Experience Love

by   January 22, 2025 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

John 13:35  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

  • Nothing else is more evident that we belong to God than the evidence of love.
  • The whole world is looking for love and they know what love looks like – the real thing.
  • Sometimes it is difficult to walk in that love in our own strength, that is why we lean on Him and run to Him to fill us with His love continually.

Prayer:  Lord I surrender to You that Your love permeate my heart and fill me and give me love for those that I have difficulty loving.  Let me be loving to everyone.  Let this one thing flow in my life Lord, Your love.  I crave it, I want it and I surrender to it completely.  Amen.
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

A Powerful Lesson

by   January 21, 2025 with No Comments

We could all learn a powerful lesson from…a bunch of middle school kids. Did you read that? Middle school kids, without the help of adults, did something over the top and made someone’s day. Steve Hartman tells the story in a way that only he can do it. Watch, get tissues… but watch and ENJOY!

Not My Marble

by   January 20, 2025 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Not my marble

It was the most beautiful marble I had ever owned. I guess that was why I slipped it into the pocket of my dress that day and took it to school with me one day when in 2nd grade. Maybe I would get a chance to show that boy in my class that sat beside me that I had a prettier marble than anyone in the class. Yes, everyone brought marbles to school that year. it was a beautiful swirl of blue, green, and yellow. That boy I liked that sat beside of me would certainly be impressed.

Here is how it happened:

We were doing independent work. That means no talking and the teacher sits at her desk. It was a safe time to show that boy I liked my blue, yellow, and green swirly marble.

I pulled it out of my pocket and it rolled right out of there onto the floor and right over to a spot under his desk. It sure did make a loud noise on that wooden floor, but I made sure to act like I never even knew about it.

That teacher’s voice spoke, as she stood right at my desk, “Whose marble is that?”

I froze.

That mean boy beside me smiled and said, “Ann’s.”

Tattletale.

He reached down, picked it up, handed it to the teacher, and gave me a big smirk.

He was happy because I had never ever been in such big trouble.

The teacher said, “Ann, is that your marble?”

“No,” I said in a shaky voice.

She took it with her and I heard a big clank as she placed it in the drawer of her desk.

In the time that was left in our school day, my thoughts were, “I am in BIG trouble. What is she going to do to me? Will she tell my parents? Will I have to go to the office? Will I get a paddling? What will happen to me?”

Being in trouble was new to me, and I expected the worst.

After an excruciatingly long afternoon, the bell rang, and we all began to exit.

 I tried to be invisible, but my teacher stopped me.

She reached into her pocket, pulled out that marble, and handed it back to me.

I had just been a recipient of grace.

What I had considered an unpardonable sin had been forgiven and I was restored.

Except for the memory   

However, as I write this, I remember not only the grace, but I also remember my lie.

It was a lie that she knew was a lie.

I wonder if that lie made her no longer trust me? I hope not.

It was a marble. Marbles were not allowed at school.

But – she taught me one of life’s greatest lessons that day- it was grace.

Grace is often described as unmerited favor.

I did not deserve the grace she showed by privately giving me my marble back.

But – she gave it to me anyway.

A kid bringing a marble to school without permission – not a big deal, right?

But somehow, it is now not only one of my earliest memories, but it was also an early lesson learned in life as my teacher’s example of grace was poured into my life.

I wish I could tell her now how much that one experience in life taught me, so I believe I will try it this way, “Thank you, Mrs. Hagler, my 2nd grade teacher at Woodrow Wilson School, for not only teaching me the curriculum, but also for teaching me about grace.

Making the Most of a Not-So-Snowy Day

by   January 19, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

We were braced for it: a well-stocked pantry for cozy recipes thanks to an email newsletter; boots brought from the garage to be warm enough to welcome eager feet; gloves paired into actual matches to protect hands for snowball fighting. 

At the first sign of flurries, I popped a couple of frozen hash browns into the toaster oven, switched on the electric hot water pot, and opened a sleeve of hot cocoa powder. The littlest kids were ready! I sent them to the treehouse with treats in hand (or, rather, mittens). I spied upon them from the kitchen-nook window as they nibbled on their salty potatoes, sipped their decadent cocoa, and wishfully watched the flurries fall. 

It was not long before the teens came out, ready for adventure. One took the siblings through the woods to “Big Rock” – our name for the boulder along the survey line of a neighbor’s backyard. It isn’t quite Narnia, but one can believe it is nearby. Later, they successfully had a snowball fight. Where did enough snow for that come from? Well, Dad had forgotten to remind them not to scrape off the snow from the cars – oops! 

“Can we make snow cream?” my daughter asked as she presented a small monolith of snow in her mittens. “Is there really that much snow?” I asked, bewildered. The snow bowl that had been optimistically set out was scant; she had scraped snow off the dirty railing. Oh dear, it really has been too long for them to remember any snow etiquette. 

With hopeful hearts, the children finally came in for a dinner of fireside stew by the gas-fire logs (naturally). We decided to watch “Prince Caspian” from the Narnia series because we had rewatched “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” during Christmas break. These movies feel quite wintry.

Topping off the evening were small bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes that I had frozen recently to thaw out for the perfect occasion. This certainly seemed to be shaping up to be such. 

However, as you know, the evening did not end with more snowfall but rather ice, sleet, and cold rain. Wistfully, we all went to bed. The next day did not look magical; it looked disappointing. But, I still had a couple of little people eager to get the most out of the barely used sleds – sleds purchased at a yard sale maybe a couple of years ago, still in like-new condition. And guess what – you can slide pretty successfully on frozen grass, even if it looks just like normal brownish-green grass! It may have only given an hour’s or so worth of fun, but it was fun just the same. 

Sometimes our expectations are not met. More likely, it is truer to say they are seldom met. I am a realist and feel more like a pessimist at times, but slowly, I am learning to make lemonade from lemons. No, we can’t make snow cream out of dirty snow. But rather than sulk or blame the weatherman, we can choose to foster gratitude in the little people watching us. Little eyes are watching me. They are still making memories. They won’t all be awesome, but good enough can be sufficient, too.

Ashlie Miller and her family grass-sled in Concord, NC. You may email her at: mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

God is in Control

by   January 18, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

God is in Control

            I have a few weather friends and we like to make amateur predictions about winter storms and hurricanes. We have fun guessing and giving each other a hard time when we miss. I send my predictions to about a dozen friends who think I am pretty accurate, but I think they are being kind because I miss it just like the professionals. I like to watch the weather models and follow the trends. There are some people putting out wild forecasts that I caution you to avoid following. Look to trusted forecasters who offer balanced forecasts.

            Some friends have asked me to post my predictions on social media. The recent storm demonstrates why I don’t. I thought we would get snow here in Salisbury but we ended up with mostly sleet and freezing rain. The professionals predicted some measurable snow all the way down to Charlotte. People on social media were cruel and hateful to social media predictors and professionals for missing the forecast. It’s a shame that the hatefulness is driving one local social media forecaster to quit following his passion and sharing his weather predictions for our area.

            I once met Ray Boylan, who used to be on Channel 9 out of Charlotte. He told me that the mountains and ocean have a huge impact on the weather here in the Piedmont. Mountains can zap storms and the ocean can feed them. I remember Eric Thomas from Channel 3 sharing one night how a wobble in a storm had ruined his forecast. That time we got more snow than he had predicted.

            Weather is something that has so many variables that can impact what we see out our windows. Brad Panovich from Channel 6 recently pointed out on a Facebook post that a tenth of a degree can change what falls from the sky. All this unpredictability fascinates me about weather. I love to watch the models every day and follow reliable social media forecasters. My Facebook feed is filled with all kinds of weather related posts.  

            The big trouble with weather forecasting is that most people forget that the forecasters are not in control. We have to remember that God is in control. He has the weather, the planets, the stars, and you and me in His hands. He is in control. I understand that sometimes it doesn’t feel that way, but you can be assured that He has everything under control.

            Sometimes it’s hard for us to understand and accept that God is in control. When the doctor says cancer… When the phone rings and you receive tragic news…When circumstances at work have soured… When family drama unfolds… We have to turn to God and ask Him to intervene and trust that He will lead us and be with us because He is in control. None of this is easy. In fact, it’s hard to have faith when things feel out of control. We must turn our eyes on Jesus, asking for guidance and believing that He is in control.

            God knows everything. He knows the name of every star. He knows the exact number of hairs on every human head. He saw the beginning and He sees the end. He knows every detail of our lives. He knows each of us better than we know ourselves. He is in control in spite of what we may think in difficult moments. We have to give Him room to work all things out for our good. We have to trust and believe that He can work in and through our circumstances.

            The news is tragic…God is in control. My circumstances are hard…God is in control. I am struggling with doubt and worry…God is in control and He can do exceedingly, abundantly beyond anything we can imagine. One day Joseph is lying in a dungeon, the next he is second in command of Egypt. Lazarus was dead for three days and then Jesus called him out of the tomb. Peter was locked away in a dungeon and then an angel had to wake him up to help him escape. Sometimes we have to go through things with God. He has a good plan for our lives.

            I want to encourage you to never give up because God is in control of even the craziest of circumstances. We must keep the embers of hope alive. Ask close friends to pray for and with you. You are not alone! God is with you and He will bring good out of your circumstances. He can rescue people from fiery furnaces, huge fish, sicknesses, and even the grave. He will come through for you. GOD IS IN CONTROL!

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

Poimen and Tekton

by   January 17, 2025 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

            Robert Fitzgerald, the highly regarded translator of Homer, writes in his postscript of The Odyssey: “… It [The Odyssey] can no more be translated into English than rhododendron can be translated into dogwood. You must learn Greek if you want to experience Homer….” Not a reader of any foreign language, I am glad to have such a translator as Fitzgerald who admits that his craft is not sufficient to do justice to the original.  I recently encountered David Bentley Hart’s new translation of the New Testament which I enjoy and use. In our Sunday School, we are reading and studying The Forgotten Jesus by Robby Gallaty to better the Eastern Rabbi, Jesus.

            Reared as a Southern Baptist, I grew up reading or hearing the KJV translation of the Bible. As an adult I wandered– sometimes a Catholic, a Lutheran, a Brethren, and sometimes a none. Yet, as an English teacher, I read and sometimes taught stories from the KJV. No translation I read had its poetry and grace. We memorized the 23rd Psalm and Lord’s Prayer and knew what the archaic words meant. And out of the KJV I held to certain beliefs, such as from Matthew 13:55: “Is not this [Jesus] the carpenter’s son?” Then last week I read in Gallaty this: “Read aloud Matthew 16:18; 21:24; and 1 Peter 2:4-5. If Jesus likely grew up working with stones as His father did, ….” I thought Gallaty had made a huge mistake or the printer did, but when I asked Pastor Steve about the passage, I learned that my understanding of Josephs’ craft was wrong and came to realize that I had been a lazy reader of Scripture who accepted Church tradition. As if to follow that experience, this past week in Wednesday night Bible study, Pastor Jerry taught about sheep and shepherd. Another enlightening followed by my friend Mike who directed me to my favorite commentator, William Barclay, and his view of Mark 6: 1-6.

            I faced my arrogance and re-read and listened. I discovered the various meanings of tekton. I learned about the relationship between a 1st century shepherd {poimen) and his sheep, I felt like some of the disciples who asked Jesus to explain certain parables. For a brief and silly time, I felt as if I had been betrayed by my cherished KJV. But as I listened to my two Pastors, I came to realize that, just as I had told my students of literature, I had to be an active reader of my text and commentaries. I had to see the wisdom of Gallaty and his guidance into the life of an Eastern Rabbi during the 1st Century.  It was then that I came to see Joseph and Jesus as craftsmen (Hart and Barclay’s word) or carpenters, or handymen and could grasp the idea of Jesus as a shepherd over His flock. Then I came to a deeper understanding of foundations and shepherds.

            And perhaps I will try to lean Greek. Then I will not be dependent on any translator.

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