Michael Landon, move over. We've found our highway to heaven.

Down here in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, members of several blessed families have turned to roadside beautification as a means of community service.

Seeking a path to provide a tangible means for unity among blessed members newly linked via the Family Federation for Unification and World Peace, members of six San Antonio-area families get together, get dirty and get recognized.

In exchange for an organization's commitment to clean both shoulders of a road at least four times a year for two years, the state erects signs giving credit where credit is due.

In Texas, the Adopt-A-Highway project is run by the Department of Transportation. Their local offices supply safety flags and vests, trash bags and trash-bag collection.

So, one Saturday in July, a dozen parents and children from a trio of nearby families stooped to conquer the corruption of Farm-to-Market Road 480 for three hot and humid hours. The results: 16 huge bags of trash and two miles of very clean, verdant countryside.

I don't know if other states sponsor similar programs. Down here, the message is clear: "Don't Mess With Texas." Participating families here are those of Evans and Louise Johnson, Ken and AnneMarie Morgan, Greg and Kyoho Jones, Bill and Maura Sanders, Peter and Beatriz Steeghs, and Mario and Connie De La Cruz.

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