Gardening & Mom

by   May 20, 2023 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            It’s been a busy spring but I finally got things going in my vegetable garden. I needed to amend the soil and work on my fences around the garden. One fence was working well against the deer but needed to be lowered to help keep the rabbits out. The other fence was a plastic mesh that the rabbits were making holes in to access the food I planted for them. I replaced that fence with a metal one in hopes of keeping those pesky rabbits out.

            A number of years back I switched to raised beds for the vegetables. My beds were getting depleted of soil. I wanted to get a dump truck of soil but it didn’t work out for this year. I got a variety of soil additives which I mixed into the beds. I have most of my garden in with a few exceptions. I feel hopeful and upbeat about the chances of a good harvest.

            My love for gardening was birthed many years ago. My mother has always enjoyed making things grow and she shared her passion with me. She taught me to work the soil, to plant the seeds or transplants, and to water the garden. I know she tried to instill in me the importance of weeding, but that particular aspect of gardening didn’t take hold.

            Mom has always been a champion of neglected plants. She loves to nurture them and revive them to their former glory. My mom loves to see things grow and she loves a variety of different plants all growing together. She sometimes forgets the names of her flowers but never fails to make them grow and bloom.

            Wherever my mother lives she makes things grow in her flowerbeds. Mom loves to get things growing in the front of her house and the backyard, too. She doesn’t limit herself to growing plants in the ground. She has plenty of things growing in pots, as well. She is also willing to share if you see something you like. Just point at something and say you like it and the next time you come around she will have a baby started in a pot for you.

            Mom isn’t limited to growing flowers. She loves vegetable gardening, too. She often wants to compete with me and see if she can get things going sooner. She almost always beats me in getting the first tomato or squash. I do remind her that she has more time to get things going since I still work, but she doesn’t allow that to stop her from teasing me.

            When it comes to sharing, my mom doesn’t stop at flowers and vegetables. My Mom is quick to share her faith with you. Mom has always had a strong belief in God and has allowed that to infect every area of her life. Mom taught me how to draw closer to the Creator while I was working out in the yard. I have learned to expand that to include anytime I find myself outside, including gardening, walking, sitting on the porch, and especially, walking the beach.

            We all need to take a page out of Mom’s book and learn how to pass along our faith. I know it isn’t as easy as passing along a flower or plant, but it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. When we allow faith to infect every area of our lives and we invite God to join us in our daily lives it becomes easier to share Him with others.

            Sometimes what we share might be an encouraging word to a brother or sister in Christ. God has given each of us the ability to lift each other up when life gets us down. Other times God will open the door for us to share the reason we live with hope. People who do not know God or His goodness look at how dark the world feels and wonder about the source of our positive outlook on life. They need to hear our story, our reason for hope in darkness. They need us to share Jesus.

            I want to encourage you to share your faith with others in your life. Whether it is an encouraging word or your favorite scripture, those words will offer life and hope to those in need. God chooses to use people like you and me, people who are broken and don’t have it all figured out, to bring light and hope to those who are lost. When you step out and share you are helping other people grow their gardens of faith, their flowers of hope.  

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

Rest

by   May 19, 2023 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

            This morning, the last one of November 2013 was extremely cold when I took the hound out for his morning ramble. The sun’s rays had not yet cleared Short Mountain, but they gave the few hovering clouds a warm, pink hue. However, that was the only warmth we had, so the trip was quickly finished when the necessary duties were accomplished. Yes, I thought as we passed the new garden just planted in the fall, earth is in her winter mode, at rest. Her seasonal nap was evidenced by the heavy frost on dead grass, the browned, bent stems of the mums, the limp hostas, and the frozen water in the small bird bowl. It was so cold that not even crows or blue jays had emerged for the day.

            The Ancient Greeks explained this change in weather by the myth of Persephone who was kidnapped and made to wed Hades. Her mother, Demeter, was furious and demanded her fair daughter’s return to earth. But because Persephone had eaten some seeds in the underworld, she could not live all the time on earth. Thus, when she came to earth her arrival was marked by new growth of plants in the spring, but when she returned to spend time with her husband, the earth’s plants turned the brown and lifeless of winter. Not a scientific explanation of earth’s tilt on its axis, but a colorful one that has entertained people across the ages.

            As I scurried into the house with the hound, I was thinking of how dull everything was, even with the sheen of heavy frost reflecting light and making small diamonds on the grass and leaves. Settling in at the breakfast table with a cup of coffee and Mary Ann, I watched this last morning of November 2013 unfold into one I had not anticipated.

            Naps. I had not thought of naps in a long time, but as I watched the morning come in the dead cold of November, I saw our few acres as napping.  I can still recall as a child fighting to keep from taking a nap, doing anything to keep off that quilt pallet on the living room floor or if in the summer, spread on the cool grass under the shade of a maple tree. I recall wanting to stay awake for those few afternoon minutes because I did not want to miss anything that may happen. Now, as an adult, I take a nap at the first chance, even in some late mornings. And that is what our land is doing now—taking a nap, getting some rest, re-charging batteries, or whatever you want to call it. Yet it seems that in our modern world we have lost touch with naps and the beneficial rest they give us.

            We seem so intent on doing in our modern lives. We seem to value each day by what we have done, not by how we have done. Thinking that way, we are always doing something whether it adds value or not to our lives. We have, it seems to me, to have become a culture of doers always busy with some task. Yes, being productive is good, but a time of rest is as important as a time of work. Each compliments the other when balanced together.

            This past week at school I had a conversation with another teacher about a mutual student who was scheduled to be two places and in two activities at the same time. The other teacher asked if there was some way we could help the student do both. I explained that, in my mind, life was about choices and that the student could choose what activity to do after discussing options with his parents. It was his choice to make, but I wanted nothing to do with helping him believe that he, or any one of us, could do all we wanted. We agreed to let him choose and to support his choice. However, too often I see parents and other adults helping youngsters “do it all” by over planning each day that has no nap time.

            Often at school, I see students scurry to the cafeteria, get a tray, and rush to a classroom to do some academic work while they munch on their food. I question the quality of the work being done, and certainly the quality of the time set aside for eating. It should be a time of rest, but it has, too often, become a time to get more done.

            As I began my second cup of coffee, I considered these things. We are so busy with doing it, it seems, that we do not see the thrill of life in front of us. We rush from one thing to the other in the belief that we are accomplishing some great achievement. But I wonder.

            Maybe if we each took some time in each day to rest and reflect, we might get more done. I am re-reading the collected letters of John Keats, the poet, and marvel at the number of letters he wrote to family and friends. And he did this with a quill and little paper. Yet, we have computers and all of their technology, but do we accomplish what Keats did? It seems that we are so busy doing that we do not do.

            Take a nap. Just sit. Stop and be still. Listen to your inner self. Reflect. Perhaps you will, in the end, get more done and be better for it.

David’s Travels Continue

by   May 18, 2023 with No Comments

By David Freeze

With a tight schedule this week, I was amazed to find four North Carolina county seats within 69 miles on the same road. U.S. 74 was my “road of the day” for Tuesday, May 2.

My first stop was Wadesboro, founded in 1783 as New Town and then changed to Wadesboro in 1787 to honor native son and Revolutionary War commander Colonel Thomas Wade of the local regiment. It’s the county seat of Anson County.

A settlement had grown along the banks of the Pee Dee River, but a more centralized location was needed for the county seat. The new site was found, and 70 acres of land were purchased by Patrick Boggan. Streets were laid out and named for Revolutionary War notables including Generals George Washington, Nathaniel Greene, Daniel Morgan and Griffith Rutherford; Colonels Thomas Wade and William Washington; and Governors Richard Caswell and Alexander Martin.

The most famous event in town history was the 1900 total solar eclipse. Scientists, astronomers and journalists came from around the world to view the event in what they deemed the best location possible. The eclipse lasted about 90 seconds according to one newspaper account. Blind Boy Fuller, a blues guitarist and singer, has his own mural. Father and son, Hoyt Patrick Taylor and Taylor Jr., both served as North Carolina Lieutenant Governors.

Wadesboro has steady heavy truck traffic through downtown, past dozens of historic homes and buildings. The downtown and historic courthouse sits on a knoll looking down to U.S. 74. Prominent and historic buildings in the downtown were Parson’s Drugs, in place since 1875, and H.W. Little and Co. hardware, open since 1894.

My next stop was Rockingham, the county seat of Richmond County. I found a town undergoing a 10-year revitalization plan that has new businesses opening. The first flat town in a while was good for my legs. U.S. 1, the highway that I followed by bike from Maine to Key West in 2014, goes right through one of the prettiest historic districts I’ve seen. A 173-year-old Lebanon cedar tree has its place on the National Register of Big Trees.

The town of Rockingham, founded in 1784, was named for the Marquis of Rockingham, Charles Watson Wentonworth, a strong friend of the Colonies, who was British Prime Minister in 1765. Richmond Community College has a new three-story location across from the old 1923 courthouse. Several stores and bank buildings built just after 1900 highlight the downtown near a fountain on the square which lights up in different colors at night.

I continued east on 74 to Laurinburg, the flattest town yet and the seat of Scotland County. Though not incorporated until 1877, Laurinburg by 1852 was a town that had a saloon, a store, a few shacks and a new private high school. The Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherfordton Railroad laid tracks through the town, but the first train didn’t arrive until 1861, four years before the railroad’s shops were also moved to Laurinburg in hopes of keeping them safe from the Yankees. The Yankees did burn the depot and the temporary shops, but the shops were rebuilt.

Economic issues that have hurt the town included the Great Depression, low cotton prices, the Belk department store moved away, and Hurricane Florence in 2018. I found the town had most of the storefronts occupied but very little happening and many of the stores closed when their schedules listed that they should be open.

The most famous citizen was Terry Sanford, a World War II paratrooper, N.C. governor and U.S. senator.

My final stop on U.S. 74 was at Monroe, county seat of Union County. Incorporated in 1843, the town was named for James Monroe, our country’s fifth president. I found the blocks around the courthouse to be very busy with traffic and plenty of restaurants, trendy bars and even a bread bakery. I was hungry but resisted the urge to stop in even though the smell was wonderful. The old-style movie theatre was set to show “Jaws” this weekend, complete with an all-you-can-eat popcorn and drink deal. More beautiful old homes were within just a few blocks of the courthouse on the southern side of town.

Most would count U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms as Monroe’s most famous past resident, being born here before becoming a five-term U.S. Senator. I also found that one of the three Black women who became world class mathematicians for NASA and were documented in the fantastic book Hidden Figures and the movie of the same name is also from Monroe. Christine Darden became an aeronautical engineer and the first African American to reach the level of senior executive service, the top rank of federal civil service.

The 1886 Union County Courthouse is one of the biggest I have seen of the grand old courthouses. The middle part was the original building, and the two wings were added in 1922. The old Monroe City Hall was originally built as a jail and is likely the oldest building in town after construction in 1847, although another plaque says 1848.

All the towns were historic and interesting along this portion of U.S. 74, and amazingly close together. My total miles on my feet for the four towns was 6.27, much of it flat. Our county total is now 34, with 66 left to visit. See you back here soon!

God’s Leading

by   May 17, 2023 with No Comments

By Ed Traut


1 Thessalonians 4:2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

  • God gives authority to those that are trustworthy with all things.
  • We submit to the God given authority and receive instructions that we may prosper and be blessed in the Lord.
  • God raises up leaders that we submit to and we become ourselves leaders and have responsibility to help and instruct others.

Prayer:  Lord help us to recognize always those in authority spiritually and to take it seriously when You are leading us and giving us instructions that we may be strong, healthy and prosperous and even fruitful in Your kingdom to the highest possibilities.  I bless Your holy name because I belong to You and know that You are the King of all Kings.  Amen. 
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Just a Thought

by   May 16, 2023 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

My mom was not the nurturing sort. She tended to be a no-nonsense kind of gal. She was so smart and capable especially about practical things. Though she had great respect for the Lord, I began to notice a warmth in her relationship with Him when I was away at college. She would write long letters about important things; like how to bake a turkey for Thanksgiving; with reminders to remove the giblet bag before baking. Huh. Who knew? One of those letters in her neat flowing script included this verse. “In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.” -Psalm 94:19. It was the first time I remember her quoting Scripture. But that verse became so dear to me later in life, especially regarding my mother. You see, eventually she lost the ability to reason.


As I mentioned, she was a very smart, meticulous individual… until she wasn’t. We started noticing changes in her behavior that were so opposite of her personality. Only two months after the first episode, she lost her life to a rare brain disease. I can’t tell you what that single verse in Psalm 94 meant to me, though she had shared it thirty years earlier.


“In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.”


I’m so glad God’s truth never fails. His comfort and peace ushered her into His presence, where she will never be confused or frightened again. In fact, it’s good to think on those comforts every day. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.” -2 Timothy 1:7


May the Lord encourage your heart as you think on Him today.


Dear Sweet Lord, sometimes it feels as if the world around me hast gone completely crazy… and therefore so have I. So many thoughts and fears pound on my heart. Only You can offer the comfort I need. Please Father, I ask that You lift my thinking even to the point of delight in You. Perhaps infuse enough joy to bring others along. Please turn the crashing waves of fear into a peaceful river flowing from Your throne. In You alone I place my trust. Amen

Are We Moved?

by   May 15, 2023 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Poor Samson. His tribe continued to wander in their inherited land, which was yet unconquered. As he was growing up, he was with a warlike tribe that was yearning for a permanent home.

But, when he visited the tribal army camp, his heart was stirred. God began preparing him to be a judge and leader against the Philistines.

Judges 13:25 says it this way — the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times.

I like the sound of that.

So what do we do when the Spirit of the Lord begins to move us at times?

Being moved reminds me of times in a movie theater or in a football stadium when someone wanted me to move.

It is the middle of the movie. My drink and popcorn and pocketbook are in the perfect spots, when someone just has to come down my row, apologetically pushing themselves past me, “Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me.” They are stepping on my feet and I am missing the movie.

It is the same in a football stadium, “Excuse me. Excuse me.” It is even worse when they don’t want to pass by you, but they begin to motion for you to move down so they can be on the end of the row.

Judges 13:25 is a great improvement over being moved by a person, because there the Spirit of the Lord began to move Samson. Not to ask Samson to move, but the Spirit of the Lord moved him.

Are we moved by the Spirit of the Lord ? Yes.

We are moved by the Spirit of the Lord as we hide God’s Word in our hearts, when we pray and while worshipping.

That move is not just confined to places or situations we think of as being religious.

The move of the Spirit of the Lord can come anytime, anywhere, and in any form.

The Spirit of the Lord is with us – always. It is with us when we need comfort, hope, anything or nothing.

Judges 3:10 expresses it as a temporary spontaneous increase of spiritual, mental and physical strength. We may see it in extraordinary ways for special assignments the Lord gives us. This will come through seeking the help of the Holy Spirit not only as we face major challenges, but also in our daily lives.

Moved by the Spirit of the Lord? Isn’t that beautiful?

It is a move we never want to be without.

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

May Lessons

by   May 13, 2023 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            The weather has been fickle. It starts to warm up and then it cools down. I think we have finally turned the corner on the cold weather. The reason I am hoping the weather stays warm is that I brought my wife’s plants out of the garage. Her tropical plants find a home inside our garage every winter. It is always a happy day when we can bring the plants back outside.

            My wife has many beautiful plants. Some can tolerate the cold and stay outside for the winter. But she has a fair number of plants that have to come in for the cold winter months. When May rolls around, I feel safe moving them outside. I know we can still get a few cold nights in May, but the plants should be fine.

            We work together to clean off old, dead leaves and trim the plants back. She will add soil and fertilizer to the plants and before you know it, the plants will put on a flush of new growth. The trouble for me is that the plants seem to be getting heavier. When I was in my 20’s and 30’s I could just pick the plants up and easily move them. Now it requires more effort.

            When I reached for one of the plants the other day I didn’t stop and think about what needed to happen before I acted. I lifted this heavy plant and twisted my body. That didn’t work. I felt the pain shoot through my back and side. I quickly dropped the plant, but it was too late. The muscles in my side and back were already agitated, and then the pain gripped me.

            I have to learn is that I can’t lift and do things as easily as when I was younger, which implies that I am getting older. I struggle with this lesson. The guy looking back at me in the mirror doesn’t look old. I don’t feel old. Age is all relative. I need to explain that to my back.           

My students perceive me as being old, but maybe there are some benefits to being my age.  With age comes wisdom. Life has taught me many lessons and I am grateful for each one of them. Time gives us insight and a better understanding of how life works. I’ll take that.

There are plenty of dumb things that I have done in my life and experience has taught me not to repeat them. Experience is a great teacher if I take time to apply those lessons to other life circumstances. Wisdom and experience are good gifts for age.

            Another lesson from this pain is I need to ask for help. I have been learning this lesson in several areas of my life and I am trying to get better at it. I don’t like to ask for help. I like to be independent. The reality is that God did not tell us to take this journey alone. He wants us to be in relationship with others. You need me and I need you. 

            This may sound strange, but I struggle with asking God for help. I want to be spiritually independent. I want to be the kind of guy who pulls himself up by his own bootstraps. I want to be the teacher, not the student. The truth is that God has given me plenty of wisdom that I can share with others, but the more important reality is that I have so much more to learn about God and His mysterious ways. I want to know the depth of His love. I want to understand that His ways are higher and better than mine. I want to learn to trust Him at every turn.

            God wants each of us to put our hand in His as we walk through life. He promises never to leave us. That means we have to trust that He is there in the bad times as well as the good times. He has a plan for our lives and His plan includes personally interacting with us. We are called to walk with Him and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

            I want to encourage you to lift your hands to your Father in heaven. Look into His eyes which are filled with love for you. Quiet your thoughts and allow His peace to envelop you. Open your heart and make room for Him to come in and help you with whatever you are facing. He has the wisdom to help you find the path through to His home in heaven. You don’t have to understand or even know everything. All you need to do is trust & believe in Him.

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

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