Creating Balance

by   May 25, 2024 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            A friend posted a picture on Facebook of his beautiful backyard. There is a swing in a serene location and he said he felt it calling him to come and rest. My friend has worked hard both in the natural and in the spirit all his life. He deserves an opportunity to rest. I can easily imagine my friend communing with his Father on that swing. I love beautiful, quiet places where I can be with my Father and listen for His voice.

            Most of my life I have struggled with resting. I was always good at resting when we went to the beach. I was not so good at resting in my daily life. I believe I was a workaholic. I worked long hours for most of my career. It wasn’t until late in my career that I began to learn to release and let it go. I recognize the pattern in others because I used to live that way. It’s not healthy. It’s a lie that we believe that we have to do all this work to prove ourselves or because no one else can do it as good as we can.

            There is another lie that catches other folks that is just as wrong. Some people love God but they believe that they don’t need to do any work for His kingdom. They believe that other people can do the work. I have never met a pastor who told me he had too many volunteers. There is always work that needs to be done, and God intends for each person in the family of God to help get the work done.

            There is also work that needs to be done in reaching out to the world around us. Jesus was constantly moving from village to village, helping people and reaching out to the broken hearted and sick people. Look around you. Our world is still broken and in need of a savior. You have the Good News in your heart that the world is hungry to hear. Jesus needs people like you and me to share His love and hope. Jesus said the fields are ripe for harvest but there are few workers willing to do the work.

            Some people work tirelessly doing way more than their share of the work, while others sit around and fail to offer any help. What we need is balance. I know that some people physically can’t help with some of the work. That doesn’t mean you can’t help in other ways. Maybe you could visit someone who is shut in and lonely or read to children. There are so many simple and practical ways you can make a big difference.

            For those who carry so much of the load, you need balance, too. Maybe instead of trying to do everything yourself, you could help encourage others to become engaged in serving in the body of Christ. You can train, guide, and encourage them to participate, which in turn will allow you the opportunity to rest.

            I believe that developing a healthy balance in all areas of our lives will help us live longer and more fulfilled lives. The truth is that we all need times to rest and be alone with God to recharge our batteries. When we keep our own batteries fresh then we will have more to give to others. God wants us to connect more with Him.

            I believe we need to get proper rest, eat healthy food, stay physically active, take care of our mental health, and make sure our spirits are being fed the Word of God. Each of these things takes time. We have to avoid being overly engaged and make sure we are taking care of ourselves. If we overlook the critical balance of self-care then we will be less effective in our ability to serve in God’s kingdom.

            I want to encourage you to examine your life and see if you have a well-balanced physical, mental, and spiritual life. Are you taking good care of your temple? Are you eating right and getting exercise? Are you working to reduce your stress, worry, and anxiety, and maintain good mental health? How is your spiritual life? Do you read your Bible and pray? Are you connected with a local church and are you serving in some capacity? God needs you to be a beacon of hope and life, but that is difficult if your life is out of balance. Ask God to help you develop the proper balance so you can be effective and balanced in all the areas of your life.

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

Wild Woodstock

by   May 24, 2024 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

        This is our first spring in the Valley since 2016. As expected newness arrived.

Last week our bird feeders and sunflower seed stored in a metal can were trashed by, yes, a bear. Fortunately, the bear climbed the four-foot fence without damaging it and only scattered things a bit. However, the feeders and metal container are now kept inside, and the feeder out only during daylight hours.

There are three bird boxes in the back yard, and one of them is on a tree next to the workshop. As I have been puttering about in the shop, I have enjoyed watching the nuthatch pair coming and going with small morsels in their beaks for the clamoring young. But two days ago there was no activity in or around the box for a long time, but then one of the parent birds landed on top of the box but did not enter. Then the other parent appeared, but only fluttered around. They would fly away, then return to only peek into the box while sitting on its top or tree.

I  knew what was going on, but kept waiting and watching the parent nuthatches, wishfully hoping that what I knew to be was not true. Finally I went to the box and opened the side wall to see the coiled snake resting on what had been a beautiful nest but now was only a soiled reminder of “nature’s beautiful way.” I left the side wall open and later, after the black racer had left, cleaned out the violated nest, hoping against what I knew that the pair would return to the box.

Yesterday afternoon I got a full view of the snake as it sunned itself on the shop deck, It is thick and over three feet long. It is quite a specimen, especially for a town snake. Because we don’t know its gender, Mary Ann and I named it Sydney.

Our small back yard holds much life. The fish pond shelters 15 goldfish and one large frog, named of course, Jeremiah. Birds galore come for the day ration of sunflower seeds and the water of the pond. Now the garden’s resident snake has introduced itself and become public. Nick the beagle has yet to encounter Sydney, but we are hopeful that all he will do is bark. After all, they both have their purpose in our garden.

Poets say that a poem is never finished; so for gardens.

As I look out the window near my computer I see the purple irises next to the gate. At Lake Norman I complimented a neighbor, Mrs. Bumgardner, on hers. She gave me a bag of bulbs, and my friend Mike helped me plant them next to our gate there. I brought some with me and planted them last summer–   a  reminder of Mrs. Bumgardner and my buddy Mike.

They, like other garden work to come, are a journey that will never be finished, just enjoyed for its beauty and memory.

Compassion & Tuition!

by   May 23, 2024 with No Comments

Steve Hartman shows us what it takes to make a difference in someone’s life. Just throwing money at someone isn’t enough! Watch and see what I am talking about…

Peaceful Sleep

by   May 22, 2024 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Psalms 4:8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

  • It is a blessing and a gift from God to have a fulfilling nights sleep.
  • When our sleep is tampered with and disturbed, it causes us to become less effective and fruitful.
  • God gives us peace and even wonderful deep sleep – it is our birth right.  Let us claim it continually.

Prayer:  Lord I thank You for all that You do and all that You provide.  I thank You for your protection and love for me and even for the daily bread, but especially for the every nights good peaceful sleep and that I am well rested.  I thank You that You continue to give this to me and my household.  Amen.

   
Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Bite Your Tongue

by   May 21, 2024 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Bite your tongue

What?

Intentionally bite our tongue?

I do not think so.

That could hurt.

A tongue has no bones, but it is strong enough to break a heart.

A tongue has no bones, but it has eight muscles that work overtime.

Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind one to another.

Colossians 4:6 – Let our speech always be with grace.

Proverbs 16:24 – Pleasant words are sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

Ann 1:1 – Train up a tongue in the way that it should go.

Just kidding. I made that one up.

I am still working on training my tongue.

Do not let our mouths work faster than our minds. Hmm? That may take practice.

Have you ever had to eat your words?

I have.

They are not very tasty to say the least.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.

I beg to differ. Words can hurt. So, let’s throw that old saying out the window.

The difference between using a right word and a wrong word is more like the difference in lightning and a lightning bug.

Everyone seems wise until they speak. Quite often, I wish I had kept my mouth shut.

We all need to be reminded of this: Our. Words. Have. Power.

I am sorry. I love you. I believe in you. I forgive you. Will you forgive me? You can do it. May I help you? Let me do that for you. You are right. I trust you. I am so proud of you. You are really special. I was wrong. You are doing a great job.

That is just a sampling, but we all get the idea.

Words challenge.

Words calm.

Words connect.

Words cheer.

Words confirm.

Words comfort.

Words. Change. Us.

Choose. Words. Carefully.

Maya Angelou, a poet who is well known for her autobiographical writings, beautifully stated: “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” There are many people with clouds hovering over them – and no rainbow in sight. Let’s grab our dictionaries and start finding encouraging and positive words to empower others to see that rainbow!

Ready? Set? Go….

Thank you for reading my column!

Let me know how your tongue-biting goes…at annfarabee@gmail.com

Reflection from Matthew 11

by   May 20, 2024 with No Comments

By Rhonda Sassano

Matt 11:28-30 

Jesus, You said, “Come to me, (your name here,) you who are tired, exhausted, ready to give up because your burden is weighty, cumbersome, heavier than you can shoulder. Come to Me and I will give you rest.  Leave your burden here.  Give it to me.  I will carry it. Surrender all the worries and anxieties.  Tell fear to get out.  I am Your Hero.        

 When you make Me your priority and push aside all the distractions, you can hear My whisper.  Under all the voices that clamor for your attention, listen for Me. I will teach you.  Let Me teach you. I am humble; I wait for you to notice Me.  I am gentle and My heart knows you and loves you. There is rest to be found for your soul.  Rest is right here, at My feet.  In My presence. Like a well spring at your feet that rises and immerses you.  My words are life and breath for your spirit. SOAK in them. Soak them IN. They bring health and wholeness to your body and to your mind.  Choose My yoke.  Choose My words. Choose My way. My way is fulfillment.  Purpose.  Meaning.  Light.  No condemnation.  No expectations or guilt.  I give you ability and strength and creativity to accomplish all that really needs accomplishing.  In my perfect instructions, your spirit will revive and be refreshed in obedience.”

 I receive Your Words to me today, sweetest Jesus.  Speak to my heart and I will listen and obey.  

With joy, 

Rhonda 

“God is not looking for those who can but those who will.”

Of Bluebirds & Graduates

by   May 19, 2024 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Do you have a bluebird box? I received one a few years ago. I needed to research the best place to put it, so I just set it on the back of the mailbox post, and for the last few years, it has remained there. We have witnessed several visitors over the last three years.

Sometimes, a cautious peek reveals nothing more than a nest. At other times, there is a clutch of three turquoise eggs. Sadly, some have not made it to hatchlings. Perhaps another creature preyed upon them. But there are glorious times when little chirps reveal success, and we anxiously await the weeks leading to their departure. 

This year, my watchful youngest two and I were honored to observe the stages of parents and their brood. After weaving the nest, the parents perched in the nearby crepe myrtle with anticipation. Another peek inside the nesting box revealed tightly closed eyes and mouths opened wide, hoping for a bite that mom or dad had foraged and later gray, downy babies sitting contentedly inside, getting plumper. 

Two weeks ago, as my youngest two and I made our way to the minivan, low-flying bluebirds swooped down upon us like fighter jets. We ducked for cover and ran for the van. How odd! We thought. We knew this was uncommon, so we sat and watched. Ah, the treasures that await the patient observer!

For the next 10 minutes, we witnessed parent birds encouraging the babies to launch from the nest. Leading by example, they would go through the quarter-sized hole, give a chattering pep talk, and then fly back out of their box. At other moments, perched on our house, they watched for the potential threat of the humans and predators –  darting close to the classic gold Honda Odyssey, keeping us at bay.

Finally, one little fellow found his wings. Clumsily, down onto the ground, he fell. But Mama and Papa bird chirped either encouragement or warning – which, I am not sure. Within seconds, little Junior was fluttering in the air. Success!

It could be because I have my first high school (and homeschool) graduate, but this lesson was timely. Mama and Papa prepared cautiously for our eldest’s arrival. Immature, still learning as parents, much less adults, we tried our best to provide and nurture him while he was young, to keep him fed through his teen years, and to comfort him in tumultuous times of misunderstandings, grief, broken relationships, and hard lessons. As he has finished his final homeschooling days, we must rest in our efforts to give him both caution and encouragement, probably leaning too much on caution at times because of dangers we see, have experienced personally, or allow to rule unnecessarily. We will have to continue to push him positively when things look too scary for him to face, sharing how we have done it and pointing out potential obstacles while reminding him that this great big world is awaiting his impact and contributions.

Thank you, Lord, for providing care for the little bluebirds. You see each one that falls. How much more do You love those You made in Your image? Help us to trust Your care and direction for our little fledglings. 

Now, pardon me, there appears to be another brood awaiting their turn growing up and preparing to leave the nest!

Ashlie Miller and her husband parent five in Concord, NC. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com. 

Growing Thoughts

by   May 18, 2024 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Growing Thoughts

            It has been a hectic and challenging start to the gardening season. The challenge has been trying to find some dry days to plant the garden. It seems when I have time, it rains. When I am busy with other things, we will have warm and sunny days. I got home today just hoping to get a few more things planted in the garden. There was some rain on the way and I wanted to beat it.

            Things were going along well when one of those pre-thunderstorm gusts blew in. I hoped and prayed for a little favor. I moved quickly. A few drops fell, but it subsided and I kept working. As I finished all I wanted to get done I looked up and saw the rain coming. I quickly gathered my things, and a few steps before I made it to the garage the rain started. I laughed even though I was a little wet and then looked up and said, “Thank you, Lord.”

            While I was working quickly to get everything done I noticed how peaceful it was out in the garden. My mind relished the peacefulness. I had a busy week last week…too busy! Weeks like that are not good for my mind and my thoughts. I catch myself thinking about things that don’t deserve the time of day. I also find myself unable or maybe unwilling to resist thoughts that I should avoid. So the peacefulness I find from being outside brings great comfort.

            Sometimes when I get to the end of one of those weeks I find my thoughts are jumbled. We have to remember that there are three sources for our thoughts. First, we create many of our own thoughts. We are working things out. We allow anxious thoughts or worry to roam freely and unchecked. The second place our thoughts come from is the enemy. He will give us lies about ourselves or sinful thoughts. Here is where we have to choose to entertain those thoughts of to take them captive.

            The final source of our thoughts is from God. These are obviously good thoughts and ones we should meditate upon. The trouble is that the noise of the world, the worries and cares of this life, our own thoughts, and the thoughts of the enemy are all in competition with the thoughts God is offering us. We are called to choose. The Bible teaches us in second Timothy that God gives us a spirit of power, love, and self-control. We have to take responsibility for our thoughts and to squelch the ones that don’t belong.

            It’s not an easy thing to do. The reality is that it’s challenging to take responsibility for our thoughts. When we are busy at our jobs or engaged in some activities that require our focus our thoughts work for us. It’s during those down times that our minds are free to ponder. Sometimes we are tired or maybe overwhelmed by life and it’s hard to muster the effort to control our thoughts.

            Last week when I arrived in church I felt like I had lost the battle in my mind. The week had been busy, but it had been good except for the battlefield of my mind. I felt God’s gentle reminder over the weekend that He gave me a spirit of self-control through reading second Timothy. I felt like I let God down.

            We sang a song during worship that encouraged us to lean back into God’s loving arms. I imagined Jesus sitting under a tree on a warm, sunny day. Then I imagined that I was leaning back into His loving arms. I let Him hold me. I told Him that I was sorry I had failed. I let His love and mercy wash over me. It was beautiful. His peace enveloped me. My body, mind, and spirit were captured by this incredible peace that I cannot explain and did not feel like I deserved.

            I want to encourage you to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and lean back into the loving arms of Jesus. Release your burdens. Give Him your cares. Surrender all the negative thoughts. Give Him your worries and anxieties. Now receive from Him the gifts of mercy, forgiveness, and His perfect peace. Receiving them means you have to open them and let them wash over you like a wave at the beach. He loves you! He sees you as beautiful! You are His brother or sister. You are family. He wants you to walk in His love, joy, and peace. Now, aren’t those much better thoughts? Let those thoughts grow! 

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

Urgent Prayer Needed

by   May 18, 2024 with No Comments

Hi Readers, I am sending this request out on behalf of David. He was working on his farm on Wednesday when he took a big fall and broke his back. He is in the trauma unit in Concord. Please keep him in your prayers. Ask that God guide the doctors as they work to treat David. We are believing for a full recovery! We believe that our God is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we can ask, think, or imagine.

I will keep you updated….

Thank you!

Pines

by   May 17, 2024 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

            Had Robert Frost lived where I do on Lake Norman, would he have written a poem about pine trees and not one about birches?  Pine trees are not as limber as the birches that Frost writes about, so no young boy could be a swinger of pines because a pine would snap, sending the swinger to the ground in a rush, not a slow arch as with the birch.  However, since moving to Isle of Pines Road on the Lake, I have been thinking of Frost and his birches and their meaning for him. And pines.

            Now, if you move to a road named Isle of Pines, then you know for sure one thing about your new neighborhood.  However, as in all situations, knowing about it and living it are two different things. All summer I knew about this isle we were moving to, but in the past few weeks I have been living in the isle and learning about its pines and their ways. The abundance of pine cones and needles taught me the first lesson: There are more of them than of me, so I needed to develop a plan for co-existence, not battle.

            Our house was built in the late 1990s, but it appears that no previous owner worked with the pine needles, allowing them to take over areas next to the house and on the driveway. After planting the small butterfly garden in the back yard, I grabbed by trusty pitchfork and removed them to create a border next to our neighbor’s fence. I used a shovel to scrape away the layer of hard mulch and small roots that had spread across the edge of the driveway. This reclamation of space made room for grass and flowers and gave me a sense of ownership but not control. Each time I looked up to the green canopy of over thirty pine trees in our front yard, I realized my place in this isle of pines. 

            One cleared area between the house and the walkway to the back yard has been designated for a bloom of azaleas, and the small area next to the front entrance will be many pots full of shade loving flowers.  The long area following the driveway has been planted with fescue grass, but one large area next to our neighbor’s fence has yet to be planned. (A wild area perhaps). The remainder of the front is either struggling green or piled pine needles nestled at the base of their trees. There are no pine trees in the back yard until you get near the Lake, and we will work with those after we come to full terms around the house.

            However, I have learned quite a bit from the over thirty tall pine trees in our front yard. One day while raking, I heard the soft wind travelling through the canopy. It was one of the loveliest of nature’s many melodies. Even the shower of needles that followed was delightful. I have even come to appreciate the symmetrical style of the female pine cones while respecting their piercing points. I no longer startle at the sound of scampering squirrels as they race across the pine’s rough bark, but I did marvel on the day I found my first cone that had been gnawed by a squirrel leaving only its core with a tuft of immature seeds remaining on the top, causing it to look like some cartoon character. And who could not enjoy the bird sounds that erupt from the green canopy high above me. But, perhaps the most enjoyment I have learned from the pines is the way the sun’s light first comes to the topmost green and slowly makes its way down to the thick bases as if caressing the rough, brown bark.

            Unlike Frost, I never swung on birches, but as a boy I did climb pine trees. Despite their roughness, sap, and the lasting odor they left on me, I enjoyed their convenient limbs that invited a boy to climb to their lofty tips. The trees in our yard are so tall they have no lower limbs, but even if they did, I am too old to climb. Frost writes that there are worse things to be than a swinger of birches. I agree. And there are worse things than living with pines.

1 … 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 … 207