Category: friends

Posted in communication, Family, fear, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, marriage, prayer, pride, Scripture, thankful, travel

Food for Bridges

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26

Say that again? Well, if everything goes according to plan, on November 4th I will be getting a set of hearing aids. Truth be known I have probably been needing them for a while, but pride and my bank account weren’t quite willing. Well, I think I am ready to swallow my pride and the Veteran’s Administration is taking care of the cost. I have been going to an ear, nose and throat specialist for several years so none of this was a surprise. I have two ears (no surprise there) and one is pretty good and the other one is pretty bad. My doctor would always say, “Are you ready for hearing aids yet?” I would always respond with no for the two reasons I mentioned above but not anymore.

This became obvious on a recent flight from Seattle to Chicago. We got off the ground and it was time for the flight attendants to start their attending thing. From experience, I knew they would come along with their cart and offer a snack and something to drink. Well, she came to our row and paused. She said something, something I assumed was, “Would you like something to drink?” I responded with, “Coffee, please.” but that wasn’t what she said. So, she repeated it, and I thought I heard her say something about, “Food for bridges.” Well, that certainly didn’t make any sense, so I responded with a questioning, “Ma’am?” to which she responded with her food for bridges line. Wait! What? All of this made no sense because I couldn’t understand what food had to do with bridges. Then my wife Judy helped.

Judy leaned over and gave me the correct interpretation.  Judy said, “She has food for purchase.” Boy did I miss that one. I quickly told her “No thank-you.” After all a free cup of coffee is one thing but a nine-dollar sandwich is another. My misunderstanding and inability to hear what was being said almost set me back nine bucks! Holy moly. I am glad that Judy, my “hearing aid” for the minute was there and trust me—that is not the only time she has saved the day.

Our Heavenly Father knows that all of us sometimes struggle with our hearing. Too often, He is talking and either we aren’t listening, or we aren’t hearing.  His “hearing aid” for us doesn’t fit in our ear, rather He lives in our heart. It is the Holy Spirit. You see, when we become Christ followers, our Dearest Daddy, gives us His Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit helps us to hear and understand the Son and the Father. He helps when we allow the noise of life to interfere when the Father is trying to speak to us. He helps when our busyness keeps us from concentrating and grasp the Word. He helps when the preacher is preaching, and our mind wants to wander to the lunch menu.  Make no mistake, the Holy Spirit is our Helper—our hearing aid.

The hearing doctor has already told me that for these hearing aids to help me I have to wear them—they do little good just sitting in the charger. And do you know what? I think the same is true of the Holy Spirit. We must be willing to allow Him to work in our lives and when we do—life is better and our ability to hear from God is clearer.  How about that? If we are willing, you can believe that He is willing, and we can know that “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, spiritual battles, Trials

Mirrors and Band-Aids

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.” James 1:24

Well, it just made me laugh.  At least for me the internet is a love, hate relationship.  There is so much good stuff out there but if you are older than two, you know there is a ton of junk too.  So, you learn to tread carefully and get the good stuff and avoid the bad like the black plague. And, if you happen to stumble into something that is poisonous, run, don’t walk to the nearest exit.  On the other side of the coin, when you find something good, apply it and share it.

Every day I receive probably five or six devotionals in my email.  The good news is they are always safe reading.  The better news is that often they are more and this week I got something that was more.  It told a story that goes like this.  “A drunken husband snuck up the stairs quietly one evening as his wife was sleeping.  He looked in the bathroom mirror and discovered he had several bumps and bruises from a fight earlier that night.  He doctored himself up and then proceeded to climb into bed smiling at the thought that he had pulled one over on his sleeping wife.”

“When morning came, he opened his eyes and there stood his obviously unhappy wife.  While glaring, she said, “You were drunk last night, weren’t you?”  The husband said, “No honey…I wasn’t.”  “Well,” she replied, “if you weren’t, then who put all the Band-Aids on the bathroom mirror?” Boom.  Gotcha.  I hope that made you smile because it sure did me.  And as a writer of blogs and a teacher, I realized this story is just stuffed with truths and lessons for us to learn.  As an example, I wonder how he expected to explain the Band-Aids that were supposed to be on his face…let alone the ones that ended up on the bathroom mirror.  The marks and scars of our misguided steps will always tell a story.  There’s a verse in the Old Testament that says we can be sure our sins will find us out.  How true.

Another great lesson from our story teaches us that we should pay close attention when we look in the mirror.  In this case since the husband was drunk…well, he was also clueless.  What is amazing to me are the times when we are stone sober and look in the mirror, see something that isn’t right and still walk away leaving whatever it was intact and in place. There’s a verse for that one too. James, the half-brother of Jesus, says that when we know what to do and don’t do it, we are like a person who looks in a mirror, sees that something is awry and chooses to just walk away.  Remember it is better to take care of the problem and yes, it is better to not only read and discover what to do…but then…do it.  An ounce of prevention is indeed better than a pound of cure.

Oh, and then there is the lesson about self-fixing.  The man saw the mess and tried to fix it up himself.  How many times have we tried that…and failed miserably.  One of the lessons I have learned through the years is that while self-fixing is sometimes admirable, it can never do what only God can do.  There are plenty of mishaps and messes in life that we need the help of Someone bigger than us.  Enter a God who loves us so much.  Enter a God that loves us too much to leave us alone…like we are.  He is in more than the fix-it-up business…He is in the rescue; redeem and resurrect business and He can’t wait to be a part of your life.

Well, I reckon we can’t leave this story without stating the obvious.  And what is that?  The dude shouldn’t have been drunk in the first place! Whether he was seeking an escape or just stopped by the bar and stumbled into a mess… neither matter.  Remember, mess with a snake and you will eventually get bit…it is just how it goes. But regardless, accidental, or intentional, God is there not to lecture but to redeem…not to point a finger but to point the way to your rescue.  No matter what…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

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

His Day, Your Day

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

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

25,860. You know we ought to be grateful for each day we have because one of these days we just might not wake up. In the morning, I wake up, get up, make a cup of coffee, get the weather report and settle in for some time with my Dearest Daddy. That almost always includes several devotions from different people and sometime in prayer. I’ve learned that one of the easiest ways to pray is to pray some scriptures back to God. I might personalize and pray Psalm 37:23-24 this way, “Lord, I know my steps today are ordered by you and in fact my path is something you delight in. I also know that if I stumble and fall, that you are not going to leave me there. You love me too much to do that, so you promise to pick me up. Thank You, Father.”

I also like to pray Proverbs 3:5-6. When I do, it might go like this, “Lord, You tell me to trust in You with all of my heart and that I should not trust in my way of doing and understanding things. You tell me, in all my ways, that I am to acknowledge You, to respect You, to revere You, to declare the fact that You are God, and I am not. When I am willing to do that, You promise to make my paths straight—to give me the best path for me life.  Thank You, Father for that.”

I love those two scriptures but there is one that I love just about as much. It is found in Psalm 118, verse 24, and I might pray it like this, “Lord, thank You for this new day that You have given me—a day that You have designed and made. I know it is Your will that I should rejoice and be glad in this gift You have given me. Help me today to do that. Amen” This is a good prayer but also a challenging one. As you know, and I know, because of circumstances and life, it is not always easy to rejoice in the day that God gives us.

The other day I was thinking about Psalm 139:16a that says, “All my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.” Wow! How amazing is that. Equally amazing is the impact this verse has on Psalm 118:24—that not only is it the day He made—He made it with me in mind. You see, for me today is day 25,860 of all the days of my life thus far. Now get this…each one, including this one, God made and planned with me in mind. And what is true for me is also true for you and that means we can live in His peace and the confident assurance that He has us in His heart and in His mind. So, no matter what number day this is for you—enjoy it because—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Family, friends, life, marriage, Scripture, thankful, travel

Wrong Kind of Dump

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “yes” mean “yes,” and your “no” mean “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.” James 5:12

We were just tootling along somewhere in Washington state. Not familiar with the term tootling? Well, you are probably more familiar than you think.  The word means to go or travel in a leisurely way.  For example, remember last week when you were going somewhere and the couple in front of you was driving fifteen miles an hour under the speed limit.  Yup…they were tootling.  Or maybe you were leaving a big event and the person in front of you was walking like they couldn’t? Yup…they were tootling.  Sometimes we call it being “out for a Sunday drive” or “strolling in the park” but the bottom line is, it’s tootling.

Well, we weren’t driving fifteen miles per hour under the speed limit but at the same time we weren’t in a hurry either. I was casually looking around and so was Judy. We would occasionally comment about this thing or that thing but mostly we were just enjoying the day and the drive.  We were tootling.  The area we were in had multiple campsites and RV parks.  It was a beautiful to tootle. As we tootled, we came upon an RV camp on my side of the road. We knew it was an RV park because it had one of those two sided signs—two boards hinged together that made a sorta tent.

Here is what it said, “RV Park. Dump. $5.  Well, I didn’t think too much about it because I knew it was letting people know that it was an RV Park and if it was time to dump your sewage or grey water you could do it there for five dollars. Well, just a few seconds after we drove past the sign, Judy spoke up and said, “That must really be a poor place since they called it a dump and it only cost five dollars. Well, I let it ride for just about a minute and then I explained it wasn’t talking about the condition of the park but rather the fact that you could dump your stuff there for five bucks. And then—best as I tried to avoid it—I laughed at her misinterpretation of the sign, and she laughed too.

I knew right away buried in there somewhere was a Grits story about communication. You see, I knew what they were saying but since Judy didn’t, she got a whole different meaning. To me they were advertising a service and a bargain, and she thought that the owners were so desperate they were willing to let anybody stay for just five bucks. Now stop for a minute and think just how often what we say or what we do is totally misunderstood. If we are honest, it is more than we want to admit. I know during my preaching years it was common for me to be unclear in what I was trying to say. Mostly it was just funny but a couple of times it was painful.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, said in the book he wrote in the Bible, “Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “yes” mean “yes,” and your “no” mean “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.” In other words, be careful what you say, when you say it, and even how you say it. If our “misspeaks” end in a laugh that isn’t too bad but when it hurts—well, it hurts. Momma always told me to mind my manners and that included what I said. Well, our Dearest Daddy wants us to mind our mouths. The best part is He is always willing to help us do that.  You might say, “He’s got that” and you would be right. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, spiritual battles, thankful, Trials

Life’s Puzzles

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24

It seems we have a new piece of furniture.  Awhile back we made a trip to northern Indiana to visit the Indiana Dunes National Park.  While we were there, we went to the park welcome center to get our “park passport” stamped, gather some info, and of course visit the gift shop.  While we were walking around the shop, my wife Judy picked up a puzzle.  Since we don’t do puzzles and since at least half of this team doesn’t even like puzzles I was somewhat surprised. Then I concluded that she was probably buying it for our Airbnb.

This puzzle wasn’t one of those for the faint of heart.  It was a 1,000-piece monster.  I smiled at the thought of guests going crazy trying to figure it out.  “Have fun,” I said to myself.  “Good luck,” I said to myself.  And then it happened.  As we got in the car the puzzle came up and Judy made the big reveal.  The puzzle wasn’t for the Airbnb…it was for…us.  I quickly explained that I didn’t do puzzles, didn’t like puzzles, and especially didn’t like puzzles with more than 10 pieces.  “No matter,” she said, “I’ll do it.”

After we got home, and not many days later, the puzzle made its appearance.  At first it found its way to the dining room table.  As she spread the 1,000-piece monster out on the table, it was quickly apparent that we needed a better solution.  So, we went down to our basement and brought up our card table.  Soon, she had the table up, the pieces spread out and we were the proud owners of a new piece of furniture—a puzzle table.  Well, for the first few days she would occasionally wander over and mess with the puzzle.  There was delight when a piece was found that fit another and then something happened.  The delight slowly began to wane as the next connecting piece became harder to find.

So there sat in our living room a puzzle table that didn’t hold much hope of completion.  I think Judy even said maybe she should have started with something less challenging.  I mentioned that Christmas was right around the corner and the table was sitting where the tree would go. I suspect that while the table will go back to the basement soon…the puzzle will find its way to the Airbnb awaiting its next victim.

That puzzle reminds me of life.  Sitting on the shelf in a store it seemed so benign.  Perhaps a challenge but certainly not something that is not conquerable but then the box is opened, the pieces spread out and it becomes something we can’t quite handle.  With puzzles you can just put it back in the box—no harm—no foul.  But with life…well, that is a different story.  You can’t just put away our life journey—our life circumstances, our life challenges—seek a solution, an answer, a completion.  And we are often left scratching our heads.

And that is where God comes in.  Talk to people who love puzzles, and they all have their ideas, plans and strategies…but what works for one may not work for another.  But with God what works with Him always works for us.  His wisdom, His strategy is never wrong and better than that…He is willing to help us put it all together.  He gently makes suggestions and whispers solutions. Sometimes He even guides our hands to the right answer for a question that demands an answer.  That’s just what He does.  Always helping, always loving, always there.

If you have a puzzle that has you stumped, you might consider putting it in your Airbnb.  If you don’t have one of those, try having a yard sale or using it as a repurposed Christmas gift…to someone you don’t particularly like.  Smile.  But if we are talking life, turn to the One who knows the answers to all the puzzles but remember…it is a matter of trusting and sometimes…waiting.  I like a promise tucked away in Isaiah 65:24—in the Old Testament part of the Bible. It says, “Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.” I like that.  I can just see Him saying, “You might try that piece right over there.”  I listen and sure enough…it fits.  And of course…sometimes He might just whisper, “Don’t worry…I’ve got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

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

Beautifully Different

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

They were all the same—yet totally different.  When we went to the Northwest corner of these United States, we knew we had to travel to Victoria, British Columbia. It is a province of Canada yet thoroughly British. Some people say that the people who live in Victoria are more British than the British are. And it is amazing that you can take a short ferry ride (less than 90 minutes) and find yourself in a place that is a lot like our home, the United States, but at the same time very European.

We truly love to visit Victoria. One of the places we enjoy seeing is Butchart Gardens. It is a vast garden with acre upon acre of pristinely maintained grounds. Even though we visited in fall, there were still a multitude of varieties of flowers, plants and trees. There was one section, one part of the garden that instantly caught my attention—the dahlia garden. This selection of plants and flowers were an explosion of color in every shape and size. Literally dozens of flowers were planted together—each distinctly different yet each sharing this one fact—they were all dahlias. Some were the size of dinner plates and others the size of a small teacup. Some were large and flat, and others were almost the shape of balls. Some were one particular color, and others were a palate of colors. They were all amazing and they also were teaching a valuable lesson.

You see, the garden was a beautiful illustration of God’s intent for His church. Like the Dahlia garden, we too are a hodgepodge of God’s creation.  We not only look different or speak a different language, but we also all were made distinctively different with an attention to detail that only God could create. I noticed at Butchart Gardens that some flower beds were intentionally planted in one color. Though attractive they simply didn’t have the draw of the eye that the Dahlia garden did. The reason was simple—while the initial impact was strong, it soon diminished—after all once you have seen one purple flower—you have seen them all.

God knew that His people would be stronger and better if we were different. He knows our differences are not a distraction or a weakness—they are a strength. We are stronger in our differences. How about that? You see, I love Pecan Pie, but I promise you even I would grow tired of that day in and day out. It might take a few days but after that…well…you know.

So let me encourage you to marvel in the beauty of God’s garden—His people. Truth be told, we wouldn’t want everyone to be like us—we and the world—need variety.  Remember, the next time someone gets a little under your skin, be sure and thank God for them. Why? It just might be that people like that are exactly what makes the world better. If loving all of God’s “dahlias” are a struggle for you, just ask the Master Gardner. He will know just what to do—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, marriage, prayer, priorities, thankful, travel, Trials

But the Seat is Empty

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b

Well, that didn’t take long.  A while back I decided to do something that is unusual for me.  I had registered my wife Judy and I for a pastor’s conference.  I was thinking one day and said to myself, “Maybe it would be good for me to just get away by myself.” Well, I talked it over with Judy and she agreed.  Of course, the fact that she was leaving right after the conference for a mission trip to Puerto Rico probably figured in.  With the decision made…I would go, she would stay. Where to go and when to stay and where to eat and when to eat would be my call. It was a good plan.

The day came.  We had great services at church, and I had a sandwich for lunch and a quick nap before I hit the road.  With a hug and a kiss, I was off on the great adventure.  I had satellite radio playing hits from the 60’s, the cruise was set for the speed limit, and I passed the time just enjoying the beautiful day and the slowly changing color of the trees.  And then…it began to happen. It started when I caught myself causally glancing over at the passenger seat. Normally it would have held my favorite person in the whole world.  It sat empty.  No deal…but it was a thought.  I would occasionally put my hand in the seat as if feeling to see if she was there.  She wasn’t.

After several hours, I arrived at my hotel for the night.  I had chosen well.  It was very reasonable and very nice.  I opened the door and marveled at the room.  I wanted to share the moment with her, but she wasn’t there.  I called and let her know I was there safely and then planned supper.  There was no doubt where I was going.  Fazoli’s. They had their pizza baked spaghetti back on the menu and I had been wanting to go…so I did.  This was a place Judy probably wouldn’t have chosen but tonight it was my call and honestly…it was very good. That was followed with a visit to a creamery called, “The Lazy Cow.” I picked the place and the flavor.  “Not bad,” I said to no one as a went back to my room.

The room was still nice, but it was quiet…too quiet.  I called Judy and told her about supper and the ice cream, but it wasn’t the same as experiencing it with her.  After a while we said good night and we both went to bed in different beds, different rooms, and different states.  The next morning, she said she didn’t sleep too well, and I told her the same. I told her some plans I had made, and she shared hers.  After a couple of minutes, we said goodbye.  And that is when it hit me.

It was nice picking what music I wanted to listen to as I drove.  It was nice stopping when I wanted to stop. It was nice choosing to go to Fazoli’s and later getting ice cream. All that was nice, but she wasn’t there and that made it all less nice. Oh, it is still a good plan, and I will enjoy my time away.  I’m sure the teaching is going to be great and all that, but it will be different.  It might, it probably will be less than if she was there.  Think about that.  Think about something else.

Do we ever think or maybe even act on what life would be like without God? We muse how grand it might be without the rules, to make our own choices and decisions and not have to worry about what He might think. I know for some of you that may be everyday but for a chunk of us that is a far stretch and yet too often we live that very same way. We include God when it is convenient and leave Him at home when it isn’t. I’ve already discovered that while this week will be good for me…it is not something I want to do all the time.

The bottom line is Judy is just too much a part of my life…and that is how we need to make it with God.  We need to make Him so much a part of our lives, that when we look around and realize we left Him (He will never leave us) that we are wise enough to go back and join Him.  Lord willing this Thursday, I’ll be back home…and home is a good place.  God said He will never leave us or let us go and there is a lot of comfort in that.  There’s also a lot of comfort in knowing that even when we take a trip and fail to invite Him, He’s still there…He’s still got this. Bro. Dewayne

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

Truly Vast

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.” Genesis 1:31

It was amazing. The next chapter for us started on June 1st of 2024. After a slow start to the great adventure, we finally planned and went on a pretty big trip in September. We boarded a plane, climbed on a train, rented a car, and finally boarded a ferry to British Colombia. Our destination was one of our favorite places in these United States—the Pacific Northwest.  After arriving by train and renting a car we drove south to Oregon and stayed at a small hotel called “Sailor Jack’s.” This was our third time staying there and the main attraction was the view of the Pacific Ocean. The living room had a large window that filled the whole wall. Since we were right on the beach, all you could see was the ocean.

To me the Pacific Ocean is unlike any large body of water I have ever seen. In Uganda we rode in an open boat on a lake named Victoria that was so large from the middle you couldn’t see the shores. Of course, then there is the Gulf of Mexico. Stand on the west side of Florida and it seems large—and it is but not compared to the Atlantic Ocean. We have flown across the Atlantic more than a few times and it is certainly big enough, but then there is the Pacific. Strike out from the Oregon shore and for thousands and thousands of miles you will find nothing but open water and an occasional whale.  Eventually you will bump into Asia, but it is one long journey.

As I stood looking out the window from my third-floor condo, I was overcome with the wildness and vastness of this great body of water. There is a beauty in how the wind causes the water to roll onto the shore with sometimes larger than life waves. Then I realize that this huge vast body is but a “drop in the bucket” when compared to the great vastness of God. Whether you choose to think of the vastness of His love, the vastness of His grace and mercy, the vastness of His power or perhaps the vastness of His wisdom, the mighty Pacific simply seems almost insignificant. Remember that the vastness of the Creator will always vastly outweigh the things He creates.

The Bibles tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God and that is absolutely true. In fact, if you will just take a moment to look around, you will quickly see that all of nature shouts the validity of God. From the vast Pacific Ocean to the smallest yet most beautiful flower they all preach the same message: Nothing compares to our God. So, I am very grateful for all that God has created but I always remember that it is nothing compared to Him. One day all of this will be gone but He will still be there in all His magnificent splendor. So, take a moment and look and see the wonder and vastness of nature and then remember that the Creator is always so much greater than the creation. And remember that this wonderful Creator is more than capable of handling whatever comes our way.  Rest assured…He’s got this! Bro. Dewayne

Photo credit:  Judy Taylor at Sailor Jack’s, Lincoln City, Oregon

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

Don’t Wait

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” John 13:27

Who would have known? Sometimes a change of plans can be bigger than we think.  As you might remember through several Grits stories, several years ago my wife Judy and I made a couple of trips down to Ft. Myers and Marathon Key, Florida.  We had a great time.  We landed in Ft. Myers, rented a Mustang convertible, and then drove to the Keys.  After several days, we drove back to Ft. Myers and stayed at a really nice place called, “Lover’s Key.”  It overlooked a beautiful large bay and was just a few blocks from the beach.  We ate some incredible seafood at a couple of incredible restaurants.  Well, the bottom line is we had such a good time we knew we had to visit again.

A little later, we laid plans to do just that…visit again. We originally set the time for Labor Day weekend but later, because of the crowds, changed it to September 8-17. We booked a few days at Marathon Key, a few days at Lover’s Key, and the Mustang…well, that wasn’t going to happen.  Because of COVID, prices for rental cars, Mustang or not, had just about tripled.  Oh well, we could at least roll down the window.  We were excited…anticipating a repeat of last year.  And then…things went crazy with the airlines and the economy, and we knew we would have to cancel…and we did.

What we didn’t know, what we couldn’t know was a powerful hurricane named Ian was going to sweep into the Gulf of Mexico and literally destroy Ft. Myers.  Just eleven days after our planned dates, Ft. Myers as we knew it was gone.  The wonderful restaurants, the beautiful beaches at Ft. Myers and Sanibel Island—all gone.  Progress has been made toward recovery, but it will be a few more before it even begins to look like the old Ft. Myers and even then, there will be scars. And here’s what I now wonder.

What if, what if we had known that this beautiful place was going to be swept away, would we have made a greater effort to go?  If we had just known that the time we had planned might be the last time…would we have made a greater effort?  Honesty, would money, would price have mattered?  And the answer is—no. I honestly believe we would have made every effort to visit.  Knowing it was going to be perhaps the last time would have changed our effort and the value of the visit.  But alas, it is too late.

Like I said, it will eventually open back for people like me to visit but the scars of that terrible day in September will linger long after the last road is rebuilt.  And that made me think.  What is there in our lives that we are putting off? What is it in our lives that we think, we figure, we can do later?  What thing are we waiting to say, waiting to do, thinking, believing there will be enough time?  And you know what I know—we don’t know if there will be time or not.  That means, perhaps, just perhaps, we need to say and do what needs to be said and done—now not later.  We shouldn’t and perhaps can’t wait because things can and do change and later might be too late.

I call it my favorite “taken out of context” scripture.  It involves Jesus and Judas.  Jesus knows what Judas is about to do so He tells him, “Hurry and do what you are going to do.”  That whatever is his betrayal of Jesus to the authorities.  Like I said it is terribly taken out of context but still there are those glaring words…hurry and do whatever you are going to do. Judy and I have moved on to our next chapter in life.  We are both getting older, and we keep asking each other…and God, “What’s next?”  Well, we are not privy to all of that, but we do have today…we do have now.  The bottom line is we need to do what we can now and say what we want to say now for tomorrow may not come.

Do quickly. Don’t wait. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t wish you would have…rather be glad that you did.  Remember, to be grateful for what you did is always so much better than regret.  I’m hoping writing this will spark this wisdom in my life. While we don’t know about tomorrow, fortunately we do know Someone who does.  To some He is just God but to some of us He is known as Dearest Daddy, and we know and believe that He knows our tomorrows. We also know and believe that “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, Southern born, spiritual battles, Trials

Speak No Evil

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:10-11

It’s gonna happen…it just should not happen there.  Life is filled with bumps and bruises.  They’re gonna happen like it or not but sometimes they are made worse by the timing and location.  A flat tire is never fun but take that same flat tire and let it happen on a rainy Monday on the way to an interview for a new job and it is just worse.  Your car breaking down is just a bad deal but when it happens out in the middle of nowhere and with no cellphone service…well, your day just went south.

I once experienced something that well, it just shouldn’t have happened but where it happened and how it happened just made it worse.  It was a Sunday morning in South Georgia and like any other Sunday morning I was in church.  I went to church for several reasons…like it was the right thing to do, I thought it might make God happy and usually I enjoyed it.  On this particular day…well, let’s just say I had that proverbial flat tire on a rainy Monday out in the middle of nowhere.  The story goes like this.

Ever since I was a kid I liked to sing, and people said they enjoyed it.  So, I was occasionally asked to sing at church.  On this particular Sunday morning I was asked to sing.  Now there is something you need to know before we go any further.  You see, the church I attended was strict with certain things and one of those things was that guys should not have hair over their ears.  That was a big no, no.  And believe it or not, even though I was in the Air Force I had found a way to have hair over my ears.  It involved “Dippity-do” but that’s another story.

Well, that Sunday was my time to sing.  I went to the stage and did the very best I could to sing for Jesus.  With my “hair over my ears” waving in the wind I went up and I came down.  I was glad to sing but was also glad it was over.  Well, it wasn’t.  Because that Sunday we had a special speaker.  And because of what happened, I remember him very, very, well.  He stepped behind the pulpit, and I got the surprise of my young life.  I was surprised because what he said was like a dagger in my heart.  Here’s what he said.

With his deep and authoritative voice, in front of the entire church, he said, “Young man, if I had hair like yours, I would be ashamed to stand up and sing for Jesus.”  I was shocked.  I was hurt.  I was mortally embarrassed.  Not because of my hair, not because I had caused Jesus to frown (which I didn’t) but because this man who represented God had put me on trial, judged me, and sentenced me.  Honestly, it’s a miracle I didn’t walk out and keep right on walking.

Like I said, things like this happen but they should never, ever happen in church.  We wonder why people don’t want to come to church and unfortunately too often it is things like this.  You see, church should be a safe place…a loving place.  Church should be a place not for perfect people (because there aren’t any) but for forgiven people.  Church should be a grace place and not a place to judge and throw rocks.  Church should be a place where people see Jesus everywhere…in the lives of everyone.

I love the fact that the people who flocked to Jesus were the most broken in the community.  They liked Him and He loved them. He was perfectly comfortable with sitting down with the worse sinner in town and having lunch.  Trust me, that drove the religious people crazy.  They said some very nasty things about Jesus because of that but the truth is…Jesus came to rescue the lost, the broken…people like me and you.

Well, the good news is I survived that Sunday morning, but it left a scar that remains to this day. My wife reminded me that my pastor came up afterwards and apologized.  I’m glad he did.  We need to have the courage to speak up when a wrong occurs…Jesus would. I can never get enough of the story in the Bible about the woman taken in adultery.  The rock throwers wanted to kill her but instead Jesus loved and forgave her.  I like that. A lot.  So, if you find yourself wounded by a rock chucker just remember Jesus loves you…even if someone else doesn’t.  And remember, no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne