Walking Shouldn’t be Taken for Granted

by   June 20, 2024 with No Comments

By David Freeze

   As I write this, the farm accident occurred 20 days ago. I came home from the hospital after just three nights there. Sleep wouldn’t come and I couldn’t have been more uncomfortable trying to heal without it. The doctor asked me if I felt OK going home, and while totally surprised, I was glad to do it.

    Arriving home, I was extremely limited, both by plenty of rules and discomfort throughout my body. The nurse’s going home instructions said, “If it doesn’t feel good, you shouldn’t be doing it. You are the one who can mess up this recovery.” What I realized very soon was that nothing felt good. Not even sitting and certainly not standing.

    I have been sleeping well, but only in a recliner. I can’t lie down in a bed without aggravating the back. I was concerned about swelling in my legs and feet and poor balance. Both the spine doctor and Pam Roseman, Doctor of Physical Therapy said, “You need to start walking as soon as you can tolerate it.” They assured me that a lot of the swelling and back inflammation would be lessened with that.

    I couldn’t walk 10 steps without a walker or resting when I came home. The last four mornings, I have worked my way up to .66 of a mile although most of it has been in the driveway. Balance is slowly returning so in a few days I will try the road. I can also stand for more than five minutes in one place, and I can climb stairs slowly. The swelling in my feet and legs is gone. Bending is improving, within the prescribed limits. 

     Progress is being made and I credit the ongoing huge amount of prayers and community support. Thank you!! Another doctor’s visit is set for three weeks. Running remains far down the road. But I never will take walking for granted again!

    I revisited a term called active recovery this past week. Beginning to consistently walk will help me, but for other runners and athletes there are some tips that help too. Aches and pains are typical for those who exercise regularly. But active recovery will help lessen those problem areas. Here are some examples that incorporate gentle movement.

    During a sprinting workout, walk at a moderate pace in between sprints. During a strength workout, do some light calisthenics between sets instead of standing around. While waiting for the ball to enter your area during a soccer game, run in place to keep the heart rate up.

    After a hard bike ride or run, slowly keep the wheels turning or the legs moving to end the session with easy movement.  After a moderate run, walk or jog slowly at about a 40 to 50% effort.

    You can even make good use of a rest day. For runners, ride a stationary bike or climb on an elliptical. Other options are walking with a friend, using a rowing machine or swimming laps. Spend some quality time with a foam roller.

     These listed activities are also good options on the day after a race. I have always found better recovery by doing something instead of just lying in bed. Even after a marathon, your body wants to move. In fact, one of my best memories was walking a mile back to the hotel after the New York City Marathon. The dreaded soreness was much less of a factor the next day. But don’t ruin any of these things by taking a long hot bath. Soreness and inflammation will follow for the muscles that you just did good things for.

      Our next race is the Shiloh Missions 5K in Faith on Saturday, June 29th. Look for it and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Walking shouldn’t be taken for granted! Plus tips for active recovery

Remember…

by   June 19, 2024 with No Comments

By Ed Traut


Psalms 103:2 (Message Bible) O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing!

  • So often when we are overwhelmed by life’s challenges we forget what the Lord has done.  
  • It is better to recite what we do have rather than what we don’t have.
  • It even promotes faith when we list and name one by one all that God has done and is doing.

Prayer:  Hallelujah!  I lift my hands up to praise You and to worship You because You have done so much and are doing so much for me and my household.  I count each blessing and I am naming them Lord, because the enemy wants to make me focussed on such small insignificant things.  I praise You for Your goodness.  Amen. 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Who is in Charge?

by   June 18, 2024 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

What? Why had no one told us there would be a drill today?

Usually, as a teacher, I was made aware of a fire drill ahead of time.

I knew immediately that something felt different. My students and I would not be lining up and marching out of the building silently to take our fire drill position in line on the playground. Instead, this drill signal was the one informing us that we were to take our students into our classroom CLOSET and wait together until further notice.

My students stared at me for a brief second before we all  began to walk that direction. We had practiced it, but had never put it into practice.

My 24 students silently moved to pack themselves tightly in that small space, and the 25th person was me. None of us could see our hand in front of our face. So we stood in the darkness. My position was to stand facing the closet door. In other words, if there was a shooter and the door opened, I would be shot first. As a teacher, I was always prepared for that, because I knew that my role would be to protect my students.

 In the darkness, I was praying silently as we held to each other. However, it was different from previous drills in my teaching career. Fire drills we were used to. Following those instructions was simple as we lined up and marched out of the building together silently, while making sure I had all of my students with me.

This drill was different. After an eternity, the closet door creaked open, leaving a crack of light visible in our dark space. There stood a police officer, looking serious and comforting. As his eyes met mine, he asked, “Who is in charge?” Without hesitation, I responded, “I am in charge. I am Mrs. Farabee, and my 24 students are accounted for.”

 I realized that I would have done anything to keep them safe – including sacrificing my own life. A classroom of students and their teacher become a family.

I would not have had it any other way.

Honestly, even though once we knew we were safe, that day did not return to normal at all.

Why accept normal when one feels greater than normal love for each other?

For a teacher, the classroom and their students are a home and a family every day.

As I stood in that closet with my 24 surrounding me, I knew.

I would have given my life for them in a second.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, an announcement was made that we could go back to our normal schedule.

Trust me. Nothing was going to feel normal that day.

However, I acted as if it had just been a drill and we were supposed to get right back to work.

I found out later that a fast food restaurant that was within a couple of blocks of our school had been robbed and that the robber had headed the direction of our school on foot. So, we went into lockdown. It gripped my heart with a plethora of emotions.

Those words still ring in my heart today, “Who is in charge?”

I knew the truth all along –

Fear not for I am with thee.

Isaiah 41:10

A Heart that Hides

by   June 17, 2024 with No Comments

By Rhonda Sassano

A Heart that Hides

Holy Spirit,  I am still feeling vulnerable.  And I’m protecting my heart from further pain.  It’s ridiculous, I know!  I’m such an absurdity!  I pull away and then wanna be close and then I get close and then something happens that I don’t like and instead of leaning in, I pull away!  WHAT DO I WANT FROM YOU??? How can I sense the closeness and much-longed-for intimacy when I’m constantly in and out and up and down and here and there and yon… I want to be able to push the emotions aside and just live from a place of … peace.  Deep inner peace that nothing shakes. Even as I write this, I’m aware that I do have that peace.  It’s just covered over with a few (ok, several) layers of mixed feelings.  Grief.  Sadness. Loss. Lack of hope. Too little joy.  And yet, I know where to find the antidote for each one of those things! Some days, I just cannot convince myself to reach out. To look for You. To seek Your face… I  let the paper tigers of  disappointment, frustration, and the possibility of rejection to come between me and You, to stand in place of the Veil, to keep me separated from Your Presence…it’s all too convenient to just not go there.  

I know what it is:  it’s the letter I received from a sweet young friend, offering help and a perspective that isn’t fully informed.  And now I need to have a conversation with this friend.  The potential for disaster is 

H U G E…  and my heart is closed up so tightly, all the inner recesses packed with excuses (and lies) in hopes of cushioning the blows that await me.  This never works for long.  But still.  There’s no convincing my heart to relax, to come out of hiding, to remain ready to receive, to just to see what happens.  Huh uh. . . the potential for pain is too great.  

It’s one or the other, though.  Either Mr heart is open to everyone, including You, or closed off and protected from everyone.  Including You. 

Selah.  

So I wait, with my heart deep under cover.  Will my friend realize? I’m usually so open and free, surely the difference will be noticeable! Even without intent, I must admit the spirit is felt rather than seen.  How many times have I just sensed when someone is hurting, even though their words and expressions belie the inner turmoil? That’s my spirit touching the other person’s spirit.  It’s wonderful and scary at the same time… I really want others to encounter the spirit of Jesus when they encounter me!  

Jesus, help me!  In your Name, I command my spirit to be open, to come out of hiding, to throw off the layers of lies and excuses, to enter a state of vulnerability!  I’d rather risk the wounds myself than be the one wounding her!  

I don’t feel any different.  But I choose to believe that Your Name has power over my heart and mind and spirit.  I command my emotions to be quiet.  I acknowledge you, but you are not my dictator.   Yes.  Peace is slowly stealing across my spirit, seeping in to all the crevices and secret spots, soothing the fears.  I trust You, Holy Spirit, for the right words at the right time.  This is a deep relationship, highly treasured and highly valued by us both.  By You, too. Our relationship will weather this storm and be stronger when it’s over.  

C’mon, heart.  You may not be able to trust me, or her, but He is trustworthy.  And if wounds occur, they will heal by His hand.   Heart, you are safe.  Not from pain, but from 

Brokenness is never wasted by a good, Good Father. 

“God is not looking for those who can but those who will.”

Carefree But Cluttered

by   June 16, 2024 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

As mentioned last week, we can sometimes overlook beautiful things around us – like the plums we did not notice growing on a tree in our yard. However, we can sometimes overlook and neglect things that do not bring beauty or no longer contribute to our lives – things that may keep us from growth, harmony, and peace. 

One of my older sons, JT, has been making the most of having a room to himself while his older brother is serving at a camp this summer. He is good at keeping his space well-organized. Still, he is also a teenager, and like many his age, his space can get cluttered with trash, things that need to be returned to their proper place, or items that no longer contribute to this stage of his life (does a 16-year-old still want the toy or shirt from 6 years ago?). While cleaning, he had an epiphany. While discussing our day during our family devotional bedtime routine, he mentioned his hard work and frustration at himself for the things that kept his room messy. He spoke of how it gave him time to ponder how little things add up and get in the way of a peaceful atmosphere. “I wonder what things I have let clutter my heart?” he commented. 

It is challenging to live a truly carefree life and not have some order, isn’t it? Sure, the idea of a carefree life may sound like living unencumbered by rules, order, limits, and responsibility, but living this way is chaotic, without peace, harmony, or true beauty. Perhaps some of the beauty in our lives is obscured by this chaos and figurative trash of worthless pursuits or past passions. We may label them as petty or trivial – “It’s just an old habit, part of my personality label, part of my past that I cling to, it has become my identity.”

What then? Well, in my son’s case, it is time to do deep cleaning, literally moving objects to discover trash and dispose of it properly. In doing so, we find treasures and delights, perhaps. But even if not, cleaning and resetting the environment makes for a new sense of purpose and restart. In the case of our heart, it can mean pruning things back, much like a plant, so that fruit can flourish or crushing besetting sins so that we can run the race unfettered by weights that pull us down (see Hebrews 12:1).

We can take a practical look at our daily surroundings to live more simply and more fully, whether it is taking out garbage or donating things that are no longer of help to us – as long as it would not be a vice for the next person. We can ask of our hearts: What do I cherish and cling to that has not been healthy for me spiritually? Is this thing drawing me closer to God and His will for me or closer to my inward self – the person I want to cultivate of my own will? In one case, we will freely rid ourselves of the vice, though it will likely be painful initially. In the other case, we will justify and reason our keeping of the clutter, which may move us towards where we think we want to go but ultimately keep us from where God wants us to be.

Are you up for the challenge? 

Ashlie Miller is busy decluttering cabinets and those “it’s never gonna happen” projects this summer. You can email her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

Summer Memories

by   June 15, 2024 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            Have you looked at the calendar? We are almost halfway through June, which means we are almost halfway through another year. Where does the time go? Most students are now enjoying summer vacation. I always loved school letting out for the summer as a child and as a teacher. I enjoyed the freedom and being able to sleep in. In my current job, we get a nice break around the 4th of July, but not the summer off.

            As a little kid, summer meant swimming and golf lessons. I remember having fun camping out in the backyard. I also remember trips to see my aunts and uncle, and spending time with my grandparents. As I got a little older I went off to Boy Scout camp. I have lots of great memories of summer vacation.

            As I got a little older, I started a lawn business. I never made what the guys make today, but I enjoyed what I did make. When I turned 16, I started working at gas stations. I worked weekends while I was in school, but basically worked full-time in the summer. Summer jobs included gas station attendant, waiter, hotel front desk clerk, and auto detailing at an auto action.

            Summer always makes me think of the beach. I did most of my growing up living in Virginia Beach, but we rarely went down to the tourist area of the beach. We mostly went down to Nags Head, where my parents occasionally rented a house for a week. I have some great memories of family times down at the beach. My older sister life-guarded with the National Park Service and I had fun visiting her, too. 

            Summer also makes me think about gardening. It seems like my mother always had a garden with fresh veggies. BLTs were a summer staple at my house. There is nothing like picking a tomato and making a juicy sandwich. I’ve always loved fresh sweet corn. You can’t beat picking corn and eating it less than 30 minutes later. The garden also yielded beans, cucumbers, and peppers, among other yummy treats. We didn’t grow watermelons, but we ate plenty of them in the summertime.

            My mother would go strawberry picking in the early summer and she would make preserves. I am not sure which I liked better, the fresh strawberries or her preserves. We often saved one jar to enjoy at Christmas. One fun summer memory related to fruit came after a great day at the beach. Dad was driving home and we saw a fruit stand. He pulled over and we bought a basket of freshly picked peaches. I had eaten plenty of canned peaches but never a fuzzy fresh one. “What is this fuzz?” I remember asking. “Just eat it.” Mom said. We all did and we had juice running down our chins all the way home.

            There are so many great summer memories. Dad would shoot basketball with my brother and me late in the evening after supper. Summer nights with the windows open and fans blowing. Summers always seemed to feel carefree, although I am sure they weren’t. Reflecting and remembering the good times is part of the treasure of getting older.

            It is good and important to remember our past, especially in a spiritual sense. We need to remember when we were baptized. We need to remind ourselves of the many times we prayed for specific things and God answered our prayers. We need to remember how the Lord stood with us through troubled times. We need to remind ourselves how the family of God was there for us when times were tough.

            We need to remember our pastors who pray for us and with us. We should thank God for the messages they taught us and the way they led us. We need to reflect on church socials and the laughter and joy we shared. There are so many special holiday gatherings as a church family throughout the year. It is also good to remember how we have grown, changed, and matured in our Christian faith.

            I want to encourage you to reflect on your walk with Christ and be thankful. He has been there for you, never giving up on you. It is good to remind yourself of the many victories you have experienced, especially when you are going through tough times. It is good to remember the power of prayer to change circumstances. It is good to be thankful for the family of God who surrounded you in tough times. Summer memories are great, but spiritual memories can be life-sustaining.   

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

Marathoning

by   June 14, 2024 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

The long present COVID-19 pandemic and the racial turmoil we must heal have caused me to recall my days of racing marathons, those grueling 26.2-mile races. Like the marathon, the pandemic has been long, and the racial injustices we face have been with us for four hundred years. Both a marathon for sure, and we need to remind ourselves that the way to finish strong and correct is to maintain our form gained from our training. Let me explain.

My view of the marathon is that it is a 10 km race with a twenty-mile warm-up. I raced each marathon by pacing myself and when my energy began sweeping away,  I concentrated even more on my form:  Maintaining a relaxed arm rhythm with my head erect as I aligned my shoulders  above my hips which I kept in line above my knees which I kept in line above my feet. I also maintained a good foot strike by gently landing on the outside of each heel and then rolling to the big toe before pushing off. I worked at maintaining as much of a relaxed, upright posture as I could and not allowing fatigue to dominate. Concentrating on form, not food or some other such subject, worked best for me, and I recommend it still for any road racer or athlete. Too many times I would pass runners whose form had melted into the roadway as they lost position in both the  race and their form. They had fallen apart. In any race, even the 100-meter dash, form is important, and a racer’s form is a result of his or her training.

We are given the opportunity to perfect a form to follow in times of such horrific racial injustices that we, sadly once again, face, and the long-weary COCID-19 pandemic.  The form that I write of is our individual and collective knowledge of our history, literature, religion, and more. For instance: Knowing the name Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and some of his accomplishments is a good beginning. However, we should go a step more and read and study his essay Letter from the Birmingham Jail, but do not stop there. Read the April 12, 1963 appeal to “local blacks of Birmingham” that was signed by eight religious leaders and printed in many area newspapers. Read their condemnation of Dr. King as “an outside agitator” and then read his essay in answer to their words. Learn more about the long struggle for racial justice and have a deeper appreciation for some people’s impatience over 50 years after he penned those magnificent words.

The COVID-19 plague continues to wear on us. Some of us ignore safety protocol in a belief that “rights” are being infringed upon by any governmental restriction aiming for public safety. We are tense. We are tired. We are troubled. Yet, if we had read John Barry’s fine study of a horrific flu epidemic, The Great Influenza, we might be better equipped to place our struggle in an important historical context and act from that perspective; not one of selfish disregard for others.

Any modern sufferer will gain solace from knowledge. Out of that solace will come patience which is necessary for productive action. And we need action today, but action based on facts, not emotions. The patience that grows out of knowledge will help us see the complexities we face and to understand how we came to where we are and to find solutions. But both above examples are historical and literary. While they and more are valuable for training or preparation for having a productive and quality filled life, I also recommend another base to help when weariness sets in; and just as in a marathon, every-day life will cause fatigue for every person. 

We all will benefit from a higher power. As a Christ follower, I read and study my Bible, but the Sermon on the Mount is what I draw from most—especially when I am weary as I am now. During the 1960’s I marched and protested against the war in Vietnam and for equality in America. I know the sting of gas agents and the destruction from angry mobs, which Mark Twain described as armies without a leader. I see that same anger now, but offer that if we, Christ followers or not, follow the words in Matthew 5-7, we would be better for it. Speaking to a large crowd on a mountain, Jesus gives instruction for living. For self-respect and respect for others. For decency. For living a productive life and a life of quality.

 Dr. Clarence Jordan demonstrated at Koinonia Farm in Southwest Georgia during the 1950’s and 60’s, that if we follow the teaching of The Sermon on the Mount, we will have the training that is necessary when the fatigue of running our marathon sets in. And that training will enable us to maintain form, to finish not only the race, but to finish it well.

Catching Up!

by   June 13, 2024 with No Comments

By David Freeze

   My column last week updated everyone on the latest from my farm accident. The Gotta’ Run column from last week got lost online somehow, but it can be found now in the Lifestyles section. What you may have missed is my fall from a front-end loader on May 15th that resulted in a broken back. This past week has been a tough one, with not a step of running likely to happen in the foreseeable future.

    Today’s news is the first follow-up appointment after the accident at Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine in Concord. After two weeks of varying levels of discomfort, I was happy to get to see scans and x-rays of my spine and the areas of concern. I am also glad to move forward and work toward a more comfortable existence that improves most days.

    Discomfort has been improving this week, but I still have a serious ache in my left hip and leg. The doctor, a fellow cyclist, told me to keep doing what I am, and they would see me in a month. I have his email and will ask a few questions during the month. Recovery is still a long way off, but we took a giant step forward today as the scans looked good except for one place where the spinal column is slightly pinched. Healing is occurring and I’m praying that the discomfort that keeps me from standing for more than a few minutes will soon subside. Thanks again for the tremendous outpouring of support in texts, emails, calls, cards and prayers. I’ve probably not eaten so well in my life, but calories burned are insignificant, so moderation is the key.

     A few weeks back, I wrote about the importance of an accurately measured course for any road race distance. More than 20 years ago, Salisbury had an issue with too many courses that were measured short, especially with any that started at Catawba College and not named Winter Flight. It has been my personal crusade to measure accurately all the courses we use in Salisbury and Rowan County. I mentioned the only accurate way to measure a course is with a solid measuring wheel, and that certainly none of the online measurers like mapmyrun are good enough.

     I happened to run into Marcel Renn at Father and Son Produce the following Monday morning after the column ran. Mr. Renn reminded me that a 5K course, the key word being kilometer instead of 3.1 miles, is actually 32 feet longer than a 3.1 mile course. Since most of our courses are called 5 kilometers in distance, remember to add that 32 feet to make it accurate. 3.1 miles is 16,368 feet and 5 kilometers is 16,400, but 16,404 by another source when using five decimal places. It all starts to make my head hurt.

     And finally, one of the county’s best races is set for Friday night, June 7 in China Grove. The 5K race, a half mile fun run and 200-yard tot-trot are all set for Main Street, hence the name Main Street Challenge 5K. The South Rowan YMCA benefits its scholarship programs with this 9pm race, the only night race remaining in the county.

     All the races are straight out and back to the finish near the fire department. Streets will be well lit and expect a party atmosphere through town with residents lining the streets and likely a fire department water truck splashing any runners who need to cool off just before the finish.

     The Main Street Challenge is officially the fastest 5K in the state of NC after Donnie Cowart set the super sizzling course record there two years ago of 14 minutes and 6 seconds. Pizza, doughnuts, watermelon and a commemorative t-shirt are included while an abundance of finisher awards go to the overall and age group top participants. China Grove runner Robert Miller broke the long-standing state 5K record for age 50-54 males last year.

    Look for more information on this and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Catching up!

Encouragement

by   June 12, 2024 with No Comments

1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

  • We are only passing through this life and it was designed for us to know Him as Lord for eternity.
  • Once we are born again we have this wonderful assurance of always living with Him, whether we are alive in this body or not.
  • It is to His joy and pleasure that we strengthen each other continually with this understanding that we are extremely blessed being saved and have a great future.

Prayer:  Lord I ask You to help me to encourage my brethren continually and to strengthen in their resolve to serve You and to follow after You and to not be discouraged by things of this world and obstacles that come our way.  We are indeed a privileged and blessed people.  Hallelujah. Amen.

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Seems Like Yesterday

by   June 11, 2024 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Fifty years ago this month, I walked down the aisle of the Landis Methodist Church on my daddy’s arm. It didn’t matter that he had on a tux that didn’t match the rest of the men in the wedding party. Besides, it wasn’t his fault. One of our groomsmen showed up in a suit with tails. Outside the bride’s dressing room, I heard the friend exclaim, “Hey! Y’all have on the wrong tux!” Not him of course. That would be too obvious since all the other guys looked alike. Thinking I would panic, Daddy and Chris quietly switched jackets. Thankfully they wore the same size. Hence daddy walked me down the aisle in a tux with tails since he would be sitting next to mama instead of standing down front. I really didn’t care. All I knew was that my sweetheart waited for me to become his wife. We were ready. After all, I was nineteen and David would be too the following month. Okay. So he was eighteen. I’m a cougar and I totally robbed the cradle. But we were plenty old enough to know everything. Or so we thought.

On that beautiful day, our life together officially began. Through the years, God blessed us with three daughters, lots of fun places to raise them, and plenty of joy in the journey. At times we were richer than poor. Other times… not so much. Always we lived on the grace of God and His provision. We called it adventure living. There was also the whole ‘in sickness and in health’ thing. Nobody wants me to rehearse all that. At times, it’s been a very rough ride. David just gently cared for me every step of the way, never once wavering in his kindness and love. When he promised his faithfulness at the ripe old age of eighteen, he meant it. Fifty years later, here we are, upheld by the Lord’s mighty omnipotent hand. How Firm a Foundation could have been our theme song. Either that or Living on a Prayer, by Bon Jovi. Both are pretty accurate. Any way you look at it, God has been very good to us. That is why I’ve hung onto Psalm 90:1. “Through all the generations Lord, You have been our home.” David holds Jeremiah 29:11 close. “For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; to give you a future and a hope.” Fifty years together with the Lord. He has been so faithful, so gracious, so wonderfully good. Yet David and I are still learning at His feet. Day by day He teaches us that He really is not mad at us for not always getting it right. He just loves.

If I could give one bit of advice to anyone who seeks wisdom it would be this. Put a tray or a bowl, some kind of vessel, by your door. As you enter, drop your keys there so you can always find them. This will save your marriage and also your mind. God bless you beloved ones. Thank you for your part in making our lives so good.

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