Category: birthday

Posted in birthday, Christmas, communication, Family, gratitude, life, love, Scripture, travel

Care Packages

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!” 

2 Corinthians 9:15

You never knew when they were coming.  When God and the Air Force decided to send us to Germany—well, it was an exciting adventure that we just thoroughly enjoyed.  But there was a downside…we were a long way from home…a real long way.  We were there from 1977 to 1980, we were young, and we were newlyweds.  Back then there were no cell phones and a landline call to the States was hugely expensive, so that just didn’t happen.  There was no internet.  The world moved at the speed of ship or a plane if you were lucky. The only option was snail mail and well, that could take a while.

Sometimes during the year, our parents would send us a box through the mail.  We called them “care packages.”  The reason was that when one came it was clear that someone back in the United States loved us and they cared—about us.  That was important because as much as we loved being there—there wasn’t home—or anywhere close to home.

There were two times a year that you could almost always count on a care package—that was somewhere around your birthday and then Christmas.  I can still feel the excitement as the days clicked by.  We didn’t know when, but we just knew that my Momma or Judy’s Momma would spend the money and equally as important take the time to say, “I love you.”  We would go to the Post Office every day, looking for the yellow slip in our mailbox that said, “You have a package.”  Instantly it was like Christmas Day.

We would open the box that day—that hour if possible.  There would be wrapped presents and those we would save till the special day.  But there would always be just stuff—candy, trinkets, small things that could only be gotten in America.  Sometimes there were home baked goodies and even if they were stale by then—they were still from home and we gladly ate them.

The care packages were an important link to home for us.  Like I said, it told us that someone was thinking of us—that we had not been forgotten.  What we need to realize is that God is the greatest sender of care packages.  His ultimate gift, His Son, made the way so broken people like us could not only come into the presence of Holy God but that we could call Him Father.  The Jewish people could never understand that.  To them God was a far off, unapproachable deity that they worshiped.  But for Jesus followers—well we know Him as Dearest Daddy and that is not a term of disrespect or looseness—it is a term of His love for us and our love for Him.

Even in the midst of these difficult and confusing days, God has continued to send His care packages along the way.  The Bible tells us this day, and every day, is a day that He made.  He makes the air that we breathe. Everything…everything…that we eat, enjoy or own is a care package from Him.  Every sunrise and sunset, every perfectly different snowflake is a care package from Him.  And every single night that I lay my head down on my pillow in the peace He provides—well, that’s a care package too.

Now to be honest, sometimes we would get things in our care packages from home and wonder “what in the world they were thinking”.  I’m sure Judy and I laughed at more than few.  But do you know what?  Those things were notes of love too.  And the things that God allows and sends our way that we don’t understand—well, each one in its own way is a care package.

Well, the days of care packages are gone for us though we occasionally get one via UPS or Amazon Prime.  But they are rarely the same as days gone by.  But the care packages from God never change—He still sends them—every day—sometimes every minute.  He just loves us so much.  I hope regardless of your circumstances that you will make the choice to trust Him and to wait expectantly for His care packages.  Keep looking, keep waiting because each one tells us, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, friends, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful

Holey Moley

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

It was January of 2004, and it was a day to remember.  On that day, my birthday, as a gift from a friend, I received my first flat panel television.  Of course, back then it was brand new technology, and they were a little different.  This one was about three inches thick and weighted about seventy pounds.  Over the years, things have changed and that is true with televisions too.  Thankfully, they have gone on a diet.  Today, a larger television weighs less than half of the earlier models.  Regardless, it can still be a little tricky to hang one on the wall…especially if you are “handyman” challenged. Let me explain.

A while back I was going to attempt to mount a television on our bedroom wall.  I mean, it seemed easy enough.  You take the television off the other wall, take the mount off the other wall, and go to the new wall.  You drill a couple of holes and mount the mount.  “That’s easy,” I said.  “That’s no problem,” I said.  “Anybody can do that,” I said.  “In fact,” I said, “a blind man could do it.” About then discovered my name wasn’t “anybody” and I wasn’t blind.

Our house is old, and I do mean old.  How old?  Well, Miss Alice’s house next door was built in 1902, and she said when her house was being built ours was already there.  That means our house is at least 127 years old—holy moley—that is old.  At any rate that means there must be some plaster walls and there are.  There is a reason why someone invented sheetrock and the reason is no one likes plaster walls.  They are a pain. They easily crack. They are difficult to drill through and oh, a stud finder doesn’t work and if you are going to mount a television…you need to find the studs in the wall.

I started searching for the elusive stud in the wall.  I tapped on the wall, I laid hands on the wall, I talked to the walI, but all to no avail.  I then called a friend of mine and he said to start drilling holes till you find a stud.  I was paralyzed—I could just imagine my wall having a religious experience and becoming very holey. But anyway, I started drilling.

Well, five holes later (we need to hum a few bars of, “holy, holy, holy”) I finally found a stud and amazingly when I found one, I could find the next.  As I screwed the bolts into the wall, I said a prayer and put the television on the mount.  It worked.  And, believe it or not, it is still there today.  I just hope that no one looks behind the television and sees all the “oops!” If you should ever hear a loud moan from over Poplar Street way, well it might be that things went south after all.

One of the things I learned (again) through all of this is how fear can paralyze us.  I mean I stood there and looked and studied (no pun intended) and looked and studied…trying to get the courage to start drilling. I was afraid that I might end up drilling hole after hole after hole and have Swiss cheese instead of a wall.  I was afraid and so for a while I did nothing.  When I finally decided that I could and should…it gave me the courage to start and finish my project.

If you find yourself facing a difficult task, if you find yourself overwhelmed with fear—find someone to give you a little encouragement. Sometimes that might come in the form of flesh and bones, but it can come without either—it just might come from God and from His Word.  When you find yourself in the grip of fear, remember 2 Timothy 1:7, “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.”  And always remember that regardless of what we face, we can have the confident assurance that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Family, Grace, gratitude, Scripture, sovereignty of God

Fleas–A Story of Favor

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Can God use fleas? A while back, I ran a story about Corrie ten Boom and fleas. Corrie was a holocaust survivor and she told how she learned to thank God for the fleas that infested her barracks.  The fleas were so bad that the German officers refused to enter which allowed the women to be at least partially free from their harassment. Well, turns out that the Chappell part of the Taylor tribe has a small flea story of our own.

So, really, through nobody’s fault, the Chappell house had a flea problem.  Gratefully these unwanted guests stayed in the basement.  Well, they tried everything from sprays to bombs and of course collars and pills for their pets.  Nothing seemed to work. Finally, someone had the idea to call an exterminator to see what they could do.  So Terminix was called for an estimate, and they got the job.

As the story goes, my grandson Taylor has been taking up riding skateboards.  In just a few weeks, he got pretty good. For his birthday, his mom and dad wanted to get him a better board. So, when the guy came by from Terminix to give the estimate, somehow the conversation turned to skateboarding and it turns out this guy used to be a semi-pro rider.  It also turned out that he really likes to help kids learn and become more involved in boarding.

So, guess what? He offered to give Taylor a used but in great condition board. How cool is that?  A few days later, when it came time for Taylor’s birthday, he had a cool board with all the good accessories—including, thankfully, some great protective gear.  He was one happy camper. Not only did we recognize this was God working through circumstances to give him a special blessing, but Taylor also recognized God’s hand of blessing in his life. It was special to hear him pray thanking God for his skateboard and the man.

So, what about fleas? Well, without the fleas we wouldn’t have called Terminix and without Terminix we wouldn’t have had the semi-pro board dude and without the semi-pro board dude there wouldn’t have been a free, cool board for Taylor’s birthday.  How about that. If you wait and follow the trail so often it goes back to a Dearest Daddy who is always working for our good and His glory. So, once again, thank you God for your incredible favor and thank you once again for proving that “You got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, food, life, pride, priorities, Scripture

I’m Not Believing It

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

In my opinion, it said more than it knew.  A while back I enrolled in the program to send me down the path to a medicine and diabetes free future. As part of the deal (paid for by my health insurance) they sent me a box full of treasurers.  The box contained several gadgets that would monitor me, my body, and my health.  Most of them I found helpful and even engaging but there was one…there was one that I did not like.

I am an Apple guy…well, not necessarily the kind you eat but the kind you use for work and information.  I own an Apple computer, an Apple iPad, and an Apple Watch.  One of the things I like about owning the same brand in my work and life tools is that they talk to one another.  Well, when my box of treasures arrived, it included a Garmin activity tracker.  It kinda, sorta does the same thing my Apple Watch does but with a different platform.  It certainly is not an Apple Watch, but I figured I might as well give it a try.  Not willing to give up my Apple friend on my right wrist, I strapped the Garmin on my left wrist.

I know, I know, that sounds a little wonky and honestly it probably was but the Garmin looks and works very differently from my Apple Watch, so most people don’t think I am wearing two watches.  In fact, they probably don’t think anything about what’s on my wrist.  While the Garmin device itself is not much to talk about—it is small, hard to use and blah—the app it talks to on my phone is very cool.  In fact, somehow it provides much of the same information as its big cousin.

One day I was going through the App, checking out the different screens and all the information it had gathered and analyzed.  I was impressed…until I wasn’t.  You see, there was a screen that listed about ten different areas and measurements—all about me and my body.  Most were fine, most were informative but one—one was downright offensive.  It is called, “VO2 Max.”  According to the app, the VO2 Max is a direct indictor of my level of fitness and apparently my “body age.” How this wimp, too big for its britches, something that doesn’t even know me (you can tell by now that I was personally offended by this useless chunk of plastic), I am out of shape and, get this, physically almost a decade older than I really am.

That’s right folks, according to the Garmin I am physically in the bottom 30% of men for my age and my body age was not 69 but 78.  Ok, I’m still mad and here’s why.  This out of shape, “ten years older than I am” guy, on the day after the assessment, took a brisk (as in pretty fast) two mile walk, walked 11,419 steps, burned 2,451 calories, and climbed eight flights of stairs. Now from where I sit that isn’t too bad…certainly I am no couch potato.  I mean what does this thing really know about me anyway?  And just for the record, my Apple Watch has another opinion about me…and so does my Dearest Daddy.

When I read those words, I knew I was faced with a choice.  I could believe what it said or believe what I know to be true.  I could believe what some formula, probably written by some guy in a faraway land, or believe what my reality says.  I am choosing the latter.  Now let’s be honest…I’ve got lots of room for improvement, but I am not some physical loser.  I just don’t believe it. The Garmin caused me to take a look, a close look, at where I am physically but it also caused me to take a look spiritually.  It caused me to ask, “So what do you believe about you—what others say or what God says?”

On the surface, it is a no brainer—I choose to believe my Dearest Daddy.  He calls me (and you) a masterpiece…no, really, He does.  In Ephesians 2:10, His Book, the Bible, says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Now, how about that?  Trust me on this one.  There are plenty of people and plenty of things that are just waiting to tell you what you are or are not.  But you remember this—there is only one opinion that matters and that comes from the One who made you.  So, while I wore the Garmin thing for a while I never owned its opinion of me…I’ll leave that with the One who loves me more and perfectly.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Family, life, school days, Scripture

Leaving Ant-Man Behind

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:1

There he was…Ant-Man.  So one of my favorite new things is an digital picture frame. It has lots and lots of pictures stored on it and every few seconds a new picture shows up on the screen. It is like a memory machine as picture as a picture reminds me of things and people from the past—both distant and recent. Most of the pictures are of our family.  Even better, it has a feature that allows the clan to share pictures with Judy and me.  That way even though I missed a certain event, I can still see it through pictures.

One of my favorites is a picture of my oldest grandson, Ethan. The picture was taken when he was five years old and he was dressed up for Halloween. His costume for that year was Ant-Man. Now if you don’t follow Marvel comic superheroes then you probably don’t know who he is. That’s ok because all you really need to know is that he is one of their super heroes and that year he was popular enough for Ethan to choose to look like him. 

As the pictures rolled across the screen of my digital frame, that morning when I saw Ethan dressed up as Ant-Man, it caused me to pay special attention to other pictures of him as the pictures rolled by. From the time he was really young until now when he is on the high school basketball team—the pictures told a story.  He is growing up and what came to mind was the things that he used to really like are now fading memories.  You see he is nearing fifteen and trust me the thought of him dressing up on Halloween as Ant-Man are long, long gone.  Now he is thinking about things like getting his learners permit in just a few weeks.

Ethan is growing up.  It is a good fact of life. It is a normal fact of life and it should be a lesson for all of us—especially when it comes to our spiritual journey.  You see, like Ethan grew up physically so God intends for all of us to grow up spiritually.  When we first become a Jesus follower we are like a spiritual babe. In fact, it is no accident that Jesus said that to go to heaven we had to be “born again.” The important thing to remember is that while we are babies when we trust Jesus—God wants us to grow. So if we have been following Jesus for a while and we are still walking around in our “Ant-Man” costumes—well something isn’t quite right.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and told them, “For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.” The truth was they weren’t spiritually growing. They were stuck in the rut of acting and living like spiritual babies. You see, God honors “childlike faith” but He doesn’t want us to act childish. Too often we act like spoil kids of the Kingdom instead of the warriors He wants to be. So what do you say—warriors or spoiled kids? The word from the Word is we need to grow up and act like the mature believers God wants us to be. It’s time to leave Ant-Man behind. Need a little help? Don’t worry—the One who made us and saved us is ready to help.  He’s 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 birthday, Family, friends, gratitude, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God, travel

Worlds Apart

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.” Hebrews 13:16

We were worlds apart. Something that I always thought would be incredible was to be able to go south, a long way south, for part of the winter. Each year I would watch as friends would pack up and head south to escape all or part of the Southern Illinois winters. Well, following my tenure as a full-time pastor, what seemed impossible became a possibility. It went like this. In the fall, Judy and I booked a six day cruise that sailed from Port Canaveral. It left on my birthday so that made it extra special. That was part one. We then were able to rent an Airbnb for a couple of weeks in way south Florida. Finally, as we headed back north, we would stop in Valdosta to visit with family. Put all that together and we would be gone for most if not all of January. It was our opportunity to experience the southern migration.

So, the cruise was booked, the Airbnb was reserved and family said they would love to have us. We left town on January 4th and as it turned out it was a good time to be gone. You see, old man winter decided to pay a visit to Southern Illinois just about the time we left. We left Saturday morning and he arrived Sunday afternoon. And when he came—he not only brought the cold but he also brought ice and snow. It was a very difficult time for the family and  friends we left behind. It turned out while they were freezing —we were basking in the warm Caribbean and Floridian weather. What a difference—what different worlds.

At first it was a ha-ha glad we aren’t there kinda thing but that soon changed as the news came of families losing power and trees falling. It wasn’t funny—it was serious—very serious. But what amazed me was the two worlds that touched our world. On the one hand, Judy and I were enjoying the amazing southern weather and on the other hand people we loved were living in very challenging circumstances.  We were worlds apart. Worlds.Apart

Fortunately for our family and friends, power was finally restored and the ice and snow did began to melt. But winter is still winter—even as I write this they are on the verge of another outbreak of very cold weather. But here’s the deal. I learned that it is very important even when our world is pretty awesome—we don’t forget, we can’t stop having compassion for those whose worlds are very different. It is often to easy to settle in our comfortable world and not have empathy for those who are struggling in their day to day existence.

Remember, a lot of people live in a world that that might be more difficult than ours. So what are we too do? First, we should be grateful for the world that God has given us—even when it is less than perfect. Gratitude is one of the secret sauces that makes life sweeter. Secondly, we need to always have compassion for those around us. Even when our worlds are worlds apart, or especially when we live worlds apart, we should make every effort to span the gap…to bring Jesus into their world.

So whether it is the weather or just life, thank God for your world and always look for a way to reach into someone else’s world. Without judgement, extend a hand of love and compassion because that is what Jesus would do. It’s not as hard as you think because we know, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Family, gratitude, life, loving others, school days, Scripture

Snippet

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “But Jesus said, “Let the children come to Me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Matthew 19:14

So, there’s this memory I have, tucked away in the back of my mind, a little snippet from way back. I’ve probably shared it a million times by now, but hey, it’s one of those moments that really stuck with me. It’s about how my parents went all out to make holidays and birthdays special, even though they didn’t have much. Christmas was the big one, of course, but they tried to make every birthday memorable too, even if it meant sacrificing something else. And this particular birthday? Well, it stands out for one really amazing reason.

It was probably around 1959. I was about five years old, living in a world so different from today that it feels like we were on another planet. My birthday was just a few days after Christmas, and while I’m sure there was cake and family, the thing that stands out the most is the gift I got. I have no idea how parents choose presents for a five-year-old, but my Momma and Daddy totally nailed it that year.

Now, there were no big chain stores like Walmart back then. I imagine my parents went to the local Western Auto store — you know, that old-school place that was part appliance store, part general store, and part toy shop. And somehow, they found the perfect gift for me: an ice cream truck. Well, not really a truck, and not one that actually held ice cream, but it was still something special.

It was like a tricycle, but with a big metal box on the back plastered with decals declaring it to be an ice cream truck. It had streamers on the handlebars, a fender on the front wheel, and of course, a bell. I can clearly remember pedaling down the street in front of our house, pretending to sell ice cream, with no cars around to worry about.

One day, I remember riding down the road to where a guy was building a little house all by himself. I stopped, asked him if he wanted some ice cream, and he actually played along! We ended up chatting a lot, and every day after that, I’d ride down to see him. I don’t remember his name, but I’ll never forget how kind he was to a little kid with an imaginary ice cream truck. That kind of kindness sticks with you, even years later.

It makes me think of this quote my wife has hanging up at home from Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That’s exactly what this man did — he made me feel like I mattered, even though I was just a kid. I don’t even remember his name, but I’ll never forget how he treated me.

It makes me wonder: when was the last time we took a moment to show kindness to someone, especially when they least expect it? Back then, kids were supposed to be seen, not heard, so when this man went out of his way to talk to me, to stop what he was doing, it was something special. He stepped out of the adult world and made me feel important.

And it makes me think about Jesus too. He was always the one who noticed the invisible people, the ones others overlooked. He was the one who said, “Let the little children come to Me.” I bet if Jesus was there that day, He would’ve said, “Let Dewayne come to Me.” And the thing is, no matter how small or insignificant you might feel sometimes, to Jesus, you’re never invisible. You matter. You matter so much to Him.

So, if life feels overwhelming or like it’s just not going your way, just remember: you’ve got a friend in Jesus. He’s got your back, always. And maybe, just maybe, we should all try to be a little more like Him and spread some kindness along the way. Need a little help? Here’s good news…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Christmas, Family, friends, gratitude, Holidays, life, New Year, Scripture

Happy Birthday!

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.” Psalm 19:1

Here we are again. It seems like yesterday I was celebrating my 70th birthday and today…well it’s number 71st! It’s funny how quickly these things sneak up, right? They say age is just a number, and a birthday is just a date on the calendar, but the number keeps getting bigger, and that date seems to come around way too fast.

I’ve always thought birthdays were cool, even though mine’s right after Christmas. Growing up, it was always special when friends and family remembered it. I mean, it’s easy to forget when everyone’s still in Christmas mode.

Turns out, my birthday actually falls on a pretty special day. Way back in the day (like, really back), January 6th was when people celebrated Christmas. So technically, I was born on Christmas Day! Then, a pope came along and decided to change it, so… goodbye Christmas. But hey, I still get to claim that cool little connection. Also, January 6th is known as Epiphany, when the three wise men, led by a brilliant star,  supposedly visited Jesus. Honestly, we’re not even sure there were three of them, and the Bible hints that they didn’t show up until a couple of years later. But whatever—it still makes my birthday feel extra special!

So, we just wrapped up Christmas—the time time when we celebrate Jesus’ birth. But here’s the thing—sometimes, even His birthday gets lost in the shuffle. With all the hustle, the shopping, the family gatherings, and traditions (which I do love, by the way), it’s easy to forget the real reason we’re celebrating. Same thing happens at Easter, too. And honestly, in a world moving at “500 mph,” we can easily let this happen every day. As Jesus followers, we’ve got to make sure He stays front and center, not just at Christmas, but all year long.

Anyway, this isn’t really about my birthday. (Okay, maybe a little bit, but not really.) It’s more about remembering Jesus—keeping Him at the forefront of our minds and hearts. It’s about making sure He gets the attention He deserves, Christmas or not. So next time you look up at the stars, think about that bright one that announced His birth over 2,000 years ago. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”

Sure, we put candles on a cake, but God lit up the whole sky with stars, and created everything we see. Pretty amazing, huh? So even though Christmas is behind us, let’s keep Jesus at the front of everything. No matter what we face, it’s great to know that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Easter, food, life, pride, priorities, Scripture, Trials

Igor

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”  James 1:3

His name was Jason…I called him Igor.  It was a long time ago and it was one of those times when it was time to do something.  The high humidity in my closet had once again shrunk most of my clothes.  It is just one of the hazards of living in Southern Illinois between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.  While it is always the worst in summer, somehow, it manages to shrink my clothes right after the holidays too.  So, rather than go out and buy new duds, I just try and lose a few pounds.

One Sunday morning at church I mentioned to a good friend of mine that I was going to try and shed a few pounds.  Well, he said to me, “Dewayne, I’ve got a personal trainer at the gym and how about if I arrange for you to see him three times a week.  By Easter, you will be a new man.”  I had never seen, much less had, a personal trainer, so it sounded like a good idea to me.  Maybe he could speed up the weight loss so I could get back to my bad eating habits…that I greatly enjoyed.

For my birthday, Judy and I drove over to Evansville on a mission to get me a couple of sets of gym clothes.  We got to Sears, and they had what used to be called running suits on sale.  That’s what they used to call them.  Now they call them obsolete. Anyway, I bought one.  It had the pants and the jacket, and I looked like, well, a dude.  I was to start working out with Jason, the trainer, on Monday.  I put on my fancy running outfit and drove over to the gym.  I opened the door and instantly realized that I was way overdressed. Remember the joke about the guy being told that he was going to a costume party, so he dressed up and nobody else did?  Well, I was that guy. Bummer.

I soon met Jason and he kinda explained what we would be doing over the next few months.  He explained that he was going to make my body hurt…a lot. Well, he didn’t actually say that but that was the reality.  After our first workout on the first day I could barely walk to my car.  The next morning, I wasn’t sure I was going to live. Fortunately, I was meeting with Jason every other day, so I had a day to decide if I was going to live or not.  By the end of the week, I had changed Jason’s name to Igor because I was sure he got some sort of sick pleasure out of watching me suffer.  And I did suffer…a lot.

Over our time together, we did lots of fun things, but my absolute favorite was squat thrusts.  It was some kind of deal when you squatted down and then kicked your legs out the back.  Then you returned to the squat position before standing back up.  I’ve obviously never had a baby, so I have no idea what labor pains feel like.  But I do know this.  If leg squats are even 20% like a labor pain, then if the repopulation of the world depended on me it would be a very small world.  Total population:  One.

Well, I don’t remember making it to Easter.  Things did get toned up a bit, but I wouldn’t exactly say I was a new man.  I did get a new perspective on these guys and ladies who go to the gym and apply self-inflicted Igor-ism.  That is the self-infliction of Igor like pain on themselves. You’ve got to admire them—but as for me that would be from outside the torture chamber—uh, I mean gym.

Now there is one thing I need to make sure is clear.  Igor, I mean Jason, had my best interest in mind.  He was trying to help me reach my goals and help me be in better physical condition. It just wasn’t a pleasant experience…at least not on the front end anyway.  But do you know what?  Rarely are the things that really matter.  I know the Bible teaches me that trials are not easy, and they are never fun, but they are profitable because they teach me endurance. That’s what James, Jesus’ little half-brother, meant when he said that when our faith is tested, our endurance has a chance to grow. Going through the hard stuff strengths our faith.  And, trust me, that is a good thing.

Shortly after I quit going to be with Igor at the gym, I ran into him at one of the stores in town.  When I ran into him, I wanted to run from him.  But we chatted and he asked how I was doing.  I said fine.  He said he missed seeing me at the gym, and I made some kind of flimsy excuse, like I had a rare terminal African disease.  I don’t think he bought it.  So, we parted our ways. I was grateful for his help, but I was also grateful that my gym days were over.  I’ve just got to be sure I don’t give up on my real personal trainer—Jesus.  Like Jason knew what was best to help me physically, He knows what is best for me spiritually.  He encourages me, always has my best interests at heart, and never makes a wrong call. He allows me to pace myself and allows me to rest when I need it.  He’s the best life trainer of all. And I know this for certain.  If I falter or fail, He will always be there because, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne