Ready to Press Pause

by   September 13, 2020 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

I recently heard an account from a fifth-grade teacher about a student accidentally bringing the family’s remote control to school one morning. I immediately envisioned a desperate family member at home diligently searching for it throughout the entire school day. For once, looking underneath the couch cushions was not going to be the answer.

Remote controls can be pretty important. I have learned that when I am interrupted while watching a movie or video, I can often press a “pause” button, and come right back to it later.

Sometimes — in all areas of our lives — we need to practice using the pause, don’t we? Some of my favorite times to pause are: When my patience is impatient. When I need a break. When I remember I should be praying more. When I remember that family is more important than work. When I need to take time to serve others. When I feel overwhelmed. When someone is having a face-to-face conversation with me, and I realize I keep looking down at my phone.

A pause can provide peace.

A pause can provide perspective.

A pause can prioritize priorities.

A pause can produce productivity.

A pause can provide perception of purpose.

And, a pause can provide pleasure. On most remote controls, the word play is either connected to the pause button, or is very close by. This close connection between pause and play should encourage you to pause and play. How you play is up to you. One example of a way to pause and play would be to pause and play with your children or grandchildren. That usually provides great pleasure.                                          

Just in case, you are not familiar with the remote buttons — or use them infrequently — here is what they may look like:

     <  ||  >

The first button ( < ) will take you back to the part you missed. That may or may not be important. You decide. Keep Philippians 3:13 in mind: Forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forward to those which are before.

The last button ( > ) will move you forward, but don’t go too fast. You may miss out on something. Keep James 4:14 in mind: What is your life? It is a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

The middle button ( || ) is the pause. It is in the middle for a reason, because quite often, you need to press pause when you are right in the middle of something. Keep Ecclesiastes 5:18 in mind: It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink and enjoy the good of all his labor.

Ready to press pause? Locate the pause button. Place your finger on the button, and press pause! Enjoy.

Pause is powerful. Don’t be afraid to use it!

As for the student that had the remote control with her at school — the item that had been so important earlier at home became useless when it was no longer close to its source. Just like in our lives — whether it is work, rest, or play, God is our source. So, be sure to pause during your day — and spend time with him!

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

Living & Loving

by   September 12, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            The temperatures were finally cooler last weekend and the desire to get outside and work kindled deep within me. I got outside last Saturday and I was going in every direction. I was literally working on three things at once.

            I decided I needed to get focused if I wanted to complete anything. There were so many projects screaming at me that needed my attention. I don’t like to be out in the heat and humidity, but once it cools off and the humidity gets in check, I’ll work until dark and beyond. Spring and fall are my favorite times of the year, if I can keep my allergies under control.

            A big tree limb had fallen right in my path to the woods. I needed to trim the branches off and open that path up. Saturday’s cooler weather motivated me to get it cleaned up. It is so nice to have an open path to take limbs and garden waste deep into the woods.

            I surveyed the garden. The beans, corn, peas, and broccoli that I recently planted are up and looking good. There are some other things that need to get cleaned up. The squash plants finally bit the dust. Some of the tomato plants have dried up. And yes, there are some weeds that need to be pulled, too.

            There are plenty of fall projects on my list to do. We want to clean out the garage. We have to make room for the plants to come in for winter. I want to clean out the shed, too. I want to get my nephew’s pressure washer and do some work outside. I need to cut some dead trees down and clean up along the edge of the woods.

            There is also some painting and fixing up that I would like to get done before winter. There are also some inside projects that we want to tackle. They will have to make their way on the list. I guess some of the inside things can get done on rainy days.

            It seems like there is always work that needs to get done. On Sunday, my pastor talked about the need to rest and live a balanced life. I would hate for my pastor to find out that spring and fall are not restful times around my house. I tend to burn the candle at both ends. However, at my age, my body is making me rest more often.

            Learning to live a balanced life is important. We need to get proper rest to stay healthy. We need to watch what we eat and we need to work on getting regular exercise. Our spirits need a regular intake of scripture and communion with God through prayer. In that way, we can live healthy in body, mind, and spirit.

            I like to work hard outside because it makes me feel good. I like seeing the results of my hard work. I sometimes wonder if we allow that mentality to be carried over into our spiritual lives. Do we think we have to work hard to be loved by God? Do we think that He holds a measuring stick up to us and that we better measure up or He won’t love us? Do we think that His love for us is based on our performance and how well we live our lives?  

            I am not sure where those thoughts come from, but they do not originate in heaven. God loves us so much that while we were His enemy living in our sin, He died for us. God made a way for us to be in a relationship with Him through Jesus. He loves us unconditionally. All we have to do is turn from living life our way and accept His love. He loves you when you are at your worst or what you consider your best. He loves you so much that He knows your name, He knows everything there is to know about you, AND He still loves you. His love is not based on your performance, but on His character.

            I want to encourage you to open your hearts and spirits to God’s wonderful love. He knows all about your past and still wants you as His son or daughter. The choice is yours to accept His unconditional love and forgiveness or to walk away and live with the feelings of rejection and failure. You are not rejected or a failure in God’s eyes. Your Father in Heaven loves you. You don’t have to work for it, just accept it.

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

It’s Hard to Say

by   September 8, 2020 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Some things are just hard to say, aren’t they?
Here are my top three:

1. I need help.

We may often need help, but fail to ask. We may fail to ask because we may feel we should be able to handle anything on our own. Or we may not want to admit our limitations. Or we may not want to bother someone by asking for help.

The reality is that it not only takes confidence and courage to be independent, but it also takes confidence and courage to be dependent. Whether in our home life, our work life, or just life in general, we need to learn to ask for help. Refusing to ask for help when needed is cheating someone out of a chance to help.

We need to be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know we need help, and brave enough to ask for it.

James 2:14-17 says that to help, we must take action.
Galatians 6:2 says if we carry the burdens of others, we will fulfill the law of Christ.

2. I was wrong.

We may be wrong, but fail to admit it. We may fail to admit it because it can be hard to acknowledge responsibility and say that we are sorry. Often our pride and emotions get in the way. We should be humble enough to recognize our mistakes, courageous enough to admit our mistakes, and wise enough to correct our mistakes.

It takes courage and strength to admit our wrongs to someone, but doing so shows that we value that person. The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest. Ben Franklin said that we should never ruin a good apology with an excuse.

Admitting wrong and saying that we are sorry may not change the past — but it can change the future. It can be like superglue — and fix anything.

Psalm 51:3 tells us we should admit our wrong.
Matthew 5:23-24 tells us that if someone has something against us, we should go make peace with that person.

3. Worcestershire sauce.

Let me try again — Worst-a-sheer sauce? Wor-shure-sire sauce? Woo-ster-sheer sauce? Wer-chess-ter sauce? Were-chester shire sauce? Woo-ster sauce?

I know. I know.
It is so hard to say.
I said it wrong.
I am so sorry.
I need help saying it.
Can you help me?

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

More About the Mill

by   September 7, 2020 with No Comments

By David Freeze

It’s always fun for me when I get a large amount of feedback on a column or a feature story. Almost always, the story has been fun to write in the first place. Such has been the case with the story of the 1850s Sloan Mill, the site of which has just been discovered adjacent to my farm and featured last week.

Always a history nut, I quickly realized that there were others who wanted to know more about the mill. Some communicated that they had long ago relatives who used the mill and others were longtime residents of the Mill Bridge area but knew nothing of the mill’s existence. “I never knew,” was a common statement as was, “Please share if you find out more.”

With that said, I have learned additional information. About the mill itself, the waterwheel power was the undershot style, meaning that the wheel had paddles on it and was driven by the passing water through a narrow area called by some the mill race. The wheel was built entirely of wood and was likely made of a mix of oak, pine and cypress. The wheel itself took constant maintenance.

Two massive stones turned by the power of the waterwheel were used to grind flour, cornmeal or livestock feed from the grain provided by local farmers. Other smaller stones were likely used to do specialized work.

The Post received a call from Dr. Norman Sloop of Salisbury who offered to help as a descendant of mill owner, John Locke Sloan. Sloan was Dr. Sloop’s great-great-uncle. I visited with Dr. Sloop, an authority on most things Mill Bridge and with the Sloop, Sloan and Bradshaw families. He has extensive records and shared some interesting information. Dr. Sloop shared Senate Bill No. 35 from 1863 which exempted millers, blacksmiths, foundry workers and others from service in the Confederate Army. Millers were exempt because their service was critical to the survival of people on the home front as well as supplying food for the army.

Since John Sloan did not have sons old enough to run the mill during the war, his brother Sam was exempted to help run the mill. Dr. Sloop was sure that John also continued the operation of the mill during the War Between the States as well. Both John and Sam were officers in the Home Guard, charged with home defense and arresting conscripts and deserters. The Home Guard was also required to drill at least once a month unless they were called into actual service to repel invasion, suppress insurrection or to execute laws of the state. One brother, Junius, died of disease in Richmond, Virginia, while serving with the 34th N.C. Regiment. Their other brother, Thomas, did not serve, probably because of poor health.

Mill owner John Sloan, called one of Mill Bridge’s leading citizens, was born in 1823 and died in 1901. His first wife, Mary Cowan, died in 1856 while his second wife, Selena Crowell, died in 1892. Sloan had three children with Mary and eight with Selena. Sam Sloan married Sarah Jane Cowan, so brothers married sisters. And finally, Sam and Sarah were Dr. Sloop’s great grandparents.

We’ve added Dr. Sloop to the Sloan Mill committee that is still in search of the elusive mill photo and what is buried along the Sloan Creek bank, as well any other existing information. We’ll share what we find along the way. And don’t be surprised that a few of us go tramping along the banks of Sloan Creek thinking of what used to be.

Faith, Hope, & Love

by   September 5, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Faith, Hope, And Love

            It’s been a rainy, lazy Monday. I sat quietly on my front porch listening to the falling rain. It has been a peaceful day and I have enjoyed some extra time with the Lord. The rain- cooled day has been a welcome change to the hazy, hot summer days. The extra rest is appreciated because I know some cooler fall weather is on the way and I will become very busy working in the yard.

            I did a little extra reading today. I was near the end of the book and wanted to get it finished. I always hate to come to the end of a good book. I don’t want to say good-bye to the characters that I have grown to enjoy. When I finish a book, I will take a few days off to savor it.

            One of my favorite authors has a signature style that I really enjoy. His books begin with male and female characters who have recently become broken people due to some tragedy in their lives. The author pens a pulse-racing story that throws the characters together as they travel around the world to save humanity. They are constantly being chased and always seem to narrowly escape. In the end, the two accomplish their mission, find healing for their broken souls, and yes, fall in love.

            The author I finished today writes well. I have enjoyed reading his books. This author takes on issues that are difficult to stomach. He has tackled such issues as human trafficking, extreme poverty, the foster care system, betrayal and infidelity, and he has a beef with the traditions in churches that keep people from connecting with Jesus in a personal way.

            My personal beef with him as a writer is that his stories’ climaxes are often gut-wrenching human tragedy that you can imagine pages before you read the events. He describes these events in detail, leaving me wrung out. He then adds a final chapter that tries to put a positive spin on the lives of the characters that are left behind. Somehow I keep coming back to this author because he writes such a good story that challenges me to remember that faith requires action and that the church needs to do something about the issues he raises.

            As a writer, I know the importance of creating conflict to write a good story. While I strongly prefer books and movies to have a “happily ever after” ending, I realize going in that there must be challenges and difficulties before we arrive at the end. A good writer knows how to weave those together to craft a well-written story.

            I want to read a story or watch a movie that gives the audience hope at the end. The world is full of plenty of difficulties; I want to escape into another world. I want a book or movie to take me away, and in the end, I want to be lifted up with a sense of hope.

            Every one of us has our own set of challenges in life. We know life isn’t perfect and that sadly, there are many tragic things that happen in our world. Simply turn on the news for plenty of examples. In books and movies, the author has an opportunity to show the kinder, brighter side of humanity. I want to find some kernel of faith, hope, and love.

            I have read books and watched movies where people have risen above unbelievable circumstances with the help of faith and hope. When I look back at my own life, I know my faith has pulled me through many dark places and times. Leaning on God and having hope that tomorrow will be a brighter day can give us the strength to put one foot in front of the other and keep walking.

            I know that many people feel like their circumstances are overwhelming. If that is you, then I want to take this opportunity to encourage you to stir up your faith. The difficult place that you find yourself in today is not the end of your story. You believe in a God who is greater than your circumstances. Your God has made good plans for a better and brighter future. You are loved, not only by your family, friends, pastor, and church family, but you are loved by the God who created the entire universe. He knows your name. So I say it again, stir up your faith because you are loved and you serve a God who will give you hope and a good future.

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

A Little Sweeter

by   September 1, 2020 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

I sat down beside my four-year-old granddaughter to watch her enjoy some chunks of watermelon I had put in a bowl for her. As soon as she took the first bite, juice began rolling down her chin onto her neck, her shirt, her shorts, the chair and the floor. I grabbed a napkin, as she looked toward me and said excitedly, “It tastes sweeter than it did last time.”

It seemed more like juiciness to me, but the sweetness was definitely flowing everywhere as I began to wipe her chin.

The watermelon, according to the book of Hope, was a little sweeter than it had been the last time.

I totally understood.
For it reminded me of my life.
Of many of our lives — especially over the last few months.

The simple things we may have never even noticed before, somehow now seem to have become a little sweeter.

Things like:

Walking in the doors of our church to worship — a little sweeter.
Walking in a grocery store — a little sweeter.
The new school year beginning — a little sweeter.
Going to work — a little sweeter.
Getting together with a friend — a little sweeter.
Spending time with our family — a little sweeter.
Walking in our neighborhood — a little sweeter.
Watching a child eat watermelon and not worrying about the juice — a little sweeter.

Yes. It is flowing everywhere — the sweetness of our lives.

She then reached into the bowl, handed me a chunk, and said, “You wanna taste it and see?”

When I heard her words, I answered with these words, “I sure do.” I tasted it. I saw. I was a bit too proper to let the juice run down my chin, but tears were running down my cheeks, as I said, “Yes, Lord. I have tasted and I have seen that You are good. And… it sure does get sweeter every day.”

Psalm 104:34 says, “My meditation of Him shall be sweet.”

Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in him.”

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

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