I want to insist that, contrary to popular opinion, fasting is not the suppression of desire but the intense pursuit of it. We fast because we want something more than food. We say No to food for a season only to fill ourselves with something far more tasty, far more filling, far more satisfying. That is to say, if one suppresses the desire for food it is only because he or she has a greater and more intense desire for something more precious – something of eternal value.

Sam Storms

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Fruits, Vegetables	California	Salads, Prodigy, Dec., Fatfree	6	Servings

INGREDIENTS

16	oz	California fruit cocktail
1	c	Brown rice
1		Tomato; diced
1	c	Sliced celery
1/2	c	Sliced green onions
2	tb	Red wine vinegar
1	tb	Vegetable oil
1	tb	Dijon mustard
1/2	ts	Tarragon
1/8	ts	Garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Drain fruit cocktail, reserving 1/4 cup liquid; save remainder for other
uses.  Cook rice according to package directions; chill thoroughly. Toss
rice with fruit cocktail, tomato, celery and green onions. Combine reserved
fruit cocktail liquid with vinegar, oil, mustard, tarragon and garlic
powder.  Stir into rice mixture; chill for flavors to blend.
Nutrition (per serving):  199 calories  Total Fat  4 g (16% of calories)
Source: The Canned Fruit Promotion Service
  :
D/L from Prodigy 12-14-94. Recipe collection of Sue Smith. 1.80á
File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/fatfreex.zip

A Message from our Provider:

“Forbidden fruits create many jams”

I think we also learn from this to be charitable towards different views. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind, at least if you can be. But we must distinguish between central issues of the faith and issues which aren’t central. Some people have a hard time doing that. Everything for them is of equal importance in the Bible. But that’s not true. There are some things that are non-negotiable in our faith. The Trinity is non-negotiable. The authority of Scripture is non-negotiable. The substitutionary atonement, justification by faith alone, the deity of Christ, and, of course, I could mention other things. But there are less clear matters in the Bible as well; things like when the rapture will take place and what we’re looking at today regarding the millennium. We must beware of being divisive, and schismatic, and inflexible on matters that are less important. That really shows, I think, a character flaw in us - something that God wants to work on in us.

Thomas Schreiner