I hope this blog finds you all doing well, enjoying the wonderful fall weather, and for those who ventured out on Tuesday evening, I hope you had a fun-filled Halloween. It’s been a couple of weeks since my last blog and I want to catch everyone up on what’s been happening as October was a busy month in Boerne.
A couple of weeks ago we held the annual State of the City address. I was joined by City Manager Ben Thatcher and together we shared a lot of great information about the City and the work done by everyone. If you haven’t watched it yet, I recommend that you do.
The latter part of the month was filled with some great events; the eclipse, the Hill Country Rod Run, Market Days, and Barktoberfest all went off without a hitch. Our student athletes are continuing to excel on the field, with several programs from both high schools looking at making deep runs in the playoffs or having already done so.
Best of all, the fall season has finally arrived after a brutally hot and dry summer. The weather is cooler, and we have had some wonderful rain. From my outlook life in Boerne, Texas, is pretty dang good!
Last week we had the pleasure of holding a One Water Conference here in our wonderful town with lots of other neighboring Texas Hill Country towns attending, all continuing their water conservation efforts. The One Water Initiative is one that will help us better manage all our water resources by implementing a variety of water conservation measures to help ensure that we are being good stewards of water resources. As always, I was humbled again to see that Boerne is helping to set the standard of what a wonderful, resourceful, loving community looks like. Great job, Boerne.
With the change of the seasons and the joy of upcoming holiday celebrations on the horizon, I want to highlight some of the best values these special days represent.
Veterans Plaza will once again host the Veterans Day Observance at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 11. The event is organized by the Pvt. Bruno Phillip Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 688 and Captain Mark "Tyler" Voss American Legion Post 313. Personally, I want to thank all who have served our wonderful nation.
Soon after will be the Thanksgiving holiday, when we remember that having an attitude of gratitude changes who we are. Next up will be Christmas, reminding us that being willing to give of ourselves to others is so rewarding and that we are blessed in being a blessing for others.
These holidays highlight key tenets that I hope we all share - service, gratitude, and generosity. They are some of the greatest traits a person can have and to have a community that exemplifies them, as Boerne does, is such a blessing as well. But I believe there are others.
The "Fruits of the Spirit" refers to a list of character traits outlined in the Bible, specifically in the book of Galatians 5:22-23. The Apostle Paul writes about these qualities as attributes that should be evident in our lives. The Fruits of the Spirit are often considered essential qualities for living life.
- Love: This is often seen as the foundational virtue and the greatest of all. It refers to selfless, sacrificial love for others, as demonstrated by Jesus Christ.
- Joy: Christian joy is not dependent on circumstances but is a deep sense of contentment and gladness that comes from a relationship with God.
- Peace: Refers to inner peace, reconciliation with God, and living in harmony with others.
- Patience: Involves being slow to anger and showing forbearance and patience towards others, even in challenging situations.
- Kindness: It is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate towards others, often putting their needs before one's own.
- Goodness: Goodness signifies moral excellence and integrity in one's character and actions.
- Faithfulness: This virtue relates to loyalty, reliability, and trustworthiness in one's commitments and relationships.
- Gentleness: Involves having a gentle and humble spirit, showing meekness and compassion towards others.
- Self-Control: The ability to exercise discipline and restraint over one's desires and behaviors, particularly in the face of temptation.
These Fruits of the Spirit are often seen as evidence of the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. They serve as a guide for Christians to aspire to a Christ-like character, promoting a life marked by love, joy, peace, and other qualities that reflect the teachings of Jesus.
The beauty of these traits is they are universal. Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, having these characteristics is just how we should live. I am thankful that I see and have experienced many of these in my brothers and sisters of our great community. May this new and upcoming season bring us all joy and blessings, but more importantly may we be a blessing to our neighbors. Together we are better, together we are Boerne.
Faithfully His,
Mayor Frank