Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

KABOOM!

            A little over a week ago I was enjoying a quiet morning on my front porch. It was overcast and the temperature was nice. A light rain began to fall. I went into the house for something and when I opened the door to return to my quiet sanctuary…it happened… KABOOM! With no warning, lightning struck CLOSE!

            The intensity gives you the shakes. I closed the front door and decided I was fine in the house. A few minutes later I heard the siren start. I listened to determine what direction they were heading. The siren kept getting closer until I looked out the front door and saw the fire truck parked on my street.

            I went out to saw the firemen walking around my neighbor’s house. The lightning had struck a tree in his backyard. My neighbor used to have a light attached to that tree. The lightning rode the wire down into the ground, exploding the soil, and then rode the wire into his house. He had multiple breakers pop and was naturally concerned that there might be a fire. The firemen checked everything thoroughly and his house was fine.

            In all the excitement, I didn’t realize that I had a few breakers pop in my house, too. When I noticed some lights not working, I went out and flipped the tripped breakers. Then our wired smoke detector went off. I went over and asked one of the firemen if he would mind checking things out for us. He determined that the lightning had just fried our smoke detector. We were fine and safe, too.

            We had more fun that day when we found out the lightning had messed up the cable in our community. Evidently, when lightning strikes the ground it runs into the cable lines. The cable guy said that all kinds of parts were destroyed in our community. They had to change a part on our house, too. My neighbor needed new cable parts inside and outside his house. One lightning strike did a lot of damage. Thankfully, our homes are safe.

            The lightning strike changed things instantly. This got me to thinking how quickly things can change. The phone rings and you receive bad news. You are doing everything right while you are driving your car and a deer runs out, or someone hits you and you have an accident. It only takes a second and everything changes.

            In those crazy moments in our lives, it is hard to imagine that God is in control. We naturally ask, if He is in control, how could this happen? One of the first things we need to understand is that there is an enemy out there who hates us, who wants to destroy us and our faith. He has a bag full of tricks to ruin us. He is the master of doubt, worry, and fear, and he loves to give us all big helpings of discouragement. He is the architect of terrorism. He infects people with hate and jealousy. His mission is to kill and destroy.

            God, on the other hand, loves us. He wants the best for us. He wants us to live in harmony, peace and prosperity. He wants to encourage your soul and offers shelter from the storms of life. He wants to protect us and has a plan of escape from the enemy. He is our Father who is filled with faith, the author of hope, the giver of perfect love.

            So when you have a KABOOM in your life, run to God. He will keep you in the palm of His hand as long as you don’t run away. He sees the best in you and knows how to turn every situation around for His glory. There is nothing you are facing that is too difficult for Him. He promises to walk with you through your circumstances. Sometimes God calms the storm around us. Other times He gives us supernatural peace so we can walk through the storm with Him.

            I want to encourage you to give God your KABOOM moments. Trust Him to see you through it. Know that there is not one detail that has escaped His attention. There is no room in the boat for fear when you are in the boat with God. Turn your eyes on Jesus and let the circumstances disappear in His wonderful presence. He knows how your story ends, trust Him with every detail. Let His peace and love envelop you and guide you. God’s got you and He’s got it all in control.

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

By Doug Creamer

            CBS has given us a nice summer treat. They are running old movies on Sunday night. My wife and I have really been enjoying seeing these movies from our past. I was particularly looking forward to the one last Sunday night. They were showing “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” Naturally, there were lots of commercials, but we endured them because we wanted to see Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.

            There was five minutes left in the movie when our local station, WBTV, decided to cut in with breaking news. Naturally, we were concerned. When the reporter appeared she said that the streets of Charlotte were quiet tonight. They cut to another reporter who was at the police station and told us that the situation was much calmer than it had been the night before.

            With five minutes until their news broadcast, WBTV broke in to tell us that the streets were quiet in Charlotte. I am grateful that we had a quiet evening after all the unrest, but they couldn’t wait five minutes to tell us that during their regular newscast?

            Our country is struggling right now because an officer of the law, someone we trust to keep us safe, did the unthinkable. That act should spark outrage among all of us. That behavior cannot be tolerated and should be prosecuted. The world and heaven are watching to see how we handle the situation. I hope justice will prevail in this situation.

            The truth is that there are bad people in every profession. I saw it as a teacher. The majority of my colleagues gave their best every day in the classroom and during all the various afterschool activities. But there were some whose behavior was unacceptable. When the public puts their trust in a group of people’s hands, we cannot misuse that trust. We must live up to a higher standard.

            The same kind of problem is occurring with COVID-19. In some places the truth about the number of cases is concealed to make things look better. Different agencies report different numbers. The situation is complex and confusing and it is difficult to know what to believe.

            The problem comes down to our perspective. No one thinks what the officer did in Minnesota is right. But when it comes down to COVID-19 there are so many different perspectives. Some believe we should close the country down, crushing the economy and many people’s lives. Others want the economy open and say let the virus do its thing. Some firmly believe in masks, others refuse to wear one. Who’s right? It depends on your perspective.

            God has been challenging me to consider my perspectives on many issues this week. I am looking at the world from my point of view. That’s natural, we all do that. But God has been challenging me to take on His heavenly perspective. That’s difficult. My priorities are not His, my ways are not His ways, and my thoughts are not His.

            God hates injustice. God hates verbal, mental, physical, and sexual abuse. God hates when one person thinks they are better than another for any reason. God loves grace, mercy, forgiveness, and peace. God hates sin because it separates us from Him. God loves a humble and broken heart. God hears our plea for mercy even when we don’t deserve it. God’s love covers over a multitude of sins and failures.

            God loves every human being from the moment of conception until their final breath. He always hopes and believes that people have the capacity to repent and come home to Him. God desperately wants a relationship with each person alive, from the vilest sinner to those that think they are saints. He wants every person to be saved from their sin.

            I want to encourage you to pray for our county. Pray for our leaders to have wisdom in knowing how to deal with the civil unrest and COVID-19. Pray that truth will prevail in our criminal justice system and in the news. Pray for peace and that our fractured communities will find ways to heal. Pray that the Gospel will spread like wildfire and that people will discover the faith, hope, and love that they need from their Father in heaven. What we really need right now is for the love of God to wash over us, cleanse us, and to renew our hearts and minds. Peace to you, your household, your city, your state, and this great nation of ours. 

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

By Doug Creamer

God’s Got it All in Control

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Doug Creamer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Doug Creamer

By Doug Creamer

Crash!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Doug Creamer

By Doug Creamer

Gardening

            My wife and I have been doing a good job about social distancing and staying at home since the arrival of Covid-19. The only trips out involve getting food or going to the drug store. It’s been very hard not to visit with family and friends, especially for me, since I am such a social person. We know this will not last forever, even though it feels like it at times.

            I know the hardware stores are open, but I have avoided them because they seem so busy. It’s spring and the garden centers at the hardware stores are full of beautiful plants. Most Friday nights in spring after we eat out, we normally end up walking around the garden center at Lowes. Well, we used to do that.

            This is our favorite time of the year. We love spending time roaming around garden centers and enjoying all the beautiful plants. They are an essential business, so we decided to go to our local garden centers and get some flowers and vegetables.

            I thought it would be better to go during the week when it would be quiet and less crowded. We were so excited for our adventure out into the world. It was a beautiful day and apparently other people also decided it would be a great day to visit the garden centers. The two we visited were busy. The good thing we both noticed is that people were practicing good social distancing. We were all looking for plants but being mindful of each other.

            It was a good day. We came home with some treasures and are working at getting everything planted. It feels so good to get my hands in the soil. I enjoy working in both the vegetable and flower gardens because it brings us great joy. Seeds are popping through the soil, flowers are blooming, plants are growing and flourishing and we are filled with joy. Another thing that brings great joy to our lives is growing spiritually. Like flower and vegetable gardens, our spirits need to be tended and nourished.          

            Over the years I have written numerous times about the need to spend time in God’s word and prayer. The spirit feeds on God’s word. It’s the source of wisdom, guidance, and knowledge about God. When we pray, we are in the presence of God. A person cannot be in the presence of God without being changed. These two are the basis of spiritual growth in our lives.

            One thing I have neglected to point out through the years is how vital fellowship is to our spiritual growth. Here we are in a time of social distancing and we find ourselves missing a critical component to spiritual growth. How can we connect when we aren’t allowed to gather? How can we encourage and challenge each other to deeper spiritual growth? We have to be creative because it is critical.

            I have been fortunate in my life. I have several very good friends. A real friend is someone who knows you, really knows you, maybe even better than you know yourself, AND they still love you. They know your sin, shame, bad attitudes, wrong motives, failures, and your weaknesses, and yet they stand with you and never make you feel bad about yourself. In fact, they help you to see God in you. They help you to focus on the good in your life. They believe the best about you. They see you as an overcomer, a victorious warrior. The relationship is mutual. You are a faithful friend because you do the same thing for them. You see, hope, and believe the best for them, too.

            A friend will pick you up and love you when you are at your worst. They will also give you a swift kick in the rear if that is what you need. A friend laughs and cries with you. A friend will fight through the darkness to find you and help you see the light. A friend is there to lift you up, encourage and challenge you, and to see you through.

            I want to encourage you to evaluate your friendships. Discover and treasure your true friends. Invest in those relationships because those are the ones that will benefit you in your walk with Christ. We have all been burned, but we can’t allow that to keep us from reaching out again because we need trusted friends to make it through life. Friends help us see through the fog and keep us on the right path. I believe friendship is God’s plan for strong spiritual growth.

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

By Doug Creamer

By Doug Creamer

            I noticed some guys working at a neighbor’s house the other day. They had come by to put out pine needles around his flowerbeds. I talked with them and asked if they sold pine needles, and the next day they brought me ten bales. That was the motivation I needed to get to work on some much-neglected flowerbeds of my own.

            My wife and I love to grow things. Through the years we have put in a number of flowerbeds around our house. If I am completely honest with you, they get ahead of us. We spend time pulling weeds every year, but the weeds keep coming back.

            With ten bales of pine needles, I began working on the much-neglected flowerbeds. I started with a couple of the easy beds. Mom always taught me to tackle the hardest ones first, but I need a little success to push me forward. Once I saw how nice a couple of weed-free beds with their new pine needles looked, I was motivated to continue working on the harder ones.

            Slowly, but surely, the neglected beds began to show their beauty once again. I did find some poison ivy, but worked around it and came back later to spray it. I finished the ten bales and think I might order more. I want to keep pushing until all the beds are beautiful.

            I believe that the flowerbeds can be symbolic of other things in all our lives that have been neglected. The first thing that pops in my mind is relationships. I am trying to check in on some folks a little more often. Maybe Covid-19 has made all of us a little more aware of the preciousness of life. For some families, all the togetherness has been a bit of a struggle. But I really think it has helped some families reconnect in ways they may have never imagined.

            I love hearing the stories of how neighbors are checking on neighbors. I grew up in a home where we always checked on our neighbors. If there was a storm or someone was in the hospital, we went to check on them. If someone passed, we made some food and went over to be with them. Covid-19 is bringing out some really great neighborly qualities in people.

            The one relationship that is easy to neglect is the one with our Father in Heaven. Parents aren’t used to working from home and having the children go to school online. There are so many more distractions in our homes. We are watching more TV with our family. We are calling to check on our families. We are checking on our neighbors. Where do we fit time in with God?

            One might imagine the opposite would be true. We aren’t fighting the commute to work. We don’t have to wrestle the kids out of bed to go to school. We’re home. There should be way more time to spend with God. We are taking care of our physical needs and watching out for our emotions. But we are neglecting our spirits. We aren’t getting our spiritual shots in the arm from going to church on Sunday and Wednesday. What do we do?

            God loves you. He knows that life has been turned upside down. He knows that you are facing new stresses and distractions. God loves you. He doesn’t want to be that one more thing on your list to do before you go to bed. He doesn’t want you to feel guilty or ashamed. God loves you. God wants permission to come in and help you where you are right now.

            As your Father, He wants to connect with you. In love, He wants to help you order your day and help take the stress away. His word will nourish your spirit and refresh your mind. He wants to help you navigate through this crazy time. He wants to draw you close. Just a few minutes with Him will change your perspective on your day, your situation, and your life. He has the answers you need, if you will open your hearts to Him.

            I want to encourage you to open your hearts and connect again to your Father in Heaven. He is on your side. He loves you more than you can imagine. He has the answers you need. He has the wisdom to deal with whatever you are facing. He will comfort you and guide you through these turbulent times. He is the Prince of Peace, and I pray that you will open your hearts to His love, peace, and comfort.  

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