Category: gratitude

Posted in forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, love, Scripture

Christ the King–Christ the Bridge

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth and Life and no one can come back to the Father except by Me.”

On the ninth sea day, we finally found ourselves docked in Europe. Our second port of call was Lisbon, Portugal. After so many days at sea it was good to see land for the second time in a lot of days. Lisbon is a beautiful old European city with too many hills (pant, pant) and several large and majestic cathedrals. We took a tour of the city but quite honestly it didn’t seem to leave a large impression on my wife Judy and I–that is until it was time to leave.

When you cruise, at the sail-away from each port of call, there is always a large gathering of passengers on the upper decks. There is always something special about the sail-away. Usually the captain blows the ship’s horn and often there is a gathering on the pier to see us off. It is quite stirring…especially in the case of Lisbon. As we slowly moved away from the dock, we edged our way toward the open sea via a large channel. As we sailed away, two things caught, captivated our attention. 

The first was a bridge that crossed the channel. What made this bridge so special is that it was designed exactly, well, almost exactly like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. In fact, it was made by the same company that made the one there. It was, well, majestic. When we were in San Francisco, we drove over the Golden Gate and that was pretty amazing. But to sail under this bridge, its twin, was equally so. Now for the second thing.

Located on the left side of the channel on the top of a small mountain was a statue of Christ with His arms outstretched. The statue is in fact called “The Sanctuary of Christ the King.” It is a massive 360 feet tall and its outstretched arms measure 92 feet finger tip to finger tip. It appropriately commands the view of the entire area. So, imagine with me. First, you see the massive bridge spanning the great distance from shore to shore and then your eye is captured by Christ the King. And instantly the connection is made.

You see, in our human state, we are separated from God. The great divide is caused by the fact that God is holy and we are not. The Bible clearly states that all of us…all of us…have sinned and therefore separated from God. We needed a bridge, a way back to God and that way is Christ the King. Jesus said it best in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth and Life and no one can come back to the Father except by Me.” Jesus left the splendor of heaven and died on a cross so that we could come home to God. Amazing.

As we sailed out the channel, when the angle was just right, you could see both the bridge and Christ the King and that is what I most remember about Lisbon–Christ the King is the bridge–in a way they are one in the same. So as I write this, I am grateful for that sail-away on that day from that port. I am grateful for a God who loves me so much, for a Savior that loves me that much and for the precious Holy Spirit who too loves me that much. I am grateful too that no matter what–Christ the King–well, He’s got this–always.  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in Family, gratitude, heaven, life, Scripture, thankful, travel

Look Up–Look Around

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Everything on earth will worship You; they will sing Your praises, shouting Your name in glorious songs. Selah” Psalm 66:4

As we transversed the Atlantic Ocean on our great 50th wedding anniversary adventure I was once again reminded just how big and awesome our God is. The Bible tells us in Psalm 19:1-2 “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known.” I love those verses. Last night my wife Judy and I were sitting out with our neighbors (remember when you used to do that?) and we began to look up and were all amazed as the stars slowly began to show themselves. It was amazing. While I was looking one way, Judy was looking another and she was treated to see a beautiful falling star. Wow.

I spoke out loud to no one in particular that God has placed and named each star. One of the kids spoke up and said, “How can He do that?” Well, the answer is simply that He is God and He can do anything. Now, back to the cruise. We quickly discovered that in the middle of the ocean that stars can and do showoff…each one declaring God’s greatness. But after sailing for several days and not seeing land I realized something else. You don’t have to look up to see the glory of God–really all you have to do is look around. You see the Bible also says in Psalm 66:4, “Everything on earth will worship You; they will sing Your praises, shouting Your name in glorious songs.” 

Imagine with me looking in every direction and seeing the vast ocean. On some days it was relatively calm…on others, quite the opposite. But whether it was calm or rolling, it was big, really big, and it all said that if God created this big ocean, He must be really, really, really big and He is. The last word in Psalm 66:4 is the word, “Selah.” It is a Hebrew word that implies the idea that right there you need to pause. Someone once said it is saying, “There what do you think of that?”

Our first port of call was a group of islands in the middle of nowhere that belonged to God but were claimed by Portugal. At first I thought we were only stopping there to get some gas–nothing more–nothing less. I soon found out that I was wrong. You see, the Azores are called the  “Hawaii of Europe” and the reason was soon evident. While the islands were diverse as a Baptist church, the one we stopped at was simply beautiful. It was massively green and tropical plants were everywhere. We were treated to seeing quaint small towns, a beautiful botanical garden and perhaps best of all, a place where boiling water spewed out of the earth sending steam rushing into the air.

So the Azores was so much more than a gas stop, it was a wonderful testimony of the greatness of God. It was a place where God had once again showed off His power and creativity. It was a spotlight of His love and grace for us. So, tonight be sure and look up and see what God has done up there but today, well today, be sure and look around and see just how great our God is. If you do, you will soon realize that no matter what you are going to bump into, you have the assurance that, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne   

Posted in Family, gratitude, life, love, marriage, Mother's Day, Scripture, thankful

Mother’s Day–God’s Bigger Idea

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“Honor your father and mother.” Exodus 20:17a 

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. I used to think that it was something either Hallmark, the florists or the candy people dreamed up to make money. But now I know better. You see I think God came up with the idea. When He gave the big ten to Moses, He included the foundation for not only Mother’s Day but Father’s Day too. Here’s what He said in Exodus 20:17a, “Honor your father and mother.” There you go…as plain as day. The big difference between His plan and Hallmarks is that God said it shouldn’t be a one day a year thing but an everyday of the year thing.  We are to honor our parents–everyday.

You see, respect is a big thing to God. He deserves and expects our respect–but that’s not all. He expects us to respect those who are in positions of authority and that begins in the home with our parents. And guess what–that respect thing doesn’t have a statute of limitations. In others words, we are to respect them when we live with them and when we don’t.  We are to respect them while they are alive and then honor and respect their memories when they are no longer with us.

I was blessed with a great Momma and Daddy. While they weren’t perfect (none are) I am certain they both loved God and loved me. And while they went to heaven a long time ago, I still honor and respect their legacy. I told my wife Judy today that as I have grown older I have learned to honor and respect the both of them more and more. To a large degree I am who I am because of their impact on my life. I loved them then but I love them even more now.

Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham, wrote a brief tribute to her mother that I would like to share with you here. She writes, “As a teenager growing up, my room in our house was directly over Mother’s. At night I could see the lights from her room reflected on the trees outside my window. When I slipped downstairs hoping to talk to her a few minutes, I would find her shapely form bent beside her bed in prayer.”

“It was useless to wait for her to rise because she would be there for hours on end, so I would trudge back up to my room. And no matter how early I awoke in the morning, I would see those lights from her window once again reflected on the trees outside. When I tumbled down the stairs, I would find her seated at her big, flat-top desk, earnestly studying one of the fourteen different translations of the Bible spread out around her. My mother chose to make abiding in Christ one of the priorities of her life.”

“Mother’s abiding was rooted in a love relationship with Jesus that was the secret of her life. As a result of her abiding, and the obedience that was integrated into it, the hallmark of Mother’s life was joy. Her face radiated it! Her eyes sparkled with it! And I’m left to wonder . . . what outward evidence of my inner relationship with Jesus do my children see?”

That last question is one that really matters. Is the life story that we are writing one that our children and grandchildren can gladly read at our funerals? While God certainly blessed me with a wonderful mother, I am so grateful that He also blessed me with a wonderful wife and mother for our children. I love my wife Judy so much because she loves Jesus, she loves me and she loves our family. This Mother’s Day, be sure and thank God for the ones who shaped your life. And be sure and thank Him that no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in gratitude, loving others, Scripture, travel

Faithful Steward–Silent Servant

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:2 

His name was Jerry but He looked a little bit like Jesus. On our grand journey across the Atlantic Ocean and then around the British Isles, we spent 25 days on the Majestic Princess. Even though it was actually two cruises, ours was combined into one. Because of that my wife Judy and I were able to spend all of our time in the same room…and that is when we met Jerry.

Jerry was our room steward. You might know from the Bible that a steward is someone who is responsible for caring for someone else’s property. And just about now is a great opportunity for us to remember that if we are Jesus people we actually own the grand total of…zero. As it turns out God owns everything…He just allows us to manage it for Him. So for those 25 days that we were sailing, Room B241 was ours and Jerry was assigned to be a steward, to care for us and the room.

We met him on the first day and he assured us that he would do everything he could to make sure our room was like a home away from home. Judy made a couple of special requests. First, could he possibly find us a small fan (when we sleep, we like the breeze and the noise it makes) and some ice for us to use during our excursions. He supplied both of these requests. Everyday he cleaned our room, made our bed (and changed the sheets) tidied up the room and cleaned the bathroom. While we didn’t see him very often, the evidence of his presence was felt everyday. We knew he was there by the way our room looked. He was a very good steward.

Jerry was a silent servant. It seemed He didn’t need our praise  (though we always tried to tell him when we saw him), and I’m not sure he did it just because it was his job. Jerry seemed to really like caring for us. He found purpose and fulfillment in being a good steward and for him that was enough. Like I said…Jerry in his actions looked a little bit like Jesus. You see, the Bible tells us in Matthew 20:28, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Let’s be honest, when we boarded the ship, we had paid the fare and expected to be served. When Jerry boarded he expected to serve others…and that is what he did…serve others.

So, my question is this. How well do we mimic Jesus as we live our walk about life? Can people tell that we belong to Him by the way we love and care and serve others? We like to assign our Christian identity to a few habits like going to church but Jesus said people would know we were Jesus followers by the way we loved others. Let that soak in. Like I’ve often said, going to church is a good thing but even a dog or cat can find their way into church. 

So hats off to Jerry the silent servant–and steward. We thanked him appropriately when we left the ship and I hope he knew how much we appreciated his care and service. Let me challenge us to be more than a little bit like Jesus today. Let’s show kindness and compassion to those we bump in to today. Let’s show them what the real Jesus is like not with just our habits or words but by our actions. If all that seems challenging, just follow Jesus and He will show you how. After all, He is the greatest example of love and service there is. Yup, He’s got that too. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in food, Grace, gratitude, heaven, marriage, Scripture

The Majestic Ship of Zion

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

It was a warm and sunny morning in South Florida. My wife Judy and I were in town to add another link, and a major link at that, to our chain of events celebrating 50 years of marriage. From Fort Lauderdale we were boarding a luxury cruise ship called the Majestic Princess and I must say she lived up to her name. We would be sailing across the Atlantic Ocean with stops in the Azores, Lisbon, Portugal and then to a stop that would allow us to see Normandy, site of the D-Day invasion that reclaimed most of Europe from the tyranny of Nazi Germany, and Paris. From there we were to cross the English Channel and dock for a day at South Hampton before taking a grand tour of the British Isles including England, Ireland and Scotland. It was a grand journey and it required a grand ship to carry us.

In case you have never cruised I want to share with you the big deal–or at least one of the big deals. From the moment we boarded that Friday morning, all our worries and cares were left behind. It seemed that the 1300 members of the crew were there to take care of the passengers–all of them–regardless of social status, race or creed. The ship, of course, had a captain and it was his job to carefully guide our vessel to its final destination. He ultimately was responsible for us.

You see, for the next 25 days we were totally and completely in his care. Our every need–and I do mean every need–was in his hand. We didn’t have to worry about anything. Someone made our bed and cleaned our room everyday–and then checked on it a couple of more times. Someone, or more than a few someones, cooked our food. Someone was there to plan and provide for our entertainment. So with our needs and desires taken care of and our safety safely in his hands, all we needed to do was enjoy the journey.

And that is exactly what we did…enjoyed the journey. Judy loved the fact that someone else did the cooking and cleaned “the house.” I enjoyed the fact that there were very little responsibilities…no grass to mow, no car to wash…not anything. It was pretty amazing. Wow…how would it be if life was that way…everyday? But wait, in a way, in a big way, it already is. You see, for those of us who have become Jesus followers we have the same assurances that we enjoyed on the Majestic Princess–and so, so much more.

I know He doesn’t cook supper but He sure provides for us. He plans beautiful sunrises and sunsets for us to marvel at and enjoy. We are surely in His safety and care–not for 25 days but for all eternity. He doesn’t clean house but He marvelously cleans up the messes we make in life. Amazing…Simply amazing.

Now to be clear all of that doesn’t make Him our butler and room steward but it does make Him a friend, a Good Shepherd and a Dearest Daddy that loves us enough to never stop loving us. His Word is clear that before the foundation of the world was laid, before we ever did anything right or wrong, He loved us and made a way to guide and carry us through life. And all of that is made possible by believing, by faith…nothing more and nothing less.

I hope you have made the decision to board His ship and trust Him for your life and your eternity. Trust me when I say, it is a decision that you will never regret. He promised that if we would believe, He would guide the ship of our lives safely into His eternal harbor. With Him there is never a doubt about our safe arrival because as always…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in forgiveness, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful

HELP!

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.”  Romans 6:14

It’s always drives me nuts.  For as long as I can remember, I have had to deal with allergies.  From the days of running the woods in Northeast Florida as a kid to now, stuff in the air drives me bonkers.  I can well remember the days in my early twenties when the only weapon I had to fight the battle with was some nose spray.  And the crazy part of that was if you use it too often and too long, it actually makes matters worse.

In the earlier days, my main issue was the fall.  There is this crazy plant called ragweed and when it starts to bloom, I start to suffer.  We are talking itchy eyes, clogged nasal passages, and a sneeze that sounds like a chihuahua wound too tight chasing their tail.  Oh, and I don’t sneeze once—try six to eight times. 

About a zillion years ago, I discovered something called Flonase that changed my life.  It is a nasal steroid that tricks your nose and eyes into believing that there is nothing in the air.  It was a game changer and I have used it probably for 40 years or more.  Wow, it sure made fall easier.  I might still have some symptoms but at least it is tolerable. Well, about five years ago, something happened.  I started having the same symptoms in the spring too.  They weren’t as bad, and the Flonase keeps everything in balance.  All that was true until this year.

As spring began to spring, my allergies started acting up, first in a little way and then in a big way.  Today they are acting in a “you’ve got to be kidding me” way.  So, when I started sounding like an overactive chihuahua I just start using my medicine.  For some reason, this spring, it didn’t work like before.  Now for the last couple of days, I have been sneezing and my eyes have been itching like crazy.  I tried the over-the-counter stuff, and we made a little progress but so far, well, we are still at war.

All of this is so crazy.  Some stuff from some plant is doing something to the lining of my sinuses causing them to go nuts and I end up in misery.  I mean, first, I did nothing to the stinking plants and second, what’s up with my hypersensitive sinuses.  Something that I can’t even see is making me miserable.  I know, I should think positive but when you want to take your eyeballs out so you can scratch them better, it is hard to be positive.  And then I know you aren’t supposed to put your fingers in your eyes, but it feels so good to scratch them.  Oh, my goodness.

You know, I wonder what if sin (you know the things that God says we shouldn’t do) was as irritating as whatever it is that is driving me nuts?  What if it bothered me to the point that I would do anything to stop?  I do believe my life would be better…I know my life would be better.  But the problem with sin is the fact we like it way too much.  For many of us, it’s like the satisfaction I feel when I scratch my eyes or sneeze for the eighth time.  It feels better…it feels good.  But mark this down.  There are consequences.

Sneeze eight times with your eyes closed while driving and you end up running a red light or running into a ditch.  Bummer.  Scratch your eyes too often and you end up with an eye infection or scratching something like whatever it is that makes your eyes work in the first place.  Regardless—you end up in a mess. The best thing is to head to the eye doctor for some stronger medicine.

It is the same way with this sin thing.  We need to call the sin doctor and that would be Jesus.  He knows all about sin—how to beat it—how to subdue it, and how to avoid all those nasty consequences.  He died so that sin wouldn’t win, and He is more than willing to help us, if we ask.  His death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin but He also gives us victory over the sneezing and itchy eyes part of sin—the day-to-day messiness of sin.  He gives us sin relief and I love that.

Paul, one of the main writers of the New Testament part of the Bible, says that sin (along with all its messy consequences) does not have to rule over us—because we are not under the “thou shalt not’s” but under grace—God’s unlimited and unmerited favor.  And because of that, sin doesn’t have free reign, you know, like too many sneezes and itchy eyes.  That sounds like good news to me.

Just know that if you hear something that sounds like an overactive chihuahua or see some guy with red eyes, don’t worry it is probably just me going nuts.  But remember, and this is the take-away, there is Someone who can handle your sin issues and that Someone is Jesus.  He loves you a lot—so much He died for you.  And whatever your issue is, you can take this to the bank, He’s got this, too.  Bro. Dewayne

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

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 Family, Grace, gratitude, life, pride, Scripture, travel

28% Irish

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” John 1:12-13

I always wanted to be Irish. There is one day a year that people who really have very little to do with the celebration celebrate. When is that?  Well Saint Patrick’s Day of course! It seems on that day everybody wants to wear the green and claim their Irish ancestors. It reminds me of when President Reagan was shot and as he lay waiting for surgery he looked up at the surgeon and said, “I hope you are a Republican.” The surgeon gave the perfect response. He said, “We are all Republicans today, Mr. President.” Well I am sure not everyone wants to claim to be Irish…but a whole bunch do.

A while back my wife gave me a DNA thingy to find out where my ancestors came from. I’ve always said I was Scot/Irish but really I had no clue. As it turned out, I was mostly from Middle England…how boring. But, gladly, I was 28% Irish. It probably isn’t enough to change my name to McTaylor but hey 28% is better than none. If you look at the immigration records you will see that especially during the great potato famine from 1845 to 1852, thousands of Irish folk left their homeland and came to America. You see, potatoes made up a large portion of their diet and when a potato fungus nearly wiped out the crop, thousands were starving so it was leave or die and many left. The Irish played a big role in building America. They were a hard working people and many fought and died in America’s wars. To be Irish was a reason to be proud.

That is probably the reason why so many who aren’t Irish celebrate St. Patricks Day. They want to party down and maybe, at least for day, claim a linage even if it really isn’t theirs. And guess what? That isn’t the only time that happens. Believe it or not it happens every Sunday as people flock to church. Many, of course, are Jesus followers but many others go for many other reasons. For some it is the right thing to do. For some it is part of their routine. For some their parents or wives (smile) make them go. And, for some it sure looks good on their resume. I know when I was in the Air Force, one of the things to check off was church attendance. 

Church is always a good thing but it is important we go for the right reason. We should go because we have chosen to follow Jesus or at least are exploring making that decision. You see, the church is not a building, it is the Jesus followers that gather there each week–to worship their God and King and to strengthen and encourage one another. It’s not a club nor is it a place to show up to show off–it is all about Him and never about us. Write that one down!

So, Happy St. Patrick’s Day…especially if you are Irish. The bottom line is you can’t really change your ancestry…you are what you are. But when it comes to your spiritual linage–well, God can and will change that. He want’s more than anything to adopt you into His family. Having Him as your Father is the best linage ever. And it is not for just one day, and you don’t have to wear green…or even your best. All you have to do is believe, trust and follow. You then can confidently say, “I know He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, gratitude, heaven, Military memories, Scripture

Welcome Home

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Luke 15:10

It wasn’t what they deserved.  On any given day, each day is dedicated to this or that.  There is National Polar Bear Plunge Day (that was January 1st—seems July 1st would have been a better choice!) Then there is World Introvert Day (its ok…don’t be shy about it.) A personal favorite of mine is National Buffet Day. And then of course there is National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day followed by National Trivia Day (anybody want to guess what day?) Well, on and on the list goes.  Believe it or not those are all from the first few days of January.

It turns out the day I wrote this was a very special day indeed and I suppose very few people had a clue about what it was.  I know I didn’t until I got an email from the Armed Forces Exchange Services.  These folks run the stores that are located on all the Army and Air Force bases and as a veteran I am allowed to shop with them.  They sent an email honoring a special group of men and women—the veterans who served during the Vietnam War Era—November 1, 1955, through May 15, 1975. While those who went to Vietnam are an elite part of this group, I think it special they included all those who were a part of the Armed Forces during that period.

These brave warriors never received the welcome home they deserved.  Our nation was a hot mess in the sixties and one of the reasons was the war in Vietnam.  And, instead of taking it out on the politicians, many, too many, chose to take it out on the men and women who were simply doing what they were ordered to do.  They were cursed and spit upon and as if the scars of war weren’t enough—they were subjected to the anger and ridicule of their peers. It grieved my heart then…and it grieves my heart now.

Well, the years have gone by and as the sand slipped through the hourglass these warriors grew older.  In days gone by when you saw an older veteran, wearied, and bruised by time and hard times, wearing a shirt or cap signifying their service, you just assumed they were from World War II or perhaps Korea.  Now there is a good chance that aged warrior served in the Vietnam era. I know I served from 1972 to 1984 and I find myself reflecting on seven decades of life. Time marches on.

Sadly, the time to say thank you to our World War II and Korean veterans is just about gone.  Fewer and fewer of them remain with us and slowly the same can be said for our Vietnam warriors.  I hope you took every opportunity to recognize those veterans from World War II and Korea. Now I hope I will, you will, we all will afford our Vietnam veterans the same honor.  Not for all but for many there is still time to say, “Thank you for your service.”

No, there simply weren’t enough appropriate homecomings back in the sixties and early seventies but I am glad there is one place where every person can be welcomed home and that is heaven.  No, not every veteran, in fact not every person, will receive that welcome because not every person will be going there.  You see, the welcome sign is out and the invitations mailed but no amount of service to your country, no amount of being good and doing good can earn you this homecoming.  This one comes by believing in the One who fought and defeated sin and death—and His name is Jesus.

Granted it is a narrow way but at the same time it is wide for the invitation to be part of the family is open to any man, woman or child who is willing to believe. Simply put—if you are willing to say yes to Him—He is more than willing to say yes to you. And when you do, if you do, there will be a bigger party than you can imagine.  Jesus said, “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” In other words, God wants to throw the party of the century for you.  He can’t wait to welcome you home.

So, many thanks to all the active duty warriors and veterans but at least today—a special thanks to those who served during the Vietnam era.  And if you went over and you didn’t receive the welcome you deserve then, well, just know God’s got one planned for you when you finally get home. Why not go ahead and say, yes to Him today.  Think you’ve messed up too badly? Think God could never forgive…you?  Don’t you worry—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in friends, gratitude, life, missions, priorities

Small Change–Big Difference

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need.” Luke 12:33

I could see them flashing a mile down the road. They were two senior adults—just two of the many special people I have met and known over the years.  These two folks had a special heart for giving and not just giving but giving so others could know the same God they did.  Though they gave generously the way others did they had a couple of other ways that were pretty special. And that is why it wasn’t uncommon to see them pulled off the road on a busy highway…flashers flashing.  I know it caused people to wonder.

On any given day, you could be driving down Highway 51 near Cobden, Illinois and see a nice, new Cadillac on the side of the road.  With their emergency flashers warning oncoming traffic of their presence, you might think that they were broke down and needed assistance but that wasn’t the case. They would be…picking up cans.  Yup…that’s right.  They would regularly, and I do mean regularly, go out on the highways and byways around Union County and gather cans to sell and recycle.  You might wonder why since usually folks pickup cans because they have a need. Some may have seen the Cadillac and thought them greedy but there was a different story in the making.  There was a need but it wasn’t their’s…it was people all around the world who needed to hear about their Jesus.

You see, everything that these two collected when they sold their cans went to fund missions—telling people about Jesus. How about that?  They could, and did, write a check but this was their special way of giving.  Oh, but that wasn’t all.  Everywhere they went, they would be sure and keep their eyes…on the ground.  Yup, that’s right.  They were looking for change that people dropped and believe it or not…they found a lot.  Every year they would make a trip to California to see family.  They would stay for several weeks and would always come back with a story—and more money for missions.  It was not uncommon for them to find not a few dollars but more…a lot more.  And guess what?  Yup, that’s right…every dollar went to missions. They told me one time someone saw them either picking up cans or change in California and thinking they were needy…gave them twenty dollars. They explained, but the person insisted they keep the twenty—and share it around the world.

While their example can teach us many lessons there is one that deserves our attention today.  You see, they had learned that small things can add up to make a big difference. There is no telling how many thousands of dollars in cans and change they gathered to give away.  It was their special way, an unusual way, a unique way…to give. You see, small things can add up.  I read something the other day that was crazy.  Get ready.  The story said that the TSA, the folks that run security at the airports, find an amazing amount of change at the security checkpoints.  You know the drill, people have to empty their pockets to go through security and apparently a lot of folks drop their change on the floor or leave it in the bins and it all adds up. “How much?” you ask?  Well, in 2019 the TSA collected a whopping $900,000 in change. You read that right—$900,000. That is just crazy amazing.

In case you are wondering, their’s doesn’t go to missions but they do have to report to Congress how it is used.  Usually, it is something mundane like buying supplies.  How boring. While I am impressed by the amount, I am much more impressed by the heart and soul of two seniors who picked up cans and change to make a difference in the hearts and lives of people everywhere.  That, Grits family, is pretty noble and pretty amazing.

So, what can we do to make a difference in the lives of people?  Now this story happens to be about two Jesus people but making a difference isn’t limited to people who follow Jesus.  We all can make a difference.  Hey, why not find a way, even if it is small and simple, and start making an impact in your world?  Jesus told a guy in the New Testament part of the Bible who had a lot of stuff, “Sell your possessions and give to those in need.” Sounds like yard sale time to me!  Remember, the smallest thing can be made big in the hands of God. Need some ideas? Wondering how? Just ask and the God of Generosity will fill in the blanks.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne