Back in the Day

by   September 12, 2023 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

My daddy turns ninety this year. To say he’s been through some things is quite the understatement. I love it when he talks about growing up. Today when we visited by phone he mentioned that he had loved playing football in school. This was news to me and I could not imagine. As an adult he’s always been a short wiry fellow; strong as an ox and as smart as anyone I’ve ever met. But football? I guess he heard my doubts as he went on to explain. “I’m small now and was probably shorter then, but I could run. Everybody said I was fast. Of course all us Pittman boys were fast.” I laughed and said, “You were probably trying to stay two steps ahead of grandpaw.” He paused at the thought and added. ” Yep, some other people too.” I wondered what he meant. I know he and some of his brothers had been caught swimming in the old Cannon Mills cement pond at night on several occasions. I think they received a free escort home by the cops at some point. Since both his parents worked in the cotton mill, that probably ended those late night shenanigans. But who knows? I do know daddy has always loved to swim. However he did not get to play football because it fell to him to milk the family cow. With a family having twelve kids it was a necessity. Apparently the milking could not wait til after football practice. Daddy went on to say that growing up back then was not the same as how kids grow up today. I smiled at another giant understatement.


That lead me to mention the power outage and how hot it was in our house. “I guess I’m just spoiled. I can’t imaging how folks used to live without air conditioning.” He paused to think for a minute. “Yep, I slept with my head on the windowsill many a night, just begging for a breeze. And flies were awful. Nowadays if we get a fly in the house it’s unusual. Back in the day they were everywhere. Did you ever see those yellow strips of flypaper? Everybody had those hangin’ in the doorways. Flies were so much worse back then. They came in swarms. Of course everybody had an outhouse in their backyard.” I shuddered at the thought. “And a cow,” I added.


“Yep… that didn’t help much either.” He paused and thought for a while. I waited and hoped he’d tell me more. But I was careful not to ask because if daddy thinks you’re trying to get him to talk about the past he shuts down. Inside I knew this was a rare visit. I know the man won’t live forever. Eventually he began talking again. I listened as he recalled a time when he was around eight years old. As he walked down the dirt road past houses in his neighborhood, he kept hearing mournful crying. He had no idea what all the sadness was about. Later he found out Pearl Harbor had been bombed. My soul grieved at the thought of his little boy heart. How terribly sad to live through such a horrible time. I also knew he would grow up to join the Navy during the Korean war. In the past when we’ve asked about those years in uniform he’d just shrug and say, “Aw, I didn’t really do anything. Sailed around the world a couple times. Swam in a lot of places I weren’t supposed to. Married your mama one Labor Day weekend. The brass revoked my shore leave at the last minute and I had to go AWOL to meet up with her. Spent two weeks with your mama. Did hard time for ninety days once I got back. But it was worth it.”


I can’t imagine ninety days of hard labor in the confines of an aircraft carrier. I knew from stories past that his sentence started in September of 1953 while his ship was docked in Jacksonville, Florida. The first time he had shore leave was in January the next year. By then they were in the Philippines.


Ninety years. He and mama raised three daughters. Mama passed away at only 72; a very young 72. We miss her still. But daddy! Still here and sharp enough to talk about “back in the day.” When I start to worry about our current times it helps to recall just a few of the things my daddy lived through. In fact I feel spoiled completely rotten. Praise God my life does not include an outhouse or yellow fly paper.

Kindness on Sept 11th

by   September 11, 2023 with No Comments

Today is a tough day if you are old enough to remember what happened on 9/11. While there are many stories I could post today, I thought we could change things for the better if we thought of ways to share kindness today. If we did, maybe 9/11 could be a day to do kind things for others. Here is a story to inspire you…. by Steve Hartman….

Remember Hurricane Hugo

by   September 11, 2023 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

If you knew immediately what the title referred to, you may have lived through it.

Hurricane Hugo arrived in North Carolina in the wee hours of the morning on Sept. 22, 1989. I know this because I was awake. Sleeping while the wind was roaring was impossible. It left me feeling as though my home was under attack and could be moved from its foundation at any second.

We were a typical family of four — mom, dad, seven-year-old daughter, and a four-year-old son. My husband and I heard the sounds outside before the kids did, so we headed toward the living room where we could see out the window. That is when the power went out. We stayed awake to make sure our roof stayed on the house, the glass stayed in the windows, and the house stayed on its foundation. We were soon joined by our seven-year-old, but our four-year-old slept through the night.

It was a long, loud night. The sounds from the hurricane were sounds I had never heard — and have not forgotten.The wind was not just blowing — it felt and sounded like a freight train barreling through our house. I was scared. I admit that more than once that night, I had thoughts of Dorothy and Toto as I envisioned — and almost felt — our house being lifted from its foundation.

We had a cock-a-poo that was not named Toto — but he was shaking in fear and pooping everywhere in the house the entire night. He refused to go outside. I don’t blame him.

The power was out for 11 days, and the food in the refrigerator spoiled. The phone service was out for two weeks.

But hey — we had each other, right? At one point, we decided to get into the car and attempt to go somewhere to find something — like maybe some food. We took a right out of our neighborhood toward Kannapolis and almost immediately, we saw a very large tree blocking our road. We turned around and headed the opposite direction toward Concord. Almost immediately, there was a very large tree blocking the road. We went home.

Food was running a bit low, obviously, but it was amazing how valuable food out of a can is when one is hungry.

Week Two showed a few improvements. Some radio stations were back on air, and since we had a transistor radio and some batteries, we somewhat began to reconnect with the world.

School re-started before everyone’s power was back on, but it was for the best. Students felt a sense of normalcy and food was available for all. I greeted each of my students at the door with a hug. They hugged me back. We had been through something separately — but also together.

They were not my actual family, nor was I theirs. You sure would not have known it.

We were a family back together again. It was good to be home.

Remember Hurricane Hugo? I sure do.

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

Is Hospitality a Cultural or Personality Trait?

by   September 10, 2023 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Hospitality is intriguing because it is not always the extroverts who have displayed it so well to me and my family. True, biblical hospitality is always more than a serving action; love accompanies the action, not grumbling (1 Peter 4:9) or a mere sense of obligation.

I recently interviewed several ladies from either church or friends who I have witnessed bear this trait remarkably well. Only a couple are self-professed extroverts, while some consider themselves quite shy.

While some of the ladies, like Lizzy, grew up in cultures (like Southern culture) or family environments that did foster hospitality, others did not. What is natural for some is very unnatural for others. So what is the connection? How are extreme opposites in personality and culture willing to lean into their natural gifting or push past their comfort zones to show hospitality?

Lizzy recognized that her mother kept the door open to their home for friends, church groups, and those who were alone during holidays. Now, Lizzy naturally carries on that legacy today.

Likewise, Ellie, a church charter member, recalls the early days of the families attending church needing a place for events. God had blessed her with the perfect home for hosting such events. Rather than keeping that goodness to herself, she sees it as a tool to serve others.

Lydia also uses her gift to uniquely connect with an ever-growing congregation and learn the names of visitors and new attendees. She bakes the most delicious bread each week and surprises select members and visitors alike with a loaf to take home – and we each love it when it is our week to receive the blessing!

Anna’s awareness came about differently, yet in a way that many of us keenly have become aware of in recent years. Covid and the lack of connection gave her time to contemplate how to serve others and grow in Christ. While she opened her home to immediate family, she recognized that God was now prompting her to open that door a little further to others.

During a recent discipleship session, Lacey clearly articulated the “why of hospitality” by sharing that pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones reflects Christ, who healed the lepers and invited children into His presence. Even when we feel a reservation or are uncomfortable, we must remember we represent Jesus. The world – sinners and saints – need us to show Him to their lives.

So what about you? Do you naturally want to serve others but have been keeping it to a select, very close few? Or, despite your personality being more introspective, even shy, you feel a drawing to step beyond comfort boundaries to glorify the love of Christ to others. There are more obstacles to consider, but we will ponder those another week.

Ashlie Miller has become a social introvert, thanks to her extroverted husband in ministry and the grace of God. You may contact her at ashliemiller.com.

Seasons of Life

by   September 9, 2023 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            While out for my walk recently, I reflected on how thankful I am for my neighbors and the peaceful community we live in. Everyone waves. I like seeing people’s flowers and landscaping as I walk. I have stopped to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of my neighbor’s flowers or blooming shrubs on more than one occasion. I also appreciate the shade that trees provide, especially on warm summer days.

            The calendar turned to September and I was enjoying a few cooler days after the hurricane pulled away last week. I heard someone mention that Labor Day signaled the arrival of fall, but I chuckled because that person doesn’t realize that we have many false starts to fall around here. After those couple of cooler days last week we are right back into the mid 90’s this week. Fall is still down the road!

            I was enjoying my walk, thinking about fall. Suddenly I looked up at a neighbor’s house and saw that they were completely decorated for fall. Flags, wreaths, and signs welcomed fall. They have even planted mums, the official flowers of fall. Everything was beautifully executed, but all I could think was, “No, it’s not fall yet!” While I am looking forward to cooler evenings and days that are not in the 90’s, I am not ready for the arrival of fall.

            We did some much needed weeding in our yard over Labor Day weekend. We also planned some fall chores. I planted some beans and peas in my garden a few weeks ago and they are up and looking pretty. I was talking to a gardening friend the other day as we considered other vegetables we might try to sneak in for a second harvest from our gardens. We are trying to grow some more tasty treats before the real arrival of fall.

            Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to slam fall. I like fall’s refreshing weather after a long, hot summer. I truly enjoy watching the leaves change and taking in their spectacular beauty. I also enjoy being outside with lower heat and humidity. I just want to enjoy watching things grow before winter’s rest rolls around.

            There are things to enjoy from each season of the year. I love late winter as the bulbs begin to bloom, announcing the arrival of spring. Spring is wonderful, as everything comes back to life and I get to work in the garden. Summer is wonderful because we get to enjoy fruits, vegetables, and beautiful flowers. Fall arrives with cooler weather and the changing of the leaves. Winter is wonderful because we celebrate Christmas and hopefully, see some snow. Each season has something to appreciate and things we must also endure.

            I think when it comes to our spiritual lives we always want to live in spring and summer. It is a natural desire to want to be growing and producing fruit in our lives. I think God takes great pleasure in seeing us put on a flush of new growth, followed by a season of great fruitfulness. God wants us to be fruitful and to multiply. God wants to see us expand our horizons and explore new and wonderful things.

            God also knows that for plants to continue to be fruitful they have to be pruned. Plants also need a season of rest to rejuvenate. God knows the need we all have for seasons of quiet reflection, a time to deepen our roots and strengthen our inner core. These seasons are necessary in order for a new season of fruitfulness to emerge.

            Jesus took time away from the crowds to rejuvenate and spend time with His Father. He demonstrated the need to pull away and rest. Most of us struggle with the idea of slowing down because we live in a society with its pedal to the medal. But God works through those quiet times to refresh us and prepare us for a fruitful season ahead.

            I want to encourage you if you feel like you are in a season of fall. I know your season of fruitfulness is quietly coming to an end, but that is okay. God is providing for you a season of rest to rejuvenate you and prepare you for an even greater season of fruitfulness in your life. Rest, reflect, draw closer to God, and drink deeply from His presence, because He is all about refreshing you and preparing you for the great opportunities He has just ahead. Imagine that, the God of the whole universe wants to draw you closer to Himself. This will be a great season for you if you will rest in Him.

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

Sing to Him

by   September 6, 2023 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Psalms 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

  • God gives us a song in our heart to sing to Him on a daily basis. He is good and worthy of praise.  
  • We belong to Him and His people should be praising Him continually.  
  • People are moved and touched by our worship to God and our service to Him and will turn to Him to put their trust in Him, so let us continually praise Him.

Prayer:  Lord I do lift my hands in worship and praise.  I do want sing a hymn to You everyday to honor You and to constantly sing of all You have done and the goodness of God, because there is no one like You.  Amen.

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Code Talker

by   September 5, 2023 with No Comments

Lynna Clark

Do you send greeting cards? I do. I guess because I love to get them. I remember mama saying one time that she and daddy nearly got kicked out of the Hallmark store that used to be near Marshalls. They tucked themselves over in the Maxine section and read funny stuff until they were laughing outloud. We could always count on them to find the best humor available. Like a lovely card with a photo of clouds and sunshine on the front. The sentiment said, “I wish you were Jesus.” Knowing my parents I couldn’t imagine such a sappy greeting on my birthday. The inside cleared it up by adding, “Then today would be Christmas.” Yep. Just my speed. David’s mother Nina on the other hand, always bought the sappy stuff and personally underlined the important parts. Which was everything. And even though she lived across the road from us, she would put a stamp on the envelope and send it with her outgoing mail. On my birthday one year she tucked a twenty inside with a note in her distinctive left handed script. “Go get that paint you like so you can freshen up the looks of that end table you’ve been wanting to refinish.” She knew me well and tried to think of unique gifts to make me feel loved. I used that twenty to buy a gallon of Robin’s Egg Blue paint at Lowe’s. Paint costs about twice that much now; so that tells you how long ago it’s been. Now every other piece of furniture in the house is Robin’s Egg Blue. But that’s okay. Designers have been advising for years to pick an inspiration piece and run with it. I’ve decided that’s what happened. But don’t worry. I still have a dab left in case something comes up.


So anyway, I still send greeting cards. While the savvy amongst us send texts or messages online, I’m still using paper and ink. The last time I sent a card to a granddaughter I wondered. Can she read this? It IS in cursive. Will she even get it? Since she lives in an apartment in a large city, does she even check the mail? Good thing I planned ahead. It took about four grocery trips for my beloved to remember to get stamps at the Food Lion. I was kinda proud when I remembered to tell him to pick some up. He felt rather accomplished when he remembered to do so. As I pondered my granddaughter’s circumstances or status as the youngsters say, I felt like a Navaho code talker. Actual ink on paper written in cursive and mailed to an address by way of a stamp seems a little antiquated. At least I knew enough not to put money in there. Because who in their right mind would want to buy a can of paint and color everything in the house Robin’s Egg Blue? Hopefully the espresso mugs she picked out on Amazon will land on her doorstep and make her smile. The only problem is that they will be there a week early. I’m so used to regular mail that I forgot to allow for the efficiency of Amazon. And we wonder why Amazon is taking over the world.


Oh well. At least the greeting inside the box will not be in cursive. I think she will love it.

Did You Hear Me?

by   September 4, 2023 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

My husband and I had been sitting in our living room for an hour and neither of us had said a word. He was watching a game on TV, though, so it was understandable. As I looked across the room at him, I thought about our lives together. We have worked hard in our careers. We are raising our grandsons together. We have tried to live our lives for the Lord. And yes…we are getting older.

So, I looked toward him lovingly, as he sat there on the couch holding the remote, and I said tenderly, “I am proud of you.” He seemed a little shocked, but after a moment, he looked at me and responded, “I am tired of you, too.”

(Okay, this was a joke. Hopefully, my husband will forgive me for it.)

Sometimes, we do not hear what we think we hear.
Sometimes, we do not even attempt to hear.
Sometimes, we do not hear at all.
We need to listen.

The words, “They have ears, but cannot hear,” seem to be applicable and are in the gospels at least seven times. Apparently they needed to be repeated.

The word ‘hear’ is in the Bible 347 times, so it must also be a word that bears repeating.

Once while teaching a children’s Sunday School class, I told them how when I was just a young girl, that I had heard God speaking to my heart that I needed to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. A child blurted out, “How did you hear God?”

Good question from a six year old. Hopefully, I muddled through with a good answer.

How do we hear God? Here are some of my favorite ways:

*Through His Word. Isaiah 30:21 says that our ears will hear a word behind us saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.” God’s Word is alive – it is not just a book. It is God-breathed – given by the inspiration of God, according to 2 Timothy 3:16. It still speaks to our hearts today.

*Through prayer. As we pray, God hears us and we hear God. It is not how we pray, but it is that we pray. It is our direct link to God. Psalm 66:19 says that God has heard me. He has attended to the voice of my prayer. To ‘attend to’ means to be present, to listen to, to give attention to. God attends to us!

*Through nature. When we look up at the sky, over at the trees, or around to see what God has made, Psalm 46:10 comes alive, and we can hear God’s Voice speak to our spirit saying, “Be still and know that I am God.”

*Through others. Our children, family, friends, strangers, teachers, pastors – are some of those who warn, encourage, bless, guide, and send us confirmation of what God is speaking to us, as they help us hear God.

*Through our circumstance. The circumstances – that ‘drive us’ crazy – are also the circumstances that ‘drive us’ to hearing the voice of God. A circumstance is an event or fact that causes something to happen. Bad or good – our life changers – our circumstances – are where we hear God. Proverbs 8:34 says that the man who hears God is blessed, so no matter our circumstance, we are blessed because we hear God.

*****Whether in the church – or on the couch – of our everyday lives – God wants communion and communication with us. God hears us – and we hear Him. We just need to listen.

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

A Shrinking Home of Hospitality

by   September 3, 2023 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

“Goodbye, Bathtub and Living Room. America’s homes are shrinking.” I read these words myself days after my husband mentioned cities like Charlotte are building new, more affordable homes by cutting rooms like dining rooms and living rooms.

It is a trend we have seen over time. Formal dining rooms have been unused for decades. There used to be formal sitting parlors (or at least I have read about them in old literature) for entertaining guests.

While this trend may reflect the economy and lack of space, particularly in the ever-growing region where we live, I hope we do not see a reduction in the purpose these rooms have served over the years.

Hospitality. That is the word that comes to mind when I think of these rooms. Unfortunately, over time, we have seen families spend more time outside the home to spend time socializing rather than hosting within the home to cultivate relationships with others.

In the book of Titus in the Bible, Paul writes to his young friend in ministry first to be on guard of false teachers. In contrasting the church leaders with these false teachers, Paul lists what they should not be like as well as how these leaders should behave. What are these evidences of their faith in Christ? First on the list – to be hospitable. Merriam-Webster defines the word as “given to generous and cordial reception of guests.” In Christian terms, it means loving the stranger, entertaining them, particularly fellow Christians, and sharing the gospel as they pass through.

It is interesting to note that this is first on the list of how elders should behave. The list does not begin with what the world may consider success, which usually is a material, worldly measurement. Hospitality is within the grasp of any person, but especially for the Christian called to love others as himself (found in the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:37-39). Sadly, too many visitors to the church or those with whom we regularly come into contact could say this is a characteristic lacking within both the home and church and, sadly, even in church leadership. While Christian leaders may seem well-qualified in certain areas of success and achievement, our lack of hospitality is blinding. Others cannot see our message due to our lack of generosity and “cordial reception.” How often have we witnessed guests who seemingly enjoy a service or even fellowship only to leave because of a lack of hospitality, genuine kindness, and concern for their well-being?

If the shrinking size of homes is any indicator, we have become more obsessed with entertaining ourselves and being consumers in pursuit of autonomy. Independent. Not needing others to bring fulfillment to our daily routine, nor to encourage them on their journey.

Though our house size may be shrinking, I pray we will further open our homes to entertaining strangers who may one day become friends and family.

But how does one show hospitality if we have not seen it modeled, do not have a lot of resources, or it is not part of our innate personality? Ah, I cannot wait to share more with you of the examples I have seen, the benefits I have received, and the amazing, ordinary people who have helped me cultivate this quality in my life.

Ashlie Miller and her husband, a pastor in SouthEnd Charlotte, seek to cultivate hospitality in their home in Concord, NC. You may contact her at ashliemiller.com .

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