Falling Down Drunk

by   September 23, 2026 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Have you ever been so embarrassed that you wanted to crawl under a table and hide? Like the time when I was a young mother and my skirt fell off at homecoming. We’re talking church gym full of covered dishes and gloriously sanctified saints. This was in the eighties so picture a cute little yellow wrap around number that tied on the side. My darling middle child, who was about five at the time, poked a hole in the bottom of her Styrofoam cup with her pointy little finger. Red punch poured freely onto those nearby while she examined her homemade fountain with wonder. Being a young nimble woman, I jumped into action. Unbeknownst to me the knotted end of my skirt tie was caught in the foldy part of the metal chair where I was perched. In one fell swoop my skirt was left behind as I bounded toward the buffet line for napkins. Praise God for petticoats.

Fast forward to 2019.

We’ve been dealing with a health issue for quite a while. I say “we” because David, my better half for 45 years has journeyed with me through all kinds of treatments. A few weeks ago the pain increased to the point that we decided to consult our family physician. I’ve been through so many tests and “cures” down through the years, that frankly even though I love my new doctor and have the utmost respect for her, I’ve never actually talked with her about this mystery. I decided it was time.

Together we chose a medication that might relieve some of the pain. By the second week in, I could barely toddle without help. Thank the good Lord I haven’t had to be in a hurry to fetch napkins. Annyyywayyy…

At my urging, David took me to a baby shower. Since I really wanted to see our nieces and nephews and all the new babies they’re having, I assured him I’d be fine. We parked close to the door but as he helped me inside, the August heat hit full force. I stumbled and could not tell which way was up. I’ve never been so drunk in all my life. Suddenly I felt very old and feeble. It was even more embarrassing than losing my skirt at church. Later one of my sweet nieces asked if I’d like to hold her baby. I shook my head no then mumbled something about being on drugs. Seems like I laughed quite a bit longer than I should have. Thankfully though, I still had all my clothes on.

When we left, David led me to the car. I stumbled again and hung onto him for dear life. Bless his sweet heart. Like the gentleman he is, he took the drunk girl home. I settled into my recliner and had a good cry. A short while later his sister Gail sent him a text to check on me. Her kindness reminded me of several things.

We all go through embarrassment. Some events are still funny forty years later while others are too fresh to laugh at just yet. AND the people who love us are going to love us no matter what. So since I’m not quite ready to laugh at my current embarrassment, here are two quotes found on Facebook lately that relate.

One: “I can talk an awful lot of smack for someone who tips over when putting on their underwear. Two: “People who are chronically ill are not pretending to be sick. They are pretending to be well.”

By the way, I called a nurse to ask for advice. She was very kind and suggested three things.

One: Stay cool. Two: Move slowly. Three: Call her back if I pass out.

First of all, this is the August from Sheol if I’m not mistaken. Second, I can’t move any slower. I’m already in sloth mode. Third, if I pass out, surely someone else will call 911.

Update:

One month later it’s still hot. But thankfully I was weaned off the extra meds and got the bulk of my balance back. So if you were one of the many people who gave me grace during the questionable times, I love you. And someday if you find yourself staggering, I promise to give you the benefit of the doubt.

It’s just no fun falling down drunk without a party.

September Sniffles

by   September 20, 2026 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

While my family eagerly awaits the cooler temperatures of fall and a slew of birthdays within several weeks of each other, one menacing bully lurking around the third week of September makes them shudder. Each year, this culprit subtly claims his territory, often shifting the blame to a fairly innocent bystander – ragweed, often confused with goldenrod.

Unlike the carpet of spring pollen, ragweed takes a more subtle approach, yet hits with intensity as it floats through the air and wrecks those it encounters. Naively, many leave windows open to welcome crisp morning breezes, and that is precisely when ragweed strikes. Symptoms pop up overnight without warning, but we know the pollen must have been waiting in the wings because it suddenly affects us.

I recently had conversations with young adults, asking them about spirituality and their beliefs about things beyond what they can see. As staunch materialists, they cannot fathom believing in something they cannot feel and measure. It could be easy to judge people with those beliefs, but I could also look at myself and wonder how often I don’t believe God is at work in my life or in the world when His work is not immediately visible to me.

Because I keep track of the supplements and medications we have needed from year to year, I try to prepare my family by having supplements and other care items on hand ahead of time. I encourage them to take specific supplements to get ahead of the issue. Some listen, and others take a little more risk. It is important to care for ourselves now, before the things we anticipate arrive.

The same is true of our spiritual lives. How many times do we wait until we are spiritually depleted before we call out to God? We often do not think to ask God for wisdom until we are overwhelmed by decisions. Do we wait until we are hurting and needy before we open a Bible or attend church? Do we see the gifts of prayer, scripture, and church as only for emergencies and when our life is falling apart? It does not have to be, nor should it be that way.

Despite our best efforts to keep doors and windows closed, change our clothes (sometimes multiple times) throughout the day, or shower at the end of the day, we cannot fully control or prevent the impact of the tiny pollen that invades our air. We still have to live our lives. We want to enjoy the fire pit in the backyard, outdoor playdates with friends, and jumping in piles of leaves. We just have to be smart about it.

The same is true of the environment and culture that surrounds us. Although many messages are loud and obvious enough to avoid, others subtly creep in to distract us and bring fear, unwanted opinions, damaging messages, and values inconsistent with ours. If we are not careful, we end up breathing in these seemingly insignificant influences which can eventually take over our lives. While we still cannot control the environment or even isolate ourselves from it, we can insulate ourselves against it.

Allergy season is upon us, whether you anticipated it like my family or whether it seems like an annual surprise. We know it is here by what we experience and how it affects us. We can prepare ahead of time if we take the time to notice the effects of subtle messages trying to invade our spirits. We do not have to be caught by surprise or poorly prepared. We can still live and move in the world without being overtaken by it, but we have to abide in the truth of Scripture, prayer, and godly fellowship. How are you preparing now for what lies ahead in your life?

Maintaining the Temple

by   September 19, 2026 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Maintaining the Temple

            It’s hard work to maintain our homes. They need repairs and updating. Time takes a toll on our homes and styles change. Regular cleaning takes time and energy. There are weekly chores and seasonal chores that require us to work around the house.

            Our physical bodies need maintaining as well. Some people love to work out and maintain their physique. I am not one of them. I do enjoy walking in my community and I like working in my yard. I am not interested in going to the gym or even working out on my own. I do try to take care of myself, just not by going to the gym.

            I fell a couple of years ago and have had back problems off and on since the fall. I have been fortunate that a massage therapist could help me when things were hurting. She recently told me that I really needed to get some physical therapy to help fix the root problem. My doctor made a recommendation, and against my wishes I had to start doing some physical therapy.      I found out after a couple sessions that my physical therapist is a doctor. I was her first patient to evaluate after being hired. She had just graduated and this is her first full-time job. She evaluated me and found that the muscles in my back were all tight. The exercises she has me doing are designed to stretch those tight muscles out and to strengthen my core muscles.

            She will demonstrate what she wants me to do. For some of the exercises I find them challenging and she has to help me keep my body in the right position to benefit. For other exercises I tell her that she has a twenty-something body and I have a sixty-something body that will not do what she just demonstrated. We both laugh and then she makes me do it. She has a great sense of humor and I attempt to keep us both laughing while I am there. I give her fake complaints and she tells me I can do it, which I do. She tells me that my joking around makes the time pass quickly.

            One day she had me sit in a chair and “try” to touch my toes. I tried but I couldn’t reach them. She sat beside me and easily touched her toes. I teased her that I probably could have done it when I was her age. Then a woman clearly older than me was asked to do the same thing and she also easily touched her toes, which had everyone laughing. The best laugh I got out of her was when I “complained” that she was trying to give me six pack abs.

            Like any good teacher, she gives me homework. She explained early on that I would have to do exercises at home if I wanted to make progress. The homework was challenging at first, but things have gotten easier as I continue to work at them.

            While we both like to laugh while I am there, I really appreciate her desire to help me eliminate the pain. The pain will not go away on its own. These same principles apply to our spiritual lives. We aren’t going to grow and maintain our spiritual lives if we don’t put any effort into it. Spiritual growth requires the hard work of self-discipline, dedication to reading the Bible and prayer, connecting with others in fellowship, persevering through the hard times, and building a more intimate connection with God.

            Maintaining our spiritual lives takes time and effort. The rewards are incredible because the God who made the entire universe wants to know you and to be known by you. He wants you to discover more about Him. He wants to guide you through the ups and downs in life. He wants to bring comfort and healing to the brokenness in your life. He wants to deepen your understanding that His ways, which are not your ways, are best.

            I want to encourage you to take the steps necessary to grow and maintain your spiritual temple. Connect with God because He deeply desires to connect with you. Read the Bible, starting in the New Testament, where you can discover more about Jesus. Pray and talk with God. Attend church where you can connect with others who are on the same journey as you. It will require some effort on your part, but the benefits will last you for all eternity.

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

1 2 3 4 5 6 … 260