July 2020 – Grits with Grace

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born

“No Trespassing”

Posted on July 31, 2020July 30, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35

It was kinda confusing. A while back I was walking in our neighborhood. It was early in the morning and the birds were singing, the sun was shining and as Mister Rogers would say, “It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood.” As I was walking I would look at the different houses and their yards. I noticed that several, well actually more than several, of the homes had “no trespassing” signs in their yard or stuck on the house. One home had six or seven signs and about a half dozen security cameras. I think they must have had something really important inside.

I’m not sure what the deal is but probably there is a valid reason. But being from the South, we generally didn’t stick “no trespassing” signs up in our yard. More than likely we stuck up a “hey, y’all come on in” sign. Of course, that was several decades ago and maybe now they have some not so friendly signs down South too. At any rate this is America and you can pretty much put up what you want as long as it isn’t too mean. But then there was one house that kinda confused me.

As you probably can guess they had a “no trespassing” sign up. But right next to the “no trespassing” sign they had a big “welcome” sign. It caused me to wonder. Which one was correct? I didn’t know if I was welcome to come up on the porch and sit or if I would be shot if I did. I wasn’t sure so I kept right on walking because I was real sure I didn’t want to find out. Oftentimes we seem to send conflicting messages.

Sometimes I see this is at churches. There will be a sign on the message board that says “everyone welcome”. There might even be a parking spot in the parking lot that says, “reserved for guests.” Sometimes they have people standing at the door to shake your hand when you come in. But then I wonder, “do they really mean that or are they trying to act nice?” I mean everyone expects churches to be friendly because Jesus was. He liked everybody. I heard a preacher say once that it was pretty amazing that the people who were the least like Jesus were the ones that felt the most comfortable around Him. It seemed they liked Him and He liked them.

On the other hand, Jesus was always bumping heads with the religious elite. Theoretically they should have been the most like Him, but they didn’t like Him and I’m not sure He was too fond of them. Of course, Jesus was always trying to find the best in others but some of those guys in the New Testament were really mean. I don’t think there was a “welcome” sign on their house for either Jesus or His friends

There was one group they really didn’t like, the tax collectors. Because tax collectors worked for the Roman government, they were seen as thieves and traitors. But do you know what Jesus did? Jesus invited a tax collector to be one of them, to be a part of His inner circle. Can you even imagine that? “Hey Matthew,” Jesus said, “why don’t you come and be a part of our group?” I bet the religious guys about fainted and so did the rest of Jesus’s followers. I can just hear them now, “Well, there goes the neighborhood.” They might have been right, but Jesus was always more concerned for the neighbor than the neighborhood. He did more than talk about loving people, He really loved people.

When Jesus was explaining to those who followed Him how people would know that they were His friends, do you know what He said? It wasn’t because they went to church on Sunday. It wasn’t because they knew all the answers. And it wasn’t even because they wore the right kind of clothes when they were hanging around Jesus. Nope. Jesus said that people would know that we were His friends because of the way we loved—and in particular, the way we loved each other. Whenever I share about that, it never goes over very well. The reason is that it is a lot easier to dress right, talk right and go to church than to love someone—particularly someone who is not very lovable. But that is what He said we should do. There is a secret to loving others.

We need to remember that when we were not lovable at all, Jesus chose to love us. And if we will let that roll around in our heads and hearts awhile, I think we will find that loving others is just a little bit easier. The next time you are all worked up about something, maybe trying to love someone, just get up next to Jesus and sit awhile. You won’t find a “no trespassing” sign there…just one that says “welcome.” And you can just sit back and let Him handle whatever you’re stressed about…cause He’s got this.

Family, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, travel

“Fore” What?

Posted on July 30, 2020July 29, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25

I don’t play golf. You might say, “I thought all preachers play golf and eat fried chicken.” Well, one out of two isn’t too bad. I am a big fan of fried chicken but golf has never been my thing. When I was at Cobden a good friend of mine named Andy would occasionally take me to play. Most times I would wack the ball and I would hook or slice it. I’m really not sure what that means but I do know the ball didn’t go anywhere near the hole. It generally went towards Australia.

Sometimes, and I admit it was rarely, I would hit the ball and it would go right down the fairway. I don’t know who was more surprised; me, my friend Andy or the ball. At any rate it occasionally happened. But that was the problem…the fact that I couldn’t seem to consistently make it do the right thing was very frustrating. So finally I looked at Andy and said, “You know Andy, I don’t understand why I am paying good money to be frustrated. I can stay home and be frustrated for free.” And boom…that was my last golf game. I do still get frustrated, but boy, have I saved money.

Well, with all that said, when we went on vacation with the family a month or so ago our condo overlooked this beautiful, world class golf course. Some famous guy designed it and the whole purpose of the course was to be challenging. Of course, for me that translated frustrating. I was amazed though about how carefully they maintained the course. Early every morning the crew would go out and prepare the course for that day’s lesson in frustration. Each person had a job and a piece of equipment to get the job done. Like I said, it was very impressive. And then I noticed something.

Every couple of days, a guy would sneak out on the course and play a trick on the guys paying to be frustrated. First, he would go to where they would tee off. That is the place where they smack the ball and see if it went towards the hole or towards Australia. He would move the tee backward or forward and change the distance to the green. Pretty tricky. But he wasn’t done. He would then go the green and move the flag and hole around—this side or that side—closer or further.

The whole point was to confuse the guys hitting the ball—to make it more challenging or depending on your perspective, frustrating. The golfers would tee off from a different place toward a target that had magically moved over night. What worked the day before wouldn’t work the next. It was different, it was challenging… it kept them on their toes. How about that.

As I watching all of this, it occurred to me that God must like golf too. In fact, I’m pretty sure they got their ideas from Him. You see God is all about helping us grow to be more like Him. To do that He introduces things in our lives that challenge us. You might say He occasionally moves the tee and moves the flag. Now, that might be frustrating but that isn’t why He does it. He does it to strengthen our lives—our game.

I don’t know if the Bible has an example about golf (though it does tell us to be “holy”) but it sure has a good one about running. Paul says that we should realize that in a race everyone runs but only one can win. We are to run to win. But the race isn’t about meters and miles—it is about becoming like Jesus. So, what’s the deal about becoming like Him? Well, the more we become like Him, the more our lives will have less “slices and hooks” and less consequences. Life is better, much better, with Jesus. When my life finally gets a little slower, I just might take up a hobby but I still think I can find something that will allow me to get frustrated for free. I’ll leave golf to the other guys. For now, the next time I get a little frustrated, I’m going to remember that God may have intentionally moved the tees or the flag to help me be like Him. Oh wait…here He comes now. He’s inviting me to take a rest and ride in the cart with Him. I think I will…He’s got this.

Family, life, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Murphy’s Law

Posted on July 29, 2020July 28, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.”
Song of Solomon 2:15

Good ole Murphy. You have probably heard about a thing called Murphy’s Law. The bottom line is that if something can go wrong…it probably will. I have been a strong believer in Murphy’s Law for a long time. In fact, I bet if I checked ancestry.com this Murphy fella is somehow related to me. Now I know if you are one of those optimistic folks you are not a believer. You probably don’t believe in Big Foot either. Well, hey, I’m a believer. Let me give you a couple of examples.

I have a 100 foot water hose that we use to water plants, wash the car, all kind of things. When I am done with the hose and it is time to roll it back up, there is a 90% probably that the hose will catch on something—a flower pot, a rock, a crack in the sideway, or even an ant. When it catches, it kinks and I will have to walk out and unkink it. And…there is 67.5 % chance that it will kink again. There you go…Murphy’s Law.

Are you up for one more? So, let’s say I am installing a light fixture in the bedroom and I have to screw three screws in to hold it. There is a 94.75 percent chance that I will drop at least one of the screws from atop the six foot ladder, that it will roll 7.5 feet over toward the wall and that it will drop into the heating or air conditioning vent. AND there is a 100% chance that I will not have a replacement screw AND a 84% chance that no one in town will either. See, it is Murphy’s Law—undeniable, irrefutable, you gotta believe it, proof.

Now the good thing about Murphy’s Law is that most of the things it involves won’t kill you or even cause serious injury …but it will definitely drive you crazy. I’ve lived long enough to come to the conclusion that it isn’t the major disasters in life that steal our joy, rob us of peace, or make us want to move to Montana. No, it is the little things. One of my favorite verses is tucked away in one of those Bible books we never read—the Song of Solomon. Trust me—don’t read it to your kids before bedtime—or maybe anytime.

Well, right in the middle of the book is this jewel, “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.” The author, who is a guy named Solomon, is saying he is not worried about a herd of elephants stomping and ruining his grapevines. Nope. He realized the danger is from those pesky little foxes that come along and eat the harvest one grape at a time. One.grape.at.a.time.

In these crazy days that have become some kind of new normal there are some elephants out there. The reality is that the corona virus can be very dangerous. There is a pretty small chance that I will get it. There is an even smaller chance that it will kill me. But there is just about a 100% chance that it and all its circumstances have and will mess with me. And that’s the problem—worrying about things that mess with me, things I can’t change, and the Rolaids stock goes right through the roof. Those stinking, pesky little foxes. We should be wary of the elephants, but let’s not give too much time and energy to the little foxes.

The foxes can and will mess with us. If we allow them they can cause us to be frustrated and even angry. They can mess with our peace, our joy, our relationships and even our sleep. But the truth is our God is greater than any elephant or any fox. All we have to do us trust Him—to lean into Him. The writer of Proverbs says it this way, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean into your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

There you go…trust and acknowledge and He will straighten this mess out. So, the next time the hose kinks or the screw disappears just remember Murphy is at work. The choice of what we do when he visits is ours. I think we should just probably introduce him to our Friend Jesus. We should let him know there isn’t room for he and Jesus in our circle of friends. Someone has to go and Murphy—it is you. So long Murphy. I’m gonna go rest in Jesus. He’s got this.

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

The Tax Man Cometh

Posted on July 28, 2020July 27, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

It was from the tax guy or gal and it was waiting for me in the mailbox when I got home. Judy is usually the mail checker but she was out of town. I went into the house and “it” was a letter from the tax assessor’s office. They told me they had driven by my house and they really liked it—a lot. And, since they liked it so much, they decided it was worth more than they had previously thought. A whole lot more. They blessed us with a reassessment of value and the grand prize was that we got to pay more property taxes. Yay. Well, not really but it did give me a great opportunity to learn about how much God loves me. Here’s what happened.

If you have been here before you probably know, my day job is being a pastor. It is something that I really enjoy. My favorite thing is sharing THE story but also sharing stories. I love to take big truths and present them in a way that anyone can grasp them. I think that is what Jesus did and I figure if He did it, I should too.

This past week I was sharing the story from the Bible about how four guys take this paralyzed guy to see Jesus. When they got there, the house was stuffed with people. There was no way they were going to get in. They decided to take this guy up on the roof, make a hole and then lower him right in front of Jesus. It was crazy, it was radical, and it was different, but they believed two things. They believed that Jesus could heal their friend and that their friend was worth the effort. We all could use friends like that.

They began to haul this guy up the ladder to the roof. Can you even imagine how difficult and challenging that was? I mean how do you keep a paralyzed guy from falling off his mat while climbing a ladder? Well, somehow they pulled it off. When they got to the top, they began to remove the thatch first and then break apart the mud and tiles. After they had made a hole big enough to get this guy through—they lowered him down and he landed right in front of Jesus. I bet there was more than one person who wondered what in the world was going on. I bet too some people were grumbling about tearing up a perfectly good roof to get some poor, paralyzed guy in front of Jesus. I mean if he had been some rich guy… maybe… but a nobody? And that’s what “rung my bell”.

You see to those four guys and to Jesus—this guy wasn’t a nobody—he was a somebody. He was worth way more than a hole in the roof. In fact, through the eyes of Jesus, every soul is incredibly valuable—including yours. And that’s when the reassessment thing came into focus. Remember, when the tax folks drove by my house? They liked what they saw and they increased my tax assessment. Their assessment really only meant I get to pay more taxes. It really doesn’t mean my house is actually worth what they said.

You see, I learned a while back that anything you or I own—our house, our car, is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it. That’s the bottomline. So, here’s the deal. God drove by your soul, my soul and assigned a value to it—what it was worth to Him and what He was willing to pay to redeem it. Do you know what that was? Well, we find it in the Bible. It says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Get that—everlasting (as in eternal) life. God’s assessment of our value to Him was the life of His very own Son. He allowed His Son to die on a Roman cross because He somehow counted us worth it. He just loved us that much.

Well, the end of the story for the paralyzed guy was pretty amazing. Jesus first calls him son—not worthless, not broken, but son. Then He forgives the guy’s sin—not what he wanted… but what he needed—and finally, He tells him to stand up, take his mat and go home. Three seemingly impossible things. But with Jesus, as you can probably guess, nothing is really impossible. The guy jumps up, takes his mat and leaves as the crowd is standing in disbelief. They said they have never seen anything like that—and they hadn’t. The key thing is that the guy had to not only believe, but also act on what he believed. Each one of us must do the same. We have to believe that Jesus is Who He says He is and can do what He says He can do. When we believe that—we are forgiven and God becomes our Father. Truth be known, I wasn’t too happy about my reassessment. However, I was glad it taught me a new way to look at how much God loves me…and you. When we are down on ourselves, when all we can see are failures and warts, when we want to give up and quit, we are reminded that our Heavenly Father thinks we are worth a lot. You see, I’m learning that His opinion is the only one that matters. So why not claim that for yourself and take a rest in Him today. Because you know—He’s got this.

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Call a Plumber

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

I knew it, I just knew it. A month or so ago, my wife told me that she had dropped her special eye liner down the drain in our bathroom. It was the kind that was encased in a holder like a pencil and one day the eye thingy just slid right out. Now, I’m not sure what an eye liner even does but I know it was important to her. And, since it was important to her, it was important to me.

With my limited, and I do mean limited, knowledge of plumbing and drains, I did know that there is a thing called a trap on a drain. It is designed to catch things and keep them from going wherever the water goes…the place of no return. I also knew checking the trap was not a big deal. You unscrew a couple of things and when you are done you screw it back on. No deal, right? Uh, well, usually.

Well, I took it off and dumped it out. There was some really ugly stuff in there but none of it had to do with eyes. So after cleaning it out I screwed it back on and checked to make sure every thing was nice and dry. It wasn’t. One of the joints was leaking. So I took it apart 3,291 times and 3,291 times it leaked. I finally called it quits and asked my real plumber son-in-law to swing by and check it out. The diagnosis was simple.

The problem was a cheaply made part from China that was apparently barely staying together before the eye-liner thing. The answer was to buy a new part, screw it on and bam—you are back in business. So, I go to store number one and buy the part the guy says I need. I bring it home, take it apart, wrong part. Bummer. So I went to another store and bought another part that the guy said I needed. I brought it home, I took it apart and indeed it was the WRONG part.

If nothing else, I am persistent. I went to a third store where the nice guy behind the counter sold me a whole bag of parts at a very good price. “Yay!” I said. I went home, opened my big bag of parts and discovered indeed that it would fix a problem, for someone, somewhere—but not my problem. They didn’t fit either. I gave up and went on vacation.

Sometimes a trip to Florida with family will give renewed clarity and determination. When I got home, I decided if I just tried harder, if I just adjusted and twisted enough I could make one of all those parts work. Well, I got on the floor, dumped all the parts on the floor and took it all part again and…failed. Miserably. In fact, instead of one leak I now had two. By now I was certain of two things. I was not a plumber and I was very glad God called me to be a preacher.

Well, I decided to give it one more try. This time I took the old broken parts with me to the story. Store one and two were closed but store three was open. I walked in and the nice guy said, “Can I help you?” I told him I honestly wasn’t sure. I gave him the short story of how I now owned a small plumbing supply business and I needed this part—and I showed him the dirty, slimy old part. He reached down and pulled a bag full of parts off the shelf and together we looked. There, inside the bag, was the part I needed. He saw it, I saw it. Things were looking up.

I bought the bag of parts and took them home. I managed to rig the other leak with some electrical tape—hey it worked—and then I put on the new part, the right part. It took exactly one minute to screw on the right part and ta-da—it didn’t leak. Success. Victory. I was one happy shade-tree plumber. Of course I now own two bags full of parts that I don’t need—yet—and probably spent enough to pay a plumber to fix it but it was done and I was the hero! I’m going down today to apply for my plumber’s card.

I bet you are wondering what today’s big truth is all about. We could talk about frustration. We could talk about determination. We could talk about some other word that ends with “ion.” But the big truth is this. I kept trying to put the wrong part in the right place and no matter how hard I tried—it just wasn’t going to fit. It was like trying to put a square peg in a round hole—it wasn’t gonna happen.

Of couse, we do this all the time in life with God. How many times do we have an issue or a problem and we are sure we can cram something into that place that doesn’t fit and be happy? How many new cars, houses, and televisions have been bought trying to scratch an itch that only God can scratch? Sometimes we just know if we “get religion” or start going to church or start this or stop that everything will be ok. Our life, our marriages, our fears will all be better or disappear. Those may be good things but they are not THE thing.

The thing is a personal relationship with Jesus. You may have heard how He came to bring light into a dark world—including your dark world. You may have even heard how He came to set things right between you and God—in fact, make it possible for you to call God Father. It’s all true and it’s all right there in the Book. Paul, one of the guys who wrote a chunk of the Bible, said “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” That just means we are saved by believing and not doing. It’s really quite amazing. So if you have a plumbing problem…save yourself some time and frustration and call your son-in-law the plumber. If he isn’t one, hire one. But if your life is a leaky mess, call on Jesus. No matter the problem, no matter how big the problem—He is the fixer. He can take care of it and you. Why? Because He loves you—a lot. You can rest in Him when life wears you down. You can turn to Him when life gets crazy because…He’s got this.

Family, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

“Just Like Papa”

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24

It is one of my favorite pictures. It was several years ago when Blake and Sarah were stationed in Savanah, Georgia. He serves in the United States Army and they are one of thousands of families who make the sacrifice to go where they are sent and do what they are called to do. Now, of all the places the Army can sent a family, Savanah was good duty. The oldest city in Georgia and located in the Southeastern side of Georgia it is rich in heritage and about 25 miles from the beach. Not bad.

Well, one day Judy suggested we should go down and see them. Let’s see…family, grits, history and pralines (in case you don’t know they are a crisp or semi-crisp candy typically consisting of butter, brown sugar, and pecans. You need to try them.) Yup…sounds like a great idea. So we load up the van and off we go. Its about an eleven hour drive and we broke it up into two days because we are not as young as we used to be and to us the journey is part of the adventure.

When we arrive in Savanah, there are the usual “big hellos” and “what’s happening?” Soon after come the next two big questions—what are we going to eat and where do we want to go. We decide to go to the historic downtown. If you have never been to Savanah it is hard to describe this special part of the city. It is a series of parks, literally block after block, filled with trees, flowers, monuments, and fountains. Oh, and there is a Five Guys Burgers and Fries nearby. It can’t get any better. It’s like the Southern part of heaven.

After three or four blocks of strolling I decide it is time to sit down. So I wander over to an empty park bench and sit a spell. As I sometimes do, I lean back, locking my hands behind my head and just relax. The birds are singing, the squirrels are playing and life is good. And then, it got better. While I am sitting there doing my relaxing thing, my grandson Will, who was about four, comes over to the park bench and eyes his Papa. What he does next is recorded in a photograph and in my heart.

Will, with a bit of a struggle, climbs up and sits on the park bench. He then gives me a look, raises his hands behind his head, locking his fingers. He is being like his Papa. He is doing what he sees me doing. Judy, with the keen eye of a great photographer and grandmother, snaps the picture. It was only when we got home did we see the true beauty of the picture. Today, a copy sits on my desk in my home office and it is indeed one of my treasures.

Will reminded me that day there are always people watching and looking and often imitating us. Sometimes they are family, sometimes they are fellow church members, sometimes neighbors, sometimes even strangers. But they are watching and looking to see what we are going to do, how we are going to react and then they do what we do. That might be the reason when one of Jesus’ disciples ran—then they all did. It might be why when one shouted “crucify Him,” they all did. This picture makes me pause and ask, “What are my kids, my grandkids, my friends, the yet to be friends around me, seeing when they see me?” What do they see at the park, in Wal-Mart and yes, on Facebook? Hmmm.

The guy who wrote Hebrews says that we should consider—we should weigh carefully—how we may spur one another on toward love and good works.” In other words, the things we do and say should cause others to do good—and not to do evil. We are to be beacons of light shining out into a dark, rough, and dangerous sea. I guess I really love that picture because of the innocence of it all. But what if, what if, that same picture showed me being hateful or rude. What brings me joy would, and should, then bring tears. Today is a new day. I like new days. New days say I get another chance. Let’s use this day with the knowledge that people are watching and we get to show them the way to get it right—not wrong. I know, it is a daunting task…but we have a great, big God pulling for us. Just like I got to set an innocent example for Will, so Jesus has set a sterling example for us. Just follow the leader and you can’t go wrong. So, climb up on the bench, sit a spell and rest. He’s got this.

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Chucking Rocks

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7

I should have listened. I was a pretty good kid when I was young but let’s be honest. Pretty good doesn’t mean perfect and pretty good doesn’t mean not mischievous. I think it means I was somewhere close to normal. The only thing is, normal can still get you into trouble.

One day I was with the family and I’m pretty sure we were at a laundromat. Apparently the washing machine had broken down and we had to do the wash at the mat. My daddy and I were out in the parking lot while mama was washing the clothes. I was about nine and bored and that is not a good combination. The parking lot was gravel and all those rocks just seemed to be saying, “Throw me.” So, I obliged.

At first it was a little toss here and there but the more I threw, the more I wanted to throw. First it was here and there but then I started taking aim. Several things were lying along the edge of the parking lot and they made great targets but then I got an idea. If hitting a can was good, imagine hitting a moving target. So I started chucking the rocks in the direction of the road and at the cars passing by. Bad idea.

Now, if you are going to chuck rocks at a car, every nine year old rock chucker knows you don’t just chuck your rock with obvious intention. You ease into it. Well, I started easing into it and before long my rocks were landing dangerously close to cars passing by. My Daddy thought it was kinda accidental and it garnered a “Dewayne, be careful to not hit the cars.” He hadn’t caught onto my real plan to “ping a hub cap.” Anyway, I kept chucking so he upped the warning.

“Dewayne, listen, don’t throw rocks at the cars.” He had finally caught on and I should have quit while I was ahead. I finally got close enough so that we entered “Final Jeopardy.” “Question—what happens if you hit a car? Answer—I’m gonna give you a spanking.” Yeah, well, you can probably guess where this is going. I chucked a rock and hit a car going by and it was “Final Jeopardy.” Daddy got mad, the driver got mad and I got in trouble.

Well, Daddy was able to talk to the driver and he promised him the “grapes of wrath” would fall when we got home. As he drove off, daddy explained about the “grapes of wrath.” Translated, it meant I was gonna get a spanking when we got home and it wasn’t gonna be a little one. So, as soon as we pulled into our driveway, I ran into the house and hid under the dining room table. Soon, I heard Daddy’s voice, “Where are you, Dewayne?” I felt like Adam and Eve in the garden after they had chucked rocks at God and decided to sin. God was looking for them and they were hiding too.

And that’s where things get fuzzy. I don’t remember the spanking which means I probably got grace instead. It probably means that Daddy and I had a long talk about chucking rocks at cars and how that was not a good thing to do. It must have worked because I don’t think I ever chucked another rock at a car…at least one that was moving. That day I learned about obedience and how it has a lot less consequences than disobedience. I also learned about grace. Grace is when you deserve a spanking but instead you get a talking. But I also learned about rock chucking. I learned that it was ok to chuck rocks at things like stumps and cans, but it is not ok to chuck rocks at things like cars. When you do there are consequences…big ones.

Now, there’s another kind of rock chucking that I’m still learning about and that is chucking rocks at people. I’m not talking about waylaying someone with a stone but rather waylaying them with our judgmental acts and words. It’s what we do when we see someone fail and we decide to make ourselves feel better by knocking them down.

Jesus ran into this when some religious people found a woman sinning big. They dragged her into the middle of a crowd and wanted to stone her. They asked Jesus what He would do. He told them that the person that had never sinned should chuck the first rock. Well, slowly they all walked away because they had all messed up. “Where are your accusers?” Jesus asked the woman. She replied that they had left…and indeed they had.

The only two left were her, the sinner and Him, the One who had never sinned. He could have chucked rocks but instead He loved her and forgave her. She deserved the rocks but He gave her grace. I like that. A lot. He dismissed her a smile and a word of “now don’t go on sinning” and the rocks stayed on the ground…right where they belong. So, I am grateful for grace…and you should be too. If we have experienced grace we should extend some too. You see, rocks make great parking lots and driveways but are terrible weapons. They need to stay in the quarry or on the ground. My daddy showed grace then and my Dearest Daddy shows it every day. We should too. However, it’s good to know when we are hiding under the dining room table and He calls, we can come out and sit in His lap and learn about the consequences of sin but also the wonders of grace. So, come on out from your hiding place. We can rest in Him because, “He’s got this.”

Family, fear, life, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Goose-Land, Part 2 “I Quit”

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalm 139:14

“I Quit.” I could almost hear the words coming from his beak. Yesterday was “walk in the park day” and the ducks and geese were doing their thing. If you haven’t made a trip to the park to just watch the geese and ducks you really should. It is so interesting to see how they interact with one another. There are a couple of stories at gritswithgrace.com if you would like to go back and read them.

Yesterday I was in lap two of three and I saw something that really caught my attention and captured my heart. You probably know that geese like to hang together. They will be “gaggling” together and suddenly, it is as if someone, the gaggle leader will give a nod or a honk and everyone will burst into flight. They rise from the ground or the water as one, like a flight of aircraft from a military flight. They quickly take formation and off they go into the wild blue yonder.

As I was walking across the stone bridge at the park the order was given and about seven geese took off. I was pretty close and it was pretty impressive. With a flush of honking and flapping, they rose into the sky as one. Goose One, the flight leader carefully led the group over the bridge and down to the far end of the pond. They took off as one and they flew as one all except…one.

As they flew by at full power I happened to notice one of the group still on the ground. He was a young adult goose but definitely old enough to take to the air. His body was well groomed, every feather in place. From where I stood he looked like he could…he should be airworthy. But as his friends took flight…he took a look around. There they went and there he sat. It was what happened next that was so unusual. He suddenly started to run. Paralleling the edge of the pond he started running as fast as his little legs would carry him. It seemed he was sayings, “Hey guys, wait for me.”

He ran for about fifteen yards and then he stopped and went down the bank into the water, paddling furiously, heading for where he thought his friends and family had gone. The last time I saw him he was still paddling away shouting, “Hey, wait for me.” After getting over the amusement of watching him waddle and paddle, my heart was captured. I found myself asking the obvious question, “Why?”

Why waddle when you can soar? Why paddle when you can fly? Why get left behind when you could be in the middle of the party? I am not an expert in goose anatomy but he had all the equipment to fly and all the equipment seemed to be working. I really don’t know, but it seemed I heard him muttering as he waddled with all his might. Although I’m not fluent in goose, it seemed he was saying, “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.” And then, right before he went into the water he said, “I quit.” How sad.

He was made to fly. He was made to soar, but he chose, he settled, for waddling and paddling. He chose for second best. You see, you can be the best waddler in the world and that is fine…unless you were made to soar. The view from the ground is never as magnificent as the view from the sky. If his equipment was broken, if it was just a matter of a few more flight lessons well, that would be a different story. But what if it was just a matter of not believing—in himself and the One who made him?

If you look around, and maybe as close as the bathroom mirror, you might see someone who stopping believing. You might see someone who has tried and failed enough that they no longer believe anything is possible. You might see someone who stopped believing that God makes masterpieces and started believing that God made a mess. Well, let me tell you something. God doesn’t make junk and He doesn’t make messes. The Psalmist said it right, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Fearfully and wonderfully made. That is you and that is me. If you find yourself on the shore, waddling when you designed to soar…start believing again. Start believing in you, start believing in Him and start believing that with Him…all things are possible. Don’t let the circumstances around you right now—the division, the virus, the uncertainty keep you on the ground. You were made to fly, to soar! Why not crawl up into the lap of your Dearest Father, rest in Him and just believe? Believe the truth…that He’s got this.

gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Goose-Land, Part 1

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

There is news from goose-land. Well, for those of you who read regularly you know that I walk for exercise five or six times a week. You also remember that I have different routes that I take and one of those leads me around the pond in the city park. That is also known as goose-land. Today I chose to walk in the park. Let me tell you with the warm temperatures and high humidity a walk in the park is no walk in the park.

I left the house this morning before sunrise trying to catch the coolest part of the day. When I got to the park the sun was just starting to peek over the horizon. I was all alone beside the ducks and the geese. You will be glad to know the mama duck has managed to raise almost all of her ducklings. You go, girl. But then I noticed something different with the geese.

A couple of months ago I wrote and told you about an unusual yet beautiful thing with the geese. A family of brown geese had adopted one of the white geese and one of the white geese, I named him Bubba, had taken up with the brown geese. He was kinda like an Uncle Vinny…you know a protector and bouncer all rolled up in one. He was good at it too. He could let out a hiss that sent a clear message, “You mess with my family and I will mess with you.” It was all cool. Color and creed were all laid aside.

But then there was today. I hadn’t walked in the park for a couple of weeks and while I was gone something happened. The white goose that had been adopted left his brown family and joined the white geese. But that’s not all. Bubba, well Bubba had abandoned his brown family and had too rejoined the other group. It is eerily familiar and seemingly sad.

I’m not sure what caused the change. It could have been just time, it could have been peer pressure. I just don’t know. But I do know something that was unique and special was lost in the mix or rather unmixing. The baby now adult white goose seemed quite comfortable in his new environment. But Bubba just wasn’t the same. As I walked past the gaggle of geese there was one that stood out and I’m pretty sure it was Bubba.

This fellow who used to be so proud, his eyes filled with the fire of purpose, now stared with empty eyes. There was no hiss, no sound of passion, no hint of protection. Simply put, Bubba was now just one of the guys. He was just another goose waddling around. What made him different was gone. Bubba had lost his identity.

We need to realize that what happened to Bubba can easily happen to us as Jesus followers. If it was peer pressure, if it was a cultural shift, what happened to him can and will happen to us. That is why Paul wrote, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” If we are not careful the culture around us will pressure and push us to be just like them.

See, there were and are several white geese down at the park. There was not a shortage of white geese but there was only one Bubba—only one who was willing to take a stand and protect those even different from himself. The world needs some people who are willing to stand and be different. The world needs some Jesus people who will live, act and love just like Him. It’s not so we can be better than anybody. It is so we can show them Someone who can help them be better—in fact, be made new.

If that is going to happen, we Jesus people have got to lay aside our differences, our prejudices, our soapboxes and just be like Him. We have got to resist the pressure to become just another “goose in the gaggle.” We have got to be light in a dark, damaged world. Jesus said in Matthew 6:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Someone said, “These days, they are a changing” and the truth is, they are. But we serve, we follow, the changeless one, Jesus the Christ. And, if you are going to follow someone, that is the Someone to follow. He is for you, He loves this world, and He is greater than any and all. We can rest in Him because…He’s got this.

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Faith and the Next Step

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

There’s hard…and there is really hard. You know, sometimes faith is easy. The way is clear, the path is obvious and you just do it. Sometimes, it just isn’t that way. Sometimes, all the time, faith requires…faith. So back in 2000, my family and I were living in Cobden where I was pastoring at Cobden First Baptist. We had been there over 14 years and it was one of those pastor/church relationships that don’t happen too often. We were in love with each other. It wasn’t a job…it was family. And then the phone rang.

It was a call from Don Billman wanting to know if I would be interested in pastoring in Harrisburg at Dorrisville Baptist. I had received calls like this before and the answer was always, “No thank you. We are really happy here.” This time, though, for some reason I said I would think about it—pray about it. It was almost frightening but I could hear the Whisperer whispering and I was pretty sure He was calling us to step out on faith. I tried to dismiss it, I tried to ignore it, but He kept whispering until I finally knew that it was a choice to obey or disobey.

After several weeks we arranged a date to go and preach a message, meet the folks at Dorrisville and to see if we should join our lives together. I had asked God for a pretty big favor. If this was in fact His will would He give me a 100% vote. Now in case you don’t know that was a pretty big deal, especially since we were talking about a couple of hundred people. Well, we met each other and they voted. It was 100%. I was taken aback as I realized it was time to step out on faith.

Pastors usually leave churches in one of two ways: readily or reluctantly. I was a reluctant prophet. I knew going was the right thing, but it wasn’t the easy thing. It was probably one of the HARDEST things I have ever done. We were excited about Dorrisville, but I knew I was leaving family in the process. Were there doubts? Yes. Were there assurances? Yes. And that is the point of this story.

A week or so after the vote and in the middle of the process of saying goodbye to Cobden, I was sitting outside of Target in Marion. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was having a talk with God that included two questions. “God, is this really you?” “God, what have I done?” There I sat with those two questions rolling around in my head. And then they showed up. It wasn’t two angels named Micheal or Gabriel but it was a couple of messengers from my Dearest Daddy. Their names were Tom and Leanne.

Tom and Leanne were members at Dorrisville—my new family. They walked up to the bench outside of Target and politely introduced themselves. “Hi we are Tom and LeAnne. We are members at Dorrisville and when we saw you sitting here we just HAD to stop and tell you how glad we are that you are coming to Dorrisville. We can’t wait for you to come.” I can’t tell you the emotion of that moment. It was a clear and confident assurance from the Whisperer. From that moment on I knew I was right where God wanted me and that was what mattered.

So we finished saying goodbye to our Cobden family and said hello to our new family at Dorrisville. On July 16, 2000 we had our first service there. I wish I could tell you how marvelously I led and how confidently I took the field but the truth is this rookie fumbled the ball a few times. But gratefully my new family was gracious and patient and suddenly here we are twenty years later. It has been a wonderful journey for me of learning and growing, serving, and sharing. Over the past two decades we have had so many times of celebration together. We have learned grace together. Someday, one day, the Whisperer will whisper again but until that time I am having the time of my life.

So if you find yourself at the edge of a cliff and you are not sure what to do next. If all the light is gone from your world and you are stuck…go ahead and take the next step. As Patrick Overton wrote, “When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.” Whether it is the uncertainly of the corona virus, the unrest of our Country or the upcoming elections this Fall…we can rest in Him…for He surely has this.