Baa! Baa!

by   January 12, 2026 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Baa! Baa!

While on a field trip to a farm with my twenty kindergarten students, we saw some sheep. You know – those beautiful pure white animals that softly and gently say, “Baa.”

Even though they were in a fenced in area and my students were safely huddled around me, I laughed when one of the sheep emitted a true, “BAA!” Every student and I backed away immediately and collectively, sticking closer than a brother to their teacher and their classmates.

Seriously, though. That “BAA” was really loud!

Plus, that fleece was nowhere near pure white!

Some sheep stats for ‘ewe’ to read:

 *They have no survival skills.

 *They will follow the sheep in front of them, even off a cliff.

 *They bleat, grunt, rumble, snort. (BAA is a bleat.)

 *Their main defense mechanism is to RUN.

 *Most die because of predators or from stress.

 *They have poor vision.

 *They feed from dawn to dusk.

 *They are often referred to as being dumb.

Some shepherd stats for ‘ewe’ to read:

 *They guide their sheep to the best pastures.

 *They are skillful, guard, lead, correct, and teach.

 *They tenderly search for sheep that stray.

 *They protect their sheep from harm.

 *They bind their wounds when they are hurt.

 *They nurture them through health problems.

 *They shear and clean them to provide better mobility and decrease stress.

 *They anoint them with ointment to bring comfort when troubled by insects, so they can rest.

 *They stay with them during the darkness of night, keeping them safe.

 *They put the welfare of their sheep above their own lives.

Those sheep. They sure are needy.

Those shepherds. They sure are good.

Reminds me of something. Oh yes! It reminds me of us!

John 10 says that Jesus is the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. He knows his sheep. He calls them by name. They know him.

Say this aloud: The Good Shepherd.

Again: The Good Shepherd.

Beautiful words, aren’t they?

We like sheep have gone astray.

We sure are needy, aren’t we?

The Lord is our shepherd. We shall not want.

We once were lost but now are found.

He sure is good, isn’t He?

I don’t know how you feel while reading this, but I sure was thanking God while writing it!

It makes me just want to look toward heaven, lift my hands in praise, and cry out to Jesus, “Baa…baa. I need You, Lord! Thank you for being my Good Shepherd!”

If we truly get a glimpse of how much our Good Shepherd loves and cares for us, I don’t think we will need to count sheep to help us get to sleep tonight!

National Quitters Day

by   January 11, 2026 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

We live in a time where every day on the calendar seems to be a “National ________ Day.” Many restaurants capitalize on the idea to sell more products: “Come get your deal on donuts on National Donut Day!” It should come as no surprise that there is a “National Quitters’ Day.” In case you missed it, you may have inadvertently celebrated it anyway. This year, it was Friday, January 9th, and it marked the time when many people have already given up on their New Year’s Resolution. To be fair, it does feel like we are already in spring, so maybe you feel like you are doing a better job keeping resolutions than you actually are.

According to Strava, a fitness app that tracks data of its users, a huge majority of people slow or halt their fitness goals by the second Friday of January. Motivation has gone out the window with the empty Krispy Kreme box.

While teaching my children science lessons recently, we were discussing the First Law of Thermodynamics (Conservation) – energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. The amount of energy is just there existing. We cannot get more out of it than what exists.

Unfortunately, this is true of motivation, as well. If we go into a plan or goal with a certain amount of energy and enthusiasm, it eventually runs out if we aren’t adding to it. That leads to exhaustion and eventually collapse (evidently in most cases by the second Friday of January).

What can sustain us? How do we continue doing what we should and quit the things that aren’t good for us?

Well, first, we can consider the difference between giving up on something because we are tired and turning away from things because we are being transformed. Transformation comes from repentance. Humans have never been great at self-help. It is an always-striving sort of position. We are miserable at transforming ourselves, because we only have so much energy. But our Creator is above and beyond us. He knows what makes us tick and what wears us down. He knows that the weight of sin is often the ball and chain that is keeping us burdened and incapable of saying “no” to things that ruin us. Repentance offers hope that the change we need is in the hands of someone better, working things for our good. The Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out, but there is more!

Secondly, we can rejoice that God promises Christians new, daily mercy. We are going to fail because we live in a fallen world. As we make efforts to change and submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit, new mercies await us daily (see Lamentations 3:22-23). While we are instantly justified from an old man to a new man, the sanctifying transformation is a continuing journey of mercy and grace. When our will-power pops but then fizzles, mercy covers our faults, and grace brings us where we need to be but haven’t earned. Our grit is gone, but grace remains.

So, whether you choose freshly squeezed juice or strawberry ice cream (both share a national day) on January 15, and you get to the gym or binge on the couch, for the Christian, our hope remains in the perfect plan of God, the completed work of Christ, and the dwelling of the Holy Spirit all meeting us with new mercies each day.

Ashlie Miller resides in Concord, NC. You may email her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

Time

by   January 10, 2026 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Time

            We are moving forward into January. There are fewer holiday lights shining at night. Most of us have finally taken the Christmas tree down. The after-Christmas blues can be seen on people’s faces as we return to work and our normal routines of life. Holiday treats have disappeared for another year, replaced with healthy eating. Many have turned their attention to the next national holiday, Super Bowl Sunday! 

            While most people are looking forward with great anticipation to what the new year holds for us, we have to remember that others are struggling. I have talked with some people who have been dealing with sickness. There are plenty of cold and flu bugs being passed around, and those people just want to get better and return to normal. Some have talked about the cough hanging on for weeks, while others say they have shaken it off only to get sick again a week or two later.

I have talked with neighbors and friends who are struggling with the loss of loved ones and found the holiday season only a stark reminder of their pain and loss. Our family has been dealing with the loss of loved ones and the pain has carried over into the new year. People say that time heals all wounds, but the pain that comes with the loss of loved ones has a way of surfacing over and over again, especially during the holiday season. So remember to hug your loved ones and treasure the moments you get to share.

Even though some are struggling, time continues to move forward. It’s a reality that none of us can escape. Are we using our time wisely? The biggest lie we have been sold is that we can multitask. You can’t multitask. Your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. You can fold laundry and watch TV or eat and watch a movie, but you can’t do many other things at the same time.

Some people may think that watching TV or a movie or even scrolling social media is wrong, but it’s not. We need to allow ourselves some down time. We need to give ourselves a break from the daily pressures of life. We need to slow down and catch our breath. We just need to enforce some reasonable limits on these kinds of activities so we can engage with each other and spend quality time together.

Time is not our enemy; it is really a gift. We have to make the choices of how we enjoy the gift of time. We can’t always be working or trying to knock things off our “to do” lists. We need to allow time to read so we can stimulate our minds, to exercise and take care of our bodies, to pursue hobbies and personal interests which allows us to grow as individuals, and sometimes to just sit and be lazy or to lay in bed a little longer on a Saturday morning.

We get to choose how we use the gift of time. One of the choices needs to be spending time with God. Some people think that you can only talk with God on your knees. I like to talk with Him while I am walking and while I sit on my front porch. The important thing is that we invite Him into our daily lives. He wants us to become more aware of His presence. He promises to be with us all the time. We are often so distracted by daily life that we don’t notice that He is right there with us.

Choosing to spend time with God and reading His Word will guide us as we move forward this year. There will be good times and challenges, but we can handle them if we invite God into our lives. We can make room for Him by our choices. He only goes where He is invited and that is our choice.

I want to encourage you to make the choice to invite God into your time. It’s easy to allow time to slip through our fingers. We have to make a conscious choice to watch our time and use our time wisely. There are so many things we want to do in life, bucket lists we want to accomplish before our time is up. We can do many of them if we make the right choices. The wisest choice we can make is to invite God into our lives and allow Him to guide us. Time is God’s gift to you. Open it. Enjoy it. Spend some of it every day with Him.

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

Best Future Ever

by   January 9, 2026 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

  • When we commit and abandon our hearts to Him we can expect these things;
  • Goodness and love to be a natural way of life without having to be pursued, just happen naturally.
  • ‘Dwelling in Gods house’ is to always be with the Lord and continuously putting Him first and being a part of His kingdom, always in heart, mind and deed.

Prayer:  My Father I bless Your holy name today in praise and adoration and declare to You that I am Yours and totally devoted to You.  Thank You for Your kindness and mercy.  You are my shepherd and I do expect these things (goodness and mercy) to follow me.  Amen.  


Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Starting Your Running Journey

by   January 8, 2026 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Starting Your Running Journey

  Last week, I talked about how an already active runner could set a goal to complete a marathon. Marathons are mostly cool weather events, and if you run an early to mid-spring 26.2 miler, you have the benefit of doing the training in cool weather. Cool weather training is much easier on the body than the warm and humid weather of the late spring and summer.

   Since we are entering into the resolution time of early January, I think it is worth mentioning another possible running journey. What is a resolution but another goal? The term Couch to 5K has become very popular over the last ten years or so, specifically as a way to start running. I hate the term “Couch to 5K” because it sounds like a program for those who do little activity at all and then decide to do a 3.1 mile running event.

     I have been leading a local beginning runners program for more than 20 years now and the one thing I’m sure of is that there is no sure fired way to make an online program work. Just as there is no guaranteed way that my class will get it done for you. But most of what you see online touts their program as the best of 100’s online. Just send in your money and success will come. Do this today, do this tomorrow. One reply said, “What if I only have a futon?”

    Some online programs are six weeks, some seven or just about any other length of ten or less. What I do agree with is that most can be successful, but it takes willpower and “doing the homework” which refers to the time on the feet while building fitness.

    What I would say to anyone who wants to begin running is start putting positives in your corner. All of us are different, more than just age and level of fitness. Level of commitment stands out among those attendees who do our class.

     I suggest starting by walking and doing as much of it outside as possible. Few people get off the couch as successful runners, but most of us can walk. I would commit two weeks to walking at an increasing pace and distance.

    During that two weeks, go get a good pair of running shoes at Ralph Baker’s. Get fitted, analyzed and come away with the shoe that will help you complete the goal. The right shoe puts you many steps ahead in comfort and will aid in success.

    Even when walking, especially as you increase in pace, make sure you can talk at least in short phrases. If you can’t, you are pushing too hard. Beginning running takes good respirations. Slow and easy at the start is the key. The biggest mistake is starting too fast, losing your breath and struggling through the workout.

    If you haven’t already, find a friend with the same goal and you can work wonders with accountability. Take it slow and don’t expect overnight results. Focus on building your stamina, monitoring your pace, and being patient.

    And the last big step, start running for minutes at a time. Two, then four, six, eight and ten while walking in between. Ten minutes at an easy pace gets you close to a half mile. You are on the way.

  The road to becoming a runner is long, but every run gets you closer to the runner you want to be. Lace up those shoes, hit the pavement, and remember that every run builds the runner you’re becoming.

    Then, after a headstart, sign up for my beginning runners class that begins on March 10th. And your journey will continue with knowledge about shoes and equipment, nutrition, running form and much more.

     There are no more races locally until the granddaddy of them all, Winter Flight, set for February 1st. It is one of the oldest races in the south and loaded with history. We’ll visit the 43rd edition of this storied race next week.

   Look for all this and more at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Starting your running journey

Nina’s Gravel Drive

by   January 7, 2026 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

My mother-in-law has the best humor. She is also very determined. Once she gets an idea in her head there is no talking her out of it. She lives across the street from us and last month she had gravel, or “crush ’n run,” delivered to her driveway. It’s something she’s done for fifty plus years. The truck comes, dumps a big ol’ pile of rock and she is as happy as if she has good sense.

We knew this had become a current priority because she had mentioned it to us several times. “Get ready! Gravel is coming!” she would say.  For my husband, [her son] that was like saying, “Just so you know, the gates of hell are about to open.” Her idea of a good day is hauling gravel by the wheel barrow load to its designated spot after shoveling it into her wheel barrow. But before the gravel comes, it is important to dig out under the carport so ground level is not too high. Then you have to wet everything down real good so it packs tight. It’s a very important process.

After mentioning her plan several times, and how important is was to get some crush ‘n run, because she had not had any delivered in about thirteen years, her son said, “So mama, how are you going to get the gravel spread?” She replied with a head wag, “I will spread it myself!” Son says, “Mama, the last time you did this you were young, like still in your seventies. Can we figure out a different way to do this? I’m not as young as you are.” For he knew he would not be sitting across the street watching his eighty five year old mom haul gravel.

Finally, after numerous conversations like this, she mentioned to one of her daughters her plan.  Her firstborn replied, “If I hear tell of you shoveling gravel, I will make a speed bump out of you.” This is her calm daughter. Usually we depend on the younger daughter to take care of such issues. But this time offspring number one made her opinion clear in no uncertain terms.

When mom-in-law called to tell me to watch her driveway for speed bumps, I told her to make sure to lay down parallel to the drive instead of crosswise; and if she didn’t mind, to position herself in the middle of the drive so she wouldn’t create too much trouble for us to get in and out.

Not to be outdone by all the instructions from well-meaning children, she asked before she was made into a speed bump, if she could at least roll up and down the drive. That way, she reasoned, the gravel would be packed down so tight it would resemble concrete.

I love her humor. I love how sharp she is. I love how everyone has her best interest at heart and how we all instruct her, even though she really does know everything. Seriously. She has been through so much life, that there isn’t much she does not know. Oh to be that sharp and fun at eighty-five!

I heard the beep, beep, beep, as a gravel truck backed into her drive. It deposited two huge piles of the coveted crush ‘n run. Shortly after, a grandson with a blade pulled up and leveled the drive. Mom had previously, probably under cloak of night, dug out under the carport to the desired depth.  A hard rain began to fall as the grandson finished spreading the crush ‘n run. The driveway is leveled and packed. Later mom waters the gravel under the carport to her heart’s content. No mothers or offspring were harmed in this production. All is well in her corner of the world. Now if we can just figure out how to keep her out of the creek.  Because you know, that when the rocks get moved around, water gets still and mosquitoes breed, and… the saga continues…

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The Firstborn, Jo, Nina, and the Middle Child, Gail

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