July 4 – Grits with Grace

Grace, gratitude, July 4, Memorial Day, Military memories, Scripture, thankful, USA, Veteran's Day

Freedom!

Posted on July 4, 2025June 16, 2025 by Dewayne Taylor

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

It was 2020–amid the COVID craziness when my wife Judy and I made a discovery. It was a Thursday night and we had gone to one of our favorite eating places in Marion…a town not far from where we live. We did our Sam’s Club thing and then decided to call it a night. So, we headed for 217 back in Harrisburg. As we were driving down the highway, on a whim, we made a right turn at a familiar intersection. We had driven by it so many times but this time we turned.

The sign said it went to Creal Springs but I found out it went somewhere else—to something else. We were cruising along just enjoying the ride when I thought I saw one of those “brown signs.” These signs usually indicate a place of special interest. As I went by, I thought I saw the words cemetery and Revolutionary War. I went down the road just aways and then told Judy I saw a sign for a cemetery…perhaps an old one. I turned around.

Back down the road, there was indeed a sign. We pulled off the road and it said, “Ellis Family Cemetery and Revolutionary War gravesite. I really couldn’t believe that it was true. I mean, out East you would find those kind of gravesites everywhere, but here in Southern Illinois? We decided we had to investigate. It turned out there was no road just a driveway. Well, after trying to decide if we were going to get shot for trespassing, we decided to give it a try. As it turned out, the driveway went between two houses which led to a pasture. Way at the back of the pasture we could see a small cemetery. There wasn’t a road, but I could see where a car had gone before, so off we went.

When we got there, we found the gravesite of John Ellis. He was born in 1754 and died in 1850. He lived for 96 years, which is incredible, but even more amazing…he fought in the American Revolutionary War. He had two monuments. One was much newer, one much older. The older one simply said, “For Military Merit” and someone had painted his name on it. I was overwhelmed. Here in Southern Illinois was the grave of a man, a hero, who fought for the birth of our country.

This man was there, on the battlefield, when a group of men and women declared our freedom from England. This.man.was.there. He put it all on the line for a cause greater than himself. And for the last 249 years that is what freedom loving American heroes have done. Through conflicts great and small they have served, they have bled, and many have died. I value the saying, “All gave some, some gave all.” I value the sacrifice of all of these freedom fighters through the centuries and decades. I also love what they fought for.

I know these are difficult times for our nation, but we have seen difficult times before. At his first inauguration on March 4, 1933, Franklin Roosevelt said this. “This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive, and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” Don’t rush past those words. They are powerful and they are worth believing.

I believe in this country. I believe that even with all its warts and imperfections it is still the best country in the world. Having visited well over twenty other countries, I’ve seen the competition and America wins hands down. I spent an Independence Day in basic training for the Air Force in 1972. Lights-out was about 8:00 pm and I was lying in my bunk when the fireworks starting going off. I crept out of bed and went to the window and watched as the fireworks exploded in the Texas sky. Two emotions came over me. One, I missed family. Somewhere in Florida they were celebrating freedom. The other though was more personal. I was becoming an American airman serving my country. I was one of her defenders and I was proud…proud to serve and proud to be an American.

So, please, don’t blow past Independence Day today and certainly don’t give up on America. We have weathered many storms and we can weather these stormy days…if we do what we have done in the past and that is trust God. It is no accident that we have fought and won, it is no accident that we have survived and even thrived for the past 249 years. It was more than sacrifice, more than guts, more than determination…it was and is the grace of God.

The Book says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” That is so true. As a nation when we choose God, when we choose to make Him ours, we do better. When we don’t, we don’t. It is just that simple. The second part of that verse is equally important. God is still inviting, calling people to be His. Skin color doesn’t matter, economic status doesn’t matter, creed doesn’t matter. He simply invites every man, woman, and child to be His. The invitation is open, and the decision is personal…individual.

So, God bless America. If you are a God follower, a God believer, why not start this Independence Day with a whispered prayer of thanks for this great country. And then, pause, be still and listen for surely the Whisperer will whisper. He may speak through His Word, He may speak through another person, or a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Regardless, He will whisper, “You can rest in Me. I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

birthday, Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, July 4, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, USA

Happy Birthday, America!

Posted on July 4, 2024July 3, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

If my people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Happy birthday, America! Today, we celebrate the 248th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was the time when brave patriots, and not just the ones who signed the document itself, said, “enough is enough.” It was the time when they dared to dream of something bigger and better than the life they had. It was the time when they wished something more not only for themselves but also for the generations to come. They wished for something more for us.

Yesterday a friend invited me out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Since it was the day before the big day, I went to my closet and pulled out my second favorite patriotic shirt—I was saving number one for the birthday party—July 4th. The shirt is a full-blown declaration of love for this great country. It is colored with the colors of our country…red for the blood that has been shed that we could be free…white for the purity of the motive of those who have served…and died for this great country…and blue for their loyalty to the American ideals—such as we are all created equal. I know we are still working on that one but regardless it is a standard worth working for.

The shirt also has stars and stripes and an imprint of part of the Statue of Liberty and across the chest it boldly has three letters—U.S.A. It is a statement of patriotism—of love and commitment to America. Before I walked out the door, I grabbed my favorite veterans cap. It is old and a bit floppy, but I love it too. It carries the emblem of the Air Force on the front and the letters U.S.A.F on the bill and the back. Finally, also across the back, it says above all. To me that is a testament of this veteran and every Air Force veteran that our service and willingness to sacrifice could and should be second only to our sacrifice and service to God.

I love America. I am proud that, by God’s grace, I was born an American. I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to serve America in her Armed Forces. The tragedy today is that too many have come to the conclusion that because she is not perfect, that she hasn’t lived up to all her ideals, that somehow that makes her less than. Well, the truth is America is like us because America is us. And like us she never will be perfect but that doesn’t mean we should walk away from her. If America is her people, then perhaps we should complain less and step up to make her more.

My prayer would be that God would continue to bless this great land…not because we deserve it, because we don’t, but rather as an act of His amazing grace. The song says it best, “O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties, Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!” The second verse continues, “O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impassioned stress, A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law!”

Let me suggest that we make a prayer for our country a daily matter of prayer. After all, the One who made us is the One who can fix us. Don’t forget, even in and especially in matters of our country, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, gratitude, July 4, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, USA

John Ellis Believed

Posted on July 3, 2024July 2, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

I couldn’t believe it. One night Judy and I decided to go out to eat. We do that a lot on Thursday nights. We went to one of our favorite restaurants and then visited Sam’s Club to see if we needed to buy something we didn’t need. Then we headed for 217 back in Harrisburg. As we were driving down the highway, Willie started singing in my head again, “On the road again, that’s where I long to be, on the road again.” So, it was time for a spur of the moment adventure.

As we approached an intersection we had passed a hundred times before, I asked Judy, “Where does this road go?” It said Creal Springs, so we just turned and decided to take a little side trip. We were driving along just enjoying the lush greenness of the warm summer evening and I thought I saw one of those “brown signs.” These signs usually indicate a place of special interest. As I went by, I thought I saw the words cemetery and Revolutionary War. I went down the road just a way and then told Judy I saw a sign for a cemetery…perhaps an old one. I turned around.

Back down the road, there was indeed a sign. We pulled off the road and it said, “Ellis Family Cemetery and Revolutionary War gravesite. What? Can’t be! The crazy part was there was no road just a driveway. Well, after a bit of hesitation, we decided to give it a try. Sure enough, the driveway went between two houses which led to a pasture. Way at the back of the pasture we could see a small cemetery. There wasn’t a road, but I could see where a car had gone before. Off we went.

When we got there, we found the gravesite of John Ellis. He was born in 1754 and died in 1850. He lived for 96 years, and he fought in the American Revolutionary War. He had two monuments. One was much newer, one much older. The older one simply said, “For Military Merit” and someone had painted his name on it. I was overwhelmed. Here in Southern Illinois was the grave of a man, a hero, who fought for the birth of our country. Amazing.

This man was there; this man was on the battlefield when a group of men and women declared our freedom from England. This.man.was.there. He put it all on the line for a cause greater than himself. And for the last 248 years that is what freedom loving American heroes have done. Through conflicts great and small they have served; they have bled, and many have died. I value the saying, “All gave some, some gave all.” I value the sacrifice of all these freedom fighters through the centuries and decades. I also love what they fought for.

Now is a difficult time for our nation but we have seen difficult times before. At his first inauguration on March 4, 1933, Franklin Roosevelt said this. “This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” Don’t rush past those words. They are powerful and they are worth believing.

I believe in this country. I believe even with all its warts and imperfections it is still the best country in the world. Having visited well over twenty other countries I’ve seen the competition and America wins hands down. I spent Independence Day in basic training for the Air Force in 1972 in Texas. Lights-out were about 8:00 pm and I was lying in my bunk when the fireworks started going off. I crept out of bed and went to the window and watched as the fireworks exploded in the Texas sky. Two emotions came over me. One, I missed family. Somewhere in Florida they were celebrating freedom. The other though, was more personal. I was becoming an American airman serving my country. I was one of her defenders and I was proud…proud to serve and proud to be an American.

So, please, don’t blow past Independence Day tomorrow and certainly don’t give up on America. We have weathered many storms, and we can weather this one…if we do what we have done in the past and that is trust God. It is no accident that we have fought and won, it is no accident that we have survived and even thrived for the past 248 years. It was more than American determination…it was and is the grace of God.

So, God bless America. If you are a God follower, a God believer, start the day tomorrow with a whispered prayer of thanks for this great country. And then, pause, be still and listen for surely the Whisperer will whisper. He may speak through His Word; He may speak through another person or a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Regardless, He will whisper, “You can rest in Me. I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

July 4, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Family, friends, gratitude, July 4, life, loving others, Military memories, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, USA

July 4. 1972

Posted on July 4, 2022July 3, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

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

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

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

Family, gratitude, Holidays, July 4, life, love, loving others, Military memories, prayer, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, USA, wisdom

Freedom

Posted on July 2, 2021July 1, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

It was just over a year ago. Amid the COVID craziness, Judy and I made a discovery. It was a Thursday night and we had gone to one of our favorite eating places in Marion…a town not far from where we live. We did our Sam’s Club thing and then decided to call it a night. So, we headed for 217 back in Harrisburg. As we were driving down the highway, on a whim, we made a right turn at a familiar intersection. We had driven by it so many times but this time we turned.

The sign said it went to Creal Springs, but I found out it went somewhere else—to something else. We were cruising along just enjoying the ride when I thought I saw one of those “brown signs.” These signs usually indicate a place of special interest. As I went by, I thought I saw the words cemetery and Revolutionary War. I went down the road just aways and told Judy I saw a sign for a cemetery…perhaps an old one. I turned around.

This man was there, on the battlefield, when a group of men and women declared our freedom from England. This.man.was.there. He put it all on the line for a cause greater than himself. And for the last 245 years that is what freedom loving American heroes have done. Through conflicts great and small they have served, they have bled, and many have died. I value the saying, “All gave some, some gave all.” I value the sacrifice of all of these freedom fighters through the centuries and decades. I also love what they fought for.

So, please, don’t blow past Independence Day this Sunday and certainly don’t give up on America. We have weathered many storms and we can weather these stormy days…if we do what we have done in the past and that is trust God. It is no accident that we have fought and won, it is no accident that we have survived and even thrived for the past 245 years. It was more than sacrifice, more than guts, more than determination…it was and is the grace of God.

The Book says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” That is so true. As a nation when we choose God, when we choose to make Him ours, we do better. When we don’t, we don’t. It is just that simple. The second part of that verse is equally important. God is still inviting, calling people to be His. Skin color doesn’t matter, economic status doesn’t matter, creed doesn’t matter. He simply invites every man, woman, and child to be His. The invitation is open, and the decision is personal…individual.

Family, Grace, gratitude, July 4, life, Military memories, Scripture, thankful

John Ellis Believed

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

I couldn’t believe it. Last night Judy and I decided to go out to eat. We do that a lot on Thursday nights. We went to one of our favorite restaurants (dining inside, thank-you) and then visited Sam’s Club to see if we needed to buy something that we didn’t need. Then we headed for 217 back in Harrisburg. As we were driving down the highway, Willie started singing in my head again, “On the road again, that’s where I long to be, on the road again.” So it was time for a spur of the moment adventure.

As we approached an intersection we had passed a hundred times before, I asked Judy, “Where does this road go?” It said Creal Springs so we just turned and decided to take a little side trip. We were driving along just enjoying the lush greenness of the warm summer evening and I thought I saw one of those “brown signs.” These signs usually indicate a place of special interest. As I went by I thought I saw the words cemetery and Revolutionary War. I went down the road just a ways and then told Judy I saw a sign for a cemetery…perhaps an old one. I turned around.

Back down the road, there was indeed a sign. We pulled off the road and it said, “Ellis Family Cemetery and Revolutionary War gravesite. What? Can’t be! The crazy part was there was no road just a driveway. Well, after a bit of hesitation, we decided to give it a try. Sure enough, the driveway went between two houses which led to a pasture. Way at the back of the pasture we could see a small cemetery. There wasn’t a road but I could see where a car had gone before. Off we went.

When we got there, we found the gravesite of John Ellis. He was born in 1754 and died in 1850. He lived for 96 years and he fought in the American Revolutionary War. He had two monuments. One was much newer, one much older. The older one simply said, “For Military Merit” and someone had painted his name on it. I was overwhelmed. Here in Southern Illinois was the grave of a man, a hero, who fought for the birth of our country. Amazing.

This man was there; this man was on the battlefield when a group of men and women declared our freedom from England. This.man.was.there. He put it all on the line for a cause greater than himself. And for the last 244 years that is what freedom loving American heroes have done. Through conflicts great and small they have served, they have bled and many have died. I value the saying, “All gave some, some gave all.” I value the sacrifice of all these freedom fighters through the centuries and decades. I also love what they fought for.

Right now is a difficult time for our nation but we have seen difficult times before. At his first inauguration on March 4, 1933, Franklin Roosevelt said this. “This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” Don’t rush past those words. They are powerful and they are worth believing.

I believe in this country. I believe even with all its warts and imperfections it is still the best country in the world. Having visited well over twenty other countries I’ve seen the competition and America wins hands down. I spent an Independence Day in basic training for the Air Force in 1972. Lights-out was about 8:00 pm and I was lying in my bunk when the fireworks starting going off. I crept out of bed and went to the window and watched as the fireworks exploded in the Texas sky. Two emotions came over me. One, I missed family. Somewhere in Florida they were celebrating freedom. The other though was more personal. I was becoming an American airman serving my country. I was one of her defenders and I was proud…proud to serve and proud to be an American.

So, please, don’t blow past Independence Day tomorrow and certainly don’t give up on America. We have weathered many storms and we can weather this one…if we do what we have done in the past and that is trust God. It is no accident that we have fought and won, it is no accident that we have survived and even thrived for the past 244 years. It was more than American determination…it was and is the grace of God.

The Book says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” That is so true. As a nation when we choose God, when we choose to make Him ours, we do better. When we don’t, we don’t. It is just that simple. It isn’t politically correct these days but the bottom line is…its true. The second part of that verse is equally important. God is still inviting, calling people to be His. Skin color doesn’t matter, economic status doesn’t matter, creed doesn’t matter. He simply invites every man, woman, and child to be His. The decision is individual. So, God bless America. If you are a God follower, a God believer, start the day tomorrow with a whispered prayer of thanks for this great country. And then, pause, be still and listen for surely the Whisperer will whisper. He may speak through His Word, He may speak through another person or a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Regardless, He will whisper, “You can rest in Me. I’ve got this.”