Some of the children at the recent Kids Retreat hosted by Fisherman’s Chapel. – Photo by Hannah Casey

What a great year we have already experienced. We recently hosted a Kid’s Retreat with over 50 kids and 50 plus workers coming here to experience the touch of the Lord in their lives. We witnessed at least seven children asking Jesus into their hearts. It was great! There is no way to mention all the many people who gave so much of their time, talent, and treasure to see these kids have an experience that they will never forget!

In our Spanish Services on Tuesday evenings, at 6:00 p.m.,. we recently witnessed an adult asking Jesus into their life. This is what the Chapel is all about – helping people find Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord. To this end, we do everything!

We continue seeing great things being planned for the Lord. Men from Port O’Connor are welcoming other men to come for a time of fishing and breakfast. The breakfast will take place at the Chapel on March 19 at 9:00 a.m. All area men are welcomed to attend. On Palm Sunday, March 20, we will celebrate Communion in the morning service and will host a “movie night” at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcomed at all our activities. Those who come to movie night will be greeted with a bag of popcorn and a bottle of water. We will be showing “War Room.” It will be a great family time, so bring all the family and enjoy this special movie experience.

Easter Sunday, March 27, will begin with our annual Community Sunrise Service. It will begin at 7:00 a.m. and will feature music of the First Baptist Choir and I will be bringing the message. Of course, we will have some of Cathy’s famous cinnamon rolls with hot coffee. It will be a great time, so bring your favorite chair, maybe a warm blanket, and enjoy this special service.

Following the Sunrise Service, the Chapel will host our special Bible Study at 10:00 a.m., and a warm Morning Service at 11:00 a.m. The evening service will being at 5:00 p.m. with Corporate Prayer and the service at 6:00 p.m. It will be a great day of celebrating the resurrection of our Lord.
At the end of the month, we will be hosting a men’s group from Mauriceville, Texas for a retreat. Pastor Chad will be coming again with his men to have a few days of refreshing and hopefully catching.

Our local men are planning an outing at the farm on April 29 and 30. This is open to all men and their sons and will be a great time just to get away, relax, shoot some shotguns, and eat some delicious “chuck wagon style” meals.

Fisherman’s Chapel is an interdenominational congregation which endeavors to help bring us into a personal relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. One will always find a warm welcome here and everyone is urged to, “Come, grow with us!”

Calling all kids to stop by the Port O’Connor Library and check out a book or video and

GUESS HOW MANY EGGS ARE IN THE BASKET!

Prizes awarded; need not be present to win. Contest ends April 30.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Port O’Connor Library.

Have you ever encountered a crisis or an enduring challenge in life that rocked you to the foundation of your faith? In those moments of questioning, perhaps you felt like you had failed God by simply asking the questions.

You may be surprised to learn one of the greatest witnesses for Christ in the Bible had questions of his own. May his testimony be of encouragement to you.

John the Baptizer gave an unflinching call for repentance to multitudes during the months leading up to Jesus’ public ministry. John was God’s chosen servant called to prepare the people for the arrival of His Son. John’s preaching even caught the ear of Herod, the king who ruled the region under Roman authority.
In spite of Herod’s admiration, and even fear of him, John the Baptizer’s uncompromising message did not set well when the prophet denounced Herod for taking Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Herod imprisoned John. In time, John’s God-driven candor would cost him his life.

While languishing in prison, John began to struggle with doubt. Perhaps he wondered why Jesus did not use His influence and exercise some sort of effort to free him. In his pondering depression, John dispatched a couple of his followers to inquire of Jesus if He really was the One whom John had proclaimed the Messiah, or should John look for someone else?

Imagine that! The man who shouted out for all to hear, “Prepare the way for the Lord!” now struggled to believe in the Lord he had proclaimed.

Jesus has no criticism for this despondent prophet who had so dramatically introduced Him as the Promised One. Nor did He answer “yes” or “no” to whether He was, in fact, that Person. Rather, Jesus sent John’s followers back to him with a report of what they had seen in Jesus” ministry – that the blind received their sight, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf heard, the dead had been raised, and the Gospel was being preached to the poor – the essences, the fulfillment of Old Testament’s prophecies.

Jesus did not focus on the predicament in which John was bound, nor give a reason why He had not intervened. He simply said, “If you want to know whether I am, indeed, Who you proclaimed Me to be, let the fulfillment of prophecy serve as My identification.”

Apparently, John had asked precisely the right question, for he received the answer setting his heart at ease that Jesus truly was the Messiah, and now he would die in peace, assured in his faith in the Lamb of God “who takes away the sin of the world.” The answer John received was sufficient for him to go unflinchingly to his death. Jesus’ identity had been certified.

While all this makes for a moving and intriguing story, its relevance applies to everyone when we, too, face difficult times, feelings of desertion, being left to tolerate chronic sickness and pain, believing all the while that Jesus could take care of any or all of that – if He only would.

And when He does not?

Ah! There is the rub! It is so often at this point that we, disappointed in the failure of Jesus’ unquestioned power being released to bring healing, deliverance, or supply, give in to bitterness and anger. Finally, in pathetic sorrow, some denounce the One they once professed to love and serve…all because their earnest need in prayer was not met as they desired or believed was possible.

The problem lies with the implied question. Too often, in the middle of pain, we are tempted to define God strictly be what He will do for us. In a sense, we are asking, “Are You God because You meet my desires or needs when I call for them?”

We all will ultimately find our hearts at rest in our faith in Jesus when we simply ask, “Are You the One?” As we focus on His divine identity, instead of demanding release from the prison of illness, the hurt of relationships, the supplying of something desperately wanted, we can take hold of an eternal perspective.

The real question is, “Are You the One whom I can trust with my never-dying soul? Are You the One I can expect to be waiting for me when death overtakes me?”

The Good News is Jesus left His identity for us, just as clearly as He did for John, He is the One! Jesus’ identify is the Cross – and the empty tomb. The fact is that Jesus paid the price with undeniable love by becoming our sacrifice for sin forever. The historic fact of Jesus’ resurrection validates everything He ever said.

There is no denying how desperate we are to find relief from the problems and pain that comes our way. But until we come to the right question – is He the Son of God, the Savior of the world? – disappointment, anger, wavering faith, and doubt will forever plague human intelligence. Jesus proved His identity and fulfilled His redemptive mission on Easter morning.

As part of the human race, we are sure to face a spectrum of trials, meet many disappointments, and at times suffer momentary defeat. But our God reigns, and our faith is well placed when placed in Him! The Cross and the empty tomb forever provide Jesus Christ’s unmistakable identification! He lives today!

Beware the Ides of March!  This is said to be what a soothsayer warned Julius Caesar back those thousands of years ago. That was in 44 BC.  It is most familiar to us because in his play Shakespeare used the phrase. That was only 500 or so years ago.

The closest we come to that “Ides” date is our March 15th. Astronomers had to work a little math magic to get to the comparative date. When the Romans were writing Calendars at that time they only had ten months in their years.  And they used a lunar type of calendar.

They did count things but it wasn’t in numbers like 1 2 3 … they counted in I’s, V’s, X’s, L’s and C’s.  If you think math is hard nowadays you should have pity on those poor Roman school children.

They really observed three main days of a month. Kalens was the new moon day. Then Nones was the first quarter moon and finally when the Moon was full it was Ides. And Ides was the first of the new month.  You have my permission to figure out how we relate the Ides in Caesars time to March 15 in our time.
The whole upshot is that the date, thanks to Shakespeare, lives as a disastrous day because that was when all those worried Roman senators including Brutus stabbed Julius 23 times. Nowadays senators just call each other liars or idiots as they try to work their way towards the Presidency.

It turns out that William S.  may have been correct about the Ides being a bad day for folks.  This is of course starting with Caesar’s murder.  There have been several nasty things happen on the 15th of March in the years since.

Some of them occurred in the 20th Century.  Some of the more notable ones are mentioned here.  Way back in 1917 Czar Nicholas II abdicated his rule of Russia ending his family’s several hundred years of rule.  Then a year later he and his family were executed.  That was not a pleasant retirement.

Then in 1939, Hitler and Germany occupied Czechoslovakia. This was after the Prime Minister of England, Chamberlin, had declared that they had negotiated “Peace in our Time” with Hitler..  Actually it was a major step to WWII.  I guess the Russian book should have been called Peace and War because the natural sequence was reversed.

Some of the more recent disasters have been natural disasters.  In 1941, on March 15th a tremendous blizzard occurred in the Great Plains of the US and Canada it killed over 60 people. There have been many other natural disasters but they weren’t necessarily on Mach 15. Mother Nature has not been very kind of late.

One of the saddest 15ths was in 1971 when CBS cancelled The Ed Sullivan Show. That began the demise of what many of us old folks call the golden years of Television.

This year I am a little worried about the Ides of April.

This big red blasted a Super Spook that was worked over shallow grass in two feet of gin clear water. Topwater lures will take reds 24/7. But a gold or copper 1/8 ounce spoon is also a very good option here in Port O’Connor. Capt. Robert Sloan photo

Top Five Redfish Lures:

1) Heddon Super Spook Jr. in chrome/blue, spectrum and bone/silver.
2) Johnson weedless gold or copper 1/8 ounce spoon.
3) Yum Money Minnow, 3-1/2 inches in pearl/chartreuse or clown.
4) Egret 5-1/2 inch Wedgetail in limeade or white/diamond.
5) MirrOlure Lil John twitch baits

Everybody loves to catch redfish, and the best way to do that is with lures most of the time here in Port O’Connor. Sure there are days and places where live or cut baits catch more reds, but it’s a fact that lures will deliver more action packed fishing trips and limits.

One of the greatest things to happen over the past three or four decades is the escalating numbers of red drum. These are gamefish that will eat just about anything that won’t eat them first, which is why they are so much fun to take on artificial lures. You can catch reds on clear sand flats, backwater estuary lakes, in the surf and at the jetties. One of the more unique aspects about reds is that regardless of their size they will eat anything from an inch-long fly-fished streamer to a magnum-sized topwater plug. Without a doubt reds are one of the most abundant, aggressive and strong gamefish you’ll catch – and they will hit a wide variety of lures 24-7.

Topwater Lures

Out of the top 10 all-time most exciting lures to catch reds on is a topwater, and topping the list is the Heddon Super Spook Jr. This lure, with its unique side-to-side action drives redfish crazy. The Spook Jr. will catch reds just about anywhere you can find them. Top colors are chrome/blue, spectrum and bone/silver. When you tie this lure onto your line use a locking loop knot. Something like an improved clinch will hinder the “walk-the-dog” action of the Spook.

Spoons

One of the all-time great redfish lures is the Johnson weedless gold or copper colored 1/8 ounce spoon.

The 1/8 ounce gold or copper weedless Johnson spoon is a salty favorite for anglers in the hunt for reds. The ¼ ounce is best in the surf for longer casts and a faster sink rate. What you want to do is cast it out, and reel the spoon in with a medium/fast retrieve. The flash of this lure is too much for a hungry red to resist.

Swim Baits

A lure that I discovered a few years ago is the Yum Money Minnow. The 3-1/2-incher is perfect. This is the No. 1 lure that I use on my guided wade fishing trips here in Port O’Connor. It’s a sure fire redfish magnet. This is a soft plastic swim bait that is shaped like a shad with a round vibrating tail. When rigged on a 1/8-ounce jig head this lure can be fished on 1 to 3 foot deep flats on a steady retrieve. Cast it out, reel it in and set the hook when you feel a thump – it’s that easy. Best colors are pearl/chartreuse and clown.

Wedgetails

An Egret Wedgetail is soft plastic swim bait that’s evolved into a redfish killer along the Texas coast. It, too, is simple to use. The 5-1/2 inch Wedgetail very much resembles a swimming mullet. The wedge tail kicks out a lot of vibration, looks like the real deal and is perfect for fishing on shallow flats with a medium retrieve. Best colors are limeade or white/diamond.

Twitch Baits

Over the past couple of years the MirrOlure Lil John Twitch Baits have come on strong as a top soft plastic for catching reds on clear water flats here in Port O’Connor. This is a 4-1/4-inch bait with a tube shape that tapers down to a pointed tail. This bait is made for fishing with a lightweight spinning rig and 12 pound test line. When this lure is twitched it darts around like greased lightning. This is a lure that will provoke strikes from reds that aren’t even hungry. Top colors are gold, rootbeer, opening night and margarita. This is a great twitch bait to rig on a super lightweight 1/16 or 1/32 ounce jig head. That allows you to twitch it and let the bait sort of flutter down, which is when most strikes occur. They can also be fished under rattle floats.

Carry these five lures along with you on any given day and sooner or later you’re going to catch reds.

Let’s go fishing!

Book a wade or jetty fishing trip with Capt. Robert Sloan. Call 409-782-6796; go to www.luckystirkeguide.com or email sloan288@aol.com.