Category: birthday

Posted in birthday, Family, food, friends, gratitude, life, loving others, priorities, school days, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel

Cheese Grits and Turnip Greens

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15

It was a good gig.  It was my daughter Jennifer’s 40th birthday and her husband Matt decided to do it right.  He booked them on a Disney cruise and then to top it off a couple of days at Disney.  They asked Judy if she could come down and stay with the kids and of course she said yes.  So, after some adjustments with her calendar and making sure everything at 217 (our Airbnb) was covered…she was on the road again.  And me…well…I stayed back, watered the plants, filled the fountains, and did work stuff.

Well, by Thursday night I was ready for a visit, so I loaded up the car and headed south to Murray.  It is funny but when you cross the bridge into Kentucky, you can tell you are in the South.  After a couple of hours of driving I found myself with my favorite big person and two of my favorite smaller people—my wife, Judy and two of my grandchildren, Ellie and James. All three of them are pretty keen on me and that always makes me feel so special. After a night of riding around the neighborhood with the windows down and the sunroof open, we headed back to the house and before too long…bed.

The next morning, after we took them to school, we eventually ended up back in Murray and it was time for lunch.  There are plenty of options in Murray, but we ended up at a place we had tried before and really enjoyed.  As we walked through the door, the sign said the special of the day, since it was Friday, was fish.  That sealed the deal.  Now the special sounded good for a couple of reasons—lots of food and a great price—$10.99.  So here is how it played out.  For my $10.99 I got four large fillets of fish.  Now, I’m pretty sure they weren’t farm raised catfish, but they were still plenty tasty.  So, plenty of fish…check.  Then it came with French fries…hot and plenty…check.  Three hushpuppies…fried golden brown and very good…check.  Three onion rings…these also were very good…lightly battered and fried just right…check. Whew. That was a lot of food…good food.  But we weren’t done.

The special also came with two more sides.  Now this place listed about twenty-two different sides, and they were not just sides…many of them were southern sides.  I won’t list them all, but I will tell you what I ordered.  First, I had a bowl full of cheese grits.  They were delicious with lots of cheddar cheese.  My final side was a bowl full of southern seasoned turnip greens.  Well, by now I am in hog heaven.  I mixed up a mound of tartar sauce and ketchup and started eating and it was just good.  Believe it or not, this food eating preacher didn’t even come close to eating it all.  I was forced to leave some it behind…too full to even think of carrying some home.

Now that you all are wanting to know the name of the place in Murray and you are drooling over yourself, here’s why I wrote this.  First, I just love a good deal.  I love it when I go to a place to eat, and it is a good value…plenty of good food for a good price and this place nailed it.  Second, it spoke to my heritage.  Everything from the hushpuppies to the cheese grits to the turnip greens just tasted southern.  And since my roots go deep in the South, all of it said one thing…home and we all know there is no place like home.

Now that I think about it that is what I like about Jesus too.  When I think of Him…when I spend time with Him, I always feel at home.  I never feel like a stranger, I never feel like a visitor.  It’s like He invites me in and tells me to sit back, relax and stay a while.  And when I am with Him, I know I am experiencing my new heritage.  Every day with Him my roots grow deeper and deeper.  On one side it is like spending time with my best friend and on the other it is like being with a special family member.  Maybe that it is…after all, when I asked Jesus to forgive me of all my sin, His Father became my Father…my Dearest Daddy and that is all so very special.

So, if you are planning a trip to Murray, Kentucky, let me know and I’ll point you in the right direction.  And if you are looking for a place that sure feels like home, well, just ask Jesus and He will invite you in to stay.  But like those southern sides…it gets better and better.  When you get Jesus…you get the Father…one that invites you to call Him Dearest Daddy.  It’s true…it’s in the Bible.  And He will be glad to help you as you do life.  Take it from me, I know, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in birthday, Family, fear, gratitude, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Fear or Gratitude: You Choose

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

I know that You can do anything and no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2

Fear or gratitude—you get to choose. If you are a regular Grits reader then you know all about me, Daisy and Rose. You know that in the middle of nowhere—which means nearly at the end of known civilization—Daisy, a six-year-old mule, and I parted company. You then probably remember that after a 45-minute walk to get my senses back, my friend allowed me to ride Rose the horse. That went well until it didn’t.  I was attempting to dismount with my useless right arm and Daisy moved and so did I—off the horse and onto the ground—for the second time in a day. Oh.My.Goodness!

I’ve thought a lot about that day since then—particularly when I move my right shoulder the wrong way. I learned through this journey some of what the Bible means when it says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Virtually every part of all our body parts are wonderfully complex and believe it or not the shoulder is one of the most complex.  It is its complexity that allows it to do all that it does. But its complexity also makes it just a little prone to injury. I was sitting around a campfire a couple of days ago with a friend and a new friend and one of the things that all three of us shared was we had all fallen in our later years and hurt our shoulder. How about that?

I was thinking the other day about the day that I fell and how it could have been so much worse than it was. We were a long, and I do mean long, way from the truck and had it been a broken bone or a bad concussion, well, it would have made for a longer day than it was. While pondering all of that and this, it made me think about fear and gratitude. You see, my primary thought that day after I was able to stand was the fact that it was not worse than it was, and I was grateful that it wasn’t. I didn’t ask why God allowed it instead I was grateful that He had protected me from a more serious injury.  I was able to thank Him.

Sometimes when things happen, we tend to overthink, and we find ourselves overcome with the “what if” factor. You know, what if this or what if that and if we are not careful, we become overcome with fear. Now it doesn’t matter that the thing didn’t happen but rather the thought that it could have overwhelms us—blinds us and instead of gratitude we wallow in fear. All of us will face difficulties that will place us at the crossroads of gratitude or fear. We will choose to be grateful that it wasn’t as bad or fearful that it could have been worse—a whole lot worse.

Here’s what I know. My Dearest Daddy—your Dearest Daddy if you’ve asked Him to be—is constantly watching over us.  With that comes the fact that no matter how it plays out, we have the constant assurance that He and not circumstances are calling the plays. He is the Boss—He is Sovereign—and He is filled with mercy and compassion—even when the circumstances seem to say otherwise. So, when you fall down or your would is falling apart, remember to choose gratitude over fear. Choose to believe that He wasn’t absent—He was there whispering, “I’ve got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, July 4, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, USA

Happy Birthday, America!

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

If my people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Happy birthday, America! Today, we celebrate the 248th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  It was the time when brave patriots, and not just the ones who signed the document itself, said, “enough is enough.” It was the time when they dared to dream of something bigger and better than the life they had. It was the time when they wished something more not only for themselves but also for the generations to come.  They wished for something more for us.

Yesterday a friend invited me out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Since it was the day before the big day, I went to my closet and pulled out my second favorite patriotic shirt—I was saving number one for the birthday party—July 4th. The shirt is a full-blown declaration of love for this great country.  It is colored with the colors of our country…red for the blood that has been shed that we could be free…white for the purity of the motive of those who have served…and died for this great country…and blue for their loyalty to the American ideals—such as we are all created equal. I know we are still working on that one but regardless it is a standard worth working for.

The shirt also has stars and stripes and an imprint of part of the Statue of Liberty and across the chest it boldly has three letters—U.S.A. It is a statement of patriotism—of love and commitment to America.  Before I walked out the door, I grabbed my favorite veterans cap.  It is old and a bit floppy, but I love it too.  It carries the emblem of the Air Force on the front and the letters U.S.A.F on the bill and the back.  Finally, also across the back, it says above all. To me that is a testament of this veteran and every Air Force veteran that our service and willingness to sacrifice could and should be second only to our sacrifice and service to God.

I love America. I am proud that, by God’s grace, I was born an American. I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to serve America in her Armed Forces. The tragedy today is that too many have come to the conclusion that because she is not perfect, that she hasn’t lived up to all her ideals, that somehow that makes her less than.  Well, the truth is America is like us because America is us. And like us she never will be perfect but that doesn’t mean we should walk away from her. If America is her people, then perhaps we should complain less and step up to make her more.

My prayer would be that God would continue to bless this great land…not because we deserve it, because we don’t, but rather as an act of His amazing grace. The song says it best, “O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties, Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!” The second verse continues, “O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impassioned stress, A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law!”

Let me suggest that we make a prayer for our country a daily matter of prayer.  After all, the One who made us is the One who can fix us.  Don’t forget, even in and especially in matters of our country, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

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

Happy Birthday Grits

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds.” Matthew 13:34

Well – what an adventure!  It was a Friday morning in March of 2020 and the beginning of the COVID pandemic that caused me to sit down one morning and write a short post on Facebook. I intended it to be a one and done deal and was simply meant to be an encouragement. I wrote it and posted it…and then, something happened.  For whatever reason it touched a chord with people who followed my Facebook page and many readers responded.  And, with that random act, Grits with Grace was born.

We made a permanent home for Grits in May of 2020 on WordPress with a new address, www.gritswithgrace.com . The website archives all the stories and has a great search engine if you are looking for a particular subject. It also has some valuable statistics…that remind us how the God’s Word never comes back void. As of March 20, 2024, the WordPress website has 516 followers (people who currently follow our site), and 685 followers on Facebook. Wow! We find it very exciting that some are following us in other countries, Singapore, India, and the Philippines.

I thought you might want to read the very first Grits again. If so, the next few paragraphs contain that first story.  If not, I’ll just meet you at the bottom of the page.
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A Word of Encouragement

The story is told of a Christian lady who had cancer.  Her pastor went to see, encourage, and pray with her.  Towards the end of the visit, her pastor asked if he could pray with and for her.  Her response was, “yes, of course.”  That wasn’t surprising.  What happened next was.

When he asked how he should pray, her response was totally unexpected.  He assumed it would be for healing but instead she said, “Pastor, pray that I would not waste this suffering.”  Waste this suffering.

She was wise enough to know that the God she believed in was sovereign, was in control and was a kind, merciful and loving God.  She also knew that He was wise and that this had been allowed into her life for a purpose–His purpose.

God’s word says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

I admit I’m baffled by a lot of what is happening around me.  Just when I think I can’t be surprised…I am.  But I’m not baffled about God.  He is working in our circumstances to bring glory to His name and strengthen our faith.

So, God has this.  He isn’t asking us to understand…He is only asking us to trust Him.  And believe me…He has a track record of always getting it right.  God bless you today…trust Him…He’s got this.

Well, that is where it all started. The last four years my wife Judy and I have been honored to share our lives and our stories with all of you.  We honestly don’t have an accurate idea of how many people take the time to read Grits each day, but we do know that we are grateful for all of them. The stories have been as varied as life itself.  We have written about everything from the “Underwear Fairy” to a mean goose in our city park we named, “Bubba.”  Hopefully, many made you smile, and some might have made you cry.  I know there were times when tears slid down my cheeks as I wrote.

You know, Jesus loved to tell stories and He told a lot of them.  Maybe that is why I love Grits so much—it teaches the way He did. All the stories for the last 1460 days have had a truth that can be applied to life and very often that truth centered around just how much Creator God loves us, His creation.  Oh, and we have learned that no matter how big or how small the problem or the circumstance, we can know for certain that, “He’s got this.”
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I’ve wondered how long Grits will be around. Well, I suppose the answer is this.  As long as there is a story to tell and a friend who enjoys reading it, I will keep pressing the keys and Judy will keep designing the graphics. So, once again, thank you so much for reading and sharing Grits with your family, friends, and neighbors. And let’s always remember that no matter how difficult the circumstance, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

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

Lego’s Mania

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

Legos—not my cup of tea.  Legos are one of the hottest things going on. As I write this, part of my tribe consists of my daughter and her husband and three of my grandsons are in Atlanta. They are celebrating the middle one of the grandsons’ birthdays.  You see, there is a place called Legoland in Atlanta and it is a place where you can buy Legos. You can actually buy them just about anywhere, but this is the Mecca of Legos—Legos on steroids. In case you don’t know Legos are little pieces of plastic that snap together.  Now you have two options.  First, you can just buy a bunch of the little pieces and then put them together however you see fit.  Second, you can buy a Legos kit where they provide all the pieces you will need to build something with some instructions to boot. Trust me there are some amazing kits out there…sometimes consisting of thousands of pieces.

I recently celebrated my birthday and my friend and fellow staff member at the church where I serve bought me a Mustang (smile) made from Legos.  It was a kit and fortunately for me he had already assembled it.  It had 544 pieces of frustration—I mean Legos—in the box.  First, I thought it was so cool that he gave it to me, and I thought it was very cool that he put it together.  How incredible.

Well, recently, my wife Judy and I were down in Murray at the home of another part of our tribe. Before we left, I happened to notice that there was a Legos kit box on the dining room table.  This one was a spacecraft from one of the Star Wars movies. Their son, another of my grandsons, is into Star Wars and really into Legos so they were putting this kit together as a father and son thing.  I guess that was so they could go crazy together.  Anyway, I asked my son-in-law if it was hard to put this thing together and he assured me it wasn’t.  He said, “They give you instructions.” At this point I wanted to say, “And your point is?”  I mean all the instructions in the world wouldn’t help me complete this mammoth project.  You see, from where I sit, I know instructions can make something easier, but it can still be hard. I told him that too.

I shared with him how God gives me a great set of instructions, but I still manage to struggle in figuring them out. Sometimes I get it right and sometimes I get it wrong.  I’ve been on this Jesus journey now for 53 years and I try to read the instructions real regularly but, well, it can still be a challenge.  But here is the good news, the big news.  No matter how I struggle with it…He never gives up on me, never gets mad and never get inpatient.  Like the great Father that He is, He just patiently leads me along…sometimes clarifying, somethings explaining and sometimes even stepping into the mess I’ve made.

Does your life sometimes seem like an overwhelming Legos kit?  Do you sometimes seem overwhelmed, confused, or lost?  Don’t worry, your Dearest Daddy is a Legos Master, and nothing is too big or confusing for Him. Go ahead and ask and you two can sit down together and figure it all out.  After all, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful

Toys-R-Me

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” Philippians 4:11

You just had to look around.  When I was growing up, somewhere and sometime between January and December, the bought toys from my birthday and Christmas slowly disappeared. I know some kids take extremely good care of their toys.  I had an adult friend once who took me down in his parent’s basement and there on the shelves were toys from when he was a small boy…all in perfect condition. They looked new though they were fifty years old.  Well, my toys just didn’t fair that well.  I don’t think I was overly harsh with them, but I was adventurous, and I did enjoy taking things apart.

So, the question is, “What do you do when the toys from the store are scarcer than teeth on a hen?  The answer is, “You get creative.”  I wonder how many times I wandered over to one of the building sites across the street from my house and “borrowed” a couple of the surveyor sticks they had put out.  The shorter wedge cut ones made great rubber band guns and the thinner, taller ones made awesome “dirt clod” launchers.  The technique was simple…you simply stuck the end of the stick in the dirt and gave it a swift kick.  Instantly, a dirt clod was on its way to either a target or the kid down the street.  Boy was that fun, though looking back I’m sure the surveyor guys didn’t appreciate their sticks disappearing.

Sometimes, a new toy was just laying around.  That was the age of hula hoops, and they made great “ant bombers.”  All you had to do was check and make sure your sister wasn’t watching, find a way to cut the hula hoop in half, get some matches and you were all set.  Then you had to light one end of the hula hoop which would begin to burn and melt.  As the plastic melted, it dripped to the ground sizzling and burning…the perfect ant bomber.  I must confess a lot of good ants lost their lives that way but don’t worry.  You see sometimes they got me with their stingers before I got them with my firebombs.  Boy…that was fun.

Then, of course, you could make your very own train.  There was always a length of chain laying around the yard and there was always plenty of good, ole soft Florida sand.   All you had to do was grab that chain and drag it through the sand behind you. As you did the sand got pushed aside and chain left a track in the sand. Round and round and up and down we would go leaving tracks everywhere. I can’t tell you how many times and how many hours we played making “train tracks.”

If all else failed, you could sneak into “Daddy’s tool shed.” It was attached to the house and honestly was more of a junk shed than a tool shed but there was cool stuff laying around everywhere.  I remember Daddy had a bunch of one-pound cans of either freon or something like that.  It would attach to a contraption that had a trigger.  It was made to spray liquids from a small glass container.  I discovered if you mashed that trigger the freon coming out would instantly make ice.  It was amazing.  So, I found out that if you got tired of “fire-bombing” the ants, you could freeze them.  Now, don’t call the animal rights people…it was just part of growing up.

I could keep going on, but you probably get the idea that there was plenty to do around the old homestead…and it really was fun.  Back in those days’ television, especially during the day or early afternoon consisted of soap operas or game shows…neither of which was exciting for a young boy.  So, I could learn to like them…NOT…or get creative.  I could have sat around and complained because I didn’t have what other kids had…or get creative.  Well, I chose to get creative…and I am glad I did.  Some of my best memories were out in the backyard just figuring out how to have a little fun.

So, how about you?  Do you find you are discontented and bored with life?  Do you find yourself bemoaning what others have and what you don’t?  Could I suggest that you look “in your backyard” and see what might be there?  It might be an evening drive with the family.  It might be sitting under the tree having some tea or coffee just sittin’ and listenin’. It might be playing with the kids or waving at the cars going by.  Whatever, you might just find some unexpected pleasure…you might find a little peace…you might find a little contentment.  My friend Paul from the New Testament said he had learned to be content wherever and whatever he was doing.  I think that is something all of us need to learn.  Need a little help?  I know I do.  That’s when my Dearest Daddy often shows up just to let me know that He loves me and that no matter what, “He’s got this.”   Bro. Dewayne

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

One Long Day

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9

It was a long day, one of those days that seem to stretch into eternity. My wife, Judy, often asks me about my day when I come home from work, and sometimes I respond, “It was one long day.” On Fridays or Saturdays, when I’m busy with household chores, the day feels endless, and I tell Judy, “What a great long day today.” The perception of the day often depends on its circumstances.

June 6th, 1944 is a date many recognize as the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II, the beginning of the end of that conflict. It was a massive undertaking with an uncertain outcome, and someone referred to it as “the longest day.”

We all have our “longest days,” and 2020 might have felt like 366 of them. Some days make us mourn, while others are worth celebrating. January 24th holds a special place for my wife and me as our first daughter was born on that day, exactly forty-three years ago today.

The labor started late Thursday evening, and as Judy opted for minimal medical intervention, it became a challenging process. The hours turned into a marathon, and I, the faithful husband, stayed by her side throughout. Well, almost. There was that one time when a friend brought me a massive burger and fries, and I obliviously enjoyed them while Judy glared. I was thinking about food, not labor pains.

As the clock ticked, we progressed into the evening, and Rebecca decided to delay her grand entrance. Finally, around midnight, Dr. Dickerson announced it was time, and, coincidentally, the cheesy Japanese monster movie we were watching ended. In the delivery room, Rebecca made her grand appearance, and the longest day ended. Judy endured 23 hours of labor, and our precious daughter weighed 8 lbs. 15.5 ounces.

For years, we’ve fondly recalled that longest day—Judy’s longest day. For me, it involved burgers, fries, and Godzilla. Yet, it marked the day God blessed us with our first daughter, setting the stage for two more daughters and eight grandchildren.

When facing your longest day, remember a couple of things. Every day is a gift from the Creator God, and if you allow Him to guide you, you can not only endure but thrive. The finish line may seem elusive, but it will come if you persist.

Paul, a New Testament writer, knew about enduring long days, although not labor pains. He encouraged not getting tired of doing good, promising a harvest if we don’t give up. Whether or not you follow Jesus, the advice stands—don’t give up. God is there to help you through each day, including your longest one. Rest assured, “He’s got this.” – Bro. Dewayne

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

Living at Mach 1

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.” Job 14:5

No one really knew what was going to happen.  As men developed aircraft that continuously went faster and higher, an invisible wall stood in the way—the sound barrier.  Determining the speed of sound is a little tricky because several factors determine it.  The bottom line is the speed of sound at sea level and 68 degrees is 767 miles per hour. Like most Baptists, the aviation world doesn’t respond to well to the unknown.  And truth be told, no one knew what would happen when this event happened.  As it turned out, it was largely very uneventful.  It went like this.

On October 14, 1947, U.S. Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager piloted his experiential aircraft to the speed of Mach 1.06 or just over the speed of sound. Early attempts had confronted severe buffeting but this time the flight went smoothly. Despite all the fears, the transition to supersonic flight was remarkably uneventful.  Franklin Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” and He was right. It reminds me of the big scare in the year 2000 when many predicted that the world’s computers would all crash because they weren’t programmed to go beyond 1999.  Again, largely nothing happened. Surprise, surprise, surprise.

Well, this past Saturday, January 6, 2024, I broke a “sound barrier” of my own. On that day I turned 70—seven decades old.  As this milestone approached, it kinda messed with my head. Oh, I know that age is just a number, but this number was getting high and coming pretty fast.  For a long time, in my way of thinking, 70 was the threshold to being genuinely old. If it wasn’t old, you could certainly see it from there. I wondered what would happen and the answer was—nothing.  It turns out age really is just a number and while seventy qualifies you as a senior adult it was not the end of the world as we know it.

All this reminded me that it really is God who holds our birthdays in His hand.  It is God who numbers our days and even plans them.  I think I’m learning that my responsibility is to trust Him and to live each day to its fullest.  Right now, and I know today doesn’t necessarily predict tomorrow, but right now I am grateful that I don’t feel—70.  I feel a bit older but that nasty age barrier, like the sound barrier, turned out to be not much of a barrier at all.  So, wherever you are in this birthday thing, just remember that if we are having birthdays, we are still breathing.  Oh, and if that should stop and you know Jesus, it simply means the best is yet to come. When your special day rolls around, remember to thank God for it and every day.  Don’t let that barrier or any barrier keep you from believing that “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Visit www.gritswithgrace.com to view the blog with the graphic for today’s story. If you have missed any of our previous blog posts, you can find them there also.

Happy Birthday

This is the day the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Saturday was my birthday.  Now wait.  That isn’t a hint for a gift.  It isn’t an invitation for a bunch of comments.  It is a statement of fact—and fascination.  You see, 70 years ago I was born.  I don’t say that because I remember, I say it because I am here…now.  I am amazed that over seven decades have come and gone since Leslie, my Momma, said to Alston, my Daddy, “It’s time.”  She had already done this birthing thing seven times, so I suppose it was just another day at the office by then.

Since the day I was born, I have been alive 25,567 days.  That means that 25,567 times the sun came up in the morning and went to bed at night.  It means 25,567 times God faithfully gave me a wakeup call.  One of my favorite verses in the Bible is the one that says this is the day that the Lord has made, so we should find joy in it and be glad for the opportunity.  25,567 times.  25,567 love notes from God that said He thinks life should go on.

Now there are a bunch of those days that I don’t remember.  In fact, these days I don’t remember what happened yesterday. I find some humor that as a pastor I have to pause and think about what I spoke about last week.  Sometimes it just slips my mind.  Oh course, the good news is that most people can’t remember what I said either.  One day all I will need is one sermon.  Together we will just hit the replay button.  But that day is not today.

As I look back, I am so filled with gratitude with the incredible journey that God has allowed to play out in my life.  Not every day has been that good.  I mean, the days I woke up with the stomach flu didn’t make the top 1,000.  But it has been a great journey.  My childhood, or at least the part I remember, often causes me to smile.  The more I think of my Momma and Daddy, the more I appreciate them.  They were ordinary folks but at the same time they were just extraordinary.

I think about the night in 1974 when I walked into that church in Valdosta, Georgia and saw “the girl” and I am grateful.  I have shared almost 48 of my 70 years with her and boy am I glad I decided to go to that church that night.  Our journey has been and is one adventure after another.  I’m hoping God decides to let us grow old together—it’s gonna be a hoot for sure.  Throw in the mix the kids (including the ones who stole our daughter’s hearts) and the grandkids and, well, it is awesome.  Perfect? No.  But who said life must be perfect to be amazing?

And, then there are the everyday people I have met and bumped into, especially as a teacher/pastor. If life was a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream and people were the toppings, it would be one fantastic, multi-flavored, rainbow-colored sundae.  You know those things kids love to sprinkle on ice cream—all the different colors and flavors mixed?  Well, that’s life and that’s people and that’s what makes it wonderfully unique.  Yep, it’s been a good ride.

It seems that life is like a long stint in school.  Someone said all they needed to learn they learned in kindergarten.  I think that really is life—one big, long day in kindergarten—learning, playing, living—with a few skinned knees along the way.  I know this and yet I am still learning this.  Life is not a destination—it is a journey.  There is not some magic place we are going to arrive at one day and feel all warm and fuzzy and complete—well, unless you count heaven.  No, the joy of life is the journey.

There it is. That is why we need to wake up every day, thank God for another love note, another opportunity to make an impact and be impacted.  That is why every day, regardless of how it plays out, is a gift.  The hard days are opportunities to learn those hard, but very valuable, lessons.  The good days when things just go amazingly well are like recess—or lunch.  The trick is learning to be grateful for both, because both are valuable.

At any rate—I’m grateful that at t-minus nine months Alston and Leslie decided one more couldn’t hurt.  I’m grateful that they decided I was a keeper—even if the table was a little full.  And if it isn’t your birthday today, go ahead and celebrate anyway.  Today is God’s decision that life should go on.  Today is His way of saying I love you.  Today, regardless of the circumstances, is an opportunity to believe that He is good, that He is faithful and that He can be trusted.  It is just one more opportunity to believe, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

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

James

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD and He delights in his way.  And even if he falls, he will not be utterly cast down because He upholds him with His strong hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

A couple of years ago we were down at my daughter’s house who lives near Murray, Kentucky.  They have blessed us with two of our eight grandchildren and if you know anything about grandkids, they are just a bunch of fun.  Matt and Jen live in the country near Kentucky Lake and my wife Judy decided we needed to take a walk.  Now if you know Judy you know she believes that people build houses for essentially one reason—to sleep in.  If you aren’t sleeping, you need to be doing something—outside.  Period.

So, naturally, we took a walk.  I was with my grandson James, and we were having an adventure.  Soon we were walking hand in hand.  Now, James, who at the time was six, is a very thoughtful young man.  So, eventually, he asks me, “Papa, what is your real name?”  Now I knew what he was asking but why not have some fun when you can?  So, I told him my name was Papa.  “No” he said firmly, “your real name.”  Well, I gave in and told him it was Dewayne.

He took a shot at pronouncing it and got close.  I thought that might be the end, but no, the best was yet to come.  He then asked me, “Papa (he didn’t try Dewayne) how old are you?  Well, that was a good question, so I gave him the answer.  “James,” I said, “I am almost 67 years old.” Again, almost without hesitation he said, “Papa, you’re almost dead.” I died laughing—no pun intended.  The Bible mentions something about out of the mouth of babes, truth comes, and I guess truth be known…there’s a lot more days behind me than before me.

It was funny then and it is funny now.  And it was true then and it is even more true now. As I pondered those words, it made me appreciate God in a whole new way.  I freshly realized how glad I am that God, and not disease or circumstance, numbers my days. As I charge headfirst into life, especially in years of uncertainty, I know if He didn’t have a hold of me—well, it just wouldn’t be pretty.   Only eternity will tell how many times He saved me from pain and suffering and the consequences of thousands of bad decisions.

Years ago, while reading the Bible, a passage jumped off the pages and into my life.  It said, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD and He delights in his way.  And even if he falls, he will not be utterly cast down because He upholds him with His strong hand.” That is such a powerful truth.  The fact that God directs my steps, that the path He chooses for me is cause for Him to delight and that when I fall, He’s got me…well, that is good, good news.  And the best part is, it is true.

As we get ready to leap into 2024, it’s good to know that we can have someone like God holding our hand.  If you are a Jesus follower you know all about that and, if you aren’t yet, He is just waiting for you to take the leap of faith. Why not give Him a try?  God’s not big about denominations or even religion but He is really big about loving you and He wants to walk with you into this New Year. While the number of our days is unknown and even how those days will play out are a mystery to us it is not unknown to our Dearest Daddy.  And when it comes to life, we can rest assured that He knows all about life and has it all under control.  You might say, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne