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Cross Cultural Neighbor Hood By Keith Hood Our vehicles sit a little lower to the ground these days. After Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day we all aver age about 5 to 10 pounds more. That is certainly true for me. “It looks like you’re putting on weight, Keith.” “No, it’s just my t-shirt and sweater.” Know ing eyes dressed with a smirk have already made conclusions. My rationalization hides not the gathering ham, turkey, cook ies and other forms of calo ries, dressed as angels of light though they may be. Yes, thus prompts the skull duggery of making New Year’s resolutions. Weight Watchers is getting ready for the big rush. “Oh, hello Ms. Jones. It’s been awhile! How are Mike, Sue, Anne and Paul?” Waddling over to the scales, Ms. Jones responds. “Fine, fine. Mike’s cholesterol is up at 365. Lipitor is expensive these days! Sue is taking back a few pants to Dil lard’s. She’s bigger this year, you know, and Anne’s been fussin’ back at Dr. Phil. Says he thinks he knows everything. Paul just sits at his computer all the time. I never see him except at meal time.” I don’t even make New Year’s resolutions anymore. The food will be removed after the holidays so that shouldn’t be a problem. There is always room for improvement but why wait for January 1 st to start? That having been said, what are the priorities of life on which we should all focus? Is it all about self-improvement? Is it all about me? If I were The Creative Cook A very happy New Year to everyone! Hopefully, you were able to use some of the yummy recipes detailed throughout the year. With any luck, you’ve been able to add these to your own repertoire of recipes and have made them your own. In choos ing these recipes, I always try to go with the simplest, easiest- to-find ingredients combined with ease of execution, and, of course, taste! Happy, healthy eating! With the holidays basically over, Americans’ attention turns to football. Millions will gather in front of the TV to watch their favorite team win its way to the big bowl game while snacking on their favorite munchies. The J.M. Smucker Com pany has created a collection of easy yet hardy recipes to give game time an extra kick. In the next few weeks. I’ll be passing these along to you. The first is Pre-Game Hot Dog Bites. While the hot dog is probably most closely associated with baseball games, this twist on an American favorite makes it perfect for football season. Get the game started with these quick-and-easy hot dog bites using Smucker’s Blackberry Jelly (yes, jelly!) for a flavor burst you won’t be able to get enough of. SMUCKER’S PRE-GAME HOT DOG BITES 1/2 cup Smucker’s Blackberry Jelly 1/4 cup prepared mustard 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish 1/2 pound hot dogs, cooked In a saucepan, combine jelly, mustard and relish. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is hot and well blended. Slice hot dogs diagonally into bite-size pieces. Add to sauce and heat thoroughly. Yield: 10 servings (2 pieces per serving). INTERNET SAVVY: Chances are, if you read this column on a regular basis, you’re a food devotee. If you’re looking for more recipes, try the Internet. The most obvious website which comes to mind is www.foodtv.com which is the TV Food Network’s official site. For other resources, do a keyword search for Martha Stewart Living and Michael Chiarella’s Napa. If you want to make it even simpler, just do a keyword search for recipes or food. I find these sites most helpful in my quest to serve my family a variety of foods. Not only that, but as I experiment, I am embellishing my cooking skills as well. So, if you’re like me and you truly like to cook, tap into the Internet. It’s just such a marvelous age we live in! (c) 2003 DBR Media, Inc. Red Cross, from page 2B The organization is encourag ing Americans to make blood donation a routine part of their lives. Just as you get your hair cut about every 8 weeks, you should schedule an appointment to donate blood. The Importance Of Donating Blood Just one pint of blood can help save as many as three lives. Every two seconds, someone in America needs blood. Every day, 38,000 donations are needed in the United States to help save the lives of cancer patients, accident victims and patients with blood disorders among others. To learn more about donating blood to the Red Cross, visit the web site at www.givelife.org or call 1 -800-GIVELIFE. At Curves, resolutions are a group effort. Discover Curves, a supportive community where women help each other reach their goals through commonsense weight loss, a great thirty minute workout and a lot of laughs. Call your local Curves today for an appointment. Get this free Curves Designer Bag and 50% off the service fee when you join now.* Curves The power to amaze yourself.™ www.curves websites .com/106109 229-436-9580 2722-4 Dawson Rd Albany, GA 31707 *0ffer based on first visit enrollment, minimum 12 mo. c.d. program. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. New members only. Hood 20 lbs lighter would that promote world peace? (Well it all depends on the spouse in a given situation, doesn’t it?) Jesus reduced our priorities to two command ments: Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neigh bour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) In essence, Jesus reduced our priorities to relationships: Love God first. Love your neighbor secondly. He who dies with the most toys still dies. He who dies with God as his friend and friends as loved ones lives. In a related passage, a lawyer asked Jesus what must be done to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded by asking him a question: “What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God wit all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and Thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast an swered right: this do, and thou shalt live.” (Luke 10:26-28) My purpose for this year as it was for last year is to enhance relationships. Christianity is not about dos and don’ts. It’s about a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son Who died on a cross and rose again to make this a pos sibility for you and me. Once in this relationship with God, He wants us to spread His love around, thus the two command ments. My personal mission state ment reads as follows: To grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ while obeying His Great Commission, Nurturing relationships with God, my family and all peoples so that His Kingdom is ad vanced. God created us as human beings not just human doings. Why not resolve to know Him better this year? Rev. Keith Hood serves as Pastor of Community Alli ance Church in Albany. For this and other articles go to our website at sadcma.org/ communityalliance. The Lee County Ledger, Thursday, January 1, 2004, Page 3B iw,1 feL Darwin’s Theory By Darwin Bullock What did you get for Christ mas? What did Santa bring you? These questions have been asked a million times the last few days. It’s always fun to open presents to see what you got, or what you have to return. Some kids are already thinking about what they want next year. A small girl’s father once asked her what she wanted for Christ mas. The little girl, knowing that her mother was expecting, replied, “A baby brother.” To everyone’s delight the mother came back from the hospital on Christmas Eve with a baby boy in her arms. A little later the fa ther asked her what she wanted next Christmas. The little girl said, “Well, if it wouldn’t be too uncomfortable for Mom, I’d like a pony.” Let me ask you a question you may not have been asked this year: “What did you give to Jesus?” One family in our church gave us a “Stocking for Jesus” which had a little red stocking with Jesus’ name on it, and the following poem: A Stocking For Jesus Each Christmas we hang our stockings with care And fill them with gifts for loved ones to share. But we forget that the first Christmas night God gave us His Son Who gave us His Life. A sacrifice so great we can never repay. We can say, “Thank You, Jesus ” on His birthday. We need to be grateful for all our blessings. “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights...” (James 1:17). The day after Christmas a pastor noticed that Baby Jesus was missing from the manger scene in front of the church. He was shocked when he looked out the window and saw a young boy pulling a wagon around the parking lot with baby Jesus inside. The pastor asked, “Is that baby Jesus?” “Sure it is!” replied the little boy. The pastor asked where the boy got the baby Jesus from, when came the answer, “The church.” The pastor then asked, “Why did you do that?” With a matter of fact answer the boy said, “It was a promise I made about a week before Christmas. I prom- Are you paying more for your homeowner's insurance than your neighbors? N o two homes are alike. The same goes for insurance companies. 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It could be something grand or just a wagon ride around the block. ~ Dr. Darwin Bullock is pastor at CrossPoint Baptist Church where a broken spirit and a contrite heart is what Jesus wants from us. He can be reached at darwin@crosspoin tbaptist.org or by calling 349- 1865. Share Darwin's Theory with a friend at http://www.cros spointbaptist.org Ramon J. Fajardo Attorney At Law Located In The Exchange Center 102 N. Washington St. Suite 403 General Practice - Including Personal Injury, Divorce, Workers Compensation and Criminal Defence (420-3332) Sunday School 10:00 am Sunday Service 11:00 am 298 Leslie Hwy, Leesburg n (Across from Kinchafoonee Primary) Tvom/u/i www.ststephensepiscopal.com W4-! 759-1506 Addison Realty Company MLS Ken Gillett Sales Associate Office (229) 435-5467 Mobile (229) 395-5852 Fax (229) 446-0390 110 N. 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Ceil: 894-8048 Call my GRANDMA Lee County Schools’ Breakfast and Lunch Menu BREAKFAST MONDAY, JANUARY 5 Holiday - No School TUESDAY, JANUARY 6 Chicken Biscuit OR Cereal & Biscuit, Fruit, Milk WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 French Toast & Syrup OR Cereal & Toast, Chilled Fruit, Milk THURSDAY, JANUARY 8 Breakfast Pizza OR Cereal & Toast, Fruit Juice, Milk FRIDAY, JANUARY 9 Blueberry Muffin, Sausage Link Or Cereal & Muffin, Fresh Fruit, Milk UUNCH MONDAY, JANUARY 5 Holiday - No School TUESDAY, JANUARY 6 Hot Dog, French Fries, Coleslaw Graham Crackers with Peanut Butter, Milk WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 Baked Ham, Steamed Cabbage & Carrots Combread, Chilled Fruit, Milk THURSDAY, JANUARY 8 Vegetable Beef Soup, Peanut Butter & Jelly or Pimento Cheese Sandwich Crackers, Fresh Fruit, Milk FRIDAY, JANUARY 9 Manager’s Choice Provided as a Public Service bv Clip and Save OF THE SOUTH Clip and Save