Category: Family

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

Sweet Magnolia

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” Luke 8:15

After all,…it is Southern Illinois.  I was born and raised in the Southeastern corner of the United States and almost ironically—in the Northern corner of Florida.  Some people from the South want to downplay Florida almost like it is a Southern stepchild.  Anyway, I love the South and am proud of my Southern genes.  And just for the record—that doesn’t mean I am proud of everything Southern—if you follow me.

Now, with that said, there are plenty of things “Southern” that I love.  As an example, how about a hot serving of grits—no sugar ever.  Or how about a big slice of pecan pie or some collards, or turnip greens with side order of field peas. My goodness can someone say, “Amen.” And of course, you have to wash it all down with a big glass of iced sweet tea.  Anything else? Sure. How about an afternoon rocking on the front porch waving at people or maybe the kind of thunderstorm that shakes the windows and rattles the doors?  Oh yes, there’s plenty of the good life in the South.

Should I keep going? Well, there are peach orchards and those trees that produce the pecans for those pies. There are giant oaks and tall slender pines and yards filled with azalea bushes in full bloom and blanketed in Saint Augustine grass.  And of course, every imaginary image of the South needs a tall and beautiful Magnolia tree. There are two things that Judy and I can do to think of the South.  We can cross the bridge and visit Paducah “where they talk right” and we can just glance around town at the fine selection of Magnolia trees that grow right here in Southern Illinois.

I read in an article recently that the Magnolia is widely considered one of the most beautiful and fragrant trees of the South and I certainly agree. Its large, white and fragrant blossoms often dot main streets and gardens across the South—and I guess that includes Southern Illinois. But what I didn’t know is that its soil – when healthy – produces an equally wonderful aroma. They say the soil smells like a mix of cinnamon and fresh fruit—but there is more!

That good smelling soil around a Magnolia is a sure sign that the tree is in good condition. In other words—a tree in good condition smells good and so does the soil but the opposite is also true. When the tree is diseased or decaying, the soil around it produces a rancid, putrid smell that’s unmistakable. You might say the unseen is a good indicator of the health of what is seen.

How about you? When people are around you does your life smell of the fragrance of Christ?  Can people tell you belong to Him—not by the message on your hat or your shirt but rather the message of your attitude and actions? If someone was to dig around in your life, would they find the soil smells of Christ or something that is dead or dying? Let’s make it our desire, our goal to be like Him so we smell like Him. Let’s live in such a way that people, no matter how much they dig into our lives, know we are planted in the rich soil of His love. Let our fragrance be a life that shouts our faith—that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

Lost Keys or Everyday Miracles

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.” James 1:17

Boom…just like that.  It was one of those mornings.  I was running just a bit behind.  There wasn’t a clock to punch, no was going to say anything, but the truth is I needed to get to the office.  There was work to do and it seems there was more work than time.  I got everything done that needed to be done…I even remembered to take my medicine. I walked out the door and felt my pocket only to realize that the familiar lump wasn’t there.  I had forgotten my keys. Bummer.

So, I turned around, mumbling something about time and keys, and headed back into the house.  There is a place I usually put my keys and when I got there…they weren’t.  Bummer.  I walked over to the other side of the kitchen and checked on the counter.  Nope. Bummer. I walked back over to the other place, and they still weren’t there.  Then, I decided to go upstairs and check the pockets on the pants I had worn the day before.  Scratch that one too.  Then I went outside and asked Judy if she had seen my keys.  I think she gave me the “whose keys” look and said, “no.”

By now my frustration level was rising.  I checked in the car.  No.  I went back into the kitchen and checked the key thingy, and they weren’t there.  Bummer again.  So just for the fun of it I checked it all again and realized that I just might have misplaced or lost them. It was looking grim.  You see, this key wasn’t one of those go to Wal-Mart three-dollar keys.  No, this was one of those three-hundred-dollar key fob things (there’s a reason I know this) and by now I am thinking of dollars.  I asked Judy to keep an eye out and I used the spare key and drove to work.

As soon as I got to work, I started telling the staff of my lost key woes.  I told them how I had looked everywhere, all with no luck.  They were sympathetic and I appreciated their shared woe but all of that didn’t help me find my keys.  So, I started doing some of that work I talked about earlier and after an hour or so, I texted Judy and asked her if she had had a chance to look for the missing keys.  Well, she hadn’t, so still no luck.  It was just about then that it happened.  She texted me and said she thought she had found the keys on the key thingy.  I told her that probably wasn’t them because I checked there twice.  She sent me a picture and there, in her hand, were my keys.

When I asked her where they were found and she said the key thingy, at first, I was embarrassed and then amazed.  Here is why.  I am one hundred percent certain that I checked there twice.  I would have bet my bottom dollar they were not there and yet…they were.  That only leaves two options.  First, I am blind and totally missed them. The second option is…God came to the rescue.  Call me crazy or call me nuts but I honestly believe that option two happened.  You see, given the nature of my Dearest Daddy I just wouldn’t be surprised if He didn’t reach down from heaven and placed the missing keys there.  After all, why wouldn’t He? 

I have had other incidents in my life when God did some crazy things and maybe that is why I’m sure He just did it again.  How about you?  Do you have any times when something crazy happened and looking back you realized there wasn’t an explanation?  I’m one of those people that believe God is a God who is into the details, and I also believe He is not too busy to do something like replace a set of missing keys.  Oh, God is a God of the big things, but He is not too busy to care about the little things too…like missing keys and wallets.

Let me encourage you to look for the small miracles around us.  In fact, let me encourage you to expect small miracles around us.  James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote a short book in the Bible.  In it he wrote, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.”  Spot on, James.  The God who made the stars can also do the small stuff…stuff that matters to us matters to Him.  So, as you journey today, and you hit a bump, don’t be afraid to ask for a little help from above.  He might help you over the bump or at least give you the grace to endure it.  Either way, you can know that “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, gratitude, life, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Battery Low–Heading Home

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

O Lord, our Lord, Your greatness is seen in all the world! Your praise reaches up to the heavens; it is sung by children and babies.” Psalm 8:2

Well, the guy who wrote Psalms was right. I know it, you know it, but the truth is the Bible knew it first.  Sometimes kids just say the best things in the best way. More than once in my forty-two years as a pastor I have been amazed at the truth and profoundness of what kids say. In the old days, well, especially in the old days, kids were expected to be seen and not heard and occasionally they weren’t even supposed to be just seen. Well, according to our scripture today, kids can be sources of wisdom—and worship.  Surprised? Honestly, sometimes me too.

It turns out that there is always something new to learn from unexpected sources. What if I told you that a machine that we have in our house has also been teaching me something?  Well, it is true. I told you about my wife Judy’s mystical and magical robot vacuum cleaner a while ago. This thing maps out and remembers the floor plan of our house and really does an amazing job cleaning. Because of her (Judy decided it had to be a woman because it is so intuitive) it is a rare day when we have to drag out the good old vacuum cleaner. 

The other day, I paid close attention while it was talking. It has several messages it speaks out loud on different occasions. If it gets stuck, she lets you know. If she’s not happy about something, she lets you know.  Hmmm…maybe Judy is right about her being a female.  Well, I had heard something more than a few times but this time it stuck—in my brain and in my heart. You see, when her battery is getting low, she says, “Battery low—heading home.” Wait. What? Yup, she knows when it is time for a recharge, and she also knows that means it time to go—home. She turns off the cleaning thingies and devotes all her energy to making it home where she can be recharged and restored.

Ok, so am I the only guy in the room who thinks this is pretty cool—and pretty profound? I mean what if we could be smart enough to know when we are about to run out of emotional and spiritual juice and need to go home? What a game changer that would be. And by the way, she knows there is only one home, and knows exactly where to find it. She goes straight to it and parks.  She knows there is no place like home. How life changing would it be if we remembered that there is only one place for us to go when we need recharging? No, it’s not the recliner or the lounger—it is right at the feet of Jesus.  Mary, Martha’s sister, knew that and guess what?  That is where you would regularly find her.

Our vacuum friend knows there is no place like home, and we should remember the same lesson. An old saying says, “home is where the heart is” and that is especially true when our heart belongs to our Dearest Daddy. So, when you find yourself feeling a little burned out and out of juice…say to yourself, “battery low—heading home” and then go. Park next to Him and relax knowing that He can and will recharge and renew you. He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

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

Miracles

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

Well, there are miracles and then there are miracles.  One of the great adventures that Judy and I have been privileged to be a part of are the church mission trips.  Specifically, mission trips to Africa.  For the past 15 or 16 years, our church has been an active participant in mission adventures.  One of our favorite places to serve was and is Africa.  We started in Niger and then had to move a little south to the country of Mali.  We were privileged to serve there for several years.

I can’t explain how incredible it is to go on a mission adventure.  I also can’t really explain the draw that so many feel led to this place called Africa. Where this story begins was a difficult place.  We would stay in the bush, often sleeping on the ground in tents.  The temperature would hover over 100 degrees.  I have one picture that showed a thermometer with a reading 125 degrees.  The food, well, let’s just say it wasn’t McDonald’s.  So, what is it that causes people to step way out of their comfort zones just to serve others.  This story is part of that answer.

We were on a medical trip in Mali and the days were long and fruit was plentiful.  We had a full team including two medical doctors and several nurses.  They would treat the physically broken and we would try and share the truth of God’s love to the spiritually broken.  We would tell stories of Jesus and how He would go and help people.  We then would simply explain that we wanted to be like Him and help others.  We explained that people who knew Jesus in America had bought and paid for the medicine that they were receiving.  It was free to them because someone else paid the price.  It was always a great lead into the gospel stories because Jesus did the same for us.

Well, it was the end of a long day.  Most of us had wandered back to camp and were sitting around and chatting about the day’s activities.  Suddenly someone ran into the camp and shouted that there was an emergency back at the clinic.  We all rushed back over and what we found was grim…very grim.  A little girl, about nine if I remember correctly, had been climbing a tree.  She was about twenty-five feet up in the air when she slipped and fell—landing directly on her face.  Her father had carried her on a Moto (a small motorcycle) about three or four miles.  She was semi-conscious and unresponsive.

Two things happened simultaneously.  First, the doctors when to work and the saints went to praying.  Her pupils were unresponsive and though she was breathing, her respirations were rapid and shallow.  About an hour later the doctors said it was probably only a matter of time, her brain injuries seemed very serious.  I slipped into my pastor mode and wondered what an African funeral was like.  The doctors took turns sitting with her through the night, and then took her to the nearest first aid station. This part is fuzzy, but it seems like at some point the father went ahead and took her back to her village.

The next day we went back to work with a somewhat heavy heart.  And then something happened…we heard that the little girl had woken up.  We then heard that she was speaking and walking around.  We then heard that she was responding and acting almost completely normal.  “What is this,” I wondered.  Again, if I remember correctly either that day or the next the father brought his little girl back to the doctors and there she stood.  A living, breathing, miracle.  It can be described as nothing else.  God had heard the prayers of His children and chosen to reach down from heaven and touch this little girl and give her back her life.  It.Was.A.Miracle.

Many of us have been to Africa many times and we have seen more than one miracle.  Sometimes it looked like this, sometimes it was God acting to avoid a tragedy and sometimes it like a frog strangling rainstorm when it hadn’t rained for months and months.  But each time it was obvious that God was still God and He can do what He wants, when He wants.  After all, He is God.  For the skeptics out there, who think that God doesn’t do the miracle thing—that it died out in the old days—well, that little girl would beg to differ with you.

Tucked away in the book of Luke, incidentally, written by a physician in Jesus’ day, are some words that say it all.  It says, “For nothing shall be impossible with God.” Nothing. Period. Seven words that can shake your world and this world. So, what is rocking your world today?  Family or health? Wondering about tomorrow or the next meal?  Worried about our country?  Well, I don’t know what God has planned—after all I’m in sales and not management—smile. But I do know that nothing is too big for Him to handle.  Just like that little girl in Africa who discovered she could lay down and rest in Him—so can you.  After all…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

Makin’ Grits

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Jesus in John 10:10b

It was time for some grits.  Well, after two weeks on the road traveling and doing God stuff it was so good to be home.  Dorothy (the one from the Wizard of Oz) said it best…there is no place like home…and she was right.  Over the last two weeks we did different things and slept in different beds and ate a lot of different foods. But for now, it was time for something familiar. It was time for grits.

When I woke up and had breakfast in this place called home, I wanted something that was normal…something that would remind me I was indeed home.  It shouldn’t surprise you that I turned to grits.  For me, if there is something that says home, it is grits.  Grits are more than food.  Grits are part of my heritage.  Grits are wholesome.  Grits are…grits.  This morning’s grits started with a bowl of “cheater” grits cooked in the microwave.  Trust me…grits on the stove or grits in the microwave are still stinking good.  So, in the bowl went the grits, an amount of water that varies from day to day, a good shaking of salt and pepper, a small handful of bacon bits and finally, a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese.  Can someone say, “Hallelujah?”  Well, from the first bite till I scraped the bowl clean…it was heaven…it was good…it said, “Home.”

While I love grits, I also am honest enough to admit that just plain grits are well…plain.  But when you add the good stuff, well, all I can say is “Shoot that thing.”  The good stuff can make something plain…sing.  It is true with grits, and it is true with life.  You see, life can be just life but when you add the good stuff, life sings like a happy opera singer.  What makes life sing is different for each person but for me the list is short and sweet.  First, you add God to the mix and not just any god but Jehovah God…the One who made it all.  The trees, the flowers, the mountains, and the rivers are just a few of His works.  Look up and the stars and the planets all sing of His greatness. You know, Jesus once said that He had come to give us life and not only that but a life worth living…and I believe He did. Now don’t confuse God and religion.  God is always good and religion by itself is just like plain grits…tasteless.

Another thing that makes my life sing is family and friends.  You see, I don’t believe grits were made to be eaten plain.  Grits are the foundation just waiting for the good stuff.  We were never created to be loners on a desert island.  No, we were made for each other.  Again, each life is different, but each life should include others…the kind that enrich and fulfill us.  For some it is a big family and for others it might be a family of one.  It might be ten close friends or only one or two, but we all need others.  Why not invite someone into your world today?  I know for me that can sometimes be difficult, but it is worth the effort.

The third thing that we need to make our life sing is a trio of treats.  They are love, gratitude, and contentment.  Just like the cheese, bacon bits, and salt and pepper bring my bowl of grits to life, so do these three powerful life ingredients.  Love is as essential as the air that we breathe and gratitude, being thankful for all we have instead of grumpy about what we don’t, is too. Oh, and when we are grateful…we are usually content.  Throw all of this together and you have a life that sings…a life that is worth getting up to everyday.

You see, to have a full life, a life that is as sweet as the sweetest love song, doesn’t require titles, dollars, and stuff.  No…a life that sings is so much more than that.  All we must do is be willing to start.  This morning’s breakfast of grits wasn’t hard…I mean that is one thing that even I can prepare.  But it did require a start…it did require a beginning.  So, today, let’s take that first step.  Let’s pour in the bowl of our life a big dose of faith, love, gratitude, and contentment and then let’s sit down to the table of life and feast. Don’t know where or how to start? Why not ask God, the one many call “Father?”  You will find Him there ready and willing to help. You can rest assured that, “He’s got this.”

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

A Rose is Still a Rose

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” Romans 8:28

What are the chances? What are the chances that a piece of broken tack (part of a horse or mule’s saddle) would dangle in just the wrong place and cause her to think a bee was trying to sting her? What are the chances that during the chaos the saddle would come loose causing the rider to fall off—hard—hurt but not dead—hurt but not too broken? And what are the chances that all of this would happen, oh, let’s say an hour and a half from their vehicle? And finally, what are the chances that this same rider would later fall off again—not from a mule but from a horse? Well, the odds may be slim but that is exactly what happened.

After Daisy, the mule, got goosed (see Grits from July 30, 24), we decided it might be best for me to walk awhile to maybe help clear my head. So, we both walked, as my friend led Daisy and a horse named Rose, for about 45 minutes. When we reached a place where we could tie up Daisy and Rose and let us take a rest—we did.  By this time, I was pretty much shot, and my arm was—like me—pretty much useless. After a few more minutes, we decided that I would ride Rose, the horse, and my friend would ride Daisy, the mule. With a little help from a log, I was able to get on Rose and soon we were plodding along. Keep in mind, we were still over an hour from our truck.

Well, we prodded and plodded until finally we came to the truck and trailer.  I like trucks but that day I was so glad to see this one I could have hugged and kissed it. Now just one more thing remained—to get off the horse. There was a large piece of concrete that I had used to get on Daisy at the start of the ride, so it just made sense to use it to get off Rose.  It was a plan. It sounded simple enough…until we tried to do it. Here we go and here is where lightning struck twice.

We came up to the concrete and discovered that my injured arm and shoulder just wouldn’t work. So, I tried to get off the horse, but with one arm there was no way I could get my right leg over Rose. My friend offered to help, and I gratefully said yes. So, my left foot was on the concrete, my right leg was halfway off the horse and just about that time—Rose decided to take a couple of steps back.  Suddenly, my left leg was in midair, and my right leg was just over the top of Rose, and you can probably guess what happened.  Yep…with nothing but air to stand on I promptly and painfully fell off the horse and once again onto the very hard ground. We both couldn’t believe it but trust me, most of all my body couldn’t believe it. It found new places to hurt…places I didn’t even know I had.

Well, I went to the truck and let my friend load the animals. I knew he felt bad but none of it was his fault. I knew I felt bad because my body was telling me so. I don’t know about Daisy or Rose but both are good animals, so they probably felt bad too. But I’ve asked myself this question. If I could have changed something would I do it? Honesty, part of me says yes and part of me says no.  I love the brother that I was with—he is one of the best men I know. I wanted to spend time with him.  He is an “iron sharpens iron” kind of guy and he is good for me. I saw that in how he handled my falling off mules and horses thing. To see how he responded to this adversity strengthened me.

And then there is the yet to be written part of this story.  How is God going to cause good from all of this? What lessons am I going to learn that maybe couldn’t have been learned any other way? And of course, there is the fact this is a great story to tell—a guy falling off a mule and a horse all on the same day and the same trip—and living to tell about it.  I can just here it now when my grandkids ask, “Papa, tell us about the day” and I do and I get to end the story with this one great truth…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

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

Trash Day

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” 1 John 3:1

So long trash.  Some years ago, a friend introduced me to the Gmail calendar.  It was a game changer and life saver.  Back in the day most pastors carried a little pocket calendar wherever they went.  Unfortunately, it just wasn’t my thing.  And, invariably, someone would tell me something and I would not have a calendar, nor a piece of paper nor a pen or pencil.  I would really try to remember all this important stuff but well it just didn’t work.

Well, one day my friend told me about the Gmail calendar.  I already had a smartphone, but I just hadn’t been introduced to the Gmail calendar app.  Then, one we met, and it was love at first sight.  With the Gmail calendar I can instantly add things to my calendar.  Joe is having surgery. Check. Personnel meeting Tuesday at 6pm. Check. Don’t forget Judy’s birthday.  Double check.  On and on the list goes and while the system isn’t perfect…it works so much better.  All that important stuff has a much better chance of not being forgotten. Thank you, Gmail.

Another cool feature of this calendar is that you can set a reminder for something every day, week, or month.  You can even schedule things for next year.  One of the things that I have set up on my calendar is the reminder to carry the trash to the curb.  You see, our trash guy comes early Monday morning, so we really need to set it out early…like the night before early.  Well, every Sunday evening I get a reminder to put the trash out. More than once that reminder has saved us from a week of too much stinky trash.

Speaking of trash…isn’t it amazing just how much trash we generate? I know for two people we seem to make a lot.  Several times a week I must take the trash out of the kitchen and to the big trash and then out to the curb on Sunday nights. Usually, of course, the trash is just trash. Potato chip bags, coke cans, plastic water bottles…you know…trash.  Of course, there is the stinky stuff too. Meat wrappers, old veggies, scraps…you know…stinky stuff.  It is never hard to throw any of that away…it has to go.

Sometimes, when we are cleaning out this or that, we toss out sorta-kinda, good stuff.  An old glass or two, a figurine with a chip or two, or maybe a slightly broken lamp…you know…semi-good stuff. It might be useful to someone but not to us so out it goes. As I cruise around town, I am amazed at the stuff people throw away.  They are often things people paid a lot of money and they are discarded…no longer wanted or needed.  Like I said, sometimes it is amazing.  You wonder, what caused the discard? Outta space. Taste changed. Leftover from the last move.

Well, I don’t always get it but there is one thing I do get, and I am grateful.  I am so glad that God doesn’t have a trash day.  And more than that…I am glad that He will never, ever throw me away like so much discarded trash.  You see, every one of His kids are valuable to Him.  He doesn’t just value the ones who always seem to get it right…He values all of them. More amazing than that is the fact He is just waiting to add to His family.  And, once you’re in…you’re in.  There is a cool verse in the Bible that says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so, we are.” Wow. How awesome is that?

If you are a Jesus follower, a person who said, “yes” and asked and received God’s forgiveness by believing in His Son, you never have to worry about trash day.  He will not, and I repeat, will not, kick you to the curb. If you haven’t made that decision yet, what are you waiting for?  God loves you and can’t wait for you to join the family.  You don’t need to get better, you just need to come and when you do…well, welcome home.

So, you might want to check out the Gmail calendar…it sure helped me.  And be sure and check out God…He loves you a lot and won’t let you go.  Oh, and as you do life, you will find Him always there for you just waiting to let you know that…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

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

When Daisy was Goosed

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” Romans 8:28

Nobody saw it coming.  I have a friend who used to attend the church that I used to pastor. He moved and I retired, but we still manage to see each other when he visits town.  The thing about my friend is that he is extremely “goosy.”  Let me explain. When we want to have some fun, we would sneak up behind David and just touch him. Then you better watch out and “Katie Bar the Door.” He would jump in the air and come down with arms flailing. That’s why when you were going to “get him” you had to make sure the area was clear. It was and is just too fun to watch him in full blown “goose” mode.”

Well, the other day I had another opportunity to experience “goose mode” but it was not with David or any other human but a six-year-old mule.  Her name is Daisy Mae and we met when a good friend of mine invited me to go on a trail ride with him. He had his horse and I had Daisy. Now don’t get mules confused with donkeys.  Mules are a cross breed between a horse and a donkey and are about the size of their momma, the horse. While it takes more than a few years to train them they are worth the wait. Daisy was worth the wait—but I didn’t know she had some David in her. Let me explain.

There is a thing that goes under the tail of a horse or mule that keeps the saddle from riding forward toward the neck. I think it is called a tail Cooper and it is an important part of the saddle and tack. Well, somewhere along the way, way out in the wilderness, that part broke and came loose.  Apparently, it was dangling down near Daisy’s bottom, and she apparently thought it was a bee or something. Anyway, we stopped just for a moment, and it was in that moment that Daisy had her “goose” moment.  She got all fired up and decided that the “bee” had to go. She turned hard around to the left and started to go in a circle. My friend grabbed the rein, but it was too late. The saddle slid to the right, and I was promptly ejected from Daisy and to the ground. I fell hard, too hard for this seventy-year-old body.

When I came to my senses, I was just stunned. I had fallen on my right side and soon it became apparent that my right shoulder had taken the brunt of the force. It was a few minutes before I could stand, and it was a few more minutes when we decided I needed to walk awhile. Well, the more time passed, the sorer my arm and shoulder became. We were about an hour and half from the truck and trailer…one of the longest hour and a half of my life. We did make it but for now that is where the story will end.  Is there more? Oh yes, there is more but you will have to wait a couple of days for the rest.

One of the big truths about Daisy getting goosed is the fact that nobody was at fault—not Daisy, not my friend and not me. The truth is sometimes things happen.  We live in an imperfect world, but we have a perfect God who is always working on our behalf.  We literally were in a wilderness area and that fall could have been a whole lot worse and if it had been—well, there was no easy way out. But God was watching, and God protected me from that, but that’s not all. I don’t have the whole picture yet, but I do have the whole promise from Romans 8:28. There we read, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”

What a great promise and don’t miss this.  God causes…not everything, for so much of what we endure is part of this imperfect world. What He causes is good to come from the difficult. I know there are plenty of lessons I am going to learn from all of this but one I know for sure is this.  No matter what, no matter how hard the fall, no matter how long the recovery, no matter the matter—He’s got this. Be sure and watch out for part two! Bro. Dewayne

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

Cracker Barrell Moments

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

It was an unexpected blessing. A while back my friend Jeremy gave me a call and asked if I wanted to go to Marion (a town about 25 miles from where we live) with him.  He needed some stuff from Sam’s, so it just sounded like a good thing to do.  And do you know what? It was.  He swung by the house and off we went.  As we traveled, we talked.  We have one of those “what’s said in the truck, stays in the truck” things so it is good to have a place where you can let your hair down (uh, if you’ve ever seen my hairline, you know that is metaphorically speaking) and just be guys.

As we neared Marion, he took a turn down Main Street, which was a little odd for going to Sam’s, and before I knew it we were at Cracker Barrel.  That caught me off guard since I thought we were just doing the Sam’s thing. It turns out my bad ear failed to hear the part about, “I’ll buy your breakfast.”  So, hey, the trip went from good to really good. Let’s see…time away with a brother and free breakfast…yup…that works.  We were quickly seated in Cracker Barrel but that is when the quickly ended and it was also when I realized I might be having a couple of “Cracker Barrel moments.”

We waited awhile before a server came by.  He was kind and gracious and so were we.  He took our order and Jeremy and I began to talk.  We talked about this, and we talked about that and then, because there was time, we talked about that again.  Finally, after oh, three days, our food came.  It really wasn’t too big of a deal because I was spending time with a friend, and I was studying for a sermon on patience and needed some practice.  But I did say to Jeremy, pointing at the food, “I was just about to have to work on my patience.”  He smiled and said, “Hey, you got some place to go?” Ah…Cracker Barrel moment number one. Enjoy the moment.  Truth was there was nothing I was going to do that was more important than just visiting with a friend.  Someone once said that one of the most spiritual things we can do is take a nap.  Number two on that list might be visiting with a Christian brother. Check.

Cracker Barrel moment number two happened a few minutes later.  After we were seated for a few minutes, an older couple came in and sat down nearby.  Their server was there immediately.  I think I frowned. Their food came (before ours…I might have frowned) and then shortly after, our own breakfast feast arrived.  Judy was not around so I ordered the works.  Then it happened.  A young man walked in and was seated close to the older couple.  I watched as the young man went over to the older man, excused himself for interrupting, said something.  They shook hands and the young man returned to his table.

The older couple left first and then Jeremy and I stood to leave too.  I stopped at the table of the young man and asked, “I saw you go over and talk to that older man.  What was that about?”  I already knew.  The young man said, “He was a veteran, and I was thanking him for his service.”  Yup…I was right.  The older gentleman had a ball cap on, and it identified him as a veteran. I said, “Well, thank you for thanking him for his service.  That was very kind.”  I don’t know who his Momma was, but she sure did a good job raising him.

Two Cracker Barrel moments—two exact opposite lessons yet both valuable.  Live for the moment…whatever is next can probably wait and always, and I mean always, take the opportunity to do the right thing…like thanking a veteran.  I left Cracker Barrel a lot fuller that day…pun intended. We enjoyed a good meal, some great fellowship, and had a blessing thrown in for dessert.

Tucked away in one of those books of the Bible that we rarely read is a verse that says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” I think my visit to Cracker Barrel hit on a couple of those.  None of us know which day will be our last day but it is good to know the One who does. Until that time, we need our Cracker Barrel moments to remind us we are still learning and that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

I Hated Him

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32

His name was Richard Jackson and I hated him. I know, I know…hate is a strong word, and you aren’t supposed to hate someone or anyone.  But lying is wrong too and the truth is…I hated him.  Besides all that I was in the eighth grade, so it was a long time ago. I’ve wanted to write this story before, but I’ve always put it off. Not anymore.

Anyone who knows anything can tell you that junior high, or middle school as they call it now, can be difficult…and mine was.  I never was in the cool crowd at school…I just didn’t make the cut. And add to that I was a little too short and a little too pudgy and I guess that just made me a target. Richard Jackson wasn’t in the cool group either he was in that nether land where people go who aren’t nerdy but aren’t cool either.  In another world, Richard Jackson would be a target like me…but he wasn’t.

Richard Jackson wasn’t a target because he was the one who targeted others.  By a twist of fate, he was big, real big.  I’m not sure if he was big because of his DNA or the fact that he probably spent too many years in the eighth grade.  Regardless, he was big and for whatever reason, when he looked for someone to push around and bully, he found me.  We didn’t share classes, we didn’t live in the same neighborhood, and we sure didn’t go to the same church.  Come to think about it, I’m sure Richard Jackson didn’t go to church.

Anyway, Richard Jackson, for most of my eighth-grade year made it his business to make me miserable. He would push and shove and threaten me almost daily.  To make matters worse, Richard Jackson had a lackey who would hang around him.  If Richard Jackson was big, Mark Williams wasn’t. He was skinny, almost scrawny, but all that didn’t matter because he belonged to Richard Jackson.  Well, Richard Jackson decided that Mark Williams should beat me up and one day he said just that. He promised to ride my bus and get off at my stop and pummel me.  That was a long day as I waited all day to get beat up.

Well, I got on the bus, they got on the bus and when it came to my bus stop…we all got off.  Richard Jackson instantly started in on me and at the same time encouraged his lackey to hit me.  Well, he did, square on the mouth and then we took to the ground and wrestled around a bit before it was all over.  Well, every day for months I would take my tongue and feel the large knot on my lip.  Every day for months I relived those few moments trying to make the outcome different.  It never was. To this day, I hate that day.

I think, though I am not sure, that soon after this Richard Jackson lightened up some.  In fact, by the time high school rolled around he was almost civil.  His lackey Mark Williams went somewhere…maybe parole school for all I know.  All I know is for a long time I allowed that day to define me.  For a long time, I allowed the fear of another bully showing up to cause me to live in fear.  And then finally, slowly, the fear disappeared but the scar remained.

As I write this, I still can feel the emotional pain that Richard Jackson and Mark Williams inflicted on me.  And, honestly, it wouldn’t be too hard for me to hate them all over again but then I realize that wouldn’t accomplish anything.  I’ve given them enough free rent in my brain already.  Besides all that since those days I had another important day—I met a Man who loved me enough to die for me.  I met a Man who forgave me of everything I had ever done wrong.  I met a Man who said since I have forgiven you don’t you think you should forgive him…forgive them.  And I realized He was right.  If I didn’t, I would be no better than they were.

Is there a Richard Jackson or a Mark Williams in your past…or present?  Is there a scar on your heart the size of Texas because someone decided to put it there?  Maybe just maybe it is time to let it go.  Maybe it is time to forgive.  I was watching The Chosen last night and one of the big truths was Peter’s unwillingness to forgive Matthew and Matthew’s failure to own his sin. It was a powerful moment. You see, if we are the offender we need to own our part and if we are the offended—well, we need to let it go.

As I wrote this, I was amazed at the emotion that still lingers in my heart and in my memories and I realized this forgiveness thing isn’t as easy as it seems.  But that’s ok because the One who asked me to forgive stands ready to help me to forgive.  He stands there ready to help, whispering, “It’s ok, I’ve got this.”  Bro. Dewayne