Deb Brooks, Lake Livingston Real Estate

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.P. 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.P. 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"

**************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.P.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 -********************

When I was younger....much younger I lived in CNN Oblivion. I NEVER WATCHED THE NEWS. Ever. I just didn't want to know. I figured that what I didn't know couldn't hurt me. On occasion if I did catch the news before bedtime, I just couldn't sleep. My mind and psyche couldn't handle the sadness, waste of lives, anger and criminal behaviour that I was being confronted with.

I'm all grown up now and it's my tax dollar, future and business they are talking about.

And, yours.

If you're like me I do get caught up in the Feature Articles that Google, Yahoo and MSN so lovingly share with us. I also believe that the media is hurting us with a slow drip of mental arsenic. Little by little they are creating our Reality. The media "predicts" the Housing Bubble will burst and "voila" it happens.

Now, does it happen because it was going to happen or because they made it happen? Is this all brainwashing to "steer" us and our markets in a direction that they want it to go? I so believe that sensationalism is here to stay and we need to regulate our diet of HOGWASH.

Remember....if you believe it is...then it is and it will be for you.

CASE IN POINT. We are all still receiving nibbles if not strong leads. People still want to buy houses. If a contact shows interest in your Real Estate Business then they are serious.

The way you PRESENT will have a great deal to do with the strength and motivation for the buyer. Allow your mind to "set aside" the turmoil you are hearing about and dealing with. PRESENT a fresh new attitude to your client and give it your best shot.

For every negative thing going on in this market a great Realtor will replace that with many more positives. Your very attitude and "hope and encouragement" could be the ice breaker when it comes to them signing on the bottom line.

Let them SEE AND FEEL your hope and positive attitude.

Hang in there. It's going to get better! Later in the rain~Deb