nifty pickle 12 18 14

1Thanks For Reading The Nifty Pickle!

Thursday • December 18, 2014 • Issue #17

Americans’ food preferences in the year ahead will be driven by a continued in-terest in global cuisines, balanced nutrition, community connections and a desire for ad-venturous eating experiences, according to research by the Sterling-Rice Group. Here are its top culinary trends that will stand out on restaurant menus, expand onto gro-cery shelves and attract consumer attention across the U.S. in 2015. Advanced Asian: From Filipino food to a new generation of Thai, not one but a host of more complex and true-to-region Asian foods will dominate in 2015. Matcha Madness: The never-end-ing quest for wellness and energy will lead many to Japanese matcha, a nutrient pow-erhouse green tea now hitting the market in convenient formats like lattes, sodas and ready-to-drink cans. Hop-Free Suds: Channeling their medieval predecessors, craft brewers are making unhopped beers with herbs, spices and bitter plants yielding unique and in-triguingflavorsinsteadofhoppybitterness. Incendiary Charcoal: Look for more excitement around Asian styles of su-

New Year’s Food TrendsComing to Your Table:Ugly Fruit, Matcha Tea

Continued on 0

If you like reading historical fiction by the bestwriters of the day, such as Ken Fol-lett (Pillars of the Earth, et al), Al-ice Hoffman (The Dove Keepers, et al), and Barbara

Kingsolver (The Poisonwood Bible, et al), there’s a new name you must add to the list. That name is T.K. Thorne. The author of two previous books, Thorne has reached a pinnacleinhistoricalfictionwithAngels at the Gate. It is nothing short of a master-work: superbly and eloquently written, sol-idly researched and a high-speed page-turn-er. Readers will be swept up in a story they can’t put down. Thorne lives and writes in Springville, Alabama, in her home on an isolated mountain top, which she shares with her husband, Roger, and their assort-ment of dogs and cats. She also keeps and rides horses. Thorne is a retired captain with the Birmingham Police Department. Angels at the Gate is set in the an-cient time and land of the Biblical Patriarch Abraham (aka Abram). Many of the names of the characters will be familiar to readers of the Old Testament (the Hebrew Bible): Abraham and Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Lot, etc. Others spring entirely from Thorne’s imagination as she inventively fills in theblanks of ancient Hebrew history. The main character is a young motherless girl who is raised as a boy named Adir by her father, Zakita, a well-respected Canaanite mer-chant, caravan leader and close kinsman

to Abraham. When the time is right, Adir will openly declare that she is Adira, a fe-male. But long before that, as Adir, she will encounter intrigue, danger, excitement and the arrival into her life of two giant-sized men who may or may not be angels. And believes she has fallen in love with one of them. With her beloved dog, Nami, a salu-ki, at her side, she travels through the desert, battles marauding raiders, risks her life to save one of the “angels” and journeys to the city of Sodom. She encounters peoples with a multitude of religious beliefs as she strug-gles to ascertain her own beliefs. She meets kings and priestesses and becomes trapped under their command. Her life is threatened and reduced almost to the point of destruc-tion; she makes discoveries, some of them mystical, that amaze her as she finds hertruelove,loseshim,and,finally,findshimagain. Angels at the Gate will take you on an incredible journey through an ancient past which, even today with the aid of ex-pertsfromvariousfieldsofinvestigation,isstill partly shrouded by the mysterious veil of the unknown. In Angels at the Gate, T.K. Thorne lifts the veil and shows you her vi-sion of that particular Biblical era. This book will be published in March, 2015, but may be pre-ordered at any book outlet, including Amazon. ©

Editor’s Note: From time to time we will review books published by Alabama authors. The fi rst review ap-pears below. If you wish to suggest books for review, please contact us. No self-published books accepted.

Book Review:

Angels at the GateA novel by T.K. Thorne

Published by Cappuccino Books, SwitzerlandPrinted in the United States

Reviewed by Elsa Rutherford

Please Support Your Local Merchants!2

Choice Cards Have Gone Out The Department of Veterans Affairs is making good on a promise to get veterans into appointments more quick-ly, especially those who live far from medical facilities or have waited too long for appointments. DuringthefirstweekofNovember,theVAsentoutthefirstbatchofVeteransChoiceCardstoveteranswhoare eligible because of where they live: more than 40 miles from a facility, must travel extra miles to get around bod-ies of water or mountains, or must travel by plane or boat to get to a facility. During the third week of November, the second batch went out. These went to veterans who were waiting more than 30 days either from their preferred appointment date or past the date they should have been seen as de-termined by their doctor. Costs will be covered only for VA-approved physician-ordered care. This effort is part of the new Accelerated Care Ini-tiative, wherein opportunities for care have been increased through mobile medical units and having clinics open more hours on more days (evenings plus weekends). Here are some of the stats the VA holds out as proof the program is working: •Wait times for primary care for new patients has been reduced by 18 percent nationwide. •Ninety-eight percent of appointment dates pre-ferred by the veteran or his doctor have been completed. •More than 1 million authorizations for care outside the VA system were granted, which is nearly a 50 percent increase over the past year, and which will be increased even more by the latest batches of care cards. For more information about the Choice Program or to schedule an appointment for non-VA care, call 866-606-8198. Also to see more information, including eligibility, go online to www.va.gov/opa/choiceact.

Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever

possible. Send email to [email protected].(c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.


Nifty PicklePublished Weekly

by Nifty Pickle, Inc.7032 US Hwy 431

Albertville, Alabama 35950

256-673-8190James Webster

Publisher/Editor-In-Chief

Elsa RutherfordEditor/Contributor/Published Author

Ruben BarahonaHispanic Editor/Interpreter

T/.C. McKinneyProduction Specialist

Trish WebsterOfficeManager

The publisher, Nifty Pickle, Inc., has no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without consent of the publish-er. The Publisher will not be liable for any error in display advertisement to a greater extent that the cost of the line space occupied in the adver-tisement. The advertiser and/or agency agree to protect, indemnify and hold harmless this pub-lication, and it’s publisher, Nifty Pickle, against any and all liability, loss and expense (including attorney fees) arising out of the publication of the advertisers advertisement.

Letter To The Editor: We encourage letters to the editor but we ask that certain guidelines be followed: Let-ters may be typed or handwritten, and legible. Letters must be signed along with a telephone number and address. Phone numbers and ad-dresses will only be used for verification andwill NOT be published. Letters should not ex-ceed 250 words. The Nifty Pickle reserves the right to refuse to print or, at it’s discretion, may edit any letter. The basic content of the letter will not be altered. All letters must be received by Monday at Noon and should be sent to Nif-ty Pickle • 7032 US Hwy 431, Albertville AL 35950 or emailed to [email protected].

Visit Us Online @ www.NiftyPickle.com

Q: Can you tell me anything about the new “Terminator” movie? -- Samuel D.A: The latest reboot of the classic sci-fiaction series, which is called “Terminator: Genisys,” will be in theaters July 1, 2015. I recently spoke with Teri Wyble -- who plays Mariam, a member of John Connor’s inner circle of the resistance -- and she re-vealed a tiny bit of info to whet fans’ appe-tites. “It begins with John Connor, who’s

continuing the war against the machines. I worked with Jason Clarke (who plays John Connor) a bunch. He had such a com-manding presence, and I think he is so incredibly talented and so captivating.” The question on everyone’s mind: Did she work with Arnold? “I was able to meet pretty much everyone for the read-through. We did a table read and so just reading the script with people like Jason Clark and Jai Courtney (Kyle Reese) and Emilia Clarke (Sarah Connor) and Arnold Schwarzenegger -- just being in that room with these people was pretty darn cool. I hope I can remember little moments like that, like being in that room when Arnold’s saying some of his famous lines.”

Q: Can you tell me when “The Following” will return to TV. It did get picked up for another season, right? -- Steve F. A: The Kevin Bacon-starring suspense thriller will be back for a third season with 15 new episodes beginning Monday, March 2, with a two-hour season premiere (and picking up the following week in its 9/8c time slot). Also on tap for early 2015 premieres: “Bones” returns from it winter hiatus March 26 at 8/7c; “Glee” makes a move to Fridays starting with its premiere on Jan. 9 (also a two-hour premiere); and “American Idol” re-turns for its 14th season, sans Randy Jackson, on Jan. 7 at 8/7c. Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr.willbeback,andAdamLambertwillbefillinginforKeithas a guest judge during the New York auditions. Keith took time off from the show in order to be with his wife, Nicole Kidman, after the death of her father.

Q:I’vegottahavemy“Justified”!--FreddieF. A: You’ll have it, Freddie, in just a few more weeks. The hitFXWesternserieswillbebackforitssixthandfinalseasonon Jan. 20 at 10 p.m., with Sam Elliott and Garret Dillahunt join-ing the cast. Get ready for that much-anticipated Raylan/Boyd finalshowdown!

Readers:Ihavegreatnewsforallyou“Longmire”fans!You asked, andNetflix listened.The streamingvideowebsitehas picked up the former A&E series -- which was canceled ear-lier this year after three seasons -- for a 10-episode fourth sea-son. The beloved Western crime drama will return sometime in 2015 -- an exact date has not yet been announced. According to Netflix,seasonfourpicksupmomentsafterseasonthree’sexcit-ingfinale.

Write to Cindy at King Features Weekly Service,P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475;or e-mail her at [email protected].

(c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

Dear Santa,This year I amrequesting a

fat bankaccount anda small body.P.S. Please

don’t mix them up like you did

last year!

Q: Why is Christmas just like your job?A: You do all the work and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit.

Q: How many rein-deer does it take to change a light bulb?A: Eight! One to screw in the light bulb and seven to hold Ru-dolph down!

Q: What do you call a blind reindeer?A: I have no eye deer

MerryChristmas!


ForReadingTheNiftyPickle!

Now that Barack Obama, with his immigration executive order, has taken off the gloves and, in effect, raised that time-honored gestureofdefiancetoRepublican

“members of Congress who question my authority,” they are angri-ly throwing down their own gauntlets, basically saying that he and (to quote John Boehner) his “lawless” presidency are toast, with no chance they’ll deal with him. Don’t you believe it. We certainly can expect the GOP House and Senate to do their very best to make Pennsylvania Ave-nue between the White House and Capitol Hill a war zone. But that doesn’tmeantheywon’tbewillingtohavetemporaryceasefires.Even though immigration has now been slammed onto the table, the people on both sides have plenty of other cards in their hand. Our political leaders have lots of items they might very well negotiate. For instance, you might think that the Keystone pipeline is a pipe dream for the oil industry and other investors who want to take the petroleum glop they’ve pulled out of the tar sands in Canada and transport it to ships waiting in the Gulf of Mexico, or worse, from the environmentalist perspective, that this is a dirty, crude way to extract dirty crude and that there’s always a danger of a massive spill. You might be surprised to learn, though, that Republicans and organized labor are united on this one, arguing that it’s a jobs-producer that helps advance the goal of energy independence. Whatever, ultimately, POTUS, through the State Department, must approve the massive project, particularly now that the Senate wasn’t able to pass legislation that would have forced him to, short of a veto. Certainly, the green activists are a key Obama constituency, butletusnotforgetthatMr.Obamaisdonerunningforoffice.Toput it bluntly, he doesn’t need anybody anymore. So there is no friends-of-the-earthly reason he can’t decide to throw his support-ers from the anti-pollution movement under the bus, or in this case under the pipeline. And he just might if the right concessions come along from his enemies to the right. If they give in on his infrastructure demands, for instance, maybe combined with a tax package, then helloooo Keystone pipe-line. Of course, that’s assuming the Republicans aren’t so consumed withfuryoverhisimmigrationmovethattheygointotheirfight-or-spite mode and make fools of themselves by shutting down the government, or deciding to push impeachment. All they will accomplish is destroying their credibility still againand,whilethey’reatit,inflictingconsiderabledamagetothecountry. On the former point, since the latter doesn’t seem to mat-ter anymore, they will probably succeed in electing Hillary Clinton president. But if sanity prevails, and that’s a big “if,” then paradoxi-cally all this fury could end up producing some sound government as the bitter adversaries who run it temporarily remember that gov-erning is what they’re supposed to be doing. In a democracy, that means compromise -- give and take, not take and take. Those who are speaking loudly are actually car-ryingasmallstick.Theywanttoflogtheothersideintosubmis-sion, but they end up hurting themselves. And, of course, all of us.

(c) 2014 Bob FrankenDistributed by King Features Synd.

Squawking and Talking

Please Support Your LocalMerchants!


ALBERTVILLEAlbertville Baptist Church

302 Buchanan RoadAlbertville, Alabama 35950

(256) 878-3933

Corbinville Methodist ChurchHwy 75 N

Albertville, Alabama

Corinth Baptist Church4183 Rose Road

Albertville, Alabama 35951(256) 894-3400

Fairview UnitedMethodist Church

1750 Hustleville RoadAlbertville, Alabama 35950

(256) 891-1719

First Baptist Church Albertville309 East Main Street


Mt. Calvary Baptist Church201 Rose Road


Rose Road Church of God804 Rose Road

Albertville, Alabama 35950256-891-7723

Solid Rock Church2073 Section Line Road

Albertville, Alabama 35950256-891-1818

The Potter’s House 210 Sand Mt Dr.

Albertville, AL 35950256-298-2378

Union Grove #1Missionary Baptist Church1189 Rice Mill Chavers RoadAlbertville, Alabama 35951

(256) 891-0500

BOAZAll Saints’ Anglican Church

706 North Main StreetBoaz, Alabama 35957

Belaire Baptist Church1505 Oak Drive

Boaz, Alabama 35957(256) 593-8773

Beulah Baptist Church1991 Beulah Road

Boaz, Alabama 35957256-878-1516

BOAZBoaz Church of God

115 McGee StreetBoaz, Alabama 35957

(256) 593-3689

Crestview Church of Christ2001 US Hwy 431

Boaz, Alabama 35957(256) 593-7326

First Baptist Church225 S. Main Street

Boaz, Alabama 35957(256) 593-8580

Mt. Zion Baptist Church623 County Road 2

Boaz, Alabama 35957(256) 561-3682

Sardis Baptist Church1501 Church Street

Boaz, Alabama 35957(256) 593-7762

GUNTERSVILLEChurch of the Living God

1621 Henry StreetGuntersville, Alabama 35976

(256) 293-9658 / (256) 960-4351

First Baptist Church1000 Gunter Ave

Guntersville, Alabama 35976(256) 582-5141

First United Methodist Church539 Gunter Avenue


Guntersville Church of Christ800 Gunter Avenue

Guntersville, ---Alabama 35976(256) 582-2494

Mount Zion Missionary Baptist1444 Carlisle Ave


Rocky Branch FreeHoliness Church

Rocky Branch DriveGuntersville, Alabama 35976

The Churchat Lake Guntersville

4525 Wyeth DriveGuntersville, Alabama 35976

(256) 582-5312

Victory Baptist Church1644 O’ Brig Avenue


Christmas Carols are one of my favorite parts of Christ-mas. Not so much the “Santa Claus is coming to town” ones, but the “Silent Night” type. Because what other time of the year can you hear songs about “God with us” and “to save us all from Satan’s power”? Part of the Christmas story we sing is when the Angels appeared to the Shepherds and proclaimed, “Glory to God in theHighest,PeaceonEarth,andgoodwilltowardsmen!”Canyou imagine the freak-out factor the shepherds must have ex-perienced on the dark hillside when the skies lit up and Angels began shouting and singing? There was no TV, radios or even street lights at that time, just silence and darkness when the skies exploded with radiant glory and song. And that is the point I am trying to draw out. Many times we read these stories and sing these songs without ever really stopping to think about them or they get lost in the nostalgia of warm memories of Perry Como Christmas Albums with Mom-maw. We put “Peace on earth” on our Christmas cards with the sentiment that Jesus came to bring peace on Earth. But Jesus said “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Poor Jesus must have gotten confused when He grew up. Of course I am kidding; we are the ones who got confused. Jesus didn’t come to bring peace between men which is evident in the countless wars that have been fought and churches that have split over opinions of who Jesus is. So if it wasn’t to bring peace between men, then what was it? But while Jesus doesn’t get confused, we often do. Jesus came to bring peace between God and man. The war is over. We forget or never realized that God was no longer counting our sins against us, that His full justice was met in Jesus. The book of Isaiah tells us that Jesus going to the cross would be justlikethefloodofNoah.HesworethatjustlikeHewouldneverfloodtheEarthagain,Hewouldnotbe“wroth”{angry}with mankind. If you are “In Christ” you are as Righteous and Holy as Je-sus is. Since He doesn’t “blow it,” we are counted as righteous even when we do. Think about that for a minute and let it sink in. God is not mad at you. He is not counting your sins against you. You have been made free from judgment and condemna-tion.

“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay; Remember Christ, our Savior, Was born on Christmas day, to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray. O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy, O tidings of com-fort and joy.”

MerryChristmas!


Sección

Por leer elNifty Pickle

Directorio de Iglesia

Hay tres clases de personas:There are three kinds of people:

las que saben contar y las que no.Those who know how to count, and those who don’t.

******Un paciente entra en la consulta del médico.

A patient enters the doctor’s office.Médico: - ¿Qué es lo que le ha traído por aquí?

Doctor: “What is it that’s brought you here?”Paciente - Una ambulancia, ¿por qué?

Patient: “An ambulance. Why?”******

Esto es un misionero que está en plena selva y se encuentra de bruces con un león que estaba casi muerto de hambre.

This one is a missionary who is in the middle of the jungle and finds himself face to face with a lion who was almost dead from hunger.

El misionero se asusta y se pone de rodillas.Empezando a rezar dice:

The missionary becomes frightened and kneels.Beginning to pray, he says:

- Padre, infunde a este pobre león sentimientos cristianos.“Father, fill this poor lion with Christian feeling.”

...Se oye un silencio.... . . A silence is heard . . .

y de buenas a primeras el león se pone de rodillas, diciendo:- Padre, bendice estos alimentos que voy a recibir...

and all of a sudden the lion kneels, saying:“Father, bless this food which I am about to receive . . .”

Chistes Español

Iglesia de cristoPalabra Miel

9820 US Hwy 431Albertville, AL 35950

256-226-5545 (Pastor Dante)

Hacer publicidad de su Iglesia, llamada a

Ruben (256) 829-8537


Quiénes se beneficiarán de la acción ejecutiva deObama? Haytresgruposprincipalesquesebeneficiaránbajoelplan de Obama: los padres de ciudadanos estadounidenses o residentes legales permanentes; los inmigrantes indocumen-tados que llegaron a los EE.UU. antes de los 16 años; y los cónyuges e hijos de residentes permanentes legales. Padres: Si usted es un padre de un ciudadano estadoun-idense o un padre de un residente legal permanente y ha vivido en los EE.UU. continuamente desde el 1° de enero de 2010 y puedeaprobarunaverificacióndeantecedentes,ustedpuedeser elegible para solicitar la Acción Diferida para Respons-abilidad de los Padres (DAPA por sus siglas en inglés) y un permiso de trabajo. El programa debe estar en funcionamiento para el 20 de mayo de 2015. Los que llegaron antes de los 16 años:Obamaestáeliminando el tope de la edad de la Acción Diferida para los LlegadosenlaInfancia(DACA),asíquesiustednocalificabaantesporsuedad,esposiblequepuedacalificarbajolanuevoDACA si llegó a los EE.UU. antes de los 16 años, y ha vivido continuamente en los EE.UU. desde el 1° de enero de 2010. Es probable que la expansión de DACA entre en vigor el 20 de febrero de 2015. Cónyuges e Hijos: el nuevo programa de Obama per-mitiráaloscónyugesehijosderesidentespermanenteslegal-es solicitar una dispensa para que puedan obtener una tarjeta verdemáspronto.Bajolaleyactual,losinmigrantesindocu-mentados deben salir de los EE.UU. para obtener una tarjeta verde, lo que puede desencadenar una prohibición de tres a 10 años que les impide entrar a los Estados Unidos durante ese tiempo.AhorapodránsolicitardentrodelosEE.UU.. ¿Cómo puedo evitar ser estafado? Tenga cuidado de cualquier persona que le diga que le puede ayudar por una tarifa, antes de que los nuevos programas entren en vigencia. No hay nada para que aplicar por el mo-mento, a excepción del actual programa DACA que fue anun-ciado en 2012. La nueva expansión de DACA que anunció Obama probablemente entre en vigor el 20 de febrero de 2015 y el nuevo programa de acción diferida para los padres se es-pera que entre en vigor el 20 de mayo de 2015. Así que no hay razón de empezar a pagarle a alguien ahora por los servicios de inmigración, especialmente si le prometen estar en la parte delanteradelalínea,recibirbeneficiosadicionales,ocualqui-er otra cosa que suena demasiado bueno para ser verdad. ¿Cuánto va a costar? La cuota de inscripción será de $ 465. Sin embargo,puede solicitar información sobre los programas de micro-créditos y otros medios de ayuda para familias de bajos in-gresos. Si se me conceden la acción diferida, ¿cuánto tiempo durará? Este es un programa temporal que le protegerá de ladeportación por tres años y es renovable. ¿Por qué es temporal este programa? La acción ejecutiva por su naturaleza es temporal. Sería necesariaunaleydelCongresoparacrearunasoluciónmáspermanente.

El plan de reforma migratoria de Obama - lo que usted necesita saber

Española

¿Puedo viajar al extranjero bajo la acción diferida? Sí, pero sólo si se solicita y se le otorga un permiso de ingreso anticipado (llamado “advance parole” en inglés), lo que le da la autoridad de viajar sin preocuparse de ser detenido en un puerto de entrada de los Estados Unidos. ¿Voy a ser capaz de obtener un número de Seguro Social? Sí.Cuandorecibasupermisodetrabajo,vayaasuofi-cina local del Seguro Social para solicitar su número. Usted puedeencontrarsuoficinalocaldelSeguroSocialenwww.ssa.gov. ¿Sebeneficiaránde la acción ejecutiva los jóvenescentroamericanos que llegaron aquí este verano? No.ParacalificarparaelampliadoprogramaDACA,tiene que haber vivido en los Estados Unidos continuamente desde el 1° de enero 2010. ¿Incluirá la expansión a los padres LGBT? Sí, pero se necesita orientación adicional para asegu-rarse de que este programa sea accesible a todos los padres LGBT.Porejemplo,nosesabecómoestoafectaráalaspare-jas que viven en uno de los 35 estados donde no existen pro-tecciones explícitas para parejas del mismo sexo para solicitar las adopciones de segundo padre. ¿Incluirá a los padres adoptivos y padrastros? Sí, los padres con hijos adoptados e hijastros cuentan, pero sólo si los padres se casaron antes de que el hijastro tu-viera 18 años, o si el niño fue adoptado antes de la edad de 16 años y ha vivido con el padre por dos años. ¿Cómo puedo saber si es seguro presentarse? Con DACA, el gobierno incluyó algunas disposiciones deconfidencialidadquesonunaespeciedecortafuegosentreLaOficina deCiudadanía y Servicios de Inmigración (US-CIS)eICE.Esemismocortafuegotambiénseráincluidoeneste programa. ¿Qué sucede después de tres años? No hay garantía, pero entremás personas soliciten yrecibanlaaccióndiferida,másdifícilseráparaunfuturogo-bierno rescindir este programa. ¿Dónde puedo conseguir más información? Manténgase informado con USCIS.gov para la infor-mación más reciente: http://www.uscis.gov/immigrationac-tion.

Hay tres clases de personas:There are three kinds of people:

las que saben contar y las que no.Those who know how to count, and those who don’t.

******Un paciente entra en la consulta del médico.

A patient enters the doctor’s office.Médico: - ¿Qué es lo que le ha traído por aquí?

Doctor: “What is it that’s brought you here?”Paciente - Una ambulancia, ¿por qué?

Patient: “An ambulance. Why?”******

Esto es un misionero que está en plena selva y se encuentra de bruces con un león que estaba casi muerto de hambre.

This one is a missionary who is in the middle of the jungle and finds himself face to face with a lion who was almost dead from hunger.

El misionero se asusta y se pone de rodillas.Empezando a rezar dice:

The missionary becomes frightened and kneels.Beginning to pray, he says:

- Padre, infunde a este pobre león sentimientos cristianos.“Father, fill this poor lion with Christian feeling.”

...Se oye un silencio.... . . A silence is heard . . .

y de buenas a primeras el león se pone de rodillas, diciendo:- Padre, bendice estos alimentos que voy a recibir...

and all of a sudden the lion kneels, saying:“Father, bless this food which I am about to receive . . .”

Hacer publicidad de su Iglesia, llamada a

Ruben (256) 829-8537


ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Make your holiday preparations one step at a time in order to avoid being overwhelmed and leaving things undone. That confusing fam-ily situation continues to work itself out.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Ease this year’s holiday money pressures by letting your thrifty side guide you as you look for thoseperfectgiftsthattypicallyreflectyourgood taste and love of beauty.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You’ll have a good handle on potential holiday problems if you delegate tasks to family members, friends or co-workers -- most of whom will be more than happy to help out.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Right now you are especially vulnerable to holiday scams that seek to take advantage of your generosity. Best advice: Check them out be-fore you send out your checks.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) The upcoming holiday season gives the Big Cat much to purr about. Relationships grow stronger, and new opportunities loom on the horizon, just waiting to be pounced on.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A changingsituationbringsconflictingadviceabout how to go forward with your holiday plans. Your best bet: Make the decision you feel most comfortable with.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Holi-day plans get back on track after some con-fusion about the direction you expected to take. A potentially troublesome money mat-ter needs your immediate attention.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your holiday preparations are on track. But you need to confront a personal situation while you can still keep it from overwhelm-ing everything else.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to Decem-ber 21) Tight financial matters ease a bitduring this holiday season. But the saga-cious Sagittarian is well-advised to keep a tight hold on the reins while shopping for gifts.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Don’t put off making decisions about this year’s holiday celebrations, despite the negative comments you’ve been getting fromseveralquarters.DoitNOW!

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) The holidays will bring new friends and new opportunities. Meanwhile, be careful to use your energy wisely as you go about making holiday preparations.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) There’s good news coming from a most unlikely source. And it could turn out to be one of the best holiday gifts you have had in years. Remember to stay positive.

Please SupportYourLocalMerchants!

BORN THIS WEEK: You are respected for your honesty and loyalty. You make friends slowly -- but with rare exceptions, they’re in your life forever. (c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.


Neptune Chowder Here’s a hearty soup that features the bounty of the sea. Ifyou’reluckyenoughtoliveinanareawherefreshfishisabundant,useit!But,ifyou’relikeusandareinalandlockedsectionofthecountry,thefrozenworksjustfine.

Ingredients2 cups thinly sliced onion

1 cup chopped celery2 cups diced raw potatoes

1 cup shredded carrots2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper8ounceswhitefishfillet,cutintobite-sizepieces1(12-fluid-ounce)canevaporatedfat-freemilk

1 cup fat-free milk1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsleyor2teaspoonsdriedparsleyflakes

Directions 1. In a large saucepan sprayed with butter-flavoredcooking spray, saute onion and celery for 5 minutes. Add po-tatoes, carrots, water and lemon pepper. Mix well to combine. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 2. Stir in fish pieces and continue simmering for 10minutesoruntilvegetablesandfisharetender.Addevaporat-ed milk, fat-free milk and Cheddar cheese. Mix well to com-bine. Continue simmering until cheese melts, stirring often. 3.Whenserving,garnisheachbowlwithparsleyflakes.Makes 6 (1 1/3 cup) servings.

• Each serving equals: 208 calories, 4g fat, 18g protein, 25g carb., 365mgsodium,2gfiber;DiabeticExchanges:11/2Meat,1Fat-Free Milk, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Starch.



per-hot-burning charcoal, as well as char-coal coloring and enhancing breads, crack-ers and even cosmetics. The Local Grain Network: Products madefromfreshlymilledflouraremakingtheir way to consumers thanks to the grow-ing network of farmers, bakers and chefs committed to local grain production. Coconut Sugar Sweetness: Boast-ing a lower glycemic index than white sugar makes coconut sugar popular among consumers -- from natural food fans and sweets-loving Paleos to Southeast Asian food lovers -- looking for better-for-you foods. Farm to Table Kosher: With keeping kosher on the rise, kosher food businesses are addressing consumer demand to eat in more sustainable, conscious and cultural ways. The Hunger Games -- Restaurant Edition: Dining concept incubators create lively experiences where curious diners test experimental eateries and vote with their forks in revolving pop-up settings or hip dining parks. The Ugly Fruit & Vegetable Move-ment: Misshapen and funny-looking pro-duce will no longer get picked over as food resourcefulness and efforts to combat hun-ger come into sharper focus.


Continued from Page 1



per-hot-burning charcoal, as well as char-coal coloring and enhancing breads, crack-ers and even cosmetics. The Local Grain Network: Products madefromfreshlymilledflouraremakingtheir way to consumers thanks to the grow-ing network of farmers, bakers and chefs committed to local grain production. Coconut Sugar Sweetness: Boast-ing a lower glycemic index than white sugar makes coconut sugar popular among consumers -- from natural food fans and sweets-loving Paleos to Southeast Asian food lovers -- looking for better-for-you foods. Farm to Table Kosher: With keeping kosher on the rise, kosher food businesses are addressing consumer demand to eat in more sustainable, conscious and cultural ways. The Hunger Games -- Restaurant Edition: Dining concept incubators create lively experiences where curious diners test experimental eateries and vote with their forks in revolving pop-up settings or hip dining parks. The Ugly Fruit & Vegetable Move-ment: Misshapen and funny-looking pro-duce will no longer get picked over as food resourcefulness and efforts to combat hun-ger come into sharper focus.



We have a new address for Room in the Inn, the Marshall County Home-less Ministries that we featured in last week’s paper. Please send your tax-free donation to: Room in the Inn C/O Marshall County Homeless Ministries, PO 152, Guntersville, AL, 35976. The founders of this program in Marshall County, Shirley Chupp and her husband, Dr. David Chupp, are members of Guntersville First United Methodist Church, not St. William Catholic Church. Mrs. Janice Slaughter, one of the original board members of Room in the Inn is a parishioner at St. William Catholic Church. You may contact Mrs. Chupp at the United Methodist Church, tel: 256-582-2001, ex: 245. Or for recorded information, call: 256-677-9231.

Room in the InnAdditional Information

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The Bass Anglers Information Team (B.A.I.T.) Program

B.A.I.T. is a voluntary partnership between bass clubs and the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (ADWFF). The intentoftheprogramistosummarizeinformationonbassfishing.Thisinformation is of great value to us in the management of reservoir bass populations. It is used by participating clubs to select tournament loca-tions. Followingabasstournament,aclubmemberfillsoutadataformon the back of a postcard (B.A.I.T. card) that provides details regard-ing the tournament format, the number of participants, and the numbers and weight of bass weighed-in. At the end of each year, the results are compiled and analyzed for every Alabama reservoir, and a report is pub-lished. TheB.A.I.T.Report rankseachreservoirbasedonfivefishingquality indicators and determines an overall ranking. Reservoirs that rank at or near the top in several quality indicators in the same year have exceptionaloroutstandingbassfisheries.Wetrytopresentthisinforma-tion in a way that is most useful to bass anglers. TheB.A.I.T.ReportisusedbyADWFFfisheriesbiologists, incombinationwiththeirreservoirsurveys,asthebasisforfisheriesman-agement decisions. B.A.I.T. data allows biologists to identify trends in bass populations and helps them better understand the mechanisms that influencefishpopulations. All bass anglers need to recognize that they have an opportuni-ty to participate in the process of managing this extraordinarily valu-able resource. Tell your fellow club members and tournament directors their participation is needed. If your club is already participating in this program, we thank you for your continued support. If your club is not participating, but would like to, you simply need to complete and mail a B.A.I.T. card following each tournament. All clubs that participate are included on our mailing list and receive a copy of the Annual Report. TheB.A.I.T.programhasproventobeasignificantaidtoWild-life and Freshwater Fisheries Division biologists in their efforts to man-agethestate’sreservoirs.Thebenefitstoallbassanglersandtoourres-ervoir bass resources are expected to continue, thanks to the cooperation and enthusiasm of bass clubs participating as members of the Bass An-glers Information Team. To enter your club in the B.A.I.T. program or for more information, including a copy of the Annual Report, contact the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division at (334) 242-3882 or [email protected]. Information about the B.A.I.T. pro-gram is also available at the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division web site, www.outdooralabama.com.

Chicken and Potato Parcels“Verysimple:justmix,fold,cookandeat!”

Ingredients4 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - diced2 medium red bell peppers, chopped

1 large white onion, chopped3 celery ribs, chopped

2 cups favorite barbeque sauce

Directions Make four foil packets by the following method, using 1-foot squares of heavy duty aluminum foil: fold square in half and smoothflat.Sealeachofthenarrowendsbyfoldingovereachedgethreetimestomakea1/4-inchborder,smoothingflataftereveryfold. You should now have a foil packet that is open on one long side. Repeat to form four packets. In a bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine the potatoes, chicken cubes, red peppers, onion, celery, and barbeque sauce; mix well. Evenly divide the mixture among the foil packets. Roll up the open end of the packets to seal. Placepacketsonagrilloverthecoalsofafire.Cookuntilthe potatoes are tender and the chicken is fully cooked, about 25 minutes, depending on the intensity of the heat.

Q: What do you call a cat sitting on the beach on Christmas Eve? A: Sandy Claws.

Q: Where does the snowman hide his money?A: In the snow bank.

Q: What type of cars do elves drive? A: Toy-otas.

Q: Why did the Christmas tree go to the bar-ber? A: It needed to be trimmed.


Olive Oil for Heart You’ve heard of the Mediterra-nean diet. It’s been linked to lower oc-currence of diseases such as coronary heart disease, as well as lowered blood pressure and arthritis. The primary source of dietary fat for those who fol-low the diet is olive oil. Researchers at the University of Glasgow saw big improvements in the test scores of subjects who spent six weeksonadiet that included specificamounts of olive oil. They concluded that it’s the phenolic compounds (poly-phenols) that reduce the risk of heart disease. If your doctor thinks you should add olive oil to your diet, here are a few things to know: •Shop for extra virgin olive oil, withafirstcoldpress.Themajorityofthe polyphenols are extracted during that first press. The more refined theoil, the fewer polyphenols it contains. •Shop in a health-food store if you can, and ask for advice. Let them point out good oils that haven’t been mixedwithotheroils.Try tofindoilsthat have a harvest date on them, ideal-ly not more than one year. •Look for dark bottles. Store it in a cool, dark cabinet once you get it home. •Olive oil is high in calories. Don’t go overboard. (The research used 4 teaspoons per day.) •How to use olive oil: Drizzle a small amount over a salad. Use it as a dipping sauce for French or Italian bread with meals. Don’t cook or fry with it. •Check this site to learn about olive oil testing and research: olivecen-ter.ucdavis.edu. Don’t miss the research about some extra virgin olive oils fail-ing international and U.S. standards. While the testing only covered olive oils sold in California, it will teach you a lot about olive oils and how to choose them.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column

whenever possible. Send email to [email protected].


DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 77-year-old male. I had to stop playing golf about two years ago due to joint pain. I had psoriasis from age 15 until I was 40. I am retired from the Navy and had to be hospitalized twice during my time in service due to my skin. Why it dis-appeared at age 40, I don’t know. Is it possible that I could have psoriatic arthritis? One doctor I saw said that I had to have psoriasis in order to get it. I saw that you said that sometimes the ar-thritis shows up before the skin lesions. Can it show up after you have quit having the lesions? -- Anon. ANSWER: Indeed, psoriatic arthritis can show up years after psoriasis starts and when there are no skin lesions. Often, pits in the nails or other nail changes are seen in those with psoriatic arthritis. However, having psoriasis doesn’t pro-tect you from other types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Since psoriatic arthritis is so destructive, you should see an expert, perhaps a rheumatologist. The arthritis booklet discusses rheuma-toid arthritis, osteoarthritis and lupus. Readers can order a copy by writing: Dr. Roach -- No. 301W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75U.S./$6Canadawiththerecipient’sprint-ed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. ROACH: About 10 months ago, my husband noticed a small “bleb” on the skin near his right hip area. He used “tag away” and alcohol swabs daily; however, the area is a giant 2-inch-diameter “blotch” with an open sore in the middle. He insists that it is almost

Pitted Nails Reveal

Psoriatic Arthritis

gone. I am afraid that it is skin cancer, very se-rious and that it needs to be checked out by a dermatologist. How do I get him to go? -- P.K.F. ANSWER: Please tell him that I think it sounds like it might be skin cancer, such as a squamous cell carcinoma, and that he should see a dermatologist immediately. Some peo-ple have an immense capacity for convincing themselves that nothing is wrong. The sooner he gets an evaluation, the better.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a veteran and have had digestive problems (GERD and gastritis) since I came back from Vietnam in 1968. How closely related are these disorders? -- J.R.O. ANSWER: GERD (gastroesophageal refluxdisease) isvery,verycommon, and re-fers to the passage of food and acid backward -- from the stomach into the esophagus. The gen-eral cause of GERD is a relative weakness in the lower esophageal sphincter, the muscular, valvelike structure at the bottom of the esoph-agus.Gastritisisaninflammationoftheliningof the stomach. Both of these terms often are used im-precisely, as a guess at what might be causing nonspecific stomach pains.With such a pro-longed course, it would be wise to make sure of your diagnosis, as your symptoms actually might be caused a different condition, such as an ulcer or infection by the bacteria H. pylori, which would require different treatment. Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to [email protected].

To view and order health pamphlets, visit www.rbmamall.com, or write to P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

(c) 2014 North America Synd., Inc.All Rights Reserved


Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. Psalms 6:2

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I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with theHolyGhost,andwithfire:Matthew 3:11


Wordsearch ContestWin a $50 Gift Card... Find the Advertisers listed below and tell us which page that their ad was found. Mail this entire page to us at 7032 US Hwy 431 • Albert-ville, AL 35950. Deadline is December 29, 2014. (Date of Puzzle: December 18, 2014)

Find these names:alabamacraftshowalanjacksonbestwaybottomlinewebdesignbrigittesclothingcustompestcontrolfullcolorprintingincarerxjoespawnshopmcclendonauctionhousemcclendonwholesalenickkirstjdqslowsmokedrigginsunlockservicetradebankwlcaccounting

HOW TO PLAY: On this entry form you will findsome of the businesses ad-vertised in this issue. Simply browse the Nifty Pickle, look-ing for these advertisements. When you find them, recordthe page number on which you found their advertisement in the space provided on this en-tryform.Then,findandcirclethat business name in the word search puzzle. Once you have located all of the advertisers listed, complete the entry form and mail this entire page to the address shown above. Your entry must be re-ceived by December 29, 2014. We will then draw one entry from the group of correct entry forms and announce that win-ner in the January 1st issue. Incorrect or incomplete entry formswillbedisqualified.Alldecisions by Nifty Pickle, Inc. are final. There will be onlyone winner for this contest each week. GOODLUCK!

Name:________________________Address:________________________City, State, Zip________________________Telephone:________________________Email Address:________________________

Page Numbers:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Winner of the November 27, 2014Wordsearch Puzzle

Contest isT. Bailey

of Guntersville.Congratulations!


Would you like to see your pet featured in the Nifty Pickle?Jot down some information about your pet (name, personality, some-thing funny, tricks it can do, etc.) and send it along with a photo to Nifty Pickle Pet Pix, PO Box 1161 Guntersville, Alabama 35976, [email protected] 431 in Albertville (next to Merle Norman).

Anyone Out There Want To Tell About Their Favorite Pet?

Well, I bet you don’t recognize me. My mama took me to the groom-er and told them to “cut it all off.” Now, when she said that, I looked at her and thought “WHAT? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!”As you can see, she was not kidding. But once I got home, I realized that it wasn’t so bad. I think Sheba even likedit.WhenQuintonfirstsawme,he asked “When did we get a new dog?”SeeYaLater!

Remember Me?My Name is Princess Grace Ann

(Better Known as Gracie)


ACCOUNTING, PAYROLL, CONSULTING, BOOKKEEP-ING and Much More. Call James at WLC ACCOUNTING 256-673-8190. 7032 US Hwy 431 in Albert-ville... 3 Doors Down from The Nifty Pickle Variety Store.

ALABAMA CRAFT SHOW Selling Year Around Crafts hand-made by local artists. Custom or-ders welcome. Piper Station, Boaz. 256-996-4945.

BOTTOMLINE WEB DESIGN WebSitesstartingatONLY$29.95per month. Call 256-673-8190.

BRIGITTE’S CHILDREN’S CLOTHING 403 Martling Road, Albertville. 256-744-8404 or 256-506-5853. Family owned business Specializing in Boys and Girls Clothing Sizes Newborn to 14.

CUSTOM PEST CONTROL Termite and Pest Services. We Guarantee Our Service! No Con-tract, No Commitment... Just Dead Bugs!256-593-6613

JOE’S PAWN SHOP 11411 US Hwy 431 in Albertville. Buy, Sell, Trade, Pawn. Open 8am - 6pm, 7 days a week. 256-894-9994. See Our Ad In This Issue of the Nifty Pickle.

McCLENDON AUCTION HOUSE Returns and Shelf Pulls from ALL Major Box Stores. Open Monday - Saturday 9am until 5pm. Sale on Saturday and Thursday at 6:30pm. 702 Chastain Blvd West, Glencoe. 256-492-5333.

McCLENDON WHOLESALE Buy It By The Pallet. Returns and Shelf Pulls from All Major Stores. Great for Auctions, Trade Day, Yard Sales, etc. Open Tuesday - Friday 9am until 4pm. Claybrook Road in Albertville. Call Charlie at 256-477-3914 for more informa-tion.

Q SLOW SMOKED BBQ 106 South Main Street in Old Down-town Boaz. If you love BBQ, then you will love REAL Q-slow-smoked with natural hardwoods. 256-281-9699. See our ad and cou-pon in this issue.

SAND MOUNTAIN PEST MANAGEMENT Got Bugs? Call Sand Mountain Pest Management at 256-891-7400 and start protect-ing your house from unwanted pests. Be sure to see our coupons in this issue of The Nifty Pickle.

TRADEBANK The Smarter Way To Barter®.Save Cash on Business and Personal Expenses. See our Ad in this issue or call JW at 256-673-8190.

PRIDE MOBILITY ELECTRIC Z CHAIR. Only used a few times. Only$495.Call256-593-6796be-tween 8am - 2pm.

KARAOKE EQUIPMENT FOR SALE. Amp, Speakers and stands, Microphones, All necessary Cords. $850obo.CallJamesat256-673-8190.

Place Your Yard Sale Ad Here. Only $5 per week for up to 30Words. Mail your ad and payment to Nifty Pickle, 7032 US Hwy 431, Albertville, AL 35950 or you cancomeby theoffice locatedatthat address. The deadline is every Monday at Noon.

FOR RENT in Albertville Shop-ping Center on Hwy 431. Best location in Albertville. 3,500 or 7,000 square feet. Large parking lot with lights and 4 exits and en-trances. All businesses in Shop-ping Center doing good business. Call Fred Taylor at 256-878-8383 or 256-878-2552.

CLASSIFIEDS $5 each week for30 words or less. 10¢ each additional word. Mail your ad and payment to Nifty Pick-le, 7032 US Hwy 431, Albertville, AL 35950 or you can come by the office located at that ad-dress. The deadline is ev-ery Monday at Noon.

Thank You

For Reading

The Nifty

Pickle Each

Week!

A man walks into a police station and asks to speak to the burglar who broke into his house the night before. “I’m sorry sir, but you’ll get your chance in court,” says the duty officer. “No, you don’t understand,” says the man. “I want to know how he got in the house without waking the wife. I’ve been trying to do that for years.”

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