Who’s Your Pastor?

by   October 13, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Jeremiah 3:15 says, “I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

Sometimes, I literally shake my head in amazement at how God sent just the right pastors into my life at exactly the right time – and in the right season of my life.

It could only have been perfectly orchestrated by God, because as each pastor was sowing into my life in one way, they were surely also sowing into the lives of others in the church in completely different ways at the exact same time.

Who’s my pastor?

Pastor Victor Trivette – taught me when I was 13 years old about being saved by grace. I accepted Christ and was baptized. It was exactly what I needed.

Pastor Garland Faw – taught me what living a life for Christ looked like – Believing. Praying. Worshiping. Submitting to God. It was exactly what I needed.

Pastor Terry Brown – taught me about serving with my heart, letting the Spirit lead, and stretching myself beyond what I thought were my capabilities, as I grew in love for Christ. It was exactly what I needed.

Pastor Chad Miller – taught me to thirst and hunger after God, to spend more time in God’s Word, and to look to Jesus completely. It was exactly what I needed.

Pastor Beaver Hammond – taught me that when God leads, I need to say YES. It was exactly what I needed.

Pastor Marty Payton – taught me the importance of missions outside the church, and about discipling others. It was exactly what I needed.

Pastor Brian Rabon – leads by example – which makes it easy to desire to go to a deeper spiritual place in my life. He is seemingly tireless as he reaches out to those in need, prays, preaches, teaches, serves, mentors, and disciples, in an authentic, loving, and encouraging way. It is exactly what I need.

To my pastors:

Thank you.

As 1 Thessalonians 5:13 says – I esteem you highly.

As 1 Timothy 5:17 says – I give you double honor.

Thank you for feeding me with knowledge and understanding.

Thank you for giving to the Lord – I am a life that was changed.

Who’s your pastor? How has their leadership impacted you? Be sure to let them know – October is Pastor Appreciation Month.

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com

Prayers

by   October 12, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I love to pray and talk to my Father. Sometimes, it is a little more talking to Him, and if you know me, you know I like to talk. Sometimes it is listening. There is so much God wants to tell me, I have to learn to be quiet and listen. His love is so profound that I really don’t think we grasp how deeply He loves us. I love spending time with Him.

            I have a number of friends who are going through some big things in their lives. There are six specific friends who are getting prayed for multiple times a day. I think of them often and when I do, I lift them up in prayer. We don’t always know the power of our prayers or how they are impacting the individual on our hearts. I believe they make a huge difference, and for some people it is what gives them to strength to carry on.

            I think about when I have asked for prayer, I know the impact prayer has on my life. The prayers reinforce areas that are weak in me. The prayers bring health and healing to my body, mind, and spirit. The prayers and support help me to get up, brush myself off, and to begin walking again. We all fall down and we need each other to get back up.

            When I receive prayer I feel the power to persevere rise within me. Think about it, the enemy’s job is to accuse, hinder, and destroy our faith. When the battle is raging around us, we need our brothers and sisters to join our battle, strengthen our faith, and help us win the victory. The enemy doesn’t fight fair. He attacks when we are weak. He throws doubt, discouragement, fear, condemnation, or whatever he can find at us.

            Each Sunday I begin our worship service at church with a scripture. This past Sunday it came from Isaiah 43. It says in verse one, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!” Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit all know each one of us by our name. We are His! I know God watches over His people. He wants to help us win our battle. In fact, He will send us the resources of heaven to help us in our fight.

            Recently, I asked God to help me look over my life. What did He want to work on? One day I discovered Him digging around one of the foundational truths of the faith. “What are you looking there for?” I asked. He kept digging and exposing the area. I did some reading, praying, and even developed a statement of faith about this area. I read the statement daily for a period of time. Each day I felt the impact that simple statement was making in my life.

            BOOM! The attack came. That’s right, Jesus exposed this foundational area and the enemy made a full frontal attack on me. How could this foundational area be weak? I have loved and walked with the Lord for a long time. Back to reading the statement and more prayer. Meanwhile Jesus found the cracked bricks in my foundation and began to remove them. We had created better bricks and we were now in the process of putting them in place. Jesus stepped back, examined His work and then showed me the new and improved foundation.

            I am not sure the concrete is set yet so I think I might keep reading my statement. I have thanked the Lord for His work, but I asked Him why He did it. I read a little farther in Isaiah 43 and saw this, “Because you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you…” Imagine that, I am precious in the creator of the universe’s sight. When I walk into His presence, He honors me! He loves me. The God of all creation loves ME! He loves YOU, too! God wanted to fix something so it would NEVER again become an issue between us.

            I want to encourage you to be brave enough to ask God to look into your life and ask Him if there is anything that needs work. I had no idea this area needed work. I imagine this is going to open the door for further inspection of other areas of my life. That’s a good thing, right? The goal is to grow closer to God, to become mature in our faith. Growth and maturity are going to require work. I have a heart for God and want all He has for me, even if that means working on a simple foundational truth that needed repair.

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

Falling Down Drunk

by   October 8, 2019 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Have you ever been so embarrassed that you wanted to crawl under a table and hide? Like the time when I was a young mother and my skirt fell off at homecoming. We’re talking church gym full of covered dishes and gloriously sanctified saints. This was in the eighties so picture a cute little yellow wrap around number that tied on the side. My darling middle child, who was about five at the time, poked a hole in the bottom of her Styrofoam cup with her pointy little finger. Red punch poured freely onto those nearby while she examined her homemade fountain with wonder. Being a young nimble woman, I jumped into action. Unbeknownst to me the knotted end of my skirt tie was caught in the foldy part of the metal chair where I was perched. In one fell swoop my skirt was left behind as I bounded toward the buffet line for napkins. Praise God for petticoats.

Fast forward to 2019.

We’ve been dealing with a health issue for quite a while. I say “we” because David, my better half for 45 years has journeyed with me through all kinds of treatments. A few weeks ago the pain increased to the point that we decided to consult our family physician. I’ve been through so many tests and “cures” down through the years, that frankly even though I love my new doctor and have the utmost respect for her, I’ve never actually talked with her about this mystery. I decided it was time.

Together we chose a medication that might relieve some of the pain. By the second week in, I could barely toddle without help. Thank the good Lord I haven’t had to be in a hurry to fetch napkins. Annyyywayyy…

At my urging, David took me to a baby shower. Since I really wanted to see our nieces and nephews and all the new babies they’re having, I assured him I’d be fine. We parked close to the door but as he helped me inside, the August heat hit full force. I stumbled and could not tell which way was up. I’ve never been so drunk in all my life. Suddenly I felt very old and feeble. It was even more embarrassing than losing my skirt at church. Later one of my sweet nieces asked if I’d like to hold her baby. I shook my head no then mumbled something about being on drugs. Seems like I laughed quite a bit longer than I should have. Thankfully though, I still had all my clothes on.

When we left, David led me to the car. I stumbled again and hung onto him for dear life. Bless his sweet heart. Like the gentleman he is, he took the drunk girl home. I settled into my recliner and had a good cry. A short while later his sister Gail sent him a text to check on me. Her kindness reminded me of several things.

We all go through embarrassment. Some events are still funny forty years later while others are too fresh to laugh at just yet. AND the people who love us are going to love us no matter what. So since I’m not quite ready to laugh at my current embarrassment, here are two quotes found on Facebook lately that relate.

One: “I can talk an awful lot of smack for someone who tips over when putting on their underwear. Two: “People who are chronically ill are not pretending to be sick. They are pretending to be well.”

By the way, I called a nurse to ask for advice. She was very kind and suggested three things.

One: Stay cool. Two: Move slowly. Three: Call her back if I pass out.

First of all, this is the August from Sheol if I’m not mistaken. Second, I can’t move any slower. I’m already in sloth mode. Third, if I pass out, surely someone else will call 911.

Update:

One month later it’s still hot. But thankfully I was weaned off the extra meds and got the bulk of my balance back. So if you were one of the many people who gave me grace during the questionable times, I love you. And someday if you find yourself staggering, I promise to give you the benefit of the doubt.

It’s just no fun falling down drunk without a party.

Traveling Back

by   October 5, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            My wife and I decided to take a trip back to our Alma Mater, James Madison University in Virginia. We had a nice drive up. Our intention was to visit a very dear friend and my niece, who is now a freshman at JMU.

            Our dear friend is living in a retirement community, which offers an apartment for visitors. It was a beautiful place and we were blessed to enjoy staying close to our friend. She gave us a royal welcome and treated us like family. While we talk on the phone and exchange cards, we haven’t seen each other for many years.

            We took a wonderful tour down memory lane. We saw the dorms where my wife stayed when she was at JMU. Then we drove by the places I stayed off campus. We shared stories about our first date and places we liked to go. The campus has more than doubled in size since we left.

            We drove by the home where my friend lived when I stayed with her and her husband for a semester. Then she took us by another home they lived in later, and her daughter’s home. Finally, we drove out to where her husband has been laid to rest. It is such a beautiful location.

            We shared several meals, old memories, and lots of laughs. The weather was perfect and the time flew by. Now we can picture where she lives and reflect on our wonderful time together.

            My niece is just beginning her college experience. I am so proud of her. I met her for coffee and we shared lots of stories. She told me about her classes, what life is like living on campus, and a lot about how things have changed since I attended JMU. She told me about organizations she is joining and budding new friendships. I am so excited for her next four years and told her to enjoy every moment. She is going to do great!

            We had such a great trip that we talked about making it an annual tradition. Both my niece and my dear friend would welcome us warmly and there are still some things we would like to rediscover.

            It’s good to reflect on good times and examine the foundations in our lives. My wife and I were blessed to get good educations that led to good jobs. But I believe it is important to examine our spiritual foundations and look at how we have grown in the Lord.

            We both grew up going to church and knowing the Bible stories. We learned to believe and trust in the Lord at an early age. Life has a way of testing faith. There are always challenges that seem bigger than life that we all face. The question in those moments is will we turn to God or will we run from Him?

            The truth is that there is no challenge in our lives that God can’t help us through. It may look impossible, but we serve the God of the impossible. If may look dark, but He is the light of the world. It may seem frightening, but He is the God who promises never to leave or forsake us.

            When life challenges you, look back at the past. Look back on all the other times that God has come through for you. He didn’t fail you in the past; He will not fail you now. Our lives are full of stories of God’s faithfulness to us. When we reflect on previous trials, we will remember how He came through for us. Those testimonies to His goodness can comfort and guide us through the storms of today.

            God is good, loving, and kind. He sees the best in you and believes that you will make it through to the other side of whatever challenge you face. The God of heaven is rooting for you. He has sent His angels to guard and protect you on your journey. He knows you will stumble and make bad choices along the way, but when you turn back to Him you can be sure He will be there for you. He is there for you. Your past proves it.

            I want to encourage you to reflect back on your life. Look for God’s hand as He guided you along life’s way. Look for the provision He gave you. Look at the friends He sent at just the right moment for you. He is and always has been there for you. Let your faith rest on the rock of your past experiences with God. I believe He has good things for us in the future.

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

Devotions on the Beach

by   September 30, 2019 with No Comments

By David Freeze

   My primary task following one of my cycling adventures is to complete the accompanying book. I find writing and editing the latest book to be much harder than cycling the journey.  The draft of my Alaska book and most of the edits were completed a week ago and I needed to do the final read through while totally focused. I decided to go to the beach alone, get the final edit done and take some time to relax.

    I had not been to the South Carolina beaches in four years, and the last time was on my cycling adventure from Maine to Key West. This time, I had an amazing schedule assist that included no events for a weekend. That almost never happens. I left Saturday morning with a place to stay at the south end of Myrtle Beach. For years, that was my favorite beach for several reasons. My family loved the Springmaid Beach complex, I had discounted rates there and the kids had an onsite pool and putt-putt, plus a family cafeteria.

     This time, I went alone and was surprised to see that Hilton Doubletree owns that complex and the family things are all gone. I did get a room close by and explored the old Air Force base where I loved to run. The military things are mostly gone, and condominiums and shops have replaced them. The airport is commercial now. I also did a six mile loop on the streets next to the beach.

     While no longer a military base, occasional military jets and transport planes still took off and climbed over the ocean, a great sight to see and its maybe a better place to run now.  

    Other things are gone too. Long time DJ Ted Bell isn’t on 94.9, the Surf, my favorite beach music station. He passed away last year of brain cancer. The old Wings stores are named other things. The Springmaid Pier was destroyed in a storm and is being rebuilt.

      I had no real plan on how long to stay in that area, so I went to North Myrtle Beach for a couple of days. It had been even longer since I spent any time there. I noticed lots more high-rise motels and condos but still plenty of the old buildings and small houses too.

     While at the beach, I love to walk too. Any time suits me fine. On the first morning at Cherry Grove, I ran six miles and immediately changed shorts, grabbed my radio and walked about three miles on the beach while listening to Christian music. I couldn’t wait to do it again.

      On the second morning, I ran five and then immediately walked four, again with the praise music and some old hymns in my ears. The sunrises were beautiful and so was the weather on both mornings. I felt so close to God and didn’t want it to end.

      Also amazing were the early morning people. Runners ran and walkers walked as the sun came up. Time and again, people were greeting each other with pleasant “Good mornings!” and “Hi’s!” Those that didn’t speak often waved and many did both. I was with my people.

     Back home now, I won’t be able to do my walk with Christian music every morning, but some days will work. For the longest time, my devotions have been an evening thing. I can see that shift to mornings on most days coming soon. Another trip to the beach and more morning walks is just a few weeks away. Morning reflection, devotions and anticipation for the day make a wonderful mix!

ME! ME! ME!

by   September 29, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Every student in school was crammed into the gym for the presentation of the shiny brand new bike that would go to the winner of the grand prize in our fundraiser. Yes, ONE randomly drawn lucky winner!

Estimated 400 students. As a teacher, I prepared myself for the sadness of the 399.

I was a little surprised when the representative yelled to the kids, “WHO WANTS THE BIKE?”

Hysterical children began jumping up and down, climbing on each other, running around in circles, and screaming the same 3 frantic words: ME! ME! ME!

Teachers began to corral the students and get them back to their ‘spot’ on the floor where they had been sitting, as the lone bike awaited its owner.

It became even more difficult when the representative’s microphone once again boomed, “ARE YOU READY?” This was followed by renewed jumping, screaming, and more boisterous shouts begging for the bike, while crying out, “ME! ME! ME!”

Finally, the winner’s name was read! Dead silence. Sighs. Moans. Even tears and some shouts of “Boo! Boo!” This was not going well. Finally, a tiny first grade girl hesitantly went up to accept the huge bike, but not until she whispered into the microphone that she did not know how to ride a bike. She received the free gift, anyway.

400 students? 399 unhappy. Students exited.

While walking back to our classroom, one of my students, who had been particularly expressive in his jumping and screaming, said, “I did everything I could think of to win the bike, but I just couldn’t make it happen!”

Nothing had worked to improve their chances of winning:

*Drawing attention to themselves to be noticed.

*Being quiet to be noticed.

*Working hard to be noticed.

*Not working at all to be noticed.

*Boasting of their biking skills to be noticed.

*Totally lacking biking skills.

None of that mattered. It was a gift. For one.

As I tried to comfort the student as we walked, I kept thinking about those hundreds of screams of, “ME! ME! ME!” and I realized that I often may do the very same thing. No, I may not yell out, “ME! ME! ME!” but I feel sure I sometimes point to myself – even if in my mind – feeling like the more I do, the better my chances are of winning.

God’s Word points out two clear-cut (and totally different) examples of those choruses of ‘ME!’ as being a problem:

*Acts 5:1-11 tells where Ananias and Sapphira died for lying to God and to God’s people by trying to make themselves seem more generous than they actually were. (This is not one of my favorite Bible stories.)

*Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are we saved through faith; not of ourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

We are saved by grace through faith – not by works. Acts 16:31 says if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we will be saved.

The good news is that there is a bike for everyone – not just for one!

Oh wait! I mean – there is salvation for everyone – not just for one!

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com 

I Got A Job?

by   September 28, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

                Someone asked me the other day if I was enjoying retirement. “Are you kidding me? YES!” He laughed, because he knew I would love it. The truth is, I really do love it. But the fact remains that I am going to have to do something. I need something in my life. I tend to be a creature of habit and routine. It would also be nice to make a little spending money.

                Trying to find the right thing, a part-time job, is challenging. Before I retired, I didn’t know about any opportunities. Since I retired, there are lots things that have become options. I am glad that I didn’t have to be in a big hurry to get something. It has afforded me the opportunity to prayerfully consider what God wants me to do.

                It is my biggest desire to please my Father in heaven. The good news about that is that no matter what I do, God still loves me. I am pleasing in HIs sight. I am His son. I also know that there are things that He wants me to do. Like a good son, I want to be about my Father’s business.

                Some might immediately think that the only place we can be about His business is at church. Granted, there are some very important things that need doing in every church and I plan to do more at mine. But it is my firm belief that not everything God wants us to do revolves entirely around the church.

God wants us to be the salt of the earth. In order to be a preservative, salt, we have to be active in our community. We have to be in places that need His presence. Jesus told His disciples to go and win the lost and to make them into disciples. We have to be out where the lost are to win them. 

I believe sometimes God’s plans includes us doing things outside the four walls of the church. God needs people in every profession to be a light in the dark world. I always felt like I was a missionary teaching in the public schools. So if your job is a plumber, imagine how many non-church people you can bring the light of the gospel to in your job. God needs each of us to bring His light into our workplace.

After seeking the Lord, I believe He has guided me to a new adventure. I just completed the process of becoming an online teacher. Granted, that isn’t a big stretch from being a public school teacher. There is a catch…I will be teaching English to Chinese students. The truth is, I am excited about teaching  the students. They will be younger than I am used to teaching and I will have to be a little more energetic and animated to do a good job. The biggest catch for me is that it will be very early in the morning. I mean long before I am used to getting up. I will adjust and I think it will be fun.

The cool thing is that God is opening a door for me to continue to speak into young lives. It will be different, but God has faith in me. I am excited to get started. I have a few more things to do before I see my first student on the computer screen. This is a whole different way of teaching, hopefully proving this old dog can learn some new tricks.

God has good plans for your life and mine. We don’t always know where the adventure will take us, but we can be sure He will be with us. Will everything be perfect because we are following His plan? No. There will be some bumps along the road, but I know that He will help me along the way.

I believe that some of you are heading down a new road. Maybe yours is a new job, a new house, or maybe a new relationship. Whatever your new experience is, God will be with you. The road may be bumpy and curvy, that only keeps the adventure interesting. He wants us to trust Him and to be ready to share an encouraging word and our faith with those we meet along the way.

I want to encourage you to look at your life and circumstances through God’s eyes. God needs you to shine brightly. Be ready, because sometimes He will move you to a new place where you can let His light shine through you. One thing I know, it never gets boring  with God. Grab ahold of Him, the ride will be a great adventure.  

By Doug Creamer – PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041 or doug@dougcreamer.com

Walk Worthy

by   September 24, 2019 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

We really enjoy watching the Atlanta Braves play. In fact we’ve been fans long enough to remember the days of Andrew Jones, Javy Lopez, John Smoltz, and long before that Dale Murphy. Now we appreciate all the new guys. I think what makes it so enjoyable is that the team is having a good time. They joke with the opposing fans and players. They laugh at each other and make fun of their own mistakes. I kinda love it. Plus all the winning is fun too.

The other night something terrible happened. One of our favorite players, Charlie Culberson, got hit in the head with a ninety-one mile an hour fastball. He immediately went down. As Charlie lay bleeding in the dirt, we waited… and prayed.

The third base coach, Ron Washington is a seasoned veteran who tends to treat each player as a son. As Charlie suffered, Papa Wash, as David dubbed him, kneeled in the dirt beside him. While medics attended his head, gently he patted Charlie’s leg as if soothing his son.

Eventually the medical staff was able to get our wounded player onto a cart. As they drove away Charlie lifted his head to search out the National’s pitcher Fernando Rodney. The men exchanged a moment of grace when Charlie simply gave him a thumbs up. Rodney was visibly shaken and struggled to maintain control when later he continued pitching.

A fastball to the head is serious. Most likely Charlie is out for the rest of this season. If bones are crushed near the eye socket his entire career could be over. I remember years ago when a player was hit with a similar pitch. Because of a shift in the position of the bones around the eye, the man no longer had the depth perception he needed to play. I’m sure both men were aware of the severity of the injury. Yet one simple gesture said in essence,

“It’s okay. I know the ball just got away from you.” 

I felt almost as sorry for the pitcher as I did for Charlie. I wanted to hug him and usher him away from the field. Like Papa Wash I wanted to kneel in the dirt by Charlie. Like the man on the cart holding a towel on Charlie’s head I wanted to put an arm around his shoulder and tell him I’m proud of his reaction toward Rodney. Had I been there I would have tipped my cap and saluted the Washington fans for the silence they gave to the moment and later for their standing ovation as Charlie was carted away.

The Braves announcers were so sickened by the moment that Jeff Francoeur could hardly continue. Chip Caray chose his words wisely and promised us updates. He too expressed sympathy for the pitcher and even the manager of the opposing team.

I know.

None of them are perfect. But I love the Braves. They reminded me of something valuable. People are hurting all around us. May we kneel in the dirt, pat someone on the back, or gently speak a word of grace.

No matter where life takes us, may we do our best to walk worthy of our calling.

You Couldn’t Do That!

by   September 23, 2019 with No Comments

By David Freeze

    One of my favorite stories, often recounted for motivation of my fitness and wellness clients, happened about 40 years ago. I heard the other day about a book that had all the references to can’t and negativity cut out of it. Not much was left of the book. Here’s a story of nearly all positives. I hope you enjoy it.

     Back in 1979, I had the occasion to watch the New York City Marathon on TV. It wasn’t intended, but that TV show went a long way toward changing my life for the next 40 years. My wife at the time and I had a bad habit. She worked at Revco Drug, the forerunner to CVS of today. A couple of times a week, one of her responsibilities was to clear the out of date candy from the store. She didn’t throw it away and usually brought it home. On those days, I couldn’t wait to dig into the candy bag. We sat around and ate until we both fell asleep in our chairs, having developed a regular pattern.

    While that sounds very bad, we were both athletes. I was playing up to 100 games of softball every summer and in a basketball league during the winter. She was an outstanding shortstop for her women’s softball team. We both gained weight and soon I had an extra 30 pounds going that I didn’t like.

    We watched that marathon together and loved ABC’s coverage of 15,000 runners in the streets and boroughs of the greatest city in the world. I don’t remember much about the winners, but I do remember what they said about the training required to complete 26.2 miles. I was mesmerized and didn’t miss any of the four hours of coverage.

      At the end, we both were sitting on the couch and I said, “I think I would like to do that, run the New York City Marathon.” My wife said, “There is no way that you could ever do anything like that!” She started laughing and rolled off the couch to emphasize how funny she though the idea was. Nothing more was said.

     That night, for the first time in my life, I ran a mile because I wanted to. It was horrid and I struggled in my Converse basketball shoes. But I finished the mile, and somehow managed to make myself climb three steps into the house. I was worn out and certainly didn’t like the experience.

    The next night, I did it again. Running that second mile was just a tad easier. Two weeks later, I ran a 5K (3.1 miles) and promised God if he would just let me finish, I wouldn’t try it again. The last uphill mile was torture.

    But I lied, a few weeks later, I ran an 8K (4.97 miles) and finished 49th out of 50 runners. Again, miserable would have been too nice of a word. I was not very good at this running thing, but my weight was starting to fall, and I felt more alert. I stopped eating the candy and soon it was given to others at the store. No more of those bags of chocolate came home.

     You have probably guessed by now, but I kept training. I ran to my softball games and ran during weekend tournaments between games. I was hooked.

     When April rolled around, I secretly applied to get in the New York City Marathon. After acceptance into the event (about a third of applicants got in), serious training to complete 26.2 miles began. Still not sure that I could run the distance, I kept quiet for a time.

       Training went well and when the 1980 New York City Marathon cannon blast started the runners, I was in the field. A long 26.2 miles later, I crossed the finish line in Central Park to complete my first marathon, one year from the day that I set a goal. My wife was there and saw my finish.

     Goals are meant to be challenging, yet reachable. Dreams go well with goals. Set yours today.

That Heavy Load

by   September 22, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Laptop, notebook, snacks, clothes, and an excess of needed items from home. One backpack and three additional bags – filled. I was set to spend the day at the hospital with my son, who was scheduled for surgery.

6am. Arrived in parking deck. Too much concrete and darkness in there for me.

I hurriedly grabbed my ‘stuff’ and my journey began. Goodness, what a heavy load I was carrying! I was not sure I could make it!

The first part of the trek was slightly uphill. I whispered my most often said prayer, “Lord, help me.” It all felt so hopeless – maybe I should turn around and leave some ‘stuff’ in the car.

But, I saw the entrance up ahead. There was no reason to turn back. I had come too far to stop now…

When I got inside the hospital, I put my bags down and began struggling to re-adjust my backpack. As I fumbled with it, someone stopped to help me lift it to a better carrying position on my back. It was still a heavy load, but felt much better! I grabbed my other bags, and continued, while still wondering if I could make it to the elevator.

Feeling a little overwhelmed with the load – and the day ahead – I looked down as someone passed me from the opposite direction. Even though I wasn’t looking at them, they cheerfully called out, “Good morning.” I felt obligated to look up from my heaviness – and respond.

Then, I guess I decided to keep looking up – and I started to notice all that was around me.

A bouquet of flowers on a table.

How pretty!

Artwork on the walls.

How beautiful!

A row of rocking chairs.

How comforting!

People smiling – and saying hello.

How nice of them!

A little girl in a frilly pink dress, speaking excitedly in Spanish, while carrying a vase with the biggest sunflower ever!

I had to smile… in spite of my heavy load.

As I stepped onto the elevator, there was a lady with some bags that appeared even more cumbersome than mine. We both laughed, as she said, “Looks like we are having a contest to see who can carry the most stuff!”

That is when I realized that somewhere along the way, my load had begun to feel lighter.

How was the rest of my day? The surgery was cancelled. The doctor decided it was not needed.

As I gathered up my ‘stuff’ to head home later, my son said, “How did you carry that heavy load in here by yourself?”

I looked around to see if God was in the room, putting those words into his mouth, because they were so perfect.

“I wasn’t by myself,” I responded. “Not by myself at all.”

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or https://www.annfarabee.com/

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