God’s Got it all in Control

by   May 30, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

God’s Got it All in Control

            The other night I woke up in the middle of the night. I am a deep sleeper; usually nothing wakes me. But I remember dreaming about a terrible smell. As I rolled over, I noticed the smell was in the bedroom. I sniffed the air and thought – “skunk.”

            I have only smelled a skunk once in all the years I have lived in this house. My sleep addled brain couldn’t process the foul odor. I quietly eased myself from bed so I could investigate. Stepping into the hall the pungent odor had my attention. I walked through the house assessing the situation; the overwhelming smell was everywhere.

            As I was heading back, I thought about the fact that the gas hot water heater is right outside our bedroom door. Could that be gas? My sleepy brain didn’t know. I decided to go outside and see if I could smell the skunk. The air was fresh and clean.

            I walked back in the house and the smell seemed to be stronger. That’s when I thought I would search the internet. Natural gas can smell like rotten eggs or possibly have a skunky smell. That was it. I became convinced that I was smelling gas. I woke my wife and we agreed that something didn’t smell right.

            I decided to call the gas company. The lady who answered was very kind and patient. I explained the situation and she decided that they were going to come and check for us. I felt bad, but she said if it woke me up, it was worth checking out.

            The young man that arrived was professional and polite. He came in and smelled the odor too. He said it smelled more like skunk to him, but he stayed and checked everything for us. He took me outside and opened the gas line so I could smell what natural gas smells like…rotten eggs. Neither of us knows why we got that smell in our house, but thankfully we were okay.

            As I reflect on this crazy event I realize one very important thing…God is in control. No matter what happens in life, we serve a God who has everything under control. I have been thinking about Joseph, who was thrown into a well and then spent several years in a dungeon. I imagine he wondered if God was in control. Then you have to consider Paul, who was imprisoned for preaching the gospel. The governing authorities didn’t see why he should be in prison, but God did some of His greatest work through Paul during that time.

            When Jesus hung on the cross, God was in control. When Daniel was tossed into the lion’s den, God was in control. When Stephen was martyred, it’s hard for me to believe, but God was in control. When Mary gave birth to Jesus in an old cave, God was in control.

            When Egypt enslaved Israel for several generations, God was in control. People suffered and died. Even during tragic times when people suffer and die, God remains in control. By the time you read this, we will have surpassed 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 in America. I can’t imagine the sorrow and suffering that some families have endured during this time. Surely God is weeping with those families.

            No one knows how this pandemic will play out. I have read some staggering numbers from past pandemics and hope and pray that God will intervene. I am hoping that all we have done around the globe has helped to stem this awful plague. There has been so much suffering economically and health-wise, not to mention the grief that so many have experienced.

            What we have to remember is that God is with us no matter what we are facing. He has not forgotten us. He is holding us in His right hand. Sickness is not from God. He loves each one of us and wants to draw us close to Himself. He longs to comfort us and to lift our spirits. God is for us. God is bigger than COVID-19. No matter how crazy the world gets, God is still in control.

            I want to encourage you to lift your cares and concerns before God. He hears your prayers. Run into your Father’s arms where you will find the comfort and love you desperately need. We serve a God who is in control and who will see you through whatever you are facing. There is nothing too difficult for Him. He is our hope and strength during this time of trial. There are still many difficult days ahead, but I believe we will get through. I have faith that God is going to bring good things out of all that we have and will endure.

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

The Balm

by   May 26, 2020 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Poor little fellow. It was a lot to bear for a three-year-old. Fears and tears filled his eyes, as he yelled, “I got a splinter!” Screaming and thrashing about ensued, followed by, “It hurts!” Getting him to let us look at it was the next challenge. Letting us help with removal was going to be an even more difficult task.

We tried reasoning. You don’t want an infection, do you?

We tried to sneak in from behind. The element of surprise did not work.

We tried to force him. That got tricky.

We tried taking a break. Peaceful — but not helpful.

We tried holding him down. Not a success. Perhaps a slight injury. Not to him — to me.

Nothing would work if he would not receive the help. The splinter remained.

A splinter can be a small thing that breaks off from a larger thing and gets stuck. If it does not come out, it can disintegrate, spread, become fully embedded, and infected. It can alter our actions and movements. It can hurt. It can create problems, for it does not need to be there.

Realizing that our personal efforts were not enough, we reached out to a pharmacist who said the words we needed to hear, “There is a balm that helps.”

It was named ichthammol. The black, sticky, tar-looking stuff flowed out like a gift from God onto the splinter — once our little guy was willing to receive it. We covered it with a bandaid, let it seep in, and begin the work it was going to do. Help had come. He became still, relaxed, soothed, and his fears and tears went away. He trusted in what the balm was doing for him. It was just the medicine he needed. Shortly after, the splinter was easily removed.

In God’s Word, balm was highly valuable. It was a specialty item. It was uncommon. It was fragrant. It eased pain. It produced healing. It had soothing powers. It never stopped working.

Some say balm is a metaphor of the healing power of God — pain can be eased and healing produced.

I say that a serious problem needs a serious medicine.

You would buy it if you or a loved one needed healing, wouldn’t you?

Yes, you would go right over to the pharmacy and pick it up.

Well, it is readily available for each of us. No — not ichthammol, but the healing balm God sends that can take a splinter out of our lives — or a boulder out of our heart.

But, just as a three-year-old reached out to accept the balm that would bring his healing, we have to reach our arms out to God to accept the balm that is for our healing.

Need healing? I think we all do.

Let’s pray:

As we stretch our hands to thee, Lord, we accept the balm that you are pouring over us. May it overtake us — body, mind, and spirit. May we believe — and receive — our physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual healing. Thank you for the balm that covers us and sends healing our way. Amen

Let me know how your healing goes.

Let me know how the balm flows.

Contact me at annfarabee@gmail.com

Write this Down, Make a Note

by   May 26, 2020 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

In the olden days we called them diaries. Now that we’re sophisticated we say we’re “journaling.” I don’t keep a diary or a journal. I probably should. But then again, no one would believe it. However, for many years I’ve written brief notes in my Bible so I would remember the crapstorms that so easily beset us. Little things like “Lord help us in our dealings with Horace and Doris; [not their real names thank God] Spring through Fall 2013.” I was so mad when I wrote those words beside Psalm 4:4 which says: “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.”

Eventually their actions led to a great loss on our part. But as I read that passage this morning I was reminded. Even when the worst thing we can imagine actually happens, by God’s grace it all shakes out in the wash. Seven years ago we lost our house, filed bankruptcy, had a few major medical emergencies and THEN lost our jobs.

It felt like the sweet Psalmist of Israel read my mind when he penned,

“The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; Yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears.”

It’s a bit late for advice… or sympathy. So why rehearse all that to you now?

Think of the worst time in your life… the hardest thing you’ve ever been through.

Was it terrible? Were you crushed? Was your heart broken? And… did you live to tell about it?

Now think on the current situation. Is it really so bad compared to what you’ve been through? The media would have us flailing our arms and wringing our hands in panic. That’s why they love the term “Pandemic.” It’s a very scary word. Fear and drama make for excellent ratings.

Don’t fall for it. I would suggest following our local man of integrity David Whisenant on Facebook. He does a quick informative video on weekday mornings giving the latest updates. He is honest enough to report the facts, yet wise enough to relay the positive things going on in our community.

Another place with an honest perspective is the book of Psalms. “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but You. Listen to my voice in the morning Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” Psalm 5:3

Write out your fears so that later when all this blows over, you can remember the time the Lord took care of you.

Then someday you can pass your valuable experience down to your grandkids. And your story won’t even involve walking to school in the snow uphill both ways.

Red Hot Mammas

by   May 25, 2020 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Two of my best female running friends in Salisbury have decided to try something with new with their long-distance relay group, The Red Hot Mamas. I have known Meredith Abramson and Delaine Fowler for many years and found them both to be simply amazing in so many ways. Both are excellent runners and triathletes and have put their exceptional organizational skills to work on a big project.

Abramson put together an all-women’s team of 12 to first compete in the 210-mile Blue Ridge Relay in 2010. She said, “Over the last decade, we have grown from a group of 12 Salisbury and Rowan County runners to dozens of runners that now can be found along the I-85 corridor from Charlotte to Burlington and then on up to New York, Bloomington, Indiana and Cleveland, Ohio. When our group ran the virtual COVID-19 Miler as our first true fundraising event, we had 49 runners join in and wound up raising nearly $1,000 as a team beyond our race registrations.”

Fowler joined the group a few years after its inception. She added, “The COVID-19 miler raised money for personal protective equipment in the Charlotte area. This excitement and engagement got our minds going as to what we might be able to do locally to help people in need. We long for that feeling of connection in these disconnected times.”

The group, now even including a few men who are not red hot, decided to try a fundraiser here at home for Rowan Helping Ministries. Abramson said, “It may seem silly, but we share the same initials (RHM), so it seemed serendipitous. There are so many great organizations in town, and we know there are and will be many more people needing RHM to serve their needs as we slowly crawl out of the pandemic. Every little bit helps, and we hope all the money we can raise is a true representation of the Red Hot Mama way, ‘Being good, seeing good, and doing good in our community and beyond’.”

The Red Hot Mamas designed this relay to combine some of the favorite parts of events they have done in the past. Fowler said, “We love running as a team and running farther together than we can as a single person. We also love races that have set relay points where we can gather and support and cheer for each other. Obviously, we won’t have a large gathering for this particular relay, but having the same course helps logistics and allow us to do drive-by cheering.”

Due to the pandemic, only two people will run at a time, but we will ultimately have 48 runners who run for one hour in pairs for a total of 24 hours. Fowler said, “If all goes really well, we can build on it in the future to include multiple teams at a time when we’re no longer concerned about gathering limits.”

Currently, The Red Hot Mamas are seeking sponsorships with 100% of all funds raised going to Rowan Helping Ministries. There are five- and six-mile courses for relay participants.

Fowler said, “Every hour we will air hug, air high-five and send the next set of runners on their way. We hope if anyone sees us out and about, they will cheer us on.”

At press time, we still hope to have the Bare Bones 5K in some form on June 6. Gov. Cooper threw the Salisbury Rowan Runners and City of Salisbury for a loop with lower-than-expected Phase 2 limitations, but discussions are still ongoing. Look for more information as it develops on Bare Bones, one of Salisbury’s oldest races, and other future events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org .

Peace & Joy

by   May 23, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

My wife and I love gardening. I focus on planting and growing the vegetable garden. She loves to create planters with beautiful plant combinations. She has a number of perennials that come back every year. Our back patio and front porch are filled with beautiful plants which makes spending time outside like being in an oasis.

            I like to sit outside among the plants and enjoy the peacefulness. Our street is generally quiet and I can always hear some birds singing when I am outside. I enjoy walking around the yard and looking at all the beautiful flowers and vegetables. Each plant has its season which I anticipate with great joy. There is always something to see in our yard.

            I finished planting the vegetable garden the other day just before all the rain hit. Everything is looking good and I am excited about the new growing season. There are still more flowers to plant and I am always scheming about how I can get a second planting in my vegetable garden. I just love having my hands in the dirt and seeing what I can get to grow. I often talk about working in the garden, but it doesn’t feel like work. Being out in the yard gives me such great pleasure.

            We have some fruit growing out back, too. I love red raspberries and have a good sized bed full of them. We also have some blueberry bushes, although I want to plant more of them. I can eat blueberries all year long. I would like to grow some strawberries one day. There is nothing like eating something you grew.

            I am fortunate; I find peace and joy in many things. Gardening or just being outside around things that are growing ministers to my spirit. I also find joy in teaching my Chinese students. I also experience joy and peace when I am writing.

            There are so many things that can steal our peace and joy. Some people are working overtime on their jobs, especially in the health care field. Imagine the UPS, FEDEX, Amazon, and US mail employees who are delivering packages to our houses since we can’t get out and go shopping. Then you have to consider the retail that is open, grocery stores, pharmacies, and the restaurant workers who are all working hard to provide goods and services for us. I wonder if they are able to disconnect from their work and find the peace and joy they need.

            Then you have to think about all the people who aren’t working because of Covid-19. They want to work, but the stay-at-home orders have kept them from their jobs. The financial stress and worry that these people are facing has got to be stealing their peace and joy.

            As a retired teacher, I think about schools. Teachers get such great joy out of imparting knowledge, skills, and abilities to students. There are no students in physical classrooms now. Students are missing athletics, clubs, and all the after school activities. They are missing their friends at lunch and in the halls. They are missing milestone moments like prom and graduation. It’s easy to lose your joy and peace when you are missing a major part of your life.

            Finding your joy and peace comes back to two main things. First, our main source of joy and peace comes from being in our Father’s presence. God is the source of perfect peace. He longs to fill your heart with joy. Sometimes we don’t have it because we don’t ask for it.

            The second source of joy and peace is a little more challenging because we have to analyze ourselves. What can we do that gives us joy and peace? For some it is found in music. For my little sister, it is going for a run. For others it might be doing something artistic. Many enjoy working on their vehicles. Each of us enjoys doing something that brings pleasure to our lives. Discovering your pleasurable activity and participating in it can help to restore your peace and joy.

            I want to encourage you to spend time with God who is our source of peace and joy and allow Him to stir that up within you. I also want to encourage you to spend some time on yourself. You know what brings you peace and joy. Take time to do those things. Allow the Lord to renew your spirit so you can share your new found peace and joy with your family and friends. We all need a refreshing dose of peace and joy. I pray God will restore yours.

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

Crash!

by   May 16, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Crash!

            I teach Chinese students very early in the morning. I really enjoy my job because I can do it online from the comfort of my home. The students can steal your heart. I have several “favorite” students. I really like connecting with the students and learning about their lives. It’s actually “fun” to go to work, except for the early hour.

            The other morning I was teaching a student when I heard a huge crash outside of my window. It was so loud that I stopped teaching and tried to look outside and see what happened. I couldn’t see anything, but knew that something was up.

            When I finished teaching, my wife asked me if I heard the loud noise. Then she told me that I better go look in the woods, a big tree had fallen and she wondered if anything might have hit the house. Thankfully the house was fine, but there was a huge mess to clean up.

            Last fall we had a big wind storm that snapped an old, dead pine tree. The tree got caught up in other trees and did not fall. It was actually very scary. I figured I would have to hire a tree guy to come in and take the tree down at quite a big price. Without the slightest breeze, the big tree came crashing down, taking several other trees with it on the way to the ground.

            I spent the biggest part of a day working on the mess. I am not even halfway through the cleanup. I will probably have to cut a couple more trees down that are being bent over by the large pine tree. I haven’t worked that hard in a long time and my body complained about the work for several days. I haven’t even begun to think about how I will take care of the large tree trunks. I guess nature will have to take care of that.

            I have been thinking about what we are going through and imagining it must feel like that big tree falling. There has been a crash in our lives, now what do we do? I have a dear friend whose home was hit by a hurricane. It took 18 months to get back home. I know that some of my readers have been hit financially. Your dreams of a rosy future have come crashing down.

            Other readers have lost their jobs or been put on furlough. You have a double hit. You are struggling to figure out if your job is still there or where will you work in the future. Then you also have all the financial worries of how are you going to make ends meet. What started in January as a year filled with dreams has turned into a nightmare, with your world crashing down.

            Still other readers have faced the impossible, the loss of loved ones. In spite of how healthy and careful you thought you were, you or some loved ones came down with Covid-19. All the prayers you prayed and promises you made God have come crashing down. Your world has changed forever.

            Where is God? Why didn’t He come and rescue you? God is with you, even when you can’t feel His presence. His heart is broken over what you are going through. His people are here to comfort you. His angels have been dispatched to surround you. He is walking with you through your circumstances. You are NOT alone.

            The Bible is full of people who had to go through trials, wars, famines, and even unknown diseases like Covid-19. Just like today, some went home to be with the Lord, while others fought through to the other side. God hears our prayers, just as He did in biblical days. God will send answers and comfort and strength just as He did in biblical days. We don’t understand our suffering, but we can trust that He will see us through just as He did in the Bible.

            I know things are not easy right now, but let me encourage you that God is with you. Don’t run from God, run to Him. He is the source of your peace, comfort, and strength. He may not give you the answers you seek, but the wisdom you need to make it through. I believe we have more to go through, but we know the One who can get us through. He has not given up on you. He has heard your prayers. He will help you. Never give up. His love for you is greater than you can ever imagine.

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

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