Thank You Notes

by   November 9, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Walking to the mailbox once was a thing of expectant joy that maybe this will be the day I receive something lovely. Not a bill, junk mail, an HOA note stuck to the flag, not a solicitation – a note from a friend. The closest thing most of us see to that is a text from out of the blue, and those are welcome, too. But, a couple of times a year for easily a decade, maybe longer, the reward for a short walk to the mailbox has been a card from a lady named Trudy who sends us cards with a handwritten note of thoughtfulness. We are not special, but Trudy is – I know many benefit from her personal card encouragement ministry. 

Unlike a text, cards not only give me an initial moment to pause, but, for as long as it adorns the table, there are further moments of gratitude for the thoughtfulness behind the card-giver.

It is a given that November is a month to pause for gratitude. Of course, there is the holiday of Thanksgiving, which often prompts us to look for daily devotions or even to make gratitude posts on social media. We also have Veterans’ Day – a time to properly acknowledge those still among us who have given much of their life to serve and sacrifice on our behalf. 

I cannot think of a better position to be in than that of a heart of gratitude before entering a season of giving and receiving, acknowledging the past blessings before looking to the future blessings. We already know that thankful, content people are some of the happiest people, and I’m willing to bet they are also some of the most cheerful givers and appreciative receivers when December comes around. 

While we do make efforts in our home to be intentional to send out thank you cards for specific moments in life, I could do a better job modeling everyday gratitude that extends beyond a quick thank you text. There is something special, intentional, and sacred about sitting down to write in a card I either have on hand or go out to purchase, finding an address and a stamp (which may still have last year’s holiday theme on it), and placing it in my mailbox with the flag up. When I receive a handwritten note, I realize that someone else has thoughtfully gone through the same process. 

The coming 7 weeks or so are already overscheduled. We all agree that we are too busy. It is a setup for anxiety, frustration, and maybe even a desire to hurry up and get through it. Asking to have a good attitude through it, never mind a cheerful one, may seem like too much to ask. But maybe taking time to share gratitude for someone in our lives intentionally could help change the way we enter another hectic end to another year that flew by too quickly.

I would guess that our friend Trudy has a pretty merry holiday season. Thanks, Trudy, for being such an encouragement to so many. 

Pardon me for being in a hurry, I’m off to pick up some thank-you cards.

Fall 2025

by   November 8, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Fall 2025

            I love watching the trees turn beautiful fall colors. I have stopped on more than one occasion to take pictures of trees in their glory. Their beauty fades when they fall and need to be raked up. However, there are some great videos online of dogs running and jumping into piles of leaves. They will bring a smile to your face.

            I also appreciate the cooler fall weather. I am always glad to see the oppressive heat of summer lose its grip as the crisp air of fall takes over. I enjoy each season, but I like the spring and fall the best. The fall temperatures have been very kind to us this year.

            I have enjoyed a few garden treats this week. I have one tomato vine that is still producing tomatoes for me. I ate a juicy, fresh tomato sandwich the other night. This was probably the worst year for tomatoes for me. If it hadn’t been for some friends and local farmer I wouldn’t have enjoyed many tomatoes. This vine has been generous. I have also enjoyed some fall lettuce that I planted. The other day I walked through the yard and found a few raspberries. They tasted great on my cereal.  I wonder what will become of a potato plant I discovered had seeded itself in the garden.

            I did my least favorite fall task last weekend. I brought my tropical plants in for the winter. The plants go in the garage but the problem is the garage needed to be cleaned out in preparation for the plants to come in. Things need to be put away to make room for the plants. Carrying all the plants into the garage is getting harder as the plants are getting bigger and bigger each year.

There is still so much to do outside. I need to clean up the back porch and weed the plants that do not come into the garage. Those plants will need to move close to the house for the winter. I need to trim a few trees so they will be ready for next spring. I also need to put away the hoses. I would like to put some mulch down and clean out the gutters once the trees finish dropping their leaves.          

            The thing that is causing my mind to spin is that in a few weeks I will be busy outside putting up the Christmas decorations. If you go to any retail store you might think it is too late to start doing that because for them, Christmas has already arrived. I walked through Lowes the weekend before Halloween and they had put all the Halloween decorations away and Christmas was out in full force. A friend of mine is a professional Santa Claus in High Point and I imagine his schedule is already getting booked. He is a great Santa who always points to Jesus as being the real reason for Christmas.

            I know that Christmas is just around the corner and it will get here faster than I can imagine, but I want to caution us not to skip right over Thanksgiving. Fall is a great time to reflect on being thankful. We have enjoyed another gardening season and hopefully had some successes. We have enjoyed another summer season that hopefully included some travel to our favorite places. We are enjoying the beauty of the changing season and the nice reprieve from summer’s heat before the cold of winter sets in.

            There is so much to be thankful for that we should not reserve it for one day. We are blessed to have family and friends in our lives who care about us and are there for us as we go through the ups and downs of life. We have roofs over our heads and food on our tables, something that is missing for many living in war torn nations or those who have endured Hurricane Melissa.

            It is easy to allow the rush towards Christmas to push you right past Thanksgiving and being thankful, but I want to encourage you to purposefully take some time over the next couple of weeks to focus on being thankful. In your prayers, purposefully thank God for your many blessings. In your interactions with co-workers and family, express thanks to them for their help and support. In the weeks to come, express an attitude of gratitude. Learn to express your thanks every day, not just on one day of the year. Having a heart filled with thanks will change the way you see the world and the way the world sees you.

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

A Bit of Leaven

by   November 7, 2025 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

When former national security adviser Michael Flynn was presented with an AR-15 assault rifle, he responded, “Maybe I’ll find somebody in Washington, D.C.” The crowd laughed, whistled, and cheered. The presentation took place in the Church of Glad Tidings in Yuba City, California, which hosted Flynn on July 16. Dave Bryan, a pastor at the church, led the service.

On Sunday, July 25,  Gary Locke told his flock during his sermon in Global Vision Bible Church in Mount Juliet, Tennessee., about 20 miles east of downtown Nashville, that if “You start showing up [with] all these masks and all this nonsense, I will ask you to leave,”  His statement was followed by cheers and applause. “I am not playing these Democrat games up in this church,” he added.

 I thought of these two recent actions that took place during Sunday services as I was reading Samuel S. Hill, Jr,’s  seminal book, Southern Churches in Crisis.  Dr. Hill writes that “sect-type forms of Christianity are meant to be minority movements (his italics), both within the larger Christian realm and within human societies.”  As thought provoking as this quotation is, I think his note to this statement more powerful. Dr. Hill’s note quotes Pastor John O. Mellin: “More harm has been done to the church and the gospel by a majority approach to life than anything else. We are a minority, a mustard seed, a leaven, a saltiness which flavors the whole—not because we take over the city but because it takes over us.”

Now you may not agree with either Hill or Mellin, but I think they both raise a worthy question for all Christ followers: When are we most effective as Christ followers? As I ponder that question, I think of the 1st Century Christians and their struggles. Not only did they have the Romans to contend with, but they also had internal disputes, such as circumcision.  Their story and struggle can seem relatively easy as read from the comfort of 2021, but it was a chosen life rife with danger. But, as we know, their struggles and suffering led to our sanctification.

It is when I read accounts of such church actions as I mentioned above that I fear for some of us as having become too large and too worldly. It seems to me that such acts as presenting a convicted felon with an assault rifle (followed by cheers) or telling a congregation that anyone wearing a mask will  be asked to leave the church go directly against our Christian belief. Is our mission  such that we must become that immersed in our culture? Can we be effective Christ followers when we exhibit such behavior and speak such words?

Growth for any church is great, but if it grows too much it may have to face the danger of its own power. Bigger means more money and more people who agree with each other so deeply they will not hear the voice of a prophet. As Dr. Hill writes “Self-fixation can lead only to frustration, irrelevance, and disobedience.”  A church that has grown too much and is too big may take on non-Biblical challenges becoming frustrated with its lack of influence in its culture. A church like this will try harder to influence change, become so caught up in its non-Biblical charge that it is viewed as irrelevant by it surrounding culture and then becomes desperate and even disobedient to God’s will.  A church such as this will eventually die as its members suffer frustration with its lack of success, leaving one more empty church building to be sold.

We Christ followers are told by John and Paul “to be in the world but not of the world.” If we Christ followers heed those words and view ourselves as a bit of leaven for the large loaf, we will be more successful in our  joyous task.

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Strong Legs Better Health

by   November 6, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Strong legs, better health!

    Strong legs matter! Over my back accident recovery, the most glaring concern was strength and balance with my legs. Early on, I had to be careful with every step and knew the chance of falling had greatly increased.

     As we age, strong legs help boost mobility, stability and independence by protecting joints, reducing falls and improving one’s quality of life. A sturdy lower body can provide plenty of health benefits as well, among them regulating blood sugar and fighting diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Stronger legs allow us to move more, improve our social interactions, and enhance cerebral blood flow and neural development.

    No matter our physical condition, even a minimum walking, sitting down and standing up routine will help to start building and maintaining leg strength. For extra credit, perform 10 squats every 45 to 60 minutes throughout the day, especially if your workday or leisure time involves sitting for extended periods. Over a day, this has been proven to be helpful in regulating blood sugar and is as effective as a 20- to 30-minute walk.

    If you find walking too easy and can manage several sets of 10 to 20 reps of squats in a workout, consider adding a weight vest or carrying dumbbells. Weight vests are gaining popularity, especially when you can just go about your daily activities while wearing one. Add stairs or hills to your walk to make it harder. You can also replicate this leg workout on stationary bikes or elliptical machines by increasing the resistance or incline, respectively.

    For those who already train in the gym with weights, keep doing it and never stop. Whether you use kettlebells, dumbbells or machines, the added resistance training will continue to improve and maintain your leg strength. If you haven’t tried this routine, get a jump on resolution time ahead of your friends. The stability and durability of your lower body are the foundation of your longevity, because continued movement leads to a happier, healthier life.

   Mix a cardio option with leg strength training in circuits such as the following. Repeat three to four times:

  • Walk, jog or bike for 5 minutes.
  • Air squats 10 reps
  • Lunges 5 reps per leg
  • Kettlebell deadlifts 5-10 reps

     Research suggests that maintaining strong legs can support an improved quality of life physically, mentally and emotionally. What is good for the legs is also good for the heart, lungs and brain.

More benefits of strong legs include:

They can improve cognitive aging. Lower-body strength is associated with both cognitive aging and overall brain structure. Long-term, lower-body activity designed to enhance leg power may contribute to achieving the broader objective of promoting healthy cognitive aging.

They can result in fewer falls for the elderly. Lower body strength should be one of the factors assessed and treated in older adults at risk for falls.

They improve quality of life and make us more mobile. For older adults with and without mobility issues, a decline in muscle mass, strength, power and physical performance increases the fear of falling. That possible outcome keeps us from wanting to be social, leading to a decline in overall quality of life and affecting our mental and physical health.

Calf muscle size can help the heart. The calf muscle pump, or CMP, serves as an integral part of the cardiovascular system by facilitating venous return from the legs to the heart.

    Locally, our next race is the October 4th Back Creek Church Harvest Run 5K and Fun Run for kids, 9 and under. If you love running through scenic rural countryside, this is your race. A high-quality commemorative shirt, a pancake breakfast and great awards for nine age groups in the 5K add to the amenities for a run/walk where proceeds will benefit various Christian ministries.

     Look for these and plenty of other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Strong legs, better health!

Lynna’s “X”

by   November 5, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

“Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” -Psalm 127:1

I love home improvement shows. Well, for the most part. If they get all drama-fied I don’t bother. It really aggravates me when they don’t think ahead; Then act all surprised when things don’t work out. I think that’s the gist of the wisdom in Psalm 127 as it applies to building our families. Intentionally ask for and include the Lord’s wisdom in each step. This is a great blueprint for our families in every season.

Bonus verse and one of our favorites: “Through every generation Lord, You have been our Home.” -Psalm 90:1

Also, sorry for the loose application of the letter X. Apparently there were no xylophones used in ancient worship.

Always a project.

Kindness to Your Neighbor

by   November 3, 2025 with No Comments

Showing Kindness to your neighbor should come easily. How you show it is different than how this guy shows it. I know Halloween was last week, but this was worth it. Steve Hartman shares a story about kindness with skeletons that were a blessing! You have to see it to believe it. ENJOY!!!!

The Clock & the Calendar

by   November 2, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

The past week, with all its dreariness, sogginess, and chill, either set you up to feel cozy and restful or possibly miserable, and dare I say depressed? Our first home was in Landis, a cozy little house in a cozy little town. However, the few small windows where the sun would shine through were not enough to overcome gloomy days for me. There were other issues, I am sure that accompanied that – a husband whose role at his job began to require lots of travel while I was home with three small boys under the age of 5. 

I dreaded the time change because there would be less sun, less time to get them all outside, and let their energy loose. Can’t we just have springs and summers? And why these semi-annual time changes? I thought they were going to end that! 

Where would we be without these seasonal changes? Not necessarily the time changes (which most people question), but actual seasonal changes, including the dark, slow, cold ones. 

One does not have to be acquainted with agrarian life to understand that cycles are life: transformation, growth, dormancy, buds, flowers, fruit, seed. Even the animals take note of what each season offers them: mating, eggs and hatchlings, migration, metamorphosis, gathering, and hibernation. 

As the most unique of all creation, and those ordained to rule over all of the rest of creation, sometimes, as humans, we push ourselves to carry on through each season with no lull in tempo. That can be true in the literal astronomical seasons and in the seasons of life. For some, it is hard to imagine or purposely plan a season of rest when there is always so much to do. Besides, hard work is rewarding! Others who regularly enjoy a life of – well, let me put it nicely – leisure, may view entering a season of hard work and growth as a traumatic life experience.

God gave us equinoxes and solstices for the good of the land and its inhabitants. How could we make the most of more time inside – more rest and solitude, time to take up new hobbies or finish household projects, time for reflection, for example?

Likewise, God gave us seasons of life – plenty or lacking, health or illness, riches or poverty, ease or struggle, to name a few. How can we lean into the gifts and grace of those seasons that the Creator has already provided and appointed?

We are in the middle of the fall season, the beginning of shorter days, and approaching an even colder, bleaker season. Our personal lives in general may be in a season of energy and joy or exhaustion and sadness. How can we take stock of those intervals and receive the gift that is already afforded? 

It takes time, awareness, and intentionality, but the rewards can be sweet in their own ways. 

Ashlie Miller hopes to read more books, improve in a new hobby, and finally get the attic better organized in the coming months. You may share your plans with her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

A Different Road

by   November 1, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

A Different Road

            I wrote about my nephew’s wedding last week. It was great to see my family. It’s hard to get our whole family together because we are really spread out across the country. I have nieces and nephews that live in Montana and Idaho. I have a nephew in Puerto Rico and another in Oklahoma. A number of them live in Virginia. The ones in the Carolinas I get to see for holiday gatherings. 

            I have noticed that like me, they are getting older. Many of my nieces and nephews are in their thirties, with one hitting forty. Several are going through big life changes like expecting a child, changing jobs, and changing life direction. Listening to them reminded me that life is full of changes, some good and pleasant, others hard and challenging. I remember in my own life how critical faith was to help navigate those changes, believing that God would see us through.

            My nephew’s wedding was a few miles past the end of civilization. I left early to get there on time. I am glad I did because I had a little trouble finding the place. I wrote the directions out and had a printout of the directions, but I still struggled. In the directions there was a road that I was supposed to be on for only a short distance. I was cruising along and out of the corner of my eye I saw the name of the road. I turned around and went back to that road without checking my directions.

            This road took me on a beautiful adventure out into the country. It was a twisty, peaceful road. I was enjoying the views and taking in fall’s beauty. After driving for quite a while, I began to think about those directions sitting on my seat. Something felt wrong. I was still on this road but failed to realize this was supposed to be the road that only required a short distance. The peace began to evaporate as I began to think I was going the wrong way.

            That’s when I spotted a fire station. Firemen know their way around. I told the guy where I was going, and he said I was just a few miles from a critical intersection. My peace returned and I began to enjoy the sights once again. When I finally arrived at the intersection, I discovered that I was supposed to be on the road I was crossing, not the one I was on. I made the turn and was back on track. I later realized that I had been on a long journey on a country road that just happened to loop me back around to my destination.

            I believe that life is much like my mistaken turn. We believe we know where we are going but sometimes we get off the road God intended for us. The journey ends up being a pleasant diversion. We are not where God intended but we are also not in danger. God is keeping a close eye on us. We have wandered. He has a plan to get us back on track but it requires that we seek wise counsel and be willing to follow it.

            We all come to forks in the road in our lives. Several of my nieces and nephews are sitting there right now. We can choose which road to go down. One is the way the Lord is calling us and the other may lead us away from His blessing. How do we know which way to go?

            I believe it requires prayer. Prayer should include trusted brothers and sisters in the Lord and our pastors. Seeking wise counsel from people who have your best interests at heart is also a good idea. Be careful of paths that look easy and good. Sometimes God’s path is more challenging, but those challenges will build godly character and lead you into a far better place. I believe God will guide you if you are willing to wait and pray.

            Do you know that God wants you to have a good trip through life? An old pastor friend has worked hard to drill that into my head. I want to encourage you if you are at a crossroads in life…God is with you…wait, pray, and listen for His voice to guide you. God’s way is often not the easy way. God’s way is not the shortcut. God’s path often involves training and developing your personal strengths and character. His path is not about instant success but long-term success. Don’t be in a rush to move forward. God is at work behind the scenes for you, preparing the way for you, wanting to bless you.

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

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