Category: Family

Posted in communication, Family, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture

Lost Keys and Love Notes

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.” Psalm 86:5

It was a small thing that said a big thing.  The other night, my wife Judy was folding a load of clothes that she had done.  It’s one of those things that I sometimes forget to say “thank-you” for.  She had stepped into her role as what we call at 217 the “Underwear Fairy.”  It all came from the fact that my drawer of undies just magically seems to stay full and neatly folded.  Well, as she folded, I said something about time and with a twinkle in her eye she told me to stay put and then left the room…something told me there was another love note coming.

Soon she returned with her hand behind her back.  From there she produced a small hourglass that was not filled with sand but iron filings.  The base contained a magnet and as the filing fell from the top to the bottom, they took on different shapes as they came under the influence of the magnet.  It was a gadget and Judy knows I love gadgets. It was special, it was thoughtful, and it was a love note.  You see love notes are those small things that someone who loves you does just because…and she sends a lot of love notes and I love her for it.

I have learned, at least for me, it often isn’t the big things that she does that rings my bell.  No, it is often the small things. I remember one time, knowing I had a difficult meeting at work, she went to the grocery store and bought a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia. Now, in case you don’t know, Ben and Jerry’s is expensive and it is not healthy.  In fact, you might say that it is a heart attack in a pint container. Laying that aside, she chose to send a love note.  Oh, and it was delicious.

She is not the only one who sends me love notes.  Oh no, I have another admirer and He outdoes even my wife.  He is Creator God but my term of endearment for Him is “Dearest Daddy.” As the title implies, He is my Heavenly Father and I, well, I am one of His kids.  God does a lot of big things for a lot of people but for me often it is the small things…the things that He does that simply say, “I love you.”  I call them love notes and I love them because they help show me how much He cares for me.

What does a love note look like?  Well, they are as varied as the minutes in a day but let me tell you about a special one.  A while back, we were going to a concert with one of our kids and their kids…aka grandkids.  We were going to drive Judy’s car and spend the night.  Now Judy’s car has one of those fancy things where you don’t need to insert a key into the ignition you just mash a button.  It’s really kind of cool. The deal is…you must have a key on you to make it work.  So, she has a key but it is just convenient if I have a key too.  Well, I realized I had forgot to pick up my key, so I stopped in the drive way and went to get mine and it was…gone. Bummer.

I did a quick search of all the suspected places it could be all to no avail.  I went back to the car and Judy went and looked too.  Nada. We went ahead and left but this was really on my brain.  You see, this was one of those three-hundred-dollar keys.  I had Judy call a couple of places we had gone the night before just in case they were turned in.  They weren’t.  All the way to my kid’s house and through the evening this would pop in my brain.  Nothing made sense and nothing rang a bell in my brain.

Well, the next day we got back home, and I looked again in all the places and it just wasn’t there.  I was disappointed but figured I had done all that I could do, and trust me that was pretty good for me since I tend to get frustrated…especially when it involves replacing a three-hundred-dollar key. So, for some reason, I walked over the counter/desk where I usually put my keys, wallet, etc.  And then…it happened.  We have a small chair there and something said, “Look in the chair.”  So, I slid the chair out and there lay the lost key.  Boom.  Love note. And, just in case you are wondering, yes, the first words out of my mouth were, “Thank you Father.”

So, you probably know this, but today’s big truth is twofold.  First, yes, God loves you.  If you can’t yet call Him Father, He would love to fix that.  Talk to someone or Google it. Second, make every day a good day to look for His love notes. They are all around…we just need to learn to recognize them.  Rather than assuming something is a coincidence or accident…just look through the lens of God’s love and you will see them all around.

The Psalms in the Old Testament part of the Bible contains a whole bunch of love notes. Psalm 86:5 is a good one, “O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.” And trust me He wants you to be a part of His family and He wants to flood your “mailbox” with love notes.  So, look around, and you will discover a world full of heavenly notes and each one is also a reminder that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, life, Scripture

Ex-Lax

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful, and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So, she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” Genesis 3:6

I remember it like it was yesterday…or a couple of weeks ago anyway.  I am the youngest of eight children.  Some call me the baby of the family…I call it the best. My brothers and sisters nicknamed me precious.  I used to think it was because they were jealous, but I later learned they were just right.  And, because I was so precious, well I often was the target of pranks and other acts of terrorism.

The two sisters right above me and myself were called the three little ones.  That was because everybody else was several years older and therefore bigger.  My two youngest sisters were the main terrorists.  They loved to hold me down and tickle me mercilessly and then pull my ears till they were blood red. It’s because of them one of my ears sticks out further than the other. They were two tough cookies.

One time they pushed me out the door in my underwear and wouldn’t let me back in.  I banged and banged on the door all to no avail.  They, of course, will deny all of this but trust me, at the Judgement Seat all will be revealed, and they will surely be grateful for grace.

I have always had an affection for sweet things, and they even used that against me.  One day one of them came up and said, “Dewayne, do you want some candy?”  Well, my response was, “Well sure.”  It was a small box and in my excitement, I didn’t take time to read the label.  Honestly, since I was only about eight, I probably wouldn’t have known the difference anyway.  So, I opened the box and found that it was filled with chocolates.  There were only three or four pieces in the box and before long…they were gone.

I did notice that they tasted a little different, but they were sweet and they were brown so hey, that was close enough for me.  I should have been suspicious that the terrorists were being so nice, but I always was a trusting soul.  Several hours passed and before long time that wasn’t the only thing that passed.  You see, my loving sisters had fed me a whole box of Ex-Lax.  They would deny it, you probably can’t believe it but trust me I was there.  Oh, boy was I there.

Well, I learned a lot of lessons growing up and this is one of them.  You see, things are often not what they seem to be. I thought I was getting a box of chocolates and instead I got a box of trouble.  It looked like chocolate, it even tasted like chocolate but it wasn’t anything close.  Did you know that the Bible warns us how the Devil can disguise himself?  It says that he can disguise himself as an angel of light when in fact He is the angel of darkness.  Remember that…things are not always as they seem.

I learned to that not everyone who comes bearing gifts can be trusted.  I should have known better when they offered me that box but my desire for chocolate overruled my common sense.  That is what got Adam and Eve in trouble in the garden. The story is found in Genesis, and it says, “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful, and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So, she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” And just like that…I found myself eating Ex-Lax.

It’s a tricky world out there…terrorists are lurking everywhere and sometimes they might be related so be careful.  Be sure and use your good common sense if someone offers you a little box filled with chocolates.  You might be getting more than you bargained for.  Like I said, I probably wouldn’t have understood the label even if I had read it. But do you know what?  My Momma would have.  In fact, if I had gone to Momma this story would have been totally different.  But, well, I didn’t.

As we journey through this upside-down world, don’t forget to go to your Dearest Daddy with your questions and mysteries.  He is always there, and He is always watching out for you.  You can trust Him. His box of chocolate is always the real deal.  So have a seat, open the box, and enjoy.  You can rest in Him.  He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, gratitude, love, Scripture

Unexpected Treasures

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)

One day, they arrived, unannounced in the mail.  I can’t remember a time when I didn’t like receiving good things in the mail.  Now, to be honest, good things don’t include everything.  Tax bills are definitely not on the good list.  But when I was a kid, we signed up to receive the “Weekly Reader.”  One day a week, during the summer, we would get this short newsletter with all kinds of cool kids’ stuff in it.  It was the highlight of my early years in the summer.  Even now, when I order something from out there in internet hyperspace, I await its arrival with great anticipation.  Of course, often, that is not via the mail but UPS or FedEx.

So, a while back, a small package arrived in the real mail.  I was not expecting anything, so I was just a little excited.  You would never guess in a hundred years what it was.  Are you ready?  It was an old pair of boys’ underwear.  What? Are you kidding?  And, no, I am not kidding.  Here are the details.  The package was from my oldest sister, Agnes.  She had recently moved and was going through stuff and tucked away she found something given to her a long, long time ago.  You see, when the Taylor girls turned sixteen, it was a tradition that they receive a “hope chest.” It was a cedar chest to put special things and other things that they might use to set up housekeeping.  Well, at least I think that is how it worked.  Anyway, Agnes is pretty sure that when she got her hope chest, Momma gave her this underwear. Now hold on…there is something coming.

She told Agnes that this underwear belonged to our Daddy when he was a boy of probably ten years old.  I’m not sure how Momma had them or why she kept them…but she did.  I can imagine when my then sixteen-year-old sister got this underwear.  I can also imagine my Momma saying, “Agnes, these belonged to your Daddy when he was a boy.  I know they don’t mean much now but later they will.”  Well, Agnes held on to them and what was in the beginning a novelty became a treasure.  Now, that underwear that my Daddy wore is over a hundred years old.  Even as I write that I can’t believe it.  When she found them, she thought I might want them and that is how they came to be in the mail…an unannounced treasure.

There are so many things in our lives that when we first receive them, they might mean little but then something happens to change everything. A good morning kiss becomes one of the last.  A love note left on the counter saved becomes sacred. A simple card made by your baby girl becomes the highlight of your day when it is rediscovered on the day of her wedding.  The memory of a lingering morning hug given years before carries you through a difficult day. Or a century old pair of boy’s underwear reminds you of how God blessed you with wonderful parents.  Unexpected treasures.

As we do life, let me encourage you to look around—poke around. You might discover memories and things that magically have turned from ordinary into treasures. And then, take a moment and pause and give thanks. Take a moment and thank your Dearest Daddy in heaven for the treasure and maybe the person who made it possible. Remember the words of Paul when he wrote, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) You see, not all treasure is found in gold plated boxes, sometimes it is found in common places.  Sometimes it is found in the quiet whisper from the Whisperer of heaven when He gently reminds us, “I’ve got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, life, Military memories, Scripture, Veteran's Day

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

This story is my annual story for Veteran’s Day. Last year I went to visit the graves of two of my brothers. Both were veterans buried in the Pensacola Naval Air Station national cemetery. That was a wonderful day, and it spoke deeply into my heart. This Veteran’s Day be sure and thank each veteran you see for their service.

A couple of years ago my wife Judy and I visited the national battlefield at Dover, Tennessee.  I was so impressed.  Fort Donelson National Battlefield is a Civil War battle site sandwiched between the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers.  The South had built two forts there to control those two rivers.  It was a major supply line for the South.  Many of the original earthworks are still there.  You can imagine the Union and Southern soldiers huddling down, rising only to fire at one another.

One spot on the tour showed where the big Southern guns were mounted.  In fact, several of them are still there.  There were three on one side and seven on the other.  The guns could hurl a 30-pound shell over a mile and were some of the deadliest weapons of the war.  At that spot, an American Bald Eagle was perched in a large oak tree right on the bluff.  It was as if he was watching over the sacredness of this hallowed ground.  Men—both Union and Southern, had shed their blood on these grounds.  One side was dying to preserve the Union and the other dying to tear it apart.  After more than a few minutes, the eagle took his leave and so did we.

The car tour then took us out of the park and down the road a mile or so.  There we found more earthworks, more cannons, and more ground stained with blood.  Leaving there we headed down the road to the National Cemetery established after the battle. The Union soldiers won the day, but the cost was high on both sides.  Judy and I parked the car and walked around the cemetery.  There were hundreds of graves…all men who had fought for the Union.  Sadly, the Confederate dead were dumped into mass graves and covered over.  They remain that way today.

At the cemetery, there were many graves from the Civil War era but since it is still an active military cemetery, warriors from virtually all the wars are buried there.  Judy and I saw graves from World War I, World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars.  We even saw one grave from what was called the Second Seminole War or the Florida War. Row upon row of graves, some older ones with only a last name and their assigned unit, lay silently giving testimony to their last full measure of devotion to their country.  There was one more thing.

We noticed that lying on top of many of the headstones there were coins.  They were mostly pennies with a sprinkling of silver coins also.  I didn’t know what they meant but I had an idea, and I was right.  There is a tradition that honors men and women who served their country.  You mainly see it in national cemeteries but also at others scattered throughout our Land.  When you see a penny on top of the headstone of a veteran, it means that someone stopped and reflected on the soldier’s life and service. It is a form of remembrance.  And, when a family member returns to the grave, they have the assurance that someone remembered and honored their loved one’s sacrifice and service.

If there was a silver coin, and back in the old days a nickel, in particular, it meant the person who stopped by had a special relationship with the fallen soldier.  They may have gone through basic training together or were assigned to the same unit.  There has always been a special bond between men and women who fought together… and perhaps died together.  It is a bond that lives on beyond death and those silver coins honored that bond.

The Bible is full of renowned, well-known, verses but one that stands out is where Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”  That is what those silver coins were saying.  It was a silent testimony of loyalty to one another.  This band of brothers was willing to die for the other…and many did.  What an amazing story of love and commitment.

Today we honor the men and women of our great country who served or are actively serving in its armed forces.  For 250 years brave soldiers have put their lives on the line.  As the saying goes, “All who served gave some, but some gave all.”  We should be incredibly grateful for both.  As you journey through life today and you recognize a man or woman who was or is a member of the armed forces, take the time to thank them for their service.  The freedoms we enjoy came at great cost whether it was the ultimate sacrifice or the daily sacrifice of hardship or separation from family.  Be sure and let them know you appreciate it.  It is just the right thing to do.  Oh, and don’t forget to thank the One who provides the ultimate freedom…Jesus Christ.  Because of Him, we can rest…because of Him, we can have the peace of knowing…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, gratitude, Halloween, Holidays, life, school days, Scripture, spiritual battles

Days Gone By–Or Not?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “[He] does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44b

 In those days it was one of my favorite holidays.  Things change…we all get that but back in the day, Halloween was fun, it was candy profitable and we loved it.  There were church parties where we all dressed up in costumes.  And those costumes weren’t bought in a store…they were made from wherever was handy.  We would have hotdogs and chips and there was always a contest for the best costume.  Come trick or treat night we would again don our costumes. Mine was invariably a hobo—I just went to dad’s closet and boom—I was ready to go.

One of my favorite things was going to Momma’s cedar chest.  It was a magic place where so many cool things were stored.  It was filled with once-a-year delights and special treasures.  One time my daddy had to make a trip of Ecuador for work.  He was a mechanic at the Navy base and one of their planes broke down down in South America. He was selected to make the trip and trust me—it was the trip of a lifetime for him.  He bought everyone souvenirs and mine was a poncho and a short bullwhip.  They were stored in the cedar chest for safe keeping.

But there was something else in the cedar chest—our trick or treat bags.  Momma had made one for each of us out of cloth scraps and in my mind’s eye I can still see them.  At the right time, Momma would open the cedar chest and get them out for the special night. Now these are different days but back then as soon as it began to get dusky, we would hit the streets of our neighborhood.  It was a wonderful time of innocence—no danger, no dark tricks…we were safe and free, and we would run the streets until the porch lights were all out and our bags were full.  

Things are tragically different now.  The meaning has changed, the danger is real and well, it’s just not the same.  When our daughters were small enough to trick or treat it was still pretty safe, but we would never think of letting them go out by themselves and now, today, certainly not the grandkids. I wish they could have known the Halloween I knew but alas they are gone.  Things do in fact change.

Sadly, there is something else that hasn’t changed.  The trick part of trick or treat.  Back when I was, oh, ten or so, we might, maybe take a bar of soap and soap a window or two but even that was rare and brought a twinge of guilt. But those memories are not what I am thinking about.  I am talking about the ultimate, most evil trickster—the devil himself.  If you know anything about him you know he is a great deceiver and he loves to lead, or drag, people down a dark path of regret and consequences.  It’s who he is and it something he was done since the beginning of time.  Just ask Eve and Adam. He promises the best treat—which is a lie—and never tells the rest of the story—the trick. Like he told Eve, “Go ahead and have a bite—you won’t die.”  Well, we know how that turned out.

Well, Halloween is here and remember this big truth today and every day.  Never, ever, trust what Satan offers.  Jesus said he is a liar and the father of it and trust me—Jesus always tells the truth. What Jesus offers—love, forgiveness, grace and peace—are all real and all can be ours for the asking.  He is the treat of a lifetime—with no small print and no tricks.  You can believe it—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, Scripture

After the Sun Sets

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands.” 2 Corinthians 5:1

The best is yet to come.  Recently my wife Judy and I spent ten days down in Florida at the Top Sail State Park. The park has three miles of beautiful shoreline facing West on the Gulf of America. Each evening around 6:00 pm we would hop on our bikes and ride down to the shore to see the sunset that God had created for that day. They were magnificent.

One evening we met a young family–a dad, mom and five kids–and they were just a super blessing. More on that in another story. So the dad and I were standing and watching the sun as it slowly sank beneath the horizon. Soon the last bit of the sun was gone but that wasn’t the end of the story. It was one of those days that the color and beauty after the sun went to bed was actually more beautiful than the sunset itself. 

As we were standing there, I said to him, “You know sometimes the beauty after the sunset is better than before. He knew I was speaking of something even bigger than one day’s sunset. I was speaking of life, death and eternal life. You know life here can be pretty awesome…even with its bumps and bruises. But no matter how wonderful it is–it can never compare to what lies beyond the sunset for the the believer in Christ. 

The songwriter said it best, “Beyond the sunset, Oh, blissful morning, when with our Saviour Heaven is begun. Earth’s toiling ended, oh, glory dawning, beyond the sunset, when day is done. I thank God for the many blessings God sends our way here–but I can’t wait to see what life is like there. So the next time you are watching the sunset, remember, what happens later is better. He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, Grace, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel

Stuck in A Rut

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25. All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27a

It is so easy to get stuck in a rut. A habit starts there or a habit starts there and before you know it–you are stuck in a rut.  Many years ago, when people were moving West, most of the vehicles were wagons and most of the roads consisted only of wagon tracks. These tough roads were very hard to navigate, particularly because wagons would often get stuck in the wheel ruts that had been created by other wagons, and getting out of those deep ruts could be extremely difficult. One wagon trail even had a sign that read: AVOID THIS RUT OR YOU WILL BE IN IT FOR THE NEXT 25 MILES.

All of us would admit we’ve been stuck in a rut at some point in our lives. But how can we know if the rut we’re in is a good rut or a bad rut? In other words, how do we make sure the habits we’re building are life-giving instead of life-draining? The key to making sure your habits are healthy ones is to ask the simple question: “Is God glorified by this?” If we look at our habitual behavior and see that it brings honor to only ourselves, then that’s a rut God wants us to leave behind!

Someone once said that a rut is nothing more than a grave with the ends knocked out. So remember this–it’s never too late to start developing healthy habits. We should constantly examine your daily routine and refine it to be one that brings the most glory to God. When you stay out of the unhealthy ruts, you’ll experience the fullness of joy God has for you! Need a little help to get out of that rut?  God’s just waiting for a call–you can trust Him.  He’s got this! Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, life, Scripture, spiritual battles, Trials, watermelon

Stupid Watermelon

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against you—you alone—I have sinned and done this evil in your sight.” Psalm 51:3-4

I should have just stayed home.  You probably don’t know there is such a thing as a stupid watermelon but if you live long enough you will surely run into one.  In my case it happened one day several years ago at our local grocery store.  Before I begin the story you need to know that I am one of those slightly older people who has “old people’s skin.”  In case you don’t know “old people’s skin” happens as a person ages.  The result is skin that bruises and wounds easily.  Let me just say, “It ain’t fun.” It goes like this.

You are opening the storm door with one of those automatic closing things.  The wind catches the door, banging into your arm.  Congratulations…you are the proud owner of a new bruise.  You are carrying a pile of limbs to the rubbish pile and one shifts in your hands and against, or rather into, your arm.  You win again.  You are going up the stairs…yes, I said up the stairs, and your foot catches on the riser and you fall against the wall.  Double congratulations…you win a bruise and cut.  Sigh.

And it is always the hand you use the most.  In my case I am left handed so my left arm continually looks like I play major league football or have wrestled with a full-grown lion.  Either way…its not pretty.  And mark my word, just about the time you get it healed up…bam…you start all over again. That, dear friends, is where the stupid watermelon comes along.

I don’t do grocery stores.  I definitely do food…I just don’t do grocery shopping.  Well, one evening I was feeling pretty jovial and decided to go to the grocery store with my wife Judy.  We enter the store and get one of those cute (on no…I said cute again) mini baskets and off we go.  We are heading back to the bakery so I am in a particularly good mood.  I can already taste the greasy, fried dough.  Then…it happens.  There is a sign that says, “Watermelons – $3.99.”  Judy loves watermelons.

We pause and begin to study the watermelons.  She thumps them.  She pats them. She caresses them.  After several minutes the winner is chosen.  “I want this one” she declares.  Her galant, strong prince, hoists the winning melon out of the bin of losers and prepares to put it in the buggy.  Because we have a mini-buggy, I decided to put it in the bottom rather than the top.  That is where things got ugly.

I bend over and prepare to slide the watermelon into the too small bottom portion of the buggy. Just at the time of releasing the melon and removing my hand—it slips. As it falls into the too small bottom portion it rolls on my hand and catches my finger between the basket and watermelon. “Ouch,” I said.  When I was able to maneuver my finger from between the basket and melon—I saw it.  Not a bruise…oh no…but a nice ¾ inch skin laceration.  It was bleeding. Badly. Profusely.  It was then the true nature of the melon escaped my lips, “Stupid watermelon.”  No wonder they were on sale for $3.99. 

It seems at least they could have put a sign up that read, “Stupid Watermelons – $3.99.” 

Well, I quickly became obsessed over the true nature of the evil watermelon.  “Hey Judy, do you have a tourniquet to stop the bleeding from the stupid watermelon?” “Honey, do you want some cheese to go with the stupid watermelon?” On and on it went and the watermelon and I became mortal enemies.  And the coup-de-grace?  Not only was it stupid…it wasn’t even sweet.  Sigh.

But no, I had to find out the hard way.  About then Judy said something like, “Well, it really wasn’t the watermelon…it was the buggy.” I began to protest but I think she said something like, “And you know it happened because it slipped out of your hand.”  By that I assumed she meant the one that was cut and bleeding.  Somehow it didn’t make my hand feel any better and two weeks later I still have some healing to do.  But…she was right.

It wasn’t the watermelon, it wasn’t the buggy it wasn’t even me.  It was just one of those things that happen.  I just needed to blame something because my hand hurt and 746 people were going to ask, “What happened to your hand?”  Blaming it on a stupid watermelon just seemed easier.  The truth is, it is easier to blame than it is to own.  It has been that way since the beginning of time.  In the garden, Adam blamed Eve and God for the hot mess they were in after they chose to sin.  Eve, of course, blamed the serpent and the serpent, well, he just smiled.

Whether it is broken skin or a broken heart; whether it is someone’s fault or not; whether you own part of the skirmish or all of it—why not take a moment and own it. Press the pause button, calm down and then just eat the watermelon.  That way, you will get the last laugh.  Then, tell God about it, all about it and take a rest in Him.  After all–He’s got it. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Family, food, marriage, Scripture, wisdom

Judy’s “S” Words

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “So, it is sin to know to do good and yet not do it.” James 4:17 

I said the “S” word.  Oh, no—not that one.  You see we have some strict standards with language in our house.  My wife Judy taught our children, and me, that there are certain words we just don’t say.  One is “shut-up.”  That is just too rude.  I remember a couple of years back when she was teaching Refit, she was using a pop song called, “Shut-up and Dance with Me.”  Oh my—I had a fit.  I tried to explain to her how that was against our standards. She gently, well, somewhat gently, explained to me that it was a love song, and the words were spoken in that context.  “Oh.” I said. You see, I’ve always been kinda cut and dry.

But that is not the word that came out of my mouth on another day.  It was the other “S” word that is banned from our family.  So, I had just finished my morning walk.  I was zipping along pretty good…enough to work up a good sweat anyway.  I got back to the house, and I was drenched with sweat…hot and tired.  But there was this kinda feeling of satisfaction at the same time. And then I got to thinking.

You see I try to be at least somewhat healthy which means I try to exercise several times a week. I know it is a good thing to do.  I know it is the right thing to do.  It’s the kinda thing that you tell your doctor you are doing, and they pat you on the head and say how well you are doing. I even have a healthy breakfast—lots of protein and very little carbs or fat.  I feel another pat on the head coming on.  And then it happens.  Someone would bring donuts to the office and those sweet round things would whisper my name.  Sometimes it would be cookies, and they whispered a little louder.  Throughout the day the whispers got louder and louder and by the time evening came I am eating anything and everything with sugar in it.  And that’s when I said it.

Sitting outside, drenched in sweat, proud of exercising, I said it, “Dewayne, you’re stupid (that’s the other “S” word).  You work so hard to exercise and then turn around and make a series of unwise and unhealthy decisions.  And it occurs to me that those bad decisions totally negate the good ones made in the morning.  In other words, I am shooting myself in the foot.  At best I am breaking even for the day. I think I am learning the good doesn’t outweigh (no pun intended) the bad.  I need to cut back, perhaps way back, on the sweet stuff to really gain the benefit of the exercise.

We do the exact same thing with our spiritual disciplines.  Do we understand that even if we get up in the morning and have a time with God—even if we read His Word, read a couple of devotional thoughts, and even pray, the unwise decisions we make during the rest of the day rob us of our victory?  We need to learn to do the good and at the same time stop the bad.  We need to carefully weigh each decision we make.  Often, I visit our pantry and will find myself trying different things just to satisfy that itch I have.  In the process I consume a bunch of empty, non-satisfying calories.  I end the day wondering why and how that happened. I then start the next day with a commitment to do better.

I think the secret must be to constantly remember through the day the cost of making unwise decisions—whether they be calories or sins.  And then in the case of the pantry, turn out the light and walk out—empty handed.  It may be difficult at the moment, but the win is about two minutes later when you realize you made a right decision.  And that’s another secret—make one wise decision and then wait to make the next one.  Before long—you wait—and things will begin to change.

There’s a verse tucked away in the book that James the half-brother of Jesus wrote in the Bible.  It says that when we know to do good and then choose not to do it—well, that becomes a sin.  And if we see it through that lens it starts to make sense.  Now most of my nighttime grazing for sweets occurs when Judy isn’t around.  It’s just easier to make unwise choices when the one who loves me most isn’t there.  My best idea is to stay out of the kitchen when she isn’t around.

It’s the same with our Dearest Father. It’s much easier to do life when we stick close to Him in our heart, thoughts, and actions. If we can get it into our heads that He is always there to help us make wise choices—well, we will make wiser choices.  He wants us to sin less because when we do—we bring glory to His name, and we are happier.  So, the next time you’re tempted to make a bad or unwise decision, look around and He will be there for you.  Just turn out the light and walk out empty-handed.  Just put your hand in His.  Just lay it to rest.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne 

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

Seasons Come and Seasons Go

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.  A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Seasons come and seasons go.  A while back Judy’s great nephew posted a picture on Facebook. It showed their son, maybe five years old, walking down his driveway.  On his back he carries a backpack that is just about as big as he is. He is heading to school—his first day of kindergarten. The first day of school is an event, even more so when it is kindergarten, especially for mom and dad. In the foreground of the picture, is a line of toys…I suppose some of his favorites.  The message was beautifully clear. As seasons change, as great adventures come along, as each new journey starts, sometimes you must leave what you love behind. It’s part of growing up—it’s part of life. I’m sure out of camera range was mom, and dad too, who watched through teary eyes.  Their little boy was growing up.  Seasons come and seasons go.

It happened a couple of weeks ago as Fall silently arrived. Did you feel it? Did you sense it? Probably not.  For most it wasn’t even a blip on the calendar. There was no fanfare, no ticker-tape parade, no sounds trumpeting its arrival.  In many ways it was just a day on the calendar that most of us probably missed.  But not everyone missed it.  The trees took note.  Slowly and surely, their leaves began turning a beautiful yellow and red before drifting, floating to the ground.  The plants took note.  The shortening days began telling their leaves it was time to prepare for next spring by preparing for winter’s sleep.  And oh yes, the squirrels definitely knew it.  They began gathering their supply of acorns and pecans, tucking them away for the coming winter.  You see, Fall is a time of transition…nature’s way of letting us know that another season is soon coming…Winter. And Winter, like all the seasons, is something to celebrate—something to embrace.

For me the first day of Fall was an event.  Every year I look forward to it. I told my wife that part of the mystery of Fall is how something so beautiful prepares the way for a time of dormancy and sleep.  You might think of it as a time of things dying but you would be wrong.  No, it is a time of preparation and transition.  Remember…seasons come and seasons go. And in the beauty of Fall we see the promise of Spring, of new life.  It is that way for nature.  It is that way for us.  In the Fall of our lives, things begin to change and it is God’s way of preparing us for new life, eternal life with Him. While we do have to walk through the winter of death, just on the other side is the eternal spring of heaven.  It is something to celebrate—something to embrace.

So, seasons come and go.  It is true in nature and it is true in life.  While the changing seasons sometimes bring challenges they also bring on exciting new adventures. Changing seasons on the calendar are something to celebrate—something to embrace.  It is God’s promise to us that something new is coming. The author of Ecclesiastes reminds us that for everything there is a season—a time for every purpose under heaven.  He’s telling us that seasons come and seasons go. There are times for living and dying, playing and harvesting, dancing and sitting still. Yes, it is something to celebrate—and something to embrace.

As we casually flip the pages of the calendar, as the clock keeps ticking, leading us toward new seasons and new adventures, don’t get stuck in the cold of Winter. No, remember this—Spring is on the other side.  Every day is a gift from God and is a gentle nudge from our Dearest Daddy that He is preparing new seasons and new adventures for us.  Like our first day of kindergarten, it might mean leaving behind some of the things we love, but we can rest in Him knowing that only the best comes from Him and He never, ever gets it wrong.  Never. Sleep well tonight knowing that He who creates the days, masters the same.  Rest knowing that He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne