REMEMBERING 9/11 - Today marks the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. For those of us living in and around Wise County, TX just a note that there are a couple of of events are planned today in Decatur.

The Wise County Veterans Group will host a memorial ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Park. Maj. Gen. Gene LaCoste, a 9/11 survivor, will speak. Also, a prayer gathering will take place at noon on the southwest corner of the courthouse.

I hope ALL in our country will take a moment at some point in your busy lives today, to say a prayer for our country, her leaders and all those families that are without a loved one because of what happened 8 years ago today. I hope we NEVER forget.

God Bless all & God BLESS America!

I have not been on AR for quite awhile now. LOTS of different reasons but mainly I needed some time to step back, re-evaluate my life, personal & business. Through out this time of soul searching, praying, meditating and just enjoying family for awhile, the one thing that struck me the most was I found out what holds me together.....LITERALLY!

In a recent Sunday morning service, this clip was played for us and nothing has struck me like these words. I have never been much into science and the study of the molecules, atoms, and that "stuff". It just wasn't something that interested me, so I left it up to those that were more interested/educated in that field. However, the "molecular" message in this clip is one that ALL can understand. If you are not totally amazed at the simplicity of these words AND the magnitude all at the same time, well, you just didn't listen close enough to the message.

I NOW KNOW WHAT IS HOLDING ME TOGETHER! The most amazing thing about this is, I don't know WHY I was surprised by this new found knowledge. I knew in my lowest points, HE brought me back up by making me look up. However, I think this is a message  will leave even my unbelieving friends saying WOW!

Have a great day, week, LIFE and never forget what's holding YOU together. God Bless.

Front row:Nani Brashears, Dora Andrade, Jamie Lee, Lisa Caraway-Managing Partner, Kathy Fisher, Areli Rodriguez. Second row: John Lanier, Cece Lisby, Sherry Layton. Back Row: Jim Vance and Bruce Furgerson. Not pictured: Randy Parker-Owner/Broker, Melissa Bailey-agent

It is with GREAT Honor that I would like to say THANK YOU Wise County for voting for not only Parker Properties, the company, but for the AGENTS associated with it, as the BEST Real Estate Company in Wise County for 2009. The confidence that the people of Wise County have bestowed upon us is, WITHOUT DOUBT, the most prestigious award that a merchant or service oriented business can receive. It is not handed out by other merchants or counterparts, but the VERY PEOPLE which we serve!

HOW AWESOME IS THAT? Parker Properties is a smaller company in the county but we take what we do very serious and strive to make customer service our #1 priority by providing both Sellers & Buyers with the most up to date facts & figures in order for them to make an educated decision when it comes to their real estate transaction.

Again, THANK YOU WISE COUNTY! I can't wait to hit the ground running and strive to keep this confidence level going and improving it on it in any way I possibly can. Call me today and lets get started.

Come by Parker Property today and see what makes US outstanding in our field.
Kathy Fisher & Parker Properties are the WISE CATCH for all your real estate needs.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to tell ALL my AR friends & Family,

HAPPY EASTER and may GOD BLESS each & everyone of you. I would like to share a Bible verser and a couple quotations for you to think about today.

I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
~  Jesus Christ -- John 11.25  ~

 The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.  ~  Robert Flatt  ~    

Let every man and woman count himself immortal. Let him catch the revelation of Jesus in his resurrection. Let him say not merely, "Christ is risen," but "I shall rise".  ~  Phillips Brooks  ~

Happy SELL'ng always from your WISE COUNTY CONNECTION.

I have received MANY Christmas wishes through email and I love each and every one of them. One, however, really stood out in my mind and it was such wonderful sentiment. So much so, it made me almost wish that I could turn the clock back to a more simpler time where everything wasn't so "Politically Correct".

The Season is simply intended for one thing and one thing only....to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. I wish we had more leaders in this country today that could stand up and shout it from the top of the Capitol Dome.

Through Jesus Christ the world will yet be a better and a fairer place. This faith sustains us today as it has sustained mankind for centuries past. This is why the Christmas story, with the bright stars shining and the angels singing, moves us to wonder and stirs our hearts to praise. Now, my fellow countrymen, I wish for all of you a Christmas filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and many years of future happiness with the peace of God reigning upon this earth.

~  Harry S. Truman  ~    December 24, 1952

Merry Christmas 2008 to ALL of my AR friends and PLEASE.....remember the reason for the season.

Jesus Christ was born!

In all this turmoil, confusion and uncertainty that is going on around us, I received a letter from a friend in which she point out a few things to ponder. I put them in a list and wanted to share with you all.

Regardless of HOW this election turns out or regardless how our economy is or isn't by the end of the year, these TEN THINGS.....AT LEAST TEN....WILL HAPPEND! IT IS A PROMISE.....not mine, but God's.

1.   For any problems - The Bible will still have all the answers.

2.   When in doubt, Prayer will still work.

3.   The Holy Spirit will still move HIS people and will never leave us.

4.   God will still be in the midst of where two or more have gathered to praise him.

5.   There will still be God-anointed worship.

6.   There will still be singing Praises to God.

7.   God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8.   There will still be room at the Cross for anyone that seeks Him.

9.   Jesus will still love each and EVERY ONE OF US.

10. Jesus will still save ANYBODY...no matter what you have don....if you will only seek Him.

Oh and by the way..........God approved this message!

God Bless each & every one who reads this and May God Continue to Bless America.

Hey all from here in Paradise Texas! First let me say, I HATE WRITING ABOUT ME!!! Not good at it at all.

Anyway, YEP!...here we are. It's that time of the year again. I use to think my Momma was silly when she talked about how quick time flies as we get older. I remember her saying that one particular time when I was 17 (YES, I can remember back that far, its SHORT TERM memory I have a problem with!). I just couldn't wait for the end of school, graduation and INDEPENDANCE from the hard knocks of high school. I WAS GOING TO BE A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE! That three weeks crawled by like molasses running down an ice cube! LORDY, was it really that long ago? It was just 1975.

I am now going to be celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of my 49th birthday and that summer seems like such a short time ago. That's right!  I am NOT going to be 51. I have just decided to have anniversaries of my 49th birthday. After all there is still a 17 year old stuck somewhere inside this 49ish body! It's not that I am ashamed or embarrassed of my age, I'm just not THAT OLD yet, dang it!

Seriously, God has been SO very good to me and has blessed me tremendously through out my lifetime. I have a wonderful husband of 32 years, Terry. A remarkable son, Billy, who has blessed me with two of the most precious grandsons, Graycen who is 9 and Marshall who is 7, that any MeMaw could ever wish for.

AND......God has blessed me with ALL MY FRIENDS here ar AR. Don't know what I would have done if I had not found this site over a year ago just after fracturing my ankle and tearing the tendon. I was sort of feeling sorry for myself, laid up in a cast with nothing to do, couldn't work Real Estate 'cause I couldn't go show property and WHO would want me to anyway in this condition!  So, while having my very own private "PITY PARTY", I decided to do some searching on the internet and find out more about this blogging business. The rest is history! It's been a wonderful year and I hope God Blesses me with many more to hang out with some really amazing special people here in the Rain.

Just a couple of things that share my birthday (October 21st) and may have influenced my life..OR NOT:

Thomas Edison invented a workable incandescent electric lamp in 1879 on this date. However, Momma sometimes said my bulb was a little dim when it came to my studies.

ELVIS debut his Jailhouse Rock on this day the year I was born. My Momma's favorite singer of all times, AND I wound up WORKING in a prison for almost 15 years. NO, not as a convict but as a Warden's Secretary.

Columbus discovers America in 1492! Momma didn't really say anything about this BUT, if it hadn't happended I would be here to write this BLOG!

Have a GREAT week. Be safe, slow down and enjoy your life and HAPPY SELL'ng. Lots of HUGS from North Texas to you all!

The following article was sent to me by a friend of mine that lives in Lufkin, Texas. Guys this is scary and should make EVERYONE who supports Obama take another look at their reasons. If this is a sign of the type of changes that will come with HIM as the next President, I, for one, am really scared for our Country and the freedoms we now have.

This article was sent in to the Lufkin paper in the editorial. There is NOTHING right about this events that took place with this woman & her family.

~~~~~~Editorial that appeared in the Lufkin, Texas Paper~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Wednesday the 1st of October I received a call on my cell while in the car with my husband. It was a woman who identified herself as calling from the Obama Campaign. The phone # she called from was 903-798-6020 which lists as "Obama Volunteers of Texarkana" ( Texas ).

She asked if I was an Obama supporter to which I replied:

"No, I don't support him, your guy is a socialist who voted four times in the State Senate to let little babies die in hospital closets; I think you should find something better to do with your time." I hung up.

Thursday, October 2, I answered the front door to find the Secret Service. Immediately I thought of the call and was furious that apparently you are not allowed to call Obama a Socialist without the Secret Service coming to investigate. Instead, they asked me about the following comment, relayed by the Obama Volunteer of Texarkana who called me, unsolicited on my cell phone:

"I will never support Obama and he will wind up dead on a hospital floor."

My husband laughed and told them "No, she called him a socialist but she never said a word about him dying." I gave them my actual quote. The woman asked insolently "Oh?? Well why would she make that up?"

I replied that I supposed she wasn't happy about what I said about her candidate and the Agent said "That's right, you were rude!" The last time I checked being rude wasn't a crime in America .

Luckily the big file they had gathered on me didn't indicate mental instability or a past life of stalking/crime, however they did want to know how I felt about Obama. That was my limit.? I told the Agent in no uncertain terms that my thoughts were not pertinent to their investigation, that this was America and the last time I checked I was allowed to think whatever I wanted without being questioned by the Secret Service. In fact, even if I had said what she claimed, that isn't a threat. I told them (again) and my husband verified that the statement reported by Obama's volunteer was a lie. I asked them if there was a tape of the call and they said no. I said, "So on the word of a ticked off Obama supporter you are on my porch with no other evidence and you want to question me about my THOUGHTS!"

They informed me that there was no evidence she was an Obama supporter, She was someone calling from his campaign, are you kidding?

I was not allowed to know the name of my accuser at which point they informed me that it wasn't like I was in a court of law, YET, as if this was a good thing. I recognized this as a veiled threat. I told them I would happily go to court since I did nothing wrong and at least then my accuser would have to face me rather than sending the thought police to my house.

They then said they were trying to do me a favor, that they came to me first before "embarrassing you by going to all your neighbors and family", another threat?? I told them to be my guest and talk to whomever they wanted but they weren't going to investigate my thoughts on my porch.

They also informed me that it would be easier if the next time a supporter calls me I should just say "Yeah sure count me in, or just hang up" apparently so she won't get her undies in a bundle and give them more useless trips. Yeah right! I said "Look, someone calls me unsolicited on my cell phone to ask me to support their candidate and I can't tell them why I don't?" I said I was sorry they made a wasted trip but if they had a problem with some made up lie they needed to go talk to her about it because it wasn't my fault they had to drive from Houston for nothing.

At one point I went inside and got a notepad to record their badge numbers and they refused to show me their badges. They had done the quick flip when they arrived. I asked for a card and the female Agent refused to give me one stating "You're not going to get a card." The male Agent gave me a card and told me I could contact Houston with any questions.

The fact that the volunteer lied, the fact that the Secret Service came to my house to question me about my thoughts and feelings and threaten to embarrass me to my neighbors and go to court if I didn't cooperate is not really the tragedy here. Because that girl on the phone doesn't have the pull to send the Secret Service to my home. Someone high in the ranks of a campaign working for a man who may be the next President of the United States of America felt comfortable bringing the force of the Federal Government to bear on a private citizen on nothing but the word of a partisan volunteer.

I want to file a counter complaint that false charges were made, that a false report was given to a peace officer. The Secret Service told me I cannot because they will protect the identity of the complainant. I also want the file they have on me destroyed and I want to know that my phone isn't tapped, etcetera. I am hearing a lot of "Out of my Jurisdiction".
Do I also hear jackboots?
Jessica Hughes
Lufkin,Texas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can just hear the excuses that will probably wind up here on this blog for WHY this happened. I can't wait to hear them! To me there is NO JUSTIFICATION for this type of harassment in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!! This is NOT Russia or some other socialistic country where our thoughts are cause for a criminal interrogation! NO EXCUSE FOR THIS!!