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

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

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

Knocking the Cover off the Ball

by   January 3, 2020 with No Comments

By David Freeze

    I grew up idolizing my hero, New York Yankees baseball star, Mickey Mantle. Living on a small rural dairy farm, I really had to work to find someone to play ball with. My brother and sister didn’t care for sports much and still don’t. I couldn’t get enough of football or basketball, but baseball had that special appeal. At that time, I think baseball was truly America’s game. To me, it still is.

     Baseball on TV was rare then but sometimes I could get a game on the radio while sitting on the front porch swing during nice summer nights. We didn’t have air conditioning at home, so the cool night air was often a relief from a warm house. Just me and my small radio, searching for any game but especially grateful on the nights that the proper atmosphere allowed reception of a station carrying Yankees baseball.

     I had a cousin who often visited who loved the game as much as me. We could sometimes get my brother to play baseball games with us. I can never remember more than the three of us at home playing.

     Most fun of all was little league baseball that we played in Landis. I played on the Lions and my brother, along with our nearest neighbor, played on the Firemen. Our parents often shared the rides for the three of us to practices and games. There were only four teams in our league and we played twice a week.

     I remember my first time at the old Landis ballpark, originally used for semi-pro and high school baseball. The covered wooden stands and the field itself both seemed huge, especially to a small 11 year old boy. We had a team shirt, which I still have, and a ball cap. That shirt lasted a long time. Those games were more than 50 years ago.

      Another thing that lasted a long time were the baseballs. I remember how special we felt to ever see a new baseball. The pictures I have seen of early 1900’s major league players never included a new white baseball. All our practices were done with old balls, some of them heavy from getting wet previously. Those were also the days of the good little league teams only having three or four wooden bats. Yes, wooden bats just like the major league players used. Old balls and well-worn bats simply were baseball back then.

       Most games began with a new ball and a good used one as backup. We just needed enough balls as a team to warm up with. Should one of the game balls get lost, the home team had to put in play one of their best warmup balls. Someone was always sent to look for a lost game ball on the very big field at Landis. And they kept looking until the ball was found.

      My point here is that game balls were often used for a long time and could on occasion begin to show damage. First signs would be scuffs and occasionally the stitching began to break. Little red threads made those stitches and one break usually led to another. Still we played on unless the cover did actually begin to come loose. Each time the ball was hit hard, the cover would continue to unravel. The horsehide started to flap but only on the rare occasion could someone hit the ball so hard the cover actually came off. Usually a mammoth clout finished off the ball and another one from the warm- up bag replaced it. No one complained and we all thought losing the coverless ball was just a part of the game. But the mammoth clout wasn’t that common and took special effort.

      But how about that baseball, the one with the cover knocked off? Roy Hobbs, in the movie, The Natural, hit it so hard and well that the ball unraveled on the way to the outfield. In our life, should we always try our hardest for the things we believe in. The term, “Knock the cover off the ball”, today means going hard, giving our best and just simply making the best effort we can for the intended result. How we can go wrong when doing that?

    Do your best on your walk of faith. If God tells you to do something, work hard and do your best. God will do all the things you can’t do.

     Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25.

A Brand New Decade

by   December 28, 2019 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

Denigrated by tradition

by   December 27, 2019 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

The phrase “Doubting Thomas” is an all-too familiar one used to describe one of The Twelve. It has even evolved to describe a person who is skeptical concerning a fact, a negative comment against one’s judgement or belief.

But this is where I think Biblical tradition has maligned the Disciple Thomas. After all, in John 11:16, he is the Disciple who says to the other Disciples when Jesus is preparing to go to Bethany because of Lazarus’ death, “Let us also go, that we may die with him[Jesus].” Lazarus lived in Bethany and it was a dangerous place for Jesus. However, in this scene set by John, we see the courage of Thomas, The Twin. There is affirmation in his words, but through mis-teaching and tradition, Thomas is too often remembered as a doubter.

Through tradition, we have come to teach that there were three wise men who visited the newborn Jesus, because three gifts are mentioned. Tradition teaches that Jesus was a carpenter, but he was the equivalent of a modern-day handyman working with wood and stone, a more plentiful source for building in first century Israel. Every image of the Last Supper is based on a late 15th century mural by Da Vinci, which is Biblically wrong. And one more example of tradition taking over fact is the symbol for Christianity — the cross. What we show and wear is not historically accurate, but we teach it still.

However, in my recent readings of Genesis, I have been struck by how we have treated Esau. Yes, he traded his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup. (By the way, why was his brother cooking, a woman’s job in that society?) And he was cheated by his mother and twin brother. Yep, to spite his parents, he married two heathen women. Then his brother the sneak leaves to escape his rage.

Gone for 20 years, Jacob returns with his wealth. Frightened still of Esau, he sends his concubines and children out first, then Leah and her children, then Rachel (his favorite) with her children. A nice pecking order in case Esau had plans for vengeance. But, accompanied by 400 of his best fighters, according to Genesis 33: 4, “Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.”

I see no revenge here, but Dr. J. Vernon J. McGee writes that Esau possibly tried to bite the neck of his brother, thus killing him. But during the exchanges between the brothers, Esau refers to Jacob as “my brother” while Jacob uses the distant “My lord.” When Jacob offers gifts to Esau, the red warrior says in Genesis 33:9, “I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.”
I am aware of the oft-quoted verses from Malachi that Esau is the patriarch of Edom, the nation that helped the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem. But what we know of Esau from the Bible, besides the sad tale of twin brothers in Genesis, is that he helped Jacob bury their father. What else we know is from non-Biblical sources. So why the vilification?

Tradition. And that is dangerous. While working in a school outside New Orleans, I was often told, in explaining why some action was followed, “It’s our tradition, Mr. Barbee.” The chaplain would say in an aside to me, “Tradition or unexamined habit?”

I think we have too many unexamined habits of belief in our Christianity and we should follow the Bible and use what it gives us, along with accurate histories. If we follow a tradition, we begin to believe it, then we teach it as gospel. Then, when the ones we have wrongly taught learn the truth, they may see us as liars or worse. Teach truth.

Roger Barbee lives in Mooresville. Contact him at rogerbarbee@gmail.com

Along the Road

by   December 22, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

His struggle with addiction was real. The pain associated with his life choices were pounding and reverberating in his heart that day as he sat by the side of the road. He felt he had one thing to live for – his baby girl who was about to celebrate her 2nd birthday. He loved her fiercely – as well as he knew how – during the throes of his addiction.

He was grateful for the maternal grandparents who were raising her, though his guilt sometimes overwhelmed. He wanted to be with her as often as he was able – but he especially wanted to be in her presence personally presenting her a present on her birthday.

He had gotten a ride to a shopping district in a nearby town – about thirty minutes from home. He hoped to use the few dollars he had saved to buy the perfect gift. Quickly, he realized the paltry amount he had in his pocket would purchase almost nothing.

He had given up, sat down on the curb, and was waiting for his ride home. It never came. He lowered his head and covered his face, as he realized it was another day of defeat. His tears began to flow.

Cars passed. People walked by. He paid no attention. Another car came by, pulled over to the curb, and a man called out, “You need help?” Seconds later, he was in the car of a stranger who insisted on driving him home, and who was listening intently as he shared his story: His struggles. His failure to raise his child. His appreciation for the grandparents who were. The birthday plans. The birthday present he had hoped to give.

A few minutes later, he was dropped off where he was staying at that time, but not before the stranger talked with him about putting his trust in the Lord, and asking for the phone number of the grandparents who were raising his little girl. As he got out of the car, he was handed $500 to buy that special gift – and to encourage him that God – and people – care.

The story did not end there.

The next day, a phone call of encouragement came to the grandparents.

The following day, they received a $500 check.

Some may call this a nice story.

Some may call it a streak of luck.

I call it an angel.

An angel sent to encourage an addict who needed to see God.

An angel sent to encourage a small child who deserved great love.

An angel sent to encourage grandparents who were raising their grandchild.

These words from the song, Angels Among Us, seem fitting:

I believe there are angels among us

Sent down to us from somewhere up above

They come to you and me in our darkest hour

To show us how to live, to teach us how to give

To guide us with the light of love.

That ‘light of love’ is exactly what was put in my heart as I experienced this angel at work – for the family this angel had reached out to was part of my family.

Angels at work.

Be the angel.

See the angel.

It may not show up in $500 increments.

It may be even greater!

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

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