Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            Last week was the annual State DECA Competition. DECA is an association of marketing students. You may be wondering how I know that since I have been retired for five years. I still love DECA and I continue to return each year to help with the conference.

            Several thousand students show up each year in Greensboro to determine who will attend the International DECA Conference. Students compete in a variety of role-play events which also contain a written test component. Some students write research papers and then present their results as their competition. There are both team and individual events. Probably the best part is seeing high school students dressed up like professionals for the competitions.

            I attended the state conference every year except for the year we got snowed out. I always looked forward to going to the conference, even though it was a big responsibility to take students away for several days. They always had a positive competitive experience and a wonderful time away from home. I have tons of great stories, including many pranks the students pulled on me. There are so many memories that I plan to treasure for the rest of my life.

I help with the state officer elections each year. The election process determines who will lead the student organization for the upcoming school year. These are the best of the best students, and wow, do they make a big impression on me. These students must complete an application, take a written test, pass an interview with a nomination committee, and finally, win the electoral votes to become the state officers.

            I administer the test and help supervise one of the nominating committees. The committee is made up of students from across the state who take their responsibility to select the best candidates for their positions very seriously. It is a very interesting process to observe. The students act in a professional and mature manner. When they are done, I believe they have chosen the best candidates to be the next state officers.

            When I have all the candidates together to give them their test, I tell them a couple of stories about previous officer candidates. I hope my stories encourage the students and help them to relax before their test. This year I told the students why I continue to come back and work at the conference each year since I retired. I told them that I come to see the hope for the future in their eyes. I told them that I see the future leaders of our country in that room. I see incredible potential in their eyes. I feel peace in my soul because I know our country is in good hands. The news discourages me, but when I look into their eyes my hope is restored that everything will work out. That’s why I come back year after year.

            When I turned to pick up the test to be distributed I was caught off guard by their response; they applauded me. I couldn’t hide the tear that escaped my eye, which only elicited more cheers. I encourage you to turn off the news and look around you at today’s youth. I know they aren’t perfect, but neither are we. There are some young people with some bright ideas, strong moral values, and a faith that is surprisingly refreshing.

            Some people believe the politicians are going to help turn things around. Some trust in the stock market and believe its success will transform the world. Some hope that social reform will change the world. There is only one thing that can turn our world around. While I find hope in our youth, I know that the only way to change is through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the one who holds our future in His hands. He is the one who will guide us and protect us. He is our provider. Our only hope for the future is for us to turn our eyes back to God and to lean on His wisdom and direction.

            I want to encourage you to turn your eyes and keep your eyes on Jesus. He is the author and perfector of our faith. The world may appear grim, but He is still in control. He loves us and has good things planned for our future. We must put our faith and trust in Him for all circumstances. He is the source of our Hope. He is the Prince of Peace. He loves us far more than we can understand. The future remains bright when we look into God’s eyes.

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

By Doug Creamer

Sharing Our Faith

            When I was in college our church organized the college students into groups and sent us out on campus to share our faith. I was very nervous about sharing my faith on campus. I met the girl assigned to my group, who was a petite person. My nerves increased. Then I met the final member of my group, a guy that would remind you of the incredible hulk minus the green body paint. My nervousness disappeared instantly. No one would disrespect us with this big guy!

            Sharing our faith isn’t easy. We have to become vulnerable. People can choose to listen and even receive what we share or they can reject what we share and leave us feeling dejected. Rather than risk rejection many of us choose to keep our faith to ourselves.

            If we decide to take the risk, the next problem is discovering how to share our faith. How do you put into words what you believe? How can you share and not create an offense? What do you choose to share? How much is too much or not enough to help the person receive the wonderful gift of salvation? What are the right words to use? Is there a specific way that works every time?

            Sometimes we are left with more questions about how to share our faith and we end up giving up on the opportunity. We feel inadequate to share our faith. We doubt ourselves and believe everyone else can do a better job than we can. Some people think it is best to leave it up to the professionals, those who have the gift of evangelism or pastors. Sadly, it is those who need to hear the gospel who miss out because we allow fear to keep us from sharing.

            One thing we all know that doesn’t work is standing on street corners yelling at those who pass by, calling them snakes, vipers, and sinners beyond the grace of God. No one responds positively to that kind of message. Also, it is not true! No breathing person is beyond the grace of God. We are all sinners in desperate need of God’s love and forgiveness. Sadly, people who spew out this kind of message chase people away from a loving and merciful God.

            The most effective way to reach someone with God’s love is in a one-on-one conversation. It shouldn’t be a forced conversation. It should flow naturally. It’s important that the person knows you care about them. This often means that bringing up Jesus may not occur in the first or even the second conversation. It is important to build a connection with someone before sharing your faith in Jesus.

            I believe the connection comes from your commitment to listening to the other person. We need to understand their situation, their story. I think that developing a friendship will often open the door for you to share your love for Jesus. Compassion and kindness are often keys that can open people’s hearts, not only to you but to the Lord. If we can help them in their situation, they will be more likely to listen to what we have to say.

            Every human being has a deep need to be loved. People will open their hearts to you when they feel loved and cared for by you. Once they have opened their hearts to you, begin to look for the opportunity to share God’s love with them. Tell them your story. Let them know how God has come through for you in the past. When they can see your experience with God’s love, compassion, and forgiveness, it becomes an invitation for them. People are hungry to be loved and accepted, especially by God.

            I want to encourage you to reflect on your personal story and experience with God. Your story can open doors and make a way for someone to find and build a relationship with God. Everyone who has accepted Jesus was drawn to Him by His great love and unimaginable forgiveness. Be ready and willing to share your story, your testimony, with those in your sphere of influence. If you have never accepted Him as your Lord, I encourage you to open your heart to Him. He stands at the door of your heart and knocks, wanting to have a relationship with you. Don’t put this decision off. You can experience God’s complete forgiveness, be freed from guilt and shame, and know for certain that you will go to heaven. But the most important thing is that you can know that you are loved by the God who created you and everything in the universe.  

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

By Doug Creamer

            I remember growing up hearing the expression: “A penny for your thoughts.” It probably needs to be updated to, “Five bucks for your thoughts.” I am not sure I would give someone the time of day for a penny. I think about a lot of things, I sure hope that my thoughts are worth more than a penny. Although, I admit some of my thoughts are worthless!

            I have been watching people recently and noticing that most people don’t take much time to just sit quietly and think. I was waiting at a business the other day and everyone was looking at their phone. I watched people in a parking lot. They were either talking on their phone, reading something on their phone, or texting someone. Many times you can walk past people and they won’t even greet you because they are staring at their phones.

            When do people take time to think? It is hard to think when we are constantly bombarded with texts, emails, social media, news, music, and television. We have music playing when we are in our cars. The only solitary place in our lives is the bathroom, and even there we are invaded by music and technology. Some might argue that we can think when we are in bed, but even there people are on their phones or tablets.

            We need to find a way to shut out all these inputs and allow our minds to think…to process what is happening in and around our lives. I avoid my phone when I walk so I can spend some time thinking and praying. I like to sit out on my porch late at night when the weather is good and the neighborhood is quiet, just to let my mind think and to pray. We have to create a space and time to allow our minds to think.

            The next issue is we have to guard our thoughts. We have to control our thoughts and consider carefully the subject of our meditations. I have been keeping close tabs on my mind the last couple of days and keeping track of my thoughts. My mind likes to wander from topic to topic, often faster than I can keep up.  

            Have you ever thought about winning the lottery? I love to do the math and calculate what we would need to be “comfortable” for the rest of our lives. I also enjoy thinking about how I might give away some of the money. I would love to give some money to schools, police and fire departments, the homeless shelter, and animal shelters. Wouldn’t it be fun to go pay someone’s overwhelming medical bills?

            Those are entertaining thoughts. But sometimes I caught myself worrying about things that are out of my control. I allowed anxiety about things in my life to grip me. I allowed frustrations with people to take up too much time. While I try to always be positive, I have discovered that negative thoughts can fill my mind, too. I have entertained thoughts that should not be allowed to enter my mind.

            When I make mistakes or bad decisions I often struggle to forgive myself. I wrestle with doubts and sometimes give in to their seductions. I faced fears and allowed them to overcome my faith. I want to win and have victorious thoughts, but find that sometimes I am weak and I lose the battle. In those weak moments my thoughts will condemn me and I accept their accusations.

            Our thoughts are important to God. He does not want us to live condemned and defeated lives. We have the power to stop our minds and change our stinking thinking. We have to remind ourselves of the truths in scripture. When our thoughts condemn us, we have to remind ourselves of the truth that we are forgiven. When our faith feels weak, we need to remind ourselves that the Bible calls us overcomers. We can banish fear and worry by replacing them with faith and hope. We must turn our thoughts back to God. We must trust the Bible, which says we will triumph.

            I want to encourage you to consider your thoughts. Are they filled with faith in a living God who is on your side, or are they beating you down and keeping you discouraged? I want to encourage you to pack those negative thoughts up and send them away. Remind yourself of God’s great love for you. Remind yourself that you are strong in Him. Remind yourself that He is with you through the trials of life and He will never forsake you.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I’ve been feeling under the weather this past week. Some may say that I’m feeling under the weather because we haven’t seen any snow in over two years. There is some truth in that. Every time I think that the conditions are looking positive for some snow it all falls apart and we get rain. It has certainly been a discouraging time if you are a snow lover.

            While the lack of snow has me down, I have been under the weather physically this week. I am not sure if my allergies have gone wacky or maybe I have run into a head cold. My sinuses have been running like a river and I have sneezed my head off. I am thankful that I have had no body aches, no fever, almost no coughing, nor a sore throat. Out of an abundance of caution I took a Covid test and it came back negative.

            Basically, I just felt lousy. Normally when I feel that way, I just sleep. This time I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t feel drained. You know when you are under the weather how nothing seems interesting? I didn’t want to read. The internet couldn’t hold my attention. I didn’t want to do anything, either, including my regular chores around the house. I just wanted to sit.

            I watched a lot of TV. I watched several old movies, ones I have seen numerous times. I watched re-runs of TV shows. I definitely did NOT want to watch any news. I enjoyed the old shows and the characters. There’s something about watching the familiar that makes you feel better.

            I hate to admit this, but my prayer life was really not up to speed. One might imagine that I had lots of extra time on my hands so I could spend it in prayer. But sadly, that wasn’t the case. I had a hard time focusing my mind to pray even the simplest of prayers. I did try to keep my immediate family and my pastor and his wife covered in prayer, but beyond that little prayer was being offered.

            I did keep up on my Bible reading while I was under the weather. Hopefully, there won’t be a quiz on what I read because I am not sure much of it stuck. It is hard to concentrate when you are sneezing and blowing your nose all the time.

            All this brings me to a question. Does God ever get disappointed in us? Truthfully, I wasn’t praying or taking in His Word as I should have this week. I certainly wasn’t involved in serving in the body this week. I wasn’t keeping up with daily tasks or helping others. I just wanted to watch TV.

            Let me be abundantly clear here. If you have asked Jesus to be your Savior and you are doing your best to lead a godly life then you will NEVER disappoint God. You may argue that you sinned or failed God in some way. There is God’s forgiveness and mercy for you and His grace to help you live better for Him. God loves you UNCONDITIONALLY. The Bible makes it clear that God loves ALL people and wants a relationship with each person. Sadly, many people choose not to love God back. They choose to walk away from God and His love.

            If you want to know what disappoints God it’s when we allow hate and anger to destroy love. When we look at another human being and don’t see them through God’s eyes, that disappoints Him. No one is beyond salvation until their last breath. There is no sin that can’t be cleansed by the redeeming blood of Jesus. There is no opinion or perspective that Jesus can’t fix. There is no broken person that God can’t restore. No one has gone too far from God’s love and forgiveness.

            The good news is that being physically sick, spiritually sick, or feeling distant or disconnected does not disqualify you from God’s love. He can’t be disappointed in you. I encourage you to turn back to God now before it is too late. I encourage you to open your heart to God and receive His love and forgiveness. I encourage you to ask God for the gift and the power of the Holy Spirit who can give you the power to live a different life, an abundant life. I encourage you to look at your life through God’s eyes and see the beautiful person He made you to be.   

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

By Doug Creamer

            We had a guest minister at our church on Sunday. The man is a friend of our pastor. He has spoken at our church before and always brings a thought-provoking message. This week was no exception, as ironically, his topic was: our thoughts. His message wasn’t simply that we have good thoughts and bad thoughts, but more about our responsibility for our thoughts.

            He spent some time explaining to us that we have to learn what to do with any kind of negative thought. For example, I may have a thought that something terrible is going to happen. I need to take that kind of thought captive and not allow it to grow into something unmanageable in my imagination. I love my imagination but I can’t allow it to run crazy with bad thoughts, that is not good for me and it is a waste of my time.

            When bad thoughts attempt to invade our minds we have to take them captive. The minister explained that if we take a thought captive and keep it from playing in our imagination the bad thought loses its power over us. Worry is when we let a bad thought run wild. We keep imagining bad things happening or bad outcomes in potentially good situations. God wants us to be in charge of our thoughts and to not allow negative ones to grow.

            Let’s say you go to the doctor and receive a diagnosis of diabetes, or worse yet that awful word: cancer. Both of these diagnoses could result in serious outcomes. This is when it is vital to control our thoughts. While I believe that God can miraculously heal people I also believe that God will use doctors and medicine to change circumstances. We need to apply our faith in God to these situations and not allow our imaginations to run wild against us.

            The truth is bad things happen to all of us. We all face problems that sometimes feel larger than life. What I want you to do right now it remember a time in your life when you felt overwhelmed by your circumstances. Now remember how God intervened in your life, how he changed the circumstances and saw you through them. That is part of your testimony to God’s faithfulness in your life. The next time you feel overwhelmed remember God’s faithfulness to you in the past, how He came through for you in a pinch.

            Sometimes in life we face things that overwhelm us and none of our own testimonies are strong enough to see us through. This is a time when God is planning to grow our faith in Him. This is a time when we need to turn to others so we can hear their testimonies. Whatever over-whelming situation you are facing, someone has already been through it. Someone has a story of how God met them in their darkest hour to encourage their faith and renew their strength.

            God has a plan to help you. That plan begins in your mind. God does not want you to live in fear. God does not want you to worry. God wants you to have faith in Him, that He is sufficient to see you through. God wants you to be in control of your thoughts. I know that thoughts can run wild, that’s why we have to take them captive. When my thoughts have gone south I have several good friends who know how turn me around.

            Our minds are wonderful tools when we use our faith to keep them working in the right direction. We are designed to be overcomers and that process begins in our thoughts. We have to use our imagination to see ourselves overcoming. We have to apply our faith in a good God to our circumstances. When we feel weak and vulnerable we have to be willing to ask a good friend to come along side us to help correct our thinking. God intends for us to be victorious in every situation in our lives, but the battle for victory begins in our thoughts.

            I want to encourage you to examine your thoughts. I encourage you to create a spiritual screen for your thoughts. Any bad thoughts about yourself and circumstances you face are not from your loving Heavenly Father. God sees you as a victorious prince or princess in His family. Stop telling yourself negative things and believe that God wants what is best for you. Allow your thoughts and faith to connect to the awesome God you serve and you will see your victory.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I love being a teacher. I retired from teaching and I am still teaching part-time. It’s in my blood. I teach my students to think about something that they love doing and see if there is a career related to that. If they can find a job working in that profession they will never have to go to work. They will get to do what they love.

            I tell my students if the thing they love is illegal or immoral then they need to choose a different career path, which always brings a laugh. I also explain to my students that there are always tasks in every career field that no one wants to do. That shouldn’t disqualify a career path. Focus on the parts you love and sink your energy there.

            There is nothing like helping and watching a student learn a task or skill for the first time. It is so rewarding to see students learning. I can’t contain the joy when I help a student pass a test, learn a skill, achieve a goal, or help them believe in themselves. There is no greater reward than seeing your students succeed.

            In teaching, there are special moments called teachable moments. Teaching occurs every day across the globe as students enter classrooms. A teachable moment occurs in those rare moments when the teacher has every student in the palm of their hand. Something can be taught in that moment that will last a lifetime. A good teacher recognizes that moment and never wants to squander it.

            Most teachable moments are special times a teacher treasures. There were several days in my career that I dreaded the lesson I was expected to teach. Consider 9/11. Imagine the Monday after a student was in a serious car accident that left him in the hospital for weeks. The hardest day was after a student passed away. Students look to the adults in their lives to explain why bad things happen. They want teachers to help them understand. Those were long days filled with moments I want to forget.

            Life is not always easy and it is filled with many ups and downs. God’s best lessons are taught as we walk through hard situations. For example, going through some financial struggles allows God to teach us that He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. We can depend on Him to come through for us. I am a firm believer that we have to do our part in the process, but in the end He is the One who provides for us.

            There are many lessons in the Bible waiting for us to learn. It is how we approach the Bible and even God Himself that will determine if we can learn the lessons. The Bible is filled with many great stories of what others have gone through. We can learn the lesson from those stories so when God puts us in similar situations we will know that we can trust Him to help us in the same way.

            I think we also have to realize that God is alive and active in our lives. He is a good Father who wants to teach us more about Himself and who He is in our lives. That means that He will set up a lesson for us. Some lessons are simply learned by reading the stories in the Bible. Other lessons require us to apply what we have learned to our lives. Those are harder lessons and require us to exercise our faith. We have to believe God’s word and His promises to us. In addition, we have to trust Him in and through that process.

            Many of the application lessons require us to understand that God’s ways are not our ways nor are His thoughts our thoughts. Many spiritual lessons are hard and will challenge us to grow stronger. Weight lifters will tell you that growing muscles requires straining. To grow spiritual muscles will push you to your limits of faith and trust.

            I want to encourage you to engage with your Father in Heaven, who wants a personal relationship with you. He wants you to know His heart, which is always for you. He wants you to know Him as your loving Heavenly Father. He also wants you to know Him as a teacher who will give you some easy and some hard lessons. You have to open your heart to learn from Him and know that you can trust Him. There are many teachable moments with God. All of them are designed to reveal Himself more and more to you.

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

By Doug Creamer

            Last weekend’s cold weather gave us a low-key weekend. It was nice to slow down. After all the running around from the holiday season, a slow weekend felt good. We got some things done, but it was at a much slower pace. There was no pressure. I spent some extra time reading and catching up with some friends.

            Going slow is not a pace I want all the time, but it is one I can appreciate. I like having things to do. I like checking things off a list. That sense of accomplishing something was drilled into me as a kid. “What did you get done today?” There is nothing like looking around and seeing all that you got accomplished. I love that feeling in early spring when I have worked hard outside all day and I can see a big difference.

            As I age, I am enjoying a balance between getting lots done and having a nice slow day. There are always times when we have to work hard on our jobs and around the house, but it is also nice to move at a slower pace. It’s like getting a snow day in the middle of winter. You can go play in the snow and then come in and watch a movie by a warm fire. Then the next day you can get back to working at full-throttle.

            Most people like getting a snow day. I have studied all the weather models and there doesn’t appear to be any snow on the horizon. You know how things work around here. We had a really cold weekend, then we warmed up, then…maybe snow…well, we can hope.

            If and when that winter weather decides to head our way, we will all have to prepare and get ourselves ready. You know the routine…head to the store and get bread and milk. Then we look out our windows and watch it…rain! You knew that was coming, right?

            Preparing for winter weather and hurricanes is similar. We prepare for the possibility that we might lose power and hope for the best. If we lose power we are back to the basics. No one likes the experience, but we find a way to get through.

            Winter’s slow days give us the opportunity to make sure our foundations are solid. I think it’s important to examine our spiritual foundations, as well. Winter gives us time to do any necessary repairs. We want to be prepared for the new growing season. We want to make sure we are building on a solid base.

            I believe good spiritual health starts with an intake of God’s Word. Some people might think that you can read the Bible like you read a novel. We need to meditate on it, search for promises that relate to problems we are facing, and learn God’s ways, which are not our ways. God’s Word is a love letter to us and a handbook on how to live life.

            A cornerstone to our relationship with God is communication. We have to talk with God. Communication is a two way process. We have to listen for His voice. He will speak to us but we have to get quiet and listen. I think we are all good at listing our requests to Him in prayer; it’s the listening part that probably needs some work.

            A third critical element to keeping our foundation strong is being in fellowship with other believers. The pandemic has caused so many to get out of the habit of gathering. No one can stay strong spiritually without connecting with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I need you and you need me. We need to connect with our fellow believers through our local church. I know it is cold and flu season so we need to be careful and respectful of each other so we don’t share some nasty bug, but we have to find ways to connect in order to strengthen and encourage each other.

            I want to encourage you to look over your foundation and see how you are doing in the areas of reading His word, talking with Him, and being in fellowship with other believers. God wants you to be strong and ready for any storms or challenges you might face. When life gets rough we need to remind ourselves that God is with us and that we can depend on His promises. It’s also nice to know we can depend on each other. God will see you through the storms ahead. In the meantime, I am watching for our next chance of snow!

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

By Doug Creamer

            It is hard to believe that we are halfway through January. I guess that means that most people are halfway through their New Year’s resolutions. Many of us make resolutions, but by the beginning of February they are long-forgotten and we have all returned to acting as we did before. It is hard to change and to make that change permanent.

            Resolutions come in all shapes and sizes. We promise ourselves to lose weight. We are going to join a gym and exercise. We are going to eat healthy food. We are going to get to bed earlier. We are going to read more. We are going to give up drinking and/or smoking. These are all great things we resolve to change.

            Some people through sheer willpower will carry on for several months, or maybe even half a year. But eventually the good habits we are diligently trying to instill in our lives wane. Willpower alone does not have the staying power to bring about change in our lives. We are creatures of habit and we will return to our old ways. The old ways are easy.

            Sometimes our doctors can motivate us to make some changes that will last. When we get a bad report from our doctor and we are told that the only way to improve the situation is that we must change, then we can discover something within ourselves that will motivate that needed change. If we make the change in our lives and we see the benefits, that will reinforce and strengthen our resolve to keep the change.

            For a number of years my doctor encouraged me to walk. After my annual physical I would start walking for a while, but eventually I would stop. But one year I began to discover mental, physical, and spiritual benefits to walking, and now I will go to great lengths to make sure I get a walk in. I want to walk because I feel so much better.

            I believe the best way to bring about lasting change in our lives is that we have to ask God for wisdom and guidance. We know that God loves us unconditionally just the way we are, but God wants to mold and shape us into the image of His Son. He wants to change us into a vessel that He can use for His glory. He sees our destiny and wants to get us ready. Think about Joseph, David, and Esther and the preparation God put them through to get them ready to fulfill their purpose.

            When we seek God and ask for His guidance we might be surprised at what He chooses to work on. He might show us an area we didn’t even know needed attention. The key is that when He shows us an area He is committed to helping us make the changes. Our job at that point is to cooperate with Him. Imagine that, you are working side-by-side with God to bring about a change in your life. That is the definition of success.

            God’s always desires our best. God is a good Father. The trouble is God’s training plan and path to our success is not always an easy road. David fought lions and bears long before he fought Goliath. He was also chased by Saul long before he became king. Esther had to put her complete trust and faith in God before she went to the king because if he didn’t extend the royal scepter to her she would have lost her life. God is preparing us for our moment, our purpose; we have to learn to trust Him in the process. 

            When we seek Him and ask Him for His guidance we will be shown what we need to do. It might be challenging and feel impossible, but we need to have faith that He will see us through. God will never point out an area that needs change and then leave us to our own ability to make those changes. He will strengthen us and encourage us through the process. We will feel His presence as we work with Him.

            I want to encourage you to seek God’s guidance before you try to make any changes in your life. He knows the best path. He will send help and support. He will walk with you through the process. In the end, you will experience His goodness and favor. God has a plan for your life that includes a training plan. Trust Him with the process. Put your hand in His; He will guide you to success.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I wrote last week about spending time with my sister and her family over the holidays. We spent New Year’s weekend with my wife’s mother and sister. It was a good trip home and we had a nice visit. It was nice to have the opportunity to spend time with family while we were home.

            It was also good to come home to our house. It’s nice to sleep in your own bed after being away. It’s also nice to be around your own stuff in your own home. It’s been busy since we got home, getting Christmas taken down and put away for another year. There were also other tasks that needed our attention.

            I have been thinking a lot about the word home since we got back. I told people we went home for Christmas. Then I told some other people that we were really glad to be back home again after our trip. Then the word home comes up in that famous song that is sung around the holidays, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”

            Where is home? I referred to my mother-in-law’s house as home. I referred to our house as home. There is also the spiritual idea that someday I am looking forward to going home to be with the Lord. All these places can’t be home for me, can they?

            Naturally, I wanted to find the definition of home. We commonly define home as the place where one lives permanently. It’s where the family resides. There is another definition that says home is where one is put who needs professional care or supervision. Thankfully, I am not at that stage in life. So the place where I reside is my home. Then why do we call our parents’ house home? I think our parents’ house is where our childhood memories reside. It’s home.  

            So we have the place where we currently reside, the place where we grew up, and then we have our eternal home. I believe our eternal home trumps our current residence and our childhood home. Our eternal home is our destination. We live this life in hope that we will spend eternity with our Savior in our eternal home.

            There is so much speculation about our heavenly home. What will it look like? How big will it be? Will it be a castle? Will it be more like an apartment? I believe we don’t know because each of our homes will be unique to our personality. Also, we don’t know because the marketing department hasn’t produced their promotional campaign. I really believe if we knew how nice and wonderful our heavenly home is going to be many of us would want to “pop off,” as my grandmother used to say, to our heavenly home.

            It really doesn’t matter what any of us thinks about our heavenly home because I am convinced of this one thing: it will be far better than any of us could ever imagine. The main reason I believe our heavenly home will far outdo anything we can imagine is that Jesus will be there. In fact, we will get to be with Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and our Heavenly Father. I am not worried about what home will be like or look like as long as I get to be with Them.

            Where will your home be? Are you ready to be with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? We don’t have to wish or even hope that we will be there. We can know beyond a shadow of doubt that we will be with Them. When we ask Jesus to be our personal Savior, to forgive us from all our sins, and to wash us clean through His blood, we can be assured that our eternal home will be in heaven. It’s not up to God, it’s up to you. You determine where you will spend eternity. If you have made that decision, you can rest in peace, but if you haven’t you are choosing to live away from God’s love, Jesus’ forgiveness, and the amazing Holy Spirit.

            I encourage you to make this vital choice while you have time. When you stand before God it will be too late. Accept God’s invitation now so you can know that you have a reserved home in heaven. I want to meet you and see you there. Heaven will be far more wonderful than your mind can conceive. I am hoping for a home with a nice garden spot and maybe close to some water. What about you?

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

By Doug Creamer

                We did it! We stepped into a new year. Does it feel different to you? The New Year came in quietly for us, so I believe that we are in for a nice quiet year. I know that there will be ups and downs; every year has them. I am hopeful that we will all have more ups this year, that we will see God working to bring about good things.

                 If the New Year is anything like the way I got to spend the last day of the previous year, then I am in for a treat. I got to spend the day with my younger sister and her family. Her two sons were home, but her daughter had left because she had some New Year’s plans. Ah, to be young again… One of her sons is in high school and he told me about what life is like for a freshman. Her other son is a junior at VMI and he had recently received his class ring. It was beautiful, and he told me about the meaning behind the symbols on the ring. I enjoyed hearing about the adventures in their young lives.

                Later, my sister and I took her dog for a walk. We walked and walked. Every time I thought we were heading for home, the dog took another turn. It was a great walk on a beautiful day. The walk culminated in a few peeks at the beach. We didn’t walk on the beach but we stopped to take in the beauty. The sky was crystal clear and the water was calm and twinkled as the sun reflected off it. We took some pictures, but they don’t capture the beauty and peacefulness. To have the privilege to stand there and take in a few deep breaths brought a sense of refreshment to my spirit.

                The New Year arrived in some different ways for me. I missed a few of the traditional things. But I began with a hunger for God. I quieted myself and listened for His voice. I want to know His heart for me and for the year ahead. God has already seen this year. I wonder what wonderful things He has planned for this year.

                I read the Sermon on the Mount and something jumped off the page to me. Jesus encourages us to ask, seek, and knock. Jesus says that if we ask it will be given to us. Jesus did not mean that we should ask for vacation homes or expensive cars. I think it means that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for things that we need. Maybe you are struggling financially or you need a physical touch for healing, you should ask. God is our Father who really cares about our needs. Ask Him.

                Jesus tells us plainly that we need to seek. We aren’t supposed to seek fame and fortune. He wants us to seek Him. He wants us to know Him more each day of our lives. If we learned something new about God every day we will still be learning long into eternity. No one knows everything about God. There is always more we need to seek. The good news is that He promises that if we seek Him we will find Him. God is planning to reveal more of Himself to you if you will take on the mission of seeking Him. Seek Him and you will find Him.

                I think when God says we should knock He is implying in two specific ways. If we knock on the door of God’s heart we are going to discover an open door and an open invitation to come in. As I said, He wants us to know Him and His heart for us more and more. I believe the second invitation to knock is related to our hopes and dreams. These are the heavenly dreams God wants you to fulfill in your lifetime. It’s never too late to pursue the things God has placed on your heart. I believe God wants us to knock on the door and allow Him to guide us as we seek to fulfill His purposes. The only way doors will ever open is if we knock.

                I encourage you to ask, seek, and knock this year. You don’t know what kinds of wonderful things God has planned for you this year. The mystery and wonder are waiting just ahead for you. I strongly believe that God has some good things hidden for us that He wants us to seek out. Let’s go; it’s going to be a great adventure.

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