If you’ve noticed several women walking around this area with sore and tender feet, and a slightly tired expression on their faces, those were the gals that worked on the POC’s Service Club’s Big Big Big Garage & Bake Sale on the 3rd of this month. As this Sale is our major fund-raising activity, it requires the cooperation, time and just plain work for several days to set it up and then to staff it. Many members deserve kudos for their time-consuming and muscle aching work; their husbands come into play also as I’m certain either takeout or sandwiches or something frozen was the menu for several days. What a group of Women! Men too!

The Bunco group met on Tuesday, November 6th to enjoy themselves talking and playing and dining on the superb foods as provided by Biddie Hileman and Sally Jones. There were several winners of the various prizes, but, the best of all, was that Elvira did not make an appearance. Winner of most games was Pat Ekstrom with a Floating Bunco prize captured by Biddie Hileman. And Karen Richardson, a new player, went home with the Booby Prize.

The next get-to-gether of this group will be Tuesday, December 4th at 7:00 p.m. in the back room of the Community Center. Hostesses that evening will be Pat Ekstrom, Shirley Gordon and Mary Ann Claiborne, and all attendees are asked to bring a covered dish and a $10 gift for exchange. Contact Shirley Gordon 983-4365 for further information.

The next meeting of the Port O’Connor Sports Association will be Monday, November 19th at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Center and Commissioner Kenneth Finster will be present to answer any questions about proceeding to the next step in the building of this dream. Contact Calvin Ragusin at 655-0498 for further information; membership in this worthwhile organization is only $10.00 per year and we need your assistance!

As the construction of the new house on Maple is right behind me, I was totally captivated watching the footings being poured. In earlier times, forms would be hastily put-to-gether, and often during a pour, a form would collapse and concrete would be spilled just about everywhere. This pour was done with concrete being pumped directly into the footing, thereby saving a ton of aggravation. Sort of fun, watching how things change!

Have you noticed the increase of traffic of the large barges on the InterCoastal? Does this mean our local economy is growing?

As you travel down 185 past Seadrift to get to 238 to Port Lavaca, why not stop at Dick’s along the way and order your Thanksgiving turkey? Fresh hams are also available, and the person to see is Robert, the butcher, who also makes fresh sausage. Occasionally, my favorite for dinner is the flat-iron steaks that are extremely tender; I saute them in butter with mushrooms and green onions. Call Robert at 785-3391 for more information and prices.

Coming up: Saturday, December 1st: which marks the 10th running of the Toy Run from those wonderful members of Santa’s organization in Houston. The word is that about 40 boats are participating in the Run this time, which will mean an abundance of wished-for toys for children in this area and others. Time of arrival varies; be on the lookout from 1-2:30 p.m. at Clarks’.

And that evening is the annual Boat Parade as sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. If you haven’t entered your boat yet, do contact Bill Tigrett immediately so you can take part in this event. It’s scheduled to start at dusk about 6:00-6:30+/- p.m., and following the many decorated boats down the InterCoastal is a very special sight.

DON’T FORGET: The Christmas Luncheon for our Senior Residents and others of this community will be Friday, December 7th at 10:30 a.m. in the Community Center. Do make plans to go as the food is delightful, decorations unbelievable, and the music from the School children unforgettable. See you there!

“HOOP” of Hurricane Junction has once again done himself proud. Holding the 4th (?) annual Gumbo and Chili Cookoff at Hurricane Junction, he donated the monies from this event to the Friends of the Library for their Building Fund. Unfortunately, I was “under the weather” for that weekend and so missed covering it for the paper. But I promise–Next year.

The Chamber is once again sponsoring their Christmas Lighting Contest under the direction of Chairman, Joyce Jordan. If you haven’t completed the form to enter your home or business in this event, do contact Joyce immediately. She can be reached at 655-7999, pob 847. Judging will take place on the 12th and 13th of December, so get going!

And our Lions Club is asking for vendors to participate in their Spring Arts & Crafts Fair as scheduled for March 16, 2013. Granted, this is November, but March comes faster than you think. Contact Joyce if you think you’d like to have a booth.

Not that I’m really counting, but this is the 32nd column I’ve written since starting it almost three years ago. Hope the reader has enjoyed some of my “stellar comments” and observations of our wonderful community.

kubeckasue@yahoo.com
361 798-0560

If any reader would like to add something to this column, please contact me at the above number, and thanks for reading it.

Community Thanksgiving Service – Sunday, Nov. 18 – 6:00 p.m. – Fisherman’s Chapel – Speaker is Pastor Donnie Martin! Bring canned goods and an offering which will go to the POC Benevolence Fund to help us with the community food baskets for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The service will include great singing as well as a great message from God’s Word. Following the service, the ladies of the Chapel will be providing a great evening of fellowship around the tables. Come and enjoy all the evening’s activities because we need all the help we can get – be present and give!

We will be hosting Friday Night Youth only one evening this month, November 16, and one evening in December – the 14th. We have many other activities in which we trust our youth will participate, like the Community Thanksgiving Service, the Chapel’s Christmas Party on December 16, and Caroling (complete with hay ride) on December 23. Thank you for being a part of our recent Kid’s Night, where every kid present left with a large bag of candy!

Again this year, we have the honor of hosting an evening with Christmas Music by Ric Gordon. Ric has ministered at the Chapel many times, and he is always delightful, fun, and inspirational. He will be with us only one evening, and that will be Sunday evening, 6:00 p.m., December 2. It will truly be one of the highlights of your holiday season, so bring your families, friends and neighbors for this very special evening.

On December 9, in the morning service only, we will be blessed by the ministry of the Reverend Joe Granberry. He has been with us several times before and always blesses and challenges us with the Word of God. Come and enjoy a time of special refreshment – December 9, 11:00 a.m., at the Chapel.

Thanksgiving is always a time for us to prepare for Christmas. When we have thankful hearts, we will be ready to welcome the Christ of Christmas into our world. Let’s not allow this time of the year to be so filled with football, parades, and turkey that we forget to thank our Lord for His numerous blessings He showers upon us daily!

Joane and I already have about a dozen days scheduled for us by the tasks that leadership requires. Pray for us, as we are praying for you, that we have blocks of time that we can simply take time to enjoy the gifts of the Lord! I trust that you will simplify your calendar of events so you also will have time to enjoy the Reason for the Season – Jesus and the family He has provided for you!

Many of the books I review, are at times, not on the New Books Shelves, but in the stacks in the back, and, I’ve found, they need exploring too. Some books are selected by an intriguing title I see while re-shelving books; others come from recommendations of many of the ‘intriguing’ people who enter our Library. Case in point is an author that had been highly recommended to me, and I somewhat resisted as I did not feel “turned on” by the subject matter of his books. HOWEVER, I found BLUE HEAVEN as written by C. J. Box and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Mr. Box writes a series of books featuring his character Joe Pickett who lives near the Cheyenne area of Wyoming. But, his book, BLUE HEAVEN is written as a stand-alone, not part of the series, and features two youngsters who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Set in North Idaho (not Northern) somewhat near the resort area of Couer d’Alene, the brother and his slightly older sister find themselves fleeing for their lives with the realization that they cannot trust many acquaintances. A captivating book with an unusual ending; it’s impossible to lay aside once you start to read it.

I’ve enjoyed reading the author Dennis Lehane’s books previously, and therefore, I grabbed his newest once it arrived on our shelves. Entitled LIVE BY NIGHT it’s set in the Boston area during Prohibition. Labeled a “crime epic” the plot deals with many of the major and minor characters involved with “speaks”, distilleries, corrupt cops and other parties of the criminal atmosphere. As the author’s research is excellent, the reader will learn more about life in that era of our Country’s history then one might really wish. And Lehane’s description of early Havana during that period of time seems to be true, you can almost see yourself walking down the street midst the many older and Spanish-styled buildings. Lehane’s books hold your interest completely; beautifully written with stunningly drawn characters.

And, in the line of self-improvement, Angela Lansbury’s POSITIVE MOVES was fun to read. Somewhat of an autobiography, Ms. Lansbury also deals with the problem of keeping slender while working on Broadway and filming her television series. I’d always enjoyed her very professional appearances in many films, so, therefore, thought her book would be somewhat mesmerizing along with the much needed, though easy, exercises for improvement. This is not Jane Fonda’s style of exercise, but one that a slightly older woman can appreciate. And, it is just that. To the point I’ve copied some of the recipes, menus and pictures of the exercises. Now, if I can just stick to them.

It’s now the middle of November, and plans are already being made in many homes for the Holiday Season that begins with Thanksgiving. To assist you in planning specific menus or delightful desserts or a stunningly decorated home, do stop by and check out the many fun Christmas cookbooks and the books devoted to decorations for the dining table and other rooms. We also have several writers whose fiction becomes quite topical during this special time of year. Hope to see you, soon.

And remember: Our Library is open on Monday & Tuesday from 9-1 & 2-6; on Wednesday, we open at 1:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m.; Thursday from 12:00 Noon till 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m.

“When an old person dies, a Library burns down”
Karin Gillespie

The Bible has much to say about the “attitude of gratitude.” Allow me to quote just a few verses from God’s Word concerning the act and attitude of giving thanks.
Speaking in the context of the command of Ephesians 5:17, to “…be filled with the Spirit,” Paul says, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 5:20)

Addressing the saints at Thessalonica, Paul indicates that a thankful attitude is the will of God for all believers. He says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

The Apostle Paul indicated to the saints at Philippi that thanksgiving should be a natural part of our prayers to God when he said, “Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Phil. 4:6)

James, the brother of Jesus, gives us a good reason to be thankful, for he indicates that God is the source of our blessings, since, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)

However, sometimes I feel that our society has all but forgotten how to be thankful and grateful for God’s goodness. Today’s world seems to display a sense of entitlement; the attitude that one somehow deserves all the pleasures and plenty life has to offer, without any effort on the individual’s part. God’s Word tells us plainly that a general attitude of ingratitude is characteristic of the “…last days…” (2 Tim. 3:1). I believe we have arrived at that point in time. Paul says to Timothy, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.” (2 Tim. 3:1-2)

On November 22, our nation will observe Thanksgiving Day. This celebration conjures up all sorts of ideas, such as pilgrims, prosperity, plenty, and even parties. However, we need to be careful to remember that this holiday is ultimately about showing our gratitude for Almighty God’s grace, goodness, and mercy (James 1:17)

Perhaps you’re wondering what there is to be thankful for, with the economy, the nation, and the world taking a turn for the worse over the last few years. It’s so easy to whine and complain about what we don’t have, instead of being thankful for what we have. Nevertheless, in spite of how things may appear, we always have a lot for which to thank God. Too often, we overlook the most obvious things for which to be thankful, because we have long taken them for granted. With that thought in mind, I want to draw our attention to these sobering thoughts, from an unknown writer:

Forgive Me When I Whine

Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair; I envied her—she seemed so gay, and how I wished I were so fair;
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle; she had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two feet—the world is mine.

And when I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me had such charm; he seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and warm;
I said, “It’s nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find.” He turned and said, “Oh thank you sir.” And then I saw that he was blind.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Then, when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue; he stood and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what to do;
I stopped a moment, then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?” He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I’d go; with eyes to see the sunsets’ glow; with ears to hear what I would know, I am blessed indeed. The world is mine;
Oh God, forgive me when I whine.

May God help us to be grateful for His goodness.

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, – a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.
~George Herbert