The Failure

by   March 8, 2021 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

That F in geometry did not look good.

Nor did the D in Driver’s Education.

I was a failure.

I was a sophomore — 15 years old.

My problem was not my ability.

My problem was my circumstance.

My father had begun having a drinking problem.

It took a toll on me — especially that year.

I say this with love to those addicted to alcohol or drugs:

It never just hurts the addict.

It was a stressful time in my home.

I was often sleepy and distracted.

I was not getting my schoolwork finished.

But God.

The days passed.

With the support of others, things got better.

My grades bounced back.

I was able to go to college.

No — the problem had not gone away.

But God — had sent angels to help me through it.

What I felt those years are the same types of emotions and anxiety filled times that children and teens still go through today. We need to support them however we can.

God… still sends the angels.

Angels of protection.

Angels of mercy.

The years passed.

Not only did I teach for almost 40 years, but part of that time I was a math specialist.

Not only have I been driving for 50 years, but I have a perfect driving record.

That still makes me smile. Sometimes, it makes me laugh.

Guess I was not a failure after all.

Only God could do that!

God picked me up, turned me around, and placed my feet on higher ground.

He allowed me to live beyond my circumstance.

He will do the same for you — and for your loved ones.

He will take a mess and make it a message.

He will take a test and make it a testimony.

He will take a trial — and turn it into a victory.

Miracles still happen daily.

What’s your story? I would love to hear it!

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

Your Father Loves You

by   March 6, 2021 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Your Father’s Love

            I remember the day my wife called me and told me about a kitten that had been left in the bushes at her work. It was going to be a very cold night, and what were we going to do about this little kitten? Naturally, we decided to bring her home.

            We had an older cat at the time and didn’t really want to put him through the process of adding another family member. But she won and made it into our home. Our beloved older cat has since passed on and is now awaiting our arrival in heaven. For the first few years the new cat was aloof. She “let” you pet her when she wanted to be petted. She was highly independent.

            A few years ago something changed. She decided she wanted to be a lap kitty. The change was sudden and a little disconcerting. She would jump into my lap and begin purring. I would commence petting and that would be okay for a few minutes until all of a sudden, she would begin trying to nip me. That didn’t go well. She ended up on the floor.

            Over time she has come to enjoy being in my lap for longer periods of time. It still ends suddenly. She also loves it when I take a nap. She wants to snuggle with me. She purrs and seems happy and content. When she decides the petting is over she curls up against my legs.

            Over the last couple of months she has been teaching me about our Father’s love. I know that might seem crazy, but stick with me. Sometimes when I sit down she will come along. I know she wants to get in my lap. She circles me over and over again. She looks up at me and I call her. She just keeps walking around me. I call it being in the shark mode. 

            I have tried to pick her up and she runs away. She comes right back. I call to her and she resists. She will put her front paws up on the chair and survey my lap. I encourage her to come up in my lap, but still she resists. I’ll ignore her. She continues to circle me. I can hear the “Jaws” theme music playing, and then finally she will jump up in my lap. Once there, she is delighted.

            This is what I have learned. God wants us to come up in His lap. He wants to pour His great love out on us but we are stubbornly resistant to God. He calls us to come close and we run away. He tries to pick us up and we wiggle out of His hands. Yet we circle around Him, wanting desperately to get into His lap. We want to receive His unconditional love and affection but something is holding us back.

            Some people grew up without much demonstrative love so it is hard to imagine God wanting to hug them. Some people struggle with guilt and shame, and they have either forgotten or not learned that Jesus took guilt and shame away with our sins on the cross. Some people feel God is too busy with all the crazy things going on in our world. They don’t understand that God is omnipresent. He can be close to me and to someone on the other side of the globe at the exact same time. Still others are facing doubt, fear, and worry, and pull away from the agape love of God.

            There are many reasons to pull away from God. I want to encourage you to stop. Turn to God and leap into His waiting arms. He has crushed the power of sin, shame, and guilt. His perfect love casts out all fear, doubt, and worry. He has all the time you want because time doesn’t exist in heaven. Give God the chance to shower His love upon you. Maybe your parents failed to give you a good example of love, but the Bible teaches us that if your parents failed you, God will be your mother and father and He will never fail you.

            I want to encourage you to open your heart to the perfect love of God. He does not reject anyone who comes to Him. No sin is too great. No failure puts you out of His reach. Jesus paid the entire price to make you a son or daughter. Accept Jesus’ payment and receive a love beyond anything you can ever imagine. God is calling you to jump into His lap. He is waiting for you so He can pour out His healing love in your heart.

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

Latest News on Runners Hearts

by   March 2, 2021 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Last Saturday, mid-morning, I started getting texts from other runners. For a few weeks, many locals with lots of miles and marathons were keeping up with Bob Marchinko on his quest for not just another marathon. Long-time coach and educator, Bob fell off a roof and broke his neck last June. Words like paralysis were used, but with the grace of God, Bob was able to return to running. A strong effort at a half marathon got him thinking about the possibility of chasing the N.C. age 49 marathon record.

Bob said, “I chose Oak Island, since it was close. The weather was rough, and I did have some stomach issues, which caused me to run the whole race without taking water or GU (energy tabs). I was fortunate to be able to manage both things. I will just say God is good and I am blessed! Back in August, when I started my rehab, I had no plans on racing, I just wanted to feel normal again, so the races have just been icing on the cake.”

Bob’s time of 2:31:3, a 5:47/mile average, did get the N.C. age group record and he won the race. He expressed thanks to all his friends and family for the ongoing encouragement on his inspirational journey.

For various reasons, I was especially impressed that Bob’s average heart rate during the race was 177 beats per minute. Maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting age from 220. In Bob’s case, his maximum heart rate, or the level at which experts say he shouldn’t exceed for long-term exercise, would be 171. For two hours and 31 minutes, Bob’s heart worked very hard.

Runners’ hearts during exercise do work very hard. But just like any other muscle, training that heart to do more provides exceptional cardiovascular benefits. Running’s impact on the heart has long been studied. In 1985, one study concluded that “Regular runners have slow resting pulse rates and a high maximal oxygen consumption.” Echocardiographic studies have also shown that distance runners have “larger, thicker left ventricles and their hearts are more efficient than those of sedentary people, pumping a larger volume per beat.” This phenomenon is called “Athlete’s Heart,” and is a result of intense cardiovascular workouts. No matter the number of miles we log each week, it all adds up to a lower resting heart rate, lower bad cholesterol in your blood and lower blood pressure.

Regardless of all these good things, there are frequent studies that analyze how much running is enough to get these benefits and there are always some that say that too much running isn’t good.

When a young and healthy runner does die while running, it’s almost always due to a genetic heart abnormality called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the walls of the heart become thickened for no known reason. This condition affects 1 in 500 people. Though deaths like these often steal headlines, the risk of such an occurrence is quite low. In fact, my very first column for the Salisbury Post was about the death of three runners in the same Detroit Marathon that I had recently competed in.

Even if you’re born without a heart condition, there’s a chance you may develop one as you age. Heart disease is a broad term that describes a range of conditions that affect the heart, including clogged arteries that can cause heart attacks and stroke. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America. But regardless, if heart disease does develop, nearly everyone affected will be encouraged to continue to exercise in some manner.

For my generation, one of the most famous runners in history was Jim Fixx, the author of the best book on running I ever read, The Complete Book of Running. Fixx began running in an effort to beat family history that was loaded with serious heart disease and his own heavy smoking habit. It did take Fixx’s life eventually, but not until he had lived nine more years than his dad and brother.

This past week, I wore a medical heart monitor for 48 hours. More on that later.

The Will Run for Food 5K benefitting Rowan Helping Ministries is Saturday. www.salisburyrowanrunners.org .

COVID Vaccine

by   March 1, 2021 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

t had been a journey to get to this point.

After signing up for an appointment that was 35 days away, I canceled it when I got an appointment that was 10 days away. I felt successful.

There had been apprehension. My experience with COVID a few months prior had been horrible, to say the least. Even though I was confident in the effectiveness of the vaccine, I was nervous about side effects.

I had asked many questions and had done research, but the truth was, I would have gotten the vaccine anyway. COVID was something I would never want to go through again.

Day 1: Appointment night. I entered a Walgreens close to my home and was one of the only customers in the store. They were ready for me. I had the last appointment for the day. The entire process was short and simple. Painless, too.

As I was getting the shot, all I thought about was that I was part of history being made. One day school children would be reading about those of us who had experienced this time of COVID.

I was handed my official proof of vaccination card — I think I will save it.

I was extremely pleased with myself. I had conquered my concerns. I had fought off my fears. I almost felt special.

Day 2: Early that morning, I happily thanked the Lord for no side effects!

I almost felt a little smug.

By mid-afternoon, I regretted the smugness. My arm hurt. My head hurt. My body ached. I felt fatigued. Chills came. Fever joined them.

Yes, I was perfect. I had 100% of the listed side effects that I had read about.

It felt as if I had COVID again. I went to bed.

Day 3: Time in bed continued. In order to not be a boring person, I added in pain, redness, and a knot at the site of the injection. I was told this was called COVID Arm. Hmm? It had a name. The next 24 hours brought a doubling in the size of the diameter of the redness.

Day 4: The redness had tripled in size. My arm hurt. But, my time in bed was over.

Day 5: My arm was fine. I was fine.

I am now ready for COVID vaccine No. 2.

Lord, be with our healthcare workers, hospitals, schools, businesses, nursing homes, families, children, unemployed, sick, anxious, fearful, the lonely, our country, and our world as we go through this season of COVID together. Thank You, Lord, for being our comforter, healer, provider, protector, and savior. Amen

How did your COVID vaccination experience go? Email me at annfarabee@gmail.com . I would love to hear from you!

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

DECA Club

by   February 27, 2021 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            High schools offer some great clubs for students. There is FBLA for business, FFA for agriculture, HOSA for health occupations, and my personal favorite, DECA for marketing students. I sponsored the DECA club every year that I taught school. It was a great opportunity to connect with the students in a deeper, more meaningful way.

            I can’t remember all the different fundraisers we did, but we sold about everything you can imagine. I sold a lot of candy. I also sponsored a number of fashion shows. Some of the shows were for spring, summer, and prom. Some shows were exclusively for prom. One year, one of the girls wore a wedding gown to end the show.

            I took the students on many trips through the years. We went to the Women’s Show, Spring Show, radio stations, TV stations, newspapers, and sports arenas. Early in my career I took a group of students to New York City. I do not think my students realized how nervous I was taking them up there.

            I went to the International DECA Conference a number of times in my career. I will never forget what wonderful experiences they were for my students. I will also never forget the students and the great fun we had on those trips. I have some hilarious stories that I have told through the years.

            The big story every year was going to the state DECA conference. All DECA members attend the district level of competition. From there I usually took six to twelve students to the state competition. It’s a three day conference where you are up against students from across the state. It was always a great experience and something I looked forward to as a teacher. The students took tests, completed role plays, and wrote papers in competition to go to the International Conference. Many of my students had never stayed in a hotel before, so it was a fun adventure.

            For over ten years I have worked with the election process, where the students elect their state officers for the next year. Last year we got the conference in right before COVID. I figured the conference was out this year. Then I discovered they were having a virtual conference. It is amazing that they figured out how to hold the conference without having to get together.

            Right from my living room I hosted a committee meeting. A group of students interviewed the various officer candidates. The committee members and the candidates did an outstanding job. It went super smoothly over Zoom. If the whole conference goes as smoothly as my part, DECA will have a great 2021 state conference.

            While I would prefer meeting and seeing the students in person, I liked how things worked out. It’s hard facing restrictions on gathering together. While things are always better when you can get together, we have to figure new ways to do things.

            I think the same thing applies to church. My pastor is passionate about discovering ways that we can safely gather together. We need fellowship. We need each other if we hope to persevere through these trying times. Since this pandemic began and the meeting restrictions have been put into place, he has encouraged and challenged us to find ways to stay connected.

            I attended our church service online for a while, and it is good to hear from my pastor what God is saying to our congregation. But it is still not the same as gathering together. We need to be able to encourage and challenge each other to stay true to our faith. We have limited gatherings at my church now, and I am so glad to be back in the house of God again. We do so much to keep our people safe, but everyone has to do their part or we could lose the opportunity to gather together. There are three simple things that we are requested to do: wash our hands, social distance, and wear a mask. Sadly, people around the globe resist, and the virus continues to spread.

            I want to encourage you to determine how you can safely gather with fellow believers. Can you join a Zoom meeting and connect? Can you connect by phone, email, social media, or Facetime? Soon the weather will break and we can gather in some way outside. We need the human connection, that word of encouragement, knowing we are standing together and that we aren’t alone. Gather by phone, Zoom, through the computer, and at church when yours is open. We need each other now more than ever.

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

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