Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            About once a month a group of retired teachers gathers in Stanly County for lunch. I taught at North Stanly and South Stanly for about eight years of my career. Somehow when this group meets, I get an invite to join them. Retirement has some benefits.

            When I taught in Stanly County I was young and energetic, but I was green. I had one bit of wisdom in my youth: find those who are excellent in their field and hang around them. Learn and glean everything you can from them. I did that. I found the best teachers, the ones with the best reputations, and spent time with them.

            One of the most important things I learned early in life was to always do my best on the job. It doesn’t matter if the boss is watching, do your best. Later in my career, I had a principal tell me that she didn’t need to formally observe me to know if I was doing my job. She said that all she had to do is walk past my door and she always saw me engaging with my students.

            The retired teachers met for lunch last week. Two things struck me about the conversation around that table. The first was when the thought circulated that they felt they could not teach and engage students today. I looked at them and said, “No, you would still be great. Students today still need the same things you gave them when you were in the classroom. They want to be noticed. They need to be loved. They want to be encouraged to pursue their dreams. They want to be challenged to raise the bar. They want people who believe in them and have hope for their future.”

            I agreed that today’s students have many more distractions. I agreed that the educational system seems overly focused on testing. I agreed that the individual freedoms that teachers once had have evaporated. But I still believed that these great teachers could still have an impact on the next generation.

            The other thing that impacted me as I listened to them talk was how powerfully teachers had impacted their lives. They were discussing various Catawba College professors. They remembered details about their college teachers that impacted and changed their lives. They remembered specific assignments they completed. They remembered certain tests and even specific questions from those tests.

            As I sat and listened I began to wonder how many of our students have the same memories about us. Do our students remember tests or certain activities we did in class? Did the things I said or did have lasting impacts on my students? Do students reflect on what we did in my room like these teachers were remembering their college professors?

            I have run into former students through the years, and they always have stories about things that happened in my room. Most of the memories are of something funny. They all remember the Golden Rule of Business: Treat every customer the way you would want to be treated if you were the customer. It was the last question on every test.

            I hope I impacted my students with the most important thing of all, God’s love. I know that I am an imperfect person, but I hope that in spite of that, God’s love showed through my life. What we become in life is nowhere near as important as who we become. I wanted to help my students develop high moral standards, learning how to choose right from wrong, seeing the impact of doing good deeds, and how a kind and encouraging word can change someone’s day.

            THE most important thing in life is having faith in God. We will all stand before His throne and have to answer for our lives. The key question will be: Did you ask Jesus to be your Savior? If the answer is no, all the good things you have done in your life will not change your destination. We also have to live for Jesus. Is your life a reflection of His love?

            I want to encourage you to make the most important decision in your life today. Ask Jesus to be your Savior. No one knows if today will bring a tragic ending to your life. Don’t put this critical decision off. You may not get a moment right before you pass to ask Him into your life. Ask now and live for Him every day. Who knows what kind of legacy you can leave behind if you make the choice to follow Jesus? 

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

By Doug Creamer

            For many years on Saturday night we would listen to Garrison Keillor on the radio. He had a program called “The Prairie Home Companion.” It was a two-hour variety show that we enjoyed. My favorite part was when he told a story about a fictional town out on the prairie.

He always began the story with, “It’s been a quiet week…” Then he would launch into all the happenings in this fictional town. There was always humor and something going on down at the church, or maybe the little cafe. The story was always clean, filled with faith, and funny.  

I guess I was thinking about this because as I reflected back on my week, it feels like it has been a quiet week. What I mean is that there haven’t been any major events. That’s good. Some folks I know are dealing with big things. I know friends who have lost loved ones and others who are fighting cancer. I know some who are fighting the awful bug that is going around and others who are at the hospital.

            I’ll take my quiet week. Don’t get me wrong, I have been busy. I’ve been working on my websites, working on developing a class that I hope to be able to teach, and teaching my Chinese children on the internet. Sometimes, while it feels quiet, it seems busy.

            I had to get my old vehicle running again; it was time for the inspection. I tried jumping it, but the battery was too far gone. I got a new one and she cranked right up. I drove it around for a while the other day; she is purring like a kitten again.

            There were a few highlights in the week. I took my brother out for his birthday lunch. I won’t say which one it was, but we had fun. It was great to laugh and talk with my OLDER brother. On my way home, I stopped in at East Davidson. I got to see several colleagues and talk with some friends. I miss seeing my work friends on a daily basis.

            Date night this week was at a special restaurant in town. We went to say good-bye to one of our favorite servers there. He got a new job and it was his last night. The dinner was great, but so was the opportunity to wish him well.

            I had a great conversation with a former student this week. She is helping with my website design. We got to talk and share about our lives, the ups and downs. I love to hear how steady her faith is no matter what comes her way.

            I was blessed to spend time with the pastor and his family this week. Whether we are going over the routine things about the church, sharing hopes and dreams, talking through some challenges, or just laughing and cutting up in the office after church on Sunday…I’ll say it again, I feel blessed. His family makes me feel like I am a part of their family.

            You see, quiet weeks are still filled. No matter how busy or quiet a week might be, spending time with God has to be a priority. With the nice weather we had recently, I was spending time quietly on my porch or going for walks. I feel lazy on cold, wet days, but just because it is difficult shouldn’t keep us from our Father.

            I saw several pictures recently on Facebook of friends with their children asleep on their chest. That’s the kind of closeness that God wants with us. Some of my best conversations with the Lord occur with my head on my pillow. It’s quiet and the distractions of life are removed. I can hear His voice and curl up in His love. God wants to be that intimate with us. If He knows the number of hairs on our heads, He is already intimately acquainted with us. We need to open our hearts and become more aware of Him.

            I want to encourage you to draw close to God. Crawl up in His arms. He wants you close to His heart. I know the importance of awe and respect for the Almighty. I try to worship Him as exuberantly as King David did. He deserves it. But I want that closeness so I can hear God call me His son and Jesus call me brother and friend. God’s love is more profound than any of us can understand, but I want to be immersed in it. I encourage you to run into your Heavenly Father’s arms.

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

By Doug Creamer

            People keep asking me, “What are you doing now that you are retired?” The truth is that I have been busier now than ever. I have a calendar beside my desk and I use Google calendar to help me keep up with everything. I will admit that I feel better rested most of the time, and healthier thanks to being away from all the germs at school.

            One of the first things I got involved in was teaching children in China through the internet. I don’t make a lot of money doing it, but I sure do have a lot of fun. I connect with most of the kids and we laugh and learn together. Some of them have even taught me a few words in Chinese.

            I started looking for some other work. I am considering two or three different options and trying to discover the best fit for me. I keep asking my friends to keep me in their prayers. They keep telling me that I will know in my spirit which door is the right one for me. One of my nephews recently told me to consider my mission statement as I look at options. Now, why didn’t I think of that?

            One other thing I have done is help a friend get his book published on Amazon. We had fun working together, and seeing his dream turn into a reality gave me great joy. His sales are off and running and I couldn’t be happier.

            Another friend approached me about helping him build a website. We bought the name he wanted and set it up with a hosting company. Now comes the task of actually building the site. It’s something he has dreamed about doing and I feel honored to help him.

            I looked at my website the other day and realized that it needs a facelift. I am not sure when I can start doing that as I have another website project that has been keeping me busy. For over a year now I have been working on a new website where I am bringing writers together. All of us are positive and encouraging writers. Most of us write about our faith and how to live it in a practical way.

            The website, EncouragingU.com, has been a fun hobby. The question I keep asking myself is; could it become an actual business? We are just about to the place where we will have one writer posting a column every day. I work to keep posting interesting links to other positive stories in the news. I feel like there is so much negative news out in the world; here is a place where someone can come and feel refreshed.

            My hope is that I will continue to find new encouraging writers who will join us in our endeavor. I would also love to find some sponsors to help create some income. But those are both things for the Lord to figure out. In the meantime, I plan to continue having fun building and seeing what God does with it.

            A friend recently reminded me of something I already know: the future is in the Lord’s hands. It’s knowing the future and fulfilling God’s purposes in my lifetime that is the challenge. As I thought about the unknown future this week, there are two things I know for certain. First, I know the Lord’s voice. I have walked with Him for many years and He has led me through many changes in my life. He hasn’t failed me once.

            The second thing I know for sure is that He has always provided for me. He is faithful. He is good. He will show me the right path, but there must be some behind-the-scenes details that He has to work out first. God’s always at work. I can lay my biggest fear aside, I will not miss Him. He will come and guide me along the path, quite simply because I am His son and He always takes care of His family.

            I want to encourage you to place your future in His hands. It takes faith to believe in our Father, who is concerned about every detail of our lives. We have to believe He is here, walking and talking with us. We have to trust God to open the doors for us. God has our best future in His heart. Our best future will make us more like His Son. I’m putting my hand in His; I can’t wait to see the adventure He’s got planned.  

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

By Doug Creamer

            It’s not a very exciting day at my house today. I am busy doing the ordinary things of life. I am washing clothes, changing the sheets on the bed, getting them washed, and doing some other cleaning tasks. It has to get done sometime.

            The sun is shining and it feels nice. I think a walk will be in order today. I have been going for walks lately, even if it is a little chilly. Something about walking clears my head. I can think about things, or if my wife comes along, we can talk about things.

            As I look around, there are a few other things that are calling for my attention. My old car inspection is due and I have to get a new battery for that car. I have pushed that off as long as possible.

            I just looked out the window and noticed that I probably need to run the lawn mower one last time to get up the last of the stray leaves. With the Christmas decorations out of the way, I ought to get out there and take care of that and maybe the gutters, too.

            There are always things that we have to do. There are always things that are vying for our attention. We have a choice. We can allow those things to distract us, to keep us away from the Lord. The other choice is to invite God to join us in our everyday activities.

            Here is what I mean. When I cut the grass, I have a pair of ear protectors to help block out the sound of the lawn mower. They will help me to block out the roar of the motor so I can hear the voice of my Father.

            I have to admit it is pretty mundane to make the bed. But that can change if I invite God to join me in that task. It is a perfect opportunity to pray for God to give us peaceful sleep. I can also pray for the love of my life. I admit it is easy to miss the opportunity, and I have on far too many occasions. It is easy to focus on completing the task and allowing our minds to wander.

            I am convinced that God wants to spend more time with us. I keep looking for chances and have discovered that I get distracted from golden opportunities. He is waiting and ready, but I am thinking about something else. But if I stop and think about Him, He is right there even when I am doing the dishes.

            I know all of us are concerned with what is going on in the world. We watch our military men and women being sent overseas and we naturally want to worry. We also falsely believe that God needs to focus His attention on what is happening in other places. There are people all over the world who are facing desperate situations, how could I ask God to spend time with me while I am changing the sheets?

            We need to come to a better understanding about God. He is capable of being omnipresent. This means that He can be with me while I am putting the clean sheets on the bed and He can also be with our men and women in the armed forces. He is with the people in Australia who are suffering in the fires. He is also with the homeless families in our communities, the widow who feels all alone, and you and whatever situation you are facing today.

            God wants to be with us. It is up to us to open the door for Him. He cares about and knows about everything in our lives…AND most important, He loves us. He is keeping a close eye on us and all those who are in desperate need. Stop worrying about everyone else and invite Him into your heart. He has the answers you need. It doesn’t matter how bad you think you screwed everything up, He wants you, loves you, and accepts you.

            I want to encourage you to open your heart to the omnipresent God. He knows all and still keeps on loving you. Stop making excuses; come Home to Him today. He’s waiting for you. You don’t have to clean yourself up. He is an expert at doing that. He has a plan for your life and I promise it will be a good trip. It requires you to activate your faith and for you to open the door for Him. Don’t worry, He’ll do the rest.

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

By Doug Creamer

            We only have a few more days left in this year and this decade. It is hard to believe that we are going to be in the 2020’s next week. It’s always hard for me to believe that a whole year has passed. Time seems to move faster and faster as I get older.

            My previous pastor always receives a poem from the Lord for the year. My current pastor always receives a single word that is our focus for the year. 2019 was “uncommon.” Well, I can tell you that 2019 was definitely an uncommon year for us. I retired, which was a very uncommon event. But the year was full of uncommon things. Some we hope continue to be uncommon, while others we invite and hope to make common in our lives.

            We are looking forward to 2020. I know the Lord has good things planned. One thing I am NOT looking forward to is the election. The event itself, voting, is great. My problem is the process we have to go through from here to there. There are all the political ads. Then there are the constant phone calls. If we could get more civility in our politics it might be more enjoyable, but that isn’t how elections are won or lost.

            As I reflect back on the last decade, we have experienced lots of changes, especially in technology. We went from flip phones to smart phones. Who could have imagined having the power of all that information right at your fingertips? We now have smart doorbells so we can see who is at the door and we may not even be home. My mother used to have intercoms at our doors. Times sure have changed.

            You can control so much now from your phone. You can turn your thermostat up or down. You can turn lights on and off. You can probably talk to your watch which will talk to your phone which will contact your house and make necessary changes. I imagine by the time we close out this new decade we will have cars driving themselves and many people will probably not even own cars, they will just call for a driverless car to take them where they want to go. I am not sure I am ready for that.

            Wherever technology takes us in the future, I am sure we will gradually all get used to doing things the new way. It might be nice to allow a vehicle to drive me someplace while I sleep, particularly if there is a zero percent chance of an accident. Personally, I prefer to put my life in God’s hands. He has a perfect record for helping people navigate life.

            The future can feel mystical and scary at times. No one knows what the future holds for each of us. The only way to know the future is to know Him who holds the future. He’s seen all the good things coming your way and He is not surprised when the bad things happen. He is ready to celebrate the good and comfort through the bad. The best thing is knowing we are in God’s hands when we enter the New Year.

            The secret to having peace when entering the New Year and new decade is knowing the Prince of Peace. He can help guard your mind from worry and fear as you cross into the unknown. You can know and believe that all things will work into something good for your life as long as you are trusting Him. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be sorrow or pain, it just means that He will be with you and that He can turn your sorrow into joy.

            There are parts of 2019 that I would prefer to forget, but God has used those situations to draw me closer. He felt more real to me as I walked through the fire. That gives me confidence. If He did it in 2019, then I know He will do it again in 2020.

            I want to encourage you to put your trust in God. 2020 is going to have some great days that we can celebrate. 2020 is also going to have some difficult days where it will be a struggle just to put one foot in front of the other. No matter what comes, I have faith in God that it will work for my good. We are entering a new decade and I believe that God is going to give us a good trip through this one, too. Happy New Year!

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

By Doug Creamer

            We only have a few more days left in this year and this decade. It is hard to believe that we are going to be in the 2020’s next week. It’s always hard for me to believe that a whole year has passed. Time seems to move faster and faster as I get older.

            My previous pastor always receives a poem from the Lord for the year. My current pastor always receives a single word that is our focus for the year. 2019 was “uncommon.” Well, I can tell you that 2019 was definitely an uncommon year for us. I retired, which was a very uncommon event. But the year was full of uncommon things. Some we hope continue to be uncommon, while others we invite and hope to make common in our lives.

            We are looking forward to 2020. I know the Lord has good things planned. One thing I am NOT looking forward to is the election. The event itself, voting, is great. My problem is the process we have to go through from here to there. There are all the political ads. Then there are the constant phone calls. If we could get more civility in our politics it might be more enjoyable, but that isn’t how elections are won or lost.

            As I reflect back on the last decade, we have experienced lots of changes, especially in technology. We went from flip phones to smart phones. Who could have imagined having the power of all that information right at your fingertips? We now have smart doorbells so we can see who is at the door and we may not even be home. My mother used to have intercoms at our doors. Times sure have changed.

            You can control so much now from your phone. You can turn your thermostat up or down. You can turn lights on and off. You can probably talk to your watch which will talk to your phone which will contact your house and make necessary changes. I imagine by the time we close out this new decade we will have cars driving themselves and many people will probably not even own cars, they will just call for a driverless car to take them where they want to go. I am not sure I am ready for that.

            Wherever technology takes us in the future, I am sure we will gradually all get used to doing things the new way. It might be nice to allow a vehicle to drive me someplace while I sleep, particularly if there is a zero percent chance of an accident. Personally, I prefer to put my life in God’s hands. He has a perfect record for helping people navigate life.

            The future can feel mystical and scary at times. No one knows what the future holds for each of us. The only way to know the future is to know Him who holds the future. He’s seen all the good things coming your way and He is not surprised when the bad things happen. He is ready to celebrate the good and comfort through the bad. The best thing is knowing we are in God’s hands when we enter the New Year.

            The secret to having peace when entering the New Year and new decade is knowing the Prince of Peace. He can help guard your mind from worry and fear as you cross into the unknown. You can know and believe that all things will work into something good for your life as long as you are trusting Him. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be sorrow or pain, it just means that He will be with you and that He can turn your sorrow into joy.

            There are parts of 2019 that I would prefer to forget, but God has used those situations to draw me closer. He felt more real to me as I walked through the fire. That gives me confidence. If He did it in 2019, then I know He will do it again in 2020.

            I want to encourage you to put your trust in God. 2020 is going to have some great days that we can celebrate. 2020 is also going to have some difficult days where it will be a struggle just to put one foot in front of the other. No matter what comes, I have faith in God that it will work for my good. We are entering a new decade and I believe that God is going to give us a good trip through this one, too. Happy New Year!

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

By Doug Creamer

            Most of you know that I am retired. I figured that since I was retired, Christmas decorating and preparations would go exceedingly smoothly this year. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I think I have been busier this year than in previous years. I look at my calendar and I have something to do or someplace to be every day this week, and that was the same for last week.

            I thought we would have our tree up early and be able to leisurely enjoy the process. I think we got a later start this year, and it isn’t quite finished yet! Even the outside decorating took longer because I had to get up the leaves and clean out the gutters. One good thing is that we have our shopping done already. We have become online shoppers. We did go to a few stores, but it is so much easier to shop online.

            With a few more days to go, I believe we will make it. We do have Jesus, Mary, and Joseph sitting out, but I need to get the snowmen that are sitting on the same table moved to a different place. There is some cleaning and straightening that needs to be done. I am also hoping to get the Christmas cards out today. And oh, it’s going to be nice day today, maybe I can get a few things done outside…. No wonder I had trouble getting to sleep last night, with my thoughts running so fast.

            We have been doing some of the traditional things to ready our hearts for Christmas. We pulled out our Christmas movies and have been watching them. I haven’t been playing Christmas music as much as I thought, but that will change; I am ready to sing along with all my favorites. I have been out a few evenings recently and have really enjoyed seeing some of the Christmas lights.

Honestly, I know things will get done and we will have a nice Christmas. There are a few gatherings to attend, and I am looking forward to our candlelight service at church. This morning I started a devotional book from my sister about Christmas, that I read every year. It tells the story mixed with poems and many of the great Christmas carols. It takes a week, but it helps to get my heart ready and my thoughts focused on the birth of our Savior.  

            Last week I was invited to speak to a book club that meets near Albemarle. We had a good group of folks and a very special time together. I really enjoyed seeing some old friends. I shared a story about how valuable we are in God’s eyes. We often think less of ourselves, but God thinks very highly of us.

            I shared with those gathered that it is hard to consider the birth of our Lord without realizing the purpose for His coming. He came to die for us. Sin had broken our relationship with God. There nothing we can do to fix it. We can’t do enough good deeds. We can’t earn God’s favor by trying to live right. The only way to restore our relationship with God is through the forgiveness that Jesus offers us at Easter. God thinks we are so valuable that He sacrificed His own Son so He could buy us back and re-establish the relationship He desired for us.

            God loves you more than you will ever understand. His gift of forgiveness is available to all who will receive it. Do you realize that the God of the whole universe wants to know you on a personal and intimate level? He wants to reveal Himself to you. Jesus came to make all that possible. He came, born in a manger, giving up all the comfort of heaven, to be with us. Jesus wanted to reveal the depth of God’s love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and peace.

            All of this is available to you if you will open your heart to God. God’s done His part, now it’s time for us to do ours. I want to encourage you to not only receive, but also to open and experience God’s love this Christmas. He comes humbly as a baby born in a manger so we all can find access to Him. He is gentle and loving and cares deeply about everything in your life. Give God the best Christmas present He could ever receive…your heart, your life, given to Him. Merry Christmas! May God fill your heart and your home with His perfect love, His peace that goes beyond understanding, and His uncontainable joy!

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

By Doug Creamer

            It is that time of year for secrets. Boxes arrive and you are not allowed to open them or peek in. There are bags in the car that you cannot bring in or see what is inside. Packages are wrapped and hidden in places where the kids won’t look. I like the secrecy of the season. There is excitement everywhere. We are quickly closing in on the big day; I hope you are ready.

            It seems there is less secrecy as we get older. My wife and I help each other pick out what we really want so we don’t have to fight the returns. It works better that way, but there are still a few things that we keep hidden until Christmas day. We work hard to have fun and make the day a very special time together.

            I have to admit, I am much better at keeping secrets as an adult than I was as a child. I remember one year at Christmas my dad had decided to get my mom a TV for their bedroom. The night he went to pick it up he had all the kids with him. My older brother and sister were good at keeping secrets, but my dad knew that I wasn’t. After all, it was a TV.

            Dad had the guys load the TV in the truck. He turns to me and tells me that he is getting mom some bags of soil for her garden. My mother has always had the nicest flower gardens. I knew my mom would love getting the soil that my dad had picked out for her. He told me it was a secret and I couldn’t tell mom and spoil his big surprise.

            I think my dad was wise because I was able to keep the soil a secret, but a TV would never have made it to Christmas day! I remember when he gave it to her, asking him about the secret present he had. He had to explain to me that there was no soil and that I had done a good job keeping his secret. In the end, I still think he was right in not telling me.

            Keeping secrets can be fun, especially at Christmas. But the truth is that God did not keep the coming of His Son a secret. You can look all through the Old Testament and find many predictions about the coming Messiah. Moses and King David both told the people of His coming. Almost all of the Old Testament prophets spoke with anticipation of the coming Christ.

            God announced the birth of His Son to the shepherds. He placed a bright star in the sky over Bethlehem. Then He sent three wise men from a faraway land to seek and find Him. It was no secret that the Christ was born. But even God had to hide Jesus and keep His location secret when Herod decided he wanted to kill the Christ.  He secretly sent Him to Egypt.   

            His story and His life are no secret. The Bible tells us plainly about who He was and how He led His life. His mission was clear. We had messed up our connection with God through sin. Jesus had to come and repair our broken relationship. To repair the brokenness, He was destined to die. His blood offered the forgiveness that could save our souls.

            God knew we could not fix what was broken. So He did everything from His side to restore our relationship. Now the ball is in our court. It’s up to each of us to make a decision whether we want to accept God’s greatest gift of His Son.

            To open and receive the gift requires faith. Knowledge of Jesus is not good enough. Every demon in hell has knowledge about Jesus. When we exercise our faith and believe and trust God, salvation can enter our soul. That is the gift of Christmas, the hope of eternal life with God in heaven. It’s only good if we receive it. It’s up to us now, not God.

            So, what have you decided to do with the Christ of Christmas? I want to encourage you to open your hearts, exercise your faith, and receive the Lord Jesus as your personal savior. You can know right now your eternal destination if you will accept God’s gift to you. There is no other way except through faith in the greatest gift of all time, Jesus the Messiah. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done, God stands with open arms waiting to receive you. 

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

By Doug Creamer

            The holiday season is officially upon us. Retailers have been pushing the holiday season for a couple of months, but I always try to hold off until it actually arrives. This year as I drove to my in-law’s for Thanksgiving I noticed that some people had their Christmas decorations up. When I drove down our street coming home from Thanksgiving I noticed almost all our neighbors had Christmas decorations up, both inside and out.

            I have to admit that it is hard to sit here and write this column as I want to be outside getting my Christmas decorations up. I am going to have to work on getting some of the leaves up before I put the decorations out. I am excited to get started decorating for Christmas.  

            At this point, I have already helped decorate two Christmas trees. I helped my brother and sister decorate my mom’s tree, and then while I was home for Thanksgiving helped my in-laws get their tree up and decorated. It’s nice to be able to help family get ready for the holidays.

            I like spending time with my family. Both of my parents have birthdays in November so we were able to gather around them and celebrate their special days. We shared meals and lots of laughs. We talked about growing up and the special times we shared as a family. It is good to see and hear how my family members are doing.

            We spent Thanksgiving with my in-laws. My father-in-law and I peeled over five pounds of potatoes, and I am not sure how many pounds of sweet potatoes. There were multiple meats to choose from, as well as five different desserts. I ate plenty of great food and got the opportunity to spend some quality time with my wife’s side of the family. I had some very interesting conversations and washed plenty of dishes.

            Many people travel long distances to be together for the holidays. We have traveled and we have stayed at home. Both have their perks. In today’s world with blended families, husband’s family here and wife’s family there, it’s almost impossible to be at every family gathering.

            I think that it is important to make the effort to be together, but why does it have to be on ONLY one specific day? Can’t we celebrate Christmas anytime we can get the family together in one place at one time? That way there is no rushing and possibly a much more relaxed atmosphere. We can visit and connect without feeling pulled in multiple directions.

            I believe it’s important to find a way to be together at some point during the holiday season. With families separated by long distances, it might be physically impossible to make the trip. That’s when we can use the power of our global communication systems to make it possible. Whether it is Facetime or through another virtual app, we can find a way to gather and spend some special moments together.

            There is no perfect “Brady” family on earth. We are all imperfect people trying to connect with each other and create memories that will last a lifetime. Some memories are tender and sweet, while others make us laugh until we hurt. We try to put our best foot forward, without tripping over it, and share the love we have for each other. We know the flaws but hope that we can look past them and share the love of the season.

            I believe God does that with each of us. We’re not perfect, yet he welcomes us into His family. He knows our weaknesses and flaws, and yet His grace covers over it all. He knows how many times we have doubted and almost given up, yet His love pours out for us. He knows how often we feel inconvenienced by Him, yet He still wants to spend time with us. He pursues us relentlessly because we are His children and He wants to have a relationship with us.

            I want to encourage you this holiday season to connect with loved ones. I know it is hard to express your love and appreciation, but take the risk and open your heart. Sometimes it won’t go well, but try. Give your pain to God. God revealed how much He loved us by sending His Son to be born in a manger, yet destined to die on a cross. He still loves us no matter what we have done. We are His children and He wants us all around Him. So in spite of everything, make the effort to connect, to love, and to be loved during this holiday season. 

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

By Doug Creamer

            I love my church. We are a close-knit family. We have people from the age of one to one hundred, and everything in between. We have people from different ethnic backgrounds. We have young families and retired older folks. It’s a good, fun mix of people.

            My pastor is a very creative person. He comes up with great objects that we can take home to remind us during the week about his sermon. For example, sitting on my night stand is a plastic cup with the phrase on it: “I’m stirred, not shaken.” It was to remind us that sometimes things come along that could shake our faith, but we are not going to be shaken. We are going to allow those things to stir our faith.

            He is also good at creating new words. I’ve lost count of how many new words he has created. Last Sunday he created a new word for Thanksgiving. His new word was Thaithfulness. He was trying to teach us to be thankful for God’s faithfulness. If we stop and think about all the ways God has been faithful to us, we would create a long list.

            All of us can point to ways He has been faithful to our churches. He has blessed us with good leaders, good worship, good Sunday school teachers…and the list goes on. We can also list the ways God has been faithful to our families. Think of the times He has protected you or a family member. He has provided for our families in many ways.

            We all know that God has helped us to grow and mature in our faith. God has helped us all with relationships, meeting our financial obligations, and providing the basics of life. I know that families aren’t perfect, but certainly there have been some family members who have stood with you and supported you through the ups and downs of life. Do you remember a time when God really came through for you in a big way? He is faithful.

            When I think about my family, I am very thankful for them. We just celebrated my mother and father’s 87^th birthdays. We are lucky and blessed to still have them with us. I have missed some of their birthday celebrations in the past, but this year I was able to participate in the fun. It’s nice to have the opportunity to be with your parents and to thank them for all they have done in your life.

            As I sit here thinking about my family, I realize one thing I am thankful for is the laughter we all share. All of us have a prankster side. None of us want to hurt anyone, but bring laughter and fun. I know that signs were put in family member’s yards for milestone birthdays. Prank calls have been made. And surprise parties have been planned. Laughter is loud and runs deep in my family.

            I know the main focus of Thanksgiving is the food. My family gathers often throughout the year and you can be sure that food is part of the gathering. Everyone brings something to a family get-together so no one has to do too much work. My brother or sister will host the event, and whatever family is in town gathers to share the food, laughter, and plenty of fun. We have created a lifetime of special memories.

            This Thanksgiving season I find myself reflecting on how blessed I am to have a good, loving, and supportive family. I am also grateful for those same qualities in my church family. I am surrounded by people who love and care about me, why wouldn’t I be thankful? Then when I look up to express that thanks I realize how absolutely thankful I am for Jesus and all He has done for me. He laid His life down so I could live free. He bought and paid for the relationship with my Father in heaven. He’s cleansed and forgiven me for everything.

            I want to encourage you to take a few minutes and reflect on your life. I know that life isn’t perfect and that we all have bad days, but if we can nurture a thankful heart I believe we can help to change our entire outlook on life. It’s easy to be thankful for the big things, but don’t forget the little things, the special people in your life, and the hope that springs from a life connected to your loving heavenly Father. Happy Thanksgiving! I pray that you and your family will be safe and blessed.

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