Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            I take the trash out late at night. Often, I will turn out the spotlights and stand in my yard to look at the stars. It’s quiet and I love those few moments outside. Some nights I get lucky and see some shooting stars. Other nights I have watched satellites and even the International Space Station go by overhead. Most nights I look at the stars and enjoy the few moments of peace.

            Last night I saw a white spot out in the yard. I knew it was the rabbit that has been hanging around. Then I saw a second white spot and wondered if the white rabbit had found a friend. I got a small flashlight and went to check out the situation.

            The first white spot was the rabbit. The second spot was the neighbor’s white cat. I shooed the cat away. I went and got a bigger flashlight to be sure the coast was clear. The white rabbit is good; he stays out of the vegetable garden. The wild rabbits have not been good; I have to chase them away from the vegetables quite often. I had to replant some vegetables because the rabbits have been enjoying them.

            I was doing some weeding the other day when I noticed evidence of deer chewing the buds of some daylilies. We wait all year to see those glorious blooms, and some deer ate them. I have to wrap my blueberry bushes to keep the birds and squirrels out of them.

            It seems there are always thieves who want to steal from us. While rabbits, squirrels, and deer are cute in their own way, I don’t want them stealing from my garden. I work out there so I can enjoy the fruit of my labor. I know that I have to protect things if I hope to enjoy the harvest.

            Vigilance is required in many areas of our lives, especially in our spiritual lives. We have an enemy to our souls who wants to steal, kill, and destroy us. He operates in very subtle ways to distract us and keep us away from God. If he can keep us away from God, he can keep us away from our source of strength and power.  

            Sunday morning is a prime example. When do many families have fights and disagreements? Just before church, so they will be thinking about that instead of what God wants to do in their lives. If you are fuming at your kids or your mate, how can you quiet your spirit and receive what God has for you that day?

            One of the ways I find myself distracted is by his subtle whispers. He will tell me that I am a sinner totally unworthy of God’s love and affection. He will remind me of my many failures. He will tell me that God doesn’t want someone like me in His holy presence. If I am not careful, I will believe those lies. It is easy to allow self-doubt, discouragement, worry, or fear to invade my mind.

            If I spend Sunday morning wrestling with all those bad thoughts then I will miss the whole reason I went to church. Meanwhile, the thief is laughing at his victory. One of the things I have been learning lately is that some of the thoughts I have aren’t mine. Some of the thoughts that run through my mind are being planted by the thief. My job is to take those thoughts captive and give them to God. I don’t have to play with those bad thoughts.

            We all know that we are sinners, but Jesus paid the price for all our sins. If we have confessed our sins, then they are forgiven and forgotten. If worry is trying to capture my mind, then I need to give that to God, too. He holds my life in His hands and He has all the details under His control. If I am feeling discouraged, I need to let the Holy Spirit know because He is the encourager of our souls. If I am struggling with self-doubt, I only need to look at the Father who loves me and receives me with open arms.

            I want to encourage you to run to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…they want to be with you. Why do you think the enemy works so hard to draw you away? The enemy knows that once you are in the Father’s arms you know you are loved and accepted. We are the sons and daughters of God…loved, forgiven, hopeful, and confident that He holds our future in His hands.

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

By Doug Creamer

            My sister-in-law loves rabbits. The problem is that she is allergic to them. That does not diminish her love for them. My wife and her sister had rabbits as pets when they were little. Their father built a nice hutch for the rabbits, and they loved playing with them.  I have heard many stories over the years about their rabbits.

            If my wife and I see a rabbit we immediately think of her sister. A few months ago there was a beautiful white rabbit hopping around our yard. We knew it was a pet that had escaped and caught it. We put pictures on the community Facebook page and had many people who wanted the bunny. It found a nice home. I wrote about the adventures of that rabbit to my sister-in-law and she loved the stories.

            We have several wild rabbits living in the woods who visit our yard. They are allowed to visit as long as they stay out of the vegetable garden. One day I looked out and saw a bunny rolling around in the middle of my garden. I chased him away. Another day I looked out and saw two ears sticking up in the middle of my beans. I hurried out to my garden. I arrived to find a bunny trying to look innocent, but there was a bean leaf hanging out of his mouth.

            The bunny antics have continued, with a new white rabbit appearing last week. My neighbor hopes I will adopt it, and I hope she will. Meanwhile the bunny has been entertaining us. We look out for him every day. He has become chummy with the wild bunnies, who seem to have accepted him. I have sent several stories of the bunny antics to my sister-in-law, who has been enjoying the saga.

            The new white rabbit has obviously been around people. It will come right up to you. It gets just close enough that you think you might pet him and then he hops quickly away. My neighbor and I have both come within inches of touching the bunny before he scampers away. He doesn’t go far, just enough to be out of reach. If you move towards him he will take a few more hops and look back to see if you are coming.

            I have been thinking a lot about this game with the white bunny. He comes close but stays just out of reach. I think that many people are the same way with God. We want to be close to God; in fact, we will run right up to Him. Then, when God reaches out for us, we scurry away… not too far, but just out of reach. Why do we do that?

            Are we afraid? He is God. He is righteous and holy, and we are not. Maybe we are afraid He might expose something we are trying to keep hidden. Maybe we are afraid that He is going to catch us, only to reject us. Why do we run away?

            The answer is not simple. Some people have not grown up with a father, or theirs was abusive. Others grew up with fathers who were physically present but emotionally distant. Some fathers are workaholics and don’t spend time with their kids. Any of these experiences can leave us with a bad image as we try to translate that to our Heavenly Father. People in these situations believe the lie that their Heavenly Father is the same way.

            Others run away from God because they feel that they are unworthy of His love due to past sins or moral failures in their lives. These people believe the lie that Jesus’ blood is not sufficient for them. It may even be that they can believe that God might forgive them, but they cannot forgive themselves.

            The good news is that your Heavenly Father is not like your earthly father. Your Heavenly Father loves you unconditionally. There is no sin you have committed or mistake you have made that isn’t covered in the precious blood of Jesus. You are a highly favored child of God if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior.

            I want to encourage you to stop running away from God and allow Him to capture your heart. He knows everything about you and loves you more than any human ever could. If you feel you need forgiveness, just ask, because that work has already been done on the cross. He wants you close to Him. Stop resisting and run to Him. Let His love fill your heart.  

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

By Doug Creamer

            It has been a tough year for many home gardeners. We had some late frosts and cold spells. I was late getting started. When I had time, it was either too cold or raining. When the weather was good, I was busy with other things and couldn’t get to my garden.

            Over Memorial weekend I finally finished planting my garden. I put some things out at the beginning of May and they are up and growing. I saw my first tomato blossoms. I put in a number of seeds yesterday and now I am excited to see them come up.

            I am trying an experiment this year. I have four raised beds for my vegetables. I tilled two of them earlier. I never got around to tilling the others up. The leaves from last fall are still lying on top of the soil. I didn’t have time to till and I have heard people say it is better not to till the soil. For the remaining two beds, I just pushed the leaves back and planted. It felt wrong, but I had to get my garden planted. I will let you know how it turns out. 

            In one of those beds that I did till early I had hoped to plant my peas. I know peas like cooler weather. I never had the time to get them in. While I was working I was trying to decide if it would be worth it to plant the peas. I have the space and decided to plant them.

            As I planted those peas I thought about why we plant gardens. We plant them because we are hopeful for a good growing season and harvest. It’s hope that sends me out to the garden each day to see if those little seeds sprouted. I believe and am hopeful.

            I realize it takes more than hope to get a harvest. It takes watering, weeding, and keeping the pests out. We need to remember to add fertilizer and lime if we want the conditions to be right for a harvest. My mouth is watering just thinking about what will happen if everything works right.

            Hope is a powerful force. It drives me out there each year to try again. Some years are successful and I enjoy a bountiful harvest. Other years we get heavy rains and the potatoes drown. The rabbits, squirrels, and deer enjoy the harvest instead of me. But I will go out each spring because I hope that I will get to enjoy the harvest.

            Today is Memorial Day, a day that we remember all the men and women who went to fight and defend our nation and did not come home. One has to imagine that they gave their lives in hopes that their children and grandchildren could live in peace and harmony. They died as Americans defending our ideals and principles.

            Sometimes I wonder what is going on? One political party hates the other. How is that united? Families suffer from gun violence in our schools and communities. Where is the peace? There is social injustice in a land that was built on freedom and justice for all. We are divided over how to fight a virus that has claimed a million American lives. These and many other things divide us and keep us from what the people we honor on this day died to protect.

            But me, I like to find hope in the midst of the darkness. I think about neighbors reaching out to help one another in times of need. I think about all the people who rush to the aid of those who are suffering a tragedy, like a hurricane hitting our coast. I think about the many Americans who have gone to Ukraine to feed and clothe the refugees. I think about the many Americans who donate blood in times of tragedy. I think about the people who work with hospice to help in someone’s final days. I think about the police, firefighters, and EMS workers who come to help without asking or caring what you think or believe.

            I want to encourage you to look for the good in other people and to be a part of those who are planting hope. Love and hope have always defeated the darkness in this world. We need to focus on the good. For those of you who have lost family and friends while serving this great nation…I thank you and honor you. Let’s all work to change our corner of the world for the better. I believe that at our core we are a great nation filled with good people. God bless America, and fill us with faith, hope, and love.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I recently received an email from a colleague at East Davidson High School. My colleague informed me that one of my former students had won a scholarship, and had mentioned me as a role model in his life during the interview process for the scholarship. My colleague wondered if I would like to come back to East and present the scholarship to him. How could I turn down that opportunity?

            East Davidson has their awards day in the gym on what is typically the hottest day of the year. I attended 18 of those events, and began to wonder if sitting in that hot gym was actually what I wanted to do. Thankfully, God had mercy on everyone and delivered a cooler day.

            After I arrived and checked in, I started to bump into old friends and colleagues. It was so wonderful to see people who I had worked alongside, and to have a few minutes to catch up. We talked about how things had changed since I retired. Some of my colleagues talked about how COVID had affected them, their families, and how they taught through it. They were all glad that things were settling down some and they were getting back to what we all remember as routines.

            I had the opportunity to personally thank a few people who served as references for my current job. I deeply appreciate their help and have great respect for the role they played in my life. I count it an honor and privilege to be considered their colleague and friend.

            When I walked into the gym to find my seat a former student waved me over to sit with him. David was also a DECA member who did very well at both the district and State DECA competitions. He graduated and is now attending N.C. State. It was wonderful to talk with him and to hear about his hopes and dreams…another Golden Eagle who is soaring.

            As David and I talked, we realized that we were both there to honor the same student. I taught Matthew when he was a freshman. He was in my Principles of Business class. His grades were outstanding, just like I heard from other teachers about his character. He always worked hard in my classroom and was a very respectful young man. Matthew stayed in contact with me after I retired because he has a dream to publish a book.

            After the ceremony I got the opportunity to talk with him. He has his college and career plans firmly in place. We shared about our lives since I retired. He is still the same respectful young man I knew when I taught him. By the time you read this in the paper, He will be another Golden Eagle soaring from the nest at East Davidson.

            Several colleagues asked if I missed East Davidson. I miss seeing my colleagues and teaching students like Matthew and David, but that chapter of my life has come to a close. I am thankful for the experiences, opportunities, and the memories that will never fade. Now I find myself on a new adventure, a new chapter that I am thoroughly enjoying.

            I think it is important for us to look back at our past. We have learned so much in our spiritual journey, and we need to remind ourselves of our victories. God wants us to have a strong faith, so He will allow us to face challenges. Our job is to remember how God helped us in the past and know and trust that He will help us through our current trials.

            It is also good to reflect back on our prayers and see the many ways and times that God has answered our prayers. Our prayers change situations and circumstances. Why? Because we have a God who delights to answer our prayers. Battles are won in prayer through persistence and perseverance. It is good to review our victories and refresh our faith in troubled times.

            I want to encourage you to look back on your life and look for the many times and ways God has come through for you in critical moments. Looking back, we can often see God’s hand guiding us through the difficult times. He is always with us. He promises never to leave or forsake us. He is always making good plans for our future. God wants us to have a good trip through life, but He knows that there will be some bumps along the way. Looking back we can see His faithfulness and that will help us trust Him as we move forward into our future.

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

By Doug Creamer

Three Lessons

            I received the opportunity to speak at church last week. When I started to plan what I might say, I reached back into my past. The more I prayed and thought about it, the more I felt like the Lord was leading in a different direction. He wanted me to talk about things that I was currently working through in my walk of faith.

            I wasn’t interested in sharing current issues, but you can imagine who won that debate. The more I tried to pull and change the direction which I felt the Lord leading me, the more I realized that I was fighting a losing battle. I would much rather talk about things that I had already overcome, places where I found the victory in my life.

            No one has arrived spiritually; I am no exception. I struggle to live out the faith that I profess, and the truth is that I fail along the way. The journey of faith comes with many ups and downs. If I am going to speak or write about my journey, I think I would prefer to focus on the times when things are looking up.

            I have shared many testimonies with people about how God brought me through some dark times of my life. In sharing those stories and testimonies I always end with my arrival on the other end. I like to share with people about how God helped me and the lessons I learned through the dark and challenging places in life.

            How do you share with people the lessons that you haven’t learned yet? You can’t tell your listeners, “Here’s how I made it through” if you are in the middle of those lessons yourself. All you can tell people is that this is the lesson I am trying to learn, and this is what God is showing me in the midst of this lesson. I can also point to the grace that God is extending to me in the middle of the lesson.

One of the best things I can point to as a teacher is those in the Bible who have learned the lessons I am trying to learn. God gives us plenty of examples of people who have gone through the lessons that we are trying to learn so we will have faith in Him through the process. Those biblical examples show us how to apply our faith to our current circumstances.

            By now I imagine your curiosity must be stirred about what lessons I am trying to learn. The first lesson involves the simple truth that we can’t fix ourselves. We have to find where God wants to work in our lives and join Him in the process. Sometimes He picks big things and sometimes He picks little things. The key is to find where He is working and work with Him.

            The second lesson is that we have to trust God. That sounds like an elementary lesson until God brings up areas of our lives where we like to be in control. We are His children and He is in control of all areas of our lives, or at least that is how it is supposed to be. Then He points to an area and tells you that you are trusting yourself, not Him. That’s when the work begins.

            The final lesson may seem a little ironic, but God doesn’t always feel like He needs to work on us. Sometimes God just wants to be with us. While there is always work that needs to be done, as long as we are on this side of heaven, God knows that we need to rest. Growth and change in our lives takes time. Strong solid growth takes time. God wants our faith to be solid so He is in it for the long haul to see us grow and mature in our faith.

            I want to encourage you in three specific ways. First, ask God what He wants to work on in your life. Focus your efforts there. Things will go more smoothly that way. Second, give yourself a break. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect, and He is invested in you for the long haul. He believes in you and sees a bright future for you. Finally, trust Him with the entire process. He knows exactly how to shape you into the image of who He has destined you to be. He knows what He is doing and He has your best interests at heart. These aren’t easy, and I can say that because these are the lessons He is trying to teach me. I am learning by His grace.   

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

By Doug Creamer

            I was putting a few things on the calendar the other day when I realized that we are almost in June. That can’t be possible. It seems like we just had Valentine’s Day and Easter. I haven’t gotten my garden in. Come on calendar…slow down!

            My pastor seeks the Lord each year for a word for our church to focus on. My favorite to date was: Even Greater. That year we were to expect even greater things than we had seen the Lord do in our lives. The scripture comes from John 14:12 – 14. Jesus tells His disciples that if they will believe in Him that they will do even greater things than He did.

            In January my pastor gave us our new word for this year: Slowdown. I had just accepted a new job teaching Adult Basic Education. Some people might think that I have been teaching for 36 years, what is the big deal? Anytime you have some new curriculum you have to learn, it’s a big deal. We teach in eight-week cycles, so that means I had to create eight weeks of lesson plans for two courses. For the first eight weeks of this year, I felt overloaded. How could I slow down?

            I finished the first eight-week cycle with joy. I knew I would still need to refine my instructional method and materials, but at least I had a base from which to work. I thought, now I can slow down. My supervisor mentioned to me that there was an online course I could take that would earn me a nice raise. It was a ten-week class that didn’t look overwhelming. I had the first cycle under my belt and the raise was enticing. Sign me up!

            I am about to finish the course. I can’t remember a time in my life when I have been busier. Wait a minute…I am supposed to be retired! The idea of slowing down is the very definition of retirement, right? My calendar is packed through the end of May, when am I supposed to slow down?

            Will I be able to slow down in June? We do have a few days off at the end of June and the beginning of July. But I am sure the garden will need weeding and we would like to see our family. I also promised that I would work on some painting projects that I have put off. I have also been working on another book and need to devote some time and energy to that. There goes summer.

            How do you slow down? I like staying active. I enjoy engaging with life. It’s hard for me to slow down. It seems there is always a list of things to do, people I want to see, places I need to go, along with all the regular weekly activities. With so many things going on, what is the Lord saying when He tells me to slow down?

            I haven’t started to plant my vegetable garden. I tilled half the garden back in March but hadn’t done a thing in the garden since then. I decided I wanted to see if I could get started on my garden before we get rain over the weekend. I ran to a of couple garden centers after work on Monday so I was ready to get going when I got home on Tuesday.

            It was peaceful. There was a wonderful breeze. The birds were singing. I was planting seeds and some tomato transplants. I love the feel of the soil. I heard a dog bark somewhere and a child playing. I felt His presence in a sweet and wonderful way. Joy filled my heart.  

            I believe slowing down is something different for each one of us. For some it is reading a book on the porch, going for a walk or a run, riding a bike, cooking or baking something, going fishing or hunting, painting, playing an instrument, going for a hike, or walking on the beach. I believe slowing down means disengaging with all the craziness of everyday life and spending quiet time doing the very thing we love best…with Him. He wants to join us and enjoy being with us.

            I want to encourage you to figure out how you can slow down and be with Him. It doesn’t require a vacation, it does require us to remove distractions and focus on Him. He isn’t expecting anything from us, just allowing His presence to surround and envelop us. He wants to enjoy us as we enjoy Him. Let His peace, love, and joy surround you. You will be glad you slowed down.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I am enjoying working in the Adult Basic Education program at the community college. We have a great group of students. My colleagues are big-hearted teachers who work hard to encourage, challenge, and motivate our students to achieve success. My supervisor works hard to create a team atmosphere and to provide support for our students.

            My supervisor set up a great activity for us to build unity and to give back to our community. She connected with Habitat for Humanity and signed us up to volunteer. Last Friday morning a group of teachers and students showed up to work. The location had three houses in various stages of development. We were given several options on what to do.

            The project manager is a great guy and was so thankful for our help. One of the houses was ready for some light sanding and painting, and that seemed to be our best option. Several from our group climbed some scaffolding to sand and paint the peak of the house. Others worked on the other side of the house, painting the side and trim. I was in a group that painted the storage shed for the house.

            The storage shed was a nice size, good for a lawnmower and some outside tools. The sides were already painted. We painted the trim. I started by taping off the trim. It’s not hard and it saves a lot of time and keeps the trim paint off the sides. One of my students was working with me and she was painting almost as quickly as I got things taped off. 

Once everything was taped off I picked up a brush and started to paint. I painted all the high places that required a ladder. As soon as we finished the first coat of paint we started working on the second coat. I didn’t think we would finish the whole storage building with two coats, but we did. We pulled the tape off and it looked great…very rewarding and satisfying.

The people working on the house got their parts finished, too. The project supervisor was pleased with our progress. He had another group of high school boys working that morning. Those younger, stronger guys were working on laying the subflooring on a different house.

The Habitat project supervisor told me that there haven’t been as many groups volunteering since COVID hit. There is still plenty of work that needs to be done. Many church and civic groups have volunteered in the past, and he needs people to step up and help again. The need for housing has increased in recent years.

Habitat for Humanity’s mission is seeking to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope. They envision a world where everyone has a decent place to live. President Jimmy Carter has worked with Habitat for many years since he left office. The project supervisor I worked with on Friday has a heart to help people find a home where they can raise their families.

Jesus teaches us by His own example that we should serve one another. Jesus said that He came to serve, not to be served. There are so many ways and opportunities for us to serve people. I think that Jesus not only wants, but I think He expects us to step up and serve others. It is a way of showing the love of God to the lost. People will know that we are Christians by our love and by our good deeds.

It’s also important to help our fellow church members. There are probably people in your church who need a helping hand. It could be something as simple as helping with a household chore, or it could be something big like building a ramp so they can get in and out of their house. For members who are shut in, serving them might be as simple as stopping by for a visit.

We can all do something, and I want to encourage you to find ways that you can help and serve others. Every church I know needs help in the nursery and children’s department. Your warm smile as a greeter could help to make someone’s day. Helping serve the less fortunate through Habitat for Humanity could be the right place for you. My pastor always tells us that God is looking for those who will serve. Look for your opportunity and jump in. The people you serve will appreciate your time and effort, and God will certainly notice you, too.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I came home from the grocery store last week to a surprise. My wife said that she had caught something in our house while I was out. I helped put the groceries up and then went out on the back steps to discover what she had caught. It was a large hornet.

            I know a beekeeper and ran it over to him. He confirmed that it was a hornet but wasn’t sure which kind of hornet. He wanted me to take it to the extension office to be checked. He has read stories about how the Asian hornets can wipe out a beehive. It ended up being a common European hornet.

            The hornet isn’t the only critter that found its way into our home. We are currently being visited by ants. When we had cats I understood why ants would come to visit. We had cat food in bowls just waiting for them. Now I don’t understand why ants want to come in our home. We’ve decided that they must be looking for water since it has been so dry lately.

            Whatever the ants are looking for, we don’t want them. I sprayed around the outside of the house. That helped, but there are still some wandering around…like that one! Critters!

            I went out in the garage the other day and heard a noise coming from among my wife’s plants that are in the garage for the winter. I went to investigate and the sound moved to another location.  I got a broom and started to rustle the plants, and suddenly a bird took flight. She flew into a window trying to escape, and flew back into the plants. I wanted her out of the garage. I rustled the plants some more and she flew right past my head. We had a little game of chase going on before she discovered her escape route and was gone. The wren has a nest in a flowerpot right next to the garage, so she has become a frequent visitor in the garage. I now check the garage before I close the doors to make sure she isn’t in there. Critters!

            Why do critters want to live in my house and garage? There are plenty of great places to live in the wild, yet they continue to seek refuge in my house. I know I am not alone in dealing with critters; everyone gets some kind of critters. My mother had a couple of snakes find their way into her house last year. Critters!

            When you really think about it, homes are not the only place where critters find their way in. We had all kinds of critters find their way into the schools through the years. Businesses fight the critters too. Critters don’t discriminate; they will even find their way into our churches. While schools, businesses and churches work hard to keep the critters out, churches work equally hard to get visitors…people…in. Every church in Salisbury wants to get visitors. I think our church does a good job at making people feel welcome.

            COVID has chased a lot of people away from church. It seems that some people want to re-engage with church and to get involved once again. All churches need to be ready to welcome visitors back. We need to help people get plugged back into church.

            It is easy to watch church from the comfort of your couch in your PJs. Many churches have added live streaming to make that possible. But that does not allow you to engage and connect with other believers. It is equally hard to encourage one another when you’re not there at church. We need fellowship. We need to lift each other up. We need to carry each other’s burdens. No one was intended to walk the Christian faith alone.

            If you are an active member of your church, I want to encourage you to welcome people and help them feel at home when they visit. If you are watching your service from home, I want to encourage you to consider safely re-engaging with your church again. Take the necessary precautions, but find ways to engage with other believers so you can encourage and be encouraged by each other. Jesus has always wanted everyone in heaven with Him. That means we need to invite the lost to church and help them discover faith in Christ. We can also encourage those who have been away to come back safely. And finally, we need to make sure we keep our own fire of faith burning strong. Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

He is the Author

            I was lucky to be able to spend some time with my family on Easter day. The food was excellent and the weather cooperated. We spent the day outside, catching up with each other. It was so good to see my parents and siblings and to spend time talking with them. It was nice to take a deep breath and slow down.

            I haven’t seen my nephew who lives in Puerto Rico for a couple of years. He loves the island life. He teaches surfing and kiteboarding. To see his smile and to hear him talk about life on Puerto Rico was great. My favorite story was hearing about the time he was kiteboarding and came within a few feet of a whale that was flapping his tail on the water.

            One of my nieces lives out west as a midwife. She radiated joy. She shared a few stories and told me a little about her boyfriend. She listened as I shared a few stories of my own. Another niece was there with a new baby. She and her husband were glowing new parents. They talked about their new little one, their new home, and asked for some advice about gardening.

            The best part of the day was the Easter egg hunt. A bunch of us scattered eggs across the yard. Then the eighty-plus crowd and the few small children were allowed to begin collecting eggs. Later, the rest of the adults joined in. The eggs contained candy and fake money. The money could be used to “buy” prizes. It was so fun to watch the “seniors” take their money to the tables and get their prizes. I think they were as excited as the kids. The laughter and memories of those few minutes was priceless.

            COVID has stolen so many of these kinds of family moments from us. It is good to find ways to gather, especially outside, where we can safely be together and share these kinds of family moments. The Fourth of July is another one of those family moments where we can gather outside and re-connect. Families and friends need these opportunities to come together to share our love and our stories with each other.

            I started my Easter Sunday at church, where we had a really nice service. My pastor’s wife painted a picture while the pastor gave his sermon. The two intertwined to illustrate God’s unfathomable love for us. As he spoke and shared the scriptures about God’s love, she painted a picture that illustrated God’s great love for us. It was powerful, meaningful, and moving to experience.

            But there was a moment during the worship that grabbed my imagination. We were singing a song that I have sung many times. There is a line in the song that says, “I know the author of my story and He’s mine.” The line captured me, and my imagination kicked into overdrive as I thought about the words.

            I could see myself sleeping in bed. Then I could imagine God pulling up a chair beside me and pulling out a pen and notebook. His glasses were on the end of his nose so He could focus on His writing. He would occasionally look at me with the biggest smile as He wrote what was going to happen in my life. I could imagine the joy on His face as He looked at me and then wrote my story.

            I thought about those images all day. I thought about the joy He has just looking at us. I saw the same joy as I looked at my niece and her husband as they looked at their newborn child. The Bible is clear that God is planning a good future for us. It makes it easy to imagine that God takes great joy in writing our future. He smiles as He plans the things we will discover, the hidden treasures…just like those Easter eggs. I think we often fail to realize just how much pleasure we bring to Him just by being ourselves.

            I want to encourage you to stop and think about the fact that God loves you and that He is actively creating a future for you that is bright and hopeful. He looks at you and is filled with joy. He sees the best in you. He believes the best about you. He is planning wonderful things, not only for this lifetime but for all eternity, for you. The truth is God loves you and He can’t wait to spend all eternity with you. Enjoy the good story that God is writing for you.

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

By Doug Creamer

            Can it possibly be Easter already? The weather has been fickle. It starts to warm up and then we get a few cold days. I need a jacket one day, and then short sleeves the next. I guess when you think about it, that is the way spring arrives around here.

            Have you noticed the pollen on your car? My allergies have started to kick up and I have several friends and colleagues who are struggling. Their eyes and noses are running non-stop. Yes, it’s spring in the Carolinas.

            Spring aggravates our allergies, but it also brings incredible beauty. There is one road I drive down that has a yard full of huge azaleas. I always slow down as I drive by that house. The beauty takes my breath away. There is another road in town where both sides are lined with dogwood trees which are in full bloom now. Sometimes I will go out of my way just to drive down that road and enjoy their splendor. 

            There is a section of Interstate 85 between Lexington and Thomasville that is lined in redbuds. I miss seeing them since I retired. I have noticed that the trees are getting their first leaves. I love their spring green color.

            Many of the early spring flowers are beginning to fade and soon it will be time to plant annuals. We will have to keep a close eye on Mother Nature and not be surprised by another cold snap. I am anxiously waiting for the opportunity to begin planting the vegetable garden. I know it is still a week or two away, but I am ready when the weather will cooperate.

            Right in the middle of all this beauty is Easter, a time of renewed life and hope. My family has been celebrating Easter at my brother’s house for a number of years. There is always a large crowd and plenty of food. When my nieces and nephews were little, we had a big Easter egg hunt out in the front yard. Now my nieces and nephews are bringing their children to hunt eggs at my brother’s house. Last year we had an adult Easter egg hunt, which was great fun.

            I think the best part is getting to see my family, to catch up with everyone. You never know who will be there. There will be laughter and joy as we spend time together. We always have a great time celebrating Easter and being together.

            Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. No other world religion offers a Savior who rose from the dead. We need a Savior because our sin created a barrier to our relationship with God. Jesus came as the sacrifice that bridged the great divide between mankind and God. He opened the door to intimate fellowship with God.

            God in His mercy decided that there needed to be one sacrifice for all of our sins…past, present, and future. That could not be accomplished with the blood of goats and sheep; it would require the blood of His Son. When Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday, He paid the price for all our sins. He made a way back to fellowship with God. There is only one requirement. We have to accept the gift He offers, the forgiveness of all our sins.

            If you accept Jesus as your Savior, you will be completely forgiven for every wrong thing you have ever done in your whole life. It’s wiped away! Now you can have a relationship with your Father in heaven, the God of the entire universe. You can run into His arms and allow His love to fill your heart, mind, and soul. Your Father loves you, but you have to accept His love, His gift of forgiveness through His Son Jesus.

            I want to encourage you to turn back to God and accept the gift of His forgiveness and love by accepting Jesus as your Savior. He died so you can have eternal life with God in heaven. Jesus paid the highest price, His life, to pay a debt you can never pay, so you can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will be with Jesus and God in heaven when you pass away. Come as you are, with all your mess, to a God who loves you beyond anything you can imagine. There is a place for you in the family of God. Easter is a wonderful time for you to accept God’s gift of salvation and allow His peace and love to fill your heart. Happy Easter!

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