August 2020 – Grits with Grace

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

Night and Day

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

Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

One man’s way of packing is another woman’s dump, stuff and close. Judy and I have been married for 44 years, 2 months and 5 days. In case you are wondering that is 530 months (give or take a few days) and 16,137 sunrises and sunsets. It has been an incredible journey that has been marked by a few bumps and a whole lot of good times. You might ask, “So what’s the secret?” Well, I am sure there are several. We both are Jesus followers though she is a lot better at it than I am. We are both committed to our marriage—she would kill me if I even thought of leaving. And, honesty, she is a really, classy lady. With that being said, I can tell you one reason that didn’t make the list. We are alike.

Nope, ain’t gonna happen, you gotta be kidding me.” In fact, we are pretty “unalike” in several ways. She is definitely more optimistic. In fact, she is so optimistic that for her it’s not a matter of the glass being half-full or empty—she doesn’t even need a glass. Me, well, not so much. I need to analyze and rationalize. Judy thrives around people. Put her a room of strangers and she is a like a pinball game going from person to person—sharing, chatting, and laughing. Me, well, I head to the nearest wall and lean. If I can find one person to talk with—I’m good.

On the other side of the coin, I am organized. Go to my office, either at home or work, and you will find a neat and tidy desk. A place for everything and everything it is place. Go into Judy’s office and you might have a difficult time finding the desk. I am generally a pretty focused person. If there is a task to do, I sit down and get it done. If the house is on fire, that will have to wait until I am done. Judy would probably not notice the house was on fire and if she did notice, she would immediately begin visiting with the firemen.

Now you probably need to know that Judy suggested this story. We are leaving for vacation soon. Can someone say “YAY”? That foray will cause us to have to pack our luggage. Now given what you know, here’s how it will go. I will take my suitcase, lay everything out on the bed, carefully fold and sort each item, and then assign them a specific place in the luggage. I will overpack because you never know what you might need. When I get done the suitcase will look like a clothing file cabinet—neatly packed.

Judy, on the other hand, has a different technique. She, too, will place her luggage either on the bed or floor. She too will probably overpack because you never know what you will need, however, that’s where the similarity ends. She will then proceed to dump her clothes, shoes, etc., in the bag, on the bag, and anywhere near the bag. Then she will begin to heap and pile the clothes in the hopes that the thing will close when she is done. It’s a fifty-fifty chance. She may call in reinforcements (me) if needed but that is always a last resort.

Like I said, in many ways we are not alike. But, with that said, that is not a weakness, it is a strength. Where I am weak, she is strong and vice versa. We have learned (and are still learning) that the power of a team lies in loving, sharing, working together and yes, forgiving. Oh, and I also have learned the power of two incredibly powerful words, “Yes, dear.” No, that would be “I’m sorry.” In Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 it says, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” You can take that to the bank.

There’s one more thing that is quite interesting. In our 16,137 days of marriage, we have shared 14,018 of those as a team working together in vocational ministry. I am certain that without Judy, and all the ways we are different, we would not have seen all the amazing things God has done. It is a story of love, grace, loyalty, and friendship. Now before you gag yourself and throw up, know that we definitely don’t always get it right. But there is one thing you can take it to the bank. The Bible says that we are fearful and wonderfully [and let me add differently] made. Someone once said if you and your spouse are alike then one of you isn’t necessary. Hmmm.

So, there you go. I hope today’s big truth, that it is more than ok to be different, will strengthen your resolve and commitment in your marriage. But I think it works at work, at church, and even with your neighbors. And when the frustration begins to build, like the next time he or she doesn’t pack the way you do, remember this—hang tight because both of you will get to the same place in the end. And if it gets really hard—just go and sit with your Dearest Father and rest. He’ll whisper some things like “let it go—it doesn’t matter how they pack it just matters that you keep traveling together.” And you will say, “Oh yeah…that’s right.” And He will remind you once again that, it’s ok because…He’s got this.

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture

Confused

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

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9

So have you ever been confused before? Well, if we are being honest, the truth is yes, we all have. It just goes with the territory of being human. In fact I am sure it gets worse the older we get. More than once, I would wake up thinking it was Sunday and it was Monday. Gratefully I haven’t mixed the years up—yet.

Several years ago…or was it five or six…anyway, I had the opportunity to go and hear Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant in concert. They were going to be in Paducah and the tickets were—get ready—free. You know I love free. On top of that they were on row five or six. Just awesome seats. Judy had something going on and at first I thought, “Well, I really don’t want to go by myself.” But you know that free thing kept rolling around in my head and in the end it won out.

I was excited. I really enjoy music and these two artists were both very popular during my younger years. It was like a flash back Friday thing. As I drove I began listening to some of the songs that they sang in my mind. One of my absolute favorites was “The Great Adventure.” And that is where the confusion started. I think it is one of those times when you believe something strong enough it becomes real. Well, here we go.

I really can’t explain this, but in my mind I had the idea that Michael W. Smith was from Paducah and that was why such a pair of well-known artists were in town. You know, local boy does well, comes back and sings for the home folks. I was looking forward to hearing some of the hits that he had sung. Strangely, he never sang any of the songs I was expecting to hear including my favorite. Then, later in the evening he said something about being from West Virginia. I said, “What?” I was confused. And then throughout the whole evening he never sang what I thought were his greatest hits. I said, “What?”

Just about that time I realized that I had gotten my wires crossed, and indeed I was totally confused. You see it wasn’t Michael W. Smith who was from Paducah, it was Steven Curtis Chapman. And it wasn’t Michael W. Smith who sang, “The Great Adventure” it was Steven Curtis Chapman. And all those songs that I had been singing in my mind on the way to the concert—well, they were all hits from Steven Curtis Chapman, not Michael W. Smith. That would explain why the guy on the stage didn’t sing them that night—because he never sang them at all. You might ask, “Well, how did you get those two confused?” Well, I’m not sure but I think it had to do with the fact that we often believe what we want to believe.

Getting confused about who you are listening to at a concert can be an excuse for a good laugh and a decent story. It’s a whole different animal when it comes to the game of life and eternity. I am certain that too many people confuse religion and Jesus, and believe me they are not the same. I like to put it this way: Religion is man’s attempt to reach God–which never works and Jesus is God’s way to reach mankind–which never fails. Big difference, yes? One is all about works and the other is all about grace. One is all about ritual and rules and the other is all about mercy and forgiveness.

Paul, one of the writers in the Bible, said it best when he wrote, “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” And I don’t know about you but I am glad it doesn’t depend on how good I am because frankly, I’m just not that good. None of us are.

So anyway, I had a great time at the concert regardless of who was singing. Fortunately I wasn’t confused about Amy Grant and she sang several of her many hits. And Michael W. Smith is no pushover either. He has sold over 18 million albums and has had multiple #1 hits. And, of course, it was all free thanks to a friend. So there you go.

I couldn’t wait to call Judy and tell her about my little mistake. We both had a great laugh. But remember sometimes a little mistake can get you in a bunch of trouble. Make sure, make double sure, that you are counting on Jesus and not religion to get you to heaven. And as a matter of fact, make sure you are leaning on Him and not religion as you walk through these uncertain times. Make sure you are resting on Him and not on some counterfeit. And make double sure you know that HE has this.

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

“A Broken What?”

Posted on August 27, 2020August 26, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” Number 32:23

It didn’t sound good and sure enough it wasn’t. There are a couple of things that are for certain and one of them is if you have a car it will eventually let you down. It doesn’t matter the make or model, eventually, if you own it long enough, its gonna happen.

I remember more than a few years ago Judy and I headed over to Ridgecrest, North Carolina. She was the Illinois Trustee to LifeWay which is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention. She loved serving and I loved tagging along every once in a while. On Tuesday night while she was in a meeting I decided to take a trip to Wal-Mart which was about 10 miles away. Without any warning, without even a hint of impending disaster, the van’s engine began to misfire and the dreaded check engine light began flashing. I started praying and confessing every sin I could think of cause 10 miles was a long way to walk.

Well, I made it back to Ridgecrest and the next morning told one of the folks I had engine trouble and they found a good local mechanic. Seven hours later he calls and tells me he can’t get it to stop—he was at his wits end and thought it had to be the computer. He towed it to the Ford dealer in Asheville and we waited. Hmmmm.

They called two hours later and gave us the news—they were pretty sure it was a broken valve spring. My response was, “A broken what?” Well, in fact, that turned out to be the problem. And it turned out that it was an unusual problem that rarely happens. You know what happens when something is rare don’t you? That’s right…it is expensive and hard to find.

That actually turned out the sorta, kinda true. More on that in a minute. So this rather rare thing, of course, wasn’t in stock anywhere in the area and it had to be ordered. So we waited patiently—ok, sorta patiently—and Friday morning—actually a little earlier than expected—the car was finally ready. We took off and got home Friday night around 9:00 pm. So you know there is a lesson in all of this, right?

Ok, so the bill for the repair was somewhere over $400. Hello? That would be four portraits of Benjamin Franklin. And even though this was years ago…I am still grateful that we had the funds to cover it. But here is the crazy part. The part that had actually broken cost a whopping, hang on to your hat, $8.89 and all the rest was labor. Turns out you have to take a chunk of the engine apart to get to this thing. Now, I don’t tell you that for your sympathy—oh no, God was very gracious in all of this. I’m sharing because there’s a lesson to be learned.

You see, the cost for the part was low—the labor to install the part was not. Labor often costs more than the part. That is true in car repairs and it is definitely true in Kingdom work. The actual cost of ministry, while not cheap is doable. The most important part of serving God is not the dollars but the man-hours—the doers. If we had just bought the part, the car wouldn’t have worked. Somebody had to sweat to get it installed and make a difference. Kingdom dollars are important, but getting our hands dirty, sweating some sweat, shedding some tears is where the real cost is—and where the real reward is.

It’s not only true about Kingdom work it is also true when we decide to do the opposite—to sin. The sin itself may seem like a bargain—bringing perhaps a little pleasure or a little satisfaction. But rarely is that the whole cost. In fact, I’m not sure it ever is. The Book says we can take it to the bank that our sin will find us out. That is found way back in the Old Testament in a story where some folks were making a commitment to do something and Moses just let them know if they didn’t keep their word it would come back and bite them.

How many times have we thought we could get away with something? You know, a little lie, a little lust, a little anger or jealousy and boom we find out that the little sin (which by the way is like a unicorn—it doesn’t exist) caused more damage that we ever imagined. And then we get the bill and ouch. Just remember this. Sin is never, ever, a bargain. I don’t care how attractive the package, it is a bad deal. Don’t walk—run away. The good news is the Book also says there is always a way to get away. Take it.

Well, an investment in Kingdom work is always a great thing. It is worth every cent and every drop of sweat. But sin—well, it is sure fire loser every time. And like the bill for the repair, the initial cost is just a drop in the bucket compared to the fallout. Now there is some good news. We have a God who not only can diagnose the problem—He can take care of it. There might still be consequences but He will never stop loving us because of it. His grace really is sufficient. So if you find yourself stranded beside the road of sin and consequences, give Jesus a call. He’s better than any roadside service. You rest in that. He’s got this.

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

Big Truths from a Hard Story

Posted on August 25, 2020August 26, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31

Well, not all stories end well…and this one didn’t. Friday morning Judy left for Oklahoma to visit with Sarah, Blake and the boys. Saturday morning I got up early as usual, had some time with God and then went for my morning exercise. When I came back, by our backdoor, was a little baby squirrel. Now I don’t know a thing about baby squirrels, so I can’t tell you how old he was. I can tell you that something just didn’t seem right. He had all of his fur but you could tell he was not very strong and oddly, his head seemed just too big for his tiny body.

He was in the grass, but not far from the flower bed which is next to our backdoor. He seemed to be eating grass but I suspect he was actually getting the water off the dew soaked grass. He was moving pretty good but again, strangely, I’m not sure where he came from since there was not a squirrel nest to be seen. I went on into the house and when I came back out he scurried into the flower bed. I put out some bird food for him to eat. I knew he would like that because all of his big brothers do their best to empty our bird feeders.

Well, he made himself at home. He was definitely eating some of the bird food and I believe having some of the water. He soon made himself a place to sleep there in the flower bed. I was hoping, just hoping that my little friend was a big enough fighter to pull this thing off. I would check on him each day and give him food and water. I was doing everything I could for him. But today, when I came home from work, well he had died. I wasn’t surprised because I really think something was wrong—something more than food or water could fix—something more than ending up at the wrong place at the wrong time. So I wasn’t surprised, but I was genuinely sad. I wanted him to live and I wanted to be his hero—his savior. Neither happened.

Now I’m not sharing this so we can all have a Debbie downer day…not at all. I’m learning that so many things have a story and can teach us big truths. I think this is one of those times. The first thing that came to mind was that sometimes we can do everything right—everything—and still not get the result that we want. We can be the best husband, the best wife, the best parent, the best employee or the best owner and sometimes the story just doesn’t end well. It doesn’t mean we failed. It doesn’t mean we were somehow to blame. Sometimes, it is just part of this thing called life. And while the story doesn’t always end well—we never have to face that difficult ending alone. Our Dearest Daddy is always there. The Whisperer is always close by and whispers the assurance of His love and His compassion. No matter what—Jesus will still be there.

The other big truth from this is that God really does care about the smallest things. If I told you that God knew today that this little creation died, would you believe me? If I told you that even the smallest detail of your life never passes Him unnoticed, would you believe it? If I told you He never grows weary of our worries and fears and unsettled hearts would you have the courage to believe? Well you can, because Jesus said that not even a sparrow can fall to the earth unnoticed by the Father. He even went on to say that if that is true, how much more do you think He cares about you? How. Much. More?

I know and you know that these are just puzzling times. Everything seems so uncertain. It seems as if we spend our days walking on quicksand—our feet unsteadily walking on shifting ground. But don’t be shaken. The God of the universe who cares when a little squirrel dies cares infinitely more about you. Jesus knows and feels your hurts and pains…and He cares.

So all you tendered hearted readers, please forgive me for sharing a hard story. I hope, though, that the big truths made it worth the read. Why not take a moment and sit with the One who loves you so? Why not get close enough to hear His whispers of love and assurance. I hope you will because when our hearts are heavy and a little frightened—we need to know that He’s got this. And He does.

Family, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, travel, wisdom

The Thumb

Posted on August 25, 2020August 24, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” Ephesians 5:1

He gave me the thumb and I’m not sure I liked it. Last Saturday afternoon I decided to take a trip to Marion. With Judy out in Oklahoma doing family mission work I was a little bored. I wasn’t heading to anyplace in particular just getting out of the ‘burg. As many of you know the road to Marion is a nice four lane highway with a speed limit of 65 mph. I was hitting that right on the nose. Now, frankly, most of the time I am like most of the people and do a couple of miles over the limit. But today I was a law-abiding citizen. And then I saw him.

Up ahead some distance was a guy and his lady friend on a Harley. He was doing probably about 62 mph…just enough so I was either going to have to slow down or get into the left lane and pass him. As I got closer I could see him. He had three or four days of stubble covering his face, a bandana held his hair down, his jeans were worn, and a few tats and some sort of leather vest finished his look. His lady friend also sported a bandana and was dressed in black. She reminded me of a female version of Johnny Cash.

So, giving the biker dude plenty of girth, I moved over into the left lane, cruise still set to 65. Just before I got even with the guy on the bike he nudged the throttle on his Harley and soon was about 40 yards ahead of me. I thought, “Well, ok, maybe Harley’s don’t have cruise and he realized he was doing under the speed limit. But wait…now he’s slowing down again. Strange. I went back into the left lane and when we were about even—he throttled up again. Well, back into the right lane I went. As I did, he did his slow down thing again. I got back into the left lane and when I did his lady friend turned around and gave me “the look.”

I can’t really explain the look. I know when Judy gives it to me it never ends well. So, I filed that away. Soon I was even again with my friend on the Harley and he looks over at me. I give him a shrug of the shoulders, the kind that says, “Hey dude, what’s up?” And that’s when he gave me the thumb. Now I don’t speak sign language at all. I do know when some people do certain things with their fingers it can be pretty ugly. I’ve had that happen before. But no one has ever given me the thumb.

He simply held up his hand, fingers tucked in and his thumb sticking out—kinda like a hitch-hiker would do when thumbing for a ride. His thumb pointing to the rear of his bike, he gave it a jerk—pointing behind him—and throttled big and shot off into the distance. Just like that, he and she were gone. And not speaking fluent biker hand signs, I was left trying to figure out if I should be glad or mad or offended or off-ended. I need to tell you that I’m not sure off-ended is a real word but it sounded good.

So as the biker dude took off, several scenarios kinda played through my mind. I mean if he was being a jerk, I could play like Clint Eastwood, reach under my seat and draw out my 45 magnum and say, “Go ahead…make my day.” But the only thing under my seat was an umbrella and it wasn’t a 45 magnum anyway. And maybe he wasn’t being a jerk after all. He might have been saying, “Hey, the girl on the back is my wife Sally. I just wanted to introduce her to you.” It could have been the he wanted me to fall in behind him so he could break the wind for me like one of those Nascar drivers.

Truth is—I don’t have a clue. So I pulled back into the right lane and kept on driving. I even notched it down a couple of miles per hour to give the biker dude plenty of room. He turned right heading toward Pittsburg and I will probably never see him again. But one thing is sure. If he should happen to walk into church this Sunday, unless I violated some sort of biker code I don’t know about, I won’t have to be embarrassed. I played it cool and hopefully acted like Jesus wanted me too. And that is what matters.

Paul told some folks at Ephesus who were Jesus followers that they should imitate God in everything they do. It not only applies to them—it applies to us. In other words, if we are Jesus followers, we should speak, act, think and respond like Him because we are His dear children. Now, I don’t always get it right. In fact, too often I get it wrong. But that day…it felt pretty good that I didn’t do something to embarrass myself or my Dearest Father. So, if someone gives you the thumb, or worse, just hit the pause button. Pull back into the right lane, bump your cruise down a couple of mph and rest. You know why, don’t you? That’s right…He’s got this.

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, Scripture, thankful, travel

Miracles

Posted on August 24, 2020August 23, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

Well, there are miracles and then there are miracles. One of the great adventures that Judy and I have been privileged to be a part of are church mission trips. Specifically, mission trips to Africa. For the past 15 or 16 years, our church has been an active participant in mission adventures. At least one a year we try and send a team to Africa. We started in Niger and then had to move a little south to the country of Mali. We were privileged to serve there for several years.

I can’t explain how incredible it is to go on a mission adventure. I also can’t really explain the draw that so many feel to this place called Africa. Where this story begins was a pretty difficult place. We would stay in the bush often sleeping on the ground in tents. The temperature would hover over 100 degrees. I have one picture that showed a thermometer with a reading 125 degrees. The food, well, let’s just say it wasn’t McDonald’s. So what is it that causes people to step way out of their comfort zones just to serve others. This story is part of that answer.

We were on a medical trip in Mali and the days were long and fruit was plentiful. We had a full team including two medical doctors and several nurses. They would treat the physically broken and we would try and share the truth of God’s love to the spiritually broken. We would tell stories of Jesus and how He would go and help people. We then would simply explain that we wanted to be like Him and help others. We explained that people who knew Jesus in America had bought and paid for the medicine that they were receiving. It was free to them because someone else paid the price. It was always a great lead into the gospel stories because Jesus did the same for us.

Well, it was the end of a long day. Most of us had wandered back to camp and were sitting around and chatting about the day’s activities. Suddenly someone ran into the camp and shouted that there was an emergency back at the clinic. We all rushed back over and what we found was grim…very grim. A little girl, about nine if I remember correctly, had been climbing a tree. She was about twenty-five feet up in the air when she slipped and fell—landing directly on her face. Her father had carried her on a Moto (a small motorcycle) about three or four miles. She was semi-conscious and unresponsive.

Two things happened simultaneously. First, the doctors when to work and the saints went to praying. Her pupils were unresponsive and though she was breathing, her respirations were rapid and shallow. About an hour later the doctors said it was probably only a matter of time, her brain injuries seemed very serious. I slipped into my pastor mode and wondered what an African funeral was like. The doctors took turns sitting with her through the night, and then took her to the nearest first aid station. This part is fuzzy but it seems like at some point the father went ahead and took her back to her village.

The next day we went back to work with a somewhat heavy heart. And then something happened…we heard that the little girl had woken up. We then heard that she was speaking and walking around. We then heard that she was responding and acting almost completely normal. “What is this,” I wondered. Again, if I remember correctly either that day or the next the father brought his little girl back to the doctors and there she stood. A living, breathing, miracle. It can be described as nothing else. God had heard the prayers of His children and chosen to reach down from heaven and touch this little girl and give her back her life. It. Was. A. Miracle.

Several of us have been to Africa many times and we have seen more than one miracle. Sometimes it looked like this, sometimes it was God acting to avoid a terrible tragedy and sometimes it like a frog strangling rainstorm when it hadn’t rained for months and months. But each time it was obvious that God was still God and He can do what He wants, when He wants. After all, He is God. For the skeptics out there who think that God doesn’t do the miracle thing—that it died out in the old days—well, that little girl would beg to differ with you.

Tucked away in the book of Luke, incidentally written by a physician in Jesus’ day, are some words that say it all. It says “For nothing shall be impossible with God.” Nothing. Period. Seven words that can shake your world and this world. So what is rocking your world today? COVID still keeping you up at night? Wondering about tomorrow or the next meal? Worried about our country? Well, I don’t know what God has planned—after all I’m in sales and not management—smile. But I do know that nothing is too big for Him to handle. Just like that little girl in Africa who discovered she could lay down and rest in Him—so can you. After all…He’s got this.

Family, forgiveness, life, loving others, Scripture

The Ding Doctor

Posted on August 21, 2020August 20, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Come, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18

Remember to keep your eye on the ball. That’s a really important truth if you are playing baseball but if you are pulling into your garage…well, there’s more to it than that.

Several years ago I was coming home from work at the office. As I was pulling into the driveway I noticed that my granddaughter Faith, who was only seven at the time, was playing in the garage. Ever the careful Papa, I stopped to give her plenty of time to get clear of the car. She was playing with her wagon and then moved the wagon out of my way.

Our my garage isn’t very deep, so I have a tennis ball hanging from the ceiling to remind me how far I can pull forward before hitting the wall. It’s a great idea…I probably need to patent it. So like a cruise ship captain I carefully began to dock the ship. I had my eyes on two things. First, my granddaughter Faith. She was well out of the way, but again, you can’t be too careful. The other was the tennis ball. When the ball touched the windshield it was time to stop. It was a great plan. Almost.

You see, something had changed and I didn’t know it. Unknown to me, Faith had wrapped the cord that was holding the tennis ball around something and it moved the ball toward the wall and away from the car just about a foot. So…I watched Faith—check. I watched the ball—check. The one thing I didn’t watch was the wall. Oops.

You can see this one coming. I hit the wall. Now I was going really slow, so theoretically, I should have survived with little or no damage. Well, theoretically anyway. You see, before the wall was a hot water heat radiator. I had figured that into the equation when I had hung the ball so no deal. But, and it was a BIG but, sitting on top of the radiator was a leaf blower. Now wait…don’t give me that look. Don’t you store your leaf blower on top of your radiator? Well anyway, when I hit the radiator, the leaf blower fell onto my hood—my nice shiny, dent-free hood and I gave birth to a nice, large ding—dead center and about a foot up from the front edge. Bummer.

Yup, bummer indeed. There I was trying to do all the right things and ended up messing up big time. You probably aren’t aware of this, but I am pretty particular about my car and that ding might as well have been the size of a moon crater. I was devastated. If that ding had been anywhere but the hood, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal but there it was—for all to see and ask about. Can you imagine explaining that one? My once perfect hood was no longer perfect—and it was obvious. That’s one thing about dings—they are usually very obvious—especially on nice shiny hoods. Sigh.

Did you know we have something in common with my dinged car hood? Yup, we all have dings. There’s not a perfect one in the bunch. The Bible says “All have sinned…” We are all “dinged up”. As a matter of fact, unlike my hood which was perfect, we were born dinged. And not only that. We constantly get more dings every day. We are like a ding factory. The question now becomes, “what are we going to do about it?” One thing was obvious, I couldn’t fix that ding and we can’t fix our sin problem either. So what’s the answer? Well, I found the Ding Doctor.

My friend Terry told me about a guy who could get dings out of doors, hoods, or whatever. I went to see him and amazingly, with a lot of skill, he was able to make that ding disappear—vanish—like it was never there. After he had worked his magic, I couldn’t thank him enough. But I know something better than that. There is another Ding Doctor who can take care of our sin dings. His name is Jesus. No matter how big the failure, no matter how massive the sin—He is ready and willing to forgive us. And when He gets done…well, believe it or not, you are “better than new”. God says in the book of Isaiah which is in the Old Testament part of the Bible “Come, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.” How about that?!

Just saying, if you get a ding in your car, you might want to check out the Ding Doctor. If you have managed to ding up your life, and remember we all have, you might want to see THE Ding Doctor. There is not a life ding He can’t fix or a sin He can’t forgive. If your ding looks like a total loss—don’t give up. Trust me, He can take care of it. He’s got this.

Family, food, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, wisdom

Food Fix

Posted on August 20, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

What do you mean food doesn’t fix everything? Well, I don’t know if it is because I am from the South or because I am a Baptist but I just know food makes everything better. There is nothing like a healthy (uh, perhaps unhealthy) dose of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, well seasoned {hog jowl or some other appropriate grease source} green beans, and a large portion of bread) to make everything better. And, of course, don’t forget dessert.

The other evening I came home from a rather difficult meeting. I walked in the door and my wife Judy, who can read me like a book, instantly said, “do you need to self-medicate?” I love her…she knows. Off to the Dairy Barn we went and in just a few minutes I was feeling better thanks to a salted-caramel concrete. Yup, the saying used to be “take two aspirins and call me in the morning.” Now it is, “eat two chocolate cookies with a glass of cold milk and call me in the morning.” Oh the joy.

We have this rose bush in our incredibly beautiful yard—which by the way is also due to Judy and her green thumb. This rose bush is on an arbor by our back door which used to be a great spot. It bloomed and as you walked through the arbor you were immersed in their sweet, lush smell. It was good. But over time the bush has grown not as healthy and doesn’t bloom nearly as much.

Judy and I were sitting in the yard yesterday morning and she made the comment that the rose bush had a single bloom. So I casually mentioned that maybe she should feed it. Remember, that fixes everything. A good shot of rose bush food and bam here come the blooms. But she told me I was wrong. The problem wasn’t that the rose bush was starving for food—it was starving for light. Here’s what has happened.

Just to the east of the rose bush where the morning sun comes in, two trees have grown—a dogwood and a redbud. Both are great trees and they seem to be real happy. But in the process of growing they have shut off a lot of the morning sunshine from the rose bush and it is suffering. Judy said that the rose bush can survive the way it is but without enough sunlight it won’t and can’t bloom. What we end up with is a rose bush that is just getting by and that will never really be what it was intended to be—a source of beauty with the sweet aroma of a new day.

So, somewhere in the future there is a good chance that the rose bush will probably have to be moved to a place where it can thrive and that means more sun. It will be a dramatic change and it might even be difficult but unless we do something the rose will never be and do what it was meant to be and do. Hmmmm.

I wonder if that is the problem with me—with you. I wonder if we are growing in a place where the soil might be right but there just isn’t enough light. I wonder if we need more Sonshine. You see, we might believe that if our lives just had more stuff, more toys, more of this or more of that, we would be happy. But the truth of the matter—we just need more of Jesus.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” Wow. First, He affirms He is the light we are looking for. It might seem easier, even logical to just put a light bulb out by the rose bush, but that light would be insufficient and could never replace the light of the sun. And trust me, the light we need in our lives can never come from religion, denomination or some other “self medication.” We need the true light that can only come from Him.

But He says something else. He declares that if we walk with Him two things will happen. We won’t have to just survive in the darkness, or starve for light and in fact we will have the light that brings life. Bam…just what we need…just what the doctor ordered. And if that isn’t enough, since we walk with Him there will never be the need for a transplant because we walk with the Light—we move with the Light. Because of that, no circumstances will ever be able to hurt us.

Well, it’s just a matter of time but we will have to move our friend to a sunnier place in our yard. And I will feel sorry for the bush as we dig him up and prune him back but it will be for his good. After the initial pain he will bloom again and that will make it worth while. So, what do you need to do in your life to once again walk with the Son? What things need to be pruned back or what needs to be given up so you will be free to walk with Him again? Yup, it might be painful but just imagine your life as you are blooming once again. Imagine the fragrant smell of life with Him. Make that decision today. Go ahead and rest in Him. He’s got this.

Family, food, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful

Call Me “Precious”

Posted on August 19, 2020August 18, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” Genesis 3:6

I remember it like it was yesterday…or a couple of weeks ago anyway. I am the youngest of eight children. Some call me the baby of the family…I call it the best. My brothers and sisters nicknamed me “precious”. I used to think it was because they were jealous, but I later learned they were just right. And, because I was so precious, well, I often was the target of pranks and other acts of terrorism.

The two sisters right above me and myself were called the three little ones. That was because everybody else was several years older and therefore bigger. My two youngest sisters were the main terrorists. They loved to hold me down and tickle me mercilessly and then pull my ears till they were blood red. It’s because of them one of my ears sticks out further than the other. They were two tough cookies.

One time they pushed me out the door in my underwear and wouldn’t let me back in. I banged and banged on the door ,all to no avail. They, of course, will deny all of this but trust me, at the Judgement Seat all will be revealed and they will surely be grateful for grace.

I have always had an affection for sweet things and they even used that against me. One day one of them came up and said, “Dewayne, do you want some candy?” Well, my response was, “Well sure.” It was a small box and in my excitement I didn’t take time to read the label. Honestly, since I was only about eight, I probably wouldn’t have known the difference anyway. So, I opened the box and found that it was filled with chocolates. There were only three or four pieces in the box and before long…they were gone.

I did notice that they tasted a little different, but they were sweet, and they were brown so hey, that was close enough for me. I should have been suspicious that the terrorists were being so nice but I always was a trusting soul. Well, several hours passed and before long time wasn’t the only thing that passed. You see, my loving sisters had fed me a whole box of Ex-Lax. They would deny it, you probably can’t believe it, but trust me, I was there. Oh, boy was I there.

Well, I learned a lot of lessons growing up and this is one of them. You see, things are often not what they seem to be. I thought I was a getting a box of chocolates and instead I got a box of trouble. It looked like chocolate, it even tasted like chocolate, but it wasn’t even close. Did you know that the Bible warns us how the devil can disguise himself? It says that he can disguise himself as an angel of light when in fact he is the angel of darkness. Remember that…things are not always as they seem.

I also learned that not everyone who comes bearing gifts can be trusted. I should have known better when they offered me that box, but my desire for chocolate overruled my common sense. That is what how Adam and Eve got in trouble in the garden. The story is found in Genesis and it says, “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” And just like that…I found myself eating Ex-Lax.

It’s a tricky world out there…terrorists are lurking everywhere and sometimes they might be related, so be careful. Be sure and use your good common sense if someone offers you a little box filled with chocolates. You might be getting more than you bargained for. Like I said, I probably wouldn’t have understood the label even if I had read it. But do you know what? My mama would have. In fact, if I had gone to mama this story would have been totally different. But, well, I didn’t. As we journey through this upside down world, don’t forget to go to your Dearest Daddy with your questions and mysteries. He is always there, and He is always watching out for you. You can trust Him. His box of chocolate is always the real deal. So have a seat, open the box and enjoy. You can rest in Him. He’s got this.

Family, life, priorities, Scripture, wisdom

Out of Alignment

Posted on August 18, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

What’s next? It’s a question that I find myself asking just about everyday as I prepare to write and share with you a short story with a big truth. As I was sharing yesterday at church, to introduce the message I used an illustration. After I had written Monday’s story, Judy told me, “when you told that story in the sermon I said to myself, that is tomorrow’s story.” Well, my wife is rarely wrong so here we go a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short.

A couple of years ago we bought a “new to us” car. It was a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta. I drove all the way up near St. Louis to look at their lot full of Jetta cars. Volkswagen had gotten in trouble about emissions and recalled all their diesel cars. It took them a couple of years to get them fixed and rerelease them to the market. Judy and I decided to dive into the diesel market and get one.

So, off I went to St. Louis. When I arrived, I saw dozens and dozens of VW Jettas. However, the problem was most of them were in pretty rough shape. Apparently as the owners turned them in, they decided to treat them like an unloved dog. Even after they cleaned them up it was pretty apparent they had lived a hard-knock life. So with my trusty salesman by my side, I went from car to car to car—with no luck. I’m pretty particular about cars and these were not making the cut.

Finally, after checking almost every car in my price range, we found one that was not as perfect as I wanted, but it was the best one available. I drove it and liked it and before long it was ours. Driving it home I noticed that the VW emblem on the steering wheel was not pointing straight up. Hmmmm. But trying to control my perfectionism I chose to ignore it—for a while.

So, even though it was “Judy’s car”, it had to go. I asked my super mechanic, Chris, if we could pull the steering wheel and straighten it up. He said, “You don’t have a steering wheel problem, you have a front end problem. You need a front end alignment.” Well, what about that. I had noticed the car was not wanting to stay straight on the highway but I didn’t think too much about it. I should have.

After we got the front end aligned and sure enough there is was—the VW emblem was straight up and down. Yay—I said. Problem solved…and it was. However, the problem was, I had waited too late. Then, I was looking at my front tires and realized that the outside tread was virtually gone…outta there. My choice to ignore and live with a problem ended up costing me nearly $500.00 dollars for new tires. Bummer. Big bummer. Oftentimes procrastination can be very expensive.

Life can be like a car out of alignment. It got me thinking, what in our lives might be a little misaligned, out of balance? What habit, what misplaced priority, what sins are we hiding, ignoring, or choosing to not take care of? I know, it seems easier not to worry about it, but truth be known, the longer we wait the more it costs. The longer we wait the bigger the consequences and the greater the regrets. It has been said that if you aim for the moon and are less than one degree off you will end up somewhere, but it won’t be the moon…it might be Mars.

Solomon, one of the smartest guys in Bible, said it best. He said that we should learn to trust in the Lord with everything we’ve got, and don’t try to figure it out on our own. He goes on to say that in all our ways check with Him and He will make our paths straight. Make. Our. Paths. Straight. In other words, if the steering wheel on our life is crooked, He can give us the realignment that we need. He can make our lives straight.

Well, I don’t know about you but I think I will save the $500.00 next time and head to the alignment place as soon as I notice something’s going wrong. I think I’m gonna do the same thing with life. When my “VW emblem” is a little crooked or I find myself pulling away from the One who loves me most—I’m gonna head to the Master mechanic and let Him check me out. I can trust Him. The Creator always knows the creation best. I’ll rest in the waiting room while He works. I know He’s got this.