Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            I went to my mom’s recently and she had a box of old photographs for us to look through. There were many family pictures from when my siblings and I were little and all at home. There were many pictures of relatives that I didn’t know or had only met a few times. Mom told me who they were and how I was related to them.

            There was a picture of my mother as a child with a small dog, but she said she couldn’t remember ever having a dog. There were other pictures of my mother and her brother when they were teenagers. It is hard to imagine your parents were ever teenagers.

            My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. There were pictures of them together and it was interesting to see them. There was a picture of Mom and Dad on the night of a big dance they attended. Mom described her dress in detail. My dad was a good-looking young man, especially in the suit he wore that night.

            There were pictures of my parents as young parents. There weren’t as many pictures taken back in those days because you had to pay to develop the film. Most of the pictures of the four kids were taken at Christmas, birthday celebrations, or when we were on vacation. I did find some pictures of the first day of school. Those were required photos when we were wearing our new “back to school” outfits.

            Most of the pictures had dates, so we could figure out how old we were in them. The ones that didn’t required extra thought to determine our ages. There were pictures of some of our houses through the years, which brought back memories from living in those places. We talked about how some of our houses were laid out. We also talked about when I shared my bedroom and when I got my own room.

            It was fun to walk down memory lane with my mom. It was really fun to hear her tell stories of when she was young and the fun she had growing up. I know my parents grew up during some very difficult times. They didn’t have all the possessions we have but they were able to find pleasure in the simplest of things. It was fun to listen to Mom’s perspective on her youth and on our family. There were some old classic stories and many new ones that I hope I can remember and treasure the rest of my life.

            There are many things that we treasure. I think about all the special things we have for the holidays. We have some very special Christmas ornaments that are real treasures. I consider my books to be treasures. I own beautiful pieces of pottery. I also have wood turnings that were made by my best friend, which are treasures. Naturally, our own pictures are treasures.   

            While we all treasure things mainly because they trigger good memories, we need to consider where our most precious treasures are stored. All of our earthly treasures are wearing out. But if we store up treasures for ourselves in heaven we are promised that those treasures will never rot, spoil, or wear out. Those are the kinds of treasures that I want build up.

            How do we build treasures for heaven? When we support our local church by bringing our tithes and offerings, we are building treasure in heaven. When we serve others in the church, God promises to reward us in heaven. When we give in any capacity to those in need, we are building treasures in heaven. When we find ways of serving and helping the elderly, you can be assured that God notices. When we plant seeds of faith in children and help to train them in the way that they should go, we are doing God’s work. When we reach out to the lost with God’s love He will help us and remember our work.

            I want to encourage you to build a great retirement in heaven where the value of what you have will not depend on the stock market. Investing in the Kingdom of God pays out-of-this-world dividends. God remembers everything you do for Him. Be diligent to invest in your heavenly destination. Your devotion and hard work here will pay incredible eternal treasures for you to enjoy for all eternity. Where are you most precious treasures? I hope in heaven!

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

Here is a video from the beach about shells. Okay it’s about us and God…. Enjoy!

By Doug Creamer

            Thirty years ago this week, I went down to meet with the editor of The Stanly News & Press and asked if she would consider letting me write a column. She looked over some things I had written and decided to give me a shot. Thirty years, four newspapers, five books, and two websites later I am still writing. I have never made enough through my writing to support myself, but if the Bible is right, I have laid up some treasures in heaven.

            The journey began with the simple desire to write. When I first started writing, I just wrote about any topic that I found racing around in my mind. It was one of the typesetters at the paper who told me that I needed a signature to my writing. I needed something that set me apart.

How did I want to be seen? I asked her how she saw me, and she said that I am always so positive and encouraging. The word encouraging stirred deeply in my spirit. That’s how the opening line to my last paragraph was born…I want to encourage you…

            There are two writers with which I wish I could share my columns and books. Both writers took time to encourage me when I was starting out, but they have since passed away. The first is Og Mandino. He was an internationally known best-selling author. I loved his style and I met him at an author signing when I was in high school. I asked him tons of questions, and even wrote him a letter. He graciously responded, and ended his letter to me with, “Go get ‘em, tiger.” 

            The other writer was a friend of a friend of mine. He was a columnist in many papers around the country, and took an hour one evening to talk with me on the phone. He was the one who told me that I needed to get some experience, and that I should try to write for a local paper. His advice pushed me to try my craft and to hone my skills as a writer through my weekly column. I went to his grave a long time ago to express my thanks and to plant some flowers.

            Through the years I have met some of my own fans. It always takes my breath away when I walk into someone’s office and see one of my columns hanging on the wall. It humbles me when someone tells me that my words helped to bring comfort. Some have said they wonder how I knew exactly what they needed to hear. If you have written to me, I still have your letters, and they are treasured.

            Writing five books has been a magical dream. I have even been able to share my books with some well-known people. I gave one to Elizabeth and Bob Dole. Elizabeth wrote me a nice note of thanks, which is one of my treasures. I also gave one to Carol Burnett and had the opportunity to talk with her for a few minutes.

            I enjoy keeping up my personal website where I post my columns and links to everything weather. I really enjoy keeping up the EncouragingU.com website. I hope to find more writers who will join our little group. We are also working on another book.

            I am so thankful for the opportunity to write. I am also thankful for readers like you who continue to read. I have had so many wonderful experiences because I write. I am not sure how much longer we will be able to meet through newspapers, but if you will keep reading I will keep writing. I still have stories to tell and hearts I hope to encourage.

            I want to encourage you to keep reading and sharing your stories with me. The truth of the matter is in our Christian walk I need you and you need me. The same applies to writing this column. I enjoy writing, but the reason I do it is to encourage you in your spiritual walk. We all get discouraged in life and need a helping hand to get back up. Sometimes I am the lucky one who gets to lift you up through my words. But sometimes when I open an email or a letter from you…you get to do the same thing for me. Isn’t it amazing how God works through each one us? He knows what we need and sends His word to strengthen and encourage us. Thank you for reading, sharing, and encouraging. See you next week. Bless you one and all! Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

            I woke up last Saturday and knew I had two things I needed to get done. One of our ceiling fans was making a grinding noise and I knew it had to be replaced. Fans shouldn’t make those noises, and it was an old fan. The other thing on my agenda was planning some lessons for the upcoming week. I needed to discover new ways to approach topics so I could challenge and push my students.

            I studied the fan and saw that there were four screws and then the wiring. After breakfast I opened the new fan box and read the directions. The new fan came with two hooks that held the fan up to the ceiling while you wire it, and then you swing the fan up on these hooks and screw in the canopy. It looked like a one man job, but I was wishing my brother was around to help.

            The old fan came down pretty easily. The new fan required wiring for electricity and assembling the fan. The wiring part was amazingly easy. The assembly of the fan went pretty well. The light kit required a little finesse. But with minimal sweat I got it up and working. The fan company deserves credit for the assembly design and for putting the parts in uniquely labeled bags that corresponded to the directions.

            One task done; it was time to move on to planning lessons. I was much more confident in that job. I looked at the objectives I wanted to cover and began looking through some resources. I spent a couple of hours reading and choosing the best instructional materials to match the objectives. Discovering activities that will instruct, challenge, and allow students to be successful requires time and energy.

            After teaching for 37 years, I have developed those skills and abilities. I enjoy the work, especially when I get in the classroom and the activities are effective. If I had to choose between hanging a ceiling fan or planning lessons, I would always choose planning lessons. The reason is simple, I have worked hard to develop this skill. It fits in my comfort zone.

            When I reflect on my skills and abilities, singing or playing an instrument is not on my list. If my church asked me to sing or play an instrument, we would immediately lose members. I think the only one who appreciates my singing is God, and I imagine even He prefers someone else. I am very conscious of my lack of ability in this area. I have great appreciation for the singers and musicians at my church who can lead me right into the presence of God.

            I think many people do not realize all the things that need to happen at a church and how their skills and abilities might help. I imagine in many large churches people are paid to do behind the scenes jobs that smaller churches can’t afford. Suppose a toilet starts to leak at a church; most of us have fixed our own toilets at home. Couldn’t we help fix the toilet in God’s house and be a blessing to our church?

            I imagine that every reader has some beautiful flowers blooming at your home. Could you use your skills in gardening around your church and be a blessing to all the people who attend your church? Most of us have picked up a paint brush in our homes, what about God’s house? Could you use that skill to help make your church look better? Every one of us washes dishes at home, could that skill be helpful after a church potluck?

            Many people think that the only help that is needed around our churches includes singing in the choir, preaching, Sunday school teachers, and ushers. There are so many other ways that you could help around your church. Sometimes you might need to step outside your comfort zone to help, like in the children’s department, or helping with the youth group, or even going on a mission trip, but God needs us to get the job done.  

            My pastor has a saying, “God is not looking for those who can, but for those who will.” I want to encourage you to be willing to help out, especially if you have the skills that are required to get the job done. If what is needed is slightly out of your comfort zone, then pray and ask God to help you. He will honor that prayer. I believe you will be a stronger person, blessed by God for using your gifts in His house.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I am not good at fixing plumbing problems. I have fixed leaky faucets, changed shower heads, and repaired toilets many times. Those are relatively minor repairs. Some of those repairs might result in a little cup to catch the drip, but the drip will normally stop after a few days.

            We have a bathtub in our master bathroom. We both take showers. So when the faucet got stuck in the shower position I didn’t see any problem. It works well and neither of us takes baths. My wife mentioned the other day that maybe she might like to take a bath, but since it didn’t work, she couldn’t.

            I decided to check on the situation. There is a push pin diverter that makes the water go up to the shower, and it was stuck in the shower position. All it probably needs is a little tug to change it back for bathing. When I gave the pin a tug it popped out. Problem solved, right? Wrong! Now water flowed in three directions: up to the shower head, down to the tub, and out the pin hole…all at the same time. I pushed the pin back in and it didn’t stick. The new water flow pattern wasn’t going to work.

            I thought about calling my brother, who can fix anything. My brother figures out how to fix things by asking his phone and then watching YouTube videos. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I used my computer and asked Google. I looked through my options and found a guy who had a shower setup just like ours. His video was about three minutes long. It couldn’t be that easy, could it?

            The video showed removing three screws, removing the broken diverter, inserting the new one, putting the three screws back in, and turning on the water. I followed the directions. I had it repaired quicker than it took me to gather the tools for the job. Now we can choose what we want a shower or a bath. My wife says it is nice to have the choice.

            I still can’t believe that I fixed something so quickly. I wish I could apply the same principles to my spiritual life with the same success. Fixing ourselves spiritually is challenging, and maybe impossible, without God’s help. Some things in life we can fix if we work hard at it.

            If your doctor tells you that you need to exercise and lose weight, then that becomes a matter of choice on your part. You can choose to listen and work on taking off some weight. You can choose to exercise or not. If you choose to listen and work on it, you can change your lifestyle and improve your health and well-being. 

            I believe that spiritual fixes require the power of the Holy Spirit. Our flesh does not want to cooperate with the Spirit. We struggle and resist God’s leading in our lives. Sometimes we think we know what is best, until we make a huge mess of life. Then we turn to God and expect instant results after failing to listen.

            Romans chapter 7 paints a picture of the mess we make with our lives. Paul writes that he keeps doing the things he hates, and doesn’t do the things God wants him to do. Then you read chapter 8, which tells us that God does not condemn us for our failure because He knows we are sinful and live in a broken world. He asks that we turn to Jesus and cooperate with the Spirit. The Bible is clear that I cannot earn my way to heaven, but I can accept the free gift of God through Jesus His Son. God gives us forgiveness, peace, and hope, in one simple breath.

            The truth is I can’t fix me. I only create a big mess. But with God’s help my life can be completely different and I can make a difference in the world. We have to work with God and allow His Spirit to work in and through us. When I allow Jesus to live in me, amazing things can happen.

            I want to encourage you to stop trying to fix yourself all by yourself. Invite God into your life and allow Him to work with you, to help you make the changes in you. Your spirit will feel refreshed, your heart will experience the forgiveness of God, your mind will experience a peace that goes beyond understanding, and you will be assured of your eternal destination. There is nothing greater than accepting Jesus and knowing the Creator as your Father and Friend.  

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

By Doug Creamer

            This morning began on a concerning note. I was driving to work when I saw a car coming from the opposite direction being chased by three police cars. As they zoomed past me all I could do was pray for everyone involved. I hope that no innocent people were hurt and that the situation resolved in a positive way.

            This evening’s garden check also included a disconcerting sight. I discovered a black snake wrapped up in the netting that I have wrapped around my blueberry bushes. He was so tightly wrapped that I thought he was already gone. As I started to cut away the mesh he started to move. I worked for a while to free the snake but he got anxious and kept opening his mouth towards me. I didn’t want to get bit in the process of setting him free, but eventually I was able to cut the netting away and free the snake.

            These two events reminded me of a discussion I had this week about writing. A group of us were talking about how authors get ideas for their stories. I said that authors choose topics or themes about which they are passionate. Some of the themes we discussed were love, coming of age, growing older, overcoming, revenge, good versus evil, and addiction.

            The topic of addiction struck a chord with several in the group. One individual shared how an addiction had destroyed the marriage of a co-worker. He went on to share that when the person finally got help for his addiction he was able to turn his life around.

            Another woman shared how she had gotten free from addiction through faith in Jesus. She struggled to understand why others she knew did not want to be freed from the same addiction in their lives. Despite numerous attempts to share her story, they continue on in their addiction. “Why don’t they follow the same path I found?”

            Several in the group tried to explain to her that the nature of addiction keeps people trapped, even when they can see a path out. One person put it best, “people will remain trapped in addiction until they finally decide that they want to be free.” She kept asking us, how can she help these people? We told her that prayer was her best and most powerful tool. We all also encouraged her to never give up on her friends. We told her to keep encouraging them, praying and hoping that they would take the path to their freedom. 

            One individual concluded that we are all weak and broken in different ways. We each have a need for our Savior’s help to change and overcome the struggles that we face. Your struggles are real to you and my struggles are real to me. We all want to live right for God, but we have to learn to let Him help us.

            The Bible tells us that none of us are righteous or always make the right choices. Thankfully, the book of Romans teaches us that while none of us is good enough to earn God’s favor, God in His mercy and love made a way for us to be right with Him. When we invite Jesus to be our Savior, He comes to live inside us. It’s Him living inside of me that makes me right with God. The Bible makes it clear that there is nothing I can do. It is the free gift of God to all who will open their hearts to receive it.

            The only hope I have to change is inviting Jesus to live inside me. He will help me change, making me righteous in the process. Anything I might try to do in my own strength counts as nothing. I have to learn to work with Jesus if I hope to bring lasting change and eternal rewards. If I ever hope to live a better life I have to live by faith in Christ and what He does in and through me.

            I want to encourage you to invite Jesus to live in you and to work through you. Real change in your life comes when you allow Christ to work out your salvation in and through you. Knowing you don’t have to do it on your own ought to give you courage to press through the challenges. He wants the best for you and will work in you if you invite Him in. Open the door of your heart to Him and watch what He can do as you cooperate with Him.

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

By Doug Creamer

It’s OK to Rest

            On the morning of the 4^th of July, I opened Facebook to see the many patriotic pictures that my friends had posted. Most of my friends were posting pictures of family, friends, and pets all decked out in red, white, and blue. Some people posted videos of fireworks, which were fun to watch.

            I was looking forward to my family gathering. Many years ago, my wife and I hosted the family gathering, which included some fun times over at the Faith festival and an afternoon water fight. The water fights always started with squirt guns but ended up with the water hoses. We would all get soaked, but we created memories that will last for a lifetime.

            My brother and I are teaching our grand-nephews about water fights. We started this year with squirt guns because the boys are little. The family gathering was great this year, and included delicious food, plenty of laughter, and a fireworks display. It is nice to spend some time with family and relax.

            It is also nice that for one day we as a country can forget our political differences and celebrate that we are Americans. We are blessed to live in the best country in the world. We are thankful for all the men and women who have served and are serving in our military. We are also thankful for all the police, firefighters, and EMS workers who work tirelessly to keep us safe here at home.

            The 4^th of July afforded me a few days off from work. I know I am only working part-time, but I still enjoy having a few days off. Before the break started I was thinking about what I wanted to get done while I was off. I had a mental list going, but never wrote it down. As I told you recently, I like having lists so I can check things off and get that feeling of accomplishment.        

The first couple of days off I slept and did very little. I had been burning the candle at both ends and my body just wanted to rest. I tried to get motivated, with few results. I had the opportunity to catch up with a few friends and relished those moments. I did all my regular chores but found myself reading, watching TV, and trolling the internet.

            I did some small, quiet tasks that have been on my radar. I worked peacefully out in my garden weeding, mulching, and replanting where the rabbits and squirrels have eaten and ruined some areas. I can see where I cleaned, straightened, and put things away, and it makes me feel good. There is always more to do.

            I noticed something the last couple of days of my break. There is this little spark inside. There is a little life that has rekindled. I really can’t explain it. I just know it’s there. I feel ready to engage, ready to get back to teaching. The flame inside is small and it will need to be guarded and fed, but there is something stirring and it feels good. It is a feeling of being refreshed.

            I stay busy and on the go. I find it difficult to unplug and slow down. Resting is an important spiritual principle. To be honest, it’s not one I am very good at doing. God worked for six days to create our universe, and then He rested on the seventh day. Jesus sent the crowds away and His disciples across the lake so He could climb the mountain and have some disengaged quiet time with His Father.

            Sometimes we can disengage at the beach or while going for a hike in the mountains. Our soul and spirit need times to quietly reflect. We can push ourselves at critical moments and our bodies will help us push through, but then we need to find a way to take a deep breath and rest. Everyone recharges their batteries in different ways. The key is to know yourself and give yourself permission to rest. There will always be a list waiting, but disengaging and resting can help you find renewed energy and creativity.

            I encourage you to consider how you get refreshed and then give yourself the permission to do what you need to do to get the rest you require. Working from a place of rest will help you ultimately become more productive. Your mind will work better and your body will cooperate. Invite God into your place of rest and allow His Spirit to infuse yours. Jesus and God both rested. It’s okay for you to rest, too.