Nativity scenes and Christmas cards make the birthing place of Jesus like something out of a “Tennessee Made-for-Television Christmas Special” with Garth Brooks sitting on a bale of hay strumming some of our Holiday favorites in a clean barn with domesticated animals and seats for the children to drink their hot chocolate. Clearly this was not the case for Joseph and Mary. The conditions were crude. We can assume animals were present, but the text never confirms it. Animals probably were at some time housed there since Jesus was placed in a manger, which is a feeding trough for animals. The whole place smelled not only from animal droppings, but also from poverty, scandal, insignificance, helplessness, humiliation and embarrassment.

Randy Smith

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Fruits	Vegetarian	Jelly	1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

1		-(up to)
2	tb	Minced Chipotle chilies [sic] (3 to 4 whole chiles)
2	c	Apple juice
6 1/2	c	Sugar
1	c	Cider vinegar
1		Box (1.75-oz.) dry fruit pectin (such as Sure-Jell)

INSTRUCTIONS

Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 15:47:29 -0500
From: rael@EbiCom.net
from: _High-Flavor, Low-Fat, Vegetarian Cooking_ (copyright Steven
Raichlen, 1995)(ISBN: 0-670-85782-3)
1.  If using dried chipotles, soak them in 1/2 cup warm apple juice for 30
minutes, then remove the stems and mince the chilies.  If using canned
chipotles, mince them.  For a milder jelly, you can remove the seeds.
2.  Combine the sugar, remaining apple juice, vinegar, and chipotles in a
large heavy saucepan and stir to mix.  Simmer the mixture over medium heat,
stirring gently, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
3.  Stir in the dry and liquid pectins and boil for 2 minutes.  Skim well.
Pour the mixture into sterile jelly jars (three 1-pint jars or six 1-cup
jars) and cover tightly. Invert the jars for 10 minutes, then reinvert.
Shake the jars from time to time as the jelly cools, to evenly distribute
the pepper pieces. The jelly will keep for several months in a cool, dark
place, unopened. Refrigerate it, once it is opened.
Makes  6 cups: 52 calories per tablespoon; 0g protein; 0g fat; 14g
carbohydrate; 1mg sodium; 0mg cholesterol
CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V2 #334
From the Chile-Heads recipe list.  Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe
Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.

A Message from our Provider:

“The rapture! Separation of church and state”

None of the following, as desirable as many of them are, should be the reason why you believe God has called you to the ministry of preaching: Ambition to be noticed, to prove yourself, or to “make a difference;” confidence that you could do well in the ministry; compassion for hurting people; confusion about a mystical experience; fluency in public speaking; knowledge of the Bible; failure at all other types of work; belief that ministry would be the best means to an easy life, study and intellectual pursuits, or wealth; acquiescence to the expectation of a parent or the selfish opinion of others; conviction that the church needs you. Do not enter the ministry if one of these is your main motivation. You must be called.

Donald S. Whitney