Lost in a Good Book

by   October 30, 2021 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I am semi-retired. I retired from teaching in the public schools, but I have continued to work part-time. My part-time job allows me a great deal of flexibility. One of the things that I get to enjoy more now that I am retired is reading. I read every day at lunch. I have read a number of books since I retired. If the weather is good, I will sit on my front porch reading.

            While I will read some non-fiction, my preference is fiction. I love to get lost in a good book. The characters become very real for me. Sometimes I catch myself worrying about them while I am busy doing something else. If the story is really moving along, I might stay up late to keep reading.

            I did not read much when I was in school. Most of the books that you are required to read in school did not hold my interest. I didn’t know reading could be enjoyable until my parents challenged me to read a book by Og Mandino: The Greatest Miracle in the World. I couldn’t believe that I both read and enjoyed a book.

            When Og came to town to sign copies of his new book, I couldn’t wait. I went to a small bookstore where only a handful of people showed up. I got to spend almost an hour with him. He gave me his address and I wrote to him. He wrote me back…a highly treasured letter. I became hooked both on reading and writing.

            Og has since passed away, but I have found other authors that I enjoy. My favorite author begins his books with a man whose life has fallen apart for some reason. He meets a woman whose life is also messed up. The two of them must work together against some evil plot and save both themselves and the world. Naturally, the two of them will fall in love. His novels take place around the world in exotic locations and they are fun to read.

            There are two other authors that I really enjoy who write gut-wrenching books. The characters are put through horrific situations, things I prefer not read, but somehow the story ends in a positive and uplifting way. Let’s just say the good guys win and the bad guys get what is coming to them. The stories stick with you and sometimes haunt you like a ghost.

            I just read the climax to a book yesterday at lunch. I set the book down to finish today. This particular author writes a few chapters after the climax to give the reader a chance to say good-bye. I like that about this writer, but he sometimes puts a little twist at the end just to keep you on your toes. I hate to say good-bye to the characters in a good book.

            As a writer, I want to create unforgettable characters. Some have told me that they love Uncle Charlie from my Bluebird Café books. I want to improve my skills so I can write as well as some of the authors that I enjoy. I have heard that reading is the best way to become a better writer.

            There is one book that I have really enjoyed reading. It has mystery, intrigue, murder and betrayal. There is plenty of action and adventure. There is romance and poetry. There are some good and bad people in the book. You can cheer for the heroes. The book also contains one of my favorite characters of all time. Can you guess the book? It’s the Bible.

            No matter what style of reading you enjoy, there is something in the Bible for you. It’s God’s love story written for you. It’s the history of God interacting with people. It is the greatest book ever written, with many great contributing authors. Good always defeats evil, and justice always prevails. It is a story of human frailty and God’s love, strength, compassion, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. It is a book filled with hope.

            I want to encourage you to read. There is something for every interest out there. Each of us enjoys different things. Find what interests you and find the joy and pleasure of reading. I also want to encourage you to read your Bible. Start in the New Testament and read about Jesus. I hope you discover that God is talking to you, wanting to help you and guide you through this crazy thing we call life. If you will excuse me, I have got to go see how the book I am reading ends….

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

Streaked Meat

by   October 29, 2021 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

This morning Mary Ann was browning several slices of meat to be added to the crock pot, in which our dinner would cook. The distinctive smell of the cooking meat caused me to recall my mother using streaked meat to flavor some of her food–  the only flavoring she could afford.

If you are not of a certain age and of a geographical area, you will not understand streaked meat. So, I will save you the trouble of Googling it and tell you that it is heavily salted pork of the same cut as bacon but cheaper than bacon. Folks in my era would fry it before eating as done with bacon or use it as a flavoring for a mess (pot) of beans or greens. My mother used it for the latter. She would send one of us to the near-by store with two quarters with instructions to get the largest piece that the money would buy. As a youngster, I always saw the white, greasy looking slab as distasteful and ugly. Sometimes a piece would have a streak of blood red meat on its edge or in the middle, but it had no appeal until Mother used it for her beans.

To flavor any food properly is an art. Any idiot, such as I, can sprinkle or pour a flavoring into a cooking pot. However, to add the best bit of salt, sugar, spice, whatever requires knowledge and experience, and Mother knew how much streaked meat to add to her pot of beans. If she did not use the entire piece, she would save what she did not need or maybe fry a few slices for herself, which was seldom because she was too busy feeding her six children.

The streaked meat may have appeared distasteful to my young palate, but the flavor it gave Mother’s beans was absolute. While I could  never understand how something so ugly and salty and fatty could help ordinary beans taste so wonderful, Mother knew how to use what she could afford to add something to such a basic dish as simple beans for her children. The beans now had some charm that appealed to my taste.

Mother never used a crock pot in those difficult days as Mary Ann is doing now. What she had to cook and to cook it in was bare, but she had the will to do with what she had. I think she must have learned that from the story of Exodus and the wandering tribe that learned to live on manna. I don’t know, but I wish I had asked her. But I didn’t, and now all I can do is remember, when I walk into our kitchen and smell browning streaked meat, Mother’s manna for her six children.

Healthy Conversation

by   October 27, 2021 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

  • Jesus said it is not what comes in but that which comes out that defiles, we ought to watch our words.
  • Our conversation should be filled with the goodness and grace and the kindness of God.
  • When we answer it should have the nature and the heart of God.  Let God give us grace and help us to speak correctly.

Prayer:  Lord I pray that You would put a watch in front of my mouth that I would be careful what I say, that it would be life giving and only be helpful to other that I will be seasoned with kindness and Your grace Lord and that I would not be mean and unkind.  Teach me Your ways.  I want to follow Your path and not the path of man.  I need You Lord and Your help and Your strength in Jesus name.  Amen.
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Eating, Drinking before Exercise

by   October 26, 2021 with No Comments

By David Freeze

I’m just home from a running class as I write this. Our class topic tonight was sports nutrition and its always interesting to hear the opinion of anyone new to exercise. This topic should always be addressed quickly because meals and snacks that supply energy without upsetting the stomach are keys to a positive result. Having success in the first few weeks is likely to keep the new runner going. Each successful week helps develop a long-term habit. Runners in our class are building miles on the way to running their first 5K.

Eating before exercise is important. Eating properly prevents hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and symptoms of lightheadedness and fatigue. Eating helps to settle the stomach, absorb some of the gastric juices and ward off hunger. Eating also helps us to exercise harder and burn more calories. Just knowing that a pre-exercise body is properly fueled helps to pacify the mind. Fuel the muscles and feed the brain!

Eating before exercise is also tricky, both with timing and content. I’m never surprised when any new runner tells me that they have not eaten for many hours and aren’t sure when they had their last bottle of water. Then they wonder why any exercise is a struggle. Here are some suggestions on what to eat and drink before a normal training run of anything less than one hour.

Any successful workout begins with hydration. Drink fluids during the day and within an hour of exercise. Water works best, don’t fall for the hype of sports and energy drinks, especially the high-sugar ones. Heavy sugar can upset the stomach during exercise and derail any good workout or competition. How much water is enough? Divide you body weight in half and drink that many ounces during the day. A 200-pound person needs 100 ounces of water daily. Any other color of urine other than clear or very pale-yellow means dehydration. Drink up! You can’t wait until just before exercise begins to start drinking.

Don’t eat anything heavy within four hours of exercise and longer if the exercise is very intense or of longer duration. But do consume a carbohydrate-rich snack or light meal to top off muscle stores. Include small amounts of protein to aid in muscle rebuilding after exercise. Choose foods that are low in fat and fiber to ensure optimal digestion and tolerance. Liquid meal replacements and various sports bars may be better tolerated than whole foods. They can also optimize digestion and energy availability.

Everything mentioned here should include lots of experimentation. Over the years, I have tried lots of things for my own pre-workout fueling. I have become prone to easily digestible things like peanut butter and honey on bread, a bagel, fruit, crackers, cookies and certain yogurts several hours before the workout other than early morning ones. Early morning runs gets just water and certain sports bars, plus a small amount of honey. Again, begin to experiment with what works for you. It won’t take long to figure out some good options.

Bottom line — eat something light and manage hydration. Don’t show up for your workout hungry! Or too full either. The most uncomfortable runs are on an overfed stomach. Don’t experiment during a race or hard training run.

Races are back! The Spooky Sprint 5K Run/Walk and fun run, plus a costume contest on Halloween Day at Catawba College. That’s five good reasons to join us at 2 p.m on Oct. 31 for major fun. The Clean Water 5K follows on Nov. 13 at Grace Lutheran Church. The biggest 5K in Salisbury follows on Thanksgiving Day at the Forum with the Butterball 5K.

Go to www.salisburyrowanrunners.org for more information on these and other upcoming events. 

The Walk Home

by   October 25, 2021 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

It was a combination of fun, freedom, and fear. Each day as our elementary school dismissal bell rang, I would meet the other children from my neighborhood so we could walk home together, with textbooks and lunchboxes in hand.

About halfway down the first block, there it was!

The GIANT DOG! It was always looking for me!

It would bark.

It would run.

It would chase me.

Everyone else kept walking and talking and laughing.

Not me! I would keep screaming, flailing my arms around, and running for my life.

The monstrous dog would eventually stop and head back home.

I had survived another walk down Juniper Street!

Sometimes, the GIANT DOG would be sleeping as we walked by.

Then, the walk was fun.

Then, I felt freedom.

But on a day that dog was looking for me, I felt fear.

No fun. No freedom. Only fear.

When I got closer to home, I could not see my home, but I could see my next door neighbor whose name was Cannon Mills. It was ‘loom’ing in the distance and getting closer every step I took. We were very close neighbors, for we were only separated by a cotton-filled chain link fence about six feet away from my house.

Yes, our home was directly beside the very huge mill – but it was merely a backdrop for me – because I was looking for something else – HOME!

Mama would be standing at the door looking for me. She would have a snack prepared for me. She would talk with me about my day. It was good to be home – away from the fears of the world.

Home – there really is no place like it.

It is never perfect, but it sure is special.

My mother is now in heaven.

The house has now been moved.

The land the house was on is now an extremely close neighbor to the NC Research Center.

I still hold that home in my heart.

I can feel it, even though I cannot see it.

I remember the walk.

I remember the way.

I remember the welcome.

One more thing: I like dogs now.

One more thing: I was a teacher at the school I walked home from as a child.

But the feeling of heading home – and being home – has not changed.

In a way, we are all walking home, aren’t we?

Yes, we will have fun, freedom, and fears along the way.

But – Jesus walks with us.

He knows the way.

Actually – He is the Way.

As scary as a neighborhood dog was and as huge and loud as Cannon Mills was – I never really made them my focus – because home ‘loom’ed even bigger in my eyes. It was the place where my loved ones would be standing at the door waiting for me – and looking for me.

As Billy Graham once said, “My home is in heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.”

I think I will say it also:

My home is in heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.

Care for Body & Spirit

by   October 23, 2021 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            My annual physical is always in the dead of summer. I remember getting my physical every other year because I was healthy and well. But one summer day my doctor told me that I was of a certain age and he wanted to start seeing me every year. I didn’t like being told I was of a certain age, but I have complied with his request.

            I always take a list of things to discuss with him, because otherwise I will forget something and have to wait another year to find out about whatever was on my mind. My doctor works through the list and then goes over anything that’s on his mind. Overall, I feel very fortunate to be in good health.

            Since I retired from the public schools I have been teaching Chinese students online. I love my job. I roll out of bed and in a few minutes I am talking with my students. This teaching job, unlike teaching in school, requires that I sit in front of my computer…sitting being the crucial word. I am not moving as much as I did when I walked the halls at school.

            I needed to start moving, exercising in some fashion. I explained to the doctor that I don’t like going outside in ninety-plus temperatures and two hundred percent humidity. He said I needed to find a way to start moving more…don’t tell him, but he was right. In spite of the summer heat, I started walking.

            I must admit that I wasn’t very good at the beginning. The walks were short and took more out of me than I cared to admit. As cooler weather has kicked in and my endurance has improved, I am doing much better walking. I walk longer, farther, and I feel better. A nice walk can help to clear the mind and the spirit, too.

            I look forward to my walks now. We have a great community for walking. There are a number of people who walk in our community. We always greet each other, whether I am out there walking or watching from the front porch. Some folks like to walk in the morning, I like an evening walk. Some folks walk their dog while others are walked by their dog. I find people of all ages out there walking. We have a few runners in our community, too. I have also seen one full-fledge sprinter, but he is in the minority.

            While my neighbors will wave as we pass each other while driving our cars, walking has given me the opportunity to speak with many of my neighbors. For some neighbors it is the regular pleasantries. For other neighbors, walking has opened a door to a conversation. I have met and heard people’s story and shared my own. I like connecting with people.

            There are many quiet moments when I am walking. While I enjoy watching birds flit around and seeing the leaves change color, I want to talk with my Father. Some days I have lots I want to talk with Him about, while others it seems like we are walking together in silence. Some days I pray for family and friends, while others I just want to hear something from Him.

            Walking is very good for the body, but it can be equally as good for the spirit. When we can find a quiet place without the distractions of everyday life, we can hear things from God’s heart. It’s nice to know that God loves us, but to feel the warmth of His presence in our hearts can change us in ways we cannot imagine. I am accepted in His eyes. The God of the whole universe is proud of me…His son. I am God’s child!

            Quiet reflection and meditation can make us strong in the spirit. Life is full of many challenges and difficulties, so we need to ground ourselves in God’s love and favor. We don’t face any challenge or walk through any trial alone. Sometimes we have to get alone to know that we aren’t alone. God is not only with us, but He is on our side. We will overcome!

            I want to encourage you to exercise your body and your spirit. We need to take care of the temple God gave us. We need to invite Him into our temple. We need to allow His Spirit to infuse our spirit, to refresh us and renew us. There is a world out there that needs to know God’s love. God wants to flow in us and through us to reach those around us.

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

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