It is the time of year when even the youngest school age child tells most, if not all his classmates, that he loves them – “Be mine!” Not many adults truly believe the little cards with the cute verses on them, “Roses are red, Violets are blue, If I could marry anyone, it would have to be you!” But occasionally children will wholeheartedly believe the lines and become infatuated immediately.

My dad always told my brother and me that there were certain times of the year when a guy should not have a girl friend – Christmas, their birthday, and Valentine’s Day! It was simple math for him – girls cost money and these special days mean extra expenses! Staying away from girls at these times would mean you could afford more Friday and Saturday night hamburgers. I should have learned better!

Real love is not something that is celebrated only on special days! Love is truly the place where everything changes. It is the place for which we all long. It is the place where any and everything can be changed. It is the place where the mistakes are not just overlooked, but forgiven – the place where the sins of your past are forgiven. It is the place where fears and habits are finally overcome – where correction and discipline are always fair and effective – and where bondages are released forever. Love is the place where new strength and power replace weaknesses and failures and where we are accepted just as we are – regardless of the warts on our noses!

There is no place outside God’s loving arms that one can find such love! Once we experience God’s love in its fullness, we are changed. In that place, the impossible starts happenings. Long before the world was calendared for creation, God considered our eternal salvation a priority worthy of His Son’s sacrificial death. That is why Christmas and Easter are such big celebratory days in our Christian culture.

We live in the tensions of fallen humanity. Painfully we are sure that every shortcoming and imperfection will be recorded by all who know us. We are also sure that the records of our frailties and mistakes are recorded for God to save until the Day of Judgement. As a result, we do not know what God thinks about us personally. How do you envision God’s countenance registering approval or disapproval of you? Do you believe He is delighted or disappointed in who you are?

Often life feels like a game of musical chairs – just going around in circles trying hard to anticipate the music and grab your place in life. When the music stops abruptly, everyone is scurrying for the nearest chair. But there is always a catch – there is one less chair than people playing. Someone is left out each time the music stops, and another chair is removed for the next round of elimination. Too often, you end up the one without a place – again!

A lot of people feel like God is playing games with them with no rhyme, reason, or fairness. Every so often the music unexplainably stops and we have to try to beat some faster, bigger guy to the last chair. Even when we succeed, the music starts again and another round begins, not always ending successfully for us! No wonder we have a trust issue with God; no wonder some people do not like God very much.

Make no mistake; life is very unfair at times. But, we can not blame God for the unfairness! He did not create the world to be unfair. He did not design life to be unfair. It was sin’s entrance into the world and fallen people who brought all the unfairness and hurt! People are not fair most of the time; in fact, not one of us is always fair to others! God is fair every time and in every situation. God will always do right! He will always do right in every situation, even those that we can not understand. His love guarantees that he will always do right by us! His loving nature demands it!

If God were involved in our games of musical chairs, there would be more than enough chairs for everyone. No one would have to push another out of a spot for them to have one of their own. The music would never stop until we had found our place in His circle. The Apostle Peter said it this way: “The Lord is not really being slow about His promise to return, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so He is giving more time for everyone to repent. But the Day of the Lord will come – as unexpectedly as a thief; so be ready.”

Valentine’s Day is a great time to think about what God thinks of us! When we know how much He cares, we will know how to trust Him in every situation of life. There was a song written in the 1980s that said God grew the tree that He knew would be the tree that became the Old Rugged Cross. That is how much He loves us!

When we know of God’s great love for us, then we not only trust Him, we expect Him to show His love to us, and we willingly give our allegiance to Him. We are willing to submit to His plan for our lives and give our reciprocal love to Him in service to others.

So from God to us, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” And from us to God, “Be mine!”

Oct. 29 Seadrift Volunteer Fire Department responded to brush fire off of Gates Road.

Oct. 29 Seadrift VFD responded to round hay bale on fire off of Hwy 185 North of Seadrift

Nov. 2 Seadrift VFD responded to a one-vehicle accident on Main Street in Seadrift

Nov. 13 Seadrift VFD responded to a one-vehicle accident off of Railroad Street in Seadrift

Nov. 28.Port Lavaca FD and Seadrift VFD responded to a structure fire off of Whatley Road, Six Mile Community VFD also responded

Nov. 28 Seadrift VFD responded to Port Lavaca to assist Port Lavaca FD with a structure fire in Port Lavaca

Dec. 6 Port Lavaca FD and Seadrift VFD responded to a small grass fire near Green Lake

Dec. 12 Seadrift VFD and Port Lavaca FD responded to the Seadrift School for smoke in one of the classrooms

Dec. 14 Seadrift VFD responded to trash fire on Wooldridge road

Dec. 15 Seadrift VFD responded to trash fire on Wooldridge road

Dec. 16 Seadrift VFD and Port Lavaca FD responded to Frontier Logistics off of Hwy 185 for fire alarm

The 7th Grade & 8th Grade Lady Pirates competed in the district tournament in Victoria on February 1, 2014.

The 7th grade placed 3rd overall. In the first game the 7th Grade Lady Pirates defeated the Howell Lady Wildcats 12-7. Kellie Blevins had 2 points, Krislyn Key had 6 pts. Heather Glover and Karsen Pittman each had 2 points.

In game two they came up short and lost to Cade M.S. in a tough defensive game 4-6. Haley Bales and Kellie Blevins each had 2 points.

In the game for the 3rd place trophy the Lady Pirates soundly defeated the Patti Welder Lady Panthers 16-7. Kellie Blevins had 4 points, Krislyn Key, Anna Sachtleben, and Karley Gregory each had 2 points while Rebecca Barrera was high scorer with 6 points.

The 8th Grade Lady Pirates played an extremely tough game but were defeated by the Patti Welder Lady Panthers 8 -18. Abby Morgan and Savanah Marek each had 4 points.

A great end to a great season for the Seadrift Lady Pirates! Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the Lady Pirates.

-Tanya Cady

All natural-born Texans and those who got here as soon as they could are invited to a Texas-sized 178th birthday celebration on the very spot “where Texas became Texas” in 1836 when delegates met to make a formal declaration of independence from Mexico. Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site will host the annual Texas Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2 on its expansive, 293-acre park grounds located between Brenham and Navasota. The two-day festival features live music, food, traditional crafts, living history presentations, black powder small arms and artillery firing demonstrations, historical encampments and commemorative programs — all with no park entrance or parking fees. Vendors selling a variety of festival foods will be on site.

Independence Hall at Washington-on-the-Brazos is the place where representatives of the people of Texas met to decide their fate and all Texans’ future. On March 2, 1836, 59 delegates to the convention listened to George Childress enumerate their grievances against the government of Mexico and the tyrannical rule of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.

The delegates were embroiled in a revolution and faced an uncertain future when they met to declare Texas a free and independent republic and created a constitution for the fledgling nation.  To honor their sacrifice and dedication, a special commemorative ceremony will open and close Saturday’s and Sunday’s festivities. The traditional cutting of the giant birthday cake will take place at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, in the park amphitheater.

Guests will step back into history to experience life in Texas in 1836 by visiting with reenactors and witnessing firing demonstrations in the Texas Army camps, and taking a virtual town site tour. Attendees can walk the same trail as Texas’ forefathers and pioneer families and witness cooking, weaving and period craft demonstrations.

Texas singer/songwriter Brian Burns, Celtaire String Band and the Texian String Band will provide musical entertainment at the event. Burns, the 2014 recipient of The Daughters of The American Revolution Texas State Media Award, is regarded as one of Texas’ top performing songwriters whose work has been covered by a number of legendary artists. More information on Burns can be found at www.brianburnsmusic.com.

The Celtaire String Band, whose members dress in 1800s period clothing, specializes in playing period Americana music on such acoustic instruments as the fiddle, pennywhistle, guitar, mandolin, vocals, banjo, “bass-box,” tambourine, autoharp, spoons, scrub-board and limberjacks. The Texian String Band will be playing music that would have been played on the Texas frontier and heard in the small riverside town of Washington around the time of the revolution.

The state historic site features three attractions: Independence Hall, Star of the Republic Museum, and Barrington Living History Farm) that will feature special activities during the March celebration.  The admission fees for the museum and farm will be waived during the celebration weekend.  Independence Hall is always open free of charge, however, visitors pay a modest fee for a guided program.

During the two-day celebration, the Star of the Republic Museum, which is administered by Blinn College, will open its new exhibit “Weather Wisdom: Forecasting in the Texas Republic.”  The exhibit will include an assortment of 19th century scientific instruments used to measure wind velocity, atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity.          www.birthplaceoftexas.com  (936) 878-2214

San Antonio, TX – The Texas Brigades program is looking for a few good leaders. Actually, they are looking for 170 leaders. The Texas Brigades’ mission is to educate and empower youths with the leadership skills and knowledge in wildlife, fisheries, and land stewardship to become conservation ambassadors for a sustained natural resource legacy. This will be the 22nd year of the Brigades.

The application deadline is March 15, 2014 and may be found at http://www.texasbrigades.org/Applications/applications.html.
Participants are selected through a competitive application process. Helen Holdsworth, Executive Director, says they are looking for youth ages 13-17 years of age. No experience is necessary, but applicants should have a strong interest in learning about wildlife, natural resources, livestock, and/or the environment. “We are looking for those with an interest in learning and then sharing what they have learned with their communities,” reports Holdsworth.

The 4.5 days camps are held on private ranches across the state. “These landowners open their gates to us for five days, allowing us to utilize the land as a living laboratory. Natural resource professionals give of their time to mentor the youth. This is a valuable networking opportunity,” she said.

The cost of the camp is $400 but scholarships and financial assistance are available. “We do not want the fee to be a barrier to anyone.

We have donors who are willing to support the youths’ educational experience,” says Holdsworth.

For more information, call 855-TXBRIGS or 210-556-1391or email hholdsworth@texas-wildlife.org.