Gardening This Year

by   May 17, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Gardening this Year

            It is a busy time for gardeners. It’s time to get the vegetable garden ready for a new season of growing. That means pulling the weeds, running the tiller through the beds, and getting everything planted. A gardener also has to go to garden centers and find all the plants and seeds. It is an exciting and hopeful time. It is a wonderful time of the year!

            We also need to trim the bushes and get our annual flowers planted. There is more weeding to do in the flower beds. Have I told you that I do not like weeding? It’s my least favorite gardening task, but I have to admit I like the way things look when all the weeds are cleaned out and fresh mulch is applied. I am glad for the longer days and the opportunity to work outside in the yard.

            My gardening excitement this year has been tempered. Several weeks ago, I was working outside and I took a tumble, landing on my back. I lay there for a minute. Getting up was not easy. A massage therapist I went to once taught me some back stretching exercises in which I slowly engaged. It has been a very s-l-o-w but gradual recovery. I saw a new massage therapist who shared her gift with me and helped to ease the pain and move me closer to recovery.

            While there is no good time to have pain, I have explained to several people that this is a terrible time to be struggling with back pain. There is so much work that needs to be done outside, but I am limited on what I can do. I have recovered enough that I can handle carrying groceries and light items. I can drag heavier things, but still I have to be careful doing that, too. No matter how careful I am, by the evening my back is sore, which makes me tired and weary.

            Because of the pain, I have had to approach my vegetable garden differently this year. I normally run the tiller through my raised vegetable beds. I till in the leaves and some new soil, preparing a great place for my new vegetables to grow. I couldn’t run the tiller this spring because of my back. This year I pulled the leaves back and mixed in some bags of soil and then planted my seeds and transplants. I am leaving the leaves around what I planted in hopes they will help keep the weeds down. I have heard of this idea; it’s called no till gardening. I haven’t tried it before, but necessity led to experimentation.

            It’s challenging when we are forced into changes. I want to garden as I always have, but pain forced me to make some changes. I do believe that God is still in the healing business today. I have experienced healing and seen too many healings of others to believe otherwise. But I also firmly believe that God will lead us through things because He wants to teach us more about Himself. He wants me to know that His grace is sufficient for me. He wants me to know that He will always be with me.

            Some may wonder why God didn’t protect me, but I argue that God did protect me from something far greater that the enemy wanted to do to me. God did something miraculous a few days after my fall. He gave me a supernatural peace. I struggle to maintain my peace at times in life, but I have felt His presence as I have struggled to recover. He has helped me to do some things…slowly. I have also had to humble myself and ask for some help, which I am very bad at doing. These are important lessons that I have been learning.

            The bottom line for me is this: I believe that God is actively involved in our lives but sometimes we have to look a little harder to find Him. I want to encourage you as you are going through your struggles…and I know we all have them…to look closer and see God in the middle of them. He is the God who will see you through your struggles. He loves you, but He wants you to learn more about who He is for you in the midst of your struggles. He cares for you. He will see you through to the other side. He is faithful. He is the Master Gardener who wants to produce fruit in your life. Let Him work the soil in your life and produce a harvest for His Kingdom.

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

What You Deserve Went Missing

by   May 16, 2025 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

An internet server in the Charlotte area airs a commercial touting the advantages it offers consumers. After the usual hype with an attractive person talking, the over voice says (to paraphrase), “It’s time to get what you deserve.” My hardback dictionary states that “deserve”  means “to be worth of” or “merit.” That first meaning has two connotations: to gain something positive, such as an award; or to receive a negative response to a particular action. Thus, a studious student may be awarded with academic accolades while a spiteful person may be ill-treated by another person. So in general, we use “deserve” to denote being awarded for hard work, courage, or other such positive acts.

Now, I know that language changes over the course of years because of our usage of it. In fact, several academics will argue that it must change in order for us to communicate effectively. Thus, the verb “quote” is now used to designate the noun “quotation”, and the longer form seems to have suffered a slow death. But my favorite new grammar usage, used by even the best of written sources, is “went missing.” A sentence such as, “The toddler went missing over the weekend” is as common as the sin of lying. I do not know why writers use two words when one, such as “disappeared”, would suffice, but “went missing” is here to stay. Furthermore, the verb “went” is a transitive which means that if it has a direct object, that object must be a noun or pronoun. However, that may be too complex, so let us just suggest we all use one simple word for the awkward phrase “went missing” because “missing” is not a place but a modifier.

It is no surprise that a television commercial maligns our language since its purpose is to communicate to the consumer. But I think we are headed down that “slippery slope” of misunderstanding each other if we continue on the path we are following. For example, I am old enough to remember the flap over a popular cigarette advertisement that stated, “… taste good like a cigarette should.” Our world has survived that confusion between like and as, but I  wonder at what price.

Not too many years ago, I was teaching 12th grade English in a school in Woodstock, VA. The position was provisional for that spring semester, but would become full time the following fall, so I applied for the full-time position. During the interview, the principal asked me why I was requiring my classes to read Macbeth in the original and not in a translation. Shocked by her ignorance, I answered that we read Shakespeare for many reasons, but especially for the language. More recently when I shared with a friend one more article by an English teacher arguing that there was no need to teach Shakespeare, he responded, “Soon Shakespeare may be offered as a way to satisfy a foreign language requirement.”

Language matters and if we shift too much in its use, we will create confusion instead of clarity. To defend incorrect usage by, “Well, you know what I meant,” is a lazy excuse. As a reader and/or listener, all I know is what I read and/or hear. Anything else is a guess and if you don’t want my attention to go missing, then be precise. We both deserve it.

Shield’s Couple Part 1

by   May 15, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Shields Couple Cycle the Southern Border, Part One

    Nothing is more fun for me than talking running and long-distance cycling. Dave Shields is an excellent runner, then when he added the Appalachian Trail and a ride across America to our discussions and I got interested fast.

    Patty, age 61, and Dave Shields, 62, are both retired but busy.  Patty likes gardening, pickleball and aerobic activities.  They both participate in local 5Ks on the SRR calendar.  It was at one of their first SRR races upon moving to Salisbury in 2018, the Santa 5K/Bigfoot reunion near Millbridge, that Dave discovered Rowan Helping Ministries.  He volunteers there as an interviewer at the Crisis Assistance Network, does life coaching, and is on the Facilities Committee.

    Dave had a dream at age 30 to complete his own endurance triple crown which included completing the Ironman Triathlon, hiking the entirety of the Appalachian Trail, and riding a bike across the USA.  Once their kids were grown up, and at age 50, he completed the Ironman in Lake Placid.  At age 60, in 2023, he hiked from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt. Katahdin, Maine to complete the Appalachian Trail.  Patty joined Dave on various hikes during each 500-mile segment of the 2200-mile-long trail.  During their first joint hike together in Georgia, and feeling a bit tired, Dave told Patty he didn’t think he’d wait until age 70 to ride across the USA by bike.  Patty replied, “If you do it at an earlier age, I’ll join you.” They thought they’d ride in 2024, but Dave needed more time to recover from his four month long Appalachian trail hike after the White Mountains gave him some knee tendinitis.

  For their cross-country ride, Dave and Patty chose to ride with a planned tour group because Dave didn’t want to manage the logistics like he did on the AT hike. They liked the idea of safety in numbers while riding on the roads with a group.

   Dave said, “The southern border trip was our default choice.  Originally, we had signed on with a tour company planning to ride from Los Angeles to Boston, starting in May.  The tour was canceled in late December 2024 due to a lack of participants, and we scrambled to find another tour. After a frantic internet search, we found the San Diego to St. Augustine tour.  Interestingly, it also almost didn’t happen due to a limited number of participants. The tour company, Timberline Adventures out of Boulder, Colorado, changed the tour from its usual normal of camping to a hotel tour. We are incredibly grateful that they chose to run the tour.”

   Both Dave and Patty are relatively fit. The biggest preparation is mental, knowing they would be biking 3000 miles over 43 days of riding, an average of 70 miles per day through elements out of their control including hills, heat, wind and chasing dogs. They spent hours pedaling a bike in the basement mainly to get their rearends adjusted to endless hours on a bike seat.  Dave, having completed several endurance activities, coached Patty on the mental adjustments needed for success which included focusing on the current ride and current day while keeping a sustainable pace over the length of the tour.

   The couple reported fantastic scenery! The bicycles allowed them to travel the country at a pace where they could appreciate all they were seeing. The deserts of the Southwest, the greening of the landscape through Texas Hill country, the Bayou of Louisiana, and the lush greenery of Florida offered them quite the contrast as they rolled along near the border. Seeing the massive border wall had them marveling at the engineering feat.

    Part 2 comes next week. The couple are back home now.

    Our next race locally is the Main Street Challenge 5K, Fun Run and Tot Trot in China Grove this coming Friday evening, May 9th. The Town of China Grove now owns the race after taking over from the South Rowan YMCA. It is high quality event on the fastest 5K course in North Carolina based on the 14 minutes and 6 second state record finishing time of Donnie Cowart in 2023.

     For more information on other upcoming events, go to www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Shields couple cycles the southern border, part one

Lynna’s “P” & Breakfast by the Sea

by   May 14, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

“Pray without ceasing.” When our daughters were little, this was the first Scripture we taught them. Seems so long ago. I remember our middle daughter clapping and cheering when it was her time to say it. She must’ve been about four. Eventually they also learned the verses before and after. It sounds like this: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The New Living Translation says, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in every circumstance.” Honestly I don’t always feel like doing things that way. In fact, I’m not terribly pleasant at times. Perhaps I should “Pray without ceasing.” Maybe the thankfulness is less about my circumstances, and more about the Lord Who is in change of them. Now THAT I can be glad about.

First posted March 1, 2012

What is your default setting? Where do you go when nothing is making sense? Do you have a “happy place” that re-boots your psyche? Christianeze would say, “Run to Jesus.” So how do you do that when the bills pile up, and the pain is great, and prayers go unanswered?

A good friend of mine who struggles with depression will watch a funny movie. Another friend finds great solace in his deer stand. He can sit there in the cold, frosty morning and watch the forest for hours. David will take a long ride on his motorcycle through the quiet countryside. Me? Take me to the beach. Give me a day watching the waves and suddenly I’m good for another couple months.

The sweetest story is recorded in the last chapter of John. Seven guys were together after witnessing the horrible death of their friend. And even though they had seen Him alive, and had the realization that God had raised Him from the dead, their future was very uncertain. Unmet expectations, fear of the unknown and the lingering question of “What now?” made way for hurt and doubt.

Peter reveals his default setting with “I’m going fishing.”

His friends joined him. But after fishing all night their nets were as empty as their souls. With dawn breaking a stranger called out to them the ageless question.

“Catching anything?”

“We’ve got nothing,” was their reply.

“Throw your net on the other side,” came the familiar suggestion.

With nets suddenly full, memories of provision and care filled their weary souls. Once they hauled in the bounty, they made their way to the shore where Jesus was waiting. And He had a hot breakfast ready for them. Can He get any sweeter?

A HOT BREAKFAST!

Here is the Lord of glory, Who has just conquered death, Who understands their fear and emptiness, cooking breakfast on the sea shore for His weary friends.

He’s kind like that. It wasn’t enough to call out a greeting; or fill their boat with fish; or even just appear to them again in order to let them know everything would be okay. Nope. He cooked breakfast.

That is a picture of our Savior: Grace heaped upon grace.

Just when we cannot take another thing, He sends what we need to fill our empty souls.

Hold on my friend. He will be calling to you shortly. Don’t feel bad if you have to look to Him and reply, “I’ve got nothing.” He already knows.

And He’s cooking up something special that will be just what you need.

Mercy!

by   May 12, 2025 with No Comments

Steve Hartman revisits a story or incredible mercy. Maybe it is about mercy and love. You’ll have to watch and decide… ENJOY!

Fallen But Not Forsaken

by   May 11, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

It was not our first time observing birds; I wrote about watching birds a year ago this time. After all, it is the season of hatchlings making their way out of the nest. This time, however, it was a rescue mission. 

My observant son saw our dog, Bruno, in the backyard, making eyes at something. No barking, just eying down something. Usually, as is the case with many hound mixes, he attempts to feast on whatever it may be – a rodent, a bumblebee, a lizard, a snake, or a bird. When my son saw that all-too-familiar look in Bruno’s eyes, he made a mad dash to see what it was. Behold, a fledgling tufted titmouse – stunned, most likely from a fall from a nest, but further paralyzed by fear of the glaring eye of a large beast!

Heroically, my son rescued the bird from the potential jaws of death and relocated the little birdie to the neighbor’s enclosed yard. Upon further observation, my curious daughter could hear the distressed cries of the baby bird’s parents and sat watchfully outside the fenced-in area to see if the mommy bird would come to the rescue. Eventually, momma swooped down to offer sustenance to her stunned baby. There were periods when it seemed the baby was hopelessly abandoned, but those parental calls indicated that the baby was not forsaken. My sweet girl would encourage the baby, occasionally approaching and sweetly speaking to it.

Before the sun fully set, with gloved hands, she scooped up the fledgling and placed him in a more well-lit area of the yard. She watched as the baby bird found a cozy spot to rest. The next morning, she could hear small chirps from a nest nearby. We assume all is well with this little feathered friend. 

There is nothing like the care of a mother. The worries and seemingly nagging cries may annoy us in childhood or even up through adulthood, but when they are no longer heard, we miss them. The provisions and thoughtfulness that sustain us in our youth and delightfully surprise us later in life are but cherished memories when Mom is no longer here. How will we survive the rest of this life without her watchful eye and care?

Yet, somehow, we make it. Maybe we have someone who checks in on us when something is glaring us down. They may even mobilize us out of our paralyzing posture. There may be a friend sitting just outside our immediate situation who can see that we will be okay. They cheer us on, listen to God’s voice of truth and love, and maybe even relay those reassuring words to us. They may even help us get in a better position to feel protected and cared for. 

But even when that does not feel like the case, there is One loving caregiver who sees all and knows all. If God considers each sparrow that falls, He surely sees us—those made in His image—in our hurts and sadnesses. He rescues us from the jaws of death. He calls to us with words of comfort and care. He provides sustenance to carry on another day, and He even sends us the kindness of others to help us when we feel alone or orphaned.

Do you see someone who is alone or saddened this Mother’s Day? Look for ways to encourage and help. And if you are without a mother on this special day, thank those who have helped and cared for you.

Ashlie Miller was blessed to have a wonderful mother for almost 45 years whom she misses dearly. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

Love & Appreciation

by   May 10, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Love and Appreciation

            Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers! Prayers and blessings to all those who hope to be mothers. Peace and grace to all those mothers who are missing their little ones. Mother’s Day can evoke many emotions, from love, joy, and happiness, to various levels of sadness. While it is considered a happy occasion, it can be difficult for some.

            My siblings and I were lucky kids because God gave us a great mother. She gave each of us tons of love as we grew. She encouraged us to spread our wings and fly when it was time to leave the nest. She has been a cheerleader for all of her kids as we have all experienced successful launches. If you are lucky as I am, then you are blessed to have a good mother.

            My mom is the news keeper for our family. My siblings and I are all busy and while we keep in touch we don’t know everything that is going on in each other’s families. That’s where my mom plays a vital role; I affectionately refer to her as News Central. If something is going on in the family, just check in with News Central; she has all the details. So when we visit or call my mom we all find out what is happening elsewhere in the family. There is great comfort in knowing you are in the family information loop.

            While we are blessed with good mothers, God must have decided to bless my wife and me twice when it comes to mothers in our lives. When I was at college I ran into a bad living situation. An older couple decided to step in and help me out. They invited me to live with them for a semester. They became my “adopted parents.” My wife and I were close with them while we were in college. They shared dinners with us and took us on many adventures. We have many great memories of time spent together. We have stayed in contact with them since we were in college.  

            Our parents and adopted parents have been a great blessing in our lives. In return, we have strived to show our love and appreciation to them. We visit with them, try to be helpful, call, and send cards. It is important to give back and express our love and appreciation to those who gave so much to us.

            The question that rolls around in my mind is, how do we show God how much we love and appreciate Him? You can’t send Him cards. You can’t take a trip “home” for a long weekend or for the holidays. I know we can “call” Him, but aren’t those calls reserved for needs and emergencies? What can you offer and bring to God as a gift when He owns everything?

            I think we begin by talking to Him like we would our best friend. Tell Him what is in our heart. Tell Him about our hopes and dreams. Tell Him about our day. Thank Him for our many blessings. Thank Him for all He has given us. Thank Him for the special people in our life. Maybe, if we dare, ask Him about His day. Ask Him what is on His heart. Ask Him if He would like to talk with us about something. Talking with God is a two way street. Listening for His voice is critical.

            Next, I wonder what can I give God? I think we begin by giving thanks and praise to Him. Praise Him for the sunrise or sunset. Praise Him for the beauty in creation. Praise Him for saving your soul. Just praise Him with all your heart. Let that lead you into worship. He deserves your praise and worship. He is the God of all creation. Express your love and gratitude to God. These are things He doesn’t have until you offer them to Him.

            There are so many ways to show God how much you love Him, including reading the Bible and getting to know Him. I want to encourage you to demonstrate your love by expressing your heart-felt praise and thanksgiving to Him. Talk to Him any time you want during the day. You don’t have to be in a special place because He is everywhere. When you think about Him in the middle of your busy day, just send Him a little “Hello” which will bless His heart. God loves you unconditionally and He proved it by sending Jesus into the world. Let your heart respond to His great love.

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

Key to Stumble Free Life

by   May 9, 2025 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

1 John 2:10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.

  • Undoubtedly, God is love and that is the greatest force on earth.
  • If we walk in love, we can do no evil and certainly it is the evidence of God in us.
  • We will not stumble spiritually if we live this life of continually loving others, even if they are undeserving or do things wrong to us.

Prayer:  My Lord, I pray that You fill my heart with Your love continually.  I yield to You and do not justify any wrong thinking in my heart, but honestly want to be filled with Your love to love everyone with Your love, because there is no other way.  I feel blessed to be an instrument of Your love in Jesus name.  Amen.
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Tried & True Fitness Testing

by   May 8, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Tried and True Fitness Testing

     Back in the late 1970’s when I found an interest in running, I kept hearing the name of Dr. Kenneth Cooper. Then recently in our just completed spring beginning runners class, one of the younger participants told me about following the Cooper Test. That brought back great memories of testing myself against Cooper’s age group standards. After reading them again, I guess I still am.

    The scientific tool known as the Cooper Test is designed to measure how much oxygen your body uses while exercising, known as the VO2 max. The higher your VO2 max, the more efficiently your heart is said to be pushing blood out to your organs and tissues, indicating that the organ is healthy. Studies have shown that those with a high VO2 max for their age are less likely to die from heart disease than those with lower scores.

    The test was developed by Cooper in 1968, who originally designed it to measure aerobic fitness in the US military. It can be completed on a treadmill, a running track or on any flat and hard surface. 

  Here are some of the highlights and how to test yourself simply against Cooper’s assessments. You run, jog or walk quickly for 12 minutes without stopping while using a distance-tracking watch or app such as Strava or Apple’s health feature. A meter is 3.28 feet. For a simple measurement of distance, the Catawba College track is 400 meters.

    A results table called Cooper Test: A 12-Minute Run to Check Aerobic Fitness at Verywellfit.com shows the distances that are considered excellent, above average, average, below average and poor. The figures are listed by gender and age up to 50 years old, but sadly Cooper didn’t continue his work to older age groups.

    Men in their 30s should be able to run 1.9 kilometers (1.1 miles), while women of the same age should manage 1.7K, or roughly a mile. If a man can cover 2.6K, or 1.6 miles, in his 30s, his VO2 is considered ‘excellent’. The same is true for women in their 30s who manage 2.5K or a mile and a half.

      For mid-lifers, the threshold is a little lower. The average man in his 50s can cover a distance of just under a mile, or 1.6K in 12 minutes. If he reaches 2.4K, or a mile and a third, his performance is ‘excellent’. The average distance for a woman in her 50s can cover 0.8 miles or 1.4K, while anything over 2.2K, or over a mile, she’s excellent.

      Anything between 1.1K and 1.6K is considered poor, depending on the age group. You don’t need to wear a bunch of sensors hooked to your body to get these results because running engages most of the major muscle groups in the body. including legs, abs, shoulders, back and arms.

     Pushups are also a great measurement for fitness and overall health. Young men should aim for 28 pushups and women 20. At age 45, men should be able to do 16 pushups and women 14. For 55-year-olds, the count decreases to 12 pushups for men and 10 for women.

    Research has also shown that older people who can balance on one leg well are at a vastly reduced risk of dying within the next decade. That’s because how well a person can balance indicates their level of general strength, and ability to prevent trips and falls, which is a leading killer in elderly people. 

    Simples goals for age 18-39 are 43 seconds, 40-49 at 40 seconds, 50-59 at 37 seconds, 60-69 at 30 seconds, 70-79 at 13-19 seconds and 80 and over at 7 seconds. All this is good food for thought and a fun way to challenge yourself.

     This week’s race is the Teens With a Mission 5K and Fun Run Glow Run on Friday evening at Overton School. Look for this event and others upcoming at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Tried and true fitness testing
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