Excitement is in the air for a lot of great things to happen in 2017! We are trusting that before year’s end, we will all be in Heaven with our Lord, but if He prolongs His return, we plan to be busy doing His bidding!

Christmas was extra special this year. The Come and Go Communion Service on Christmas Eve was exceptional and the Christmas Day service was special. With my feelings about Christmas, every month could be December!

January began with a special service and Pastor Joane ministering, but the evening was a sad occasion as we helped lay to rest one of our local ministers. Reverend David Ennis gave a great part of his life to the Lord through what he called, “Cornerstone Assembly”. Being close friends, Joane and I were on the scene as we watched the building burn. Having experienced that personally, we had a unique understanding for each other. Then came the joy of dedicating the new building and all the things involved in that endeavor. Retirement came and I am not sure that any of us preachers are ever ready for that event! But graciously, Pastor Ennis and his wife continued the faithful pathway they had enjoyed for many years. Pastor Ennis’ influence will however continue through the ministry of his two preacher sons and his daughter and their spouses and children. Heaven will be sweeter as we reunite with faithful soldiers who have blazed a trail for us to follow!

Pastor Joane and I celebrated our 21st Anniversary and remembered her walking down the aisle of the Chapel to meet me at the wedding altar! It was a very special day in my life and God has been extra good to us. We are looking forward to at least 21 more years together!

On January 11, we celebrated Pastor Joane’s birthday with cake and ice cream. I tell her that I planned that way so I could get her anniversary presents and birthday presents in the after Christmas sales! Thank you for loving her and your many expressions through texting, phoning, cards, personal visits, etc. This community is our family and we love you dearly!

Our ladies have been busy. On January 19, they enjoyed an “art class” together and on the following Saturday, they joined each other and other church ladies for a special rally in Victoria. There are many activities for ladies on our church calendar of events that all are welcomed to get involved with.

Our men met for a work day in Nixon this month. Our “Partner” church began remodeling their facilities without extra funds – so they are paying for it as they go and doing the work themselves. With all the extra holiday activities, the remodeling has been greatly slowed. But our men, together with men from other “Partner” congregations, have given them a real shot in the arm and the work is almost completed. All men are invited to be a part of our many activities.

If all these celebrations were not enough, on February 12, we will celebrate 22 years as a congregation. Preliminary meetings had been held with a small group of people desiring to build an interdenominational congregation in Port O’Connor. Three couples contacted me to come and help them in this effort. Initially, I committed to 52 weeks to see if the Lord wanted to build a church and now, after all these years and the many people who have come along side us, we believe this is the Lord’s Church and He is building it well! Thank you for welcoming us here and allowing us to become a part of the Port O’Connor family.

Fisherman’s Chapel is committed to help everyone in their individual journey from here to Eternity. One will always find a welcome here and all are urged to, “Come, grow with us!”

I had a very exciting Christmas and New Years. I visited with most all my relatives and drove many miles. It is always a joy to visit with my relatives and talk and play games, then head home and go back to your usual chores.

Due to the loss of many of our Church workers, due to health reasons, the Church last week met and decided to “Cancel” this years “22nd. Annual Sweetheart Banquet”. The Banquet requires a lot of work and the Church does not have ample workers to complete the task. It hurts me deeply to give up this great annual Sweetheart Banquet that was started by the Church and my wife Bernice and me twenty two years ago. Everyone will miss this outstanding time of fellowship.

The Church has exceeded our goal for “LOTTIE MOON” Christmas Offering for Foreign Missions around the World. Our Goal was $1,600.

The Ladies continue with their “Book and Bible Study” each Tuesday evening from 4 to 5 PM in Fellowship Hall. The Ladies invite all ladies interested in this quality Study and Fellowship to join in with them this Tuesday.

The Youth Group meets each Wednesday in the Youth Room from 6:00 to 7:00 PM for Study and games and refreshments.

Senior Citizens should be thinking about the Spring Retreat in March at Camp Zephyr. This is always an exciting time with Gospel Music, Great Bible Teaching and Sermons. The cost is $100 per person, which includes your motel room and all meals. For info see Doyle Adams or Pastor Donnie Martin for more details.

See you in Church Sunday!

Do you ever feel like the community around us is full of negative? Maybe you hear it daily… prices are up, real estate is down, food is full of bad stuff, my political candidate did not win, …whatever. I hear people say it is hard to be happy in today’s world. They may be right. It does not make me happy to see the bad things all around me. If you are looking outside of yourself to find happiness and feel good, you will likely find less happiness than you had hoped. But, if you want joy, contentment, soul deep satisfaction, you can have it. No, really, you can. Because you see, joy is a choice and it can grow.

Happiness is fleeting and external. I may be happy about the great cup of coffee I got this morning or the lower bill I got in the mail. But if circumstances change, so does my happiness. Joy is internal, self-regulating, limitless and unchanged by circumstances. Joy is there during sadness, anger, disappointment and even negativity. Sadness is a reasonable response to things that happen around us. Anger is human and finite in nature. The circumstances of conditions and incidents are beyond our control and can cause all kinds of feelings both positive and negative. But that all comes from outside of us.

Joy on the other hand is personal, permanent and portable. Joy comes from within. It is our personal choice how we live our life. We can decide to be kind, honest and tolerant. We can look for the good in things, in people, in our jobs and communities and share it when we see it. All are a choice and are free. It is easy to chime in on the negative. If you chose to start conversing about the positive, sharing the beauty of little things, bringing attention to the wonder of our world you just may change the way those around you think and react. When we are true to ourselves, our core values and truths, and live according to that we find joy within. When we choose surroundings that are safe, uplifting and fit us, we find joy. When we surround ourselves with people, music and entertainment, activities and involvements that are matched to our wishes, goals and dreams and avoid those that are mismatched, we find joy. Our surroundings, associations, thoughts, decisions and actions either harmonize with that soul deep self and make us better or conflict with us and make us bitter. We can choose joy in the little everyday choices we make.

It takes courage to define the true you, courage to change what you are doing, and courage to take out of your daily life any persons, places or things that bring negative to you routinely. Not the ‘man, I had a fight with my sister,’ or ‘ugh, my husband and kids have all been sick,’ kind of negative. Those things we can’t control. But that Nelly Negative friend who has nothing good to say about anyone or anything every time you get together for a cup of coffee… that is a choice. That organization that invited you to join but they perpetuate ugly stereotypes and exclusion…that is a choice. That chaotic social gathering place that makes you anxious and nervous…that is a choice.

We attract things and people that are like us. So be positive and affirmative and you will attract those friends. Think on the beautiful and good and you will attract those kinds of experiences. Watch uplifting and encouraging entertainment and you will invite those kinds of mindsets.

Now that does not mean you won’t have ‘terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days’. We all have them. You will be raging angry several times this year. Friends and family will hurt you and someone you love will disappoint you. It is okay. That inside joy that comes from authentic integrity to the true you will let you find balance again quickly. That joy from within will bubble to the surface and wash out the negative from the inside out. When we make a New Year’s decision to grow joy inside ourselves we must fertilize it with the right things, let in the right light and pull out the weeds for it to grow. But like all good gardeners know, you can’t plant onions and expect a crop of daisies. So, plant a crop of joy in this New Year.

Jane & Dick Chislett

We were saddened to learn of the passing, shortly before Christmas, of Jane Chislett. After residing in Port O’Connor for 32 1/2 years, Jane and her husband, Dick moved three years ago to Pinkton, Texas to be near their family. Dick passed away shortly after their move.

Jane will be remembered by old-timers in Seadrift and Port O’Connor as a great cook who worked at The Fishing Center and the Harbor Inn. She was also known around Port O’Connor as “the cat lady”, caring for as many as 47 cats at one time.

Sissy Hadley

SEADRIFT – Vera ‘Sissy’ Hadley, 69, passed away on January 2, 2017. She was born in Seadrift on November 5, 1947 to the late Clyde and Gereldene (Rubalcaba) Thrower, Sr.

Vera is survived by her son Richard Malone (Torie) and sister Winona ‘Nonie’ Thrower; brother CW Thrower; grandchildren Kori (Mason) Mesa, Katlynn Malone and Keyton Malone.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by husband Bobby Louis Hadley and brother James Ray Thrower.

Vera was a loving mother grandmother. She loved her job as a waitress where she enjoyed interacting with people. She never met a stranger. She was an avid animal lover.

Funeral service was held January 6, 2017 at Seadrift Methodist Church with Pastor June Cantrell officiating. Interment followed in Seadrift Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Teddy Goodman, Dago Holden, Bubba Hall, Kenneth Reese, Bobby Henson and Kenny Finster. Honorary pallbearer was Mason Mesa.

Condolences and memories can be shared online to www.gracefuneralhome.net.