Giving Thanks

by   November 30, 2024 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            Last weekend the temperatures dropped below freezing, thus ending my gardening season. I worked to pick the remaining treats and clean out the garden. I got some green tomatoes that I hope will ripen up. I picked a bunch of butterbeans. I dug my sweet potatoes. I got a pretty good return on them except a few were chewed on. I am not sure who is responsible for the half-eaten sweet potatoes but I would sure like to get my hands on them.

            That is probably the latest I’ve ever had a garden. We normally get a frost or freeze earlier that ends the growing season. Many of us gardeners like to try and cheat Mother Nature by starting early with our gardens or pushing it as late as possible. I have some more cleanup to do in the garden to finish the season. I want to get that done before the cold weather settles in.

            Gardening is always filled with challenges. It might be too hot or dry. We can get early or late freezes. Then there are bug problems and diseases that can affect a harvest. Finally, there are those critters that want to help themselves to my harvest. Despite the challenges I want to press on with gardening. I need to work on better defenses so I can enjoy the fruits of my labors.

            I imagine the early settlers had plenty of challenges with their gardens, too. Despite the differences in soil and climate, they kept trying and learning until they were successful. In their case it was a life and death matter, in mine it is a matter of enjoying my fresh vegetables or those that others grow.

            The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621. They celebrated despite the loss of almost half the people who came over to the new land. The first winter was brutal, between the cold and sickness. The first Thanksgiving was a three-day eating celebration shared with the Wampanoag Indians. The Wampanoag Indians helped the Pilgrims learn about the new land and the first Thanksgiving began a more than fifty year good relationship between the two peoples.

            In Sunday school last week, I taught my class that thanks means to show gratitude and appreciation. It is easy to show gratitude to the people at work. Saying thank you, whether to a subordinate or to a supervisor can mean more than you imagine. Showing appreciation to your customers can build repeat business. It’s not hard to say, “thank you” to the people around you and letting them know you appreciate them. This works well in families, too!

            Sometimes we get focused on the things that have gone wrong in life or our aches and pains and we forget to be thankful for the many ways God blesses us. It’s easy to get distracted and to forget all the ways God has met our needs. Most of us have plenty of food to eat, many nice clothes to wear, a warm place to lay our head at night, and we feel relatively safe…we aren’t living in a war zone. When we focus on the blessings, it’s easy to be thankful.

            I encouraged my class to write down a list of their spiritual blessings. We have been forgiven for our sins. We have a place waiting for us in heaven. We have talents, skills, and abilities. Next we made a list of special events or days. Consider your wedding day, the birth of a child, or getting a job. Think about the blessings of family and friends, especially during the holiday season.

            We wrote down a list of our material blessings. We are blessed with homes, cars, and all the things in our homes. That can be a long list. Next, I encouraged my class to list books, music, or movies that really touched them. I listed my favorite authors and some great movies. We all know that music can touch and minister to our soul.

            I want to encourage you to take a minute each day this week to thank God for your many blessings. In addition to all the things we’ve already listed, don’t forget all the great people in your life. Those who gave you second chances, those who believe in you, those who love you, and both your natural and spiritual families. I believe that reflecting and thanking God for your many blessings will change your perspective and your heart. We are all blessed, even if we are facing challenges, we are blessed. Let us turn our eyes toward heaven and thank God. Happy Thanksgiving!

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

Fortunate Decision

by   November 29, 2024 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

Had I not changed my mind, I would have missed it. However, because I decided to take my coffee onto the screened porch instead of going into the library and turning on my computer, I witnessed the regular recurrence that is all the same, yet different.

Light had yet to penetrate the porch or any thing else. I could make out shadows, and I saw our four cats already lounging in baskets and favorite spots on the porch floor. The abelia bush was full of blooms and bees, which I could hear but not see. Male crickets called for mates from the pine needle mulch and way off a small boat engine revealed someone likely going to a favorite fishing hole before day broke. A dove cooed from a neighbor’s thicket of pine trees while a solitary crow called its mates from our trees near the lake. Off, over the  spit of Lake Norman we call home, the first distinct sunlight lit the darkness. Waiting for the sun to clear the horizon of Stutts Road, I drank the last of my coffee and knew that I had made the right, but fortunate, decision. After all, the computer could only offer me what I already knew-the news, a few emails, or WordPerfect.

The low clouds turned colors and began to look like a horizontal rainbow, I head more birds join the dove and crow, and I could distinguish the bees from the blossoms. A cat moved and stretched in its basket. A car rumbled down our road, carrying someone to work. The day was here, and I witnessed its birth.

Enjoy it, compliments of God!

Stretching & Strengthening for the Lower Back

by   November 28, 2024 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Stretching and strengthening for the lower back

  Having limited mobility in your back can negatively impact your running form. If your muscles are tight, your body won’t be able to move in its natural movement pattern, which can lead to injury. It could even restrict your ability to get a full, deep breath.

   A small study published in 2017 also suggested that having limited spinal mobility could increase the energy demands of running, making you feel more tired. The study involved strapping a device that limited spinal mobility onto runners and measuring their oxygen consumption. These runners consumed a higher amount of oxygen than other subjects, suggesting their limited spinal mobility increased their energy consumption. So, it’s well worth putting some time aside to stretch to improve your running performance.

   My first two weeks back to running had gone pretty well. Then I realized that I had hit a wall of sorts over this past week and couldn’t seem to go faster and in fact had some discomfort in the back. I also noticed that my breathing was more labored than it should have been. I couldn’t decide whether I needed to work on stretching or strengthening the lower back, so I talked to longtime friend and runner Pam Roseman, Doctor of Physical Therapy.

    There are lots of stretches and strengthening options to consider, almost too many. I knew I had to pick out a couple to stick with, especially after overdoing it with multiple things last Friday morning. Here are my choices for this week.

    To perform the Cat-Cow: Get onto your hands and knees with your knees hip-width apart. This is your starting position. Arch your back by pulling your belly button up toward your spine, letting your head drop forward to the floor with your arms out front. This is the cat portion of the stretch. Hold for 5–10 seconds. You should feel a gentle stretch in your lower back. Return to the starting position. Raise your head and let your pelvis fall forward, curving your back down toward the floor. This is the cow portion of the stretch. Hold for 5–10 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat the Cat-Cow 15–20 times.

    To perform the Kneeling Superman: Get on your hands and knees, using a mat if necessary for comfort. Make sure your back is flat and tighten your abs. Reach one arm forward while simultaneously extending your opposite leg straight back. Hold the position and then return to the starting position to switch sides. The kneeling superman builds strength and endurance throughout the core, shoulders, hips, glutes, and hamstrings.

     Pam cautioned me about doing another stretch yet, the knee to chest stretch, one which alternates the knees while pulling them to the chest as closely as possible. I will stay away from that one for now and very slowly and easily do one that I have used for almost 30 years. Bring both your knees slowly together as close to your chest as possible for 15–20 seconds. Do this 3 times, with each rep separated by 30 seconds of rest. A variant of this is my favorite stretch and I will mention it again later.

     Rowan’s fastest growing race, the Butterball 5K at The Forum, is just ahead on Thanksgiving morning, Don’t miss this one, because runners and walkers can get a great start on the holiday morning with a quick 5K that begins at 8:30. Plenty of refreshments and awards will go quickly to get all participants off toward any other planned activities. All proceeds benefit the Terrie Hess House and the Prevent Child Abuse Rowan. Everyone gets a commemorative Butterball shirt!

     Look for Butterball and other events ahead at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Stretching and strengthening for the lower back

He Restores

by   November 27, 2024 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Psalms 80:19 Restore us, O LORD God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

  • So many times it seems we go through so much and it seems difficult or incomprehensible to get anything back that is lost.
  • God restores – which means brings it all back and then better.
  • When God face ‘shines’ on us it is that He pays attention and focuses and will do what we ask.  Hallelujah!

Prayer:  I lift my hands today in praise and worship for Your holy name that You do cause Your face to shine upon me and restore all things.  I thank You for it because no one else can do it but You.  Amen. 

The Election 2024

by   November 25, 2024 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

The Election – 2024

From generation to generation –

ELECTIONS continue.

This year seems a bit more – hmm  –  the only word I could think of was ELECTRIC.

Electric in that sentence means having a sense of thrilling excitement.

It may just be me, but I have fallen into the trap of recently watching and listening to channels that are talking politics. I hope one cannot get addicted to that. By the time you read this, however, it will be over and I can get back to normal.

I finally caved and decided to address my personal results of the election season in my column.

  1. I am  talking to more people. We have so much to talk about. Even getting the mail out of my mailbox can stir up a political conversation with a neighbor.

2.  Watching television is way more interesting. The commercials are fascinating.

3. I have actually spent time with friends who have not mentioned the election –

    and also with friends who only want to talk about the election.

4. Yes, the beauty shop – I mean hair stylists and their clients have opinions, too. This is true   most anywhere.

My 17 year old grandson is rather irked by the fact that he will be 3 days short of being able to vote this year, which puts his first presidential election vote four years away.

My 20 year old grandson made sure he voted early, which was a wise choice, since he is away at college.

We have not tried to sway them politically, but we are often products of what we surround ourselves by, right?

Voting is a great privilege, whether it is a presidential election year or not.

Just for you – my readers – I will reveal the presidential elections I have survived thus far:

When I was born, Republican Dwight Eisenhower was president and Richard Nixon was vice president. During the re-election campaign, Eisenhower made a concerted effort to win the female vote. It worked, as they were re-elected in the 1956 election.

Then came 1960. I was 6 years old and for the first time I became aware that we had a president. John F. Kennedy was the man my parents voted for and admired. My political life began to grow exponentially on November 22, 1963, when as a 9 year old, I cried on the playground at Woodrow Wilson School, as we all heard that our president – the leader of our country – had been assassinated.

From that point on in my life, I believe I was forever changed, as I gained a love for our great country, America, that I had not recognized previously, but began to nurture for the rest of my life.

 Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden were also part of the history in which I have lived.

Whether the presidential candidate my parents voted for when I was a child won or not – we all survived. Whether the presidential candidates I have voted for won or not – I survived. I knew from a young age that the president is not the King.

Jesus is the King!

Jesus is the final authority!

Jesus is the King that will be with us forever!

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus said,  “I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

After I typed those words said by Jesus, I bowed my head, and through my tears I whispered, “Amen!”

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