Month: October 2024

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, marriage, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel

Beautifully Different

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

They were all the same—yet totally different.  When we went to the Northwest corner of these United States, we knew we had to travel to Victoria, British Columbia. It is a province of Canada yet thoroughly British. Some people say that the people who live in Victoria are more British than the British are. And it is amazing that you can take a short ferry ride (less than 90 minutes) and find yourself in a place that is a lot like our home, the United States, but at the same time very European.

We truly love to visit Victoria. One of the places we enjoy seeing is Butchart Gardens. It is a vast garden with acre upon acre of pristinely maintained grounds. Even though we visited in fall, there were still a multitude of varieties of flowers, plants and trees. There was one section, one part of the garden that instantly caught my attention—the dahlia garden. This selection of plants and flowers were an explosion of color in every shape and size. Literally dozens of flowers were planted together—each distinctly different yet each sharing this one fact—they were all dahlias. Some were the size of dinner plates and others the size of a small teacup. Some were large and flat, and others were almost the shape of balls. Some were one particular color, and others were a palate of colors. They were all amazing and they also were teaching a valuable lesson.

You see, the garden was a beautiful illustration of God’s intent for His church. Like the Dahlia garden, we too are a hodgepodge of God’s creation.  We not only look different or speak a different language, but we also all were made distinctively different with an attention to detail that only God could create. I noticed at Butchart Gardens that some flower beds were intentionally planted in one color. Though attractive they simply didn’t have the draw of the eye that the Dahlia garden did. The reason was simple—while the initial impact was strong, it soon diminished—after all once you have seen one purple flower—you have seen them all.

God knew that His people would be stronger and better if we were different. He knows our differences are not a distraction or a weakness—they are a strength. We are stronger in our differences. How about that? You see, I love Pecan Pie, but I promise you even I would grow tired of that day in and day out. It might take a few days but after that…well…you know.

So let me encourage you to marvel in the beauty of God’s garden—His people. Truth be told, we wouldn’t want everyone to be like us—we and the world—need variety.  Remember, the next time someone gets a little under your skin, be sure and thank God for them. Why? It just might be that people like that are exactly what makes the world better. If loving all of God’s “dahlias” are a struggle for you, just ask the Master Gardner. He will know just what to do—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, marriage, prayer, priorities, thankful, travel, Trials

But the Seat is Empty

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b

Well, that didn’t take long.  A while back I decided to do something that is unusual for me.  I had registered my wife Judy and I for a pastor’s conference.  I was thinking one day and said to myself, “Maybe it would be good for me to just get away by myself.” Well, I talked it over with Judy and she agreed.  Of course, the fact that she was leaving right after the conference for a mission trip to Puerto Rico probably figured in.  With the decision made…I would go, she would stay. Where to go and when to stay and where to eat and when to eat would be my call. It was a good plan.

The day came.  We had great services at church, and I had a sandwich for lunch and a quick nap before I hit the road.  With a hug and a kiss, I was off on the great adventure.  I had satellite radio playing hits from the 60’s, the cruise was set for the speed limit, and I passed the time just enjoying the beautiful day and the slowly changing color of the trees.  And then…it began to happen. It started when I caught myself causally glancing over at the passenger seat. Normally it would have held my favorite person in the whole world.  It sat empty.  No deal…but it was a thought.  I would occasionally put my hand in the seat as if feeling to see if she was there.  She wasn’t.

After several hours, I arrived at my hotel for the night.  I had chosen well.  It was very reasonable and very nice.  I opened the door and marveled at the room.  I wanted to share the moment with her, but she wasn’t there.  I called and let her know I was there safely and then planned supper.  There was no doubt where I was going.  Fazoli’s. They had their pizza baked spaghetti back on the menu and I had been wanting to go…so I did.  This was a place Judy probably wouldn’t have chosen but tonight it was my call and honestly…it was very good. That was followed with a visit to a creamery called, “The Lazy Cow.” I picked the place and the flavor.  “Not bad,” I said to no one as a went back to my room.

The room was still nice, but it was quiet…too quiet.  I called Judy and told her about supper and the ice cream, but it wasn’t the same as experiencing it with her.  After a while we said good night and we both went to bed in different beds, different rooms, and different states.  The next morning, she said she didn’t sleep too well, and I told her the same. I told her some plans I had made, and she shared hers.  After a couple of minutes, we said goodbye.  And that is when it hit me.

It was nice picking what music I wanted to listen to as I drove.  It was nice stopping when I wanted to stop. It was nice choosing to go to Fazoli’s and later getting ice cream. All that was nice, but she wasn’t there and that made it all less nice. Oh, it is still a good plan, and I will enjoy my time away.  I’m sure the teaching is going to be great and all that, but it will be different.  It might, it probably will be less than if she was there.  Think about that.  Think about something else.

Do we ever think or maybe even act on what life would be like without God? We muse how grand it might be without the rules, to make our own choices and decisions and not have to worry about what He might think. I know for some of you that may be everyday but for a chunk of us that is a far stretch and yet too often we live that very same way. We include God when it is convenient and leave Him at home when it isn’t. I’ve already discovered that while this week will be good for me…it is not something I want to do all the time.

The bottom line is Judy is just too much a part of my life…and that is how we need to make it with God.  We need to make Him so much a part of our lives, that when we look around and realize we left Him (He will never leave us) that we are wise enough to go back and join Him.  Lord willing this Thursday, I’ll be back home…and home is a good place.  God said He will never leave us or let us go and there is a lot of comfort in that.  There’s also a lot of comfort in knowing that even when we take a trip and fail to invite Him, He’s still there…He’s still got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel

Truly Vast

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.” Genesis 1:31

It was amazing. The next chapter for us started on June 1st of 2024. After a slow start to the great adventure, we finally planned and went on a pretty big trip in September. We boarded a plane, climbed on a train, rented a car, and finally boarded a ferry to British Colombia. Our destination was one of our favorite places in these United States—the Pacific Northwest.  After arriving by train and renting a car we drove south to Oregon and stayed at a small hotel called “Sailor Jack’s.” This was our third time staying there and the main attraction was the view of the Pacific Ocean. The living room had a large window that filled the whole wall. Since we were right on the beach, all you could see was the ocean.

To me the Pacific Ocean is unlike any large body of water I have ever seen. In Uganda we rode in an open boat on a lake named Victoria that was so large from the middle you couldn’t see the shores. Of course, then there is the Gulf of Mexico. Stand on the west side of Florida and it seems large—and it is but not compared to the Atlantic Ocean. We have flown across the Atlantic more than a few times and it is certainly big enough, but then there is the Pacific. Strike out from the Oregon shore and for thousands and thousands of miles you will find nothing but open water and an occasional whale.  Eventually you will bump into Asia, but it is one long journey.

As I stood looking out the window from my third-floor condo, I was overcome with the wildness and vastness of this great body of water. There is a beauty in how the wind causes the water to roll onto the shore with sometimes larger than life waves. Then I realize that this huge vast body is but a “drop in the bucket” when compared to the great vastness of God. Whether you choose to think of the vastness of His love, the vastness of His grace and mercy, the vastness of His power or perhaps the vastness of His wisdom, the mighty Pacific simply seems almost insignificant. Remember that the vastness of the Creator will always vastly outweigh the things He creates.

The Bibles tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God and that is absolutely true. In fact, if you will just take a moment to look around, you will quickly see that all of nature shouts the validity of God. From the vast Pacific Ocean to the smallest yet most beautiful flower they all preach the same message: Nothing compares to our God. So, I am very grateful for all that God has created but I always remember that it is nothing compared to Him. One day all of this will be gone but He will still be there in all His magnificent splendor. So, take a moment and look and see the wonder and vastness of nature and then remember that the Creator is always so much greater than the creation. And remember that this wonderful Creator is more than capable of handling whatever comes our way.  Rest assured…He’s got this! Bro. Dewayne

Photo credit:  Judy Taylor at Sailor Jack’s, Lincoln City, Oregon

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

Don’t Wait

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” John 13:27

Who would have known? Sometimes a change of plans can be bigger than we think.  As you might remember through several Grits stories, several years ago my wife Judy and I made a couple of trips down to Ft. Myers and Marathon Key, Florida.  We had a great time.  We landed in Ft. Myers, rented a Mustang convertible, and then drove to the Keys.  After several days, we drove back to Ft. Myers and stayed at a really nice place called, “Lover’s Key.”  It overlooked a beautiful large bay and was just a few blocks from the beach.  We ate some incredible seafood at a couple of incredible restaurants.  Well, the bottom line is we had such a good time we knew we had to visit again.

A little later, we laid plans to do just that…visit again. We originally set the time for Labor Day weekend but later, because of the crowds, changed it to September 8-17. We booked a few days at Marathon Key, a few days at Lover’s Key, and the Mustang…well, that wasn’t going to happen.  Because of COVID, prices for rental cars, Mustang or not, had just about tripled.  Oh well, we could at least roll down the window.  We were excited…anticipating a repeat of last year.  And then…things went crazy with the airlines and the economy, and we knew we would have to cancel…and we did.

What we didn’t know, what we couldn’t know was a powerful hurricane named Ian was going to sweep into the Gulf of Mexico and literally destroy Ft. Myers.  Just eleven days after our planned dates, Ft. Myers as we knew it was gone.  The wonderful restaurants, the beautiful beaches at Ft. Myers and Sanibel Island—all gone.  Progress has been made toward recovery, but it will be a few more before it even begins to look like the old Ft. Myers and even then, there will be scars. And here’s what I now wonder.

What if, what if we had known that this beautiful place was going to be swept away, would we have made a greater effort to go?  If we had just known that the time we had planned might be the last time…would we have made a greater effort?  Honesty, would money, would price have mattered?  And the answer is—no. I honestly believe we would have made every effort to visit.  Knowing it was going to be perhaps the last time would have changed our effort and the value of the visit.  But alas, it is too late.

Like I said, it will eventually open back for people like me to visit but the scars of that terrible day in September will linger long after the last road is rebuilt.  And that made me think.  What is there in our lives that we are putting off? What is it in our lives that we think, we figure, we can do later?  What thing are we waiting to say, waiting to do, thinking, believing there will be enough time?  And you know what I know—we don’t know if there will be time or not.  That means, perhaps, just perhaps, we need to say and do what needs to be said and done—now not later.  We shouldn’t and perhaps can’t wait because things can and do change and later might be too late.

I call it my favorite “taken out of context” scripture.  It involves Jesus and Judas.  Jesus knows what Judas is about to do so He tells him, “Hurry and do what you are going to do.”  That whatever is his betrayal of Jesus to the authorities.  Like I said it is terribly taken out of context but still there are those glaring words…hurry and do whatever you are going to do. Judy and I have moved on to our next chapter in life.  We are both getting older, and we keep asking each other…and God, “What’s next?”  Well, we are not privy to all of that, but we do have today…we do have now.  The bottom line is we need to do what we can now and say what we want to say now for tomorrow may not come.

Do quickly. Don’t wait. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t wish you would have…rather be glad that you did.  Remember, to be grateful for what you did is always so much better than regret.  I’m hoping writing this will spark this wisdom in my life. While we don’t know about tomorrow, fortunately we do know Someone who does.  To some He is just God but to some of us He is known as Dearest Daddy, and we know and believe that He knows our tomorrows. We also know and believe that “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, Southern born, spiritual battles, Trials

Speak No Evil

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:10-11

It’s gonna happen…it just should not happen there.  Life is filled with bumps and bruises.  They’re gonna happen like it or not but sometimes they are made worse by the timing and location.  A flat tire is never fun but take that same flat tire and let it happen on a rainy Monday on the way to an interview for a new job and it is just worse.  Your car breaking down is just a bad deal but when it happens out in the middle of nowhere and with no cellphone service…well, your day just went south.

I once experienced something that well, it just shouldn’t have happened but where it happened and how it happened just made it worse.  It was a Sunday morning in South Georgia and like any other Sunday morning I was in church.  I went to church for several reasons…like it was the right thing to do, I thought it might make God happy and usually I enjoyed it.  On this particular day…well, let’s just say I had that proverbial flat tire on a rainy Monday out in the middle of nowhere.  The story goes like this.

Ever since I was a kid I liked to sing, and people said they enjoyed it.  So, I was occasionally asked to sing at church.  On this particular Sunday morning I was asked to sing.  Now there is something you need to know before we go any further.  You see, the church I attended was strict with certain things and one of those things was that guys should not have hair over their ears.  That was a big no, no.  And believe it or not, even though I was in the Air Force I had found a way to have hair over my ears.  It involved “Dippity-do” but that’s another story.

Well, that Sunday was my time to sing.  I went to the stage and did the very best I could to sing for Jesus.  With my “hair over my ears” waving in the wind I went up and I came down.  I was glad to sing but was also glad it was over.  Well, it wasn’t.  Because that Sunday we had a special speaker.  And because of what happened, I remember him very, very, well.  He stepped behind the pulpit, and I got the surprise of my young life.  I was surprised because what he said was like a dagger in my heart.  Here’s what he said.

With his deep and authoritative voice, in front of the entire church, he said, “Young man, if I had hair like yours, I would be ashamed to stand up and sing for Jesus.”  I was shocked.  I was hurt.  I was mortally embarrassed.  Not because of my hair, not because I had caused Jesus to frown (which I didn’t) but because this man who represented God had put me on trial, judged me, and sentenced me.  Honestly, it’s a miracle I didn’t walk out and keep right on walking.

Like I said, things like this happen but they should never, ever happen in church.  We wonder why people don’t want to come to church and unfortunately too often it is things like this.  You see, church should be a safe place…a loving place.  Church should be a place not for perfect people (because there aren’t any) but for forgiven people.  Church should be a grace place and not a place to judge and throw rocks.  Church should be a place where people see Jesus everywhere…in the lives of everyone.

I love the fact that the people who flocked to Jesus were the most broken in the community.  They liked Him and He loved them. He was perfectly comfortable with sitting down with the worse sinner in town and having lunch.  Trust me, that drove the religious people crazy.  They said some very nasty things about Jesus because of that but the truth is…Jesus came to rescue the lost, the broken…people like me and you.

Well, the good news is I survived that Sunday morning, but it left a scar that remains to this day. My wife reminded me that my pastor came up afterwards and apologized.  I’m glad he did.  We need to have the courage to speak up when a wrong occurs…Jesus would. I can never get enough of the story in the Bible about the woman taken in adultery.  The rock throwers wanted to kill her but instead Jesus loved and forgave her.  I like that. A lot.  So, if you find yourself wounded by a rock chucker just remember Jesus loves you…even if someone else doesn’t.  And remember, no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, priorities, Scripture, spiritual battles, thankful

What Really Matters

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice.” Philippians 1:18

What could be better? The other night, a friend invited a group of friends over for a great time of food and fellowship. Let me just say it was a great get-together and we all enjoyed every minute. We first enjoyed a great meal of fried fish and all the fixings including three fabulous desserts. Then we sat around the table and at the suggestion of someone we began to tell our stories. Every story caused us to pause and reflect and we all learned something new about one another. There were times when we laughed and yes, a few times when tears were shed.

Now back to dinner. Did I mention fried fish? How about coleslaw, potato salad, hushpuppies and all the other trimmings. Oh, did I mention baked beans? Let me tell you that the baked beans that night were incredible. They were so much so that I just had to find out who made them. It turned out that one of the ladies had brought them. They were rich and savory, sweet and filled with chunks of what turned out to be BBQ brisket.  Can someone say, “hallelujah?”

Well, they were so good that I had a second portion. As I scooped the second helping on my plate I told my wife, “Judy, you have to get this recipe.” And that is when it happened.

My friend to my right said, “Well, you are going to make me tell the rest of the truth.” She paused for a moment and of course I was harassing her to share the rest of the story. “Well,” she said, “I did bring the beans, but I didn’t make the beans. I got them from Sam’s.” We all had a good laugh, and I told her that that was even better than a recipe. Even with a recipe, sometimes things don’t come out quite the same. Since they were from Sam’s—well, hey—the outcome was in the bag. I wasn’t at all disappointed, in fact, I was excited.

By the way it really wasn’t important if the beans came from her kitchen or from Sam’s. What mattered was we got to enjoy good, baked beans. More important than who made them was the fact that we got to enjoy them. And guess what? I think that is true many times in life. We often put too much weight on who does what rather than the what itself. That is never truer than in the Church. Too often we lose track of what is important. Is it who brought the message or the way the message spoke to us? Does it really matter who sang the special or if the special spoke to our hearts? You see all that really matters is that we make sure everything points to the One who is worthy and that is Jesus.

So then, if you want to enjoy some great baked beans you can find a good recipe and try your luck or you can run down to your local Sam’s Club. If you try those from Sam’s, I guarantee they will make your tongue happy. And always remember that it isn’t about who does what but rather that He gets the glory. Lay the who or the what aside and let’s just celebrate the fact that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, school days, Scripture, Southern born, spiritual battles, Trials

Sand Spurs from the Past

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” Psalm 103:12

It was a voice from my past—and it was singing the blues.  A while back we were in Southwest Florida on vacation, and I tried to keep up with my morning routines.  That included, first and foremost, coffee.  After coffee and a look at the weather came God time.  After God time came Judy time.  After Judy time came—exercise time.  The problem with all these times is they all take time.  Before I knew it, the sun was up, the humidity was up, and the temperature was up.  Regardless, I had to get up and get going.

The first morning we were there I was still learning the lay of the land and wasn’t exactly sure where I should walk.  So, I headed toward the way in and out of our condo property.  This led to the highway and so I took a left and decided to walk on the edge of the road.  It was safe but it was miserable.  There was no shade and soon it was just plain hot—very hot— “why am I doing this” hot.  I was determined to go my 3.6 miles, but I began wondering if this was such a good idea.  After a little while longer I was sure it wasn’t.  But you know how men are—do or die and in this case, death might have been an upgrade.  Ok, I’m exaggerating.

In my misery, I met an old foe.  There was a point when I had to cross a bridge across a channel.  They had built a walkway but to get to the walkway you had to go behind a guardrail through the weeds.  Without breaking stride, I charged on and then I saw them.  Sand spurs.  These were old foes from my childhood.  They are a type of weed and have sharp, spine covered balls of pain at the ends of long stems.  They will grab anything that gets close and if that happens to be your skin…you are done.  If they don’t get you when they attach, they will get you when you try to detach them. Ugh.

Like I said, they were old foes from my childhood.  When I was a kid, we would run barefoot all the time and without fail we would step on them. They would hurt…bad.  Well, this time, even though I tried to avoid them, they found their way onto my shoes and socks, but I didn’t find them till I got back from my walk.  As I was sitting by the pool trying to recover from a 145-heart rate and the 100-degree humidity, I found them. And, just like the old days, they made sure to give me a “stick and an ouch” as I tried to remove them.  Just.Like.The.Old.Days.  Though it was years ago, the whole sand spur scene was painfully fresh.

I find that sand spurs aren’t the only painful thing that loves to bump into our present.  Often, too often, unpleasant memories and regrets sneak back into our lives and cause us pain all over again.  Try as we may, sometimes, it seems they reattach themselves to us and we relive the whole hot mess again.  It could be a similar situation or maybe a repeat performance, but all the pain and remorse come flooding back.  I hate it, you hate it, but how do we avoid it?

Well, I tried to avoid the sand spurs on my walk.  I saw them, I knew they were there, but in my rush, my determination to exercise, I simply didn’t give them the wide berth they deserved.  I should have made it a higher priority. I realized that when I was trying to remove them.  When you sense or when you feel your ugly, painful past creeping into the present, do whatever it takes to change the scenario. Don’t allow yourself to relive the “sand spurs” of past failures. Trust me—they will attach themselves to your present with all their former pain.

There is one more thing that is even more important than that.  Should you find yourself reliving that regret, run straight into the arms of grace.  Remember and relive the forgiveness that came after the failure.  The Bible tells us that God casts our failures as far as the east is from the west.  I love that because it doesn’t say as far as the north is from the south. You see if you go north long enough you will find the south.  But not so with east from the west.  You can travel east forever and never find the west.  And that dear friend, is what God does with our failures and sin if we ask Him for forgiveness and help. It is gone—outta here and that is really good news.

Well, I couldn’t wait to show Judy my sand spurs, not because I liked them but because they reminded me of an important part of my past and the fact that I knew they were not going to be a permanent part of my future.  I may have bumped into them, but I wasn’t going to live with them. And that is a good thing. So, as you are speed walking through life, remember to give your painful past a wide berth and keep Jesus close by your side. You’ll find Him a mobile “rest stop,” there to make every step, every day survivable and “thrive-able.” And never forget, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

The Community of Love

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” John 13:35

It made me pause and ponder.  So, the other day I was reading a devotion that told a story about history and about us. Normally a story like this wouldn’t grab my interest but then I realized it was more than just a story about civilization—it was a story about the body of Christ—about us Jesus followers.

First the story. Years ago, anthropologist (usually any word with 14 letters is way beyond me) Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Professor Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones. But no. She said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed.

Professor Mead explained that in the animal kingdom (and that includes humans), if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, go to the river for a drink or hunt for food. Instead of looking for dinner, you are going to be somebody’s dinner. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. I love to watch animal programs, especially ones about Africa, and what was true a zillion years ago is still true today.

Now here is where it gets very interesting. A broken femur (or leg bone) that has healed is evidence that someone helped someone. They had taken the time to stay with the one who fell, bound up the wound, carried the person to safety and tended the person through recovery. Professor Mead says that “Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts.” And let me add that is where the church, the body of Christ starts too.

The greatest evidence that we belong to Christ is not some religious ritual instead it is the love of Christ lived out in our lives. Jesus told His followers, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” Wow how powerful is that?

Contrary to life outside the Jesus tribe, we are to be acceptors and healers. Just as Jesus willingly went to the back of the line every time, we are to do the same. We are to put others first—not when it is just convenient but all the time. That is so unusual (just like the healed bone was at a time when no one should have cared) and that is why Jesus said that the world will take notice and know we belong to Someone who is other worldly.

In a time when “me first” is more rampant than ever, let’s choose something different. Just like the Good Samaritan helped the helpless, let’s do the same. Let’s live in such a way that our lives cause every atheist to question their denial of God’s existence. Sound daunting? Well, it probably would be except for one thing.  We belong to and serve a God who is greater than everything else and because of that—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

Just Follow the Recipe

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

It sounds morbid but it’s not…I think.  My wife Judy and I have been married forever and that means we are not quite as young as we used to be.  Sometimes, to pass the time, we joke around and sometimes that includes what would happen if one of us was to uh, well, you know, pass.  So, I’ve always told her if she was to go first, I wouldn’t remarry…I would just get a dog.  I laugh and she laughs but then she always assures me that would never work.  She and I both know just how much I depend on her to do life.  I can clean house…kinda.  I can wash clothes…sorta…you know, all in one big load but there is one thing that I can’t do.  I can’t cook.

When she leaves town to babysit or whatever, the menu at the Taylor house changes dramatically.  If it is anything more than grits in the microwave, a sandwich, or a frozen dinner…we are in deep weeds.  So, the other day, when my friend David began talking about cooking, I started listening.  He is a great cook. On that particular day it was a smoked Boston butt with the fixings and a homemade, handmade peach cobbler with homemade ice cream.  Like I said…he can cook.

As we were talking about cooking, he mentioned that he had a food scale and instead of measuring all the ingredients, he weighed all the ingredients (in grams). So instead of a cup of flour you might have 283 grams of flour. He said that most recipes give the amounts in grams too. And, if you do this, it becomes easy to follow a recipe and if I could follow a recipe, I should be able to cook. Boom! The cooking problem solved, and I could still get a dog.

The big thing about the scale is that it is just more accurate.  A packed cup of flour is probably a lot more than a cup of flour loosely put in the cup.  Well, the more accurate the measurements are, the better the end result.  Are you tracking with me?  The scale is a game changer and guess what?  So is God. Just like the scale would help me stay on track with the recipe, so God can and will help me walk the path of life.  With Him, life isn’t perfect, but it is better…so much better.

The reason I am a terrible cook isn’t that I can’t read, it is that I want to change the recipe. I always figure if one cup of sugar is good…two would certainly be better.  If a teaspoon of cinnamon is good in an apple pie…well, two should be twice as good.  But if I had a scale and was willing to follow the scale…I could make a perfect pie every time.  And when I, when we, are willing to follow God in the recipe of life…we can cook up some good pies…trust me.

 I have grown to love something that is recorded in one of the Old Testament books.  In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I know that is written to the nation of Israel, but I also know the truth is written for every one of God’s kids.  So, as you are whipping up days and experiences in the kitchen of life, be sure and invite God to come along.  Follow Him and the disasters are fewer and farther apart.  When the dust from the flour clears, you can be assured that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in friends, Grace, life, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, spiritual battles, thankful, Trials

A Lesson from the Beanfield

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

It’s one of the strangest things I’ve seen.  The small town where I live is a diverse group of people with a diverse economy.  Not too many years ago there were many coal mines providing massive amounts of jobs to those living in and around our town of Harrisburg.  Also surrounding our town are fields and fields of crops…mostly soybeans and corn.  While the coal mines fell victim to the economy and the unfavorable political landscape, fortunately the farmers are still planting and plowing away.

Well, not too far from my house, there is a soybean field that each year it is planted teaches me a very valuable lesson.  As soybean fields go it is not that large, but it is still several dozen acres even though it is in town.  But what makes this field so different?  Let me explain.  By this time of the year, the bean plants have all turned brown and the pods and beans are left standing to allow them time to dry out.  At the right time, the farmer will bring a combine in and in short order…the plants and beans will be history.  Well, at least most of the plants.

You see, at this particular field, there is a busy road that borders the field.  On that busy road there are two or three streetlights that are close enough to the field to illuminate the plants around that area all through the night.  Because of that, the plants receive some sort of light 24 hours a day. That sounds good, doesn’t it?  Well, my farmer friends tell me it isn’t. You would think more light equals more growing and more growing means more beans, but it just isn’t true with soybeans. You see, for the plants to sprout and produce beans they need a certain amount of darkness.  Without that darkness, you have large, green, lush plants but not a single bean.  Not one. Nada.

It can and would go unnoticed except for all the other plants in the field are brown and about to give up their harvest but the plants by the light are in stark contrast in two ways.  Their color…green and their lack of a coming harvest.  So, when the combine goes to that field, they will carefully avoid the green plants.  There is no sense harvesting plants with no beans.  They will be left standing as a testimony to a great truth.  Soybeans, and people for that matter, need a little darkness to become what they were meant to be. Think about that.

None of us like hard times, valley times, but the truth is…that is when we learn, that is when we become stronger and if you are a spiritual person…that is when our faith in God grows the most.  Being a Jesus follower, I’m inclined to believe that is at least one reason God allows some difficultly in our lives.  People sometimes want to know if God is so good why does He allow this or that.  Well, borrowing a line from the movie, “Rudy,” when he wanted to know why God hadn’t allowed him to make the Notre Dame football team, his priest said, “I know two things.  There is a God. I am not Him.” That’s pretty powerful if you ask me.

We all want to know why bad things happen, especially to good people…I get that.  I have a ton of questions personally, but I’m learning that in the times when I don’t get it…I don’t understand…I can still trust Him.  And honesty…that just isn’t hard.  As I look back over my life, I can see time and again how He stepped up for me…protected me…cared for me.  Those times make the other times bearable.  I like what Isaiah 55:9 says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Frankly, I like having a God so much bigger than me that I can’t figure Him out. There’s a calming assurance in that.

So, if you ever drive through our farming country and you spot a brown field with green plants next to a streetlight, well, just remember this story and the lesson it taught us about soybeans and us. We need a little darkness to help us grow.  And don’t you worry, if you are one of God’s kids, your Dearest Daddy knows exactly what He is doing.  You can take it to the bank, or the grain bin, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne