FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine - Issue 42 Vol 4 # 12 December 2003 FreEzine is a free email magazine/newsletter containing articles of interest from a Christian perspective and is published no less than monthly. FreEzine is NOT Spam and is only sent to people who request it. If you ever want to stop (or start) receiving FreEzine you'll find instructions at the end of this newsletter. FreEzine is also available in Spanish - La Revista libre de Ezine, French - La Revue de Ezine libre, German - FreiEzine Zeitschrift, Italian - La Rivista di Ezine libera, and Portuguese - Revista livre de Ezine. A special "hello" to all of our new subscribers. We welcome and appreciate feedback on how we can improve this e-zine for you. IF YOU FIND THIS NEWSLETTER USEFUL... ... PLEASE FORWARD IT TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES! IN THIS ISSUE: Guest Editorial: A Gift Not a Sacrifice by Max Lucado Administrative Note: Reply to Sender Natural Remedies: Cramps Prayer Thought: Real Love and Compassion Slips that go Pass in the Type: With Outstretched Arms What's On? Seminars & Workshops Repeatable Quotable: God's Attitude Article: The Christmas Carol by V M Parachin Havagiggle: Kissing Santa Split Second Wisdom: Reason for Language The Extensive Exposition: A Harmony of the Gospels The Funny Bone: Why Jesus is Better than Santa Sermon Snippet: Twas' the Night... Theologically Speaking: The Bible -- True or False? Freebies: Computer Sun Clock From My Case Files: Holding a Woman's Hand Take a Hint: Hello Dolly Cooks Corner: Wassail Beverage Watch This Space Subscription & Other Information And in Closing: The Unknown Workman FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine -FreEzine Guest Editorial: A Gift Not a Sacrifice by Max Lucado When I was a young boy I was a part of a church corps which took communion to the shut-ins and hospitalised. We visited those who were unable to come to church but still desired to pray and partake of communion. I must have been ten or eleven years of age when we went to one hospital room that housed an elderly gentleman who was very weak. He was asleep, so we tried to wake him. We couldn't. We shook him, we spoke to him, we tapped him on the shoulder, but we couldn't stir him. We hated to leave without performing our duty, but we didn't know what to do. One of the young guys with me observed that even though the man was asleep his mouth was open. Why not? we said. So we prayed over the cracker and stuck a piece on his tongue. Then we prayed over the grape juice and poured it down his mouth. He never woke up. Neither do many today. For some, communion is a sleepy hour in which wafers are eaten and juice is drunk and the soul never stirs. It wasn't intended to be as such. The Lord's Supper is a gift to you. The Lord's Supper is a sacrament not a sacrifice. There are sacrificial moments during the Supper. We offer up prayers, confessions, and thanksgivings as sacrifice. But they are sacrifices of thanksgiving for a salvation received, not sacrifices of service for a salvation desired. We don't say, "Look at what I've done." We instead, in awe, watch God and worship what he has done. Often, we think of the Supper as a performance, a time when we are on stage and God is the audience. A ceremony in which we do the work and he does the watching. That's not how it was intended. If it was, Jesus would have taken his seat at the table and relaxed. And, at the Supper, Jesus is not the served, but the servant. It is Jesus who, during the Supper, put on the garb of a servant and washed the disciples' feet (2 John 13:5). Jesus is the most active one at the table. Jesus is not portrayed as the one who reclines and receives, but as the one who stands and gives. And when the bread is broken, Christ breaks it. When the wine is poured, Christ pours it. And when your burdens are lifted, it is because the King in the apron has drawn near. -- From 'And the Angels Were Silent', Copyright 1992 Max Lucado has kindly consented to a selection of his material being reproduced here in FreEzine. Look for more of his work in future issues. -Ed. Administrative Note: Reply to Sender Every issue of FreEzine contains a certain line tucked amid the 'heavy' section entitled Subscription & Other Information. This line reads: Please do not use "Reply To Sender" email option as this magazine may occasionally be sent out by a commercial or other distributor, unrelated to FreEzine. Unfortunately, some readers use the "Reply To Sender" option and your editor only gets these items of mail (if at all) when his Ezine Autosender programme is running once a month. The preferred address for all correspondence, including subscriptions is . Natural Remedies: Cramps Exploring some of nature's hygiene helpers and ways to fix basic ills, chills, aches and pains. Common sense is paramount - some of these hints are health related, and if you have a medical condition such high blood pressure, are taking prescription medication or are in any way unsure whether you should follow the self-help suggestion/s provided, consult a doctor or natural therapist. This month: Cramps Placing a block of camphor under the mattress sometimes helps prevent night cramps. Make a massage oil by combining six drops each of clove and rosemary oil with 30ml plain vegetable oil, shake well, and use to massage the length of the muscle when a cramp starts. -- Pamela Allardice, Natural Therapist Prayer Thought: Real Love and Compassion I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counsellor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my Customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick tongued speech of Down syndrome. I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meat loaf platter is good and the pies are home-made. The four wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids travelling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truck stop germ"; the pairs of white shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks. I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his tubby little finger and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customer's thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus dishes and glasses onto his cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a much practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met. Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. The Social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home. That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Down syndrome often had heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months. A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery and doing fine. Frannie, my head waitress, let out a war whoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of the 50-year-old grandmother-of-four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Belle Ringer a withering look. "We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay." "I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?" Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed. "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK", she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables. Since I hadn't had time to round up a busboy to replace Steve and really didn't want to replace him, the girls were bussing their own tables that day until we decided what to do. After the morning rush, Frannie walked, into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand, a funny look on her face. What's up?" I asked. "I didn't get that table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting cleared off until after they left and Pony Pete and Tony Tipper were sitting there when I got back to clean it off" she said. "This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup." She handed the napkin to me and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie." "Pony Pete asked me what that was all about," she said, "so I told him about Stevie and his mom and everything and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper napkin that had Something For Stevie" scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply "truckers." That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy. I arranged to have his mother bring him to work, met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and bussing cart were waiting. "Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast," I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother are on me." I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers leave their seats and join the procession. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins. "First thing you have to do, Steve, is clean up this mess," I said. I tried to sound stern. Stevie looked at me and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to his mother. "There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Thanksgiving." Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table. Best worker I ever hired. You now have two choices: pretend it didn't touch your heart as it did mine, or believe that friends are like quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly. -- Karaitiana Taiuru (c) 2001 (Submitted by Brian Smith Slips that go Pass in the Type: With Outstretched Arms In Miss Yonge's 'Dynevor Terrace' a portion of one word was joined on to another with the awkward result that a young lady is described ``without stretched arms.'' From Henry B. Wheatley, Literary Blunders, L&R Hartley, Murwillumbah, NSW, 1990 What's On? Seminars & Workshops: Check out the following web sites: for 2004 GNU Seminars (Feb28 Melbourne; March 6 Sydney; March 13 Brisbane); also ; and . Thank you to reader Brian Smith who drew my attention to an incorrect web address in the last issue. - Ed. Repeatable Quotable: God's Attitude 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.' --Jeremiah 29:11-13 (KJV) Article: The Christmas Carol When World War I erupted in 1914 launching the first great European war of the 20th century, soldiers on both sides were assured they would be home by Christmas to celebrate victory. That prediction proved to be false. The men on the fronts did not get home for Christmas as the war dragged on for four years. During that time 8.5 million men were killed, with hundreds of thousands more injured. The "war to end all wars" took a horrific human toll and transformed Europe. However, on Christmas Eve in December 1914 one of the most unusual events in military history took place on the Western front. On the night of Dec. 24 the weather abruptly became cold, freezing the water and slush of the trenches in which the men bunkered. On the German side, soldiers began lighting candles. British sentries reported to commanding officers there seemed to be small lights raised on poles or bayonets. Although these lanterns clearly illuminated German troops, making them vulnerable to being shot, the British held their fire. Even more amazing, British officers saw through their binoculars that some enemy troops were holding Christmas trees over their heads with lighted candles in their branches. The message was clear: Germans, who celebrated Christmas on the eve of Dec. 24, were extending holiday greetings to their enemies. Within moments of that sighting, the British began hearing a few German soldiers singing a Christmas carol. It was soon picked up all along the German line as other soldiers joined in harmonising. The words heard were these: "Stille nacht, heilige nacht." British troops immediately recognised the melody as "Silent Night" quickly neutralised all hostilities on both sides. One by one, British and German soldiers began laying down their weapons to venture into no-man's-land, a small patch of bombed-out earth between the two sides. So many soldiers on both sides ventured out that superior officers were prevented from objecting. There was an undeclared truce and peace had broken out. Frank Richards was an eyewitness of this unofficial truce. In his wartime diary he wrote: "We stuck up a board with 'Merry Christmas' on it. The enemy stuck up a similar one. Two of our men threw off their equipment and jumped on the parapet with their hands above their heads as two of the Germans did the same, our two going to meet them. "They shook hands and then we all got out of the trench and so did the Germans," Richards said. Richards also explained that some German soldiers spoke perfect English with one saying how fed up he was with the war and how he would be glad when it was all over. His British counterpart agreed. That night, former enemy soldiers sat around a common campfire. They exchanged small gifts from their meagre belongings - chocolate bars, buttons, badges and small tins of processed beef. Men who only hours earlier had been shooting to kill were now sharing Christmas festivities and showing each other family snapshots. The truce ended just as it had begun, by mutual agreement. Captain C.I. Stockwell of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers recalled how, after a truly "Silent Night," he fired three shots into the air at 8:30 a.m. December 26 and then stepped up onto the trench bank. A German officer who had exchanged gifts with Captain Stockwell the previous night also appeared on a trench bank. They bowed, saluted and climbed back into their trenches. A few minutes later, Captain Stockwell heard the German officer fire two shots into the air. The war was on again. -- Victor M. Parachin (Courtesy of Baptist Press Birmingham, Alabama) Havagiggle: Kissing Santa I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus Underneath the mistletoe last night. She didn't see me creep Down the stairs to have a peep; She thought that I was tucked up In my bedroom fast asleep. Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus Underneath his beard so snowy white; Oh, what a laugh it would have been If Daddy had only seen Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night. --Anon, Traditional Carol Split Second Wisdom: Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain. --Lily Tomlin (Editor's Archives) The Extensive Exposition. Each issue we will make available a longer article available by email free to those who request it. This is to keep the FreEzine a readable length yet make available more in-depth material for those who are interested. Articles provided under this section do not always reflect totally the beliefs of the editor. In some issues more than one article will be available under this section and articles will need to be asked for by name to save confusion. We have no separate mailing list for the automatic despatch of articles in The Extensive Exposition so a separate request will need to be made for each article. This month's article is the electronic book: A Harmony of the Gospels. Lists all of the major stories and events in the gospels with cross-references to easily find where other gospel writers record the same stories/events. A very useful Bible study tool. Articles may be obtained free by writing to the editor and asking for the article by name. The Funny Bone: Why Jesus is Better than Santa Claus Santa lives in the North Pole ... Jesus is accessible everywhere. Santa rides in a sleigh ... Jesus rides on the wind and walks on the water Santa comes but once a year ... Jesus is an ever-present help. Santa fills your stocking with goodies ... Jesus supplies all your need. You have to wait in line to see Santa ... Jesus is a close as the mention of His name. All that Santa can offer is Ho, Ho, Ho ... Jesus offers health, help and hope. Santa says, 'Better not cry' ... Jesus says, 'Cast all your cares upon me for I care for you.' Santa may make you chuckle ... but Jesus gives you joy that is your strength . Santa puts gifts under your tree ... Jesus became our gift and died upon a tree. It's obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put CHRIST back into CHRISTmas Jesus is the reason for the season. Yes, Jesus is better, He is even better than Santa Claus. --ARV News, Adventist Retirement Villages, Cooranbong NSW, Dec 2003/Jan 2004. Aside: Are you a writer, a poet or an illustrator? If you have something you have written or illustrated that you would like to consider having published, a free 60 page Style Guide is available online at , or from the Editor of this FreEzine. There is no charge for publishing and YOU receive payment on publication (see the free Style Guide for details). Publishing formats include Books, Pamphlets, Leaflets, Magazines & Ezines, Online video & audio, CD-ROM & floppy-disk electronic books & multimedia, Video & Audio tapes and Talking Books & audio CDs. Sermon Snippet: Twas' the Night... Twas' the night Jesus came and all through the house, Not a person was praying, not one in the house. The Bible was left on the shelf without care, For no one thought Jesus would come there. The children were dressing to crawl into bed, Not once ever kneeling or bowing their head. And Mom in the rocking chair with baby on her lap, Was watching the Late Show as I took a nap. When out of the east there rose such a clatter, I sprang to my feet to see what's the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and lifted the sash. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, But Angels proclaiming that Jesus was here. The light of His face made me cover my head, It was Jesus returning just like He'd said. And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth, I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself. In the Book of Life that in which he held in his hand, Was written the name of every saved man. He spoke not a word as he searched for my name, When He said "it is not here" I hung my head in shame. The people whose names had been written with love, He gathered to take to his Father above. With those who were ready He rose without a sound, While all the others were left standing around. I fell to my knees but it was too late, I waited too long and thus sealed my fate. I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight. Oh, if only I'd known that this was the night! In the words of this poem the meaning is clear, The coming of Jesus is now drawing near. There's only one life and when comes the last call, We'll find out that the Bible was true after all... --Andy <> Theologically Speaking: The Bible -- True or False? If there is only one chance in a hundred that the Bible is true in its statements about life after death, one would have to be considered vary careless with his future welfare if he did not make a careful and honest assessment of its contents. In so doing he would have to decide whether or not Jesus Christ was who he claimed to be or whether he was an outrageous fake. If he was a fake he was one of the greatest deceivers this world has ever known. But if not, then our eternal well-being depends entirely on clearly understanding some of the vital statements made by Him and some of His apostles. For example, He said, '...I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.' John 14:6. He also said, 'All that the Father gives me will Come to me and whosoever comes to me I will never drive away.' John 6:37. The apostle Peter said of the Lord Jesus, 'Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.' Acts 4:12. If Peter's statement is true, and it most surely is; then there is not salvation through Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, or any other religious leader or religious system. In reference to the death of the Lord Jesus; the apostle Paul said, 'For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in it's proper time.' 1 Timothy 2:5-6. The Lord Jesus surrendered for all who will appropriate him as their Lord and Saviour. In speaking about the forgiveness of sins, the apostle John said, 'if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.' 1 John 1:8, 9. The Lord Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty for the sins of all who will confess their sins and possess Him as their own Lord and Saviour Paul said, 'This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.' Romans 3:22-23. Until natural men realises he is a sinner and cries to God for forgiveness, he is on the broad road to destruction. In speaking about forgiveness through the Lord Jesus, Peter said, 'All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes In him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.' Acts 10:43. Regarding the validity of the Bible, Paul said, 'All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.' 11 Timothy 3:16, 17. The Bible is God's instruction book for mankind, and it tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour of lost sinners who will put their whole trust in him to cleanse them for the next life. This article is not an invitation to join a church or attend a religious meeting, but a very earnest request that you, my reader, take time to read through the New Testament with considerable care and honesty at least a couple of times, and then read through the whole Bible. If you are honest with yourself and with God, you will not be disappointed. If you do not have a Bible, then we suggest that you purchase one. This could be the greatest business transaction of your life. Jesus Christ is not a fake, but the Lord and Saviour of all who will put their whole trust in Him. The Bible is a thrilling book for all who are dissatisfied with their present lifestyle; and it has the answers for those who are desperate for a renewed life. -- Jack Chester (Available in print format from Aside: Wenceleslas' Pizza. Good King Wenceleslas went out to the pizza parlour and ordered a pizza. The assistant asked 'Do you want your usual? Deep pan, crisp and even?' --Reader contribution (Anon). Freebies: Computer Sun Clock A PC application and a useful screen saver. It can display the sun clock, the night sky, and a large format clock. When used as a screen saver it supports Windows screen saver passwords. It displays the sky as it appears from your location, or any other chosen location. The sun, moon, and major planets are displayed against the stars. It shows the distance to each planet and their speed with respect to the earth, as well as the celestial co-ordinates and the elevation and bearing as measured from the specified location. A large format analogue clock can give a display big enough to be read across the room. It lists the times in the cities that you have selected. Other features include sun path diagrams for any date or location, and a printable perpetual calendar with the phases of the moon. Sun Clock shows time zones around the world a well as the time at locations of your choice. The state of the sun and the moon is shown both as shadows on the map and as views as seen from your present location. Observe both solar and lunar eclipses. The times for today's sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset are shown for your chosen location. Also, as an option you can choose to display the compass direction to Mecca from your location. For astronomers, the "Julian date" is updated each second. If you want a free copy, email me today: From My Case Files: Holding a Woman's Hand After three decades of counselling, your editor (a retired sociologist) sometimes ponders some of the things which have come up in counselling that, in retrospect, contain an element of humour. This section will be included from time to time to share some of these snippets. Names have been changed to protest privacy. Maggie and Egbert had had an argument. She explained that he was trying to hold her hand as they walked along the street together. Maggie said that only BEFORE marriage a man should publicly hold a woman's hand. Egbert added (with a sigh of resignation), 'I guess that AFTER marriage a man can only hold a woman's hand IN SELF-DEFENCE!' Take a Hint: Hello Dolly Let your little girl hang a small Christmas stocking for her doll alongside her own. Santa could leave a new doll's dress or tiny jewellery for her. -- Cooks Corner: Wassail Beverage "Here we go a wassailing...", waxes lyrical an ancient carol. 'Wassail' is both a noun meaning a salutation or toast given in drinking someone's health or as an expression of good will at a festivity, the drink used in such toasting, beverage spiced with roasted apples and sugar or a festivity characterised by much drinking, and also a verb. The verbs wassailed, wassailing, wassails can be used transitively (to drink to the health of; toast) or intransitively (to engage in or drink a wassail.). More recently 'wassail' has come to mean a Christmas carol of the singing of carols. Wassail is from the Middle English, contraction of 'wæshæil', meaning 'be healthy' [Orig. from Old Norse 'ves heill' : 'ves', imperative singular of 'vera' (to be) and 'heill' (healthy).] -Ed. Here is a modern version of the traditional wassail drink: 6 cups apple cider or juice, 7 cinnamon sticks. 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 cup honey, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel, 18 oz unsweetened pineapple juice, 1 orange, and 30 cloves. In a large saucepan, heat cider and one cinnamon stick to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes. Uncover and stir in remaining ingredients, except orange and remaining cinnamon sticks. Slice off top and bottom of orange. Slice across sections of orange into 6 equal slices. Securely insert five cloves into the peel of each orange spacing equally. Cut out a wedge of peel and pulp between cloves to form five-pointed star. Place into bowl with other ingredients. Place a cinnamon stick into each glass and serve. (Serves 6) Variation: Floating 'clove oranges' can be used in place of orange slices. To make 'clove oranges', insert whole cloves about 1/2 inch apart in 3 oranges. Place in a baking pan with just enough water to cover. Bake in a 325 degree oven uncovered for 30 minutes. These oranges can be prepared and baked a day ahead. Refrigerate them until ready to serve. --SMI Kitchen Watch This Space: Future issues will include other sections not listed here. Why not write to us suggesting what you would like to see included. Subscription Information: FreEzine is a free email magazine/newsletter, published by Lionel Hartley () no less than monthly and sent out ONLY to those who request it. As FreEzine uses an opt-in email list, we never buy or otherwise obtain email addresses. Although we encourage our readers to forward a copy of FreEzine to their friends and invite them to subscribe, we have a strictly No Spam Policy. To subscribe, please send an email telling us where you heard about FreEzine, to and type SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. To change your email address, please send a blank message to and type ADDRESS CHANGE in the subject line. 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Although all out-going emails are scanned using Symantics's Norton AntiVirus with the most recent virus definitions, FreEzine cannot warrant or represent that this communication (including any enclosed files) is totally free from any electronic viruses, faults or defects. And, in closing: The Unknown Workman He was a humble workman With the tools with which he wrought And he built a common stable, Or so it was, he thought! ><> And he fashioned there a manger Where the cattle could be fed, Never thinking that the Saviour Would pillow there His head. ><> He had only built a stable With a manger in the stall, Yet it cradled there the Christ-child, Who is King and Lord of all! ><> So although our task be humble, Let us work each day with care; For we may not know God's purpose, Or why He placed us there. -- Henry B. Knox (Editor's Archives)