My Savior, My Love

by   December 2, 2024 with No Comments

By Rhonda Sassano

Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭14‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“Look! Listen! There’s my love! Do you see him coming? Vaulting the mountains, leaping the hills. My Savior is like a gazelle, graceful; like a young stag, powerful and effective. Look at him waiting for me, in our secret place, on tiptoe at the gate, all ears, all eyes—ready! My Savior is speaking to me! He says, Arise, my dear one, fair and winsome —come to me! leave your seclusion behind.  come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your face is beautiful and your voice is music to my heart..”

Sweet Savior.  After all you have endured for me, the least I can do is offer praise today.  My heart is bursting with renewed devotion and deep, stirring worship.  I cannot imagine the extreme difficulty of your physical sacrifice for me.  I cannot fathom that, your thoughts of me while you were enduring the cross, were precious to You!  You are so precious to ME!  I never want to let one finger or one toe, even, outside Your presence.  You hold me so tenderly.  Your gaze of fierce but gentle love overwhelms me! Your love is like a rollercoaster, taking me to soaring heights and then plunging me deep into secret places I’ve only dreamed about exploring… but with You, all things are possible.  I trust your faithfulness.  You bring me provision You bring me health You bring me wholeness in mind, in body, and in spirit.  Everything I need I find in You.  My heart is ready to receive Your instruction today.  With great joy and honor, I anticipate Your Presence in my every day increasing as my obedience increases.  In Jesus name.

“God is not looking for those who can but those who will.”

Genealogies of Grace

by   December 1, 2024 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Were you among those waiting for Mariah Carey to “thaw” and ring in the Christmas season with her “All I Want for Christmas”? Perhaps you like to stick to Christmas carols reminiscent of Charles Dickens, or maybe you prefer to stick to true Christmas hymns. 

I love songs that build upon the timeline of Christ’s arrival. Some artists have entire projects dedicated to the Advent season. In the last couple of years, I have added two songs to my playlist I would not have cherished in my earlier years. Artists Andrew Peterson and the group Poor Bishop Hooper each have songs based on Matthew 1 – Christ’s genealogy. Lyrics to Peterson’s “Matthew’s Begats” and Poor Bishop Hooper’s “Christ” may read like very boring songs to kick off the Christmas season, but for a true Advent season, they appropriately begin December. 

Today, in our modern experience, genealogies are intriguing to explore on websites like Ancestry.com and perhaps fun to watch unfolding on shows like PBS’s Finding Your Roots, but other than to fill in our family history, we do not do much with them. However, the gospel of Matthew begins by showing the significance of preserving genealogies for the Jewish people. This disciple of Christ establishes His legitimacy to claim the throne of David, fulfilling the prophecy of the “anointed one” and the promise of the long-standing covenant with Israel as His chosen vessel. God was sending Jesus to bless the entire world through Abraham’s descendants. 

But let’s zero in on some of the individuals mentioned in Matthew 1. I encourage you to take time to get acquainted with them. Consider a son of Jacob (Judah), who had, in his youth, sold another brother into slavery. God humbled him when he failed to care for a neglected widow in his family, an error he inadvertently corrected, leading to a transformation in his heart. Next on the list is this widow (Tamar) who had to resort to deception to gain her rights to be cared for and provided for. We see Rahab, the prostitute, who knew the Israelites had access to the God she wanted to know. She is the mother to Boaz, who is the kinsman redeemer to Ruth, a Moabite woman – a forbidden people – representing people God was making a way to forgive and include by sending Jesus. Then, we see “the wife of Uriah” – such a mark on the family legacy; it is almost too much to mention her (even though it is David who marred her name). If we saw these people at a family gathering for nobility, we would question – “Who invited them?” 

We see several kings listed and come to Jechoniah – a wicked king, so sinful that his family was cursed. It would seem all hope was lost for fulfilling the prophecy of an “anointed one” to come from a cursed, evil ancestry, even if it came from the line of David. Yet, God’s sovereignty is not limited to those who would seemingly put an end to His plans. 

Wow, what an overwhelming thought – God’s devotion to Himself and His plans at which He is always working; His unfailing love for humanity! Can you make that personal at the dawn of this Advent season? Look at your life and character choices over your lifetime, over the last year, or perhaps even the previous week. How has God shown you unfailing, steadfast love? Can you see your inability to gain or earn His love and promises? Take a look at Matthew 1, maybe listen to the songs, and begin your Advent season with humble reflection and worship. 

Ashlie Miller and her family live in Concord, NC. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

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
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