Category: food

Posted in communication, Family, food, Grace, life, school days, Scripture

Instant Grits

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 

Well, they aren’t as good as traditional–but they ain’t bad. Yup, I was raised on grits…the old fashioned kind. Momma would get a pot of hot water boiling on the stove, dump in some grits, let them simmer for a while, add salt and pepper, and let them simmer some more. Somewhere along the way, they got just the right consistency and she would put them in a bowl on the table. Then, we would scoop them up, put enough butter to form a small lake right in the middle and proceed to feast. They were delicious.

When I got older and time became a little more valuable, I started buying instant grits. These are not only quicker but easier. First you get a small bowl, open a packet of grits and pour them in the bowl. Then you add a half of cup of water, salt and pepper and a chunk of real butter (not the fake stuff), put it in the microwave for 123 seconds and bingo–instant grits. Now sometimes I would add some bacon bits and or cheese just to spice things up. Like I said, not as good as old fashioned but not too bad. Not.Too.Bad.

Well, starting tomorrow we are going into a season of instant Grits. My wife Judy and I will be celebrating our 50th anniversary this June and we are getting an early start. For the whole month of April I won’t be available to publish our traditional Grits. So rather than just put everything on hold, I will be publishing ahead of time so every day you should get a serving of Grits. Now, these won’t be traditional…but rather instant. In other words, I’ll be going back in time and snagging enough Grits to publish one a day for the whole month. You will probably remember them but let me encourage to read them like the first time.

I already rerun some stories and when I read and edit them to get them ready to publish, I always enjoy reading them again. I find myself smiling, laughing and yes, sometimes crying. It seems they never grow old. So I hope you will keep reading and keep enjoying the stories we have shared and the great truths we have learned. As you remember and perhaps reflect, one thing remains constant. No matter what we know that, “He’s got this!” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Scripture, life, forgiveness, spiritual battles, food

The Stain Remains

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” Matthew 5:29

Despite my best efforts…it happened.  This isn’t a story about one event…or two…or even three.  It is a story about a reoccurring thing in my life…and probably in yours.  So, imagine with me.  You are having dinner and it is one of your favorites—spaghetti! You have on a favorite shirt or blouse and it is one of your favorite colors.  So, something tells you that you should change shirts but you don’t but you do make a conscious decision to be careful and it works—till it doesn’t.

You are careful not to slurp the noodles, you are careful to lean over your plate but alas you look down and there, on your favorite shirt you see several freckles of reddish-orange. The dreaded spaghetti sauce has somehow found its way not to your mouth but to your shirt. Bummer.  You jump from the table and immediately head to the kitchen sink and arm yourself with a damp dishcloth and some Dawn dishwashing soap. After all, everyone knows from the television commercials that Dawn can do anything…even save the life of a small duckling.

You careful begin to rub the spots and slowly the they get lighter and lighter—until they don’t. On no, in spite of your best efforts, your favorite shirt now have some light reddish-orange freckles.  The sauce is gone but it has left a cotton-picking stain and no amount of scrubbing or rubbing is going to change the outcome. No amount of repentance about not changing the shirt before you started dinner was going to change this.  The stain remained.

And do you know what?  What is true about shirts and spaghetti is true about us and our lives.  You know what I mean—we are faced with a choice and we choose poorly.  We say we are sorry, both to God and whoever else it impacts, but the stain remains.  We say something to someone, the kind of words that are better left unspoken, and we watch as the hurt spreads across their face. We apologize but they know and you know that while forgiveness is granted, the stain will remain.

If we are wise, and let’s be honest, sometimes we are not, we would do well to think before we speak.  We would be wise enough to take whatever action necessary to avoid the whole mess—and the stain that will remain.  They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that is so, so true.  Jesus said, “So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” Yeah, I know, drastic right?  But remember this is spoken by someone who understood the seriousness of sin—who would later die on a cross to pay for yours…and mine.

So the next time you are sitting down for a nice spaghetti dinner, remember this plate of Grits and change your shirt.  Oh, and the next time you are about make a bad choice remember that the stain, the consequences, will remain.  The good news is if you still splatter the shirt of your life, His grace is gonna be sufficient.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Scripture, life, thankful, gratitude, forgiveness, food

Five Guys…REVISIT

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

It was the same but different. So, if you are a regular Grits reader, you probably recall I ran a story not too long about a place named “Five Guys Burgers and Fries.” It is about a burger place (no surprise there) but more than that it was about the lavishness of their portions. I mean the burger is great, the fries are great and the milk shakes–well they are great too. But the most amazing thing is you can order a small burger, a small fry and a regular milkshake and have enough food to feed most of West Africa. It is pretty amazing. Because of their portions, the price was reasonable…until it wasn’t.

So on a recent trip to Valdosta, my wife Judy’s hometown, we were shopping for a place to have lunch. Our “go to” place, a buffet that serves southern cooking, had fallen from grace. For some reason it just wasn’t as good as it used to be. Bummer. Well, out of desperation, I told Judy we would give it one more try but fate intervened. As we were driving, she said, “Hey, there’s a five guys.” Well, shoot that thang!” I whipped into the parking lot and the next thing I knew we were getting ready to order. But, wait, something had changed.

What was that something? Well, it wasn’t the burgers and all the free toppings, it wasn’t the size of the fries nor the milkshake. It was–the prices–they had taken a giant leap up. Here’s the skinny. We ordered two small burgers–one cheese, one regular. After asking if they still poured on the fries and receiving a mostly yes answer, we ordered one small fry. Finally, after seeing the price of the fries settled on two free glasses of water. Now, let’s go over the order. Two small burgers, one small fry and two glasses of free water. That came to a grand total of just over, get ready, hang on, wait a minute–$28.00. 

Well, the truth is I was a bit shocked, even my dear unshakable wife was a bit shocked. Well, the burger was still good, the fries were still good but I’m pretty sure they were not $28.00 good. The best tasting thing was the free water. Gulp! I almost felt like I needed to visit the loan department at my local back before visiting again. One of the signs on the wall boasted that they were voted a great family value. Uh, that had to be before they raised their prices. The bottom line is I love Five Guys–but not that much. I think Steak and Shake just got promoted.

I’m sure glad that there is one place I can go and never have to worry about sticker shock. There is one place where the price has never increased–never has, never will. That place is God’s place. He loved us enough to send His Son to pay for our sins so we would never have to. He is more lavish than Five Guys and everything is free. Forgiveness? Free. Love? Free. Peace? Free. Mercy?  Free. Heaven? Free. Acceptance? Free. Well, you get the picture. What a great God–free, free, free.

So, you might want to still try Five Guys but you might need to visit your bank first. But here’s the great news. You can visit our Heavenly Father where your money isn’t needed.  All you need is faith to believe that what He says it true. He loves you and invites you to His table of grace and it is guaranteed to satisfy your soul. Oh, be sure and took for the sign on the wall that says, “I’ve got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, food, friends, life, Military memories, Scripture

Too Much Spaghetti

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Proverbs 17:22

I cooked way too much spaghetti.  Well, I guess it is all official.  Things are pretty much back to normal.  You see, I was a pastor/teacher/preacher. That means I had the privilege of serving with a bunch of people in a church and had the opportunity to share truth from the Bible…sometimes several times a week.  It was something that I truly enjoyed. When I am sharing something and see the expression on someone’s face change, as if to say, “I get it,” well, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Actually, pastoring was my second career.  I spend twelve years in the Air Force and just loved it and then God came up with another idea.  I separated from the Air Force and became a pastor.  That was 43 years ago.  Wow…that sounds like a long time but really it seems like yesterday. When I first starting preaching, my sermons were like 23 minutes long and sometimes that seemed like an eternity…for me and probably for them.  Over the years, things have gotten, well, longer.  Someone once said, “The longer you preach, the longer you preach.”  I believe I can testify to that.

So, before the COVID thing (BC) happened, my sermons ran 40-45 minutes. People were kind and most were even grateful for the message but there’s another old saying that says, “Never speak longer than the audience’s seat can bear.”  Well, let’s just say I probably reached and exceeded that limit.  So, when COVID came along and we were on Facebook only, I made a concerted effort to preach a little shorter…usually about 35 minutes.  I was so proud of myself…and then…one day, happened.

One day, I cooked too much spaghetti.  Now that is “code” that I simply prepared too much material.  Even before Sunday, I had cut about 20 percent of the material and I thought that would do it.  It didn’t.  The bottom line is that I preached, gulp, 45 minutes.  Oh my. I don’t think I chased too many rabbits—it was just too much spaghetti.  At the end of the service, I told the folks that I appreciated their patience. They are such a gracious group of people.  I also smiled and told them that it was a great sign that things were definitely back to normal.

I always greet the people as they leave after the service, and something happened that particular day that still has me smiling.  The mother of one of our members was in the service.  I know her and well, she is a friend and a very special lady.  Her husband had passed away and I was privileged to have a part in his service.  As she shook my hand, she shared that because of having to care for her husband and for health reasons she hadn’t been in church for several years.  Then she explained how each week she was sure to listen to our service, and me, on the radio.  I smiled and said how grateful I was.  And then she said, “You know, I sure enjoyed today but you know, at home, I can just turn the radio off when I am ready.”  I laughed, she laughed, and everyone who was standing in earshot did too. It was a precious moment, and it made my day.

This story isn’t about sermons, long or short, but rather it is about the fact that life did come back…not totally normal, but at least some of it is better than what it was.  I’ve said it so many times, it won’t be the same and in some ways that is not bad.  In fact, in some ways, it is just better.  I believe the COVID experience taught us to love God better and love people better.  I believe the COVID experience taught us to appreciate the small things in life that make life better.

So, there you go.  This week my goal is to preach a little shorter and laugh a little more.  After all the Bible tells us that a cheerful heart is good medicine and I just tend to believe what it says. We can laugh, even in our hot mess world, because ultimately, we are certain of one thing—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in food, Grace, Scripture, thankful

“Five Guys” Grace

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 Ephesians 1:7-8 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”

It was a stroke of accidental brilliance and it all started in 1986. Jerry and Janie Murrell offered some advice to Jerry’s four younger brothers. They simply said, “Go to college or start a business.”  They decided on the business route and started a restaurant in Virginia called “Five Guys Burgers and Fries.”  And like they say, “The rest is history.”  Today there are 1,500 locations and 1,500 more on the drawing board.  Their sales pitch is “nothing but fresh beef and nothing but fries cooked in 100% peanut oil.  There are no freezers in the joint only coolers.”

Well, all that is nice but that is not what I like about Five Guys.  I mean they serve one mean burger and their fries are the best of any national chain but that’s not what grabbed me.  So, here’s the deal. I walk in and order a small cheeseburger.  “What” you say?  Yup you heard right. The reason I order a small cheeseburger is because it is big…really big.  But it gets better.  The guy at the counter says, “What do you want on that cheeseburger?”  And here is when it gets really good.  I look up at the sign and there are probably 20 or 25 toppings for the burger.  And get ready.  They are all included at no additional cost.

Did I just say “included?”  Yes sir, I did.  You can have everything from a tomato to a grilled mushroom and the hits just keep on coming.  No extra charge.  Amazing.  The best part is that it is genuinely good food.  Granted burgers and fries for most men are its own food group but you gotta love one loaded beyond words.  But, wait, it is gonna get better.

The guy at the counter says, “You want fries with that burger?”  Hello? Do hens lay eggs? Do preachers eat fried chicken? Do southerners eat grits? “Yes, sir, I want fries” I answer.  So I order a small fry. “What” you say? Yup you heard right.  The reason I order a small fries is man-food heaven.  So, as you watch, they fill a small cup full of fries.  Are you listening? They put the cup in the bag and then they get this scoop the size of a small shovel and dump a full load in the bag.  Wait. Then he gets another half scoop and dumps that in.  Can someone say, “Hallelujah!” Order a small and get a “boat load” for no extra charge.  Holy moley!

But wait…the guy is saying something else.  “Hey dude, do you want a shake with that?” Ok, by now I am drooling all over my shirt.  “Well sure” I respond.  He says, “What kind?”  I look at the sign and there it is.  Heaven.  It says, “milk shakes…all mix-ins are free.” “What?” I said.  “You mean I can have a chocolate, banana, strawberry, tutti-frutti, peanut, marshmallow milkshake with sprinkles on top.” “Yup” he said “all at no extra charge.”  Oh.my.goodness!  Excuse me while I wipe my mouth.

So what amazes me about Five Guys is, are you ready, their lavishness.  Their burgers, their fries, their milkshakes are all lavishly done.  They don’t give you a little of anything.  They pour it on, dump it on and then do it again.  Just like God and His grace.  Paul talks about it in Ephesians 1:7-8.  He says we have redemption though His death, the forgiveness of all our sins (someone say hallelujah) and all because of His grace that He lavished on us.  That means He pours it on, pours it on again and then just keeps pouring.  It is amazing grace because of the quality and the quantity.

I can just imagine stepping up to God’s counter and He says, “What do you need, son?” I like it when He calls me “son.” And I explain how this world is a hot mess, how I have made a mess of everything in my life and how I am sure I can’t fix it. Then I would tell Him I could sure use a little grace.  He would smile and say, “Son, I don’t do anything little, especially grace.”  And then He would begin to pour it on. To borrow from Luke 6:38 where Jesus speaks about giving, the Book says, “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.” It’s true about giving but it is also true when we need grace.  It is what lavish looks like.

So as soon as you can go to “Five Guys.” Be sure and order small because you are going to get big.  Order all the toppings you want on your burger, all the mix-ins you want in your shake and let them take care of the fries.  You will leave amazed at their lavishness.  But all that just pales to God’s amazing grace.  Just walk up to the counter and tell Him what you need and get ready.  He is going to pour—no, He is gonna dump— grace all over you.  And, like grace, you are gonna be amazed.  That’s why we can just sit back and rest in Him.  With that kind of grace, you know He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

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

Heath Bar Anyone?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” James 1:14

I looked up…and there it was. So part of my nightly ritual is to take my nighttime meds. I keep all my medicines on the bottom shelf in a corner cabinet in the kitchen. I looked up to reach up and get my medicine container thing and that’s when I saw it. On the second shelf sat a clear plastic container. It had been there forever but on this particular night, I looked and saw a miniature Heath bar. I like Heath bars–a lot.

Now there was a time when I could easily resist Heath bars. When I was about eight or nine, I misread the name of the candy bar. It said Heath but I saw Health and I said to myself, “Who wants a health bar?” Well, eventually I figured it out and discovered this British toffee bar covered with chocolate. I loved them. So naturally, after taking my medicine, I reached up, got the container and snagged the miniature candy bar.

Now I knew there was a really good chance that the candy bar was way, way out of date but I also figured that since it was toffee and chocolate that probably wouldn’t matter. I was wrong. I quickly unwrapped it and popped it into my mouth and chomped down. What happened next was between horrible and super gross. It turned out Heath bars can definitely go out of date. The chocolate was bitter and no longer tasted like chocolate…in fact, I’m not sure what it tasted like besides terrible. The toffee was even worse. No longer crunchy, it was a mushy mess that tasted rancid…like spoiled meat. I didn’t know what to do.

Well, I ended up doing my best to chew it up and swallow it…which was not easy. I then went to the sink and rinsed my mouth out. It was gone, some in my stomach and some down the drain but the foul taste lingered in my mouth even after brushing my teeth. Talk about a bad food experience–this was definitely one.  The crazy part is that my common sense should have told me to either taste a small part or just chuck it but my common sense was over ruled by my desire for a Heath bar. Bad choice, Dewayne, bad choice.

Bad choices like this one fortunately didn’t carry any lasting effect but it could have. Can someone say, “food poisoning?” But check this out. A rotten candy bar is one thing but sin, any sin, is a whole different matter. Sin can look plenty attractive–just ask Eve. But sin always has consequences. Granted sometimes they are smaller but always they are costly. The wisest thing we can do is “just say no.” I sure wish I had left that candy bar in the container or better yet chucked it in the trash. But in my mind, I just had to have it. Wrong again.

So the next time sin presents it and winks at you and looks oh so attractive, don’t believe and don’t buy. Sin never speaks the truth and is never a bargain. The good news your Dearest Daddy hates sin and wants you to avoid it at all cost. If you will just hit the pause button and ask He will deliver you…every single time. Yup, you can rest assured that, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in food, friends, life, Scripture

Fish and Spaghetti

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the Man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6a

No really…it is good. I’m a food mixer.  I know some people love to keep their food separate on their plates and some folks even eat one item at a time.  They will eat all their meat, all their potatoes and so on and so on.  Not me.  I like to to mix it up a little.  In fact the best bite on the plate is always the last bite.  It always has a little bit of everything on the plate. First you scrape it all together in a tidy little pile, scoop it on your fork and let it fly.  Awesome.

I’m not sure how it started but one of my absolute favorite mixings is tartar sauce and Heinz Ketchup.  When I order fish I always squirt a big puddle of ketchup on my plate and then mix in a helping of tartar sauce.  Then you take your fork and stir it together and start dipping your fish in this magic pink sauce.  All I can say is, if you haven’t tried it you need to.  A while back a server at a restaurant noticed my strange concoction.  Without saying anything to me, she went back to the kitchen and stirred up a batch.  She was soon back at my table singing the praises of the power of “pink.”

They say that things go better with Coke and fish goes better with pink.  But…there is one exception.  Fish and spaghetti.  Ever heard of it?  Well, not only have I heard of it, I have had it several times. Now first, you need to understand it is not fish cooked in spaghetti, rather it is fish served with spaghetti.  I learned of this food miracle several years ago.  A couple who attended our church invited my wife Judy and I over for supper.  We were served fish and spaghetti and it was incredible.

To be sure this dynamic combo is not an accident.  First, David is the fish cooker and the man takes frying fish to a new level.  Moist and crisp at the same time…it is “shoot that thang” good.  Second, his wife Lisa makes some of the best spaghetti I have ever eaten. It is seasoned perfectly and has just a slightly different flavor then most spaghettis I have had.  I fell in love that night.  I am a fish and spaghetti man for life.

David is an African American and when we were discussing this duet, he assured me it was a “black thing.”  I had never heard of these two things together before and he told me to ask someone…so I did.  I asked another friend of mine who happens to also be African American, “So what do you eat with spaghetti?”  She quickly replied, “Fish.” There you go.  I have been a comfort food fanatic for over six decades and almost missed this food wonder.  It is almost a food group all of its on.

Things are like that sometimes.  Sometimes certain things just click together.  It is as if they were meant to be together. Peanut butter and jelly.  Chocolate and peanut butter. Cheese and summer sausage. Well, add fish and spaghetti to the list.  And while you are listing—be sure and add Jesus and you.  I have been a Jesus follower since 1967 and I am telling you He took my life to a whole different level.  He makes the good even better and makes the difficult more than tolerable. He is amazing.  And just like fish and spaghetti if you’ve never tried Him you don’t know what you are missing.  He makes life worth living.

Now understand I’m not talking about you and religion, or you and church.  A relationship with Jesus is totally different from church or religion.  I like church and tolerate religion but neither one of them is even close to Jesus.  He is literally One of a kind. The Bible says that there is One go-between who can bring God and us together and it is the man Christ Jesus.  He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone.  I hope you will get a copy of His Book—the Bible—and read about Him. You will discover a Man like no other who loves you like no other.  He is a best friend on steroids.

I know these are crazy days we are living in—you know it and I know it.  I’ve found that Jesus adds stability, peace and hope to what can be a pretty difficult existence. With Him we go from surviving to thriving.  All you need to do is believe.  Believe that He is who He claims to be—the God man—believe that He died on a Roman cross to pay the price for your sin, believe He came back to life and believe that if you ask He will forgive you.  I took Him at His word and He is everything He claims to be.  He is the real deal.  And, hey, when God is your best friend you can sleep better at night and rest better in during the day.  When the God who made it all is your best friend—you can believe that He’s got this…and He does.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, school days, Scripture, Southern born

Corned Beef Hash

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent?”     Luke 11:11

We were close friends from the start.  Although I was too young to remember, I think it must be true.  I think my very first word must have been…wait for it…”food”.  Then I think my first sentence was, “I’m hungry.”  I’m trying to say that food and I go way back and now I think I am an expert on all things food.  Well, wait, maybe not all things.  You see I was raised on good, common food.  Our menu included things like meatloaf and egg salad sandwiches (aka Easter egg salad sandwiches).  There were some things that Momma cooked up, that to a kid, were kinda hard to swallow…no pun intended.  One of those things was tripe (aka cow’s stomach). We called it the “eternal meat” because it was like chewing rubber.  Take one big bite and two weeks later you swallowed.  Definitely not my favorite.

But, one of the best things that Momma cooked was something called corned beef hash. For that she would cook up some potatoes and then add some corned beef.  I’m not sure why they call it corned beef but I don’t think it has anything to do with corn.  At any rate…it was one of my favorites…well, sorta.  You see, there was a trick to this corned beef thing and Momma knew it and…I knew it.

In the world of Momma’s corned beef there were really two kinds—and they were worlds apart.  First there was fried corned beef hash and then there was boiled corned beef hash.  The fried hash was just as it sounds.  Momma would first fry up some home fried potatoes.  These, friend, are what potatoes were made for…crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  And if they happened to be fried in lard—well, that was even better.  Then, she would add the corned beef and well, it was pretty much heaven.  I always liked mine smothered in ketchup.  But sometimes she would trick me.  I would ask what we were having for supper and she would say, “corned beef hash” and for me that had to mean fried because that was the only way it was supposed to be.

But then, she had an ace up her sleeve.  Sometimes, she made boiled corned beef hash.  That involved boiling a pot full of potatoes till they were almost like mush.  Then she would add the corned beef to the pot and that was it and let me tell you all the ketchup in the world couldn’t redeem what water had done to what was meant to be fried.  I’m still not sure why she fried most of the time but still boiled others. I do know I was always disappointed because when it comes to corned beef hash—fried always topped boiled.

With some things one way always tops another and that’s how it is with corned beef hash. And never is that truer than when it comes to God and religion.  People today get confused.  You see, God is God and religion is mankind’s frail attempt to reach God.  Try as you like, the only way to know God is by knowing His Son Jesus.  And that’s really cool because His way is a sure deal and man’s way is a sure failure.  Chances are you know someone who was or is totally disappointed in religion and I suppose some folks would speak of their disappointment in God.  But when we understand who He is and what He wants to do for us—that disappointment fades.

Like I said I was always disappointed when Mom boiled something that was clearly meant to be fried. And I’ve been around church world long enough to know that religion always disappoints but God never does.  I’m learning to trust Him and then believe Him even when that means things didn’t turn out the way I wanted or hoped.  His way is the best way.  If I don’t see it now…I will later.

One time Jesus was talking about prayer and said that a father would never give a snake to his son who asked for a piece of fish.  Nope…not gonna happen.  With God the fried things are always fried and even when we get boiled hash…well, we can trust that at the time, that is the best thing for us.  I like that sacred assurance just like I know, I know, that no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, gratitude, love, school days, Scripture

Blueberry Crumble

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:3-4

News flash: I love dessert.  My journey with dessert goes back to my earliest memories.  Whether it was a biscuit with cane syrup and butter or a cake or pie from Momma’s oven—I loved dessert.  Sometimes when there was nothing else, I would grab a teaspoon from the drawer and shovel in a teaspoon of sugar.  Hey, when it’s all you got—it’s all you’ve got.

Two dessert memories spring from my earlier years.  I remember my Momma was having to have surgery when I was about 10 years old.  Two things happened during that time that were monumental.  First, dad took care of us.  Daddy was a bring-home-the-bacon kind of guy and Momma took care of the kids and the house. Well, with her in the hospital and daddy not cooking much—things were a bit different in the kitchen.  I remember one night we were coming home from the hospital and daddy stopped at a place called Milligan’s Burgers and I had my first taste of a fast-food hamburger.  It was kinda like a Krystal Burger and it was a big deal.

Something else that happened during Momma’s hospital stay showed her love for me and solidified my love for desserts.  During her stay, the “three-little-ones” and my daddy made our nightly visit to the hospital.  We walked into her room and there she was in her hospital bed with the tray thing (much like today) beside her bed.  She said, “Dewayne I saved you something from my supper.”  There on her tray in a small bowl was a serving of “blueberry crunch.” It was like a small blueberry, crunch top cobbler and it was delicious.  To this day I never eat anything blueberry with a crunch top without thinking about my Momma.

Years later, my oldest brother and I were visiting another brother out in Texas.  It was a man-trip that included driving all night, camping in the mountains, and eating.  When we got back from the mountain part, we had a last supper of sorts, and his wife made cherry cheesecake.  Well, I thought I had died and gone to heaven and ate a whole lot more than I should have.  After supper we hit the road for the long drive back to Florida and before long, I wished I could die and go to heaven.  All that cherry cheesecake started rolling around in my belly and we had to make more than one stop—and it wasn’t for gas.

Yup…dessert and I go way back. When we go visit someone for supper, I always enjoy the food and fellowship, but I also always hold back a little room for dessert.  I know the best is yet to come.  The story is told of a woman who wanted to be buried with a spoon in her casket.  When asked why, she said, “Well, when I go to someone’s house for supper, the hostess will lean down and say, “Be sure and keep your spoon.”  I always smile when that happens because I know that means that there is dessert and the best is yet to come.”  I like that.

In this crazy, upside down world of racial injustice, violence and what’s sure to be a crazy election time, we probably should all carry a spoon in our pocket.  You ask, “Why should we do that?”  Well, it would remind us that this crazy world is not the end.  It would remind us that for every person who is Christ follower, who can call God Dearest Father, there is more—much more.  That beyond this life is eternal life—that the best is surely yet to come.

I am so grateful for the life that God has given me.  Like a delicious meal filled with good old Southern comfort food, I enjoy each day…mostly.  Honestly though, life is filled too with warts, bumps and more than a few bruises.  But it seems like at the table of this banquet called life, I can hear the Whisperer lean over and say, “Be sure and keep your spoon.”  When that happens, I know He is reminding me that the best is yet come.  As good as life is here, it is going to be a million times better there.  The Bible speaks of heaven as a place of no sickness, no pain, no sorrow, no separation and no more death.  It is like dessert on steroids.  I.Can’t.Wait.

Well, I know I need to keep my love affair with desserts in check.  Both my doctor and my wife Judy remind me of that.  But each time I get to indulge, you can take it to the bank that I’m gonna remember that there is more than this hot mess coming and it is going to be good.  You know, sometimes when Judy is cooking I go in and sneak a taste.  I love to sneak a bite of cookie dough when she isn’t looking.  It’s just a sample of the finished product.  Take time today to crawl up with Jesus and take a rest.  It will just be a taste of what is coming in eternity…just enough to keep you wanting as you wait.  And then, remember this…that the Master Maker of dessert—God—has all this under control.  Yup…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in food, Integrity, life, patience, Scripture, spiritual battles

Bread, Potatoes and Pecan Pie

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4b

It was several years ago and it came in the mail.  It was an advertisement, an offer really, to join a program that would not only help me control my diabetes but to reverse it.  If everything went according to plan, I could come off both of my diabetic meds and lose the “I’m diabetic” label.  There were two more things.  First, thanks to my insurance program, it would be provided to me at absolutely no cost to me.  I’m sure it is costing my insurance plenty, but the price for me was paid in full…hmmm, can someone else besides me see a parallel there.  Can someone say, grace, mercy, and Jesus?

The second thing was that the program would provide several things they called sensors…I call them gadgets.  First, there was one of those totally cool glucose monitors that you wear and through your smartphone it tells you on the fly what your sugar level is.  Second, was a Garmin activity tracker that tells you all kind of stuff…more on that in a later story.  Third, was a scale that not only tells you your weight but also how much body fat you have.  This one, for obvious reasons, was not one of my favorites. Number four on the list was a meter that tells me if I have too many ketones.  I’m not sure what they do or what they are but I know you don’t want too many of them.  Finally, there was a blood pressure “taker thinger” and it does just what it says.  What also made the cool list is the fact that all of these things talk to an application on my phone and all that information is compiled and it tells me, and them, if I am failing or succeeding.

So, there you go.  No diabetes, no cost, lots of gadgets and only one problem.  When I talked to the nice lady on the phone, she told me there wouldn’t be a lot of weird food like tofu or jellyfish eggs.  What she didn’t tell me was that there wouldn’t be any really good food on the program either.  Well, to be fair, that is not totally true.  In fact, there are a lot of foods that I can eat and some a southern boy like me even like but there was no bread, no potatoes, no anything that had carbohydrates in them—and that is about every good thing besides meat and eggs.  Hmmm…we have a problem.

Now all this was made worse by the fact that I had my sugar 100% under control.  I turned the sweets thing almost totally off and cut way back on the starchy stuff and my sugar quickly plummeted.  Thank you, sir…mission accomplished…but not quite.  You see, if you remember my new friends want me to get off medicine. However to get off the medicine, I have to give up a whole category of stuff that I love and have loved all my life.  The problem is I am quite content to take a couple of pills if they will allow me to eat some of my favorites.  I am quite willing to let the two, my self-control and my medicine, work together.  Honestly, it would probably be better for me to ditch the medicines but no bread, no potatoes, and worst of all, no, none, never pecan pie.  What?

I think this is just a human nature thing and as you know our human nature can get us in trouble.  Another name for our human nature is our sinful nature and our sinful nature wants us to sin—maybe not a whole lot but at least some of our favorites.  We usually think the price is worth it.  So, we control this and control that but often refuse to take the giant leap into total surrender.  I know there is a difference between indulging in bread and lust or potatoes and anger but the principle is the same.  We want what we want—even if the price is high and it is.

Well, the bottom line is the program did work…even with my compromising attitude. I know that wasn’t the best solution but regardless that was where I landed.  But hear me clearly—that does not work with sin.  With sin the best thing you can do is run fast and hard in the opposite direction.  Remember this…sin will always win, and it will take you further and cost you more than you think.  That is why our Father sent His Son, that is why the Son died and resurrected and that is why we need Him to rescue and save us.

Listen, all the cool sin gadgets in the world aren’t worth what they cost in the end.  It will cost you a whole lot more than a pile of mashed potatoes.  Just remember, what you can’t do on your own, you can do with Him. 1 John 4:4b says, “The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”  In other words, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne