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Posted in Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Tarnished

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

What sin do you need to confess and turn away from—in action or reaction, thought or word, attitude or habit—because it is tarnishing the reflection of the Holy Spirit’s purity in you? “

“Jesus in Me Devotional” by Anne Graham Lotz

My wife, Judy, was recently reading a devotion from Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Evangelist Billy Graham.  She writes, “The silver-plated tea set was passed down from my mother-in-law to us after she went to heaven. It sits in our home on the fireplace or in the China cabinet and is a reminder of times when she was with us here on earth.

“When it is polished, it shows its beauty in the intricate workmanship, patterns, and design. But as it is exposed to the air and pollutants in it, it begins to change. Time and lack of diligence on my part in noticing the change or taking time to polish it contribute to the gradual tarnishing.

“Until I do a double take and really see the tarnished tea set, nothing changes in its appearance. But when I do a double take one morning I am astonished at the beautiful piece, now discolored with its beauty hidden under tarnish. I am moved to action with the silver polish and the tarnished piece comes to life again under the polish and the gentle rubbing.

“How often in our lives do we begin to tarnish and never notice until something grabs our attention, and we refocus. As I read this devotion, it reminded me that I am a vessel created by God to show forth Himself to others. But perhaps being distracted and surrounded by pollutants in my life (things, circumstances, people, and even me) I wonder have I allowed them to tarnish me?

“I want to be a vessel that shines forth as a thing of beauty by showing clearly that Christ through His Holy Spirit lives in me. So today, I’m asking my Heavenly Father to show me the things I need to address in my actions, attitudes, thoughts, and heart…things that need some confession and repentance. And because He only wants what is best for me, I know He will lead me and guide me in the way I should go.

“I’m so thankful He does not throw me in the trash or sell me at the next garage sale because I’m a bit tarnished…He’s all about polishing the silver and redeeming me.

“Maybe it’s time to go polish the silver.”

What a great illustration of God’s desire to make us the best that we can be…for Him.  And just when it seems that we are beyond redemption, He reminds us no to worry because, “He’s got this.”  Judy…with a little Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Too Late

Posted on 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.

One evening, I came home from “one of those” meetings.  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 Bar 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.

So, we had this rose bush in our incredibly beautiful yard—which by the way is also due to Judy and her green thumb.  This rose bush was 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 became not as healthy and didn’t bloom nearly as much.

Judy and I were sitting in the yard one 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 had 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 really happy.  But in the process of growing, they have shut off a lot of the morning sunshine from the rose bush and that is why it was suffering.  Judy said that the rose bush could survive that way but without enough sunlight it won’t and can’t bloom.  What we ended 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 was a good chance that the rose bush would probably have to be moved to a place where it can thrive and that means more sun.  It will mean 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.

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 Son-shine? 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, this story has a sad ending.  We never got around to moving that rose bush and this past spring, it died.  We didn’t mean for it to happen…we just got busy while it got sicker. The transplant would have been hard…we would have had to dig him up and prune him back, but it would have been for his good—even his survival.  After the initial pain he would have bloomed again and that would have made it worthwhile.

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.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, love, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Chicken Little

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

I know that You can do anything, and no one can stop You.” Job 42:2

Poor Chicken Little.  He had it all wrong.  The story is told of a little chicken (aptly named Chicken Little) who was walking one day, and a bird dropped an acorn which hit him on the head.  Chicken Little assumed that the sky was falling and the world as he knew it was coming to an end.  He rushed to tell the king and along the way told others of the bad news. They in turn joined him in the quest to tell the king. The only problem was… the sky wasn’t falling.

When I was a kid, like so many of us, I wrestled with fear.  There was the standard fear of the dark.  When the lights went out, my heart rate went up.  My vivid imagination allowed for plenty of strange things to be seen in the darkness and sometimes even in the light.  I remember as a six or seven-year-old sitting in the bathtub and seeing “eyes” peering at me from inside the overflow drain.  “Maybe it is a snake” I thought.  “Perhaps it is a giant rat inside the drain.”  Regardless, I feared taking a bath until one day I got brave.  I took a flashlight into the bathroom and shined the light in the drain.  It turned out to be the tops of two brass screws inside the drain.

When I was a little older the fear thing still lingered.  With too many people and not enough house, I found myself sleeping in the dining room.  Mom and dad moved the table somewhere and put a twin bed there instead.  We lived in Florida and trust me it was HOT, and it was HUMID and air conditioning was something that we DIDN’T have.  Each night I would crawl into bed, a fan in the window at least stirring the warm evening air. And each night the monsters would come out.  Of course, they weren’t real.  Of course, they didn’t exist. Right…but try telling that to a young boy with a vivid imagination.

I had to do something, and I did.  I would reach down and pull the sheet and bedspread over my head and lie still.  I don’t know if the idea was the sheet and bedspread would somehow protect me or if they would simply hide me.  But there I would hide, sweating, and praying, that whatever hid in the darkness wouldn’t eat me.  I guess it worked because I’m still here today but boy was it HOT!

I guess I finally overcame most of my fears. To some degree fear is still a stalker in my life.  Instead of rats in a drain or monsters in the dark or bad guys in the house, it has become the uncertainty of tomorrow.  And I know I am not alone.  Every time we turn on the news, we are told that the sky is indeed falling and that the end of the world as we know it is coming.

I am a guy who gets to serve God and people as a pastor and there is one thing I know.  God is in charge, and He is bigger than any of it and all of it.  You may have heard of a guy named Job—and no he was not related to Steve Jobs, (smile).  His sky in fact did fall and he ended up losing everything.  Well, actually his “why don’t you give up and die” wife stuck around, but so did his faith in God.  In fact, in the midst of his hot mess, Job said this, “I know that You can do anything, and no one can stop You.” Score one for Job.  He believed that God was in charge, that God had a plan, and that nothing was going to happen on His watch unless He said so.

Now that is some real good, real comforting, real “you take that fear” news.  But you also need to know that sometimes that can be hard.  God’s plans don’t always mean I get what I want…in fact, often it means the opposite.  But hey, I was the guy who manufactured monsters in his head.  But it still means that God is good, that God is faithful, and that God can be trusted.  It does mean that He is watching out for my good and He is working to bring His glorious plan to pass.

I still think that for the most part it is time that we turn off the bad news.  The broadcasters know that bad news “sells” and they are dishing it out by the buckets full.  Corrie ten Boom, a concentration camp survivor from World War II said, “If you look at the world, you will be distressed.  If you look within, you will be depressed.  But if you look at Christ you will be at rest.” What powerful and true words.  If you are not a God follower perhaps this sounds a little far-fetched.  Trust me…He is worth checking out. He is the real deal…not church…not religion…and certainly not the fear mongers. You can rest in Him…because He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

The Best Deal Ever

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7

Who needs three weed-eaters? So, for a while I have been wanting a good battery powered weed-eater.  Now, first, I need to tell you that thing that cuts your weeds is not a weed-eater…it is a string trimmer. Weed-eater is a name brand…not the name of a tool.  So, with that settled, I really was intrigued with the idea of a string trimmer that didn’t need to be cranked.  Imagine just mashing a button…and away you go. Wack, wack, wack.

Being rather frugal, I just wasn’t really to lay down the big bucks, so my wish remained just that…a wish.  And then it happened.  I got an email that said Home Depot had a collection of tools battery tools and several of them were on super-duper sale—75% off. Well, I headed over to their site and got a chainsaw and a blower.  Awesome.  When I finally got to the weed wackers…they were sold out. Bummer.

Well, for the next several days, I would check to see if they had any more in stock.  On Saturday morning, I got up and, on a whim, checked and they had fifteen in stock.  Now these babies had a straight shaft, all kinds of cool features and were powered by a 62-volt, four amp hour battery.  We are talking about major power.  And this is the best part…there were two models—one with an aluminum shaft and one with a carbon fiber shaft and they were selling for $39.00 for the aluminum one and $47.00 for the carbon fiber shaft.  This was amazing.

I thought about it for just about one second and bought…three…two carbon fiber and one aluminum. Yup…that’s right.  I figured I might as well be weed wacker fixed for the rest of my life.  When they were delivered…they were amazing.  In fact, I still can’t believe what a deal it was. I mean, the chainsaw was great, the blower was great, but the string trimmers were amazing.  As advertised, squeeze the trigger and wack, wack, wack.

Now I don’t think I was being greedy, and I don’t think I was being selfish…at least not much. I’ve learned that when an opportunity arises…especially one that costs under fifty bucks and is 75% off…you need to jump and jump fast. But wait…all of that pales when you think about the best deal ever—the one that gives you eternal life.  God offers all of us “whosoever wills” His forgiveness and love and all we have to do is a “life 360” and believe in His Son.  Now that is not only a deal…it is the best deal ever.  Need more info? Just read His Book, the Bible, and then take some time to talk with Him—that’s called prayer. What you will discover is just like everything else…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

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

Rooms

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!” Matthew 6:8

I read it…and I just didn’t like it.  We live in a house with what seems like a lot of rooms.  I heard Pastor Andy Stanley say that we know we are blessed because we even have rooms for our cars.  They are called garages.  I suppose my favorite room is the kitchen because that is where my wife Judy cooks our delicious meals.  She is a very good cook, and I am a very good eater!  My second favorite room is my home office or, you could say my, “Man Cave.”

While it is true that it is where I do a lot of my studying and writing, its walls are full of memories.  The walls are filled with different things and all of them spark different emotions and memories.  Over here is a map with red pins that shows all the places where Judy and I have travelled. Over there is a shotgun that belonged to my Daddy. On another wall is a picture of me and group of friends praying for a man in Africa.  And finally, on two other walls are two large pictures—one is a print of a family in their southern yard just living—playing and working. The other is a beautiful mountain scene that we purchased during our time in Germany so many years ago.

Rooms can be very special for various reasons.  I was reading this week and by way of illustration a writer told a story of a young boy who had a dream that he was in heaven.  Someone showed him a room filled with cars, boats and other toys but piled on the other side of the room were arms and legs and other body parts.  I know…it sounds gruesome. When the boy asked his guide what it meant he was told that they were answers to prayers that people never prayed.  I guess it makes for a good story but honestly—I didn’t like it.

“Why” you ask?  Well, the idea that the God that loves me and cares for me would let me walk around blind or crippled only because I didn’t ask just doesn’t work for me.  I mean He loved me enough to send His Son to die for me…for the whole world…and then would allow His kids to remain broken and lame only because they didn’t ask just doesn’t work.  Oh, and then, Jesus said that He knows what we need even before we ask.  No, I think God is an opened handed, loving Father who cares for us.

Of course, I also believe that prayer is far more than a wish list.  I believe the scriptures teach about prayer being more about fellowship and an intimate relationship between God and His children.  Prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind or persuading Him to do this or that.  No, prayer is about changing us…to believe…to trust…to love the One who made us.  I know there are a lot of scriptures in the Bible about prayer, but we only get a clear picture when we put them together. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle comes to life when all the pieces are in place…so it is with prayer.

Well, I don’t think there will be those kind of rooms in heaven but if there were…I know one I do think would be there.  And that room would be a gallery of pictures of all the things our Dearest Daddy did for us that we never even knew about.  It would be a room filled with unnoticed miracles, love notes, and blessings and it would have to be a big room because He is a busy God…loving, blessing, and caring…for each of us.

I’m grateful for the open-handed love of our great God.  If we take the time to pause and look, we will see more and more of what He does for us every day.  Judy and I are learning that so often joy is in the journey, and do you know what?  I am learning that the power of prayer is in the intimacy, the relationship that can only come from time spend together with the One who made me…made us.  Oh, and when we are talking, and I’m sharing my concerns, I just know He is there listening and sometimes whispering…telling me not to worry because, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, gratitude, life, love, loving others, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Indispensable Volunteers

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.”1 Corinthians 12:21-22

Who really is most important? In March of 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot as he was walking toward the presidential limousine. The President spent several weeks in the hospital recovering from the injuries he sustained in the shooting. And although he was the nation’s chief executive, his hospitalization had very little impact on the daily lives of Americans.

Now consider this. Not too long ago, garbage collectors in a major city went on a three-week strike.  Within a matter of days, the city was a mess, causing a major health hazard for the citizens, and bringing the city to a near halt. Think about it.

Weeks without a president…and weeks without garbage collectors. Which of these had more impact upon the functioning of our nation? Though it is hard to grasp clearly, the absence of the garbage collectors had a larger impact—at least in that city.

This valuable lesson is something that we need to remember in church.  All too often we think that just because a person has a title such as pastor, deacon or perhaps trustee, that they are the most important.  In reality, it is the everyday member who volunteers and serves week in and week out that makes the biggest difference.

This past Sunday, after speaking, I headed to the doors to shake hands and greet the folks.  I opened the doors to the foyer and was greeted with a room full of children…thirty-four to be exact, waiting for their parents.  With them was a couple of our faithful volunteers who had spent the last 45 minutes loving on them and teaching them about Jesus.  I was both impressed and blessed—grateful for their service.

Our church, and yours, needs people who will volunteer for seemingly insignificant jobs that are almost always behind the scenes. The truth is that these jobs are not insignificant at all…they are vitally important. So be sure and thank them because we can’t do the work without them. Oh, and be sure and thank the Lord too and while you are talking with Him, ask Him is there any area you need to be helping with.  Sound frightening?  Don’t worry…as always…He’s got that. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials, wisdom

Locks

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Well, that didn’t do a lot of good.  A while back my wife Judy and I attended a pastor’s conference at the Billy Graham Training Center in North Carolina.  It was so refreshing to get away and as always, we were treated like royalty.  The teaching, the facilities, and the food were all top notch.  It was like an oasis where we could pause and refill—to drink deeply from His well of living water.

So, too soon, it was time to head back home and because the conference was over in the middle of the day, it just made sense to stop about halfway and spend the night. Cookeville, Tennessee is just about the midway point, so we booked an Airbnb. It was a nice place and we unloaded and then went to get a bite to eat. In the meantime, it decided to rain.  Now let me explain this was one of those rains that could drown a fish.  It rained, rained hard and it rained a long time. I was about to check the price on gopher wood.  Anyway, when we got back to our home for the evening, I jumped out of the car and unlocked the door and Judy followed.

Well, it continued to rain and several times I went outside to see what was happening.  You could hear the rain from inside the apartment and you could just tell it was coming down in buckets.  Of course, there was the occasional lightning followed by a good, ole thunderclap.  Each time I went out I was careful to lock the door back.  You know, the neighborhood looked safe, but you can never tell.  Finally, it was time to head to bed and I checked the door, and it was locked.  We were safe and sound.

Well, sometime in the night, I woke up to rollover and I thought I heard something.  Now don’t panic…it was nothing, but I thought it might be something.  And then, something occurred to me, a question really.  I asked myself, “Did you leave the key in the lock on the door?”  Well, that made me wonder…and for good reason.  So, in the middle of the night I got up and turned on the lights.  I looked on the counter and guess what?  The key was nowhere to be seen.  I had a sneaking suspicion I knew just where to find it.

I walked over to the door, unlocked the deadbolt, and opened the door and there for everyone and anyone to see and find…was the key.  Well, I obviously took it out of the lock and gratefully locked the door back, put the key on the counter and went back to bed.  After a short prayer thanking God for keeping us safe, I drifted back off to sleep…no harm and no foul.  But it did make me think.

You see the door had two locks…one on the doorknob and one a deadbolt.  Those together would certainly keep out any bad guys.  But with the key right there…well, those locks weren’t going to keep anyone out.  With the key in the lock, it was like hanging out a “Y’all come on in!” sign. As I mentioned, no one tried to come in, but I had rendered the locks useless by leaving the key there.

It made me wonder how often do we leave the keys in the locks that guard our heart, our mind, our character, our marriage, our anything?  You see, God watched out for Judy and me that night and gratefully, He also watches out for us in life.  But as sure as an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, it is better to remove the key and lock the lock.  Wouldn’t it have been crazy, though, for me to leave the key in the lock because, after all, no one tried to come in…yet?  And just because nothing has gone amiss in our lives yet doesn’t mean that it can’t, and it won’t.

The Bible tells us in the Book of Smart Living, aka Proverbs, to guard our hearts because out of it comes the wellspring of our lives. In other words, we need to lock the door of our hearts and put the key safely away. If you are wondering the best way to guard your heart, to lock the door to your heart, I believe the Bible is the answer.  It is just jam-packed with help from the One who made us.  And remember, the Bible isn’t just a book of rules…it is a book for living well. Like guardrails on a curvy road, it keeps us from big regrets and consequences.  Written on the pages and in between the lines is His calm assurance that we don’t have to worry because He is with us and yes, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Habits and Me

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7a

I am a creature of habit.  I love a good adventure but also love routines.  You know, like this morning and every morning. I wake up (that one is definitely essential), head to my man cave office, have a cup of coffee, and take a glance at the weather on a local channel. Then comes more coffee, my time with God, then time with my wife Judy, exercise (well, most of the time), breakfast, shower/dress and start the day.  Any change in my routine has the domino effect and the whole morning can get off course.

Habits can be really good or really bad.  If it is a good habit, it keeps us on course doing the right thing.  However, if it is a bad habit, it can lead to everything from a bad day to a bad life filled with consequences and regrets. One of the things most of us can identify with is our eating habits.  If we have a lifetime of poor eating habits, it can have dire consequences as we age.  Smoking, drinking and drug abuse all are habits that can wreak havoc with our lives—and that is just the short list.

Habits can be changed. They say when you do something consecutively for 30 days it becomes a habit.  In other words, if you start to exercise and can make it 30 days; it should be ingrained in you enough that you will continue it.  If you start eating less sweets and hang with it for 30 days or so, well, they say it just might stick. I’m sure there is some truth to the 30-day thing, but I also know that habits have to be maintained or else they can go to “habit” heaven.

The best way to maintain a habit is to do it.  Sometimes, though, it seems nothing works. Let me tell you about something that I have been battling for years…and still don’t have a solution.  Now, hang with me! First, I spend a lot of time at the keyboard.  Between writing sermons and writing blogs…I type a lot. So, as you probably know, when a person types a scripture reference it looks something like this–John 3:16.  Well, I do all my sermons in Pages—a word processing program for Apple computers.  When I save the file, it asks me to name it. So, by habit, I always name the file with the word Sermon followed by the reference–so it might look like this:  Sermon – John 3:16.

And that, dear friends, is the problem. You see, Pages will absolutely not allow you to use a colon as part of the file name.  Every time it slaps my hand and replaces the colon with a dash.  So, the name becomes Sermon – John 3-16. As hard as I try, I just can’t accept the change. No, No, and No.  So, Pages and I are at an impasse.  I forget the colon thing and I do not like the dash thing.  It is habitual battle that I fight every time I write a sermon. Try as I may…I can’t seem to break the habit.

The cause of this madness is simple and revealing.  You see, all the other times I write a scripture reference I always use a colon.  Consequently, it is reinforced in my brain to do the wrong thing when I save a file.  Now in this case, I’m not sure what the answer is–do I keep beating my head against the wall when I save a file or learn to write the scripture reference in a new way.  Who knows?

While this one is annoying, there are other habits in our lives that are destructive or at least unproductive?  Is there a bad habit either consciously or subconsciously that you are consistently reenforcing?  Are you finding yourself unable to get up early for exercise or quiet time because of late night television viewing?  Are destructive habits being fed by destructive reading or viewing habits?  Hmmmm.

One thing remains sure–if we sow corn–we will reap corn.  There is a small part of a verse from a very wise man that has a big truth.  It says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” In other words, as long as we are feeding our brains the same thoughts and arguments—we will get the same results.  If we want different results–we must do something different.  They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results–it just doesn’t work.

Well, the really good news is God wants to give us a hand.  His Word is a great handbook for life and if we will read and heed—we can, with His help, change. Remember those signs on the road that warn you of a sharp curve?  They really can help us have a better day.  So, dive into His Book and watch as things change.  It may not happen overnight, and you might be tempted to throw in the towel but before you do remember two things.  One, why you started in the first place and two, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Stop and Look…Twice

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will grant you His blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9

It happened in a flash. Several years ago, well, actually more than several, I had to leave the office and run home to get something. I made it there fine and was on my way back to the office when it happened. I had to cross a street, not an overly busy one but not deserted either. I pulled up to a stop sign, stopped, looked both ways, and then proceeded to pull right out in front of another car.

In a flash it was over and done. There was no time to avert the crash…it was game over. The other driver was piloting a small import and I was driving a much larger Grand Prix. She drove away and I was totaled. What? How can that be? How could any of this be? Well, honestly, I don’t know how it happen…but it did.

Think about it. I did stop…totally and completely. I did look…once and most likely twice and yet I still managed to cause the accident. Now in my defense, there were several large trees and bushes planted in such a way that they blocked my view…but it was still my fault. The police officer even said that one of their officers had a wreck at the very same spot…but none of that changed anything. I received a ticket for failing to yield and my nice shiny, almost new Grand Prix ended up in the junk heap. Oh, and for the record, within a couple of weeks all the trees and bushes were gone courtesy of our local city.

For years, and even now, whenever I pull up to that intersection, I still have flash back memories of that day. With the trees and bushes gone, I can clearly see and trust me I certainly check twice before pulling out, but all my carefulness now can change what happened. I am certain that day is not the only day I wish I could have a second shot at. How many times have I said something or did something and wished I had another go around at it. How about you? Any memories still cause you to cringe? Don’t worry…I feel your pain.

Theologian Tryon Edwards said something that really resonated with me. He said, “Right actions for the future are the best apologies for wrong ones in the past.” In other words, the best evidence that you truly were sorry is not to do it again. While I’m just not sure what I could have done to have prevented that accident, I do know I never approached that intersection the same way. Once was enough thank you.

As you journey along today and, in the days, to come, let’s try to avoid the bumps and bruises of life by trying harder than ever to do the right thing, the best thing. And remember, our right actions in the future really are the best apologies for the past. Oh, and when, despite our best efforts we still fumble the ball, don’t worry, your Dearest Daddy is ready to help you out of the mess. Remember, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, love, loving others, Military memories, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

Unexpected Gratitude

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

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

I made a random turn…into the cemetery.  One evening my wife Judy and I were out on a mission.  One of our ladies had given us some homemade ice cream and we were returning the container.  Oh, in case you are wondering, it was way beyond delicious.  It was peach and it was just peachy.  I’ve already put in a request for strawberry next.  We returned the container and just kinda started driving randomly.  As we went down the street the entrance to the cemetery came up on the right—and I turned right in.

Slowly we started driving down the lanes and just as slowly I started reading some of the headstones there.  First, though, on the left was Harrisburg’s “Little Arlington.”  It was dusk and the lights were on, and I was so impressed with all the work that went into honoring those who had served their country. It represented sacrifice. For some the ultimate sacrifice…the kind of sacrifice that means you don’t get to come home from the war.  I love what is often said, “All gave some, but some gave all.” For that, I was moved, and I was grateful.

Just down the lane was a grave that caught my attention.  It was a young soldier who went to Korea to fight for his country in what has been called “the forgotten war.”  He was 27 years old when he died on some battlefield, on some hill in a country for away.  He was fighting and ultimately died for the cause of freedom.  I was moved and I was grateful.

In several places, Judy and I would stop as we saw a headstone that was personal because we knew, we loved, the ones buried there.  Sometimes both of the names were etched there in the stone, and it symbolized two lives joined into one story.  And for both the story had concluded.  Sometimes though only one name had the start and finish dates. The other story was still being written and there was a heart longing for heaven and a long-awaited reunion.  One stone declared and celebrated 72 years of marriage.  So many of those story writers had touched our lives.  I was moved and I was grateful.

There were also stones of tragedy.  There stood the stone marking the grave of two brothers tragically killed one night by a drunk driver.  Several other stones showed lives cut short by a tragic accident.  Over there was the headstone of one of the victims from the 2012 tornado.  Everywhere were stories of people who touched the lives of others. One stone showed an American flag engraved in full color—the grave of a proud veteran.  One grave was that of a pastor and a veteran of World War II.  So many stories, so many lives, so many contributions.  I was moved and I was grateful.

As we continued around the lanes inside the hallowed grounds, we noticed there were places where whole families were buried together.  Generations of fathers and mothers, sons and daughters lay in eternal rest together.  The stones often bore nicknames and tag lines of the one who lay there.  On one grave was a tattered flag that said, “#1 Dad.” Some graves though were barely marked.  The only indication that someone lay there was a rock or a stone.  In another part of the cemetery were the pauper graves.  I have been at the graves of some where there were only two people, me, and the funeral director. No one else came. I was moved and I was grateful.

“Wait,” you say.  “How can you be grateful?”  Well, the reason is simple.  Whether it was a family plot of many generations or a solitary grave of a person when no one came—Jesus was still there.  He is the unseen attendee of every funeral.  For many He is there as Savior and Lord. For others He is there as the Sovereign Lord who wishes all to believe but knows not all will.  But He is there.  He is always there.  When we need Him, when we want Him and yes, even when we ignore Him.  I am moved and I am grateful.

When you get some time, take a slow drive through the cemetery.  It is anything but morbid…it is in fact one of the most meaningful things we can do.  You will be touched, you will be moved, and yes, somewhere along the way you will be grateful.  Let each headstone with a start and finish date be a reminder that for you there is still time.  Still time to make a difference, still time to mend a relationship, still time to finish well.  But most importantly…there is still time to believe and trust in Him.  The Book says that if anyone will call on His name…they will be saved—forgiven—rescued. No story is so bad that He can’t change the end.  Once again, I am moved, and I am grateful.

Many see the cemetery and think death.  For those who truly understand grace and Jesus they know the cemetery isn’t about death it is about life.  You learned it in Sunday School but now hear it again…like the first time.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever (that is you and me) calls on His name will not perish but have everlasting life.”  So, trust in Him and rest in Him.  For He has all of this.  Bro. Dewayne