Leftovers – Nothing Wasted

by   November 30, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

The Thanksgiving sandwich. It is legendary, at least at my house. Maybe it is a shepherd’s pie, a casserole, a chili, or a stew at yours. After all those hours and days of work, who wants to see any of that effort go to waste? Those who know me well know that I can make whole new recipes from a couple of leftover meals. Those veggies will become a broth in a couple of weeks! Last night’s take-out will be breakfast once I put an over-medium egg on top of it! A Thanksgiving breakfast hash with an egg on top is a thing of beauty. 

It is not only comforting to me to reuse leftovers, but it feels rewarding to keep things out of the trash. Everything can be useful; nothing is wasted. To others, leftovers stay in the fridge until a layer of penicillin grows, with no desire to revisit that meal. I think it is all in the presentation, myself, whether leftovers are nourishing or feel like nothing special.

I am thankful God does not waste anything. Because He is sovereign, even the wrong turns we take on the path, the losses, and disappointments He redeems and uses in His own way to bring glory to His name (and He has many – Redeemer, Provider, Restorer, Healer, to name a few). 

It does not always feel true during the roughest seasons of our lives. Unlike the delight of enjoying the smoked turkey that my friend spent half an evening and morning preparing for us to enjoy, going through trials often leaves us wanting. Maybe we have invested time into something or someone and see no harvest, or worse yet, a devastating loss – a job position we did not receive, a relationship that failed, a child who rejects parental love.  Maybe it was willfully sinning and making decisions that not only lead to regrets but a life that is forever altered. 

But with God, that is not the end of the story. Sometimes we see a reversal that we had faith to believe would happen because we know God completes what He begins. Maybe we see the door God opened up because one was allowed to close. A relationship may have a more loving ending than it appeared possible several years ago. Or, we may not see on this side of heaven a complete restoration of losses, but heavenly glory awaits those who know Jesus as Savior. What a glorious thought!

God gives abundant grace! He knows our frame is but dust (fragile). While simple leftovers from the Lord would be more than sufficient, and He does not waste anything, the wonderful thing about God is that He has new mercies daily. That’s far better than anything we could warm over and present afresh. Better than simply making the best of things. 

Now, don’t mind me, I still have some breakfast hash with sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts and a couple of Thanksgiving sandwiches to assemble this weekend. 

Birthday Celebrations

by   November 29, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Birthday Celebrations

            November is a busy month for celebrating birthdays in my family. My mother-in-law turned 100 at the beginning of the month. My parents were born one day a part in the latter part of the month. My Dad passed away at 92 and my Mom celebrated her 93rd birthday.

            For over ten years we have celebrated my parents’ birthdays on the weekend closest to their birthdays. We gather the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids at my mother’s house for lunch and put up her Christmas tree. This year we had 18 people in her small place, decorating, eating, and having a great time together. When we left Mom’s house it looked like Christmas. We had a great time.

            I store Mom’s Christmas decorations at my house. They stay out in my storage building and sometimes we find evidence of mice in some of the boxes. We have discovered nests and other gifts that caused some decorations to be tossed. My brother and I set up her tree and get the lights on. Then we step back and allow the great-grandchildren to decorate the tree. They were so excited and very well-behaved. They did a great job and my Mom was pleased.

            We all took a little break and then my siblings and their spouses met for dinner to celebrate my Dad’s birthday. This year we met at my brother’s house instead of our normal restaurant. We raised a toast to my Dad and then we shared stories, laughs, and some memories. One of the best memories was the Honor Flight that he participated in a few years ago. Local people raise money to send veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials. The whole experience was very moving and touched my Dad and my brother. The best part was when they got home and about 1000 people were in the airport to meet them and give them a hero’s welcome home. If you are a vet, I hope you get to take such a trip.

            I am glad we got together to remember my Dad. It made for a full day. The holidays will be different without him this year. There will be an empty seat at the table as we gather to give thanks this year. Many others will experience the absence of loved ones from their Thanksgiving tables. I pray that it serves as a reminder to give thanks for our loved ones. When you gather around your table this year remember to be thankful for your family, even those that can drive you crazy. We all have some of them in our families.

            I am thankful for my family. We have always been a close family, but I think that my Father’s passing has brought us all a little closer. I am thankful for my brother, who has worked tirelessly to settle Dad’s estate. I am thankful for my sisters who have shared some laughs, support, and encouragement as we have worked through the loss of our Dad. We have shared our journey throughout this new process and been there for each other. I am thankful that my Mom has been here for all of us as we have experienced our loss together as a family.

            I am thankful for my wife, our home, our cars, the flower and vegetable gardens, our relative good health, and the many, many, many other ways God has blessed us. This has been a really crazy year filled with many changes – some good and some tough – but God has been with us through all of them. He has carried us at times or simply held our hands at other times. His presence has been a comfort and the source of our strength. He has been everything He promised He would be in the scriptures.

            By the time you read this the Thanksgiving meal will have been consumed and we will be running full speed towards Christmas. I want to encourage you to slow down and really connect with the special people in your life. Connect with whatever family you have here with you. Connect with your church family, your brothers and sisters in Christ who will stand with you.  Connect with your friends and neighbors and let them know how much they mean to you. Don’t forget to let your work friends know how much you appreciate their support and comradery. Share some laughs, eat some great food, and enjoy each special moment…time moves so fast. It’s the holiday season…a time for joy, experiencing His great love, and allowing His perfect peace to invade your heart and mind.   

Being Happy

by   November 28, 2025 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

  • So often it feels not to be rejoicing or excited when we have so many challenges but;
  • There is strength and power in praise and rejoicing.
  • To rejoice in God and the Lord, because He never changes, He is our strength.

Prayer:  Lord I choose and I live to worship You and to rejoice today, I lift my hands in excitement and rejoicing to You because You are God regardless of what I am going through or what surrounds me, You are my strength.  Amen.

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

The Good & Bad of Stress and Running

by   November 27, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

The good and bad of stress and running

   I have written many times that running is an effective and immediate stress-reducing activity. I look for running to provide the best mental therapy while helping me solve my problems and cure just about anything.  Running, and good short of breath exercise, can give us clarity of thought, induce the release of feel-good hormones, can increase energy levels, change your body shape, and make us stronger. The list goes on and I am a big believer.  

  But what happens when running becomes just another stressor? Some runners suddenly just can’t get out of the front door because life is too busy. They are already exhausted and running becomes just another thing to do on a long list of other responsibilities. And what if on top of that you feel that you are just stuck in the mud, you can’t seem to make any progress to get faster or improve at all.

   Stress can be a good thing, and the body can take stress. The body and mind are quite resilient, and, in some cases, stress can help improve running performance, I have had nights of fitful sleep with something on my mind, then found it amazing that the early morning run was fantastic and my worrisome problems were solved. The increase in heart rate at the start of a run can help us feel alive and excited, this adrenalin can help make for a great run if harnessed the right way. A few nerves when beginning the next training run might help you run up that certain hill or enable you to run a little bit faster. The best races usually result following some nerves at the start line. 

   However, don’t underestimate how stress from other areas of your life can prevent the body from performing and recovering. Stress is stress, the body doesn’t make much difference between physical stress, emotional stress, psychological stress. Your body doesn’t recognize the difference between a hard training session or whether you’ve got enough money to pay the bills.  When the body fights back with raised cortisol levels, this can often make us feel as if our own brain is adding to the problem. Short term, that is probably OK, but this type of stress in the long term is never good. Worry, anxiety, pressure with work, in fact all forms of stress can cause fatigue, illness, sleep problems and irritability eventually.

     I have had a very good last year following my own return to running after the back accident. But with that, I have set the bar at the self-imposed level of completing 2,000 miles for 2025. That was my normal minimum for the last ten years prior to the accident, but for sure it is more important this year in my quest to return to normal.

  No one would question that we need to be motivated to accomplish our goals, but would you recognize that it’s also possible to be so consumed to succeed that this motivation can itself add stress and get in the way of any success? For me, the daily, monthly and yearly miles matter maybe too much because I am a goal setter, so any day for the rest of the year is subject to the distraction of completing the miles. My real goal should be not to cause more stress just to get the miles. We’ll see how that goes.

      Next week’s Thanksgiving Day Butterball 5K at The Forum is one of Salisbury’s most anticipated races of the year. Nationally, more races are held on Thanksgiving than any other day all year. Imagine a bunch of excited runners and walkers who want to get their exercise and burn some calories, do it quickly, gather any awards earned and head off then to the rest of the day festivities. It is a high energy event, full of fun and well worth contributing all proceeds to the Terrie Hess House and Prevent Child Abuse Rowan.

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

Gotta’ Run: The good and bad of stress and running

Just a Moment

by   November 26, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

For years my tagline has read, “Only a minute, but eternity is in it.” So many times a life changing Truth comes in a tiny golden nugget. For instance, this quote from one of my favorite authors came like a small but delicious caramel. Have you tried those soft ones by Werther’s that are covered in chocolate? Yum. Sorry I can’t share my stash with you, but here’s this.

“Gratitude always leaves us looking at God and away from dread. It does to anxiety what the morning sun does to valley mist. It burns it up.” *

For instance: Instead of dreading the holidays because without David everything will be sad and different, I’ve begun giving thanks for all that the Lord has blessed me with. I’ve found that when I do that, my anxiety is replaced with thoughts of baking pumpkin bread, or making a list of gifts to search out for my loved ones. I didn’t say it was easy. In fact I think it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. But! I still have so much!

Gratitude: Scripture is so laced with it that I’m having a hard time choosing the best verse. Let’s go with this one:

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” -Colossians 3:17

Your kindness to me during this terrible time of grief has been amazing. Can I ask you for one more thing? Hold my hand and walk with me. Together let’s choose thankfulness over dread, and watch with amazement as God burns away our anxiety like sun on the morning dew.

*God Will Carry You Through by Max Lucado

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