Music to my Ears

by   January 8, 2022 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            Last night my wife and I watched a television program we like, and when it was over, I channel surfed to see if there was anything else worth watching. When James Taylor popped up on the screen, I stopped. What we got was a real treat. It was a concert with James Taylor and Carole King, music that we both grew up with.

            I struggled a little to stay focused on the concert because the weather was interesting. There was an approaching storm that was going to bring severe weather overnight, and possibly snow in the morning. I kept running between the computer and the TV, trying to keep up with both exciting things. The severe weather thankfully stayed south and east of us and the snow arrived in the morning, providing a beautiful show for us snow lovers. I was a happy camper, but I didn’t get anything done this morning while it was snowing.

            If you missed the concert, I imagine they will run it again. It was outstanding. Neither one was vying for the applause, but instead they honored each other. My wife and I sang along with many of the songs, and because we were watching on TV, we enjoyed front row seats.

            We didn’t need the words to the songs, we knew them. The songs you enjoyed in your youth never leave you. I was reflecting on the songs as we listened; they told stories, something that I think is missing in today’s music. I loved watching them because they were having so much fun on stage. I could tell by watching them that they were enjoying their own music, each other, and performing.

            Music is so important to us. It has the power to touch us, move us, and change us. Some tunes can get stuck in our heads and we can’t seem to get them out. Sometimes I lay in bed at night or in the morning and songs will run through my mind. I find myself meditating, thinking about the words in a song.

            Music plays an important part of worship services. When I was a kid my church had an unbelievable organ that could bring tears to your eyes. We had a choir filled with people who could really sing beautifully. In later years, we added other musical instruments that provided a full and beautiful sound. I enjoyed the music in my childhood church.

            I really enjoy the music at my church now. We have a talented group of musicians and singers. What I enjoy most is that the leader doesn’t allow all the focus to fall on her. She highlights each person in different ways and allows them to shine. It takes all of them to create the sound, but they work to honor each other, thus creating beautiful music.

            One of the keys that both the leader and the pastor strive to emphasize is that they are not there to perform for the congregation. They are there for an audience of One. They are there to serve the King of Kings through their musical talents and abilities. When they can keep their hearts and minds focused in this way, they create beautiful music.

            I love to worship the Lord. I lack musical talent and ability, but I recognize it in others. I know it takes lots of time to practice their musical instruments and their voices, and I deeply appreciate it. When they can focus their hearts and minds on the King, they will lead the congregation into His presence every time. I will follow, making my joyful noise unto the Lord.

            Our worship of the King should not be limited to Sunday morning services. We should listen to music sometime during the week that blesses and honors God our Father. We should sing to the Lord at other times, like in the shower, while working in the garden, washing the dishes, driving our cars, and while lying quietly in our bed. Doing that can lift your spirit in ways you cannot imagine. It can push back the dark clouds and welcome the light of His presence. God is attracted to us when we worship Him.

            I want to encourage you to worship the Lord, both in church and in your personal life. Music has the power to lift and heal the soul. It has a way of changing your stinking thinking into something beautiful. Let the music of your heart flow unto Him. Lift Him up, honor Him, and worship Him.

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

What happens when we sit too much?

by   January 4, 2022 with No Comments

By David Freeze

We just had the shortest day of the year on Tuesday. It was a chilly day in the low 40s with just about nine hours of cloudy daylight. The perfect day to watch a movie, read a book or take a nap. All these things usually are done with lots of sitting. Many of us have jobs that are done while sitting for most of the day. It’s certainly easier to sit than keep moving around. We all need to take some time to rest and relax. Up to a point!

When we sit, we use less energy than when standing or moving. Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns. These include obesity and a cluster of conditions such as increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, deep vein thrombosis, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels. Too much sitting overall and prolonged periods of sitting also seem to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Researchers aren’t sure why prolonged sitting has such harmful health consequences, but one explanation is that sitting relaxes your largest muscles. When muscles relax, they take up very little glucose from the blood, raising your risk of type 2 diabetes. Relaxing the muscles for too long causes a loss of strength.

It is often common to hear people say they are in pain and struggle to get up and move around. But just as likely is that their inactivity is helping to extend the duration or severity of the pain. Inactivity tightens the hip flexors and hamstring muscles and stiffens the joints themselves. Overly tight hip flexors and hamstrings affect gait and balance, making activities like walking harder and perhaps even setting the person up for a fall. Tight hip flexors and hamstrings may contribute to lower back pain and knee stiffness, issues that many people suffer with every day.

The Mayo Clinic says that any extended sitting, such as at a desk, behind a wheel or in front of a screen, can be harmful. An analysis of 13 studies of sitting time and activity levels found that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying from obesity and smoking. However, unlike some other studies, this analysis of data from more than one million people found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day countered the effects of too much sitting. Another study found that sitting time contributed little to mortality for people who were most active.

What can you do? Find ways to move more, some you’ve heard before and a few new ones to think about.

  • Take a break from sitting every 30 minutes. Set a timer. You’ll be more alert.
  • Get up and do productive tasks, even making a list of things that can be done on your feet.
  • Stand when you can, such as when taking or making calls, or watching portions of a sporting event.
  • Walk during small meetings and or conversations.
  • Count steps, still very popular, with a goal of 10,000 a day.
  • And finally, exercise for up to 60 minutes a day, but any movement helps.

The impact of movement, even leisurely movement, can be profound. For starters, you’ll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss and increased energy. Also, physical activity helps maintain muscle tone, our ability to move and our mental well-being, especially as we age.

Join us Saturday morning for the Bradshaw Financial Planning Resolution Run 5K at the Forum. Running or walking the 5K is a great way to start 2022 with a commitment to physical activity. The event benefits Rowan Helping Ministries. More info can be found at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org .

Certain of the Good Work

by   January 3, 2022 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

New Year’s Day: typically a day of new beginnings. I don’t know about you, but I tend to live on a guilt trip. There is just no resolution big enough to fix all the areas where I feel inadequate. For example: As I look over recent Christmas cards it reminds me of all the people I love that I didn’t get around to sending a card. And this was going to be the year. I think I sent out three. Sorry if you didn’t make the cut.


I’m hoping to pick up my blog again with a little change. Instead of the five to seven hundred words I usually write, I’m trying to keep it around three.


Three hundred that is. Three really would be a challenge. Annnyyywayyy…


Here’s what the Lord gave me today. Philippians 1:6 says “And I am certain that God Who began the good work within you will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
A couple key thoughts jumped out.


It is God who began the work in me. It is also HE who will continue it through me. And best of all, it is HIS work, not mine.


Think about that.


It’s not even up to me. So take that GUILT!


The Lord is faithfully working in me even when I feel so very inadequate.
May we rest in the knowledge and certainty that the Lord is faithfully working within us in spite of our weaknesses. In fact, His strength is made perfect in our weakness. [2 Corinthians 12:9]
Happy New Year beloved ones!


“God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 1: 8

Happy New Year!

by   January 1, 2022 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            This is a year that many want to put to bed. Others found 2021 to be a good year and want to savor the final moments. In many ways, I think 2021 was better than 2020 because we got to spend more time with family and friends. I appreciated every moment after living through the lockdowns.

            Truthfully, every year has good and bad moments. I try to remember the good things and focus on the positive. I try to forget the water leak in my front yard and remember the friends who came and helped me repair it. I try to remind myself of all the good things we ate from my garden and forget that the squirrels and deer enjoyed quite a bit of it.

            My family is doing well. We all had our fair share of ups and downs this year, but we survived, and in fact, we increased in number this year. I met the most recent addition to our family on Christmas Eve, a grandnephew. He is cute and his parents are still glowing with the joy of his arrival. Well, they did look a little tired, like any new parents.

            I have been able to catch up with most of my family and friends this year, but there are some family and friends that I have been unable to see since this whole pandemic began. One friend is like a second mother to my wife and me; we miss her terribly. Other friends I would have dinner with occasionally. I sure do miss catching up with them. I am hoping that in 2022 life will improve and we will get back to seeing some more of our friends.

            One thing I am not looking forward to in the next couple of days is cleaning up and putting away all the Christmas things. I will especially miss all the lights outside. I have been spending some extra time outside in the evenings, looking at all the lights on our street. They are so cheery and festive. I am like a little kid looking out the window, enjoying the beauty and wonder of this special time of the year.

I have been enjoying a good book about where all the traditions of Christmas originated. It explains why we do the things we do at this special time of year. Soon we will all pack this very special stuff up for another year. But before we do that, we will ring in the new year. I am looking forward to watching the Rose Bowl Parade. It is my final tradition for this great season.

Let’s turn our focus on the arrival of 2022, a brand new year. All the mistakes of the past have not crossed the threshold of the new year. We are granted a fresh start, a new beginning. It won’t be a perfect year, but we still need to look at it as an opportunity to begin a new chapter in our lives.

            Our view of the new year needs to be filled with hope and optimism. God has something good planned for our future. It doesn’t mean that there won’t be some challenges for us, but we have to believe in the goodness and love of God to give us hope. When we can sow the seeds of hope for a brighter tomorrow, we can meet our challenges with renewed strength and vigor.

            Our seeds of hope for the new year should be based on the promises of God. God promises a good future for us. God promises to never leave or forsake us. God promises to bring light to the darkness. There are many other promises that God has for you hidden in the Bible, waiting for you to discover them and to cling to them. Each promise gives us hope for a brighter tomorrow.

            God is good and His promises are true. He wants you to live with your faith stirred up, believing and trusting in Him. He is keeping a close watch on you. He has gone before you and will walk with you into 2022.

            I want to encourage you to plant the seeds of hope in the soil of your heart. Let your hope be based on the promises of God. He loves you and is planning great things for your future. God wants you to be closer. If you draw closer to Him, He promises to draw closer to you. What could be better than entering a new year walking hand in hand with God? 2022 is full of great promise for each of us. God Bless 2022! Happy New Year!

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

Loss & Recovery

by   December 31, 2021 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

(This is a book review by Roger. This is a topic that needs our prayer.)

The Face of Addiction: Stories of Loss and Recovery

Joshua Lawson

Quoir,  $7.95 softcover

A dozen voices from southern Ohio along the Ohio River reveal the humanity behind addiction. These dozen daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, and others speak honestly to Joshua Lawson. In their sharing, they show that they are not to be shunned, but to be loved and valued because what they have is an illness, a disease like any other.

As a culture, we too often agree with a sheriff’s words that the only cure for an addict is “a tall tree and a short rope.” In making the users of the “opioid crisis” invisible faces, we make them enemies and losers and worse. But they are, as shown in these interviews, victims of sexual abuse, parental mistreatment, emotional trauma, and other ills. Being addicted to any drug, we learn over and over from these interviews, is not a choice but a result.

Lawson brief book is a testament to St. Paul’s words in Romans 7:19 and because of those words, we need to love the addict and help each of the many of them in our midst realize that they, too, are a child of God. Blaming is not a cure, but validating is.

Christmas Love

by   December 25, 2021 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            As I sit down at the computer to write, I realize we are at one of those strange times. I have yet to wrap my Christmas packages, but you have already opened yours. We are planning our Christmas feast, and you have consumed yours. I am living in anticipation of the joy of Christmas, while you are living in the glow of that great day.

            I believe how we celebrate Christmas has changed in some ways. We all want to celebrate Christmas on THE day. Families are pulled in so many different directions. We are learning to celebrate Christmas on multiple days. There is a gathering with the wife’s family to celebrate. Then there is a gathering with the husband’s family for more Christmas cheer. Finally, the husband and wife and their children gather together to share the Christmas moments that will be remembered in their own home.

            Some may argue that the gathering must take place on THE day or it doesn’t count. I argue the opposite. Can we find a way to gather during the holiday season and call each of those special moments Christmas? If we approach Christmas that way, we get to expand and stretch the joy out over multiple days. I see the opportunity for greater joy because we have expanded the celebration and reduced the stress.

            I believe that any time you can gather family and friends together to share some laughs, eat a great meal, and exchange gifts, can be Christmas. We have to discover new ways to celebrate in order to preserve the peace and joy of the holiday season. It’s the opportunity to be together as a family and to share our love for each other that really matters.

            So many families have avoided gathering due to this crazy pandemic. Last Christmas I saw my family through Zoom on the computer. I am hoping to see them in person this year, but I know we need to be careful. We want to share the joy of the holiday season and not share the virus with each other.

            When we can share our love for each other we are reflecting the example that God has given us. God gave us the wonderful gift of His son. He wanted a personal and intimate relationship with us, but sin stood in the way. God is holy and righteous and can’t be in the presence of sin or sinful man. So God in His infinite creativity made a way where there was no way. He did it through a baby born in a manger.

            Jesus bridged the divide by laying down His life for us. His sacrifice on the cross demonstrated the greatest love of all. He looked at you and me and He willingly paid the ultimate price so we could have a relationship with God our Father. Our sin has been wiped away and now we can freely approach God’s throne as His sons and daughters.

            There is no greater expression of love than to lay your life down for another. That kind of love births peace. Jesus came to bring peace. The peace He bought is not peace in the world but something greater…peace in our hearts and minds. We now have a restored, peaceful relationship with God. That will give birth to joy in our lives.

            Imagine that…the birth of a baby in a manger opened the doors of heaven, allowing our hearts to be touched and filled with His love. That great love infuses us with a peace that goes beyond explanation. That peace floods our hearts with a joy that simply cannot be contained. Heaven invades earth. The light shines in the darkness. The Savior of the world sweetly and tenderly comes into the world on that silent night. The angels of heaven could not be stopped from declaring the good news, which is for all mankind.

            The question is…will you open your heart to Him? Your destination for all eternity hangs in the balance by your choice in how you will answer that simple question. I encourage you to open your heart to God the Father, Jesus His son, and the Holy Spirit. They want to come into your heart and give you perfect peace, a love that goes beyond comprehension, and unspeakable joy. The gift lies before you, will you open it? I hope and pray that you will. God loves you far more than you are capable of understanding. He knows everything you have ever done AND He loves you in spite of it all. Let His love fill your heart and have the Merriest Christmas ever! 

Doug Creamer’s books are at Amazon. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

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