Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            It has been a hot week. Does that mean summer has arrived? It is unusual to have such hot weather this early in the year. Hopefully, the rains that are coming will bring the temperatures back to late spring weather. Summer doesn’t officially arrive until late June.

            With all the hot, dry weather I have been out watering quite a bit lately. It’s early for things to look dry and wilted. We are working to keep things watered and the flowers and vegetables are looking good. I finally finished getting everything in the vegetable garden last weekend. Now I just have to keep the bunnies out and take care of the watering.

            We have been enjoying local strawberries for several weeks now. That season will soon be ending and it won’t be long before the blueberries and raspberries start coming in. We have our fingers crossed that we will get a good local peach crop this year. We enjoy eating all the fresh fruit and berries, especially over some pancakes.

            We’ve been firing up the grill some this spring. The grill needed some new parts. The grates were almost completely worn out. When I replaced them, I noticed that the burners were not functioning well, either. I got those parts installed, so now I am ready to go for the summer.

            I like being outside as much as possible. That’s why I am a big fan of the warm spring days and the cool fall days. I don’t care much for the humidity-filled, oppressive summer days, or the freezing winter days. I guess you could call me a weather moderate. I will confess that I am a fan of hurricanes and snowstorms, but I like all kinds of exciting weather.

            I like being outside on nice days. I like the peacefulness of sitting on the front porch whether I am thinking, praying, or reading. I like working in my garden, where I am alone with my thoughts. I like working with my wife on her flowers and tropical plants. It is so peaceful and we are both in our happy place. We both enjoy working on plants together.

            It’s in those quiet places that I can hear from heaven. I firmly believe that God wants to talk with us, but we have to give Him room and space to reach us. We also have to remove all the mental distractions and the worries of the day. When we can do that, we can hear Him.

            I have been reading in Romans recently. I have been going slow and am thinking of going even slower. There are so many good gems hidden in that book. Take, for example, the first couple of verses of chapter 5. When we ask Jesus into our lives to be our personal savior, God transfers His righteousness to us. He then declares that we are faultless. I don’t know about you, but I can assure you that I am not faultless. Regardless of that, God, the creator of the universe, declares me to be faultless because of what Jesus did for me.

            There is also the gift of peace. There is peace between God and me. Jesus’ blood covers all my sin, creating the open relationship with God. The peace God gives me guards my heart no matter what is going on in the world around me. The peace He offers can also invade my mind if I open the door.

            These verses also tell me that I have permanent access to the kindness of God. He is a good, good Father. As our good Heavenly Father He wants to pour His love in us. He will take very good care of us. He will meet our needs and bring healing to our broken lives.

            On top of all that, He wants to fill our hearts with His contagious joy. This joy will spring forth from us in spite of the circumstances around us. If we find ourselves in difficult places He promises to give us hope for a brighter tomorrow. The hope He gives will help us to hang on through the tough times until our help comes from heaven to rescue us.

            I want to encourage you to open your Bible and begin reading. God has hidden some wonderful promises and great stories to encourage our faith. Look what I found in two verses. Imagine what you might discover as you begin to read more of God’s love letter to you. God has a bright future planned for you. You can trust Him and depend on Him if you open your heart to Him.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I looked out the window at my vegetable garden the other morning, enjoying all the seedlings that were growing and producing their first leaves. Joy flooded my soul. I breathed in peace. But that peace suddenly evaporated at the sight of a rabbit in my garden. He was eating my precious vegetables.

            I ran outside and TRIED to scare him. He froze. I was close enough to pet him before he moved; he didn’t want to leave the breakfast table. I chased him back into the woods. There was a little damage, but I thought we would be alright.

            One evening my wife looked out the window and saw THREE small bunnies jumping and playing in my garden. Off I ran to chase them away. One other evening I saw the cutest little baby bunny in the yard eating clover. I walked over and explained to the bunny he was allowed to eat all the clover he wanted, but he better stay out of the garden. He was a good bunny.

            I put some fences up around my vegetable gardens last year, which helped keep the deer out of the garden. I know they visit the yard, as they nibble other things and leave some little presents in the grass for me. The squirrels aren’t deterred by the fences. They can crawl over or under them.

            While there are some pests in the garden, there are also some good bugs and critters in the garden. I never chase a ladybug away because they eat bad insects. We are all dependent on bees or we wouldn’t get any fruits or vegetables. Butterflies, besides being beautiful, also help to pollenate plants. Even the neighborhood bat helps to keep the mosquito population down.

            I have been teaching my Chinese students about the benefit of worms. They do a lot of work in the garden to help loosen the soil, and create great fertilizer. I once had a friend tell me I was like a worm in his life. I was quite offended by his comment, but he said that he meant it as a compliment. He said that I helped him go through the tough places in his life and I helped to break up the fallow ground. I jokingly told him that I would prefer to be called a roto-tiller, it sounded better and stronger.

            If we think of our lives like vegetable gardens it might help us understand the dynamics of our spiritual walks. Being in fellowship with our brothers and sisters is like having the good bugs in the garden. They will help us break up fallow ground. They won’t let us be lazy. They will encourage us to be fruitful and productive in our lives. Probably most importantly, they can help us get plugged in to where we can serve in the kingdom.

            There are many bugs and pests that can keep us from being productive in our Christian walk. We all know that sin keeps us out of God’s presence and makes us unproductive. We all also know the solution. We have to confess our sins and turn away…repent. I believe that sin is not the major thing that keeps us unproductive.

            It’s all the things that distract us and keep us from being about the kingdom business. Many of the things are not bad or sinful things. Watching TV is great and relaxing, but sometimes we keep watching instead of doing kingdom business. Social media is fun and helps us keep up with family and friends, but it can also be a huge time waster. Exercising is very important for the physical body, but some people will spend hours on workouts and never lift the cover of their Bibles.

            There is always yardwork and housework that needs to be done. We will never be done with either one. They have to get done, but we can use them as an excuse to keep us from doing kingdom business. It’s important to do good deeds and help others, but we need to ask God what He wants us to do for others.

            I want to encourage you to honestly evaluate how you are spending your time. It’s not a guilt trip. There are so many pests that can pull you away from the purposes and plans of God. Ask God what’s on His priority list for you today. Do that first and you will have a more fulfilling day. God wants you strong, fruitful, and productive in all areas of your life. Make choices to spend time with Him and to serve Him, then you will produce a harvest for Him.

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

By Doug Creamer

A Mother’s Love

            My mother lives about an hour away and I try to get by and see her a couple of times a month. My mother is what I call “Information Central.” When I arrive at her house she tells me all the family news. There is lots of news when you consider her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She knows or wants to know what is going on in everyone’s family. Then when she finds out, she can’t hold it in. She is just so excited to share the news.

            Naturally, when I arrive she wants to know any news from my little corner of the world so she can add it to her collection of family news. I think my mother would have made a great traveling news person from long ago. She can tell stories in such interesting ways. I sometimes worry about who will keep all the news when she is no longer with us.

            My mother always has something she wants to show me. At this time of the year it will probably be related to gardening. It could also be the snake she killed in her house, have you heard that story yet? Sometimes she wants to show me something she found at the store for one of the grandkids. She is so excited and can’t wait to see their faces when she gives it to them.

            My mom is getting a little older, although she will tell you she’s a year older than she actually is. Her reason is that she is “working” on that age. Anyway, I like to help her with whatever chores I can while I am there. Our parents sacrificed and give so much of themselves for us while we were growing up, it feels nice to be able to pay some of that back at this point in my life. She always appreciates anything I do even though it doesn’t feel like much.

            I think most moms make great cheerleaders for any accomplishments in their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Moms are genuinely excited and proud of achievements. It is nice to be noticed for the good things and accomplishments in life.

            When it comes down to it, moms wear so many different hats in life. First, they go through all the trouble to bring us into this world. Their burden doesn’t end there. They have to take care of us when we are sick, fix all our bumps and scrapes, feed and try to keep our growing bodies in clothes, help us with our homework, take us to our many activities, listen to our problems, and forgive us when we say mean things. They take care of our physical needs, help us through emotional moments, and try to point us to God for our spiritual needs.

            The truth is no mom is perfect. Mrs. Cleaver or Mrs. Brady from TV just don’t exist in the real world. Moms are real people who struggle to maintain in an imperfect world. They do their best, and understandably, have to leave the rest. Our job, according to scripture, is to love, honor, and appreciate them.

            I have heard through the years of people who have been blessed to find a second mom. They discovered someone who shows them the love, care, and boundaries that they missed at home. It’s wonderful when we can find someone who provides that deep sense of comfort. The scriptures promise us that God himself will step in and be our mother and our father if we find ourselves in that place of need.

            God loves us far greater than any parent ever could. His love is perfect. It provides the support and corrective guidance to help us live godly lives. His love encourages and challenges us to fulfill our God-ordained purpose in life. His love draws us into a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. His love fills the empty hole left by an absent parent. His love can and will meet us at any point of need in our lives. We just have to open our hearts to Him.

            I want to encourage you to open your heart to God. It doesn’t matter if you had great parents, absent parents, or something in between; God wants to heal any brokenness in your heart. God loves you unconditionally, but His love will not leave you in a broken state. His love will grow you and mold you into the image of His Son. His love wants to mold you into a vessel that can carry His perfect love so you can share it with others.

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

By Doug Creamer

Plant Day

            There is a day in late spring that I consider a very happy day. It’s the day when all my wife’s plants move out of the garage and find their summer home outside. I imagine the plants are happy, too. Some of them are leggy and in need of some TLC. My wife and I work on them together. We trim off old, dead leaves. We add soil and fertilizer when needed. Some plants get cut way back, while others get repotted.

            The plants will fill both the front and back porch areas. They get moved around all summer as they will grow bigger and fuller. I love to sit on the porch and read with her plants all around. There is such a wonderful peace being surrounded by her plants. It is a happy day when the plants come out of the garage.

            I have also been working out in the vegetable garden. I have everything in the garden except the tomatoes. I know, what’s wrong with me? Between the late cold snaps and just being busy with other things, we haven’t made our many spring trips to the garden centers. We’ll be out there soon; I hear those tomatoes calling.

            I want to put up some more fences to discourage the deer from paying us a visit. I haven’t seen them in the yard yet this year, but I am sure they are in the woods. I am also going to have to do some work on the squirrels and rabbits. They need a little discouraging, too. They are both a bit brazen. They will sit a few feet away and eat.

            I looked out the window early one morning and saw a baby rabbit scampering around our back patio. I hope he knows that the lettuce growing in a pot is NOT for him. While I really don’t want to see a hawk take away a rabbit, I wouldn’t mind seeing a few less squirrels in the area. We seem to have an abundance of them right now.

            I have been thinking about all these critters that want to eat what I grow. I love to see wildlife outside my window; I just don’t want to see it enjoying my fruits and vegetables. There is a parallel to our spiritual lives. God provides lots of spiritual food for us, but sometimes we allow the enemy to come and steal it.

            I can’t be the only one who has sat in church and allowed my mind to wander onto something else. Why is it so easy to be distracted at church? The enemy wants to keep you from growing strong and producing fruit. There are plenty of things to distract us and keep us from the meal that the pastor has worked so hard to prepare for us.

            You know why your Bible is covered in dust all week? The enemy has ways of keeping us busy so we don’t have time for reading and building our strength. If we read the Bible, believe it, and find ways to apply it to our lives, then the enemy to our soul will be in big trouble. He will do anything to keep us from cracking open the Good Book.

            When we pray we are changing the world around us. The enemy doesn’t want us to pray. If we pray we will tap into unimaginable power. Have you ever fallen asleep while praying? Have you ever started praying and then realized you were stewing about something else? Has your phone ever rung while you were praying? The enemy wants to keep you from bowing your head in prayer.

            There are so many things that can easily distract us and keep us from growing stronger and closer to God. There are texts, emails, 24-hour news channels, and scrolling through your favorite social media. There is also anger, bitterness, resentment, and being offended. The point of all these distractions is to keep you away from God’s presence, His deep love for you, and the power He has for you to live a different life.

            I want to encourage you to remove the distractions that are keeping you from being in God’s presence. He loves you and wants you to grow stronger by consuming His word and allowing it to grow within you. He wants to answer your prayers, but you have to pray them first. He wants to speak to you through your pastor, so you have to discipline your mind to listen. God wants the seed of His word to produce fruit in the garden of your life. Work with Him so you can bring in a bountiful harvest.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I thought spring had arrived and was planning to stay, but last weekend Mother Nature reminded us that she can be fickle. My wife keeps many of her houseplants in the garage for the winter. When I think the weather has sufficiently warmed up, I begin taking them back outside. I had about half her plants outside when last week’s cold snap arrived.

            Thus began the process of bringing the plants back into the garage. The problem was that her potted perennial plants had come up and had produced lots of beautiful spring leaves. These plants, especially her beautiful hostas, needed some protection from the cold, too. The choice between her car and the beautiful plants being in the garage became no competition. The car was out!

            For a couple of days, the garage was more beautiful than a florist. My wife truly has some stunning, beautiful plants. Her plants and flowers make being on our porches a sanctuary. Their beauty and the peacefulness attract the Lord’s presence. I can sit for hours on either our front or back porch. My soul is refreshed by the beauty that she and God create.

            Many of the plants are now back outside, but there are still more plants in the garage that need to find their places outside. A few of them are extra-large ones and only get moved out and in once a year. So, we have to be sure all Mother Nature’s fun and games are done. Hurricanes can cause the plants to come back in the garage again, but that is a different story.

            I like to walk in my neighborhood and take in God’s handiwork in my neighbor’s yards. God really does a beautiful job at waking up the earth after a long and drab winter. Everything is in bloom and all that pollen drives my sinuses crazy, but I just love stopping and admiring all the beauty around me.

            I like to go for walks. My wife and I prefer to walk on the beach, but the neighborhood will have to do for now. Sometimes I will go for walks alone. I like to think about things when I am alone. I also like to talk to the Lord because I know that I am truly never alone. We have nice talks as I thank Him for the beauty He created. I pray for my friends. Some of my friends get lots of prayers, others get a few. I always figure He knows who needs my prayers.

            Sometimes, I pray what I might call worry prayers. Do you know what I mean? I have some friends who are professional worriers. They might call me an amateur. I don’t want to become a professional worrier. I would rather be a warrior in prayer.

            Two times recently I started down the path of worry, one was late at night and the other was on one of my walks. It was the same subject approached from two different angles. I am so glad that Jesus is patient and that He understands our human weakness. In both cases the critical element in the conversation was that I began to listen.

            Jesus began to show me, in both situations, specifically how and why I needed to trust Him. He knew all about the problem and He didn’t need my detailed analysis. He had a brilliant solution to the problem. What He needed and wanted from me was my faith. I needed to apply my faith to His solution and trust that He was already working on it.

            I believe the problem is that we want to point out all the problems that He is obviously overlooking. What Jesus wants from us is to stay close to Him, look into His eyes, spend time in His word, and look to see where He is working on our lives today. If we will go to where He is working and work with Him today, all those other things will work themselves out. My new prayer is: God help me find where you are working today and help me to work there, too.

            I want to encourage you to pray that prayer with me. Don’t let other things distract you or keep you away from His presence. He is working on you to make you more like Jesus. The key is to listen and to trust Him completely. We don’t always understand what He is doing. We just need to trust that He is working on our behalf. It’s not easy, but He will help us. And remember that He is good, loving, kind, and patient with us.

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