MERRY CHRISTMAS! (REALLY?)

Hard to believe this is the last Tradewinds column before Christmas! Time always “flies” as the saying goes but it seems to go faster the older one gets and my hair and beard are very, very white! On top of that, this year in particular has been, shall I say, weird. And it’s been weird in a bad way. The restrictions put in place by Covid have hit the seafood industry particularly hard from the individual fishermen, seafood dealers and processors to the truckers. Everyone has been severely impacted.

While most everyone will be very happy to see the start of the New Year, we have no idea what 2021 will bring. We assume most of the restrictions will be lifted, but back in April many of us assumed the same by June or most certainly by this fall!

Then there’s the election! Anyone that doesn’t believe the results of November 3^rd won’t have any effect on the future of the restrictions is living in la-la land!

As I write this, the election is less than a week away. Once the results are in, what a whirlwind of activity it will be for NCFA. There will be quite a change in the contact information for legislators at the state and national level. At the state level, there will considerable updates needed if Republicans maintain control of the Senate and House, but if the majorities change in either or both, it will be quite some time until the dust settles and new committees are set up and filled. The same is true for the Governor’s race. There may be a few changes made in the administration if Governor Cooper wins re-election but if Dan Forest prevails, then the changes will be large.

But enough of the conjecture! As we approach the holiday season, especially when it’s the last issue of Tradewinds before Christmas, I like to concentrate on the positive, keeping in mind the “Reason for the Season” and the Gospel of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

This year it was Covid, but every single year we deal with at least one major event of some sort. We’d all go nuts if we didn’t have some semblance of hope, and our hope is the Gospel! FAITH, not FEAR!

May you and yours reflect on the good news of the Christmas season and the promise it brings!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Jerry