We often hear that marriage, or any relationship for that matter, is 50/50. 50% give. 50% take. Or is it? The equation sounds reasonable but according to God’s standard, should it not be 100% give / 100% take? “Did you say 100% take? How can that be?” Without graciously receiving, we deny the other person the opportunity to be a blessing to us. As we bless others wtih our thoughtful, loving gifts, we should allow others to do the same. But, we should never give something only for the purpose of expecting something in return. There should be no strings attached when we give from the heart.

You might ask, what do we do with the verse that says, “It is better to give than to receive.”? Acts 20:35 If you read the whole verse, the apostle Paul (quoting Jesus) is talking about helping the poor (weak) through hard work. In no way would we expect them to repay a kindness. Just knowing you were able to help someone else in need and doing it in the name of Jesus, is reward in and of itself.

So, this Christmas season think outside the (gift) box and find ways you can give of yourself to help the poor, children of prisoners, the elderly, and so many others, without expecting anything in return. And, as you give the gift of time, helps, words of encouragement, or actual presents to family and friends, do so with love (and allow them the blessing of doing the same). I don’t have the actual quote, but I remember someone asking Corrie Ten Bloom how she handles all the accolades that come her way. She said every night before she goes to bed, she “wraps them up” as if they were a bouquet of flowers and lays them at the feet of Jesus. Isn’t that a beautiful picture of grace and humility?  We graciously thank the person who gave us the gift, but at day’s end, we lay it down to the glory of God.

“PET-PEEVES”  Like it or not, we all have them, and they can be quite eye-opening. If we’re honest to the core, many of them have merit. But ask yourself, “Are the things we see in others, the very things we should examine about ourselves?” Are we truly women of our word?  Do we “Do unto others as we would have them do unto us.”? Matt. 7:12 Are we good stewards of God’s resources? As Christians, we are held to a higher standard… God’s standard! And, believe it or not, the world is watching us! So, here are some of the “pet-peeves” you wanted to “get off your chest”!

Amazingly… #1 pet peeve we heard: “people are not men or women of their word” WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY? People say they are going to do something and don’t follow through! WE MUST BE PEOPLE OF OUR WORD!!!

Ponder this: We should either commit to something 100% and see it through to completion, or don’t do it at all! (Of course, we all recognize there can be legitimate reasons or unforeseen emergencies down the road that can keep us from completing our commitment, but the aggravation comes when we pledge to do something and then don’t carry through on our word (our promise). Let’s ALL be women of our word!

#2 pet peeve: Sharing colds and flu! STAY HOME!!! One reader writes: we’re heading into cold & flu season and people REALLY need to stay home to get well and take every precaution to not give it to others!

Ponder this: Think about it… if we realize how awful we feel, why would we ever want to make another person (especially a child) to feel the same way??? Remind yourself to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands FREQUENTLY (especially after you’ve blown your nose, coughed or sneezed), avoid face-to-face contact during the contagious days, and sanitize surfaces whenever possible, avoiding the vapors from aerosols.

#3 pet-peeves in the neighborhood:
Inconsiderate neighbors
Music too loud
Dogs continually barking
Unsightly yards
Loud cars or motorcycles

Ponder this: As Christians, we are to be the light and love of Jesus to a lost world. Let’s be sure we’re not guilty of the very same thing we’re criticizing others for. Be a model of true Christianity!

#4 Litterbugs!
PURPOSELY OR MINDLESSLY - Everything from gum that other people will step on, to a gum wrapper that blew out of the car. Emptying ash trays at the side of the road. Dropping anything and not even attempting to retrieve it, including when the wind catches it. Even leaving trash at a campsite.

Ponder this: It’s God’s creation! We should all be good stewards and take care of it!!!

Then, there’s #5 pet-peeves - Communication:
telemarketers / endless requests for donations
lengthy emails / endless forwarded email messages
junk mail (snail mail)
lack of manners
we’ve lost the art of writing (thank yous, notes of encouragement, etc.) 

Ponder this: Look around, many have lost touch with manners and social etiquette, especially amongst our youth and young adults. This is more of a sadness than a “pet-peeve”, writes one reader, but my heart breaks at how we’ve forgotten to say “please” and “thank you” and show simple courtesies… putting others first before ourselves. Also, it’s always been a kind and thoughtful thing to write “Thank You” notes when you receive a gift. When you receive the gift in person, a simple verbal thank you (or a follow-up phone call) is all that is needed (unless the gift has a high monetary value, then a written note is preferred), but if you receive a gift and the giver is not present, it is so important to write a thank you. It’s the least we can do after someone has taken the time and effort to shop for the gift and find “just the right card” to go with it. Emails just don’t cut it! We should always show our appreciate for the kindnesses of others.  By doing this, we are modeling to our children and teaching them the importance of simple courtesies that will last a lifetime.

#6 traffic pet-peeves:
You’ve just set your cruise control. The highway stretches out before you. And then, you get behind a turtle in the far left lane. It’s illegal to pass on the right and it’s dangerous (almost anymore) to honk your horn. Then, let’s talk about in-town traffic. You’re doing well to hit all the traffic lights because you are going the speed limit. Inevitably, there will ALWAYS be the slow-pokes that aren’t paying attention and go 5 – 10 mph below the speed limit. This reader asks: if you don’t go the speed limit, PLEASE get over to the far right lane!

Other pet-peeves while driving? She adds:
• People on their cell phones or text messaging
• People eating food in the car and
• People reading papers or checking maps

Ponder this: Again, we’re setting the example for our children and others. We need to be certain that our actions model what we want our children to learn. We need to always be mindful how we’re modeling Christ to others, too.  The Bible says we are to obey the authority of the land and if we proclaim ourselves to be Christian with our fish emblems and bumper stickers, then we need to be especially careful not to give even one more opportunity for others to criticize “those Christians”.

“Wrap it all up”: Our purpose for this feature is not to point fingers, but to remind all of us to be more thoughtful, loving, and kind; to get out of ourselves and be aware of how our actions are affecting others. God wants us to be good stewards. He wants us to reflect His lovingkindness in all ways and at all times.

“When we practice the principle of making no decision without prayer, we experience a divine assurance with every step we take.” –Elizabeth George

Look at the “greats” of the Bible…
• King Solomon prayed for wisdom to judge God’s people, to “discern between good and evil”. Then, he rose up from prayer to become the wisest man who ever lived.
(I Kings 3:6-12)
• Nehemiah spent time “praying before the God of heaven” after hearing distressing news concerning God’s people. He rose up knowing what action he had to take. (Nehemiah 1:4-11)
• Queen Esther fasted three days and nights to prepare to follow God’s will in a life-threatening situation, then rose up to go boldly before the king with her request. (Esther 4:16)
• And, don’t forget the apostle Paul who prayed, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” in Acts 9:6. He rose up to go to the city and be shown his next step into God’s will by Ananias.
• King David, a man who prayed, became a man after God’s own heart who fulfilled all God’s will.(Acts 13:22)
• Then, there was the Lord Jesus, Himself. He sought His Father’s direction through prayer. He rose up declaring, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” (Mark 1:35-39)

We, too, were called to a life of faith and prayer. God’s Word is filled with applicable principles that guide us into lives marked by powerful, confident and strong faith. Through prayer and study, we can access the very Throne of God and come to know His direction in every area of our lives. In actuality, it comes down to living life in the flesh (doing things our own way) or living a joyous, fruit-bearing life in the Spirit (doing it God’s way!) The choice is ours!!!

GERMAN APPLE STUFFING
Makes 8 servings. Can be doubled.

1 pound loaf of day-old bread, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1/3 cup margarine
1 medium (1/2 cup) oinion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
2 medium-size apples, pared, cored, and chopped (approximately 3 cups)

Preheat oven to 375°.
Place bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Lower oven temperature to 350°. Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in onion, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook 3 minutes. Pour over bread. Add milk and eggs; stir to moisten. Gently stir in apples and raisins. Spoon into a greased 6-cup baking dish; cover. Bake 350° for 1 hour.

“When our requests are in balance with our praise and gratitude, petitioning God is awesome and exciting.” -Unknown

We’d like to issue a challenge…
Lift up your prayer request just one time before God, then for the next 21 days, turn your petitions into total praise and thanksgiving for God and how He’s working in the situation. Even when you don’t feel like praising God, be honest with Him. He already knows it! Then, choose to praise God anyway, for He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. God inhabits the praises of His people Psalms 22:3 and praise elevates us not only into God’s presence, but power!

Further reading on PRAISE: Psalms 21:13 . Psalms 30:11-12 . Psalms 34:1-3 . Psalms 103:2-5 . Psalms 107:8-9 . Psalms 150:1-6 .  Hebrews 13:15

PLEASE NOTE: We’d count it a privilege to pray for you. If you have a prayer request, please send it to us and we’ll put it on Before His Throne. However, if your request is more personal in nature and you don’t want it to go online, our CCF prayer team will still pray for it. If you currently have a prayer request on our Before His Throne, we would appreciate an occasional update so we can know how to better direct our prayers, and if we should still keep it online. We will pray for you as long as you need us to.

1 cup of your favorite hot tea, prepared
2 tablespoons whipped topping, FROZEN (Lite Cool-Whip)
Ground Cinnamon, garnish

Top hot tea with Cool-Whip and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Makes 14 tags.
Materials:
1 sheet white card stock
waxed paper or plain paper to protect working surface
1 sheet printed or textured light green paper
fine-tipped green or red marker (or pen)
sheer green ribbon (optional… see below in #8)
mini-star sequin
button brads or miniature flat buttons
red sewing thread
paper glue or glue stick
1/16″ and 1/8″ circle punches
scissors
bright green inkpad
piece of sponge
double-sided tape

Steps:
1. Cut out 4 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ rectangles from white card stock. A paper cutter is great for straight lines and measurement.
2. Antique the edge of each card with green ink, using a small piece of dry sponge. Gently pat sponge on a green ink pad and then carefully, to avoid smears, apply to the edges around each card. Place on waxed paper (or other material to protect table surface) and allow to dry.
3. Cut out 1 1/2” x 1 1/2” squares of green paper to make tree shapes, one for each card. Easy Step: fold each green square in half and draw one-half a tree (as shown). Cut out inside the line while still folded.
4. Antique edge of tree with green ink (as above). Glue tree to left or right edge of 4 1/4” x 1 1/2” white cardstock (bottom of tree should be even with bottom edge of tag).
5. With a fine-tipped green or red marker or pen, outline the edge of the tree AND the card with stitches (straight edged or cross-stitched)
6. Glue one mini-star sequin to top of tree.
7. Do one of the following: Punch 4-5 (1/8-inch) holes in tree at various places and attach button brads OR carefully hand-sew on miniature flat buttons with red thread and fine needle (no punches necessary).
8. To finish tag, print “Merry Christmas” along top edge of the tag with your fine-tip marker. If desired, also include “To:” and “From:” underneath on left side. Tape tag to gift or punch a 1/8-inch hole in left side of tag and insert ribbon through hole and make a knot. (Not shown) Be careful not to tear tag. Trim ribbon ends. Tape to gift with double-sided tape on the back of the tag.

1 1/2 cups finely chopped, cooked chicken meat
1/3 cup toasted and chopped almonds
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine chicken and almonds and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, garlic, seasoned salt, celery seed and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Add flour all at once; stir mixture until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat until smooth. Stir in chicken and almonds. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with a honey mustard sauce or cranberry chutney.

Change is everywhere these days. In fact, do you know anything that doesn’t change, except God’s Word? Buildings decay. Plant life dies. Weather shifts. Our attitudes, health, and relationships continually vary, but GOD’S WORD IS CHANGELESS!

Oh? You beg to differ? God didn’t answer your prayer?

Let’s take a look at some of God’s PROMISES…
John 15:7 “IF you abide in Me, ask what you will!”
Matthew 11:28,29 “COME to me - TAKE My yoke…”
Proverbs 3:5,6 “TRUST in the Lord… and He will…”
Isaiah 40:31 “WAIT on the Lord, shall renew…”
Jeremiah 33:3 “CALL unto Me and I will answer…”
Acts 16:31 “BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ and…”

Note that the condition is always OUR PART, not on His ability to perform or fulfill His promise. Nothing ever changes that. But don’t forget, God doesn’t always give us what we ask for. He is too wise for that. Since He knows the end from the beginning He gives the strength we need to live through the trial rather than remove it.

Take a look at what Joseph went through. He was thrown into a pit by his brothers and landed in prison in Egypt. Then, you might ask, why didn’t God keep Daniel from the lion’s den or Paul from shipwreck? God is a Master at taking us through problems rather than removing them. WHY? Because He knows the end of the story, we don’t. I’m sure that neither Joseph, Daniel or Paul would exchange their experience for the end result. Many of us would say the same.

When you go through a heavy trial, remember, GOD’S PROMISES NEVER CHANGE! It’s up to us to trust and believe in Him who is bound by His Word. We can depend on Him to walk with us through it.

“Camp” on this: Through trials, we learn to trust in God’s sovereignty and hopefully allow Him to develop our character; to be conformed into the very image of Jesus Christ. No matter what you are going through, trust God with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5-6) and believe that His purposes for your life are far greater than you can imagine. Jeremiah 29:11

A Blind Man Prays
Of course, he was a man of prayer. Perhaps at first he prayed that his sight might be restored, but the light never came. Then he prayed for courage, wisdom and strength to face life with this handicap.

Did he ever ask, in Jesus’ name, that this handicap might be lifted? Paul did. Probably Paul was afflicted with partial blindness. We know that he prayed three times that his “thorn in the flesh” might be removed, and after his third prayer, the answer came. “My grace is sufficient for thee.” In the grace and power of God, Paul went on with his ministry to the nations, and from his fertile, consecrated, restless mind came much of our New Testament.