Are You Infectious?

by   February 22, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

                There have been a number of people I know who have been suffering from flu, RSV, or Covid. I have also heard people coughing in stores. I find myself wondering, “are you contagious?” I don’t want to get sick. I don’t have two weeks of my life to spend in bed getting over whatever it is that someone else is dealing with right now. I try to be careful and wash my hands and stay away from people who appear to be fighting some kind of illness.

                I struggle all year long with allergies, which are different from being sick. I don’t need to add sickness to my allergies. I went for my semi-annual check up with my doctor the other day. There was a woman in the waiting area who appeared to be sick. Another woman came out of the office who was obviously sick. The woman in the waiting area asked, “Have you got it, too?” I thought about what I observed. Both women, who knew they were sick, were considerate enough to have been wearing masks to protect others from whatever infectious thing they had.

                When I was a kid chickenpox was making the rounds. At the time, doctors told parents to expose their other children and go ahead and get it over with in their household. It is very contagious and kids passed it around like candy. We know now that was not a good idea because the chickenpox virus is what can cause us to get shingles later in life. Thanks, Doc!

                Our knowledge about infectious viruses grows as time moves on. We do the best we can with the knowledge we have at the time. We hope that most people will be considerate of others when they are contagious to stay home and try to get better before being around others and sharing their germs.

                The idea of being infectious or contagious has been tumbling around in my mind. I have been wondering if we have the kind of faith that is infectious or contagious. Do we live our lives in such a way that those around us could “catch it?” Are we living so others are attracted to our faith?

                The Bible tells us to be ready in season and out of season to give the reason for our hope. Our hope comes through our faith in God. We have a relationship with the living God and we can’t stop talking about it. Have you ever been around a newlywed couple? They can’t keep their hands off each other. They look like their eyes are glazed over. No one in the world exists besides their new spouse. That’s how it should be with our faith in God. Sickeningly contagious!

                I understand the reality of life. We all walk through trials and difficulties, but does that have to keep us from having a contagious faith? Imagine Paul and Silas; they are beaten and whipped, then put in a dungeon with their feet in stocks. They are hurting physically without pain meds. What do they do? They pray and sing hymns to God. WHAT? Guess what happens. The jailer and his entire family came to believe in Jesus. Why? Because in spite of unbearable circumstances their faith in God shone brightly. It was desirable to the jailer. He wanted what they had!

                When we find ourselves in the middle of difficulties we can’t walk around defeated. We can acknowledge the facts but we need to express our faith in God who we know and believe will come through for us. That kind of faith is contagious. It’s easy to have faith when everything is going great, but can we express our faith in God when things are not going our way? Do we believe that He can work all things out for us in a favorable way? When the doctor report isn’t great or circumstances are challenging us at every turn, can we and do we depend on God to help us overcome our circumstances?

                I want to encourage you to remember that God is on your side. He sees your problems and difficulties and knows the path to a better place. I know you trust Him because He has come through for you in the past. Express your faith in Him for your current situation because He will be faithful to you. When we can live expressing our faith during the trials of life we will have a contagious faith. We will have the kind of faith that others desire for themselves. The world around us needs to be infected; are you contagious? 

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

Everybody’s Doing It

by   February 21, 2025 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

The ride on the stationary bike was damp and chilly this mid-February morning. However, what I saw in the world of birds on and around the feeders in our back yard confirmed a suspicion of mine formed last week.

Riding along, I saw more than one bird fussing with another, and not always for the sunflower seeds in the feeders and on the ground underneath them. It seemed that everywhere in the back-yard birds were glaring at each other or chasing another of the same breed or carrying on in a frenzy of, yes, spring. Perhaps the most dramatic display was by two brown thrashers: One would chase the other until the chased thrasher turned as if to scold the chaser who retreated a few paces. Then they would individually hunt for seeds, then the chase would begin anew. I finally lost sight of them when they disappeared into one of the large azaleas. The morning ride was easier because I watched the birds instead of the bike odometer, and the time of exercise was past.

However, as I later thought of the birds’ display of early mating, I thought of how the important cycles of the world go on, often without our noticing. We get so captivated by secular happenings we lose sight of the ageless cycles of life of our only planet. But the words of Solomon should be remembered and appreciated each day: “To everything there is a season….”

The natural world has much to offer. Yes, it is violent and harsh at times. Yes, it is beautiful and refreshing at times. But we are to be its stewards “to dress it and to keep it.” Yet, when we get too obsessed with the secular world we have made, such as the political one, we lose sight and appreciation of the natural world that surrounds us. When we become too self-important, we forget that we are just one of the many creations of Him. We are made in His image, yes, but if we allow that fact to “go to our heads” we run the risk of losing sight of our place in the totality of life.

All the birds are doing it—preparing for a new cycle of life. They, like the lily of the field, do what they do. Perhaps if we each got out more, leaving the cell phone in the house, and walk around our block, seeing the world as it is and not as some news channel reports it, we would see that we only have each other, all of us made by Him, who does not make trash.

Closing Out Winter Flight

by   February 20, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Closing Out Winter Flight!

    A chilly and cloudy morning became a sunny afternoon in the mid-50s with little wind, a perfect day for runners and walkers. Registration was down some for the 42nd Annual Forum Fitness Winter Flight 8K/5K and Fun Run but the event still had plenty of energy. Five states were represented and one special participant, David Rushe, came from Ireland.

   Rushe works for the Magellan Aviation Group, an aircraft parts firm based between North Carolina and the West of Ireland. He said, “I am in the process of relocating to Charlotte for a time. and my colleague, Amanda Dunn, who is a keen runner, recommended I come to Salisbury with her and her daughter Morgan, for the 8K. I have run a few Dublin marathons in the past, but never an organized race in the USA. It was a great experience and a fast course!  Also, as a train nerd, I managed to take a spin around the NC Transportation Museum in nearby East Spencer.”

     A fast half mile fun run on the track, free and open to all ages, was won easily by Drew Adams of Salisbury in 2:58. The top female was Hadley Bryan in 3:34. The wheelchair race was next with five participants from Ainsley’s Angels, regular participants with handicapped riders pushed by able bodied runners. 60-year-old Bill Johncock pushed his son, Logan Johncock, to a fantastic wheelchair time of 37:37 over the 8K course. Johncock thanked race organizers for providing the Angels the no-charge opportunity to compete each year at Winter Flight.

      Just before the start of the 8K/5K race, Neil Wilkinson, who has traveled America doing the National Anthem, once again wowed the participants and spectators with his rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. With that, the 8K and 5K runners and walkers soon hit the pavement. Blowing Rock’s Daniel Shaffer was the class of the field as he took a quick lead in time to capture cash for the first male to the mile on the way to a sizzling 8K winning time of 24 minutes and 15 seconds, a 4:52 per mile average.

       Tristin Van Ord and Ann Marie Tuxbury, both also of Blowing Rock, had a close battle for the female 8K win until Van Ord pulled away for a 27:17 win. Tuxbury took the first to the mile award.

       Top Rowan County 8K runners were Brad Mueller of Salisbury with a time of 27:50 and Rebekah Julian of China Grove who clocked at 39:02. The 8K was the NC State Championship event, with Shaffer and Van Ord taking those honors.

     Jacob Willis of Manassas, Virginia, won the 5K in 17:33, while Elizabeth Taylor of Salisbury was the top female with her finish time of 24:42.

     As Kyna Grubb, Executive Director of Rowan Helping Ministries says, “The real winners were the clients of Rowan Helping Ministries.” All proceeds for the event went to Rowan Helping Ministries, just as they have for many years. In addition to The Forum, other primary sponsors were Catawba College, host for the event, the City of Salisbury, Global Contact Services, David Post Law, The Trophy House, Debbie Suggs Catering, Millbridge Ruritans and First Horizon Bank. Over 50 sponsors supported the event.

       Speaking of winners, Grubb won the Skinny Wheels Pedals and Pints gravel bike raffle, a first for Winter Flight and with 643 tickets sold. Winter Flight commemorative hoodies are available at The Forum for $15 and two for $25, with every dollar of those sales also going to Rowan Helping Ministries. Besides the City of Salisbury, which provided police and fire coverage for the historic event, other communities supplying police coverage were Faith, Granite Quarry, Landis and Rockwell.

     With experienced planning, good work and good fortune, race day came together extremely well. 11 cases of water were left at the finish line, and all but two bottles were used. Those went to the timing team after all the runners had left for the gym and the real refreshment area, where more than 160 awards were given out. Next year’s tentative date for Winter Flight is February 1st. Thanks to all who participated, volunteered and sponsored!

    From a previous column, you can now contact Stu Stepp’s stroke support group at Stu.stepp@rccc.edu

     Our next race locally is the ‘Will Run for Food’ 5K and Fun Run at Centenary Methodist Church on Saturday, February 22nd. This and other upcoming events are listed on the race calendar at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Closing out Winter Flight

Staggering Like a Drunk

by   February 19, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

“‘Lord help!’ they cried in their trouble and He saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as He bought them safely into harbor!”

This little passage is from Psalm 107: 27. It’s about men caught in a storm on the sea. Some of my family went deep sea fishing and got caught in a similar situation. Not knowing they’d spent the day tossing their cookies, I called out as they returned. “Y’all wash up. We’ve got lasagna for supper!” A collective moan went out from the group. A good time was not had by all.

Are you caught in a storm? Are you staggering from the waves that just won’t quit? Currently we are too. But that’s a story for another day. Sometimes all we CAN do is call out “Lord help!” and beg for a little stillness. Soon, child of God. He will bring us safely into harbor.

Can’t Be Afraid

by   February 19, 2025 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

  • Challenges there will always be.  Varied, more intense and less intense, but troubles are not uncommon.
  • The Lord has us covered and expects us to not react or be anxious about them because where fear and panic is faith is gone.
  • It is for us to give thanks and to pray and to ask God what we need so that we may have His peace in the midst of any storm. 

Prayer: Lord I do receive Your peace and thank You that You have paid the price for me to have the fullness of that peace and I will focus and give You thanks and tell You of my needs trusting that You will take care of me.  Amen. 
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

More

by   February 18, 2025 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

MORE

Happy New Year!

We all say it.

We all hope for it.

As one year ends and another begins, we tend to take a look back and also take a look forward to our future.

No matter what we are or no matter where we are, God has more in store for us.

A career in education left me acknowledging and celebrating pretty much every special occasion listed on a calendar, along with student birthdays. Special days were always talked about within my classroom, and were also celebrated whenever and however possible. My intake of cupcakes with my students to celebrate events was quite large – and quite enjoyable.

The special days in life are often anticipated far ahead of time and celebrated to a great degree.

The older I get, special occasions still rise to the top of my list. The New Year has never been a favorite, because it mostly has reminded me that Christmas is over and it is time to get back to work. Also, the requirement to stay up until past 12am has never been of interest to me, other than the year 2000, when we all waited up to see if the world was going to end.

I have always had friends who insist that we all pick a WORD for the new year.

Last year, my word was REST.

Of course that was a failure. I did not rest. I tried out the concept the first weekend, and even tried to take a nap, but it did not happen. Napping, apparently, is not a concept I understand.

So, I am giving the concept of a word for the year one more chance.

 My word for 2025 is MORE.

That is because there is MORE in store for us:

Look back –  to where God brought you from.

Look ahead  – to what God will do for you.

Look within – to who you really are.

Look up – to who God really is.

God supplies bread for our daily needs, forgiveness for our daily sins, and strength for our daily burdens. What a mighty God we serve!

Lord, help us in every circumstance to be content with that which comes every day from Your Merciful Hand.

My MORE in 2025 is to trust Jesus MORE!

To do MORE for Jesus!

To be MORE for Jesus!

Will you join me?

 For we are MORE than conquerors through HIM that loves us!

Let me know your word for 2025 at annfarabee@gmail.com.

1 2 3 4 … 207