fear – Page 16 – Grits with Grace

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Ordinary Things

Posted on July 13, 2023July 12, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20

It was one strange bouquet of emotions. It was the end of a good Sunday. We had a great day at church and after a good nap we headed down to Paducah to return a lawn mower. We had ordered the mower online and when it arrived it was damaged…of course. Well, that meant borrowing something big enough to haul it back to the store. About that time our Paducah tribe came to the rescue with their SUV. They hauled it there and we drove down to finish the return and of course see the family.

We headed to the store that we had ordered it from, returned it, and then celebrated with a trip to Cold Stone. It was awesome and of course, Papa had to taste the flavors the three grandsons had ordered…as well my daughter’s. After all the eating and sampling, we headed on back to Harrisburg. Judy, my wife, was a little hungry so I told her we would whip in and buy some diesel and then swing into McDonald’s. It was a plan. When we got back in town, I pulled into the station and began to fill up the Jetta. It was just about then that things went…south.

I decided to clean the windshield since we were there and there must have been something in the water because it was a mess. Usually, they use plain water but there was nothing plain about this stuff. While I was trying to get that off the windshield, a man at the other side of pump started talking to me. Well, between his not too clear speech and my not too good hearing, there was a lot of nodding and agreeing to things that I probably didn’t agree with. Well, honestly after a while, it was time to draw this conversation to a close. So, with a bit of frustration about the stuff on the windshield and the too long conversation with my friend, I finally said, “See you later.”

I walked back to the driver’s side, opened the door, cranked the engine, and proceeded to drive off. About 1.5 seconds after the car started moving there was a very discomforting noise from the back of the car. I can’t describe it, but I knew exactly what had happened. I had totally forgotten the nozzle was still in the car and as I drove off…it didn’t come with me. Well, I immediately stopped and then circled back around not knowing what to expect. Had the nozzle ripped part of the car off? Was fuel spilling on the ground? Had the fuel hose been torn from the pump? It was not a good moment and there were plenty of emotions rolling around in my mind.

The short list included being frustrated that the guy had distracted me, anger at myself for forgetting that the nozzle was still attached to the car, and a big dose of embarrassment. Oh, and there was one more big emotion…gratitude. It was like a bouquet of weeds and a rose. You see, amazingly, while the hose was laying on the ground, it was not spewing fuel nor was it broken. Also, the car really had no damage to speak of. There were no dents, no dings, and not even a scratch. One small part of the filler thing was pulled loose but that really wasn’t important. Amazing.

First, I know I probably need to turn in my “man card” for having done this. If I have said it once, I have said it twenty-five times, “I can’t believe I did that.” And honestly, it is all on me. My long-winded friend was not to blame, and I had no right to be frustrated about the windshield either. Nope…it was my fault. But here is the part I love. This is the part that forced me to write this story when I would have much more rather kept it off the page. What forced me to write was my overwhelming sense of gratitude for my Dearest Daddy watching out for His child. I mean this could have been nasty, but He had it all under control. I can even say “thank-you” for this because I would have missed the blessing of His kindness if it hadn’t had happened.

Well, like the song says, “He is a good, good Father.” Hans Christian Andersen said, “The whole world is a series of miracles, but we’re so used to them we call them ordinary things.” He is so right. Our world is filled with love notes from a God that loves His creation dearly. How incredible is that? Paul wrote in the New Testament part of the Bible, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, whatever we do, whatever happens, believe He is in control and be sure and give Him thanks. I know more than ever that whatever it is, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

Help, I’ve Fallen

Posted on July 5, 2023June 29, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23

It is a call I get all too often. I have the privilege of serving as a pastor. That privilege includes being there when people are walking through a crisis. One thing about the pastorate is when I wake up each morning, whether I go to the office or not, I never know what the day will hold. It is not at all uncommon for someone to call me. Sometimes it is good news…the baby came…I got the job…we bought a house. Sometimes, and frankly too often, it is difficult news. It could be a child going down a difficult path, a job lost, a marriage violated or difficult news of an accident or health crisis.

Some of the most common health crises is when a senior adult takes a fall. Life is ordinary and then suddenly, a loss of balance or a toe caught on a rug, results in a hard fall and we all know older bones can be very unforgiving. I can’t tell you how many calls I have received about broken bones and broken bodies. One of the most difficult situations is when the person fell and can’t get to a phone to call for help. We have had several situations when someone would fall and have to lay in the floor for hours….long hours.

In one instance, a friend fell in her driveway, and no one found her till the next morning. She was an amazingly resilient lady and after surgery recovered well, but that is not always the case. One of the newer devices I really appreciate is a “call button” that a person wears and if they have an emergency, they can press a button and help is soon on the way. I see the commercials on tv, and they show a woman in the kitchen in pain. She presses the button and says, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” Another scene shows a man down in the park and he presses the button and says, “Help! I’ve fallen in the park, and I can’t get up.” The last one is someone down in the shower and they too can’t get up and are calling for help.

It is times like these that those simple rescue devices are so valuable. There is no telling how many lives have been saved. Of course, for them to work you must have one and you must wear one. And if you do…help is on the way. It can’t reverse the circumstances, but it can change the outcome. “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” It is true when we fall physically but the truth is we can fall in other ways…emotionally and spiritually just to name a couple…and we find we can’t get up. And I want you to know that there is something better than a button to press…there is a God to call on.

I’ve long said that God often gets a bad rap. Too often preachers and teachers present Him as a lightening tossing, fire breathing God who can’t wait to send down a little fire and brimstone on creation. Well, God is holy, and God is just, but first and foremost He is a God of rescue and redemption. He is a God of love. The New Testament writer even tells us that He wants no one to perish but everyone to be rescued. Now, that’s love. Maybe you think you are beyond rescue…you’ve fallen too far. No so. His grace is deep, and it is wide.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 37:24. It says that even if I fall, I will not be utterly cast down. In other words…no matter how hard or how far I fall, I don’t have to stay down. The reason? It simply says that God will pick me up with His strong hand. Either He will pick me up or grab me on the way down but either way it is not a knockout punch…His grace is sufficient. If you are feeling down for the count, maybe it’s time to cry out, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” You will find His strong hand right there to help you up. He is just waiting for you to ask. I like that. Can He pull it off? Without a doubt…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, July 4, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

July 4, 1974

Posted on July 4, 2023June 29, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

It was fifty-one years ago today. The summer of 1972 was unlike any other summer I had experienced. I had joined the Air Force and spent the summer at “camp” with about forty new friends. We shared one thing in common—we had taken an oath to “protect the constitution of the United States against all enemies…foreign and domestic.” We had also committed to obeying the orders of those appointed over us and at this point…that was everyone else but us. We were brand new, raw recruits who knew a lot about being a civilian and virtually nothing about being in the military. But we didn’t have to worry…our drill sergeant was taking care of that.

I arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in the early morning hours of June 13th…early as in about 2:00 am. This was intentional because the Air Force actually wanted you to be disorientated the first few days. I think it was supposed to make us more cooperative. Anyway, we quickly got into a routine sporting our new haircuts and green fatigue uniforms. They kept us going from before sunrise and put us to bed even before it was dark. That was ok too because we were wore out.

This was my first time away from home, but the schedule didn’t allow for home sickness. But all that changed one night in July. There wasn’t a lot of free time…whether it was a Tuesday, a Friday, or a Sunday…though they did allow time for church for anyone who wanted to go. Most of us wanted to go…not because we loved God but for a couple of hours, we could forget the grind of basic.

Back then the Air Force didn’t observe holidays either. Of course, the only one that occurred in my time in basic was—Independence Day. As I remember, we definitely did NOT get the day off, but I do think we got to do some extra marching…I think it was supposed to be patriotic. Anyway, it was soon time for lights out and then it happened. I was lying in my bunk; the skies had finally darkened, and I heard a familiar sound. It was the sound of exploding fireworks.

I eased out of bed and knelt down in front of the window. From there, I watched the fireworks display for the base explode and light up the sky. And as I watched, a wave of homesickness washed over me. I remembered all the times that we would go to downtown Jacksonville to the riverfront and watch the fireworks together as a family. I remembered the times we would go to a small neighborhood grocery store and sneak into the backroom where they sold illegal fireworks and load up. I remembered and as I did I knew that this was the first of many times that being a member of the military would mean separation…and sacrifice.

Before long the fireworks were over and I went back to my bunk and after too many minutes of loneliness, drifted off to sleep. The next morning it was back to business as usual. The summer of ’72 passed pretty quickly and before I knew it, I was done with basic and moved on to what was next…more training…and more new adventures. And what I discovered that night, kneeling at my window in basic, came true. There were many more days and holidays when family was far away. But also knew it was a small sacrifice to make to serve my country.

So today, be sure and remember those who are serving, who are sacrificing, that we can enjoy our freedoms. Remember freedom is never free and we should be thankful for those willing to make ours possible. Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” That is so, so true. Look, we all know America is far from perfect, but She is still the best country on the planet—remember that today too. And if you are one of those separated from family to serve, thank you and know that the One who died for you, loves you and will never leave you. No matter what you are facing today, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Waverly

Posted on July 3, 2023June 29, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.” Isaiah 43:2

It was only three hours away, but it was another world. Just short of two years ago, a horrible and intensely powerful flash flood ravaged a small town in Western Tennessee. A small, benign creek traced its way through the center of town. It is appropriately named, “Trace Creek.” Normally only a couple of feet deep, it gently winds for several miles surrounded by hills. On a Saturday, a storm system set up shop right over that region and seventeen inches of rain fell in a short period of time. Disaster was coming.

As the rainwater funneled from the hills to the valley, Trace Creek became the collecting point and soon what was a benign creek became a killing flood. The water rose not in hours but minutes—not in inches, but feet. A railroad bed that was holding some of the torrent back gave way and a twenty-foot wall of water came down on the town. As it did, death and destruction struck on what can be only described as “biblical proportions.” As the kid’s song from Sunday school says, the flood was deep, and the flood was wide.

In that short period of time cars became boats and houses were swept off their foundations. Fences were laid over and trees and power poles were simply bowled over by the force of the water. Sadly, over twenty people lost their lives and many, many more, were injured. I’m sure no one went to bed the night before dreaming of a flood, at least not of this proportion. It was a nightmare from nowhere. In a couple or three hours it was over leaving behind a disaster zone that will take years to recover and rebuild. Some, like the loss of life, will never be the same.

Our church had a personal touch with this small West Tennessee town as a couple of our families moved there last year. While they were safe, many of their friends were not. They quickly became important cogs in the wheels of rescue and recovery and that’s where we had an opportunity to help. We had recently hosted our “Back to School” community event and because of the COVID hot mess, the crowd had been smaller than in previous years and we had many school supply bags left over and several hundred pair of shoes. We were disappointed, but suddenly something began to make sense. It was an opportunity.

At the invitation of one of churches there, we loaded up the supplies and shoes and headed to West Tennessee. When we arrived, the destruction was beyond description. Our small Southern Illinois city had suffered an F-4 tornado in 2012 so we knew about disasters but this, this was beyond even what we had experienced. Soon we were setup and giving away the supplies and shoes. There were stories, there were tears, and there were thanks. At the end of a hot day, we were the ones who were blessed.

As was the case for us in 2012, their town actually experienced another kind of flood…a flood of kindness, generosity, and love. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people poured in to offer any help they could give. Restaurants and stands were set up offering free food and supplies. Life necessities were given to anyone with a need. It was amazing especially in a world of “me first”. It was obvious that is not always the case. Love and generosity ruled the day.

Across the street from where we were working was a house that had been flooded with about four feet of water. As cleanup started, the owners had emptied all of their contents and piled them by the road. I looked and in one of the discarded chairs was a large, white Bible. It didn’t seem right to see it discarded, so I went and asked the owners if I could get it and take it home. They were grateful. You see, it had been wet in the flood and couldn’t stay, but it’s present place, in the trash, was not a statement of their faith. They just didn’t know what to do. So, it is with me…a reminder of my day in that small West Tennessee town…a town called Waverly.

The story of the Bible, and that it was not discarded because of a lack of faith, was a blessing to me. People in that disaster didn’t give up on God or each other for that matter. They chose to still believe…in God, in their town, and in each other. Now a couple of years later, Waverly is well on the comeback road, and they are stronger than before. Their situation reminds me of a verse in the Old Testament that says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.”

You see, even in the midst of disaster, even when our circumstances don’t make a lick of sense, and these days that is often every day, well, He is still there. Even when we go through the darkest valley we don’t have to fear because He is with us. No matter how high the water or how hard the circumstances, listen, and you will hear the Whisperer whispering, “Rest in Me. I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

He Was Right

Posted on June 30, 2023June 29, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

How many of you remember the name Copernicus? No, he’s not a guy we met at the golf course or at a conference we attended. Copernicus made an earth-shattering announcement in 1543 that changed our lives forever. Do you know what it was? He announced that our earth was not the center of the universe.

You see, up until that time people thought the whole universe revolved around the earth–we were the center of it all. That big old fiery ball we call the sun woke up every day to circle the earth and all those stars and planets existed to move around us. The problem–it just wasn’t so. Copernicus made the announcement and upset the apple cart. His words were not well received in fact they got him into BIG trouble. Trouble or not, it didn’t change the truth.

I still remember the time when I traveled to Africa for the first time. I was surprised that virtually no one spoke English and when I went into a shop to get a cup of coffee and they didn’t know what a dollar was—I was flabbergasted. Not speak English. Not recognize an America dollar. It was just about then that I started to realize that the world does not revolve around me or us for that matter.

The latest wakeup call came during the COVID mess. I watched as slowly but surely a “me mentality” seized our culture, our communities, our churches and yup, me. What I wanted became more important that what you wanted. In a culture outside of God that kind of is the way it works. But in God’s economy and culture…uh, it doesn’t. Jesus made a big deal of it being about others. And somehow, at some way, we dropped the ball. Fumbled. Threw an interception.

As I stood around observing this phenomenon, and my participation in it, God began speaking to me. At first it was a whisper, but I do believe He is speaking a bit louder these days. In fact, and if you don’t mind me saying so, I believe shouting would be a better label. The message seems to be, “Hey this isn’t about you, or Joe or Doug or Ryan or Betty, well, you get the picture. You see our culture tells us (or is it shouting too?) that it is about us—our way, our priorities, our rights—our everything. You know, “have it your way” –“you deserve a break today” and that mentality has shifted right smack dab into the Christian community. Somewhere, somehow, we have begun to believe the lie that all that matters is–me. It may work for the world, but it doesn’t work, or shouldn’t work, for Jesus’ followers, at least not in God’s eyes. Do you want to know why most churches are struggling to get people to come? It’s because we have become consumer driven instead of “others” driven. We are leaning toward being country clubs instead of hospitals. It is because we believe it is about us.

Paul, the guy who wrote more than half of the Bible’s New Testament said, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.” Wow. In other words, the center of the universe is not me, not the earth but the God who created it all. And what matters to Him needs to matter to us. What is that you say? Others–not me but them–the ones who have never received and, to a large extent in other places in the world, never even heard of Jesus. We are supposed to be Gospel lighthouses or Gospel GPS’s pointing people to Him. If there has ever been a time when our world needs some Good News it is now.

Sometimes people say they’ve heard from God, and you give them a quizzical look like, “Sure.” I reckon folks gave Copernicus that same quizzical look, but it didn’t change the facts. It’s amazing to think that even though it was really about Jesus, He never promoted it that way. He acted as if it wasn’t. He washed feet, touched people who were untouchable and oh, He died on a criminal’s cross. How about that? Maybe it is time we take down the “Me Flag” and just love God and love people. It is the most Jesus’ thing we can do. Does that sound a little overwhelming? I know what you mean, but you know what He says, “I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

Precious Memories

Posted on June 28, 2023June 27, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him.” 1 John 5:14

It’s a song we often sing at funerals…but it’s also a good song to live by. The other day I was sitting around talking with some friends and we began sharing about some of our experiences. Before long we discovered that our friend had been in the military and spent some time in Germany…just like my wife and I. Before long, our sentences were punctuated with, “I remember…” and the room swelled with great times and great memories. I know from where I sit there are some incredible times where God just blessed. One of those times was my vision trip to work on the islands of Lake Victoria in Uganda.

This would be one mission trip that I would be taking all by myself. There was not a team and Judy was unable to go. It was me and God and I discovered that was good combination…a great combination. I remember (there’s our word) that I had asked the church family to really pray for me while I was gone. In fact, I gave them three specific things to pray for. First, I asked them to pray for my time in the boat. Because we were ministering on the islands, we would spend several hours a day in a small (about 25 feet) open boat. We would be cruising Lake Victoria, the second largest lake in the world. In fact, it was like a small sea. I sometimes have a tendency for motion sickness. Normally that is limited to going “round and round.” However, when it comes to waves and boats it can be “game on.”

My second prayer request was for an effective interpreter. When you speak with an interpreter, you say a few sentences then you pause, and he interprets what you said. Well, during my previous trips to another part of Uganda when I was teaching and preaching, my interpreter was very good. It was almost like he was an extension of me. I knew having a good interpreter would greatly impact the effectiveness of the trip. So I asked for prayer that God would send just the right man.

Finally, I asked my friends and family to pray that I wouldn’t wimp out. Now hang on–I’m not a newbie in the world of mission trips, but it was my first solo journey. There is a time to whine and a time not to whine. Is that in the book of Ecclesiastes? The bottom line is the time on any mission trip is too valuable to be a whiner. So, I needed to be flexible and remember this whole deal wasn’t about me but Him and them. There is saying for people who go on mission trips. It says, “Blessed are the flexible for they shall not break.” Amen, Lord, Amen.

So, for those of you who wonder if God answers prayer, the answer is, “He does.” When we pray for His will to be done and His purpose to be accomplished, hang on because those are prayers He loves to answer. To be direct and to the point—God answered the prayers of His kids clearly and specifically. First—no motion sickness. The lake was not calm–in fact one day we had whitecaps. Still—without a pill or a patch—I was totally free from motion sickness. That interpreter? God answered that prayer with a local pastor who was better than any other person I have worked with. He was so animated and led of the Lord—totally awesome. Last, wimping out? Well, those of you who know me best would probably have said, “Who is this guy?” One time when it was 10:00 pm and our supper had still not yet appeared, I almost whined but was able to stifle it. God was just incredibly good, and I came home with a full heart and a vision of how we could begin a ministry to the people who lived on the islands of Lake Victoria.

It is important to remember that God is not a genie with a magic lamp. God is not Santa Claus waiting to receive our wish list. God is not a vending machine where we put our quarter in and get what we want. God is God. And when we pray for His will to be done…amazing things can and do happen. John, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, said, “And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him.” That is not a statute of limitations but rather an invitation to join God in His work. Let’s join God in a conversation…not just when you are in trouble…but rather every day. You will find that He is waiting and willing to have a chat with you. Oh, and don’t be surprised, when He responds, “Don’t worry, I’ve got that.” Bro. Dewayne

fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, missions, prayer, thankful, travel, Trials

Can You Say That Again?

Posted on June 22, 2023June 21, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Strange things happen in Africa. For the past 12 or 13 years, our church has made regular trips to Africa. We began in Niger and later moved down to Mali. The last six years or so we have been working in Uganda. Regardless of what country, you can always count on Africa to give you plenty of unusual and strange sights. So, in some ways I wasn’t surprised.

We were on an island in Lake Victoria, Uganda. On any given trip we visit at least three or four different islands offering free medical care, children’s ministries, ladies ministries and visiting the people in their huts to tell them the stories of Jesus. The point of it all is to let them hear the Good News that there is a God who loves them—a lot. It was later in the afternoon, and we were winding down for the day. The medical clinic was finishing and four or five of us men were sitting in the shade under the “front porch” of one of the buildings.

So, we were talking and like I said you see some different things in Africa, so I wasn’t surprised when my friend said, “Look, there goes a woman with a peg leg.” Well, I turned around to look and didn’t see what he was talking about. I did see a lady some distance away but couldn’t see her peg leg. I mean, the only peg legs I knew about were in Peter Pan, so it piqued my curiosity.

I turned back around but didn’t say anything. But it stuck in my mind. After ten minutes or so, I just had to ask my friend about this strange sight. I said, “Tim, did you say something about a lady with a peg leg?” His expression told me I must have missed something. He gave me a perplexing look. All he could manage was a “uh?” I said, “You know, a few minutes ago you said you saw a lady with a peg leg.” He responded with, “No. I said I saw a man carrying a stringer of fish.” Silence. Snickers. Laughter.

Yup. Somewhere in the process of the conversation what was said and what I heard were two totally, and I mean totally, different things. There was no lady with a peg leg, only a guy with a stringer of fish. You are probably wondering how I got “peg leg” out of “stringer of fish.” All I can say is strange things happen in Africa. I’m glad there wasn’t a crippled lady but the idea of a peg leg like Captain Cook’s sure did intrigue me.

And do you know what? Sometimes I think this happens with God and me. I think He is saying something, and I totally miss it. Does that happen to you? I think it’s more common than we think. We think we hear Him say, “You have the right to be mad” and in fact He’s saying, “Forgive.” We think we hear Him say, “Take” and He was actually saying, “Give.” Oh, and then we thought He said, “Quit” and He was saying, “Serve.” And it just goes on and on. We hear “Leave” and He is saying, “Stay.” We hear “Go ahead” and He is saying “Stop, wait, don’t.” Seems strange things don’t happen only in Africa. Smile.

So, I’m not sure what caused the totally humorous miscommunication in Uganda. It may have been my hearing, could have been the village noise…who knows. There may not have been a fix for that, however, when it comes to hearing God clearly there is something that will really help. It is His Word. In so many situations (though I’m not sure peg legs are one of them) the Bible gives us clear guidance.

Here is one thing you can count on. The voice of God (what we think we hear God saying) will not, ever, never, contradict the Word of God. If you think you hear Him saying, “Revenge” when someone has hurt you, you probably have “Peg Leg Syndrome.” If you think you hear Him saying, “Be afraid” when circumstances are frightful, you probably have “Peg Leg Syndrome.” You get the idea.

Talking about the Word of God, Paul said that it is good for learning, good for insight about what is wrong in our lives, good for correcting us when we are wrong and good for teaching us about how to live right. The Bible is an amazing Book. It has stood the test of time and, while there are different translations, there is not a version 4.3 because God got it right the first time.

So, if you are talking with your friends and someone mentions a lady with a peg leg, you might want to ask for some clarification. And if you think you heard God say something that sounds a little not like Him, check the Book, and go to the source. Peg leg stories can be funny, but withholding forgiveness when it is ours to give, hating instead of loving, leaving too soon instead of staying…well, that can cause a lot of pain. And if you find yourself singing and living that 1974 hit “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” it might just be a bad case of Peg Leg Syndrome. Just pull out the Book, read a little and rest in Him. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, Integrity, life, loving others, Scripture, thankful, Trials

My Friend, Frances

Posted on June 21, 2023June 21, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

Johnny Cash sang it. “My name is Sue…now you’re going to die.” Well, his name wasn’t Sue, but it was Frances. Like Sue…it was a somewhat unusual name for a man and Frances was an unusual guy. I met Frances when I went to pastor at the LaMonte Baptist Church. The church had three deacons and they were named Leo, Francis, and Floyd. All three of them were special guys and I grew to love each one of them for who they were. I was a very young, inexperienced pastor and new at the pastoring thing. So new, in fact, that when I mowed my grass at the parsonage, across the street from the church, I would wear dress pants. I wasn’t sure if pastors were allowed to wear jeans so close to the church. They can.

So, even back in 1984, Judy loved flowers and the parsonage was woefully short in that department. In fact, I’m not sure there were any flowers in the entire yard. Well, one day Judy declared that she wanted a flower bed. She began to actually plan the where’s and how’s of the flower bed. If it had been me, I would have grabbed some flowers, dug a hole, stuffed them in, and applied dirt. Good luck. Not Judy. She decided that the flower bed should go along the front of the house and that it needed to be raised. That means we needed to find some timbers to build up the height of the bed. Again, after a little thought, she decided that railroad ties would do the job.

Somehow, I casually mentioned to Frances that Judy wanted a flower bed. Now Frances was the go-to guy when it came to things like the parsonage. He had already led the charge in installing a brick flue so we could have a wood burner, so he was the natural choice for the flower bed. I said, “Frances, Judy would like to have some railroad ties for her new flower bed. Frances didn’t miss a beat. He said, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at five.”

Well, sure as shooting, the next day at five, Frances pulled up in his big ole dually, white Dodge pickup truck. You know there are pickup trucks too pretty to get dirty and then there are real pickup trucks. Frances had a real pickup truck. I climbed inside and we headed toward Sedalia, the largest town nearby. I figured we were heading to the hardware store there to purchase some ties. I was wrong. You see, there was a railroad that ran parallel to the main highway. We went down the road a bit and then…Frances turned.

Yup, he turned on a small road and then immediately took a right. We had arrived at the railroad tie store, only it wasn’t a store…it was the factory. I found myself in railroad tie heaven. You see, the railroad company had recently replaced their ties and the old ones were strewn all down the rails. As far as you could see there were railroad ties. I was just amazed. I should have been afraid.

Frances said, “Preacher, how many ties do you think you will need?” Well, I told him I thought ten or twelve would be enough.” So, we started going along the tracks and selecting the best ones for the flower bed. Just like a carpenter would choose the best 2×4’s at the lumber yard, we picked the best ties. This was just awesome. And then it happened. I heard the sound of a distant train whistle.

Now I didn’t think a thing about it. I was always a bit gullible and way too trusting so I had just assumed that Frances had called the local railroad office, told them the church needed a few of their old ties and got permission to get some. I was wrong. I heard the train whistle the second time and it was decidedly closer. I noticed that Frances had picked up the pace…he was moving a little faster. I still didn’t think a thing about it. I just assumed he didn’t want to be that close to the tracks when the train went by. Well, that was kind of true.

The whistle blew again and this time it must have been about a mile down the tracks and Frances said it, “Preacher, we got to go.” I did sense a bit of urgency in his voice but I kind of thought it was a safety thing. It turned out it was a bit more than that. As we got back in his truck I said, “Frances, what’s the hurry?” I was thinking we could just move the truck further away from the tracks and we could even wave at the crew as they went by. “Preacher, you don’t think they are giving us these ties, do you?” Wait. What?

Yup…I just discovered that we were stealing ties from the railroad. It wasn’t a matter of safety it was a matter of not going to jail. So, Frances cranked the engine and mashed the gas and off we went just before the train came by. In the back of the truck were a bunch of railroad ties and in the front were two guys. One was a preacher, one was a deacon, and both were guilty as sin. One knew all about it and the other was just learning but both were tie stealing criminals. Frances was smiling and I was wondering if I was going to jail. But somehow it all seemed like a great adventure.

Well, we got back to the parsonage, and we built the flower bed. Frances helped with that too. Years later when I would return to the church to preach, or perform a funeral, or maybe just drive through town, I would look and see the ties. I didn’t remember the sin (After all, I’m sure I confessed it. God had forgotten it and I figure I should too.) No, I remembered a crusty old deacon, but more than that, a friend who wanted to help. His way wasn’t ethical but all these years later, his willingness, his own brand of love is still lodged in my heart. The Book says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

You know there are fancy friends, and rich friends and maybe even friends in positions of power. And then there are the Frances kind of friends and that isn’t bad. Of course, if you’re gonna steal railroad ties, you need the Jesus kind of friend. His specialty is forgiving when you mess up and He’s the best friend of all. He’s the kind of friend that wouldn’t have frowned or pretend He didn’t know you when He saw you in Walmart. No, He’s the “stay by your side” friend. Through thick or thin, jail or not, He would say, “Don’t worry…just rest in Me. I’ve got this.” Now that’s my kind of friend. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Smarty Pants

Posted on June 20, 2023June 19, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. John 6:67-68

“I’m sorry. I’m having trouble understanding you right now.” Now if you are married that is something you just might hear occasionally. My wife Judy and I have been married for 47 years and it has been a great adventure. They say after you have been with someone for so long you start completing each other’s sentences and can almost read their mind. I think that is true. But every once in a while…well…I miss it, or she misses it, and we look at each other like a “calf at a new gate.” That means like a young calf who has never gone through a particular gate and says, “I’m not sure I like this or understand this.” Calf.At.A.New.Gate.

Well, the other woman who lives in our house is named Alexa. Actually, we have several of them and we can tell her what to do and she does it. We have several items in our home that are wirelessly controlled. For example, our thermostat can be controlled from anywhere we can get an internet signal. I can tell Alexa, “Alexa set upstairs thermostat to 80” and she does it. Boom. I also have some of the lights in our home that have a “thingy” that will allow me to control them with Alexa. I just say, “Alexa, turn on the lights” and all the lights in the room come on. That is especially good at night when you are getting into bed, and you don’t want to catch your toes on the corner of something because you can’t see.

A while back we “cut the cord” and started streaming our TV through the internet. It is definitely cheaper and cleaner…if you follow my drift. All this is just great until…wait for it…the internet goes down. That happened recently. I woke up and groggily walked into my home office and asked Alexa to turn on the lights. She said, “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble understanding you right now.” That is code for there is no internet. That also means that I can’t watch the weather or anything else. Oh, and I also can’t control the thermostat…I must actually walk over and turn it up or down. Then you add to that list that you can’t check or send email, can’t check the news, can’t, can’t can’t—it almost sounds like 2020 all over again. No. No. And No.

The deal with all this cool smart stuff is if the internet connection goes down…things come to a screeching halt, and you quickly find yourself wondering if smart is so smart after all. I know this is true for me and almost eight billion of my closest friends. We often think we have it all figured out and that we don’t need God directing our lives or telling us this or that. What we often discover is that without Him…well, we can make a mess pretty quickly.

What we write off as life being crazy and messy is what life becomes without faith and believing. I’m not sure I can imagine what life would be like if we decide we don’t need God anymore, but I am sure I don’t want to find out. Oh, we can get by without religion…no problem there…but God…I don’t think so.

Well, it turned out the internet was down all that day and the next. Rumor was someone hit a pole somewhere and knocked out one of the main lines. I learned that day that all that smart stuff wasn’t worth anything without the thing that made it smart. And in the process of learning that, I was reminded that when we think we are really smart and that we have it all figured out…well, we are not much without the One who made us. Take Him out of the equation and things can grind to a halt pretty quickly. As I waited to for the internet to come back online, I think I heard a whisper from the Whisperer. He seemed to be saying, “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, Military memories, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

“Foot in Mouth” Disease -Sir

Posted on June 12, 2023June 8, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

I just shouldn’t have said it. We all have said things that we wish we hadn’t. I learned a lesson about that the hard way. I had two bumps in Air Force basic training. One involved singing…you can check that one out on my blog www.gritswithgrace.com (https://gritswithgrace.com/2020/06/01/i-said-sing/). The other one also involved my mouth…I wonder if there is trend there?

In basic training guys were assigned to a flight (group) and each flight had a dorm chief. He was someone, a peer of sorts, the flight chief selected from within or outside the flight. Ours was selected from outside. He had a weight issue so was put in a special group that helped men get down to a weight level that was acceptable. That of course meant they had to stay longer in basic. Well, our guy, whose name was Guy, was one of those guys. Because of his longer tenure in basic he was appointed our dorm chief.

Now it could have been a little jealousy on my side, or it could have been that I was a little judgmental or maybe I had a momentary case of the stupid’s but I said something to one of the guys about this guy. The words are lost to time, but it was probably something like, “Who does this guy think he is? He’s not a leader…he is a loser.” Well, anyway, something like that. I said it and forgot it assuming it just died away. It did not.

So, apparently either that guy told another guy who told another guy who told the guy named Guy. The guy named Guy told the guy named Sergeant Catchings who was the same guy that caught me singing. Well, things were about to go south. There was a lesson that needed to be taught and I was the object of that lesson.

Sergeant Catchings gathered the flight outside his office and, leaving the door open sat down at his desk. We all were like, “What’s this about?” I quickly found out it was about me. Soon a booming, “you’re in deep weeds son” voice said, “Airman Taylor, get in here.” I got up and went in the office and he instructed me to close the door. I stood smartly at attention in front of the desk. Sergeant Catchings harshly invited me to take a seat. There was no chair.

He had me place my hands flat on his desk and then squat by bending my knees till my arms were parallel with the top of his desk. Three things immediately came to my mind. One, what in the world have I done? Two, this is very uncomfortable. Three, I’m going to die. Well in about one minute I found out that Dorm Chief Guy had told him I was mouthing off. I had broken a cardinal rule…don’t mouth off about those in leadership above you.

Sergeant Catchings jumped to his feet and began to lecture me about respect for leadership and how I should never, ever disrespect those put in authority over me. Now don’t forget. One, I still “sitting” in the invisible chair with my hands on his desk. Two, the entire flight is outside the door. And by now he is screaming at the top of his voice. For added effect, he would occasionally walk over to the door and kick it or slap it making it sound like I was dying. I was.

Finally, after about ten or so minutes he opens the door and says two words, “Get out.” Imagine 27 guys looking in the office and seeing me squatting with my hands on the desk. I can’t move. I am locked in place. My muscles leg and arm muscles were frozen. He said it again, LOUDER, “I said get out.” So, I fell over and managed to crawl, yes, I said crawl, out of his office. I was in agony and the rest of the guys were in shock and we all learned a lesson about gossip and respect for authority.

The lesson that day was very valuable. I wish I could tell you that I learned it so well I never had the “stupid’s” again but that wouldn’t be true. But I can tell you this. There is a reason the Bible talks so much about the tongue and the mouth. It isn’t a matter of finding a verse…it is a matter of choosing a verse. We can start with a little nugget found in Proverbs 21:23, “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,

and you will stay out of trouble.” I wish I had remembered that one before I uttered the words that prompted my visit to Sergeant Catchings office.

But the one that probably says it best is this, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Imagine how less complicated our lives, our families, our marriages would be if we mastered that one. Imagine how our work lives and even our worship lives would change. A pastor once said that if we knew we would have to personally apologize to every person we slandered or gossiped about, we probably would hit “pause” a lot more often.

Oh well, I’m sure glad we have a graceful God. I have learned over the years to deeply value his patience with me and His mercy for me. There have been too many times I’ve had to go to my Dearest Daddy and have a chat about “foot in mouth” disease. I’m glad He graciously invited me to come sit close beside Him. He has always heard my confession and honored my repentance. I find rest right there…next to Him…because He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne