April 23: 6:00-7:00 p.m.

The main Calhoun County Library, 200 W. Mahan St., Port Lavaca is hosting an award-winning water video called The State of the Gulf: America’s Sea.

This documentary explores the rich diversity of the Gulf; its diverse flora and fauna and the variety of ecosystem services the Gulf provides to people and the variety of forces that threaten it, from Hypoxia Zones to hurricanes.

I am sure that God was very proud of Port O’Connor and the hundreds of people who came to the “Beach Front Easter Sunrise” Service this Easter. The Celebration of Jesus Resurrection was outstanding. The weather was not perfect, but the slight wind and misty rain added to the tone “I Love Jesus” atmosphere.

The Sunrise Service began promptly at 7:00 a.m. with Raymond Grant leading everyone in singing “He Lives”. Fisherman’s Chapel Pastor Erny McDonough gave the Welcome and opening prayer. The First Baptist Church Choir sang the beautiful hymn “The Light Of The World Is Jesus”. Pastor McDonough read the Holy Bible Easter Scriptures and Raymond Grant led the people in singing the great Gospel song “Because He Lives”.

People were still arriving by car, walking and by golf cars when First Baptist Church Pastor Donnie Martin began his Easter Sermon. The sermon was one which always lifts our hearts, “The Resurrection Of Jesus”. Jesus is alive and lives today! As Bro. Donnie spoke, there was a light mist and the sea gulls were flying in the back ground. What an enjoyable sight, only in Port O’Connor could one enjoy such a peaceful Easter Morning!

After the Service, there was Christian Fellowship everywhere. Cinnamon Rolls were furnished by Cathy’s Restaurant and hot coffee by Fisherman’s Chapel. How many people came to the service? Over 400 and probably 500. Yes, Port O’Connor Sunrise Service was very well attended and God saw it all!

Easter Sunday Morning Services were held at both Fisherman’s Chapel and First Baptist Church. First Baptist Church was packed with members, visitors and guest. The Holy Spirit was felt in the Service as Bro. Raymond Grant led the congregation in singing “At The Cross” and “He Lives”.

The Children’s Sermon by Bro. Raymond Grant was outstanding and a huge crowd of children gathered around Raymond as he told the story of Jesus and they all held hands and prayed for guidance.

The Church was beautifully decorated with Easter Lilies given in memory of Bernice Adams, who passed away July 27, 2009.

Bro. Grant led the congregation in singing “Alleluia Alleluia” and “Christ Arose”. Bro. Donnie Martin preached a very inspirational Sermon.

The Church welcomed the birth of JACOB STRYKER on Good Friday. Candice Stryker is at home and doing well after the child birth. Candice was going to be in charge of the Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, but others had to take over after her trip to the hospital. The Easter Egg Hunt was well attended by many, many children.

See you in Church Sunday!

“The Way I See It” is an attempt by the guest columnist to enlighten readers on a subject, as he views it, and does not necessarily reflect the views of this publication.

Liberal Tolerance

From my earliest memories of “Liberalism”, circa 7th grade and 1956, was their continuous Mantra of “tolerance”. At that time the tolerance demand was more for different denominations of Christians, Jews, ethnic groups, especially post-WWII immigrants, but soon became more focused on Racial Tolerance and the Civil Rights struggle. The post WWII economic boom had developed a growing successful Negro middle-class and they were struggling for equal legal rights as well as economic, educational, and social assimilation. Republicans and military families widely accepted, if not actively supported, their aspirations, even in the South. The “Liberals” also urged tolerance for pacifists, socialists, and other ‘political theories’, and even for ‘de-criminalization of homosexual laws’. The Liberals’ message was they all just want to get along and live their lives in freedom, they are no threat to you or mainstream society.

As a Senior in high-school I watched John F. Kennedy elected the first Catholic President as the Democrat Party tore itself to shreds in many southern states as “Liberals” took the leadership of the National Democrat Party as well as a substantial influence in the Republican Party. The Civil Rights Laws that the Eisenhower administration had tried to get through a Democrat Senate controlled by Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson were finally passed, but the Liberal Democrats were on a roll and pushed through The Great Society – a large and ever-expanding Federal Welfare State. They also replaced “Equality Before the Law” with the totally unconstitutional Federal Preference for hiring, loans, grants, even college admissions. This was done with the ‘good intentions’ of making up for past discrimination against Negroes. But the Unintended Consequences of welfare destabilized many struggling Black families, encouraged ‘single-parent families’ and dependence on Govt hand-outs, and created a destructive atmosphere of “victimhood”..

The Liberals also spear-headed the Sexual Revolution, easy access to contraception, the ‘rights’ of women to be as sexually irresponsible as college frat boys, repeal of all anti-sodomy laws, and legalize abortion. This was freedom and tolerance. The “Conservationists” morphed into “Ecologists”, demanding govt save the planet from DDT and other chemicals that had greatly reduced tropical diseases and infant mortality and given rise to exploding populations in Third World countries. All this created large and powerful special interest groups and lobbies, but was “for our own good”.

During the Jimmy Carter administration, judges decided that children born to illegal aliens were “14th amendment citizens” and they, their parents, and family could not be deported, and all qualified for welfare. Also after a decade and a half of the Democrat Congress raiding the Social Security fund, illegal aliens were “qualified” to receive Social Security benefits, even if they had paid in nothing. After all, we must be tolerant, and “fair”. With great promises from the Democrat Congress to seal the border and control immigration, the Reagan administration agreed to a “One-time Amnesty” of about 3 million illegal aliens, mostly Mexicans. In the next decade or so that brought about 20 million new immigrants as these new citizens could sponsor wives, children, and other family members. Many corporations like food processing plants loved the endless supply of low paid labor and the Liberal social workers for welfare, Medicaid, and other social services loved the expansion of their bureaucracies. Many American workers found they were being under-bid and displaced by these new immigrants, legal and illegal, as they learned English and developed skills in construction, trucking, retail marketing, as well as service industries.

All these problems were incremental, but now with 30 years of growth and more radical Liberals gaining power in govt at all levels, we are seeing the result. Illegal aliens, even known criminals can not be deported. Homosexuals are a Federally Preferred Minority and can now sue Christians who refuse to serve them in their “Same-sex weddings”. Muslims have special “Prayer Rooms” in some public schools, but any Christian prayer is strictly forbidden. Violent and destructive Wall Street Occupiers and Race Rioters go unpunished, but any conservative or Christian groups are investigated and often denied legal status by politicized bureaucracies. Liberals are demanding churches that follow Biblical teaching that homosexuality is a sin should be taxed. Some are calling for Global Warming “deniers” to be taxed, silenced, even imprisoned. American kids are forbidden to wear American flag shirts on Mexican holidays. Display of the American flag is offensive. Any Christian display, even The Ten Commandments is offensive. Any deviation from the Liberal Template of ‘The Current Truth’ is labeled a “hate crime”.

This is what Liberal Tolerance really is: Totalitarianism enforced by courts, media, education systems, and endless govt bureaucratic manipulation.

Why is there such a Liberal furor over Religious Freedom protection acts? Civil Unions are good, perhaps even a necessity in today’s legalistic society, but traditionally marriage is a religious celebration of a man and a woman joining together to form a family, the basic building block of civilization. “Homosexual marriage” is a negative transformation, an impossible denial, perhaps even a mockery and perversion of the traditional nuclear family, but if they insist on calling it a marriage, so be it. However, to force people to support and participate in a ‘religious celebration’ that is in conflict with their ‘religion’ and moral code is a perversion of justice, Natural Law, and Common Law.

And for what end? Self aggrandizement and political divisiveness? I think the militant homosexuals are an embarrassment to ‘regular’ homosexuals that want to economically and socially assimilate into society. Sexuality should be private, I don’t care or want to know about what others do, request the same respect from others, and we all ought to try to keep Gov’t and divisive politicians out of everybody’s private lives. Most Americans won’t care about homosexuals if they just stay out everybody’s face, quit trying to teach it in school, and don’t ask the taxpayers to pay for it. The “Unintended Consequences” of Liberal political exploitation of this issue are dangerous to society, especially for the “homosexual community”. But the militant homosexual activists are constantly trying to expand and increase emotional tensions – their ‘Liberal’ idea of “Tolerance” is that society gives them whatever they demand, and then they can demand something else, and use the Federal Govt and courts to get it.

“Liberal Tolerance” has reached such a fervor in the last 6 years that we must ‘tolerate’ our avowed enemies if they are sufficiently anti-Christian and anti-American. Obama , Kerry, and “Helper-Bee” Valerie Jarrett are pushing so hard for a ‘treaty’ with Iran that they ignore the Mullahs leading chants of “Death to America!” They say that is just “for domestic consumption”. Do they lie so much to their citizens that they expect it from others? Iran refuses to give up their stated goal of the destruction of Israel and genocide against Jews, they support Islamofascist terrorism worldwide, and sliding into war with Saudi Arabia in Yemen. The Iranians have been laughing in their sleeves, increasing their demands, and even changing the written agreement, but we must tolerate all that for their desire for a “diplomatic solution”. Looks like a farce to me, more acquiescence and appeasement for a phony “treaty” that all parties know the Iranians have no intention of honoring, and that is intolerable. The Liberal Media is lauding this, making claims of a Nobel Peace Prize for Kerry, and another possible Presidential candidacy, but such an accusation would be “intolerant” and “conspiracy theory”. Maybe the Iranians won’t have a nuclear bomb soon, but this farce will precipitate a Nuclear Arms Race in the Middle East. The Saudis will buy them, and the Turks and possibly the Egyptians will start development programs.

Just what we need, Muzzies with Nukes. And more “tolerance”.

“I consider knowledge to be the soul of a republic, and as the weak and wicked are generally in alliance, as much care should be taken to diminish the number of the former as of that latter. Education is the way to do this, and nothing should be left undone to afford all ranks of people that means of obtaining a proper degree of it at a cheap and easy rate.” – John Jay, 1785

Greetings fellow culinary enthusiasts! As a suggestion from the Dolphin editor, I have embarked a culinary adventure through a Community Service Club cookbook that was published nearly twenty years ago. I began last month with a delicious recipe in the appetizer section that I am still combing through. I found many recipes that include shrimp. Shrimp can be difficult as an appetizer ingredient because of the cost. I came across a delightfully simple recipe for Spinach Balls. It calls for spinach, stuffing, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and salt and pepper. It was then a great thing happened! Two ideas collided ….Spinach and Shrimp appetizer. This is a modified recipe submitted by Lee Crumbley from Anchorage, Alaska, who I believe must have relation to someone in Port O’Connor.

Spinach And Shrimp Appetizer

This recipe was submitted by Lee Crumbley. Lee intended this appetizer to be served as balls but now that we have mini muffin tins, we will use that instead! I took the liberty of adding one cup of chopped onions and celery to one cup of frozen, chopped spinach that should be cooked (sauted in butter). Add the vegetable mixture to 2 cups of cooked and chopped shrimp, 3 cups of stuffing, 1 and ½ cups of milk, 2 eggs and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese. Add salt, pepper, Old Bay seasoning and garlic powder to taste. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes or until brown in a mini muffin tin.

I decreased the amount of eggs from the original recipe and added milk for moisture, which seems to be a trend in current cooking techniques. I also added some additional seasoning (Old Bay adds a good flavor to seafood). After tasting this, I thought I could kick it up it up a notch, so I added chopped water chest nuts and a couple dashes of soy sauce. This recipe will made about 24 mini muffins.

Thank you to Lee and Lee’s family for this recipe. Enjoy!

My neighbors Parker and Patty are always telling me how proud they are to be a part of Port O’Connor, Texas. They say it is a great community and so friendly. Last week they had company. They went out fishing and had some …well…problems. Patty was backing the boat at the ramp and got turned sideways. After several tries and much frustration, a neighbor jumped in the truck, literally, and gave her a quick refresher lesson on backing the trailer. Success!

Once on the water, Parker had fresh bait in the bubbler bucket, but obviously the batteries were not fresh. While expressing his frustration at the marina, a helpful fellow fisherman produced a pack of batteries that he willingly gave to Parker accepting no money in return.

After fishing with some success for the morning, the boat decided to do a little wade fishing. Just across the way in one of their favorite cuts, they caught several legal fish, and one member of the company enjoyed some bird watching. When heading back to the beached boat, a guest of Parker’s cut his foot on something in the water. It was not deep, but painful and possibly serious in our water as we all know. He also lost his wade belt in the process. Parker was anxious about the injury and revved the boat the wrong direction, getting it firmly stuck in the silt. The group was really in a bad way at this point.

Just when Patty thought it was a true emergency situation, two young fishermen zoomed by, turned quickly, and came back to investigate. These two guys grew up on the water around POC. They did not know Parker and Patty, but they were ready and able to help. One good Samaritan put alcohol on the cut foot and wrapped it with clean gauze which he just happened to have in his boat. The other jumped out and retrieved the floating wade belt and equipment. They then attached a rope to Parker’s ties and gave him some valuable and much needed help pulling his boat out of the murky silt and grass. Once free, they laughed with the stranded group, accepted only sincere thanks and prepared to go on their way. Just as they pulled alongside to turn around, they tossed Patty a tube of sunscreen. Here Ms. Patty, they said. You must have forgotten yours, ‘cause that nose is really red! The two young guys, possibly in their early twenties, left only their first names, huge smiles and POC goodwill behind. They asked for nothing in return and acted in a manner that I am sure would make their POC fishing guide granddad very proud. “Be careful out there,” Parker called, “and catch a big one!” That’s POC small town hospitality and fishing etiquette!