A new sign, donated by First State Bank as part of their sponsorship program, could mean a lot of extra money for Ryan High School’s baseball team. The local bank is placing a new sign in the school’s stadium, offering donations in $2,000 increments when players hit the sign on a home run.

The colorful sign will display First State Bank’s traditional logo along with the slogan, “We hang it. You bang it.”  Ryan High School Baseball Coach, Bret Warnack said, “First State Bank has been  a mainstay in the Denton Community. The Raider Baseball program is proud and appreciative to have their support for our student-athletes.”  The new sign is just one example of the commitment First State Bank has in giving back to the local communities it serves.

“We support our community in a variety of ways, and this is just another example of how we can help,” said Marty Rivers, Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of First State Bank. “The bank is excited to help Ryan High School’s baseball program. They rely on the booster club for a lot of their funding. The money will be a big help for them,” Rivers concluded.

Chartered in 1905, First State Bank is the oldest state bank in Texas. Combining the friendly customer service of hometown banking with innovative, state-of-the-art technology, First State Bank brings you a legacy of banking experience. First State Bank has 8 locations throughout North Texas, and a new branch is currently under construction in Rayzor Ranch and opening this summer.

For more information about First State Bank, please visit www.F-S-B.com.

Anna Marie Jarvis, following the death of her mother on May 9, 1905 established what we know today as Mothers’ Day.  On May 8, 1914 the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day.  Since that time every May we honor our mothers.  I know at my house it is THE most important day of the year!  Mothers are more than special.  When was the last time you saw a pro athlete on television say “Hi Dad!”  It’s always “Hi Mom!”  We tend to hang on people’s last words.  I’m told that soldiers on the battlefield who have been wounded and are about to die, the most frequent last word is “Mother.”  The bond we have with our mothers lasts for a lifetime and therefore we are quick to honor and show love for our mothers.

God Himself pays tribute to mothers.  As Jesus hung on the cross he asked his best friend John to take care of his mother Mary.  The Bible says John did so from that day forward.  The Bible also pays tribute to Mothers in Proverbs 31.  It is there we find the attributes of the “Ideal Mother.”

She Works Hard for Her Family – “She gets us while it is still dark and provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.” Proverbs 31:15.  How many times do we hear of the sacrifice and hard work of mothers?  Doing whatever it takes to provide for the needs of their family.  I remember my own mother always putting me and my sibling’s needs before her own.

She is Concerned with the Needs of Others – “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20.  The ideal mother not only cares for her own family but also looks out for the neighborhood kids as well.  If there is a child in need she is there with open arms to bandage a wound or feed a hungry mouth.

She Pours Wisdom Into Her Children – “She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”  Proverbs 31:26.  We all remember words of wisdom our mother’s pounded into our brains over and over again.  It’s a mother’s wise words that can keep us out of trouble and on the right path in life.

She is Blessed by Her Family – “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Proverbs 31: 28-29.  The ideal mother is honored by her family.  One of God’s top ten commands tells us to “honor father and mother.”  When we are young that means we obey when we are adults that means we respect.  The ideal mother is always honored and blessed by her family.

Some might argue there is no such thing as the “ideal mother.”  My response would be, “you haven’t met my mother!”  Be sure to honor your mother on May 9, 2010!

Dying to Be a Man

“Act like a man.”  This phrase, heard often by young men and boys, just might be a death sentence.

Men die younger than women. The life expectancy for men today is about 6 years less than for women. By age 35, women outnumber men, and the gap continues to widen with age.  Bt age 100, there are 8 women alive for every man.

It is not just heart attacks; men lead the way in all natural death categories, including cancer and strokes. But the biggest factor is that men die violently in far greater numbers than do women.

Researchers have noted that the gender gap in death rates is the highest in young adulthood, primarily because of risky and violent behaviors. Men drive faster and more aggressively than women and are less likely to wear seatbelts. Young men are also prone to random acts of stupidity in the form of dangerous stunts. Type “Stupid Stunts Gone Bad” into Google if you want to see a few thousand examples.

Mark Stibich, Ph.D., suggested ten behavioral changes men can make to avoid an early death.  The top five items are:
1.  Avoid Violence.    Boys aged 15-19 are twice as likely to be victims of homicide than girls.
2.  Drive Safely.   The automobile death rate for men is double that of women.
3.  Work Safely. 92% of workplace fatalities are male.  Many men work dangerous jobs, and Stibich notes that men don’t read instruction manuals which could lessen risks.
4.  Don’t Drink (Too Much), Smoke or Use Drugs.   Men do all three more than women.  There are, of course, long term health consequences for drinking and drugging, but these behaviors are also associated with risky behaviors in the short term (go back to your Google search).
5.  Get Regular Checkups.   Men usually don’t go the doctor unless something hurts.

The good news is that some fairly simple lifestyle changes could reduce the gender death rate disparity.  One reward for men who live longer may be in their sex lives. According to Cosmos Magazine, “Men are more than twice as likely as women to be sexually active in old age, and more likely to report it as good quality.”

While geriatric sex may not be on the radar of most young men, it might be a good reason not to set yourself on fire and ride your bike off the roof into a kiddie pool while your friend videotapes it.

Follow Through…You are as Good as Your Word

Do you have a list of good intentions but you have not followed through yet?  How many times have you promised something to someone and not followed through?

The best advice I ever received from a former boss of mine was the importance of “follow through.” While sharing with me his secrets of success, he felt this was one of the most important skills he embodied. Throughout my career, I have found that to be instrumental in my success.

One definition of follow through is carrying a project or intention to full completion. People who keep their promises are regarded as having integrity, while those who don’t may not be taken seriously. It also can affect how you feel about yourself. Unfulfilled promises to self can drain you of energy and make you feel badly about yourself and add to the unresolved baggage that you carry around.

I don’t think most people are insincere about their intentions; it is just that they don’t follow through. In this time of amazing technology, it’s faster and easier to connect to others yet it requires a new set of organizational skills and more of a commitment to go past the intention.

1.  Make a commitment to self to follow through.   Start small and build on that.  We don’t change overnight.

2.  It is about process and not perfection.  If you need to get back to someone, do it even if it is a one-sentence communication.  It does not need to be perfect.

3.  Do the hard things first.   Avoiding them just contributes to you feeling bad about self. It is so much easier to avoid follow through on perceived difficult tasks.

4.  Invest in yourself; get help with organization and accountability. One reason coaching has become so successful is that you contract out accountability to another person.  You can gain tools to move forward and have motivation and accountability at the same time.

“Those who are blessed with the most talent don’t necessarily outperform everyone else.  It is the people with the follow-through who excel.”
Mary Kay Ash

Bluebonnet Season

Let me ask you, what does spring in Texas mean to you? Is it just the end of winter or a time to put the cold clothing away?  To me, it’s slow, meandering drives down endless country roads, blooming dogwoods and open windows; the fragrances of everything blooming wafting through the air. However, when I talk to people outside the Texas borders what I mention first are wildflowers!  Those spectacular color-ramas that span a hillside and let us photograph our families amidst the bluebonnets.  Nothing says Texas quite like bluebonnets.

We first see the bluebonnets peeking out at us from along the roadsides down in the hill country in late March, early April. Denton, being a climate zone or two north of the Hill country sees bluebonnets from early April to early May depending of course on current climate conditions. A lingering, colder winter may mean a slight delay in the flowers; a warmer, drier winter may mean we see them slightly earlier.  Along with those brilliant blue spikes we see the beginnings of the summer wildflowers – Indian Paintbrush with its brilliant, almost iridescent red plumes and finally, the daisy-like flat red and yellow colors of Indian blanket.

The Bluebonnet was adopted as the state flower of Texas by the Texas Legislature in 1901. It was named the bluebonnet for both its spectacular blue color and the resemblance of the petal to a woman’s bonnet. “It’s not only the state flower but also a kind of floral trademark almost as well known to outsiders as cowboy boots and the Stetson hat.”, wrote historian Jack Maguire. Seeds were gathered by early-day Spanish priests and grown around the missions. As a result, a myth was generated that these flowers were brought by the settlers from Spain. In fact though, the two predominant species of bluebonnets are only found growing naturally in Texas – nowhere else in the world.

These and other wildflowers can be easily grown in your own yard. The key is fall planting and the removal of weeds and other perennials. Most of the flowers go to seed in late spring or summer and naturally the seeds would be spread by birds, insects, animals as they dried and fell to the ground.  Once you grow your first bluebonnets, watch for the seed pods to appear. The pods will twist as they dry and eventually split open, so make sure you pick the pods before they split, open the pods and save the seeds for fall planting again.

Before this wonderful spring wildflower season blends into summer, get in your car and take in those fabulous Texas wildflowers along our highways and back roads. You might even get that perfect Christmas card photo you can use for next year! To find out more about wildflowers go to www.wildflower.org or www.lone-star.net/wildflowers/.

Photograph courtesy of Dimples Photo Journeys  |  www.dimplesphotojourneys.com |  940.372.5002

Estimates show that Hay fever affects up to 30% of all Americans, including up to 40% of children and 10%-30% of adults.  In the United States alone, over $1 billion is spent yearly to treat this disorder.  This figure does not even begin to address the number of school and work days lost each year by individuals suffering from Hay fever.

The name itself, Hay fever, is a misnomer.  Hay is not a usual cause of this problem, and it does not cause fever.  Allergic rhinitis is the correct term used to describe the allergic reaction with symptoms including nasal congestion, a clear runny nose, sneezing, nose and eye itching, and excess tear production in the eyes.  An allergic reaction occurs when the body’s immune system attacks a usually harmless substance called an allergen that gains access to the body.  The immune system calls upon a protective substance known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to fight these allergens and in the process, frequently injures mast cells, which release a variety of strong substances into the tissues and blood…..mainly histamine.

Many patients respond well to medications that combat the effects of histamine, known as antihistamines.  Antihistamines do not stop the formation of histamine, nor do they stop the battle between IgE and the allergen.  Many antihistamines commonly cause drowsiness, and those that do not, can be more expensive and typically have a slower onset of action.  There are, however, natural substances that work to prevent the IgE response of the body to the allergen, thus eliminating histamine and the need for antihistamines.  For example, Quercetin, which is naturally found in onions, is a powerful mast cell stabilizer and has been shown to inhibit certain compounds that typically affect sinus and respiratory health.  Bromelain, a strong pineapple enzyme, has been proven to support normal mucosal tissue function and enhance the absorption of quercetin.  While working as a potent anti-oxidant, N-acetyl cysteine, frequently referenced as NAC, also acts as a powerful mucolytic thereby reducing the viscosity of mucus.  Fortunately, when treated with natural components before an allergen enters the body, one could expect to spend far less money and possibly, prevent the symptoms associated with Allergic Rhinitis.

We have several combinations of natural supplements to help take care of all of your allergy needs.  Give Denton Prescription Shop a call at 940-382-6758 and we will be happy to assist in choosing the best product for you.