The Wisdom of DECA

by   March 23, 2019 with No Comments

I went to my last State DECA Competition as a teacher last week. DECA is an organization for Marketing students. I have been an active sponsor for the club for my entire career. DECA allows the students to compete, develop leadership skills, become more civically minded, and have social interactions not only with their peers, but with professionals as well.

DECA members compete on the district, state, and international levels. In my career, I have been able to take students to the international DECA conference five times. We qualified a number of other times but were unable to attend for various reasons. It’s exciting to see your students make it up on the big stage at the state conference. This year two students made it on the stage, and they came off with the biggest smiles.

DECA trips give me and my students an opportunity to get to know each other in a greater way. This year I took my students to Olive Garden, where we shared a great meal and lots of laughs. We played some games and asked each other some questions. It is interesting to listen and learn about what the next generation thinks. I enjoy spending time with my students.

For a number of years I have worked with the state officer election process. I give the candidates a test and then help the screening and nominating committee as they interview the candidates. The committee does a great job assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the various candidates. Each year as I listen to these young people I find renewed hope for the next generation.

Each year I get a few moments alone with all the candidates right before they take their test. I tell them they have succeeded no matter whether they win or lose. They put themselves on the line. I also tell them about the time I ran a state officer. It was a close race that year. I might embellish the story just a little each year as I tell it. Several current and past state officers told me how much they enjoyed the story, so I told it again.

I cherished and enjoyed this year’s DECA conference. I took a great group of students who made me proud to be an East Davidson Golden Eagle. It was fun to go and see some old DECA friends. As I looked around I realized that I have become one of the older ones. How did that happen? I don’t feel older, but maybe just a little bit wiser.

I want to be a wise person not only in my professional life, but also in my spiritual life. As I consider how I got wiser professionally, I realize that I always found people who were better than me and hung around them. I tried to glean…OK, steal, any good idea I could from them. I wanted to take advantage of their experience. I realize that if I want to grow spiritually, I am going to have to do the same thing.

I know we can all grow on our own. I believe great growth can come when we are willing to submit and get under some great teachers. I have been fortunate to have some great pastors who shared their personal experiences. If we can acquire their experiences, we can save ourselves from having to learn the tough lessons they learned. If we will listen and apply the scriptures in the way they teach us, we can become wise.

Wisdom doesn’t always come with age. We have to glean it by listening and applying the lessons presented to us. The Bible is full of wisdom, but unless we apply it to our lives it is useless. God wants us to succeed and to have a good trip through life. But there is much we have to learn. I want to surround myself with friends who push me to live up, and to reach my highest potential. I want to garner the wisdom from those who have the scars of experience. I want to choose to grow in wisdom, knowledge and insight.

I want to encourage you to consider carefully who surrounds you. Do the people you call friends have your back? Do they want the best for you? Do they see your potential and try to draw it out of you? Do they encourage you and lift you up when you are down? Are they wise and are they willing to share their wisdom and insight? The choice is yours to reach your greatest potential.

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

Wasting Time

by   March 22, 2019 with No Comments

Wasting Time?

Everyone in my 6th grade class was working diligently on an assignment, except for one student. She had not even picked up her pencil. I finally walked over to her and whispered, “You need to stop wasting time.”

She looked up at me and said, “I was thinking about my daddy.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she told me that her army dad had left that morning to serve overseas in what she referred to as an unsafe place.

What I realized most at that point – was that I had been mistaken. She had not been wasting time. It was far from that. For her, this was a time of war. This was a time to weep. This was a time to mourn.

And…the other students apparently felt it was no longer a time to work at their desks. They knew instead that it was a time to speak. They began to ask if they could help.

They knew it was a time to love. One student walked over to her – and the others followed. She tearfully shared some of the emotions she was feeling.

Some knew it was a time to help her heal, so they offered words of encouragement. Some knew it was a time to embrace, so hugs were given.

Some knew it was a time to speak, and they closed their eyes to speak to their Savior.

I saw her months later in the mall, after a new school year had begun. Her dad was with her. It was my time to weep, as I realized that for her family, a time of peace had come.

God had made everything beautiful in his time.

I lost count of the number of times I used the word time as I wrote this, but I do know that God’s timing is important and we should trust it – as we face times in our lives that, according to Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 have a season and a purpose under heaven.

I learned some valuable lessons from that young lady and her classmates that day:

–What may look like – or even feel like – wasting time – may not be wasting time.

–We sure can learn a lot from taking time to look beyond actions – and see the heart.

–Sometimes, we should stop – and make time for those who need us.

​No wonder the word time is in the Bible 623 times…

Psalm 1

by   March 18, 2019 with No Comments

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Taking Care of our Temple

by   March 16, 2019 with No Comments

The weather is beginning to change. Many trees are blooming. Even though we haven’t seen Mr. Sunshine very much this year, it almost feels like spring. I walked around the yard the other day and there is plenty of work that needs to be done outside already. The problem is all the rain. I don’t want to complain though, because summer is coming and we will be begging to get a shower.

I kept busy doing some things inside last weekend, even though I wanted to do some outside tasks. I woke up Saturday with my back feeling a little tight. All the things I did that required bending over or doing some lifting all included some grunting. You know that sound that we all make when we are lifting.

By late in the evening I noticed the tightness in my back wasn’t going away even if I rubbed it a little. My Mom used to always tell me, “Just rub it,” about any part of my body that wasn’t feeling just right. I was rubbing it and it wasn’t feeling any better. Then, without provocation, I felt a stabbing pain in the back.

I was hurting pretty bad and not sure why. I hadn’t done anything. I asked some of the guys at work on Monday if any of them had similar events. All the older ones knew exactly what I was talking about, only one younger one did. That prompted me to wonder if I was of a certain age. My pastor, bless his soul, assures me that I am not of a certain age.

The pain humbled me enough that I sought some prayer. My wife began the process and I asked the elders and pastor to pray for me on Sunday. God in His love and grace took most of the pain away so I could function better, but left the edge of a reminder that I need to be careful with this temple I reside in and take care of it.

I don’t know why, but it seems that I have had to ask for prayer quite a bit this year. I’m not very good about asking for prayer. I have a tendency to fight my own battles. I am good about pulling myself up by my own boot straps. I like being the encourager, not the one needing encouraging. I like being strong. I like being the friend you can depend on. I like being the prayer warrior, the one who intercedes for others, not the one needing the intercession.

I can hear my mother now, “God is teaching you a lesson.” What does He want me to learn? First, I think He wants me to be careful with this temple. I am willing to work hard, but maybe I need to learn to work smarter. I am not twenty-five any more.

Second, I think God wants me to watch what I am putting in this temple. I am not just talking about food and drink, but vitamins and medicine, too. I also need to guard my ears from certain conversations, music, and news. I also need to watch what I am seeing. There is so much beauty we can enjoy, and many things we need to avoid.

I think I need to be careful what’s inside, in my thoughts. Philippians 4:8 gives a great list of things we should think about. I don’t know about you, but sometimes my thoughts can be negative and discouraging. God wants me to keep my thoughts positive and focused on Him.

There is a lot more to worry about with this temple…see right there…worrying! It’s so easy to head down the wrong path. God knows we all need each other. I need you to walk beside me, to encourage, challenge, and lift me up, but you need me to do the same. We all need to draw closer to God, spend some more time in His word, and learn that it is OK to lean on each other.

I want to encourage you to open up and allow someone lift you up when you are down. It’s hard, I know, but you might just discover how much you are loved. The Bible says we are supposed to encourage each other and to challenge each other to a deeper walk with God. So the next time you see someone a little down, reach out a hand and lift them up. Share one of your beautiful smiles with them and brighten their day. Remember, it’s OK to accept one, too.

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

Ain’t No Sunshine

by   March 14, 2019 with No Comments

Our firstborn lives in the Midwest. We visited by phone one morning on her way to get groceries. When she stopped for gas, I heard her say to the screen on the pump as she pushed the buttons, “NO, I do NOT have a rewards card. NO I do NOT want one. NO I DO NOT care about saving money. YES! I need a receipt! What? Now you’re out of paper and I have to go inside? Do you not know it’s 3 stinkin’ degrees out here? STOP with all the questions! Just give me the gas for crying out loud!”

Her door slammed and her voice returned to her normal pleasant tone.

“Hey Mama. How are you? How was your week-end?”

“Are you freezin’ Darlin’?” I laughed at her misery. According to my phone it felt like negative 11 in Ramsey, Illinois where she lives.

“It’s so COLD!” she confirmed as she cranked up the heater hot enough to singe the hair off her legs. Except I’m pretty sure she was wearing several layers of britches.

“It snowed the whole time we were in church yesterday. Our cars were covered when we got out. Then last night we had a fellowship meal and wondered if anyone would come. We had a great crowd and a really good time!”

I smiled at my daughter’s cheery disposition, well… minus the whole gas pump thing. She is one of the most positive and encouraging people I’ve ever known.

Her oldest daughter had a wreck last week in South Carolina where she attends college. Thankfully it was not her fault. Someone ran a red light and did several thousand dollars worth of damage to her vehicle. Stephanie was saying how thankful she was that Mykaela was not seriously injured.

“She’s pretty sore, and very shook up. Her car isn’t drivable, but they gave her time off from work. The other person’s insurance has been amazing and very helpful. It could have been so much worse.”

I glanced out the window as she told me about the things on her plate for the next few days. To me it was overwhelming. She’s writing a VBS curriculum, planning her sessions for a ladies retreat, and putting the final touches on a Girls’ Conference hosted by her church this week-end.

I looked at the mud that’s puddled up all around our house. The yard is so squishy it’s hard to get to the bird feeder, or anywhere else for that matter. It poured down again last night. I hate all this rain and silently wondered if it would ever end. Her words broke into my thoughts.

“Jeff and I spoke at a couples retreat for pastors and their wives this past weekend. It went really well, even the games. I came up with a Jenga game where we told something encouraging about our spouses and churches according to the stickers we drew. It was so much fun!”

Personally I’d rather stick a fork in my eye than play games which also require sharing my soul. I hate to admit it but I may be entering the early stages of Crudmudgeonry.

Another glance out the window revealed tiny birds taking a splash in the puddles under the feeder. They seemed as happy as-if they had good sense.

Cheerfully she informed, “I’m at Aldi’s in the parking lot. But the Jeep is really warm now. We can keep visiting if you’d like!”

I couldn’t help but smile as Stephanie continued. One can learn a lot from birds… and daughters… especially when they bring their own sunshine.

Ahh… It’s New

by   March 14, 2019 with No Comments

Ahh… a new car! Everyone who got in it would say, “I love the new car smell!” That continued for weeks.
But over time, the comments stopped. Now, a year later, comments are more like, “Yuck. What SMELLS in here?” The new did not last.

We love new, don’t we? New job, new house, new furniture, new phone, new clothes, new STUFF… the list can be endless.
But at some point, the new becomes old. It is not quite as exciting, not quite as effective, and never everlasting.
I have proven that by the number of items that now reside in my attic. Or have been given away — or thrown away.
Wouldn’t it be great if things could stay new?

Well… some things do.

Here is my short list of some NEWs that will never become old:

• A New Creation: If any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creation. Old things are passed away. All things are become NEW. 2 Corinthians 5:17

• New Mercy: The Lord’s mercies are NEW every morning. Great is his faithfulness. Lamentations 2:22-23

• A New Thing: Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a NEW thing. Now, it shall spring forth. Don’t you know it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19
I remember from years ago, my then 10-year-old son asking me as I was leaving for the grocery store, “Mom, can you get me something NEW this time?”

I laughingly asked, “Well, how do I identify it as being NEW?”

His response, “It will be in a shiny package and will have the word NEW on it.” Surprisingly, I found several items to match that description and he savored every bite.

NEW just seemed to make it better.

Read the verses again. Let them sink in to your spirit. How beautiful they are!

Now, imagine those verses wrapped in a shiny package labeled NEW — being hand delivered to you — by the Light of the World — in this world that sometimes may feel a little dark. Savor those promises. They were given to you.
Present promises provided by a personal and present God.

• We are a NEW creation.

• We receive NEW mercies every morning.

• God will do a NEW thing.

Gifts freely given. Receive them.

Isaiah 55

by   March 11, 2019 with No Comments

1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

No More Whining!

by   March 9, 2019 with No Comments

March 4, 2019 by Lynna Clark

I really hate whining. When our kids were little I’d stop them in mid-crisis to inform: “Mommy can’t hear you when you whine.” One of them commented when she had her own children, “I think I was an adult before I realized: you really COULD hear me!”

Now that I feel the need to whine, I’m not sure what to do. I try to keep my writing as genuine as possible. So I need you to know. I am hurting. Even a gentle hug is painful.

Did I ever tell you that I have a mystery disease? Pain grips my body at times with such fierceness that I am knocked onto my ample rear end for days. Last week was one such time. I was in so much pain I had to have help getting out of the recliner. I don’t know why. This ailment began over forty years ago when I was just a kid in high school. At least that’s the first time I remember being in unusual pain for no particular reason. I grew up around water where we jumped in the murky depths of Lake Norman from the family pier. One particular day when I sank into that cold water I really thought I might die. Slowly I climbed back onto the pier and rested in the sun. It seemed to help. Since my parents also had a “no whining” policy, I never said a word. Later when I went off to college things got worse. By the spring of my freshman year I was in such terrible pain I could hardly get home from south Florida. A doctor there gave me some pain killers so I could make the sixteen hour trip. And I figured if one pill was good, a couple more would be better. My fiancé David and his buddy Barry loaded up the Camaro, checked on the girl passed out in the back seat, and drove me home. I landed in the hospital for two weeks of tests. Frankly I was glad. Finally we’d get some answers! They took x-rays, spinal fluid, did an experimental test called a myelogram where they shot dye into my spine and searched for anything abnormal. Nothing showed up. According to them it was all in my head.

As I said before that was over forty years ago. That’s a long time to wander in a desert wishing for an end to the painful journey. During those years I’ve experienced every kind of emotion a person can have. Last week the full gamut of feelings hit once again. Tears, anger, exasperation, self-pity, you name it. I could not function. I was so mad I threw things. Okay, so it was another cancer bill I was sure I had paid, but clearly I was not the picture of style and grace.

In case you’re going through something painful too, I want to give you permission to whine. Even as I write that I cringe. I still really hate whining. However, God knows your heart. He’s a great listener! Plus He gets it. He knows that you and I are just dust. And if nothing else, some of us are going to enjoy heaven waaayyy more than others. Maybe then He’ll smile as He whispers, “Finally child! You’re in a place where whining is not only absent, it’s no longer necessary!”

Then He’ll hug us as tight as He wants. And it won’t even hurt!

Where Do We Grow?

by   March 7, 2019 with No Comments

Last fall, when all the winter forecasts started to post on the internet, everyone said it was going to be a cold and snowy winter. December made me a believer, with the heavy snowfall we received. I thought we were on the way to a winter wonderland. The Gulf of Mexico kept its end of the bargain and sent up copious amounts of water, there just wasn’t enough cold air around to make the snow. We do live here in the Carolinas; March can sometimes surprise us around here.

I walked out in my yard the other day and all I could find was soggy soil. There is no way I am going to be getting the tiller out in the garden anytime soon. Even though I have raised beds the ground is way too wet. With the arrival of daylight savings time, I am anxiously waiting to get started on my garden.

One of the secrets to a good garden is good soil. I have brought truckloads of soil into this yard since I moved here. I also put the leaves in my garden to help build up the soil. I have lots of worms in my soil which I know helps to create the perfect place to gets things growing. I know it’s early, but I am getting excited about the upcoming season.

Most gardeners know it takes the right amount of sunshine, water, and some good soil to make things grow well. So what conditions do we need for some good spiritual growth? Jesus taught us in the parable of the sower that the right soil conditions are critical for a good harvest. So what do we need if we really want to grow spiritually strong?

Someone pointed out to me recently that mountain-top experiences with God do not create good spiritual growth. I wanted to strongly object. When I experience God in a close, personal, and intimate way it spurs me on to growth. The person pointed out that mountain tops are covered in rocks. There isn’t the good soil required for growth.

Rich soil exists in the valleys. Our emotions enjoy the highs we experience on the mountain tops, but real growth occurs in the valleys. The valleys of life are filled with trials, difficulties, and challenges. Every step requires great effort. How can we experience growth when things are so hard?

Most gardeners know that adding cow manure to your soil will help things grow. So that means that we will grow better and stronger spiritually when we are faced with rough times. When we are walking through the manure of life our spirits grow stronger as our faith is stretched and we find ourselves leaning heavily on God.

When we are called upon to trust God, especially when we can’t see our next step, that’s when our faith will grow. When the doctor gives us news we don’t want to hear. When our finances turn into a big mess. When we open our paycheck and find a pink slip. When we watch our loved ones struggling with health issues. When the storms of life are howling. Those are the kinds of things that cause us to fall on our knees and cry out to God. It’s in those unbearable moments that our faith and trust in God is forced to grow.

When the strong winds are blowing and the waves seem higher than buildings, we cling to a God who will not let us go. Whether the miracle comes or not, we believe in a God who will not fail or reject us. We know that He is the rock on whom we stand. He will not falter, nor will He allow us to be overcome. Sometimes I think God has way too much faith in me, but then I realize that He is right there walking with me, and if necessary, carrying me through the storm. He promises never to leave us.

I sense that some of you are walking through the storms of life. I want to encourage you to press on, to hold on to God. God will not let you down. He is with you. He will never leave you. You will come out of this stronger, better, and victorious. And when you do, you will have another testimony to the goodness and greatness of our God. You will be stronger because your roots have grown deep in the soil of your faith. You are a fighter who never gives up. Let the storms rage, you WILL overcome.

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

But If Not…

by   March 6, 2019 with No Comments

But if not, we want you to know, O king, that we will NOT serve your gods, and we will NOT worship the golden image you set up!

That was a pretty bold statement coming from three friends about to be cast into a fiery furnace!
The words were said after King Nebuchadnezzar set up a statue that was 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide. He commanded that everyone stop when they heard music playing and worship the statue.
And if they did not, they would be cast into a fiery furnace — so hot that its’ fiery blast killed the soldiers who opened the door!

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — could have taken the easy way out — maybe bow for a second, but not worship. Or they could say they were just following the customs of the land at that time. There were lots of excuses — or ways out — of the situation. And then they could ask God to forgive them. And God would.
So, why didn’t they? Maybe because they knew that would be putting other gods before the true God. Or maybe because they knew that would hurt their testimony.

It was a tough choice to make. Then, King Nebuchadnezzar said, “Who is this god that is going to deliver you?” That may have made them even more bold, because the god that was going to deliver them was THEIR God — the only true God!
In Daniel 3:16, they said that they did not even have to think about their decision or defend themselves in that matter. They had quickly made their choice — conviction over comfort. They were taking a stand for God instead of a stoop to an idol.
In verse 17, their trust in God seemed even more pronounced: If it be so, our God whom we serve is ABLE to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace and deliver us out of your hand, O king.

This is when the ‘but if not’ verse — Daniel 3:18 — happened. It was the boldest statement of all – they wanted King Neb to know that no matter what, they would not serve his gods or worship the golden image he set up.
Ooohhhh! King Neb was so full of fury that he had the heat turned up 7 times hotter!

The most mighty men in the army were then told to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

Shortly after that, King Neb asked his counselors one of the best questions ever, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” Their answer was: True.

Then came one of the best follow up responses to one of the best questions ever when King Neb said, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
When they walked out, they didn’t even smell like smoke!

• And… the king gave them a promotion!
Going through the fire?
• We don’t even have to defend ourselves.
• If it be so, our God is able to deliver us.
• God is in the fire with us- no matter how hot it gets.
• The same power that delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is available for us.
• We won’t even smell like smoke … and we may get a promotion.
• But if not… serve God anyway.

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com

1 2