her volunteer efforts to help the Austin Chapter Institute of Internal Auditors maintain their Platinum status in Internal Audit. Kathy served on the Nominations and Elections Committee and within the last year under Kathy’s direction the Austin chapter was the first Chapter to develop and utilize an on-line voting system which resulted in outstanding secured results.

The San Saba Cemetery Association wishes to announce that the city of San Saba will no longer be doing maintenance of the cemetery. We have hired someone to take care of these tasks. We ask that you will help with improving the look of the cemetery. First we ask that everyone replace flowers on a regular basis.

The following are excerpts from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports. “More Than” Wardens: On July 25th, two Coke and Sterling County Wardens were patrolling Oak Creek. Checking a boat for water safety, they began to leave and observed the boat capsizing. After a quick turn back to the capsized boat, the wardens noticed the pair in the water.

Receipts totaled 1849 head for the week. The demand was good with stocker heifers selling $2 to $4 higher and stocker steers selling $1 to $2 higher while feeder heifers sold $2 higher and feeder steers were steady to $1 lower. Packer cows and bulls remain steady from last week.

Cheryl Lord Clark, 52, of Temple, passed away on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 in Temple. She was born June 19, 1957 in San Saba, Texas, the daughter of Ewell Dean Lord and Billie Maxine Hibler Lord. She worked as a Real Estate Agent and attended Temple Bible Church. She was a member of The Ride of Silence, Hope Pregancy Center, and the Prison Ministry.

Mary Cummings, 67, of Richland Springs, passed away on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at her residence in Richland Springs. She was born May 3, 1942 in San Saba, Texas, the daughter of Roy Hale and Reibe Hill Hale. Mary Hale and Ben Cummings were married on December 22, 1990 in San Saba.

Oleta Loraine Conner, beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, was called home to her Lord Saturday, August 22, 2009 at the age of 81. Born March 12, 1928, to Roy and Sadie Ragsdale, she was the eldest of their four children. Her parents soon found her to be a great helper with the other children.

Sandra Gay Smith, 64, of Spicewood, passed away on Friday, August 21, 2009 at her residence in Spicewood. She was born May 24, 1945 in San Saba, Texas, the daughter of Andrew James Reynolds and Bewla May Tomlinson Reynolds. Sandra Gay Reynolds and Logan D. Smith were married on July 4, 1962 in San Saba.

Wadene Ivy, 83, of San Saba, passed away on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas. She was born October 26, 1925 in San Saba, Texas, the daughter of Wade Hamilton Brown and Winnie Poynor Brown. Wadene Brown and Johnie B. Ivy were married in San Saba on August 29, 1942.

The 2009-2010 school year at Richland Springs began last Monday. Thanks to the teachers and staff and students, we had a great first week of school, registering 139 students in grades kindergarten -12. The teachers and staff had a great week of in-service training. Thanks to Brownwood ISD for hosting training through the Region XV Service Center for our teachers and staff on August 18th.

The Dillos completed preseason this past week with a scrimmage. The JV scrimmaged Brady and the Varsity scrimmaged the Buffaloes from Cross Plains. Both scrimmages went really well. The intensity and physicality of our team stood out to me. We still have things to work on such as blown assignments and penalties. Thanks to everyone who came out for the scrimmages and Meet the Dillos.

The GED test will be given at Gatesville High School - September 8th and 9th at Gatesville High School in Room 22. You must register, to take the test, on Wednesday September 2nd, in Room 22 at Gatesville High from 5-7 p.m. You need to bring with you your Texas Drivers License or State or Federal Photo ID, Social Security card, and $65.

4-H Clubs are gearing up for a new year. Here are some frequently asked questions about 4-H to help youth better under what 4-H is all about. Who can join 4-H? Youth are eligible to participate in 4-H if they are 8 and in the 3rd grade or 9 years of age by August 31, 2009 and have not reached their 19th birthday on or before August 31, 2009.

This week the San Saba Ladies Golf Association lost a charter member, a past president for three different years, our club champion for two years, a unique character, a good golfer, archer, photographer, mother and grandmother and great grandmother, and dear friend, when we lost Wadene Ivy! For many years she was a fixture at the San Saba Golf Course.

Orders for 2009 "Battle of the River" t-shirts are being received now by the San Saba Cheerleader Booster Club. To order your shirt please contact Deane Cromer at San Saba High School or Jan Crosby at San Saba Elementary School. You can also order at the football games at the booster club table.

The scrimmage against Cross Plains showed the potential for the 2009 Armadillos. The Buffalos got the ball first and the front seven of the San Saba defense stopped everything that came at them. The pass defense allowed one big play for a touchdown when the receiver got behind the defender. Team pursuit was very good throughout the scrimmage. The Armadillo took over and moved the ball very well.

Richland Springs' Offensive Coordinator Shawn Rogers preps the Coyotes for this week’s road opener against Azle Christian beginning at 7:00 p.m. The hot summer workouts have been tough for the 28 Coyote high school athletes.

Now is the time to sign up and attend substitute training. San Saba ISD quite often uses substitute teachers to fill in when teachers/staff are absent from school. This year, we are asking that substitutes attend a substitute orientation/training prior to substituting on the campuses. A substitute orientation/training will be held on Tuesday, September 1, at 5:30 pm in the San Saba High School Library.

Traditionally, the Dilloettes dance the Can-Can on homecoming as well as other times of the year. The Can-Can is a high kick routine choreographed in the 1960's probably by Denard Hayden for the Haden Drill Team Camp in Nacogdoches, and taught by Hayden and Gussie Nell Davis, creator of the Kilgore Rangerettes.