It’s Been a Quiet Week…

by   January 25, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            For many years on Saturday night we would listen to Garrison Keillor on the radio. He had a program called “The Prairie Home Companion.” It was a two-hour variety show that we enjoyed. My favorite part was when he told a story about a fictional town out on the prairie.

He always began the story with, “It’s been a quiet week…” Then he would launch into all the happenings in this fictional town. There was always humor and something going on down at the church, or maybe the little cafe. The story was always clean, filled with faith, and funny.  

I guess I was thinking about this because as I reflected back on my week, it feels like it has been a quiet week. What I mean is that there haven’t been any major events. That’s good. Some folks I know are dealing with big things. I know friends who have lost loved ones and others who are fighting cancer. I know some who are fighting the awful bug that is going around and others who are at the hospital.

            I’ll take my quiet week. Don’t get me wrong, I have been busy. I’ve been working on my websites, working on developing a class that I hope to be able to teach, and teaching my Chinese children on the internet. Sometimes, while it feels quiet, it seems busy.

            I had to get my old vehicle running again; it was time for the inspection. I tried jumping it, but the battery was too far gone. I got a new one and she cranked right up. I drove it around for a while the other day; she is purring like a kitten again.

            There were a few highlights in the week. I took my brother out for his birthday lunch. I won’t say which one it was, but we had fun. It was great to laugh and talk with my OLDER brother. On my way home, I stopped in at East Davidson. I got to see several colleagues and talk with some friends. I miss seeing my work friends on a daily basis.

            Date night this week was at a special restaurant in town. We went to say good-bye to one of our favorite servers there. He got a new job and it was his last night. The dinner was great, but so was the opportunity to wish him well.

            I had a great conversation with a former student this week. She is helping with my website design. We got to talk and share about our lives, the ups and downs. I love to hear how steady her faith is no matter what comes her way.

            I was blessed to spend time with the pastor and his family this week. Whether we are going over the routine things about the church, sharing hopes and dreams, talking through some challenges, or just laughing and cutting up in the office after church on Sunday…I’ll say it again, I feel blessed. His family makes me feel like I am a part of their family.

            You see, quiet weeks are still filled. No matter how busy or quiet a week might be, spending time with God has to be a priority. With the nice weather we had recently, I was spending time quietly on my porch or going for walks. I feel lazy on cold, wet days, but just because it is difficult shouldn’t keep us from our Father.

            I saw several pictures recently on Facebook of friends with their children asleep on their chest. That’s the kind of closeness that God wants with us. Some of my best conversations with the Lord occur with my head on my pillow. It’s quiet and the distractions of life are removed. I can hear His voice and curl up in His love. God wants to be that intimate with us. If He knows the number of hairs on our heads, He is already intimately acquainted with us. We need to open our hearts and become more aware of Him.

            I want to encourage you to draw close to God. Crawl up in His arms. He wants you close to His heart. I know the importance of awe and respect for the Almighty. I try to worship Him as exuberantly as King David did. He deserves it. But I want that closeness so I can hear God call me His son and Jesus call me brother and friend. God’s love is more profound than any of us can understand, but I want to be immersed in it. I encourage you to run into your Heavenly Father’s arms.

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

Roads & Paths

by   January 24, 2020 with No Comments

                                                            By Roger Barbee

            The hand-mixed concrete sidewalk at the front of our past Edinburg  house leads to a gently sloped bank that ends at the road. At the top of the bank is a row of large boxwoods. One does not need to be an archeologist to surmise that at one time the sidewalk met the old road, which was of gravel, and the boxwoods were a border between it and the front yard. But in the 1950’s the gravel road was modernized at the request of its property owners and asphalt replaced the gravel; however, some owners were not fully aware of what modernization was bringing, according to my friend Gordon.

            Mr. Wolf, who farmed at the end of the country road next to the North Fork, had the habit, according to his daughters, of stepping on his “lucky rock” each time he would walk to town. His “rock” was a piece of limestone that protruded above the gravel where the country road met Route 11. When the state paved the road, his lucky rock was scrapped away, and the bed of the road no longer followed the contours of the land. Small rises were cut out and dips were filled in to make the road more level. So, the bank in front of our house was cut lower, causing the sidewalk to lead to a small cliff, and other modern engineered changes to the land altered the contour of Old Bethel Road. What had been a sort of safe, old path for feet, hooves, wheels, and the occasional tire was now a road of modern means.

            Wendell Berry describes a path as “…little more than a habit that comes with knowledge of a place. It is a sort of ritual of familiarity.  As a form, it is a form of contact with a known landscape. It is not destructive. It is the perfect adaptation, through experience and familiarity, of movement to place; it obeys the natural contours; such obstacles as it meets it goes around.” The new road does not follow the landscape, but altered it. The new road, which allows much higher speed than the old one, so people may not see the landscape. The new road covered Mr. Wolf’s lucky rock and other familiar objects created from experience. However, many people will see the paved road as cleaner, safer, and easier to maintain. Those are good reasons to pave a gravel road, but I want to see the old and new road as a metaphor for our present culture.

            Recently I read an interview with a cancer survivor who decided to create a new line sympathy cards. Emily McDowell wanted to create cards for people who “did not know what to say” to a friend who was recovering from a serious illness such as cancer or just going through one of life’s tough times. She received good feedback concerning her honest cards, and she soon teamed with Kelsey Crowe, an empathy scholar who founded an organization called Help Each Other Out where she teaches people how to empathize in times of illness or difficult times. My question: Have we become, as a culture, so void of valid emotions that we need a book to guide us on how to feel for each other and how to express that feeling? 

            I argue that we need more paths in our lives. It seems to me that we have literally and figuratively built so many roads in our lives that we do longer see the landscape and have lost familiarity with its intricate features, such as a projecting piece of limestone that becomes a “lucky stone.” We move so quickly and are so busy that we have forgotten how to express sincere empathy for our fellow humans. We have such a need for so called success that we pack the lives of our children with too many activities thinking that more is better, but they may not see the landscape of their childhoods. We even pave our walking trials as if packed dirt is to be avoided at all costs.

            Of course roads fill a need in our modern world, but can we not create literal and figurative paths in our lives that show us our landscapes while offering us a chance to become familiar with our physical surroundings and neighbors. A path will slow us down on occasion, and that will help us know how to relate better with our surroundings.

Be a Greeter

by   January 19, 2020 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

I sneaked out early, before the family woke up. I was going to beat the crowd to the mall at a very busy time of year. I had a store in mind where I knew I could find a special gift for a special three year old.

I got the best parking spot. I suppose that was a plus.

I wasn’t wearing my PJs — but some may have thought I was.

Nope. I was there for one item. In and out quickly. Get what I came for. Head home.

Being inconspicuous was my goal.

But there she was: THE GREETER.

She was definitely glad to see me.

“Are you ready to get a magical adventure started?” she asked.

I made eye contact, gave a ‘half smile’ and buried my head among some items for sale, as I whispered, “I’m just looking.”

She cheerfully pointed out a couple of things she thought I would love, told me to enjoy my adventure, and to let her know if I needed her.

I hurriedly grabbed the item I wanted and walked to the other side of the store.

There she was. Greeter #2. Excitedly smiling, she said sweetly, “Good morning! Oh, I love what you picked out!”

I stopped. I glanced back toward Greeter #1 on the other side of the store. She waved. I then looked again at Greeter #2, who continued to beam with excitement over what I had picked out to purchase.

I gave up. I smiled. I talked with them about the item I was getting for my granddaughter.

I had switched over to a good mood. It really was simple. It was a lot more fun, too.

Against the wishes of my ‘stony’ heart that morning, I had given in and allowed myself to have a magical adventure – not because of the stuff in my bag – but because of the greeters in the store.

I felt I left with more in my heart than I had in my shopping bag.

Later, I decided to ask if I could become a greeter at church. They let me. Apparently, they were unaware of my poor attitude in the mall.

I love being a greeter. I say hello, have conversations, shake hands, get hugs, meet new people, answer questions – and offer them a peppermint – or two.

I have yet to ask, “Are you ready to get your Sunday morning spiritual adventure started?”

If I did, I think they would all smile and say, “Yes.”

The power of a smile and a hello.
You can use it anywhere.
It cheers people up.
It establishes good relationships.
It sets a positive tone.
It’s contagious.

Be a greeter.

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com

What are you doing?

by   January 18, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            People keep asking me, “What are you doing now that you are retired?” The truth is that I have been busier now than ever. I have a calendar beside my desk and I use Google calendar to help me keep up with everything. I will admit that I feel better rested most of the time, and healthier thanks to being away from all the germs at school.

            One of the first things I got involved in was teaching children in China through the internet. I don’t make a lot of money doing it, but I sure do have a lot of fun. I connect with most of the kids and we laugh and learn together. Some of them have even taught me a few words in Chinese.

            I started looking for some other work. I am considering two or three different options and trying to discover the best fit for me. I keep asking my friends to keep me in their prayers. They keep telling me that I will know in my spirit which door is the right one for me. One of my nephews recently told me to consider my mission statement as I look at options. Now, why didn’t I think of that?

            One other thing I have done is help a friend get his book published on Amazon. We had fun working together, and seeing his dream turn into a reality gave me great joy. His sales are off and running and I couldn’t be happier.

            Another friend approached me about helping him build a website. We bought the name he wanted and set it up with a hosting company. Now comes the task of actually building the site. It’s something he has dreamed about doing and I feel honored to help him.

            I looked at my website the other day and realized that it needs a facelift. I am not sure when I can start doing that as I have another website project that has been keeping me busy. For over a year now I have been working on a new website where I am bringing writers together. All of us are positive and encouraging writers. Most of us write about our faith and how to live it in a practical way.

            The website, EncouragingU.com, has been a fun hobby. The question I keep asking myself is; could it become an actual business? We are just about to the place where we will have one writer posting a column every day. I work to keep posting interesting links to other positive stories in the news. I feel like there is so much negative news out in the world; here is a place where someone can come and feel refreshed.

            My hope is that I will continue to find new encouraging writers who will join us in our endeavor. I would also love to find some sponsors to help create some income. But those are both things for the Lord to figure out. In the meantime, I plan to continue having fun building and seeing what God does with it.

            A friend recently reminded me of something I already know: the future is in the Lord’s hands. It’s knowing the future and fulfilling God’s purposes in my lifetime that is the challenge. As I thought about the unknown future this week, there are two things I know for certain. First, I know the Lord’s voice. I have walked with Him for many years and He has led me through many changes in my life. He hasn’t failed me once.

            The second thing I know for sure is that He has always provided for me. He is faithful. He is good. He will show me the right path, but there must be some behind-the-scenes details that He has to work out first. God’s always at work. I can lay my biggest fear aside, I will not miss Him. He will come and guide me along the path, quite simply because I am His son and He always takes care of His family.

            I want to encourage you to place your future in His hands. It takes faith to believe in our Father, who is concerned about every detail of our lives. We have to believe He is here, walking and talking with us. We have to trust God to open the doors for us. God has our best future in His heart. Our best future will make us more like His Son. I’m putting my hand in His; I can’t wait to see the adventure He’s got planned.  

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

Policy and its Procedure

by   January 17, 2020 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

            Non-public schools reserve the right to expel a student for a rule infraction, be it one of a discipline or honor violation, or both. Also, poor academic performance may lead to a student being expelled. It is hoped that all such schools print a clear and simple set of expectations and possible consequences for their breaking in some forms for students and parents to follow. As difficult as it is for a student and school, sometimes the best action is for a student to be expelled. But, in my opinion and experience as an independent educator, expulsion should be the last recourse.

            Earlier today when I read the following in an ABC on-line article, I was disappointed: “A Christian school in Kentucky is accused of expelling a freshman student after seeing an image of her celebrating her 15th birthday with a rainbow cake and multi-colored sweater. Kimberly Alford said officials at Whitefield Academy in Louisville sent her an email last week with the image of her daughter, Kayla, and informed her that Kayla was no longer a student.”

            Whitefield Academy, like all non-public schools, maintain its right to expel a student as mentioned earlier. Fine. Yet what I cannot understand, if the mother is correct, why did the head of school notify the student and parent via an email? I understand that the photograph of a student can cause alarm for a school when the school sees the picture as going against one or more of its core beliefs. Alford says that the head of school told her when she called that the cake and sweater represented gay pride, not a core belief of Whitefield.

            On its web page, Whitfield lists its Core Values. Two of them are: Compassion and respect for all people. Whitefield Academy believes each individual is uniquely created by God and endowed with specific gifts and abilities. These gifts and abilities, encourage mutual respect, promote Christian love and provide motivation to resolve conflict in a peaceable and Biblical manner (Matthew 18:15-35). Commitment to family values. Whitefield Academy exists to serve Christian families in the process of education. As such, the school is supportive of family issues and concerns. We exist to strengthen the family through a balanced educational program that considers the academic and relational needs of the family (Psalm 127).

            As a Christ follower, I am aware of the Bible’s teachings on homosexuality. I am also a reader of the Gospels, and as I understand them, especially Luke, I appreciate the two Core Values of Whitfield that I quoted. But, how can the head of school believe in them, if a student is expelled via an email. What kind of compassion/respect and commitment to family values does that demonstrate? Shame on that type of Christianity.

The question is not the policy of Whitfield, but the procedure it followed in expelling its student. I hope it will look at its Core Values and follow them the next time a student breaks a rule.

Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior!

by   January 13, 2020 with No Comments

By David Freeze

I can’t begin to remember the first time I met Kevin and Ester Marsh. It seems like they have always been close friends. They were also very special to a generation of running kids in Rowan County.
With an exceptionally talented running son, Kevin and Ester helped with another program when Andrew got involved. They decided in 2011 to start the YMCA Warriors, offering cross country and track competition. Kevin said, “Ester and I knew that we could partner with the Y to have a terrific running program.” The long story is that the couple invested a huge amount of time to help these kids, up to 900 hours annually.

Rowan County doesn’t have middle school cross country and track but most of the surrounding counties do. Kevin and Ester worked with over 50 kids, many as young as 9 and 10. Most continued to participate in the program until high school and often remained afterwards.
While Kevin handled most of the running, Ester was the catalyst for starting the Warriors and she handled all the team entries and memberships, plus the YMCA requirements for their programs. Ester also coached the high jump, long jump, hurdles and sprints. Kevin said, “Ester was truly a force for our team!”

Kevin continued, “The Warriors always had many kids qualify for the Junior Olympics, an accomplishment in itself, and we also had at least one All-American (top eight in age group) in every Junior Olympics we competed in for nine years.”
Both Kevin and Ester had to balance all the time invested in coaching with hectic jobs. Kevin works for the Carolina Restaurant Group as service manager and Ester is fitness director at the Hurley YMCA. Summer track season is the longest with meets lasting all day on Saturday and even Sundays at the State and Regionals levels. Kevin said, “So probably about 30 hours a week and 20 hours a week for cross country. That’s 900 hours annually included planning workouts and other training.”

Still the rewards were great. Kevin said, “My most special memories are of Andrew winning the 2000m Steeplechase and being National Champion and our 10 and under boys cross country team winning the Footlocker Regional at McAlpine Park.” Members of that boys’ team included Eli Julian, Matthew Burroughs, Connor Price, Bret Lewis and Nate Shaffer. We also had a 9-10 year old team in 2015 AAU Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship in Alabama that finished second in the country, only seven points out of first place. Julian and Price were joined by Triston Rabon, Jake Swicegood and Grayson Steedley. I am very proud of both these teams because the total team finish embodies what makes cross country such a great sport.”

Current Rowan County High School Champions, Adalie Harrison and Noah Julian, are former Warriors.
All good things come to an end. Kevin said, “Mainly we decided to step away after the 2019 season due to our jobs. I am traveling more than ever for several days a week. With the Rowan/Cabarrus YMCA merger, Ester has a much bigger time commitment with the fitness department. The other consideration was our core group of boys that started as 8-9 year olds will move into high school next school year. My commitment was to keep coaching until they reached that level.”

With their well-deserved free time, Ester and Kevin plan to do trail riding in some new places and travel more since they won’t have to use vacation time for the Junior Olympics and Cross- Country Nationals. They plan to stay close to the running scene in Rowan County. Kevin has seven marathons and Ester has completed a half marathon and multiple triathlons.
Kevin continued, “When Ester and I decided to start the Warriors, our main goal was to instill a love of running in our kids that hopefully would carry on into adulthood. That is why we mainly focused on personal bests at each meet instead of finishing place. We are most proud of how many of our athletes went on to become accomplished runners in high school and we try to get to as many of their meets as possible. We always say ‘Once a Warrior always a Warrior’. I’m sure many people at cross country meets wonder why we’re cheering for kids from so many different schools, but we will always support our former athletes. It has been truly a labor of love!”

Look for upcoming running events including the New Sarum Brewing 37th Annual Winter Flight 8K/5K and Fun Run on January 26th at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

God in Everyday Activities

by   January 11, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            It’s not a very exciting day at my house today. I am busy doing the ordinary things of life. I am washing clothes, changing the sheets on the bed, getting them washed, and doing some other cleaning tasks. It has to get done sometime.

            The sun is shining and it feels nice. I think a walk will be in order today. I have been going for walks lately, even if it is a little chilly. Something about walking clears my head. I can think about things, or if my wife comes along, we can talk about things.

            As I look around, there are a few other things that are calling for my attention. My old car inspection is due and I have to get a new battery for that car. I have pushed that off as long as possible.

            I just looked out the window and noticed that I probably need to run the lawn mower one last time to get up the last of the stray leaves. With the Christmas decorations out of the way, I ought to get out there and take care of that and maybe the gutters, too.

            There are always things that we have to do. There are always things that are vying for our attention. We have a choice. We can allow those things to distract us, to keep us away from the Lord. The other choice is to invite God to join us in our everyday activities.

            Here is what I mean. When I cut the grass, I have a pair of ear protectors to help block out the sound of the lawn mower. They will help me to block out the roar of the motor so I can hear the voice of my Father.

            I have to admit it is pretty mundane to make the bed. But that can change if I invite God to join me in that task. It is a perfect opportunity to pray for God to give us peaceful sleep. I can also pray for the love of my life. I admit it is easy to miss the opportunity, and I have on far too many occasions. It is easy to focus on completing the task and allowing our minds to wander.

            I am convinced that God wants to spend more time with us. I keep looking for chances and have discovered that I get distracted from golden opportunities. He is waiting and ready, but I am thinking about something else. But if I stop and think about Him, He is right there even when I am doing the dishes.

            I know all of us are concerned with what is going on in the world. We watch our military men and women being sent overseas and we naturally want to worry. We also falsely believe that God needs to focus His attention on what is happening in other places. There are people all over the world who are facing desperate situations, how could I ask God to spend time with me while I am changing the sheets?

            We need to come to a better understanding about God. He is capable of being omnipresent. This means that He can be with me while I am putting the clean sheets on the bed and He can also be with our men and women in the armed forces. He is with the people in Australia who are suffering in the fires. He is also with the homeless families in our communities, the widow who feels all alone, and you and whatever situation you are facing today.

            God wants to be with us. It is up to us to open the door for Him. He cares about and knows about everything in our lives…AND most important, He loves us. He is keeping a close eye on us and all those who are in desperate need. Stop worrying about everyone else and invite Him into your heart. He has the answers you need. It doesn’t matter how bad you think you screwed everything up, He wants you, loves you, and accepts you.

            I want to encourage you to open your heart to the omnipresent God. He knows all and still keeps on loving you. Stop making excuses; come Home to Him today. He’s waiting for you. You don’t have to clean yourself up. He is an expert at doing that. He has a plan for your life and I promise it will be a good trip. It requires you to activate your faith and for you to open the door for Him. Don’t worry, He’ll do the rest.

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

Ways of a Young Fool

by   January 10, 2020 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

            In May 1968 I graduated from college with a degree in English. I went home that summer to work in Cannon Mills, Plant 1, but as soon as August came, and Uncle Grant sold me that two-toned green rambler, I headed to what I viewed as the “promised land” of the North, which for me was Washington, D.C. I remember on the long drive to my apartment in Maryland seeing a “Wallace for President” sign somewhere in N.C., and thinking, “No more of that.”

            During my college years I became good friends with William MacPherson, who had grown up in Arlington, Va. I visited his home and thus, D.C., over the four years of gaining an education. I came to think of the area as the “land of milk and honey” for such a fired-up, young radical as I. The time of my graduation was the time of George Wallace and “Clean” Gene, who were candidates for President. It was also the time of Dr. King, Jr.’s assassination and the subsequent riots. It was the time of protests. It was the time of Howard Zinn and nightly newscasts of battles in Vietnam, complete with the day’s body count. It was an exciting time to be twenty-one years old and beginning a teaching career in a rural county of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

            Or so I thought until I recently ran across a reference to a man named Clarence Jordon. Jordon was a strong believer in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the fall of 1941 when he met a gentle missionary named Martin England who believed as he, they began dreaming of establishing Koinonia Farm as a way of countering the plight of farmers.  Life on Koinonia Farm would follow Scripture, especially the Sermon on the Mount. In 1942 they purchased a run-down farm southwest of Americus, Georgia, and the work to establish a community of all people began. But, the local population objected to the Koinonians eating together because some were white and some black, and just wages were paid to black workers which went against the rules of Jim Crow. Violence was not long in coming and until his death of a heart attack in 1969, Jordon peacefully followed the tenets of the Sermon on the Mount as angry whites burned down buildings of the farm, stole from it, destroyed its equipment, shot at its members, and local merchants refused to sell seeds and fertilizer to the farm. In describing the personalities warped by hate that tried to kill the farm, Jordon said, “We have too many enemies to leave them without hope.” I am indebted to Joyce Hollyday for some of this information.

Since reading the reference to Jordon and the Koinonia Farm, I have read his Cotton Patch Version of Luke and Acts, a brief sketch of his life by Joyce Hollyday, and have begun his commentary on the Sermon on the Mount. I am captured by his faith, adherence to Scripture, and his legacy of Koinonia Farm. And I can’t help but go back to my years of college in the 1960’s and my mistaken belief that everything I desired was in a large, northern city.

A son of the South, I highly anticipated the time I could move to a world more suited to my beliefs—equality for men and women, peace, honest work, learning, in brief, everyone coming together to make the world better. I saw my dream in D.C. and went there. But, now, all these years later in 2018, I “discover” a man and a place that had everything I desired. Now, I am not fool enough to think that, going back these fifty years, everything would be peachy. Perhaps Jordon would not have appreciated me or my ways; maybe I not his. So be that. Yet, I am intrigued by my not seeing what was almost right in front of me and held all that my radical heart desired in 1968.   

Time for Resolutions

by   January 6, 2020 with No Comments

By David Freeze

How to make them work

    I’m writing this on Saturday morning, January 4th. A certainty is that some resolutions have already been broken. As a fitness professional, I understand this. Resolutions can be tough to sustain. In fact, most are blown by March 1. Everybody rushes the gym just after New Year’s, then have disappeared by early spring. Why?

    Thankfully, I’ve had lots of years and some reasonable success at helping folks achieve the changes they wanted. Here are some of the ways that I think you can work on a better you for 2020.

    I have noticed this week that retailers, from Walmart to Aldi, have targeted fitness gear and healthy food choices for the first week in January. That’s great, but don’t take on too much at a time. When we are talking about a change in behavior, particularly long-term issues, positive resolutions that are too big or too complicated don’t work. Start small and keep yourself accountable.

   How do you keep yourself accountable? See support from family, friends and even a trainer. Merely walking in the front door of a gym won’t guarantee success. Talk about your achievable resolutions so that others know what you have in mind. Telling others leads to accountability. Encourage them to check in on you. Better yet, find a partner or two for the express purpose of that magic word. Accountability is, in my opinion, the most important word as you seek workable resolutions.

    I listen to the commercial for one popular gym which suggests “no commitment”. Who would expect success with long term goals with no commitment?

    Try it like this. Decide what matters most to you and start small while being realistic. The two most popular resolutions are 1. ‘Exercise more’ and 2. ‘Eat healthy’. Those statements as resolutions are way to broad and are a failure waiting to happen. Be specific. In my experience, if you want to exercise more, schedule yourself, and hopefully a friend, for four planned workouts or group classes a week. Going from zero workouts to 7 days a week isn’t likely to work. And you’ll need recovery days.

   Eating healthy for most of my clients begins with getting control of what they drink. Liquid calories, usually laden with excess sugar, are the biggest culprits for pursuing a proper diet. Sweet tea, sugared soft drinks and alcohol are laden with calories that don’t improve your wellness. I once had a client who chose to track her calories daily by use of a popular app, but she left off her liquid calories. Be realistic and truthful, especially to yourself.

     So, two easy ways to address the two biggest and most pursued resolutions quickly come to mind. Make the small and accountable step of finding a workout that you enjoy, and this may take some experimentation. Doing workouts you don’t enjoy will not last. Maybe you and a partner find group classes that you like or begin a walking or running program. Plan it, follow through and be accountable.

    On the food consumption, start with the liquid calories. Just one less soft drink a day, at about 200 calories, will net a loss of 20 pounds a year. How much simpler can that be? Same for sweet tea and alcoholic drinks.

      Here’s my revelation for you to consider. Once you start seeing success, you’ll come to a great divide. Do you keep going or does the resolution go the way of so many others that didn’t work out? Decide what is important to you and buck up to get it done.

       And my final suggestion. Get God involved! Ask for support and the energy to keep moving forward. I do this every evening during my prayers. God wants you to be the best you! For yourself and for those around you. And if all goes well, your health and your prayer experience will both leap forward!

A Brand New Decade

by   January 4, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            We only have a few more days left in this year and this decade. It is hard to believe that we are going to be in the 2020’s next week. It’s always hard for me to believe that a whole year has passed. Time seems to move faster and faster as I get older.

            My previous pastor always receives a poem from the Lord for the year. My current pastor always receives a single word that is our focus for the year. 2019 was “uncommon.” Well, I can tell you that 2019 was definitely an uncommon year for us. I retired, which was a very uncommon event. But the year was full of uncommon things. Some we hope continue to be uncommon, while others we invite and hope to make common in our lives.

            We are looking forward to 2020. I know the Lord has good things planned. One thing I am NOT looking forward to is the election. The event itself, voting, is great. My problem is the process we have to go through from here to there. There are all the political ads. Then there are the constant phone calls. If we could get more civility in our politics it might be more enjoyable, but that isn’t how elections are won or lost.

            As I reflect back on the last decade, we have experienced lots of changes, especially in technology. We went from flip phones to smart phones. Who could have imagined having the power of all that information right at your fingertips? We now have smart doorbells so we can see who is at the door and we may not even be home. My mother used to have intercoms at our doors. Times sure have changed.

            You can control so much now from your phone. You can turn your thermostat up or down. You can turn lights on and off. You can probably talk to your watch which will talk to your phone which will contact your house and make necessary changes. I imagine by the time we close out this new decade we will have cars driving themselves and many people will probably not even own cars, they will just call for a driverless car to take them where they want to go. I am not sure I am ready for that.

            Wherever technology takes us in the future, I am sure we will gradually all get used to doing things the new way. It might be nice to allow a vehicle to drive me someplace while I sleep, particularly if there is a zero percent chance of an accident. Personally, I prefer to put my life in God’s hands. He has a perfect record for helping people navigate life.

            The future can feel mystical and scary at times. No one knows what the future holds for each of us. The only way to know the future is to know Him who holds the future. He’s seen all the good things coming your way and He is not surprised when the bad things happen. He is ready to celebrate the good and comfort through the bad. The best thing is knowing we are in God’s hands when we enter the New Year.

            The secret to having peace when entering the New Year and new decade is knowing the Prince of Peace. He can help guard your mind from worry and fear as you cross into the unknown. You can know and believe that all things will work into something good for your life as long as you are trusting Him. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be sorrow or pain, it just means that He will be with you and that He can turn your sorrow into joy.

            There are parts of 2019 that I would prefer to forget, but God has used those situations to draw me closer. He felt more real to me as I walked through the fire. That gives me confidence. If He did it in 2019, then I know He will do it again in 2020.

            I want to encourage you to put your trust in God. 2020 is going to have some great days that we can celebrate. 2020 is also going to have some difficult days where it will be a struggle just to put one foot in front of the other. No matter what comes, I have faith in God that it will work for my good. We are entering a new decade and I believe that God is going to give us a good trip through this one, too. Happy New Year!

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

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