The Legacy

by   January 22, 2024 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

As I stood in the funeral home, it seemed the stories all centered around what she had done for others during her 99 years of life.

One family member told of a recent conversation, where she had emphatically stated, “I loved cooking all the meals for my husband and my three sons. It made me happy.”

As I heard this, I smilingly shook my head while thinking, “The joy of cooking?” But she had meant it with her whole heart. She probably felt that same joy when cleaning. Perhaps she felt that joy even as she was doing the laundry.

Stay at home mom, right?

No.

She directed children’s choirs.

She taught kindergarten.

She was Head of Volunteer Services at the hospital.

She faithfully served in her church.

She was a friend to all.

She loved her family well.

And when she needed a ‘break’ from her work, that break came in the form of playing the piano:

  • At age 99 – in the assisted living facility where she lived.
  • On Sundays – at the church that she and her family faithfully attended.
  • And a special performance – on a mansion tour near a New Mexico Boy Scout Camp where she played ‘Jesus Loves Me’ on a $200,000 piano.

But for the family, perhaps the most cherished memories were walking in the back door of home and hearing the hymns flow.

Surely there were days she had not felt like cooking, or cleaning, or teaching, or directing, or maybe even playing the piano. Perhaps she felt like sitting down and taking a break. But if she did, no one remembers seeing that happen.

As years passed, her mind and body began to grow tired. And one day, she was ushered into her eternal home in the arms of Jesus, where according to 1 Peter 1:4, she received an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fades not away, reserved in heaven for her. Yes, a place was reserved in heaven! She had reservations!

While on earth, she had lived as we all do – good times, hard times, busy times, quiet times. She chose not just to live a life – but to live a life of joy.

A life of serving her family. A life of serving others. A life of serving her Savior.

0 to 99 – a lot of years – a lot of life – a lot of love. And…it was the daily little things that ended up being the really big things.

What a beautiful legacy. I am sure she had no idea the magnitude of what she was leaving behind for others to emulate in their own lives, because she was too busy spending her time creating that legacy.

After she heard these words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” I have no doubt as to what happened next. She sat down… and began playing the piano for Jesus.

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

Handling Disappointment

by   January 21, 2024 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

January certainly can live up to its reputation as the longest month in North Carolina. Especially when it’s cold. Especially when it does not snow. Especially when even Florida gets snow. If you like snow, that is called disappointment.

Our family had a recent dose of disappointment. As part of our children’s gifts this year, we partly focused on experiences – an idea we revisit every few years. A couple of days after Christmas, we decided to take a day trip to Grove Park Inn in Asheville to see the entries for their annual Gingerbread Contest. However, we could not be admitted as visitors that day due to the high volume of guests. No problem, we had the whole day to be flexible! 

We went to the visitors’ center to form a backup plan (or two!). After looking through the pamphlets we collected, our new mission was to find one of the gingerbread houses rumored to be at another location in downtown Asheville. We saw local art and holiday decor but did not find the rumored house. The downtown area was too bustling for my family of mostly introverted personalities who do not usually care to window shop.

No worries, backup plan 2 – a retro arcade! We love a good retro arcade with pinball machines and games like Mom and Dad played as kids. Evidently, many other people liked that idea (and perhaps also chose that as a backup plan) because it was a 2-hour wait – and that was if we were lucky.

Well, our final plan was to start making our way back home by way of the quaint downtown of Black Mountain – much more our speed – and perhaps hit the retro arcade closer to home. But a quick look at the hours indicated we would not return in time to enjoy family hours there. 

It was a comedy of errors. It could have been a comedy of terrors, with children moaning, groaning, and foaming at the mouth in frustration. However, it turned out to be a time of laughter, fun, and contentment in little joys we found and would not have enjoyed otherwise. We made plans to have a redo closer to home at The Basement in Concord the following week to play pinball and retro games as a family on their value night. Things were looking up on the ride home – a glimmer of hope on the not-too-distant horizon. 

How did we arrive at that moment? A moment of contentment in the face of several letdowns? My family can be as cranky as the next, but this day hit us at the right time. Was it the journey we had been through last year? A year can hold so many disappointments. We had been through some things together. We had shared sorrows but also rejoiced together. It felt like a small victory to navigate a day with many dead ends and still be together, hopeful and happy because we had been through a year with many different stops and redirecting. Making it through long journeys helps us to see minor inconveniences differently. I am grateful. 

Here’s hoping you navigate your day with contentment through all its twists and turns. 

Ashlie Miller is still hoping for snow but, in the meantime, will make do with other cozy comforts for her family of 7.

Asking for Guidance

by   January 20, 2024 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            It is hard to believe that we are halfway through January. I guess that means that most people are halfway through their New Year’s resolutions. Many of us make resolutions, but by the beginning of February they are long-forgotten and we have all returned to acting as we did before. It is hard to change and to make that change permanent.

            Resolutions come in all shapes and sizes. We promise ourselves to lose weight. We are going to join a gym and exercise. We are going to eat healthy food. We are going to get to bed earlier. We are going to read more. We are going to give up drinking and/or smoking. These are all great things we resolve to change.

            Some people through sheer willpower will carry on for several months, or maybe even half a year. But eventually the good habits we are diligently trying to instill in our lives wane. Willpower alone does not have the staying power to bring about change in our lives. We are creatures of habit and we will return to our old ways. The old ways are easy.

            Sometimes our doctors can motivate us to make some changes that will last. When we get a bad report from our doctor and we are told that the only way to improve the situation is that we must change, then we can discover something within ourselves that will motivate that needed change. If we make the change in our lives and we see the benefits, that will reinforce and strengthen our resolve to keep the change.

            For a number of years my doctor encouraged me to walk. After my annual physical I would start walking for a while, but eventually I would stop. But one year I began to discover mental, physical, and spiritual benefits to walking, and now I will go to great lengths to make sure I get a walk in. I want to walk because I feel so much better.

            I believe the best way to bring about lasting change in our lives is that we have to ask God for wisdom and guidance. We know that God loves us unconditionally just the way we are, but God wants to mold and shape us into the image of His Son. He wants to change us into a vessel that He can use for His glory. He sees our destiny and wants to get us ready. Think about Joseph, David, and Esther and the preparation God put them through to get them ready to fulfill their purpose.

            When we seek God and ask for His guidance we might be surprised at what He chooses to work on. He might show us an area we didn’t even know needed attention. The key is that when He shows us an area He is committed to helping us make the changes. Our job at that point is to cooperate with Him. Imagine that, you are working side-by-side with God to bring about a change in your life. That is the definition of success.

            God’s always desires our best. God is a good Father. The trouble is God’s training plan and path to our success is not always an easy road. David fought lions and bears long before he fought Goliath. He was also chased by Saul long before he became king. Esther had to put her complete trust and faith in God before she went to the king because if he didn’t extend the royal scepter to her she would have lost her life. God is preparing us for our moment, our purpose; we have to learn to trust Him in the process. 

            When we seek Him and ask Him for His guidance we will be shown what we need to do. It might be challenging and feel impossible, but we need to have faith that He will see us through. God will never point out an area that needs change and then leave us to our own ability to make those changes. He will strengthen us and encourage us through the process. We will feel His presence as we work with Him.

            I want to encourage you to seek God’s guidance before you try to make any changes in your life. He knows the best path. He will send help and support. He will walk with you through the process. In the end, you will experience His goodness and favor. God has a plan for your life that includes a training plan. Trust Him with the process. Put your hand in His; He will guide you to success.

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

The Kitchen Window

by   January 19, 2024 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

Our small mill house in south central North Carolina had a large kitchen that was the hub of our lives. We cooked there, watched television there, ate there, napped there, and socialized there.  It was a well-used room especially during the cold months because the clunky oil stove provided the only heat and comfort.  On the south wall was a large cabinet with a sink,  a white porcelain one that was part drainboard. Above the sink was a double window that looked over our back yard and the chinaberry tree that grew next to the back alley. I spent hours in that tree, climbing and exploring it and life–a haven of sorts for a boy. But it is that window facing south that is etched in my memory.

Not much snow fell in that part of the world, but one year during the mid 1950’s, when I was ten or twelve years old, a southern, wet snow blanketed our world. No school was one benefit, but also the snow offered a  chance to earn some money by shoveling walkways.

Putting on as much clothing as possible and grabbing some old shocks to use as gloves, I told my mother that I was going to my friend Michael’s house because he had shovels we could use to move snow. Having her approval to go, I ignored her other command: Not to let my small, white dog go with me.

Sergeant was a medium sized mixed breed. He and I travelled our town together and we played in our back yard. He was all a  growing boy needed on such a day, so off we trampled to Mike’s house only two streets away. Sergeant played as we navigated the deep snow, and Mike was outside waiting for me. Giving me a shovel, he had already gotten us our first customer at a mill house just across the street from his. Sergeant came along, but as we began shoveling the walkway, he lost interest in our labor and explored for something of more interest. Intent on the work and the excitement of earning some money, I forgot him until I heard his painful yelp. Looking down Chestnut Street, I saw his body lying in the middle of tracks in the snow left by the oil truck that had run over him.

Michael helped me put Sergeant in a small wagon of his  I pulled the wagon holding my mangled dog across ruts and slush the two long blocks to my home, all the way wishing so much for the load to lighten. As I neared our house, I looked up to see my mother standing on the porch. She did not scold me but helped me bury Sergeant behind the garage. I built a cross from discarded lumber, painted it a green, and mis-spelled his name when I wrote it in white.

The day that had begun so promising was now dark. Even the exciting and rare white snow now seemed dirty to me. All of it my fault for not obeying my mother. But the grief of that day was only the beginning. For the next two or three days, until the southern sun melted the snow, I would stand at the kitchen window looking out towards the chinaberry tree that held a cruel reminder for me: Around its base were Sergeant’s tracks in the snow telling of where he had played and the price he had paid for my disobedience and lack of responsibility.

Rick Bragg describes some memory as being like a “dark room full of razor blades.” That window is my darkened room. Even years later, if I looked out that window toward where the chinaberry tree had stood, my failure to Sergeant would arrive like a darkened room.

Just a kitchen window opened to the south, but a window revealing a costly shortcoming.

Winter Flight Races

by   January 18, 2024 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Salisbury and Rowan’s signature running event is now less than a month away. The 41st Annual New Sarum Brewing Winter Flight 8K, 5K and Fun Run is set for Catawba College on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 4. Race time for the ½-mile fun run is 1:30 p.m. on the Shuford Stadium track. All fun runners are free, including adults, but only kids 12 and under are eligible for awards.

Then at 1:57 p.m., the wheelchair event, highlighted by Ainsley’s Angels, gets an early start on the field. The Angels are special-needs kids who can’t run but have strong adult legs to push them through the 8K or 5K course in uniquely designed wheelchairs.

At 2 p.m., the main event 8K and Health Run and Walk 5K both hit the road. The 8K is the oldest race of that distance in the state and the fourth oldest of any distance. The 8K is also the Road Runners Club of America N.C. State Championship. All runners in the 8K (4.97 miles) must complete the course within 90 minutes. The 5K (3.1 miles) is an event to encourage health awareness and is less competitive. Numbers in the 5K have been growing each year.

All participants in the 8K and 5K will get another Meredith Abramson-designed lightweight hoodie, plus extensive refreshments and a chance to earn more than 120 awards. Both the 8K and 5K start in front of Goodman Gym and finish on the track. All participants will be able to view themselves in a finish line video and race day photos. The races will be chip-timed.

All proceeds for the event will go to Rowan Helping Ministries, and they will provide about 25 volunteers. The Salisbury PD, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and Salisbury Fire Department will all be on hand for traffic and safety issues.

The previous evening, on Feb. 3 at 6 p.m., the Salisbury Rowan Runners and Salisbury Parks and Recreation will host a pasta dinner at the City Park Recreation Center. Nationally known ultramarathoner Dr. David Horton from Lynchburg and Liberty University will highlight the evening as keynote speaker. Horton was the one-time record holder for racing the Appalachian Trail and has the third fastest time in the Race Across America. He is featured in the motion picture “Extraordinary.” Late registration, packet pickup and SRR awards for 2023 will both happen during the evening as well.

Last year during my annual physical, I found that my reason for sluggish running for several weeks was a low vitamin D level. It had been low the previous year too. After talking with my doctor, I did my research and found out that low D affects so many things, one of which is exercise performance. Fatigue and muscle weakness are two symptoms that can develop without supplemental vitamin D in the wintertime.

Often called the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D-deficient adults can use direct sun exposure to allow the body to make up the deficiency. However, in the shorter days of winter, adequate sun exposure is usually not possible. Estimates range from 35 percent to 50 percent of adults as being vitamin D deficient at this time of year, One source called the deficiency an epidemic. Milk and yogurt help, as do fatty fish, beef liver, mushrooms and egg yolks.

Thinking I should have learned this lesson last year, I was told by a soon-to-be registered nurse that iron binds vitamin D, and that the two should not be taken together. Research proved that fact. I had been taking a D3 1000 IU supplement daily at the same time with iron.

A new lesson learned; I quickly began to follow the doctor’s suggestion of 5,000 IUs daily for the time being. My exercise is already improving. If the winter blahs are an issue, check out your vitamin D level.

Registration for Winter Flight is open at runsignup.com. Look for more information on Winter Flight 2024 and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

Forgiveness

by   January 17, 2024 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Psalms 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

  • An overwhelmingly fantastic gift – forgiveness!
  • The entire kingdom of God is hinged on forgiveness – both receiving and giving, complete forgiveness.
  • We are so blessed and need to be reminded of it constantly that our sins are covered and taken away.

Prayer:  I lift my hands in worship to You today to thank You for this immense and wonderful salvation that all my sins are forgiven. Help me to forgive others consistently I pray, and to walk in this complete guilt free state of worship continually, because I am forgiven.  Amen. 
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

So Bright

by   January 16, 2024 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

My sweet man has always wanted to live somewhere that he could step outside at night and it be so dark that he could gaze at a blanket of stars. Unfortunately we live inside the city limits, so even when he goes out back in the middle of the night, the brightest light he sees comes from the gas station on the corner. Now that the trees around us have shed their leaves, even the stoplight is visible. Behind us the church has put up security lights facing our house which light up our back deck considerably. Good times.


Not that I’m complaining. I’m just making honest observations as to why David can’t see the stars like he wants. It’s really ironic. I mean, has our world ever been any darker? Holy cow! I don’t even listen to the news any more. I figure the Lord can sort that mess out without me. Thankfully NOTHING catches Him by surprise. Which brings us to our thought for the day.
Philippians 2:14 & 15 says: “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean innocent lives as children of God shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”


So apparently the world has been dark for centuries. Our challenge is to shine in the midst of all that darkness. According to those few verses we can do that by refraining from complaints and arguments. Add to that clean living and suddenly we shine brighter than the gas station on the corner.


I like it.


Now if I can just refrain from making all those “honest observations” perhaps I can shine too.

Choices

by   January 15, 2024 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Choices. Choices. Choices.

A choice is defined as the act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities. They can be small, big, easy, hard, wise, foolish, right, wrong, and life-changing.

Where to start:

Start with God’s Word.

Search the scripture.

God’s Word is alive and active.

God’s Word will speak to our spirits.

Still no insight on making that choice?

Go to Plan B.

Plan B is: Repeat. Start with God’s Word.

What to remember:

A choice should not be based on feelings – but on faith.

A choice is not to be based just on this life – since this life is not the only life we have.

A choice made in obedience can bring order.

A choice made in disobedience can bring chaos.

A day to day right choice makes it easier to make better big choices later.

A choice made for good can put more good into motion.

Examples to follow:

Abraham had to decide whether to follow God’s direction to parts unknown – or to stay in a place where he was comfortable. Genesis 15:6 says that he chose to believe in the Lord. He chose to have faith in God’s Promise. He chose obedience. That choice impacted the history of the world.

In Matthew 9:9, Jesus said, “Follow me.” Matthew arose. Matthew followed Jesus. He was not bothered by the fact that he was a tax collector who would be leaving behind a really nice salary. Jesus said it. He got up. He went.

Jesus said, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” Jesus made the choice to come to earth and die for us. Those words from John 15:16 tell us that Jesus made a choice that gives us a choice – to accept or reject Him.

Jesus chose to save the world.

Yes, His choice leaves us with a choice.

Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose you this day whom you will serve.”

Choices. Choices. Choices.

Base them on the Word of God.

It will be a winning choice every time.

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

Bare Bones of Winter

by   January 14, 2024 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Much like a Bob Ross painting, I delight in looking at the deciduous trees of NC winters. Although snow may not majestically blanket the landscape, the gift of our winters is that we can clearly see the beauty in the structure of our many trees. The observation is quite revealing.

In winter, we see a tree stripped away from its signs of growth, mainly its leaves and fruit. We may often mistakenly refer to it as a “dead tree.” However, life indeed is happening in the stillness and quiet of rest.

January and February can be difficult for many of us in the South. The excitement and joy of the holidays have passed, we face the reality of returning to schedule, and another vacation or extended holiday seems too far off in the distance to bring hope. Without the charm of a snow day, winter can seem dreary. But there is beauty in bareness, profoundness in simplicity. Seeing nature in its quiet, bare-bones form can be poetic and inspiring.

We can overlook people and even ourselves during the winter seasons of life. We can get stuck in the mundane monotony of our lives and assume nothing is happening in our routines. In a sure structure, God is working in the stillness and rest. How often have I mistaken the quiet, content, still life as one where nothing awe-inspiring or beautiful is occurring? But there are stories of victories, success, and – most importantly – God’s presence in a heart at rest. There is beauty in a solid structure that has been communing with the Creator and Savior over time. When we encounter someone who seems to be in a winter season, we can ask them to reflect on the victories in their lives to refresh them, which can also restore us in our winter seasons.

However, winter trees can also reveal structural problems. For instance, while looking up into our backyard trees, I spied a favorite tree with damage near the top. Though not a detached widowmaker branch, it is clear this tree needs further examination. We could choose to ignore it and let spring leaves on other branches attempt to cover up the problem, but eventually, the whole tree (not to mention the life that surrounds it) could suffer if the issue is serious.

Sometimes, winter seasons in our lives can also reveal an underlying issue. Stress over time takes a toll. Neglected things begin to suffer. There could be drastic results if we ignore these things and simply hope for the best in the next season. Are we busy fighting when we should be resting or waiting on the Lord (see Exodus 14:14 or Isaiah 40:31)? Are we afraid of the living Word of God that “discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart” from which “no creature is hidden from His sight” (see Hebrews 4:12-13) that can deal with the structural damages in our heart and character?

Our winters reveal what is supporting our life. If you find yourself in a winter season, assess your foundation and structure. Praise the Lord for good foundations that allow us to rest in our winters. Ask Him to reveal foundational issues that need His restoration.

Ashlie Miller is pastor’s wife to Chad and stay-at-home homeschooling mom to five children in Concord, NC.

Home

by   January 13, 2024 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I wrote last week about spending time with my sister and her family over the holidays. We spent New Year’s weekend with my wife’s mother and sister. It was a good trip home and we had a nice visit. It was nice to have the opportunity to spend time with family while we were home.

            It was also good to come home to our house. It’s nice to sleep in your own bed after being away. It’s also nice to be around your own stuff in your own home. It’s been busy since we got home, getting Christmas taken down and put away for another year. There were also other tasks that needed our attention.

            I have been thinking a lot about the word home since we got back. I told people we went home for Christmas. Then I told some other people that we were really glad to be back home again after our trip. Then the word home comes up in that famous song that is sung around the holidays, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”

            Where is home? I referred to my mother-in-law’s house as home. I referred to our house as home. There is also the spiritual idea that someday I am looking forward to going home to be with the Lord. All these places can’t be home for me, can they?

            Naturally, I wanted to find the definition of home. We commonly define home as the place where one lives permanently. It’s where the family resides. There is another definition that says home is where one is put who needs professional care or supervision. Thankfully, I am not at that stage in life. So the place where I reside is my home. Then why do we call our parents’ house home? I think our parents’ house is where our childhood memories reside. It’s home.  

            So we have the place where we currently reside, the place where we grew up, and then we have our eternal home. I believe our eternal home trumps our current residence and our childhood home. Our eternal home is our destination. We live this life in hope that we will spend eternity with our Savior in our eternal home.

            There is so much speculation about our heavenly home. What will it look like? How big will it be? Will it be a castle? Will it be more like an apartment? I believe we don’t know because each of our homes will be unique to our personality. Also, we don’t know because the marketing department hasn’t produced their promotional campaign. I really believe if we knew how nice and wonderful our heavenly home is going to be many of us would want to “pop off,” as my grandmother used to say, to our heavenly home.

            It really doesn’t matter what any of us thinks about our heavenly home because I am convinced of this one thing: it will be far better than any of us could ever imagine. The main reason I believe our heavenly home will far outdo anything we can imagine is that Jesus will be there. In fact, we will get to be with Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and our Heavenly Father. I am not worried about what home will be like or look like as long as I get to be with Them.

            Where will your home be? Are you ready to be with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? We don’t have to wish or even hope that we will be there. We can know beyond a shadow of doubt that we will be with Them. When we ask Jesus to be our personal Savior, to forgive us from all our sins, and to wash us clean through His blood, we can be assured that our eternal home will be in heaven. It’s not up to God, it’s up to you. You determine where you will spend eternity. If you have made that decision, you can rest in peace, but if you haven’t you are choosing to live away from God’s love, Jesus’ forgiveness, and the amazing Holy Spirit.

            I encourage you to make this vital choice while you have time. When you stand before God it will be too late. Accept God’s invitation now so you can know that you have a reserved home in heaven. I want to meet you and see you there. Heaven will be far more wonderful than your mind can conceive. I am hoping for a home with a nice garden spot and maybe close to some water. What about you?

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

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