Make the most of Physicals

by   March 15, 2022 with No Comments

By David Freeze

I have made sure to get my annual physical for as long as I can remember. Many active folks think if they exercise, eat well, and have managed to stay injury-free for years, then there is no real reason for a physical. But if you ask your doctor the right questions, you can get the information you need to boost athletic performance, decrease your risk of injury and disease, and generally feel better as you get older. The key point here is to ask questions. Most of the time, we don’t, just hoping to get the physical done and not hear anything bad.

It’s easy to feel invincible through your 20s and 30s, but your bone density starts declining around 30, says Brad Abrahamson, a Colorado-based sports-medicine physician. Vitamin D3 can help mitigate these losses and reduce risk of stress fractures, but many of us struggle to get enough vitamin D through diet and sun exposure alone. I found myself to be one of those during this past winter. Ask your doctor to test your D3 level; if it falls below 50 micrograms per milliliter, then you need to get a high-quality supplement. He could also order a ferritin test if you avoid meat, says Ashley V. Austin, a sports-medicine doctor and team physician at the University of Washington. This measures your stores of iron, an essential mineral found primarily in meat that supports muscle recovery and bone health. I had this one too.

During your 40s and 50s, aches and pains can settle in. But as Ryan J. Lingor, a sports-medicine doctor at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, puts it: “We don’t need to accept the fact that we’re going to feel worse as we get older.” Describe your diet and exercise routine to your doctor and ask if there are any modifications they recommend. Research suggests that certain foods — including those that are high in healthy fats, such as avocados and nuts — can decrease inflammation and slow arthritis. You should also note any discomfort in bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or nerves, no matter how minor, says Abrahamson. Doing so gives you a chance to address the issue now, through physical therapy and other treatments, rather than undergoing joint replacement later. If you are menopausal, discuss your calcium and D3 intake. Make sure you’re getting enough to reduce your risk of bone-health issues like osteoporosis (brittle bones) and osteopenia (thin bones), advises Austin. Regular weight bearing exercise helps with both of these.

In your 60s and early 70s, your joints are likely worn down some from regular activity. Incorporating resistance bands into your exercise routine can strengthen your muscles and bones without stressing your joints, says Austin. Not familiar with resistance bands? There is lots of information online and your local gym professional should be able to help. Now is also the time to understand how any medication you take might impact your athletic performance and overall wellness. Statins have long term effects, a certain class of acid-reflux medicine known as proton pump inhibitors can deteriorate bone health and certain over the counter pain killers can damage the kidneys. Finally, map out your fitness goals for the next 30 years. Say you want to road bike deep into your retirement. Ask what steps you can take now that can help you achieve this goal, such as tweaking your routine to reduce impact on bones and joints.

On into your 70s and 80s, we are all affected by loss of muscle mass. If we don’t practice strength and conditioning exercises, we will become weaker and more prone to falls, Austin says. This is where assistive devices — hiking poles, knee braces and supportive, well-cushioned footwear, which can protect arthritic joints as you move — come in. Ask your doctor what they recommend. It’s also important during these years to lift light weights, so we can maintain the strength you need to safely perform everyday tasks. Discuss which preventive exercises you should be doing and how to incorporate them into your routine. Austin, for example, recommends chair squats, leg lifts and biceps curls.

Make your physical not only about testing results, but also a conversation about what’s ahead. We all need to keep the body moving.

Next up is the Mt. Hope 5K on March 26 at Salisbury Community Park. Just ahead of that, the spring Beginning Runners Class on March 22. More information is at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org .

Warship or Worship?

by   March 14, 2022 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Worship or warship?

What is worship?

Worship is a way of life and also an activity, where we praise, adore, and express reverence for God. It is when we give our deepest affections and highest praise to God privately and in public. Worship means we encounter God – with praise!

Why worship?

Because God is our Redeemer.

      * I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.

        Exodus 6:5

Because God created us.

      * God created man in his own image.

        Genesis 1:27

Because God is Lord over all.

       * For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the only God –

         The King of kings and the Lord of lords.

         1 Timothy 6:15

Because God is the Alpha and Omega.

       * I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

         Revelation 22:13

Because God is worthy.

        * You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power.

          Revelation 4:11

Who worships?

      * The woman at the well did.

        She was changed by the living water – and ran to tell others.

      * Paul and Silas did.

        They sang praises and prayed while in prison – and prison doors opened wide.

      * The woman with the alabaster box did.

         She washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

       * Abraham did.

         He was obedient in his willingness to sacrifice his son.

       * Jesus did.

          He prayed in the garden, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

Worship or warship?

 As I was concluding a lesson I was teaching to children about worship, one little guy said, “I thought the lesson was going to be about a warship.”

 I knew that a God moment had arrived.

 I had taught the lesson, but a child had delivered the message:

 A warship is armed.

 A warship can withstand damage.

 A warship is easier to maneuver than other ships.

 A warship carries weapons, ammunition, and supplies.

Worship is our warship.

Worship helps us fight our battles.

Worship keeps us in a place of protection.

Worship arms us with what we need.

As we prepare for battle, may our worship be our warship.

Let us take up our arms in praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

The Old Door

by   March 14, 2022 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

In a 1925’s house we once remodeled, we discovered a very unique door. It has an etched glass panel, iron bars, and is very heavy for its size. I really like it. I don’t know what it was in its previous life. But through the years we’ve cleaned it up and placed it flat on tall bar stools to make a writing desk. Later it became a buffet table in the dining room. It worked perfectly since it is so narrow and we have a teeny tiny house. Not like a trendy tiny house where we have to sleep like bats hanging from the rafters. That would not be delightful. More like a house where every space is important. It’s a great place with many quirky nooks and crannies. Kinda like an English muffin. In our bedroom there is a doorway turned closet, that used to open into the kitchen. That is now the place where the refrigerator is tucked… on the kitchen side. That bedroom closet has never had a door. It used to have a curtain but that too was not delightful. Since there are only three small closets in the whole house, I surely don’t diminish the importance of the funky space. It actually has two bars for hanging clothes; one on top and one on the bottom, so we use it for David’s pants and shirts. I got tired of looking at that tidy arrangement. So I wondered. How hard could it be to add barndoor hardware to our old door?
However.
Another wonderful thing about an old house [see story about trying to level our refrigerator], is that nothing is square. Or level. Or easy. It turned out that if the hardware was level with the crown molding, which had been pieced together, the door hung whoppy-jawed over the opening with about a three inch gap on one corner. I’m a wee bit crazy concerning things like that… as-in if a picture is not straight, I can’t let it be until I fix it; even in the doctor’s office, or a restaurant. But seeing how hard David had worked to make this right, I lied and told him it was okay. It was a Rahab lie. You know, for the advancement of God’s kingdom… or something like that. He shook his head. Took the very heavy door down and started over. A choice was made. The top hardware would not be exactly level. But at least there would be no gap with shirtsleeves peaking out. It’s amazing what a quarter inch adjustment means in the grand scheme of things.
Eventually he got the door hung over the closet “hole.” Is it square? Uh… no. Is it level? Somewhat. Does it function? YES! Was it easy? That’s a big negatory. BUT! Do I love it? Yes I do. Something my weird psyche has had to learn is that things can’t always be perfect. But they can be beautiful. Sometimes all it takes is a minor adjustment. And that can usually be made in my thinking. Now when I look at the old door, I no longer see flaws. Instead I see a funky door that covers a plethora of odds and ends that used to be on display to God and everybody.
It feels a bit like contentment. Is it beautiful to me? Yes it is.

Spring?

by   March 12, 2022 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            Have you seen your first robin of Spring? There have been a few in our yard over the last couple of weeks. There is a part of me that hopes that they are right, while the other part is still hoping for one last snow. I can see some trees are budding out. My blueberries will probably bloom within a week or two. Spring flowers are blooming everywhere you look. But we can’t be fooled by them. I have plenty of pictures of spring flowers blooming through the snow.

            We started to do some of our spring tasks outside. We pruned back the butterfly bushes and the hydrangea. With the string of dry, warm days I couldn’t help myself; I got out my garden tiller and ran it through part of my garden. We have four raised beds for the vegetables; I tilled two of them. It was so good to be out working the soil.

            I know that we are a long way off from planting anything in the garden, but I am getting the gardening fever. I stood out there daydreaming about where I would plant things. I was looking over the fences; they need a little work to tighten them up. There is a lot of work that we want to do.

            There is another wonderful thing that the warmer weather allows, and that is lunch on the front porch. I love to be outside as much as possible, except for the extreme cold of winter and the extreme heat and humidity of summer. There is something peaceful about sitting on the front porch. I enjoy reading out there. I also enjoy just sitting quietly. I can feel His presence. I enjoy praying and talking to the Lord in the peacefulness.

            Speaking of peacefulness, I enjoy how quiet it is late at night when I take the trash out. When I take the trash out my wife knows that I might be outside for a while. I love looking at the stars and watching for shooting stars. Whenever there are meteor showers I will drag a chair outside and lay back and watch for a long time. It is so quiet. I can hear the soft rustling of the leaves in the breeze, or one of the neighborhood dogs barking. It’s another time that I can quiet my mind and my spirit and just be with Him.

            I guess when I think about it, I love spring and fall because I can be outside more during those times of the year. However, my sinuses don’t like spring and fall because of the allergens in the air. Regardless of my allergies, I am going to spend as much time as possible outside. I love working outside and spending some quiet time with the Lord.

            I have learned an interesting lesson in recent years. I will go to the Lord with an area of my life that I think needs to be improved or changed. I know that I can and should do better in that area of my life. I make plans for improvement and tell Him to help me.

            The trouble with this approach is that I am telling Him what needs to be done. The result is that He sits down and everything in my life seems to fall apart. My attitude stinks, my behavior get out of line, and the weeds of sin sprout and grow unchecked. But I stay focused on that one area and find little success in changing myself.

            What I have learned is to go to Jesus and ask Him where He would like to work in my life. It’s interesting because He chooses something that I didn’t even know needed His attention. When we work together we make great progress. The amazing thing is that not only do I see improvement in the area where He is working, but all areas of my life seem to be improving, even those areas that I thought needed improvement. 

            I want to encourage you to spend time with the Lord and allow Him to choose what areas in your life He wants to work on. He wants to make us all like Jesus, so that means we all have areas for Him to work on. True change comes when we cooperate with Him. When we allow Him to work, He uses the tools of grace, the power we need to change; mercy, unwarranted forgiveness; and His perfect love, which constantly reminds us that we are securely in His hands. Let’s choose to work with Him and watch our lives bloom in His presence.

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

Reading Old Reading New

by   March 11, 2022 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

When younger, I never paused long enough to re-read a book because, charged by my youthful ignorance, I felt the need to rush on in an attempt to learn as much as possible. After all, as a child from the Mill Hills of North Carolina, I was a late starter and felt a strong need to catch up;  but recently I decided, for some unknown reason,  to re-visit some of my earlier, favorite reads. The first one that I removed from my library shelf holding special books was, All the Strange Hours, The Excavation of a Life, the autobiography of Loren Eiseley.  I was not disappointed in my re-reading and found much that I had forgotten and late in the book I read  Eiseley’s words that caused me to feel better about my decision. He writes in Chapter 23, The Coming of the Giant Wasps, “I  was getting old enough to want to rethink what I had learned when I was younger,” and “I have come to believe that in the world there is nothing to explain the world.” Perhaps those words resonate because they are late in the book, as I write, but nevertheless, I felt a bit of validation, and no less from such an intellect.

Having finished Eiseley’s great book, I must choose my next re-discovery. The  paperback copy of Parallel Lives, Phyllis Rose’s grand examination of five Victorian marriages draws my attention, and I note that this copy is one purchased to replace the fine hardback that has gone the way of several books-given away or loaned to a forgetful friend. It carries no marks of mine, so it sits, waiting to be read as a new copy and studied.

However, because a sister and dear friend are engulfed in their own choice—how to live as they fight their personal cancers- I wonder if I should explore once more a well-worn hard back, Intoxicated by my Illness, which was published two years after the death of its author, Anatole Broyard. I thumb through the copy, seeing my margin tics and underlining and wonder if examining Broyard’s words will enable me better help my sister and friend? I think it may when I read this un-marked sentence of Broyard: “The important thing is the patient, not the treatment.” I may not re-read the book just now, but I’ll remember his wisdom as I try to form feeble words for her and him as poison cocktails are pumped into their bodies.

While Broyard writes of life and its shared end, Patrick Lane in What the Stones Remember, writes in this memoir how he, at the age of sixty,  spent his first sober year in his British Columbia garden. It would be easy to write that Lane’s garden is simply metaphor, but he writes, “My garden is a living place, not just a showroom for flowers and plants.” His memoir offers a poet’s prose examining life and how it should be lived. A good re-read for sure.

Yet across the room are two shelves from which several books, fiction and non-fiction, call. One that I used to teach to high school juniors and seniors is A Gathering of Old Men, by Ernest Gaines. The novel recounts the story of a sheriff who, upon arriving at the murder of a white farmer at his father’s Louisiana sugar plantation, encounters a young white girl, over a dozen old, Black men holding ancient shotguns, and a murder to solve. Over the course of the novel the reader hears the story of each of those old men that explains why he is the one who shot the young overseer. In an era when White Privilege is denied, it seems like a good time to re-visit Gaines’ searing story.

Not wanting to seem like a literary prize that publishes a long or short list, I will cease my ramble around my modest shelves. However, this musing has helped my decision. Eiseley gives good advice, and I will heed his words. I will, for the first time in my reading life, read two books simultaneously—one an old favorite and a few ones that are unexplored. Well, simultaneously is not quite correct: I will spend most of my time with the favorites and sprinkle in the new ones. After all, Eiseley warns that no explanation is to be found here, but I will enjoy the journey into what Rufus Jones describes as “the awe and the wonder of the beyond.”

Sister Verse

by   March 8, 2022 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Sister Verse

March 3, 2022 by Lynna Clark

I have two sisters who are twins. If I can get this wonky techno crapola from Gehenna to co-operate I’ll include a picture of them. But no promises. They are the best. My sisters that is. Each loves the Lord, diligently studies Scripture, and teaches God’s Word regularly. But best of all, when the rubber meets the road, they take care of the family. Our daddy is eighty-eight and probably the most healthy man you’d ever come into contact with. So strong, he is diligent about his healthy lifestyle. Until recently he was still walking three or more miles per day. He started noticing a change in his breathing. Turns out he needed an aortic heart valve replacement. Wait… what?
It’s bad enough when someone his age needs a knee job. But heart surgery? The thoughts of it scared the life out of me. Another factor in the situation is that while my daddy is the picture of health for his age, I am not. I knew when plans were being made that I would not be able to help take care of him. I won’t lie. He can be a bit ornery, so I wasn’t terribly devastated. However, I worried about my sisters handling all that; especially since one of them lives in Virginia. Our local sister Janice stepped right up. She took care of all the preliminary doctor visits, all the calls and plans, plus she communicated the information to us. Since her husband had recently had heart surgery, she knew the right questions to ask and even understood the med-speak tossed around as-if we do this kind of thing everyday. She took him to the hospital on the day of surgery and sat with him through recovery. That alone was an all day sucker. Once he was moved into a regular room, she fed him dinner while he remained flat on his back. I can’t imagine what that looked like. Hopefully they didn’t have spaghetti. While Janice handled everything, Tamra our Virginia sister, and me held our breath and prayed. It was all we could do. So far, daddy seems to be fine and is supposed to go home today. Depending on his recovery time, Tamra and Janice plan to take turns helping him. Once again, I’ll be home praying as I really have no strength. As I thought on these things this morning, our sister verse came to mind.

“Three are even better, for a triple braided cord is not easily broken.” -Ecclesiastes 4:12b
For years we’ve held to this as we’ve gone through things with our children, the loss of our mama, and other trials. Each of us has our part. This is the first time that all I could do is pray. Thankfully my sisters get that, and even speak often of the value of my prayers. Rather than resent me, they lift me up. I think that’s the gist of the sister verse: each lifting the other until the cord is strong. Having the Lord woven in makes it even stronger. I hope you have someone you can weave into your life along with the Lord.


For a triple braided cord is not easily broken.


Pam Clark’s Battle

by   March 7, 2022 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Back in my early days with the Salisbury Rowan Runners, I met Pam Clark. I had known her brother as an excellent runner and now Pam is having a huge resurgence. Her reasons for running are noteworthy.

Pam grew up in Concord, graduating from Concord High School in 1974. She said, “I was never involved in sports and would have never been considered athletic.” Pam and husband, Steve, married four days after her graduation from high school and are now at 47 years and counting. They have a daughter, Jancey, married and living in the Netherlands with her husband, Walid Ahmed, and Pam’s five grandchildren that include Yusef, Mariam, Nour, Malak and Jude. Jancey ran track in school and Steve started running because he didn’t want her out running alone. Pam’s brother, Wesley Roberson, had been a runner for years at that point. One day in 1995, Pam decided to start running too and she and Steve joined the Salisbury Rowan Runners. The encouragement from that group helped Pam to enjoy running.

Pam said, “I had a career change in 2008 and took a break from running regularly and doing races for about six years. I worked in senior living doing activities which kept me very busy and active but still I missed running. In 2015, I joined a Couch to 5K group meeting at Dorton Park in Concord, giving me the boost I needed to get my love for running back!”

With a family history of heart and other issues resulting in early deaths, Pam relishes each day. She said, “The benefits of running for me are part of trying to live a healthy life. My dad had heart problems and had two open heart surgeries at a very young age. He died at 48 and was needing a third surgery at that time. My mom died at 39 and had many health issues that led to an accidental overdose of prescription meds. My brother, who loved running and tried to avoid heart issues, died at 52 from leukemia. My sister, after having a heart attack and bypass surgery, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died within a few months at age 56. So, at 66 I have outlived my parents and siblings and I want to enjoy the life I have.”

While regularly completing 5Ks and 10Ks, Pam joined another group in Dorton Park and someone suggested they start training for a half marathon. Pam said, “Until then, I had no desire to run that distance, but we decided to do it! I was 61 when I ran my first half and now at age 66, I have run 13 half marathons! I recently joined a run in Albemarle called The Fellowship of the Idiots. It started 20 years ago with just a few people training for a marathon. This year, 400 people started at the YMCA in Albemarle, ran to the top of Morrow Mountain, and back to the YMCA. That is 19.7 miles out and back over 1,400 feet of elevation gain. I had told myself that if I finished and wasn’t in too much pain the next day, I would register for my first full marathon. Feeling better than I ever anticipated, I will be attempting the full marathon at Myrtle Beach on March 5. My only goal is to finish in the allotted time, never being one to keep up with PRs or the total mileage I have run over the years. I do have a very special plaque I received in 2001 from the Salisbury Rowan Runners for becoming a member of the 1,000 Mile Club. Now 20 years later, for 2021, I received a certificate from the Cabarrus Brewing Run Club for running/walking a total of 1,813.7 miles. When I see my grandchildren once a year, I love that I am able to be active with them and they enjoy running with me. I appreciate my group of running friends and the encouragement they give me. They definitely keep me motivated.”

In addition to running, Pam enjoys camping, hiking and kayaking with Steve, their dog Connor, and cat Mango Blaze.

Look for news on the spring Beginning Runners Class and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

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