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Posted in gratitude, life, school days, Scripture, spring, thankful

Treasure or Trash

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17

I hardly could believe my eyes.  It was a bright, warm morning and I was on my way to school.  This particular day I decided to walk and since it wasn’t that far it wasn’t a big deal.  Our house had been enveloped by one of those new fangled suburban sub-divisions consisting of dozens and dozens of near alike houses.  The shortest way to school was to cut between two of those houses so…I did.

On the other side of my cut-through was a cul-de-sac—a street that ended in a circle—one way in and one way out.  As I emerged from my path and stepped onto the pavement—I saw it.  There, clearly in someone’s trash, was a blue ten-speed bicycle. It was about twenty yards from where I was and from there—it looked brand new.  My bike wasn’t that old but it only had three speeds and what was that compared to ten? I decided to do a “fly by” before I left the scene so I turned left and strutted over.  I didn’t touch it, I didn’t pick it up, I just took a quick look and determined one thing right then. If by some miracle this treasure was still there on my way home from school it was going home with me.

All the way to school I could think of nothing but that blue bike and the more I thought about it—the bigger and better it got.  My day dreams only continued to grow as I spent my day at school. I was dreaming about how great it would be to have a new ten-speed bike. I just couldn’t wait to clean it up, check the tires, and take off.  Well, as soon as school was over, I started trekking home and toward that blue bike. So, soon I was back in the neighborhood, back on that street and heading toward the cul-de-sac. As I neared the place where the bike was,  I looked, and it was gone.  No, just kidding, it was still there.

I immediately went over, picked up the bike and started toward home.  As I walked, I began to look and it was about then that reality set in.  You see, the fact was that the bike was not nearly new.  There were parts missing and parts broken.  The tires were flat, cables that were supposed to shift those ten speeds were either missing or a mess.  The bottom line was this.  It became quickly apparent that there was a reason why the blue bike was in the trash.  The reason?  It was trash.

You might be wondering how I was able to see one thing when the reality was totally different. You might be wondering how I could see treasure when in fact it was trash.  Well, the answer is really quite simple.  We all see what we want to see.  When I saw the blue ten-speed bike, my discontentment with what I had quickly grew.  What I had seemed to be so much less than what I saw—or thought I saw.  Only when I got what I thought I wanted did I realize it was so much less. So.Much.Less.

This is a big truth. Often what we don’t have, what we can’t have, what we shouldn’t have just naturally looks bigger and better than what we have. Sadly, we don’t realize it till we have thrown away the better for the bad.  It is true in careers, it is true in friendships, it is true in marriages and it is true in a hundred other situations. Stop and think how much regret and remorse we have to own because we chased something that we thought was better than what was in our hands.

Our world can easily become one of mirages and not reality so be careful what you chase.  Remember the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. It probably just appears that way because that is what we want to see—and believe. One of God’s big ten makes it clear—we shouldn’t covet.  Put another way—we should be satisfied with what we have. So if you are walking down the road and see a blue bike in the trash, you might want to think it though carefully before you take it home. A second look, a pause, might save you a ton of regret. Need a second opinion, I know just where to go…my Dearest Daddy. He will know just what to do…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Grace, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God, Trials

Like a Thief in the Night

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” Romans 8:18

It came like a thief in the night. I believe it was Jesus who said something like that in the New Testament part of the Bible. It seems that He was talking about the time when He would come back to take His family home to be with Him. He was telling His followers that they should always be ready because there probably wouldn’t be any warning.  Well, as it turns out that doesn’t just apply to things like Jesus’ return. While we were in Florida experiencing a respite from the Southern Illinois winter, it turned out that something was coming my way without much warning.

One day in paradise, I woke up with a bit of a cough—the kind that you write off as caused by drainage down your throat.  So, with a hack-hack here and a hack-hack there, I wrote it off—until I couldn’t. After the “hacky” thing continued for a couple of days, I woke up one morning pretty sure that a tractor-truck had detoured through our bedroom during the night. While I have never actually experienced a hangover I am pretty sure that morning I felt like I had one. The hack-hack cough was in full swing, my head was filled with misery, I had a headache, and my body definitely felt it’s full 71 years.

As the day progressed I actually felt a little better so, as planned, my wife Judy and I began our journey home via my sister’s house in Alabama. That night I wasn’t very hungry and turned in a little early. And then, like a thief in the night, whatever it was returned with a vengeance. After getting up, I stayed at the house all day while my sister and Judy did some shopping. When they got home everyone decided I needed to go to the doctor—and I did. The diagnosis was “Type A” flu. I don’t know what the “A” stands for but it seems to me it has to do something with AWEFUL because that is exactly how I felt.

Now, a few days later, As I sit at home at my desk trying to make this story make sense, I realized that I had no idea where this storm came from. As far as I know, I had not been around anyone with the flu. What I do know is that I got it.  Gratefully, this is about day five and I am beginning to feel some better. I do know this, while this caught me totally off guard, and it indeed did strike like a thief in the night—my Father was on duty the whole time and gratefully it did not catch Him off guard. You know I’m not sure why God allows things like this to pop into our lives (nor why He created mosquitoes) but I do know He doesn’t waste anything—not even a case of the flu.

So, what is going on in your life right now? There is a good chance it is some much bigger than my case of the flu.  But here is something I love about our Father—no matter how big or no matter how small, He can give every situation His full and loving attention. Be sure and rest in that. Oh and rest in this—He loves you more than you can imagine. So no matter what is trying to sneak into your life—know it can’t sneak up on Him. You can rest assured that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in friends, Grace, life, loving others, school days, Southern born

Me and Fred

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” 2 Peter 2:21

The same kind of different as me. It was 1965…I was about eleven and he was probably 18.  I’m not sure how we bumped into one another.  As I remember it, I was out in the field that was part of our property and he rolled up in his golf cart.  Well, hey, that was an ice breaker if there ever was one. He gave me a big smile, a friendly wave and said, “Hi.”  I could tell from that first hello that Fred had a speech issue and later it became apparent that he was one of God’s special creations…someone the world would call broken but God would call absolutely perfect.

Despite the age difference and his perfection and my lack of it, we seemed to hit it off. Almost immediately we were off on the first of many rides in his golf cart.  He loved it and I loved it and even though it wasn’t meant for off the road…that is exactly where we went. I assume his family bought him the golf cart to help him get around the neighborhood. I believe he lived in a subdivision, a gathering of the nicest homes in the neighborhood, at the end of the road I lived on. I don’t know if he was living there or visiting there but for the time I knew him…we were buds.

There are a lot of things that I have forgotten about that summer and early fall but there is one thing I remember—Fred loved baseball.  I’m pretty sure the team didn’t matter as long as it was baseball. He would carry around a portable transistor (that’s a throwback for my older readers) and we would listen to the games together.  It was September and time for the World Series, and we would sit in his golf cart like it was a front row seat right there in the stadium. Even now that memory makes me smile. In our simple world…all was well.

I think I began to learn something that summer and that lesson was about us—all of us.  In the world today we seem to search for things that cause us to focus on what divides us…what makes us different instead of what can draw us together.  I know it made no sense for Fred and I to be friends but his ultra-cool golf cart and his kind and outgoing personality overcame whatever differences there were.  He was the same kind of different as me.  That sentence is the title of a book and movie about two men who came from totally, and I mean totally, different backgrounds and yet managed to forge a friendship that would last for the rest of their lives.

You see, the truth is we can overcome our differences.  Our decision to allow skin color, language, social and economic differences, religion, or politics to divide us is a choice not a destiny.  This is especially true for Jesus’ people.  As followers we are choosing to align ourselves with Him and love others…regardless.  Really.  It is true.  It is in the Book…all over the Book and when decide to let the Book, and the Jesus of the Book, call the shots…well it is a game changer.

I’m thankful for that summer of 1965. If you know anything about that decade you know it was more than turbulent.  People were wondering if we as a nation would survive.  Well, by the grace of God, we did.  And guess what?  We can survive this mess today but if we do it will also be by the grace of God and Jesus people who decide to act like Jesus. Peter, the guy in the Bible who fell flat on his face and denied Jesus said, “For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.”  In other words,…we are called to be like Him.  No matter how difficult that might sound to you, don’t forget that today and always—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in food, friends, gratitude, Integrity, pride, school days, Southern born, thankful

Get a Job!

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15

It was time to go to work. It may sound out of date…and maybe it is but I was counting the days till I turned 15.  Not because I was eligible for a learner’s permit, not because I was on the edge of moving on to high school but because, wait for it, I could get a work permit.  You see in Florida when you turned 15 you could get your social security number and get a work permit and…work.  I was ready and I had an in.

Sue Lovell was a neighbor who lived catty-corner from us at 6008 Carlton Road.  She lived in one of the nicer homes in the sub-division that had surrounded us, and we lived in our “used to be” army barracks.  I can remember Sue well.  She was a little different but at the same time very kind.  Well, she worked at this small restaurant called the Village Oven and she offered to try and get me a job if I wanted.  Well, I wanted and next thing I knew I was hired.

My job was not working on a computer or running a business and making life changing decisions. No, I started by serving people…sorta. Looking back it probably was a little challenging especially for someone just getting their feet wet in the working world.  First, I was the busboy which meant it was my responsibility to clear all the tables. As soon as someone left, I rushed out and cleaned the table.  Second, I was the dishwasher which meant I scraped the plates and then loaded and ran the commercial dishwasher that was tucked out front under the counter.  Of course, I also unloaded the dishwasher and made sure there was a constant supply of plates, bowls, glasses, and silverware.  But wait there is more.

I was also head of the cleaning crew—which consisted of—me. After our customers left, I was to mop the restaurant floor and clean the bathrooms. Looking back it seems that besides the cooking and waiting, I had my hands in just about everything.  There was always plenty to do…time passed quickly and it taught me responsibility. I was beginning to get the feel of helping and serving others. The best part of the job, of course, was getting paid.  My hours varied from a few to a lot and I made a whopping, jaw dropping seventy-five cents an hour. Since this was about 1969, I suppose that was a fair wage and that seventy-five cents went a long way.

I can remember my largest paycheck was around $23.  It must have been during the summer, and I worked somewhere over 30 hours.  I always felt a little rich when I got my check, but that week—I felt more than pretty rich—I felt like Mr. Rockefeller. There is a certain pride in a job done well and getting paid “certificates of appreciation” as Rabbi Daniel Lapin calls them.  Most of us call them dollars and they did make me feel appreciated.  I can’t remember exactly how long I worked at the Village Oven but I worked long enough to appreciate the value of bringing home a paycheck.  I worked long enough to spread my wings a little and fly the friendly skies of growing up.

I’m grateful to Sue Lovell for helping me get the job and I am grateful that my Momma and Daddy drove me the six or seven miles to work and picked me up…sometimes late at night.  I know now that often it is the small things that people do that should and do get stuck in our memories.  It is also the small things that can make a big difference later on.  My first job taught me about serving others, commitment, responsibilities, respect for my bosses, and teamwork at an early age. I can’t measure the entire value of that work experience, but I know I sure learned a lot about how the adult working world operated. 

God gave us work even before sin came along.  He knew the value of a man, woman or young adult getting their hands dirty.  He knew the value of working and making a difference and while it may seem hard at the time, the benefits can last a lifetime.  Genesis, the first book in the Bible, says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” The God who made us knows what is best for us.  I’ve heard it said that we should bloom where we are planted, and I think that means caring for the garden around us too.  If you find yourself a little overwhelmed with this work thing or any other thing, just ask God and He will lend a hand…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, life, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel

The Farmer’s Market

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

 The Taylors were on the prowl. We had stayed in Fort Myers long enough to find out it can get cool this far south.  So we moseyed around the house one morning but finally decided to go out and try to find some lunch. We went to the main highway and turned left. If you turned right you found plenty of traffic but not many restaurants. For some reason left meant a little less traffic and a whole bunch of places to eat.

Since I wasn’t very hungry—yet—and because I was driving I turned most of the restaurant scouting over to my wife Judy. As we cruised along, any place I noticed I would call to her attention and trust me there were plenty. There were all the fast food places and most of the more common sit-down chains. I would call them out and she would give her opinion.  As it turns out, fortunately her opinion was a thumbs down.

Well, as I was being rejected, she was looking—beyond. I saw what I could see but she was willing to look beyond the obvious. Well, I’m not sure how but after a while she began reading the online menu for a local place. It was called “The Farmer’s Market” and as the name suggests it was next to the Farmer’s Market. It presented itself as  restaurant that served southern comfort food. My ears perked up. As Judy went down the menu, followed with more than a few reviews, I put it in the GPS and we left the main drag and headed for what sounded like “southern heaven.” And guess what? That is exactly what it turned out to be.

When we arrived at the place, it was exactly as described. Kinda in an industrial part of town, and like its location—certainly nothing fancy. When we opened the door two things were immediately obvious. First, it was a local, mom and pop place and two—it smelled like southern heaven—and it was. The special was chicken and dumplings but that was long gone but that just didn’t matter. You see, the three page menu was filled—and I mean filled—with southern delicacies. From fried chicken to meatloaf, from fried pork chops to fried fish, from livers and gizzards to country fried steak—it was all there. 

There were baked potatoes, mashed potatoes and baked sweet potatoes which was served with lots of butter and brown sugar. The list of southern seasoned vegetables was as long as my arm. You were then tempted by homemade pies made by a 25 year baking veteran. Well, they say the proof is in the tasting of the pudding and that was certainly true here. I had the fried chicken, baked sweet potato and black-eyed peas and all of it was just incredible. Judy followed suit but traded the black-eye peas for fried okra. Can someone say, “Hallelujah?”

Now you might be wondering where I am going with this and here is the answer. Sometimes to get the biggest and best blessing you have to be willing to leave the known for the unknown. Sometimes you just have to take the road less traveled. Sometimes you just have to leave the comfortable to risk being uncomfortable. Well, I am so glad that we left the familiar behind to go someplace new—adventurous. Granted we had to trust the opinion of others and what the restaurant said but here is the good, good news. That isn’t so with God. He can always be trusted and even when He asks us to leave the familiar for something that isn’t—we can have the confident assurance that it is going to be good…real good.

So if you are Fort Myer’s be sure and Google “The Farmer’s Market.”  You won’t be sorry. And if you find yourself on the prowl for something, Someone you can trust—-just turn to the Heavenly Father. He never fails, He can always be trusted and always, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful

Family…Working Together

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony!” Psalm 133:1

I’m not sure how it happened…but it did.  I’ve said it several times, but growing up we were not the richest family on the block…at least if the measurement was money in the bank.  I’m still amazed how my Daddy and Momma pulled off raising us and providing so richly for us.  And I mean that.  While we weren’t rich in terms of money, we were blessed with a good, solid, salt of the earth family. And we were blessed with two parents who were creative enough to make it all work.  And that is the keystone word…work.

Daddy was the kind of Daddy who got up and went to work…every day.  He would carpool out to Jacksonville Naval Air Station and put in a solid eight hours in a jet engine shop that didn’t have the luxury of air conditioning.  Keep in mind this is in North Florida…home of humidity and sweat.  After work, he would often come and work some more.  Daddy was a worker.  Momma was too.  She kept the Taylor ship shipshape…washing clothes, cleaning the house, cooking, and doing about a thousand other jobs.  While she was mainly a homemaker, she did occasionally take on outside work to help the budget.  Sometimes that was a traditional job—and sometimes it wasn’t.  This time it wasn’t.

I suppose she read it in the paper or heard it on the radio or saw it on television.  However, it happened, I just remember, it did.  The phone company was looking for people who would deliver phone books (remember them?) to all the people who had phones—and that was just about everyone. So, Momma signed us up—notice that us—and we soon found ourselves in the delivery business.  You need to know that not only did everyone have a phone and therefore they needed a phone book…there were a WHOLE lot of someone’s.  Oh, and when you have a big city with a lot of someone’s, you have a very fat, very heavy, phone book.

So, on day one of the big adventure, we went to the pick-up place and picked up a zillion phone books.  Our vehicle at that time wasn’t a pickup truck or even a station wagon.  Our car was six or seven year old Plymouth four-door sedan and we stuffed that poor car to the gills with phone books. The trunk was full, the back seat was full, the floorboard was full and even the front was full.  To this day I can remember that Plymouth squatting down in the back till it almost dragged the road.  So, with Momma at the wheel and us three little ones wedged in somewhere, we started delivering books.  Momma would start down a street, and we would jump out (or maybe fall out) of the car, grab an arm full of books and start dropping them at people’s homes.  Again, most people had a phone, but I am sure that some people who didn’t still got a book.  We soon figured out the sooner the books were gone, the sooner we could go home.  And sooner was definitely better than later.

It was crazy hard work and as best as I can remember the money went to help the family.  It was family helping family and that was a good thing.  It seems we did this more than one time but maybe not. But what I do know is I treasure that special memory that I have of Momma and us working together—adventuring together.  I am sure we looked like Ma Kettle and her kids but who cared?  I know we didn’t.  Sadly, stories like this one are slow disappearing.  Families working together and working it out together are giving way to lives too busy to be families.  It has been said that the family that prays together, stays together.  I also think it can be said that the family that works together, strains together, pulls together, “adventures” together…stays together too.

Way back in the book of Psalms, the Bible says, “How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony!” I know that is speaking about people in general, but isn’t that what families are…ordinary people doing life together? I hope this encourages us in this busy world to be family and do life together…whether it is work or play…or worship.  And speaking of worship, there’s no better place to be family than at church.  And when you get there, listen carefully and you will hear His encouraging voice saying, “Don’t worry…I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Family, gratitude, life, marriage, Scripture, thankful, travel

Amazing Creator–Amazing Creation

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.” Colossians 1:15-16

 In a flash it rose from the ground. It was my birthday and we were aboard the Caribbean Princess leaving Port Canaveral for a six day cruise. It was half intentional and half happenstance that we left on my birthday.  We first decided it would nice to go on a cruise in January. Then we decided it would be nice to leave near my birthday. Then it turned out that the cruise we wanted left on my birthday.  How cool is that?

When we registered for the cruise, my wife Judy shared with the staff that my birthday was January 6 so that led to a week of many birthday wishes in many different ways. All week, many of the staff members, whether I was ordering something to drink or seeking help at the Guest Services counter would wish me a happy birthday.  Of course, during our evening meal on my birthday, six servers, all from different parts of the world, came to my table and sang to me. Trust me, that was a very special experience, especially when they all struggled to pronounce my name.

Another part of my birthday experience was from my wife Judy. You see, the doors on the ship are all metal and she had ordered a large set of magnetic birthday graphics.  Imagine my surprise when we returned to our room on the afternoon of my birthday and found our door plastered with birthday wishes and graphics.  It was very, very special. The ship had even arranged for birthday wishes to appear on the many digital screens throughout the ship. I felt so special.

The afternoon we left Port Canaveral, we learned that Space X was set to launch a rocket. From the ship we had a perfectly clear view of the launch sight. As we were sailing out, and as we watched, there was a brilliant flash and we watched as  the rocket soared toward the heavens. I had never seen a launch before and to see this one on my birthday was incredible.  Talk about a birthday candle—that was one I will never forget. As the rocket arched across the sky, heading toward space, two emotions filled me. First, I was so proud to be an American. To live in a country where such technology is designed and built is amazing. The second emotion was one of amazement—that our creator God made us and gifted us with the intelligence to do such things.

As the rocket soared, I said to no one in particular, “Who would ever had dreamed that we could do this?” Hearing my comment, a lady standing next to me said, “Elon Musk.” While she was absolutely right…there was a bigger answer.  There is no doubt that Mr. Musk is an incredible business man and visionary, in my way of thinking I know that he is who he is because God created him, made him that way. Our world is filled with miracles and masterpieces all courtesy of our amazing and wonderful God.

So as you look around in your world today, just remember that all of it, the things we can explain and imagine, and the things we can’t are all compliments of God the great creator. You see, the Bible says that He is the creator of all things so let’s be sure and give Him the glory He deserves. The song says, “To God be the glory…great things He has done.” My response, and hopefully yours, is “Amen and Amen.” If you struggle seeing the goodness and creativity in your world, just asked God for a little help.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, travel, Trials

She Just Wasn’t Herself

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16

She just wasn’t herself. Several years ago, we spent a few days in Panama City Beach on Florida’s Gulf Coast. We were lucky enough to have a condo right on the beach, five stories up. The view and the sound of the Gulf were absolutely amazing. We’ve been here many times, but this trip felt different.

See, I was raised on the East Coast of Florida, where the Atlantic Ocean is. The water there is kind of grey, always moving, with waves constantly crashing toward the shore. But the Gulf? It’s usually a lot calmer, with that smooth, bluish-green water. It’s beautiful, especially in the winter. Even though the water’s too cold for me to swim in, I never get tired of looking at it. But this time? Something was off.

Right from the start, the Gulf was much more stirred up than usual. The waves were big and constant, crashing in one after the other. The red flag flying on the pole said, “Stay out of the water,” and honestly, you didn’t need the flag to know that. The ocean was rough, and the sky was filled with grey clouds that matched the color of the water. It was like the Gulf just wasn’t herself. Something had her worked up. What was it? I don’t know, but she was definitely off her game.

But here’s the strange part: even though the Gulf wasn’t acting like herself, it was still beautiful. There was something powerful and majestic about those waves, and it reminded me that nature, in all its wildness, is still part of a bigger plan. Even though things weren’t calm, I knew that I’d be back here again someday—and the Gulf would calm down too. The rough waters didn’t change the fact that this was just a moment in time.

That got me thinking about us. We all have our days, don’t we? Times when we’re not ourselves, when we’re not calm or peaceful, but instead feel like we’re struggling, all stirred up inside. And, just like the Gulf, we might not even know why we’re feeling that way. We might not be able to explain it. People who see us from the outside might notice that we’re not our usual selves, but we’re the ones in the middle of the storm, feeling all the turbulence. Hopefully, it’ll pass, and things will settle down again.

So, what do we do when we come across someone who’s acting like the turbulent Gulf? I think the answer is simple: we show them grace. Grace is God’s unearned favor, and He gives it to us freely. And because we’ve received so much grace from Him, we’re called to extend it to others. As John puts it, “For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” Jesus was overflowing with grace, and He shared it with everyone He met—including us. So, it makes sense that we should do the same. When we understand how much grace we’ve been shown, it becomes easier to pass that grace along to others—especially to the people who need it most.

Eventually, we had to head home. We left the Gulf, and according to the forecast, the waves would stay rough for a few more days—but not forever. Calm days would come again, both for the Gulf and for me, and for you too. And for that person who’s struggling right now? Go ahead and splash a little grace on them. It might be just what they need to find calm and beauty again.

And whether you’re in the middle of your own storm or standing on the shore watching someone else, remember this: whether you need grace or you’re extending it, God’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, travel, Trials

Excuse Me, Sir!

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:4

I never was tall.  All my life I have been on the short side.  Now to be clear that isn’t always bad.  The basement at 217 where my wife Judy and I live is not tall either.  I have watched many a repairman bump their head on the various pipes that hang down.  Most, though not all, I am able to cruise beneath…sometimes by a little and sometimes by a little more…but rarely is there a bump.  Being on the not tall side does have its advantages.

With that said, I am sometimes just a little jealous of those taller than me—which is just about everybody. When I stand next to someone in a photograph I always wince if my partner is, oh, about six foot or so.  When this happens, I struggle and strain to reach my full height of just under five foot eight…attempting to close the gap as much as I can.  I’ve been known to stand on a rock or curb to help compensate. Works every time.

Now there is a circumstance that all we height challenged, males or females, wrestle with. When I go into an auditorium or movie theater, either solo or with Judy, we look for a seat that has a good view of whatever it is we are there to see—whether it is a screen or a speaker.  We make sure no one is in front of us and then we began to pray.  You might think that a strange time to have a prayer meeting but trust me it is quite appropriate.  You see, we are praying that the Jolly Green Giant has decided not to attend the event that night.  We are also praying that if he does, he will not sit in front of us.  This prayer is rarely answered.

We will be chatting and praying and out of the corner of our eye, we catch a glimpse of the Jolly Green Giant and sure enough he chooses the row and seat in front of us. Dang.  At that point, unless we grow or he slouches in his seat, it is game over.  Our choice is to move to another seat or begin exercising our neck muscles to see if we can see around our Ho, Ho, Ho friend.  It can be frustrating. It can be infuriating. It should be neither. I mean we aren’t talking about the end of the world.  Or, are we?

You see, I am certain that Jolly didn’t plan to be a wall that night.  I am sure he didn’t scan the room and carefully choose a seat in front of us.  It wasn’t his fault and it shouldn’t have messed with our evening. The problem was my reaction, or overreaction.   The bottom line is to do what you can, when you can, and work around the rest. Of course, I suppose you could pack pillows to sit on but that too might be an overreaction.

Of course, by now you are probably thinking there has to be just a bit more to this story than not being able to see…and there is.  The big truth is all of us, short or tall, wide, or thin, should always be alert to be considerate of those around us.  We all have the right to side or stand where we want to but when we choose to think of others, well, everything is just better. Of course, this works in many different ways, helping someone whose arms are full of groceries, giving up a close parking spot or even putting your grocery cart in the buggy corral. Once we start looking, there are so many ways we can be a blessing to others. 

Paul, the guy who wrote a bunch of the New Testament, had this in mind when he said, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” That is something each one of us can do every day.  Take a moment and look around for ways that you can make the person in front of you, beside you or around you, feel important. Let them know that they do matter.  You just might make their day…or their night at the movies…a little better.  Need some guidance?  Just ask the Father and He will be glad to help. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Family, friends, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, travel

I’m Al from the Bronx

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

It was a fresh breeze from decades ago. One of the things we have enjoyed in our latest foray south has been seeing friends—some from where we live now, some from where we used to live and some from a long time ago.  It has all been very special. A week ago we had lunch with one of those more ancient voices. It was 1983. I was still in the Air Force and pastoring my first full time church. I had about eight months to serve in the Air Force and had began the process of stepping out so I could step into something even bigger—God’s big plan for my wife Judy and I.

As the time for my separation came, the Air Force and I decided that I would leave my current position working directly the the Wing Commander and head down to the Security Police Group to head their administrative area.  It was there that I met Alfonso Pinzonfonseka. Now that spelling is probably not exactly right but you can also probably see why we just called him Al Pinzon. One day he arrived to work in the office I managed and according to him I asked him, “Do you listen to that rock music?” This was followed by an “Aw Son” and probably a “Shoot that thang.” He was a kid from the Bronx and I was a Southern boy so you can see how we instantly hit it off.

Well, the short story is I invited him to church. Since he didn’t drive, and since the church was about eight miles from the base, Judy and I invited him to come and spend the weekend with us. Pretty soon that was a regular routine. Al was kinda tall and our couch was kinda short so it was common for his feet to stick out. To keep this story short, before long I had the privilege of leading Al to become a Jesus follower. Raised Catholic this was a big step for Al. In fact, his New York momma was convinced He had joined a cult.

Like I said, Al didn’t drive, so I taught him and then sold him an older Orange Pinto that we owned to boot. So Al had Jesus, had wheels and soon had a girl friend. Our church pianist was Anita and believe it or not this kid from the Bronx and this girl from rural Missouri hit it off, fell in love and later were married. There is a whole lot more to this story but since our tag line is “short stories with big truths” we had better leave it there.

Now, fast forward thirty-nine years. We find Al and Anita in Fort Lauderdale…just about an hour and a half from where we were staying and decide to meet for lunch—Al and Anita’s treat.  See, that proves some things never change…I can always find a free lunch.  So, we visited for about three hours and it was just wonderful. Perhaps the best part was when Al said, “Dewayne, you literally changed my life. If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have met Jesus. And, I guess you could say he might not have met Anita either. There is so much more to the story but I told Al this, “If this story, your story, was the only one, all these years of pastoring would be worth it.” And that friend is the truth.

So, guess what? Each of us, all of us, probably have a story like this tucked away in our lives. We all have probably made more of a difference than we could ever imagine. So if you ever wonder if it has been worth it—it has. Whether you are a preacher, teacher, factory worker, coal miner and just an ordinary Joe…our lives have touched other lives and only eternity will tell all of the story. If you get discouraged, just have a chat with your Dearest Daddy and asked Him to share what you might not be able to see. He will and then He will remind you that “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne