Postcards
Bradlee Miller • Chaser Crouch • Roy's Air Conditioning
Lake Conroe
Publisher’s Post
First Things First
Spring is just around the corner, and it always brings a promise of fresh starts. The idea of “spring cleaning” feels like a natural instinct—an opportunity to breathe new life into our spaces and routines. But here’s the thing I’ve learned over the years: before I can clean things up, I yearn to clean things out.
I remember as a teenager, when my mother would ask me to clean my room, the task would quickly turn into something much more involved. Instead of tidying up like a normal person, I’d dive straight into my closet. Forty-five minutes later, she’d return to find the entire contents of my closet dumped out across the floor—clothes, books, and shoes scattered in every direction. I’d be sitting in the middle of the chaos, proclaiming, “I know it looks bad, but trust me, I got this!” The reality was, adding to the closet clutter might make my room look better, but it wouldn’t make it feel better. To do that, I had to tackle the real source of the mess—the reason it had overflowed into the room in the first place.
As an adult, I still catch myself doing the same thing. My husband, who knows me all too well, hesitates whenever I suggest a new project—whether it’s decluttering the attic or rearranging the living room. He’s seen firsthand that when I get started, things can spiral. “Are you sure you want to start this?” he asks, already dreading the piles that will inevitably take over every room. I get it—it’s a bit daunting to think about how much work could be involved.
But I have come to understand that cleaning out is the first step to any real cleanup. First things first: before diving into the task of organizing or tidying up, clear out the old, whether that’s physical clutter or outdated habits and thoughts. Only when I’ve cleared the space—both mentally and physically—can I truly begin to feel the benefits of a cleaner, more organized life.
So, after some convincing, my husband and I finally agreed to tackle the clutter together. I have promised that this time, we will go slow and steady—no avalanches of stuff. We’ll clean out first, and then—maybe, just maybe—the cleanup will fall into place. And, as a bonus, we’ll be able to look forward to tackling the actual spring cleaning—one room at a time.
I know it looks bad, but trust me, I got this!
Now, if I could just convince him that the closets are the place to start.
Texas Remodel Team replaced all 30 of the windows in our home. They finished the project ahead of schedule and the price quoted was what we paid. Additionally, with the exception of beautiful new windows, we couldn't tell they had been there - there was no trace of a mess! Thank you Tim and team. You are beyond professional! Please feel free to use us as a reference.
• Wide selection of styles for all decor types and tastes
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Grateful
Dear friends at Postcards, Thank you for supporting A Time to Read and what we seek to do for our community. We are grateful for you! Holly McMichael & the AT2R Board
I Love It All
We enjoy reading about different people and locations in our area. We have visited so many of those featured places.
Linda Horn
Thank You
To the generous team at Postcards Magazine, Thank you so much for your donation to the Lasso Your Imagination BBQ Fundraiser. Thanks to you, we can continue supporting the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and provide children with free books that inspire a love of learning!
Kaye Boehning
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Local SHSU student recently competed in his first National Finals Rodeo. Bradlee Miller
BY WES ALTOM | SUBMITTED PHOTOS
One of Bradlee Miller’s earliest childhood memories is from when he was four. His dad, Bubba Miller, got the phone call notifying him that he had been hired as the rodeo team coach for Sam Houston State University. Bradlee vividly remembers the celebration with his dad, his mom Tammy, and his grandparents to commemorate the occasion. Little did they know then that, 17 years later, they would be reflecting on that phone call actually contributing to a career for both of them. Now 21 and preparing to graduate this spring from SHSU, Bradlee is competing both for the SHSU Rodeo Team and as a successful PRCA bareback competitor. Postcards visited with Bradlee to learn about his journey and his plans for the future.
Obviously, you grew up around rodeo. Share how you selected bareback riding as a pursuit. Growing up, my biggest dream was to make the National Finals in bull riding.
I did both events and had success in junior competition.
To quantify his humble “had success,” Bradlee won five outright Junior World Finals titles – three in bareback bronc riding and two in bull riding – and tied for another bareback title.
My last junior rodeo was when I 17. I then transitioned to professional rodeo; I bought my PRCA permit when I turned 18.
During my first year of college, I had a few head injuries that were pretty rough. I had to do some serious evaluation about my future in rodeo. Ultimately, I gave up bull riding, because it seemed like that’s where injuries were occurring the most. miss it, and I hope to be able to resume bull riding one day soon.
Both events seem pretty risky to me. There’s plenty of risk in both, but they’re different. In bull riding, even the best bull riders in the world don’t
complete a ride on 50-60% of the bulls they get on. That’s a lot of rough landings, and there’s just not a soft way down. In the bareback riding, you’re tied to that horse. If they throw you, a lot of times you’re going to be hanging and dragging—which, in a weird way, kind of protects your head [laughs]. You might get your legs stomped and your body beat down the side of the fence, but your head seems to be pretty safe most of the time.
Compare competing in the junior circuit to the PRCA events you enter now.
The junior rodeos definitely prepare you for professional rodeo in ways with skills. For the most part, however, you have a lot of help whenever you are junior rodeoing—from your parents and family helping you get from one rodeo to the next. On all those drives, they’re splitting it for you, and you’re in the back sleeping.
The biggest transition for me was that, in professional rodeo, you’re without your family for 150 days a year—it’s a fulltime job. You’re traveling mostly on your own or with your competitor partner. Logistics can be challenging. You may end up sleeping in an airport, or you’re scrambling for a hotel because they’re all sold out due to a basketball game in town.
I look forward to when the circuit brings me into Texas for a few days, and my family can pick me up at the airport and go to an event with me.
Describe rodeo “season.”
Most rodeos occur between June and the end of August, but rodeo is growing at such a fast rate, there are more events extending that out all the time. We’re only in February, and I’ve already slept in two airports this year—that’s normally not happening until summer! It’s rapidly becoming where there is no “off season.”
Thankfully, I compete in a rodeo category where I get to fly to the rodeo events.
Competitors who have to haul their horses have very different travel challenges. Rough stock riders like me are allowed to enter 100 qualifying rodeos in the season, whereas calf ropers
only get like 75, to help balance that out. We get to go to more rodeos, but it’s a little easier for us to get there.
NFR standings are an accumulation of money won during the season. It’s not how many rodeos you go to, it’s about the winnings. So, if you win more, you can qualify for the National Finals with fewer rodeos entered. This last year, I went to 98 of the 100 allowed rodeos to get to the Finals.
Describe your feelings about your NFR performance from December. Going into Vegas, my goal wasn’t to win a gold buckle—I mean, I would love to one day, but for my first NFR appearance, my goal was to win one go-round and win maybe $100,000.
Bradlee finished a career-best 4th in the PRCA | RAM earned $371,403. He placed in 8 rounds--highlighted by winning Round 2, Round 4 and Round 7. He gave a lot of local people reason to follow the Finals and cheer him on—a win-win for sure!
About halfway through the week, I realized I had a shot at a gold buckle. That night, after the fifth round, my goals completely shifted. Going into the final (10th) round, I had a shot to do it. I drew a tough horse, and I messed him up bad, but…you live, and you learn. Hopefully, I’ll get another shot at him this year.
I think the ride in the third round bothers me more than the 10th. If I had just gone for the average instead of going for the round win, it might have helped me out in the long run.
I wonder if I should have set my goals higher sooner—if that would have made a difference. So much of this is mental. Often, you really CAN do more than you think.
Explain how college classes work with you on the road to that degree. This semester, thankfully, I’m all online. In the past, with some in-person classes, it takes a “little understanding from a professor and a lot of effort from you.” It can end up costing a lot more to rodeo because of making extra trips home for class requirements. I think it’s all going to be worth it, when it’s said and done.
Are there conflicts between professional rodeo events and college rodeo events?
I have to miss a handful of PRCA events during the year to make college rodeo events. There have also been a couple of times when a big pro finals overlaps a college event, and you have to make a businessman’s decision to stick it out through the final and try to earn money. You then hope you can make up the ground you lost and still make the college finals in the end.
Share a good lesson you’ve learned along the way.
I’ve learned that you can learn a little bit from everyone. Never stop learning. You just have to shut your mouth and open your ears a few times [laughs]. I’ve heard that a lot from my dad. I like to talk a lot, and I learned it’s hard to hear when your mouth is open!
Tell us about your field of study and future plans.
I graduate this spring with a degree in construction management. I would like to rodeo until I’m 28-30 years old—as long as I can stay healthy. After rodeo, I hope to own rental properties here in Huntsville and make some places for new rodeo students to live!
And THAT sounds like another win-win. Thanks, Bradlee, for making us hometown proud. May good health and God’s blessings follow you on the circuit.
Paying it Forward: In December, before his own NFR appearance in Las Vegas, Bradlee spent time at the National Junior Finals giving encouragement and advice to this year's younger competitors. Pictured are Azreal Lara (bareback riding winner), Bradlee, & his father Bubba Miller.
Dear Gabby
DEAR GABBY
I’ve been thinking about Texas Independence Day. Do you have any little-known facts we would enjoy knowing?
CURIOUS GEORGE
DEAR GEORGE
There is limited space to honor our state, but I have a couple of tidbits about our beautiful flag that every Texan should know. The Texas state flag is the only flag that has been both the flag of a state of the United States and the flag of an Independent Country, the Republic of Texas. You’ll have to use your imagination for the next one. Every US flag has a miniature Texas flag within it. If you separate one of the right-hand stars and a small portion of one white and one red stripe, you have a Texas flag. Never mind; here’s a picture.
Gabby
DEAR GABBY
I want to share a love story with you about my 90-year-old grandmother and her gentleman friend. It’s amazing that they spend all day, every day, together and no one has ever heard them utter a cross word to each other. I wish I knew their secret!
JEALOUS
DEAR JEALOUS
I think I know the secret. They can’t hear each other.
Gabby
CONFIDENTIAL TO “FAVORITE WINE”?
I don’t imbibe, but I did just hear an interesting story. A winery in California that produces Pinot Blancs and Pinot Grigios developed a new hybrid. It acts as an antidiuretic and will reduce the number of trips an older person has to make to the toilet during the night. They are marketing it as Pinot more.
Welcome back to the Dear Gabby advice column. Fellow Texans; please remember Texas Independence Day on March second! St. Patty’s Day is on the seventeenth, but I am pretty sure I am not a descendant of St. Patrick. My ancestor must have misunderstood his quest and tried to rid Ireland of all the snacks. FYI, I think I’ve had my last encounter with my friendly, neighborhood police officer. I informed him I was now old enough that I didn’t need a driver’s license. He asked where I got that information, and I told him about my latest doctor visit. The doc cut up my driving license and told me I wouldn’t need it anymore. How nice! Send me your questions by clicking on Dear Gabby at www.PostcardsLive.com/share
PROVIDING BIG-CITY RESOURCES WITH SMALL-TOWN ATTENTION
Glorious Grandchildren
Billie & Dash Benson
Grandchild of Angela & Michael McCather and Kelli & Joshua Gantz
Grandchildren of Buzzy & Mo Cole
Noah Scott McBee, Addie Elise May, Arbor Jane Carlin, Jett Patrick McBee & Sadie Ryan May
Grandchildren of Scott & Shannon Williams
Ryelin Johnson & Kai'li Linton
Grandchildren of Kelly & Kent Lewis
Grandchild of
Aiden
Max Franklynn Jones
Donnie & Anita Jones and Steve & Mary Ann Connor
The Garden Post
Azaleas - The Grande Dame of Spring
There are generally two reasons azaleas fail to thrive: lack of consistent watering (80%) and an ill prepared bed (20%).
A perfect azalea bed is raised 4” and contains 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 heavy humus, and 1/3 growers mix or a sandy topsoil (no clay…rose mix works well on this).
Azaleas will tolerate full west sun exposure, but they will also thrive in a shady habitat. Very sunny areas require additional irrigation, and heavy shade areas do not produce as many blooms.
New plantings will NOT have an established root system and will require consistent watering at least 3-4 times a week on a 3-gallon size or larger (minimum size recommended for most gardeners).
Maintenance is easy. Pruning is done once a year, after the last bloom fades. Trim all top shoots back to the main “ball,” generally 2’ shorter than the “over- all” growth. Do not be afraid to cut them back 50% if they have grown too large for their area.
Fertilome makes a great azalea,
gardenia, and camellia fertilizer. It is used once a year after pruning and again in 6 weeks.
Liquid or granular iron is often needed several times a year, because our clay soils are easily depleted of iron in heavy rains.
Lacebugs can be spotted by mottled leaves that have turned “crispy, white, and devoid of chlorophyll”. A systemic liquid insecticide followed by a systemic granular is your best line of defense.
Rust is your next enemy. This fungi effects plants in rainy seasons and is apparent by the rusty powder on the top side of the leaves. Systemic fungicide will keep this at bay.
Azaleas are available in a wide range of varieties, colors and sizes.
The miniatures are the Gumpos. These little guys resemble a helleri holly in mounding growth to a height of 2 ½’ x 2 ½’. They bloom a bit later than the others. Gumpos have large blooms of white or medium pink.
The semi-dwarf to dwarf range in height from 3’ to 5’. Kurume and various other hybrids make up the
Kim Bius
President, Kim's Home & Garden Center
population of this group. The varieties of semi-dwarfs are almost endless, but popular are:
Red Ruffle – large, rose-red double blooms; 3’-5’ plant.
Pink Ruffle – large, baby pink double blooms; grows a bit taller than a red ruffle if left unpruned.
Sunglow – neon pink; blooms later than others, into May.
Encore – many varieties; bloom heavily throughout the year; these are patented, so plan on paying double.
The Southern Indica is the largest group of azaleas. These hardy azaleas can easily reach 8’ tall x 6’ wide, if left unpruned. They should be maintained at the 3’- 4’ range or desired height.
Purple Formosa produces a raspberry/purple bloom; Red Formosa produces a ruby/magenta bloom and has “hairy” leaves; Pink Formosa produces a fuchsia pink bloom; G.G. Gerbing produces large white blooms and is most susceptible to rust and blight; and George Tabor is pale pink with a purple throat and always a showstopper.
Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew
INGREDIENTS
3 russet potatoes, diced
1 lb baby carrots
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil, or to taste
2 lb beef chuck roast, cubed
1 (16 oz) bottle stout beer, divided
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs onion powder
1 Tbs smoked paprika
salt and ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Place potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic into a slow cooker.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add beef; cook and stir until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer beef to the slow cooker with vegetables.
Step 3: Pour 1/4 cup beer into the same skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of beef off of the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Stir in tomato paste; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture into the slow cooker.
Step 4: Pour remaining beer, beef broth, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker.
Step 5: Cook on low until potatoes and carrots are easily pierced with a fork, about 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Chaser
This real-life cowboy from Corsicana grew into a musician.
BY AMY BARNETT | SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Crouch
It’s no secret that country music and rodeo life go hand-in-hand. So, when Chaser Crouch, a real cowboy from Corsicana, Texas, decided to learn to play guitar as a kid and start writing songs, everything came out “country.” Over the last few years, he has been honing his craft, writing and playing shows across the state and beyond – and he has grown his fan base and racked up some impressive industry nominations along the way. Postcards Magazine visited with this singing cowboy about his passions and goals as he forges his path in the music industry.
Let’s start from the beginning. Rodeo and music have always been a part of your life. Tell us about your start in rodeo.
My whole family has been a part of rodeo in some way. My dad’s been a horse trainer since he was 15 years old, and my mom ran barrels and has been all over the rodeo world. My grandfather was a bulldogger and trained bulldogging horses; my grandmother was a barrel racer, and all that’s on my mom’s side. On my dad’s side, my grandmother ran barrels, my grandfather was a bull rider, and my great-uncle was a bulldogger.
And you followed in their footsteps and earned some championship buckles of your own in cutting horse competitions. That’s amazing! I don’t talk about it a lot. I am proud of it, but I don’t want to sound like I am bragging. I have three world titles under my belt. I’ve been reserve world champion and won numerous
scholarships. I won the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I’ve done a lot of things on the back of a horse, and I have a lot of friends from all over the country I’ve met doing this.
Impressive! When did music enter the picture?
I used to watch country music videos every morning before school. We’d have it set on CMT, and my dad and I would sit there and watch it. I also grew up watching all the Texas country music artists from the late 90s and 2000s and was always fascinated with learning more about each artist. It seemed like they were all friends and took care of each other. It was always something I wanted to be a part of, and I was always intrigued by it, but it was never something I thought I could do. But fast forward—I started playing more, doing gigs, going to open-mic nights, and decided I was going to go for it and see what happened. Music has always hit me in an emotional way, and I try to take that over into my own music. I try not to sing or write about anything I haven’t experienced. That’s what drew me into it. And being on stage singing with lights flashing, that’s just a plus.
Tell us about your songwriting process.
The first three songs I wrote really just happened when my buddies were sitting around and we wrote a song. “Hell of a Night” was my very first song, and we put it out to test the waters and open the door. People ended up loving that song. How it came to be – I was 18, a senior in high school, and through
high school, I met some buddies through a mutual friend. They were all going to Navarro College. They had a camper, and we had a place with a hook-up for a camper, so they stayed at our place in their camper for about two years while they were going to college. I’d become really good friends with a bunch of the kids in Navarro College’s John Deere program, and I’d go hang out at the dorms with everybody. One night, there were a couple of us sitting there, and two of us had our guitars out and I said, “Let’s write a song,” and we wrote this song. We didn’t finish it then, but I finished it later on. It went through a lot of changes by the time it was recorded, but that song was written in the John Deere dorm rooms at Navarro College. That song is a mixture of stories from me and my buddies. It’s just one of those songs everyone can relate to.
How have you brought your two passions – rodeo and music – together? I wanted to write something about that because it was such a big part of my life. I was on the road on the weekends going to every show I could with my parents for 4 or 5 years. For a lot of high school, I was gone every weekend. I missed out on a lot of time with my buddies, but it paid off.
I co-wrote a song called, “Born to Ride.” The song’s about chasing a dream in the headlights. You’re on the road late at night, gone every weekend, and you’re coming home at 1 or 2 in the morning. I’ve watched the sun come up on the dash of my truck numerous times coming back from Wyoming,
Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana – all over the place. I might have been home for two weeks during the summers when I was in school, but other than that I was competing.
When it comes to music, who inspires you?
George Strait, obviously. But someone like Cody Johnson, who also grew up in the rodeo, can throw one heck of a concert. And Reba McEntire. I’ve always thought of myself as a mixture of George Strait, Cody Johnson, and Koe Wetzel. I want to have the rowdiness of Koe Wetzel, the pure country of George, and the songs of Cody. His songs just hit you. A song like “Dear Rodeo” will make me tear up.
You recently signed a management deal. What does that mean to you?
My mom and I had been managing this whole thing. Then we started working with Gilligan Promotions for radio promotions, and I would poke at David (Gilligan) and say, “You should just be my manager,” and he finally agreed. Things are finally happening, it seems like. I take care of my guys, and I only worry about the music. Everyone’s got that end goal, whether it’s a gold buckle or a Grammy. It’s just one step closer to my dreams.
You were a finalist at the Texas Country Music Awardslast year and are now up for New Male Vocalist at the Texas Regional Radio Awards (T3R). How cool is that? This is the second year I have been nominated for New Male Vocalist for T3R. It still blows me away to be nominated with such great new artists in Texas country music. When I started full-time in Texas country music three years ago, I could not imagine being nominated and participating at award shows.
What has the support of your rodeo community meant to you as you have moved into country music?
I have friends all over Texas and the United States that keep showing up to my shows and are having fun watching me evolve. A lot of my friends remember when I only knew one song. It’s so cool how they keep showing up for me. Almost every show I play, I know someone in the crowd from my “horse world.”
Tell us about your new song that’s out now. “Just a Dream Away,” was written by Thomas Rhett. Everyone is just a dream away from a goal or achievement. It relates to me not only chasing a dream in music, but also chasing dreams in the horse world. It took a lot of drive, hard work, and dedication, along with ups and downs to win a World title. I am trying to take that same mindset into music. This song is about getting started and chasing that dream. I think everyone needs to shoot for the stars.
To learn more, visit www.chasercrouchmusic.com and stream his songs wherever you get your music.
Hello
The first day of Spring is March the 20th marked by the spring equinox!
Spring is a season of many changes and new activities; we are excited to go for a picnic, take a hike, plant a garden, freshen up our home, restore our health, and change our personal style.
Sims Dentistry is dedicated to your health and personal style. We feel privileged to renew your health and create a personal smile!
Ivanka
loved by Dan & Toni Glerum
Elizabeth loved by Buzzy & Mo
Paco loved by Alex & Mely
Roy’s Air Conditioning
"Service Makes Us Different"
BY LEAH LAMP | SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Roy’s Air Conditioning, Inc. in Conroe began in the late 1970s as a small shop specializing in the repair and installation of air conditioners, but today it meets the most demanding of air conditioning and heating challenges. The company originated with Roy Gore, according to owner Paul Lamp, who went to work for Gore in 1982 while still in high school. “I went to work for him as a helper,” Lamp recalls. For the next few years, Lamp says, he worked part-time for Gore, and after graduation from high school, found additional employment in other occupations, including stints as an emergency medical technician and a medical equipment salesman. Then, in 1989 while recovering from hip surgery, Gore made an irresistible offer: he would sell Lamp the business and stay on as an employee. The arrangement lasted four years until Gore relocated to Athens, Texas to be closer to family and spoil his grandbabies. Reflecting on their time together, Lamp speaks with warmth and respect. “I always said Roy was both the best employer and employee I ever had.”
The Lamp family has deep roots in Conroe and Montgomery County.
From its humble beginnings, the company has grown not only in size, but also in its capabilities and service area. The company utilizes six fulltime employees and always keeps a technician on 24-hour call. Lamp sometimes fills that role. “I’m not asking my guys to do something I’m not willing to do.” he says.
The company has achieved a Class A license, the highest licensing granted by the state to companies in the air conditioning industry. The license means the technicians are qualified to work on an air conditioning installation regardless of its tonnage capacity.
The service area has also widened beyond Conroe. “Our main service area is Lake Conroe, Conroe, The Woodlands, and Willis,” Lamp notes. “We don’t do a whole lot in east Montgomery County. Some of the addresses we have are Cleveland addresses, but they’re in Montgomery County.” About 70 percent of the company’s new business results from referrals, he says. Residential work accounts for about 70 percent of his business, most of it for air conditioning, with light commercial jobs making up the remaining 30 percent.
In recent years, the air conditioning and heating industry has focused on
producing more efficient, safer, and environmentally friendly products for consumers, Lamp believes. However, that has also escalated prices, especially for furnaces. Lamp does not care for advertising that promises to include a furnace at no extra charge with the installation of an air conditioner. “The stinking furnace is almost as high as the rest of it, so you know they’re having to boost the price somewhere to pay for it.” Shaking his head in disgust, he adds, “There’s just too much honest business out there to cheat people.”
Lamp says that, too many times, homeowners incur expensive problems with their air conditioning units because they fail to take two simple
precautions: regularly changing the unit filter inside the house and cleaning the coil on the unit condenser outside the house. “Most people don’t realize how much money they lose with just a dirty filter and a dirty condenser coil outside.” He says a homeowner should use a garden hose to wash the condenser from top to bottom two or three times a year. “It’ll save you a fortune in repair bills.”
The Lamp family has deep roots in Conroe and the county. “I’ve lived here all my life,” he says. His brother Mark owns an automotive electric service company in Conroe; his mom Bobbie lives in Conroe; and Lamp’s father, the late H. W. “Kix” Lamp, was a former principal of Anderson Elementary
There’s just too much honest business out there to cheat people.”
School in Conroe. His grandfather and uncle were also long-time residents of the area.
Like his father was, Lamp is a longtime member of and a deacon in the Conroe Church of Christ. In fact, it was through the church that he met his wife Leah in 1992. At that time, Lamp was in charge of the church baptistry, and one day he was alerted by a church official that a baptism was scheduled for the evening service. “I went up there to make sure there weren’t any bugs or anything floating on the water,” he recalls. “I stayed for the baptism, and that was the first time I met her.” About six months later, he asked her out to dinner. The couple got married in January of 1994 and now have three sons and a daughter. Drew, the oldest, is now a technician in the family business; Sam is married and living with wife Anna in Waco; Joe, the youngest son, is a firefighter and EMT who also lives in Waco; and daughter Tori still lives at home and is a senior at Montgomery High School. Lamp enjoys devoting whatever spare time he has to his church and family. “We’re active members,” he says. “I can’t imagine growing up and not being involved in the church.” He
and Leah also look forward to the times of year they are able to get all their family together under one roof again. Although Lamp voices few complaints about his business, he acknowledges it is not entirely free of problems. One downside, he says, is that weather extremities drive so much of the demand for services. For instance, while August and September can usually be counted on to be the busiest months for air conditioning services, February is often too mild to require professional assistance to keep homes and offices warm. “There have been times when I’ve threatened to take the whole month of February off,” Lamp says. “That’s our worst month.” The weather and a slack economy make it hard for the company to stay profitable, but Lamp continually manages to not lay off any employees during the winter. Grinning at the thought, Lamp says, “I’m living proof that the Lord takes care of idiots. Let me tell you, that’s the only way I’ve been able to stay in business, by my trust in Him.”
Another aspect of his profession that troubles Lamp is the practice of some companies putting sales above consideration for the customers’
needs. “Some of these companies are so sales-oriented that their technicians earn commissions on sales, and it’s all about the numbers.”
On the plus side, Lamp says, “I am a ‘people person.’ I enjoy being in people’s houses, seeing the needs people have. It gives you an opportunity to help people. You know, sometimes you’ll go into a home on a service call, and you’ve got an elderly person living there by themself, and you realize they’re living from one Social Security check to the next. One of the benefits of owning a small company is that you can help those people, change the numbers where it doesn’t cost them so much.”
His technicians are sensitive to spot and advise him of such situations, he says. “Sometimes they’ll call and say, ‘Boss, these people don’t have any money, but this person really needs the help.’ I’ll take care of it, somehow.”
As far as future business plans are concerned, Lamp says, “I really want to add another technician, and I’d love to continue to grow.” Chuckling, he adds, “And one day make someone the same deal Roy made me all those years ago.”
The Business Focus is chosen each month by random drawing from among Postcards contract advertisers.
Dr. Hinojosa earned her Doctorate of Chiropractic from Texas Chiropractic College. Throughout her rigorous training, she gained invaluable hands-on experience through diverse clinical rotations.
At Moody Health Center, she treated patients of all ages, addressing a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions.
During her neurosurgery rotation, she honed her skills in performing neurological exams and deepened her expertise in interpreting brain and spine MRIs. Additionally, she completed a rewarding rotation at The Bridge Over Troubled Waters, where she provided compassionate chiropractic care to women and children recovering from domestic abuse.
Driven by her passion for conservative care, patient education, and optimizing the body's natural ability to heal and thrive, Dr. Hinojosa is dedicated to empowering her patients to achieve lasting health and wellness. She believes in tailoring her treatments to the unique needs of each individual, blending evidence-based techniques with a holistic approach. Dr. Hinojosa is committed to creating a supportive environment where patients feel heard, valued, and motivated to take an active role in their well-being. Her goal is not only to relieve pain but also to enhance overall quality of life, enabling her patients to live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Matters
Avoiding The Flu This Flu Season
With a few preventative measures and some commonsense exercises, we can all increase our chances of riding out this flu season healthy.
Our clinic has seen more flu this season than I can remember in the past several years. This leads to problems getting in with your doctor, and unfortunately, has a domino effect to filling up the hospitals as well. This makes staying healthy even more important.
I get mys flu shot every year, and I encourage my patients to do the same. The vaccine doesn’t just reduce your risk of contracting the flu; it also helps make symptoms milder if you do catch it. In addition to the flu shot, washing your hands regularly and avoiding crowded
places can make a big difference. The flu spreads quickly and being mindful of your environment helps reduce the chance of infection.
People with the flu are generally contagious for 5-7 days, and most contagious the first 3-4 days of the illness. This is a general rule; some people (such as those with weakened immune systems) may be contagious for longer.
If you do feel sick, stay at home to keep from spreading the illness—and call your doctor! The flu is a virus, and antiviral medications work better the earlier you start them. Rest and hydration are important as well.
We can also work on keeping our immune system in top shape year
around. Studies have shown that eating a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, and lean protein; exercising regularly; and getting adequate sleep all lead to a stronger immune system. Probiotics also appear to play an important role in the health of our immune system. Those found in yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kefir seem to give a good amount of benefit. Probiotic supplements can also be very helpful after taking antibiotics to get your healthy gut bacteria back to where they should be.
Flu season can be daunting, but there are ways to increase our chances of staying healthy. Here’s to you and your family having a safe, flu-free season, and let’s keep our communities healthy!
March 2025
20 - Apr 6
ROUND TOP
Spring Antiques Show
roundtop.com
Compassion United Annual Gala compassionunited.us/gala
MONTGOMERY
Making Tracks
Community Band: “Out of This World” mcb-tx.org
Guy Penrod
Pitch Hit & Run huntsvilletx.gov 22
Herb Festival at the Wynne Home texasthymeunit.org 22 HUNTSVILLE
Lucky Charm Bingo saafehouse.org/community-events
22 - Apr 5
PALESTINE
Dogwood Trails visitpalestine.com
COLLEGE STATION
Theo Von Band: “Out of This World” mcb-tx.org
27 - Apr 6
BEAUMONT
South Texas State Fair ymbl.org
27 - 29
PALESTINE
Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival oldpalmusic.com
28 - Apr 5
HUNTSVILLE
Walker County Fair & Rodeo walkercountyfair.com
28 - Apr 6
PALESTINE “The Sound of Music” pctboxoffice.com
29
HUNTSVILLE
Tribute: The Lost Shaker of Salt oldtowntheatre-huntsville.org
Mustard Seed Moments
By J.R.A.
Be a Blessing, and You Will Be Blessed
About a month ago, I decided to go and visit an elderly, widowed woman from our Sunday School Class and her 100+ year-old mother-in-law who lives with her to play games and have lunch together. We met once, and then we decided once a week would be achievable, so Wednesdays for brunch at their house it was… I thought this would be something I could do to bless them since I stay home during the day. We play SkipBo (which is a game I grew up playing with my Nanna) and dominos.
What I’ve come to learn is that the two Bible verses below hold very true thousands of years after Jesus said them. I have been blessed way more than I ever thought possible. They are amazing women, and they are exactly what I needed at this time in my life. I look forward to it every week now!
[Sensitive subject: the 100+ woman is almost undefeated in all games played, and she trash talks (Christianly, of course), so it’s awesome, <ha ha>]
Moral of the story:
Filling someone’s cup with blessings does not empty your own cup; it simply allows God to fill yours up even more often with His blessings!
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
- Luke 6:38
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
- Proverbs 11:25
My husband and I have been patients for Dr. Cameron for 3 years. We feel we are in the best possible hands to protecting care for our vision. Dr Cameron has many tools to access your vision health and she always takes as much time as needed to address all our questions and concerns. Her staff is helpful and friendly. We highly recommend Cameron Optical for all your vision needs.
Deborah H. (patient since 2022)
Cameron optical is the most outstanding practice I have ever experienced in my 77 years. Dr Bonnie Cameron is beyond reproach! The staff is attentive and helpful making my experience exceptional. I highly recommend this practice. Their patient treatment is second to none!
Norman H. (patient since 2022)
