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Show Press New Utah! - Wednesday, December 23, 1998 - Page 2 Lehi Free Opinion Lessons to be learned from the Peace on Earth There may be "Peace on Earth," for a little while in some places, anyway. The cruise missiles have stopped their nightly flights over Baghdad. We hope the holiday truces declared in other conflicts will hold long enough to give their citizens a sorely-neede- d rest. Congress has adjourned, after a tumultuous session that included the second impeachment ever of a United States giving this Christmas. In the annual Christmas Family project sponsored by this newspaper, almost 40 north Utah County families will get gifts of food, clothing and toys, thanks to the generosity of our readers. Many of these families are in dire situations, victims of president. After all the political turmoil and making of war, we can now take a few days to focus on this extraordinary, season, when many of the citizens of our nation join the Christian world in pausing to remember the birth of the child who was hailed as the Prince of Peace. What a refreshing contrast. It certainly is true that Christmas has become the nation's most significant retail holiday. Many businesses rely on December revenues to maintain their business the rest of the year. And for many, money is the motive behind their annual Christmas celebration. But money alone can't explain the great good that is done during the Christmas season. Thousands of families and individuals in need have been helped by selfless expressions of mas seasons will mean unforgettable holidays for these families, and the selfless individuals who sacrificed to give them a Christmas. There are lots of ways to express the greetings of the season and the accompanying spirit of sharing engendered by the Christmas observance. This is the oldest and most significant: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Spoken two millennia ago by heavenly messengers, this simple phrase embodies the real meaning of our Christmas holiday. In times like these, when turmoil seems to be the rule rather than the exception, those words carry a special meaning. Above all other messages, this is the one we would pass along this year, and every year. broken marriages, broken promises and broken dreams. The helping hands which have been extended this Christ- Once upon a time, in a little farming community in the heart of the Wasatch Front, lived a family who found themselves in tough financial times one Christmas when the man's employer, a steel factory, found itself in tough financial times. Of the two boys in the family, the one explained to older, his plucky, if not gullible, younger brother how he could obtain a turkey. Mind you, the older brother did not order his sibling to get a turkey, he just planted the idea in his head that smart-aleck- y it could be done. All one had to do, according to the schemer, was to take a fishing pole, baited with a tempting slice of bacon, down to a local turkey farmer's place, where the flock would eagerly try to snatch up the proffered pork. The "fisher" would then just have to reel in the bird and grab it about the neck to claim his prize. Apparently the younger brother determined that this activity would be appropriate, given the family's need that year. When he returned home, however, the boys' mother felt that it was highly inappropriate, despite the need, and marched the younger boy back to the farmer in the dell to make full confession and restitution for his misdeed. (Personally, I think that the older boy should have had a good licking, too, but that's a story for another day.) The turkey, especially given that the Japanese word for turkey could be translated as "seven-face- bird," d seems to be quite the mascot for everyone these days. The older boy in the turkey tale of yesteryear asked my opinion of the Olympic scholarship situation. He reminded me of athletes Jim Thorpe and Ben Johnson, both of whom were con- formed completely to the rules of the Olympics. Now it seems that the reputation of our whole state is amid the sullying process as investigators look into questions about giving the relatives of Olympics officials scholarships, ostensibly to procure the support, and the subsequent positive vote, of those who would decide where the next Olympic games would be held. Did they do anything inappropriate? Did they do anything that other cities or countries have not done to achieve the same results? Does integrity change when "everyone is doing it?" While reading the L.A. Times on the Internet recently, docents at the Richard M. Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, Calif., were pleased that President Clinton's refusal to resign from office in the face of impeachment improves the public perception of Nixon's overall service to the country. Because Nixon had the decency to resign before impeachment proceedings could proceed, his disgrace over the Watergate affair is somehow lessened. I don't think anyone is questioning his culpability in the situation, but library officials feel that Nixon's positive contributions to our country can now become the focus of his presidency. Some idiot wrote in a letter to some editor, "What man wouldn't do what Bill Clinton did?" referring to his physical gratification versus his wed , ding vows. Well, I can think of a lot of men who4 wouldn't and who didn't. At the same time, I am sure that we, can all think of several who did, as, well. But that still doesn't make it, right. As I've suggested to my chil-dren, "Would you jump off a cliff if, , your brother told you to?" Bill Clinton's sins themselves are not impeachable offenses, but the fact-tha- t he bed under oath is reprehensi-- , ble. ; Would that the turkey fisher's; mother were in a position to march lit--t tie Billy Clinton back to those he had. harmed from his wife and daughter to the entire country and make him; apologize and make restitution. Not an apology of convenience, given at a time when he thought it could be to his advantage, but a sincere expression of remorse for having' compromised values that people should maintain, not because they have to, but because they want to and" choose to maintain. The entire Olympic structure should be changed as well, and Olympic officials have-given countries the impression that; their support must be "bought," then.1 the entire system should be revamped,' with people of integrity chosen to lead the group. If, in the process of reclaiming integrity, Utah loses the opportunity to host the 2002 Winter Games, so be . it. Integrity cannot be bought, and the integrity that has been lost in recent years must be reclaimed. It must start within each of us, and grow and swell throughout the community, the state,-th- e nation and the world. Think of that as you eat your seven-- , faced bird this Christmas. Winter Wonderland Some traditions we inherit, others we make There's snow in them thar hills. And soon it will be everywhere else as well. If you're lucky enough to have snowbunnies in your family, these websites will help you find lots of ways to make winter fun. Christmas traditions come in all shapes, sizes and flavors. Many of my own family traditions deal with food and were popular long before I was a member of the household. Safety first: last weekend, a young man died in an avalanche in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Before you or someone you love sets foot in the back country, please check the Avalanche Bulletin. Daily updates will tell you everything you need to know. You'll learn which areas are closed due to avalanche .danger as well as general conditions .throughout the Wasatch front. If you want, you can subscribe to their mailing list, and receive your updates that way. Follow the links ;to learn about heroic rescue dogs, ;get survival tips, and find out how 'to snowmobile safely in avalanche country. Then let the fun begin. Skiers will want to check out GoSki.com, "where they will find information on 'over 2,000 resorts worldwide, links 'to travel agencies, reviews of snow gear, and links to other ski sites. If !simply barreling downhill doesn't do Jit for you, check out the Extreme ;Skiing Archive, where the motto is "if you fall, you die." If you've got ; Ithe bucks to back up your bravado, risit HeliSki and find out how to yut your money where your mouth is. Snowboarders may want to start ;their ride at Board the World, jwhich is an attractive, colorful web- - site with great photos and lots of links, including equipment and resort reviews and chat rooms where you can talk to other boarders. You can even subscribe to an online boarding magazine, Rider's Lounge. Nordic skiers will find links to everything from courses to competitions at Cross Country Ski World. Did you know you can make your own snowflakes out of Borax? Visit Kid's Snow Page and find out how. There are plenty of other activities for the little snowbunnies as well. All these websites can be accessed through Yahoo's Ski and Snow. Take a powder. and all wrapped in dried corn husks. So, with a strong sense of adventure and no idea about the magnitude of the task I was taking on, I announced I would make tamales for that Christmas Eve. Armed with a simple recipe, I secured the necessary ingredients a pork roast, jalapeno chile, corn husks and corn flour known as masa harina. adolescent sort of way, with licorice rope And I launched into a learning exernooses and a stacked lifesaver e cise to make tamales for block. Christmas Eve. One of my favorite food traditions is This is what I learned. one I brought into the household. Like most food that has a long hisAbout five or six Christmases ago, I tory, tamales are not made of a lot of decided I wanted to bring some of Mexelaborate kinds of ingredients. It is ico into the home for Christmas Eve. basic food made from basic stuff. It's That's where I spent two years of my quite simple, actually. life as an LDS missionary a couple of Like most foods that have been decades ago. passed down for many generations and Mexican Christmas traditions are eaten by the masses, tamales are It takes a lot of time to make quite different from ours, many coming from the predominantly Catholic cula few tamales. You'd better have your ture. Food is a big part of the celebraChristmas shopping done before Dec. 24 if you plan on making and eating tion, and in Mexico, I learned, Christmas Eve always meant tamales. Not the these things that day. Unlike some Mexican dishes, prefabricated tamales made with coarse corn meal and ground beef you buy in tamales require time more than talent. the grocery store, but real tamales, They don't need the same kind of manmade with pork for the filling, lard in ual dexterity required to make flour torthe surrounding tillas by hand. That's a good thing, covering, head-choppi- Avalanche Bulletin:http:www.csac.org GoSki:http:www.goski.com Extreme Ski Archive:httpwww.chpc.utah.ed uMdlExtremeSkiwelcome.html HeIiSki:http:www.heliski- wasatch.com Board the World:http:www.boardthe-world.co- That includes our "gingerbread" building projects, made for convenience out of graham crackers, fashioned however we can fashion them to make a house,' and brightly decorated with icing and candy. Each year it becomes quite a contest to see who can design the most interesting house. Points are given for originality and best use of candy. One year the award went to Jeffrey, who was in his early teens at the time, for his Christmas torture chamber, complete with gummy bear victims. It was pretty gruesome, but cute in an Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright... So begins what has become the signature song of the season for me. We eid our Christmas Eve family devotional with it, by candlelight. It has been the closing song for many choirs and caroling groups I've been with oVer the years, and is the one I sing to njyself to restore the spirit of the season whenever it seems to be slipping ! away. In my mind's eye I see the magnificent star, blazing brilliantly like a faraway fire in the darkness. Somewhere across the deserts to the east, watchful wise men recognize the sign that has been foretold for uncounted generations. Preparations begin to make a journey to seek Him. I To see the Child? Yes, but so much more. To bring him gifts, gold, frank ! Wtki fflm press ' m Cross Country: httpwww.xcskiworld.com Kid's Snow Page:http:www.teelf amily.com - activitiessnow corn-me- al (ISSN No. 1521-685(U.S.P.S. No. 309-50A NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION HiAHANTMflVUMW 59 West Main American Fork,' Utah 84003 ml it tradition. it is not too different today, and without it still seek, not knowing;! most of the rest of the continent is where to find it. Those who have found it are the Lord's lighthouses. struggling in similar fashion. Yet, even as the sign was given on There is a message in the light.; the very eve of the day decreed for the Come unto Christ, and He will make;! destruction of the believers in those your burdens lighter, whatever be. There is that promise, made times, the message of the Child still transcends all our politics, all our wor- to the humble shepherds on the hill-ries about the economy, all our anxiety side, still made to us today. ; over our children, all our challenges of In our communities, we light up our! whatever kind. homes at this season with bulbs and'; Above all things, what He offers us luminaries, modern versions of the; is hope ... hope that there is a place ancient customs meant to where the troubles of this world will the advent of the Lord into;! cease to bedevil us. Hope that we can the world, and the beginning of His! be better people than we find ourmission. At my home, we leave them'; selves today. Hope that no matter on all night Christmas Eve, not only to what our stumbling blocks may be, He light His way into the world, but also can lead us to the light. into our hearts. Silent night, holy night, son of God, Silent night, holy night, all love's pure light... Love and light. In God's hands, they Yes, there is yet much trouble in the:' become the same. The Lord is our world, but in our souls there can be! light, and when we feel His love, it hope. Dear neighbors and friends, at! warms us, and shines through us as a least for this one night, may all of us beacon to all the world. Many who are sleep in heavenly peace. : they-ma- step, they find the manger where their promised Savior lays, and fall down to worship Him. A lot has changed in the world since that long ago night, but some things have not. People are still fighting each other in Palestine, as they were then. World powers and local hotheads are still dueling over who gets land and how much. Life was, at best, an uncertain proposition, and today the people there still never know what the morning might bring. On this side of the world, leaders, religious and secular, who thrived on greed, immorality and the lust for power were threatening to overwhelm the stalwart few who still believed and stood for right. Even in our own coun Deadlines Telephone Numbers & Circulation Publisher . n Now when Dec. 24 rolls around,;' everyone knows the house will be filled! with the smell of cooking pork roast and; steaming tamales, and I'll be up to myl; elbows in sticky masa harina. I don't know how good my tamales! are, although I'm certain my efforts!; have improved over the years. I like!' them a lot. But like most other holiday! traditions, the value of this one is not in! the food, but in the familiarity and the'; routine. Traditions work because they create"! a sense of security and consistency in a? rapidly changing world. They are proof; that for a few moments on these special, days, we can go home again. Even if it's just to eat a home-mad- e !' tamale on Christmas Eve. : Advertising News member of full-blow- !; Published weekly by jew(ahjews e. because I've tried to make tortillas by-- ' hand and the results were misshapen blobs of flour rather than nice, round tortillas. ' Tamales take a long time to cook two or three hours of steaming are" required before you get the desired, result. So you'd better start early if you want them "to be ready when people , want to eat. Tamales make a great Christmas', Eve dinner. They have wonderful ture, great flavor and kids like them. ' At least they learned to like them.; That first Christmas Eve, the subjects' of Christmas my experiment' approached the meal with trepidation.! After all, they didn't look like the; tamales they were used to, and I had' cooked them. The preliminary venture was a qual-- J ified success which has grown into a; try, incense and myrrh, that honor who He is a king, God, who will lay down His life for us all. To feel in their hearts the fulfillment of the Father's word. To find the enlightenment that only the Chosen One can bestow. Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight-Y- es, I can see them too. I know those hills. Barren, windswept, with only an occasional twisted tree trunk where the wanderers might find small shelter from the breeze. Not to the mighty king in his palace do the angels come, but to these simple men, who, nothing doubting, follow the instructions they are given. As they move towards the crumbling City of David, they hear an unearthly music of such richness and texture that it penetrates to the depths of their souls. With quickened KewUtah! home-mad- work-intensiv- Sleep in heavenly peace? ; disqualified because they had not bird seven-face- d Managing Editor Editor 9 3 Brett Bezzant Marc Haddock City Subscription price $24 Russ Daly per year Periodicals Postage Paid at American Fork, Utah lend address change to Wett Main, American Fort, Utah 84003 POSTMASTER: 59 Classified Advertising Display Advertising News Missionaries Weddings Sports . .Tuesday, noon . . .Monday, 5 p.m. . . 2 p.m. Monday, 2 p.m. Monday, 2 p.m. Monday, ..Monday, 10 Tuesday, 11 symbolize:-welcomin- ; ! ! ! We welcome letters to the editor. All letters must include the author's fiame (printed AND signed) and a telephone number. We reserve the right to edit let- ters for clarity, punctuation, taste and length. Letters are welcome on any topic. HOW TO REACH a.m. Community Calendar . .Monday, 10 a.m. Letters to the Editor . . .Monday, 10 a.m. Obituaries !; By Mail P.O. Box 7, American Fork, UT 84003 a.m. 59 W. 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