Deb's Lake Livingston Real Estate & Stuff!

Merry XMas! Yeah right! WRONG!!!!!!!

"Daddy, Daddy," 

Don't be mad. I was only about 6 years old. Someone at my school told me that I didn't have to write Christ into the phrase Merry Christmas! They said, "you can save time by writing Merry XMas!" and at age 6, I didn't put 2 and 2 together.

With the slap of his hand across my pants and a terribly disappointed look on his face, my dad taught me the reason to take the time to write Christ. Oh, I knew the Christmas story and the entire biblical history. But, when you're 6, things don't always make sense.

After my father kneeled at my side and with tears in his eyes, shared with my little 6 year old psyche the true story of the birth of Christ, I cried. I'm sorry daddy. I will never let Christ out of Christmas again.

I, today, will never let Christ out of Christmas.

                                        MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!

You're probably wondering why I'm writing about the Texas Top Ten. There are several reasons beyond the obvious...(ssshhhh....ego). I'm there.

But please let me explain why. From the beginning I wanted to be in the top ten. It began with Localism.

If you weren't on the top ten list in your state your picture/bio didn't appear on Localism. All that has changed now so that goal was seemlingly futile....NOT.

Active Rain is beginning to be "found" by more and more consumers.

GOOGLE will tell you that in the Search Engine results the top ten is the CREAM OF THE CROP. Some 70% of consumers go no further than the first page (total ten) of GOOGLE. Now, that's pretty heavy stuff.

Points really DO matter here on the RAIN. You can be at the top of your own KEY SEARCH WITH GOOGLE while climbing the inside ranks of AR. GOOGLE LOVES FRESH CONTENT.

Keep your posts coming on a regular basis. You will gain strength within the search engines and eventually climb into the ranks of the Top Ten.

What you see below is what consumers see when they click on YOUR STATE.

INTRODUCING THE TEXAS TOP TEN~

Featured Real Estate Agent: Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) Score: 410001 Austin I have been working as a full-time Austin area Realtor since January 1997. My years of experience serve me well as the broker and co-owner of Austin Texas Homes, LLC, which began operations in 2004.

Featured Real Estate Agent: Donna Harris, ASP (Re/Max HiNet) Score: 357285 Dallas Dallas Area REALTOR. Dallas real estate is changing every day. Whether you're buying or selling a home, I'll be with you every step of the way! Dallas & Collin Counties, and everywhere in between...

Gary Woltal - REALTOR® Dallas Ft. Worth (Keller Williams Realty) - Real Estate Agent Score: 300886 Flower Mound Texas licensed Active Realtor Denton County specialist Flower Mound, TX Dallas - Ft. Worth Coppell, Lewisville, Highland Village, Corinth, Denton, Argyle, Carrollton, Frisco

Marchel Peterson Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro ABR (Results Realty) - Real Estate Agent Score: 285069 Spring Marchel Peterson broker/owner Results Realty specializing in residential real estate, homes, properties and acreage in Spring, Tomball, Magnolia, Northwest Houston, Cypress and the Woodlands Texas.

Loreena Yeo - Realtor(R)/Broker proudly serving Frisco TX Real Estate (3:16 team REALTY) - Real Estate Agent Score: 243067 Frisco Eagerly and passionately serving your home buying and home selling needs in the greater Frisco TX, northern Dallas metroplex suburban markets with high character values, resources & results.

Fort Worth Real Estate - - - Karen Anne Stone (RE/MAX Trinity) - Real Estate Agent Score: 221867 Fort Worth Karen Anne's New Home Hunters DFW is the Primary Marketing Source for New Homes throughout all of DFW. If you're looking for a New Home.. Get the Most Home for Your Money... call Karen Anne and save!

Cindy Bryant~Houston's Home Staging & Home Stagers By Redesign Etc.~RESA~ASHSR (Redesign Etc., Inc.-Houston, TX (Texas)) - Home Stager Score: 203440 Houston Home Staging is a must in Houston's competitive real estate. Sell your house faster and get Top Dollar by using our Professional Home Stagers. Buyers are savvy and first impressions are everything.

Trey Thurmond, College Station , Texas Homes (Classic Realty Inc./GMAC Real Estate) - Real Estate Agent Score: 187247 College Station Broker-Owner with 30 years of continuous service in Bryan/College Station Texas. Homes , land , commercial, leasing, real estate. www.researchvalleyhomes.com 1-800-846-6884. or 979-229-8465 eves.

Deb at Brooks Prime Properties - Real Estate Brokerage Score: 185439 Huntsville Lake Livingston is my home. I have a deep love of The Piney Woods and am Proud to be a Realtor! Lake Livingston Real Estate is one of the few Undiscovered Secrets in Texas. SSSShhhh...

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) - Real Estate Agent Score: 183393 College Station Whether buying or selling I will help you save money and build equity. 7 years of experience in the local market and a dedication to excellence. Call today (979)574-1084 or www.ChrisTesch.com

So, just keep the posts coming and your business will continue. We need all the strength in advertising we can get these days.

Active Rain is an incredible tool for us all. Thank you Active Rain!

Later in the rain~Deb

Each year our Huntsville Item  publishes a "Wish List" from underprivileged children within our area. Check our local paper and "ADOPT AN ANGEL" and help their wishes come true.

Their "Wish List" is published with ideas to help them have a wonderful Christmas. The lists include: Walmart Gift-cards,

clothing with sizes,

books,

diapers,

shoes,

coats,

and other ideas.

Simply choose your Angel, purchase the gift, wrap it, and drop it off at our main "pick-up" area. Be sure and tag the gift with your Angels name.

Your generosity and kindness shall provide a child a wonderful Christmas.

So, please, BE AN ANGEL AND ADOPT AN ANGEL...for a gift of "HOPE"

Holiday Hugs, Deb

Can you believe this is my car???

Right here in Huntsville, Texas.

Where it (almost) NEVER snows.

This is the first time in many years that it has snowed enough to stick.

It was just beautiful.

Jason Crouch said it snowed in Austin too. I hope his kids got to go out and play in it....

Gail Tassey got it too... 

My daughter called me and said, "MERRY CHRISTMAS" and you know...

I feel as if I've already had my gift.

Straight from heaven.

You should have seen my cats dancing! They were shocked and confused...they had never witnessed this before.

Merry Christmas all...

and to all...

Later in the rain~Deb

You can't read a book by its cover..."The Joy and Gift of Acceptance"

I was 22 years old and working for a large carpeting store in San Antonio Texas behind the desk as a receptionist...not my kind of job but I was young and needed to take what I could get.

I was raising two very young children and paying an in-home sitter to watch them. After cashing my weekly check and paying her I had $80.00 a week left for bills and spending money.

Woo Hoo!

Christmas was right around the corner so I had to have every penny!

Without working everyday I couldn't meet my obligations so I worked while I was sick too. It made no difference if I was coughing my head off....I was there.

One day I was so ill I could barely keep myself together and shouldn't have been there!

An old...and when I say old....I mean really old....truck pulled up in front of the store. It looked like it had been run through the muck, had the step sides and dents and faded paint.

Out steps an old gentleman that looked like he hadn't bathed in a week and was dressed in old torn (ugly) overalls. I've always been the type of person that would help the underdog and love them no matter what.

Even though my first reaction was..."jeesh".

So, when he approached the desk I stood and gave him a grand welcome.

We spoke, I coughed, we connected, I coughed, I helped him while I coughed. He was there to pick up an old used roll of carpet that had been delivered to the front for him. After I had the men help him load the carpet into his old truck he sauntered back in and up to the desk. He asked me to call the owner of the store to the desk so he could visit with him.

I complied. He spoke to the owner in private and smiled, waved goodbye to me and drove away.

The owner of the business walked up to me and said, "Deb, go home and stay home the rest of the week."

Whoa, I thought I was getting fired! He went on to tell me that the old man that came in "BOUGHT MY WEEK" so I could go home and heal. It turned out that the man was H.B. Zachary...one of the richest men in San Antonio.

I never heard from him again but he still lives in my prayers...you just can't read a book by its cover.

This lovely man, out of the goodness of his heart, gave me the gift of "time, rest and recuperation" without asking for an ounce of thanks. He came in to buy a used piece of carpet to save his money and ended up buying me one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

Because of Mr. H.B. Zachary, I was able to get well and still provide the Christmas my children deserved. Treat people without judgment always and know they are so much more and so much deeper than their appearance.

You just cannot read a book by its cover!  Please remember..."The Joy and Gift of Acceptance"

Hebrews 13:2

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it...

Amen..........:-) Quote contributed by my good friend, Liz Moras. Thank you Liz!

**************Daily Kos: HUGE: Road to Babylon - Superhighway Through Central US ...

 - 2 visits - 12:37pm In Texas a Spanish company name Cintras and the family that owns H.B.Zachary Construction will be the sole proprietors of the Trans-Texas Corridor for the ...
www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/28/205459/93 - 129k - Cached - Similar pages -********************

This was written by Scott Brooks, my spouse and business partner. I just want to share it with you and I ask you to comment.

Thank you,

Deb

Ever feel as if you're missing something? You probably are!

I think we're missing a lot by not going one step further than the dashboard. There are features beyond that one page!

What's the point of the DASHBOARD?

The DASHBOARD. Up front and suppose to be seen. Attention getter, the front cover of the book, the tuxedo or gown of the ball.

If you're like me you may only get to the site once or twice in a very busy day.

First of all I check in on all my favorites and then proceed to the dashboard to read the features.

I read and comment on the posts that interest me and then I move on.

I just realized I need to go one step further! The reason they call it the dashboard is because the good ones (in this case, posts) just dash on by! We are likely to miss valuable and useful posts with lots of good reading unless we check and double check.

We may never get a chance at reading them again.

HOW TO OVERCOME THIS DILEMMA.

Schedule of success....

1. awake ....check the features.

2. turn on coffee, go to restroom...check the features.

3. brush teeth, groom, get dressed, check the features.

4. make bed, tidy up, gather work for the day, go to office...but first check the features.

5. Enter office, sit down (or not) and check the features.

6. Leave puter screen on Active Rain and refresh at least once every other hour...

or....

You could use the CLICK OPTION we all seem to overlook and click on More featured posts...

There they are. Days and days and days of featured posts that just dashed on by without being seen or being read.

So, if you are away for very long be sure and check the More featured posts... and scroll your way into featured land.

Easy as a dash of salt! Remember if you spill your dash of salt pick up some salt and toss it over your left shoulder...this is a sure fire way to remain lucky enough to catch all the great reading!

Enjoy and never miss the best!

Later in the rain~Deb

This song was always a fun one to sing. It lets you know just how far back girls were wearing short-shorts and shows a whimsey that may have taken drugs to induce.

In my mind the one-eyed, one horned, flying, purple people eater has always been the epitomy of jealousy. It makes sense doesn't it? Jealousy eats at you, closes one eye to common sense, rams with the likes of a horn and flies out of nowhere!

Although in the song they make him look so cuddly and cute. Jealousy is deeply painful and blinding.

The next time you begin to feel the pangs of envy or jealousy do yourself a favor. Think of the good things in life. Remember how you are blessed and realize that you should be happy for that person you are feeling jealous of. Who knows, they could be feeling the very same about you.

Now, what a waste is that?

Enjoy!