life – Grits with Grace

Family, food, friends, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Southern born, thankful

Salty Watermelon

Posted on May 17, 2024May 15, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.” Romans 12:4-5

It just doesn’t make any sense. I am from the South, and we know how to do food. There are two foods that are mainstays. They are grits and watermelon. From my perspective you don’t mess with Texas, and you don’t mess with grits, and you don’t mess with watermelon. Yet, there it is as plain as day. And, for goodness’ sake, it is in my family.

My wife Judy has long been a fan of watermelon. I mean she isn’t friends with watermelon, she loves it. And just like me, she loves sweet watermelon. When we were growing up, watermelons were just about the size of a small blimp, weighing up to 30 and 40 pounds. Most of them were as sweet as sugar water. There was not a question if a melon was going to be sweet, it was just a matter of how sweet it was going to be! Those were the days.

However, somewhere along the way watermelons changed. Most of them are now the size of basketballs and weigh-in at a feather weight of 12-15 pounds. And it seems the only way to get a sweet watermelon is to inject it with sugar water. Perhaps that might be the reason Judy has gotten confused about how to make a melon taste sweeter. Someone has cast an evil spell upon her. For many years now, she has been convinced that putting salt—that’s right salt—on watermelon somehow makes it sweeter. What? Listen, I’ve tried this, and the only thing salt does to watermelon is make it salty.

I’ve tried to remove this evil spell but to no avail. And she even uses it against me. She will sometimes cut up a watermelon and then sprinkle…or dump…salt all over it. She knows then that the melon is all hers. It is a devious plan indeed. But that is what happens when you mess with melons.

Now the second problem is as bad. Everyone knows that grits are not cream of wheat and not oatmeal …so you do not…and I repeat DO NOT…put sugar on grits. It is a travesty of justice, and some would say very close to a sin. If God had wanted grits to be sweet, He would have made them that way. I have a very good friend who has been mesmerized by a spell and he is convinced that sugar goes on grits. It is a sad tale indeed. And the crazy part is, he is wonderful cook. I think it just goes to show that even the best cooks can be deceived.

You might ask, “Well, what goes on grits?” That would be salt, pepper, butter and lots of all three. A good bowl of grits should slide down your throat like shoes on melting ice, raise your blood pressure by 10 points, and have a nice pepper burn. But they should not be sweet…ever…never. Now there are other acceptable variations such as cheese (oh, yes) bacon bits (I can taste it now!) and of course shrimp. If you have never had cheese grits or shrimp and grits, you need to repent right away and go try it. You won’t regret it. It is as fine as frog hair…and that is fine.

Now I have learned (actually, I am still learning) that someone can believe that you need to put salt on watermelon and sugar on grits and still be your friend. That becomes important if you happen to be married to them. You see, we need to learn that we don’t need to agree on everything. If we would practice that, the world would be a better place for sure. Now, not that I have ever had this problem, but sometimes people tend to get a little stubborn. We tend to think that there is only one way and that is our way. You know, kinda like when you think you don’t put salt on watermelon or, gulp, sugar on grits. Oops, I think I just shot myself in the foot. I knew if I wrote long enough it would happen.

The Book tell us, “Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.” In other words, it is ok if Judy likes salt on her watermelon, if she keeps the salt on her side of the plate. And my friend who likes sugar on his grits may need to go to rehab, but he can still be my friend. Let’s not make mountains out of molehills, especially in these days.

I’m probably must try this salt and sugar thing at least one more time. If nothing else, it will show that I am trying to understand. That’s what Jesus would want me to do and that’s what He does for me. When I come up with some strange combinations in life, well, He just smiles and tries to show me the right way. He keeps me from doing something too crazy…like eating chili and eggs. It’s good to know that if I do, He’s got that too. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, friends, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Majestic in the Storms

Posted on May 16, 2024May 15, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39

It came in hard and fast. Last week the weather people said we were going to have some severe weather…and they were right. The storms were due to roll in sometime Wednesday afternoon. The threats were heavy rain, high winds, large hail, and the possibility of a tornado or two. It turned out that we had all four. The sky slowly grew darker and as it did, most of the staff and a couple of families looking for a safe place to ride out the storm gathered in the basement hallway of our church. Me? Well, I was working on a sermon and since I was near the end…I kept on working.

Well, I finally finished the sermon and the storm decided to quit messing around and get serious. Did I go to the hallway? Of course not! Instead, I went upstairs so I could see what was going on. I did it under the guise of being a good leader and watching out for the people. Truthfully, I was just curious…perhaps too curious for my own good. Regardless, I got to see the show. As the forces of nature displayed their fury, I watched and marveled at the power and majesty of God. When I thought that my Dearest Daddy was both creator and controller of such power…I marveled at this majesty. It was just about then that something happened that caused me to wonder about something else.

So, the wind is blowing at least fifty or sixty miles an hour, the rain is almost horizontal, and hail is hitting the ground and then I see something. There was a guy (and yes, it was a guy) riding his bicycle in the middle of the worst of the storm—straight into the wind, the rain, and the hail. The question obviously was, “What in the world was he thinking?” The probable answer is he probably wasn’t. While my decision to watch the storm may have been a bit crazy, riding a bike in the storm and into the storm was more than a little crazy.

The truth is we will never know what he was thinking that caused him to do what he did but what we can do is learn. If we learn we can make a good decision, a better decision the next time a storm comes blowing in our way. Remember the best decision is always putting your faith and trust in the Maker and Master of the storms. A song puts it this way, “My boat of life sails on a troubled sea, ever there’s a wind in my sail. But I have a friend who watches over me when the breeze turns into a gale. I know the Master of the wind; I know the Maker of the rain. He can calm the storm and make the sun shine again. I know the Master of the wind.”

We can’t always avoid the storms, but we can choose to trust the Master of the wind. He is a strong shelter like no other. One time Jesus and His disciples were in a boat when a great storm came upon them. The disciples were terribly afraid, so they wisely went to Jesus and He spoke to the storm and said, “Silence! Be still!” And just like that—it did. He is the Master of the wind. So, if you know Him you never have to fear the storms of life. After all, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

Unkept-the Look

Posted on May 15, 2024May 14, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” Proverbs 4:23

It was unkept…but it was cool. Ok, let’s just lay it out there. I am just a tad on the old school side. I was a teenager in the late sixties and early seventies with a daddy who wasn’t fond of anything countercultural—and that included longer hair. That was phase one. Phase two was twelve years in the United States Air Force. They and my Daddy would have gotten along well since they weren’t fond of anything countercultural either. Phase three was being a Baptist pastor. Back in the days, Baptists were pretty much not fond of anything countercultural either. Suits and ties were the norm and facial hair was basically a no-no. So, you can probably understand that I wrestle with some of the new fashion norms. It’s not that I don’t like them—it’s just that I don’t understand some of them.

As an example, part of my morning routine is having a time with God. Part of that is watching a short video of someone speaking. This morning it was a pretty successful young pastor from somewhere. As the video began, I noticed a couple of things. First, his hair had the now fashionable “unkept” look. It was like he got out of bed, ran his fingers through his hair and went to work. Again, that’s cool. Hang with me. Second, he sported the wildly popular beard stubble look. I mean if you don’t have a stubble… you’re not ready to rumble. He had a good stubble. Hey, that’s cool. I wish the Air Force had discovered that when I was in. Again, the cool “unkept” look.

Another fashion statement with the “unkept” look are jeans with holes in them. They are crazy poplar. When I was growing up jeans with holes were tossed out and people who wore them were poor. Now, people pay big bucks to have jeans with holes. Hey, just buy a regular pair and give them four years—bam—another cool “unkept” look. And you save a few bucks. Another “unkept” look that is popular with the “we don’t own an iron” crowd is the wrinkled look. You just grab your shirt or whatever and throw it on and you are in. Again, totally cool—totally in.

I’ve even seen this in yards. There are folks who have unkept yards because they just don’t like to mow grass or trim their yards but there is another group that simply loves that look. To them unkept is “unkept—the cool kind.” To some folks an “unkept” yard is all about nature. I really liked that when I was young—my Daddy did not. It just wasn’t his thing.

So, what’s up? Well, through the years different things have come and gone. It’s just the way culture works. Things are fashionable for a while, and they move on. I know there was a time I couldn’t imagine preaching without a tie. I even said one time that I didn’t think I could preach without a tie. Nowadays, I usually preach with an open collar. Things change. Right now, “unkept” is cool and one day it probably won’t be and I’m good with it either way. But wait.

While “unkept” is cool, fashion wise…it is not cool or healthy to like an “unkept” life. You ask, “What is that?” It is a life that is lived solely in the moment. In the sixties it was the “if it feels good, do it” thing and each decade has had its version of that thought pattern. But the bottom line is that when we live “unkept” lives there are usually consequences and regrets. I said this morning to my wife Judy that “success is not accidental, it is intentional.” That almost sounds deep. I also think that God’s peace, and joy, and happiness, and a host of other things that make life worth living aren’t accidental either…they are intentional.

For me, as a Jesus follower, that intentionality involves checking in with God on a regular basis to see what He thinks about my day…my life. For me it is a daily dose of His Book, the Bible. Trust me on this one…there is a reason why it remains one of the best-selling books of all time. The truths and teachings of Jesus are found in the second part, the New Testament, and they were groundbreaking two thousand years ago and they still are today.

Ok, so I don’t know if I will ever do the “unkept” thing or not. It took me a long time to figure out I could teach without a tie. But I do know this. When it comes to life, a “kept” life is just better—fewer consequences—fewer regrets. That is probably why the Book says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” God really wants what is best for us…He loves us that much. If you find yourself in an “unkept” mess, just remember that He is there waiting and no matter what it is, “He’s got this.”

Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, pride, Scripture, Trials

Darkness and Flying Hotdogs

Posted on May 14, 2024May 13, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

“I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12

It was dark…but I knew the way. It was one of those days that I either skipped lunch or had something light. Regardless, it was about 2:30 in the afternoon and I was hungry. One of the advantages of working at a church is there is usually a kitchen close by. So, I mentioned to the staff that I was heading down to the kitchen to try and find something to eat. They told me there were some leftover hotdogs and baked beans in the refrigerator. Well, that sounded pretty good to me so off I went.

When I arrived, I opened the refrigerator door and looked. No dogs, no beans. Like the game show, “Let’s Make a Deal,” I decided to try door number two. No dogs, no beans. My last chance was door number three and unfortunately…no dogs, no beans. My stomach growled so I decided to try the freezer. I pulled open the door and while there weren’t any beans, there was one lonely, very frozen hotdog. In desperation I grabbed it and tossed it in the microwave for a fast defrost. Sixty seconds later I had a mostly defrosted hotdog which I then smothered with mustard. I even found a small bag of chips to round out the feast.

With food in hand, I headed through our dark fellowship hall heading to the door that led outside and then to my office. The fellowship hall was dark because the lights were off, and I didn’t turn them on because there wasn’t a switch at that door. All of this wasn’t a problem because I had made this journey many times. There were several tables along the wall and like a blind man I ran my hand along the edge of the tables and when they ended, I knew it was a straight shot to the door. It was a good plan…till it wasn’t.

Walking full speed and without reservation, I ran my hand down the table and sure enough it ended, and I just kept walking straight toward the door. I should have noticed that for some reason I couldn’t see the outline of the exit door. Too bad I didn’t because just about that time I crashed into something. My semi-defrosted hotdog smothered in mustard and chips went flying everywhere and I was left wondering what in the world just happened. Still in the darkness, I turned around and went to the light switch and flipped it on and there was the culprit. Someone had left the closet door that opened out instead of in standing open and I had ran straight into it.

Well, let’s be honest, with a mustard smothered hotdog and chips all over the floor I was one unhappy camper. Who in the world would leave the stinking door standing open? Don’t people know that you can’t see open doors in dark rooms? Well, I snorted and muttered for a couple of minutes, cleaned up the mess and headed to my office.

Floor or not I salvaged the hotdog and as I munched the dog a thought occurred to me. I had asked the wrong question. It wasn’t who would leave a door open in a dark room, rather it was who in the world would walk through a dark room? The problem wasn’t the open door but the guy who thought he could safely navigate the darkness. Hmmm.

Well, I do believe I learned a lesson that day. Lights have a switch for a reason—turn on the lights! And then I had the thought that what is true about carrying mustard smothered hotdogs is also true in life. It is simply not smart to try and navigate a dark world without the Light of the world. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Well, there you go. Walk with Jesus and you will walk in the light. The big truth is this…if you find yourself in a dark room carrying a mustard smothered hotdog, just remember to flip the switch. And, if you find yourself in a dark corner of the world with a heart smothered with burdens, just ask Jesus and He will be your light. Don’t worry…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Mother's Day, Mother's Day, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, spring, thankful, Trials

Remembering Momma

Posted on May 13, 2024May 12, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also praises her: Many women have done noble deeds, but you surpass them all!” Proverbs 31:28-29

Well, it’s time. Enter Mother’s Day…a day to celebrate our mothers, our wives and other ladies who have poured their life into our lives, but time can make that harder. Let me explain. You see, time can be a bane and a blessing. It is difficult to live with but we sure can’t live without it and as we get older, it can begin to fuzz the brain and our memories. Things that at one time were vivid and clear become a midst and sometimes disappear into the fog.

That seems to be true of so many of my childhood memories—my Momma memories. Things that I am sure were so valuable, so definitive at the time, are now simply not there. I am sure that is the case with my memories of my parents as a child. When that happens, I simply fill in the gaps with hints and clues from the things I do remember. As the pieces come together, it quickly becomes obvious that my Momma was one of my anchors and a huge blessing in my life.

As I scan the landscape of my childhood, as I piece the pieces together, I realize that I had a really good childhood, and it was largely because of my parents and in particular, my mother. As the baby of eight, by the time they got to me, two things were obvious: they had it down to a science, and I was pretty spoiled.

Because of our finances, we didn’t get everything we wanted (not by a long shot), but Christmas, birthdays, and usually even ordinary days were special. Momma was often the one who made that happen. She was a stay-at-home, hold the fort down, mom and was always there when I needed her. Perhaps you have heard of a Swiss Army knife. It is one crazy invention where a simple pocketknife becomes an all-purpose, whatever you need tool. And that describes Momma. Whatever the occasion she was there for us…for me. Well, truth be known, while she didn’t wear a habit like Mother Teresa or a nurse’s uniform like Florence Nightingale or banish a sword like Joan of Arc, in my eyes she was that and more.

I wonder how many times I was sick, and she became Doctor Momma? On so many occasions I can remember her pulling me into her lap and holding me. On one particular occasion, when I was over five and under ten, I was very sick— fever, nausea, and a young body that felt like it had been beaten. I know now it was probably the flu and probably contagious and yet there she was in our old rocking chair, at two in the morning, cradling me and holding me. That was Momma.

Sometimes Momma put on her Leonardo da Vinci hat and showed a designer flare. I can remember as a teenager I had a rather new pair of jeans—ordinary to some—valuable to me. I was horseback riding one day, and the horse cut a corner too sharply and ran me into a pole, ripping my jeans right above the knee. Bummer. My Momma simply cut the legs off the jeans where they were torn, put in some bright red cloth, and sewed them back together. There you go…good as new, and since it was the 70’s, it made a statement. I had a one-of-a-kind pair of jeans.

Two or three times a day Momma always put on her chef’s hat. A couple of years ago I made a thoughtless and inaccurate comment about Momma’s cooking not being “the best in the world.” Can someone say, “Dumb?” Can someone say, “Really?” No, Momma was a great cook, and my waistline still proves it. She had the amazing ability to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. To me, her chicken and dumplings and blackberry dumplings were both legendary. Oh, and did I mention her fried corn beef hash? No, Chef Momma was amazing…and we loved her for it.

Yup, my Momma was amazing and the longer I live the more I realize just how blessed I was to have her. It has been said that men often marry women like their mothers. Well, that at least helps to explain the amazing wife that God has given me. In so many ways she too is that wife, that mother, that grandmother that so many wish they had. I don’t have to wish…Judy is my wish come true. Someone once said that a person who has one good friend in their life is blessed. Well, without going any further than my home I know I have had two—Momma and my precious wife Judy. Thank You, Lord…a bunch.

Remember, there is no such thing as perfect Momma’s but a lot of us have been blessed with great ones. At this time of year when we celebrate Mother’s Day, if Momma is still around, be sure and let her know how much you appreciate her. And if she isn’t…well, be sure and thank the Lord. And one more thought…be sure and thank your wife, for all she has done. Guys, trust me, we would be lost without them. Oh, and do remember this, there is a God who loves you more than your Momma ever could or did. It’s good to know that no matter what…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Miss Pauline’s Sour Cream Raisin Pie

Posted on May 10, 2024May 9, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:7)

Try it. You’ll like it. Some things in life are worth seconds. Two of those are this story and the pie that this story is all about. So, let’s begin. Over the years I have met so many incredible people. I have learned that people are not perfect, but people add spice and challenge to life. People make life…life. I am a pastor by call and by trade and I love it. There are many reasons that’s true, but one is the people I get to serve with. One of those was Bob. Bob is a friend from my past but at the same time Bob is a friend that I could see tomorrow, and we would pick up right where we left off.

Bob is one of those people with a quirky sense of humor. I love that because I do too. I remember one time he showed up at the church office and beeped the horn. I went and opened the door and went out. He told me to go around to the other side of the truck and hop in. Well, I went and opened the door and what greeted me was a five- or six-foot rattlesnake coiled up on the from seat. We almost had a natural disaster there on the spot. Turned out the snake was headless. Bob liked snakes so I don’t think he did the honors but why miss the opportunity to scare your pastor to death?

Now Bob and I are Baptists. One thing you need to know about Baptists is that we believe food is the cure for all things. If we are sad—we eat. If we are happy—we eat. If someone dies—we eat. If someone gets married—we eat. And sometimes, well, we just eat for fun. Well, Bob and I were at one of our meetin’ eatin’ times and I was eating some raisin pie. Now this wasn’t your normal raisin pie. This was Miss Pauline’s sour cream raisin pie, and it was incredible. I was working on my second piece when I invited Bob to have a taste.

“Nope,” he said, “I don’t like raisin pie.” Well, I began to persuade him with all of my preacher passion. “This,” I explained, “is like no other raisin pie you have ever eaten.” I went on to explain how this pie would make your tongue slap your face. After about five minutes of “you really need to try this,” he did. The results were as expected and immediate. Two or three pieces later Bob was an official member of Miss Pauline’s sour cream raisin pie fan club.

Here is what he and I came to discover. There is raisin pie and there is Miss Pauline’s sour cream raisin pie and the two are not the same. And once I tasted Miss Pauline’s pie, I wanted him to experience it too. I just knew that if he did, he would be a fan for life. And do you know what? I think that is true about Jesus too. I find a lot of people are not too keen on God or Jesus. The reason is simple. They have tasted religion and decided pretty quick that wasn’t too tasty. I agree with that one. Some have tasted church and depending on their experience it was either a disaster or a delight. At any rate, church isn’t the fix all that people think that it is. Religion or church are just plain ole raisin pie. You need more…you need Jesus.

Yup, Jesus is like Miss Pauline’s raisin pie. He is so much more than religion and so much more than church…He is the One who knew the price for sin was death and then willingly paid the price for that sin. He died on a Roman cross to pay the price for our sin and then came back to life three days later to prove He was the Son of God. It is a pretty amazing story. If you have never read about it let me suggest you get a copy of the Bible read about Him. You will find Him in the first four books of the New Testament. You will find He is like sour cream raisin pie…delicious and irresistible. But you can’t know that if you don’t take a taste.

David (he is one of the Kings of Israel from Bible times) was on the run from one of his enemies when he wrote, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” David was saying if you will take just one taste of the real deal you will like what you taste. It’s not religion, it’s not church—it is the Man who died on the cross because He loved me and you.

So, if you ever get the chance to taste sour cream raisin pie, especially if somehow you can find a piece of Miss Pauline’s, well don’t wait, and don’t delay. Even if, especially if, you have tried plain ole raisin pie you are gonna be surprised! And if you haven’t read the story of Jesus, well don’t wait, and don’t delay. Even if, especially if, you have been turned off by church and religion, you are gonna be surprised.

You are gonna find out that He is the real deal. You are gonna find out when and if you decide to follow Him, He will be your new BFF (best friend forever) and He will never leave you sitting beside the road. He is the kind of friend that you can call at 2:00 am and never get a busy signal. He is the kind of friend who invites you to sit and chat on the front porch and rest a while. He is the kind of friend that is like a strong, big brother who loves you. Strong enough to say, “I’ve got this” and pull it off. Try Him…You’ll love Him. Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, pride, Scripture, spring, thankful, travel, Trials

Itty Bitty Construction Zones

Posted on May 9, 2024May 6, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins [including impatience] and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9

Traffic jams…good grief. Ok, before we go any further in this story, let me just confess that I know my impatience in traffic is probably a sin. I don’t think you will find it listed specifically in the Bible but that is only because no one had any cars. But wait…maybe there were donkey jams…who knows. Anyway, my wife Judy and I were on our way recently to the Billy Graham Training Center just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. We were cruising along, filled with anticipation, excited about the speaker, Jim Cymbala, and a great worship guy, Michael O’Brian. Yup it was gonna be good…if we could only get there.

Our faithful travel buddy, Waze, had warned me that there was a slight traffic jam coming up—you know, five minutes in traffic. Waze is a great friend but this time, well, he or she failed…miserably. It went like this. To help us not sit in traffic, Waze had us detour. It has done this before with stellar results, so I had no qualms about trusting it this time. We soon found ourselves on a two-lane road cruising along and right before we were to rejoin the interstate there was a little, tiny construction zone—not on the interstate but on the Waze detour. No deal, right? Wrong. This little, tiny construction zone required one lane to be closed which normally would not be a deal except for the twenty thousand people who also had Waze and had taken the detour. The traffic people had a traffic light to manage the mess but as it turns out the light for our way heading east literally stayed green for about forty seconds. I’m not kidding. So, we sat there for almost thirty minutes waiting for our turn. Ok, I was not a happy camper. Try as I might there wasn’t an ounce of gratitude in my dusty dry soul.

Finally, it was my turn, and I sighed a great sigh of relief and then I saw it. The thing that caused the whole mess, the mess on the interstate and all the cars on the detour waiting on the stinking light, was a forty-yard pothole repair. That’s it. Nothing major, nothing earth shattering just a little itty-bitty road repair. Ok, I was “fit to be tied”, and for the next fifteen miles I uttered under my breath about TDOT and whoever else had anything to do with that light and that repair.

Well, somewhere down the road the Holy Spirit was finally able to chip His way though my slightly hardened heart and I went from uttering complains to uttering a prayer that went something like, “God, it’s me. I’m sorry.” Suddenly, I realized just how foolish all this ranting and raving stuff was and boy did I feel foolish. It was one of those times when I was very grateful for a Dearest Daddy that is more than willing to forget my disasters and my stupid’s. I’m so glad that He is more than willing to put out the fires of my soul with a big bucket full of His grace. He is always willing to forgive. In times like this I do wish I could better remember those three powerful yet simple words…He’s got this. Big or little…He does. Bro. Dewayne

fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

But God

Posted on May 8, 2024May 6, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

I looked at Judy and said, “We shouldn’t be here.” I know when you normally hear those words you are at a movie and a couple of teenagers are standing in a cemetery at midnight with a full moon with a wolf howling and a guy with a chainsaw standing a few feet away. That was not the case.

So, as you well remember, COVID brought us a world of cancellations. Vacation. Cancelled. Conference number one. Cancelled. Conference number two. Cancelled. In an attempt to get some refreshment, I went ahead and registered for conference number three. About ten days before it started, they called and said due to state regulations (North Carolina this time) they were having to dramatically reduce the number of attendees—from 400 to 110. Judy and I didn’t make the cut…by a long shot. We registered in early April, and they were cancelling all the way back to December of 2019.

I had gotten used to the rejection notices by now. Like a struggling actor or writer, it seemed nothing was going my way. So, after my normal foot stomping, “this is crazy” and all-time favorite, “when will it ever be normal” I settled back into life…desperately needing a fresh drink of water from the well. Then it happened.

Less than a week before the conference was to start, I received a phone call on my Dick Tracy Apple watch. I checked the caller ID, and it was the conference center. I ran to the kitchen to get my phone, answered, waiting to see what they wanted. She told me that they had been allowed to open an overflow room and would we be interested in coming? If I could speak ten languages, I would have said yes in all ten.

So, when we arrived at the conference it got interesting. The people in the main auditorium (and there were only 110 of them—normal attendance is 400) had white name tags and the ones in the overflow had tan name tags. We received our tan tags and waited for supper. I noticed that there were not many tan tags. How interesting. When it was time for the conference to start, the white taggers headed to the main room and tan taggers headed upstairs to the overflow area. And that was the turning point.

In this room meant to hold 150 people there were 28 of us. Blue covers draped over the back of 28 chairs showed where we could sit. It turns out we were members of a pretty, small select group. The total attendance was only 138 people and somehow, we were two of them. Keep in mind all those people who made reservations before April were in front of us in line and somehow, someway we were here. That’s when I said to Judy, “We shouldn’t be here.”

The topic for the conference was about rebuilding the church in a post quarantine world. One of the first things he said was that perhaps each of you are here for a specific reason. He then told the story of a young Jewish girl who, against all odds, found herself as queen in a foreign land. A plan had been hatched to kill all the Jews in the land and her uncle was asking her to go the king on the Jews behalf. He said, “Perhaps for such a time as this God has put you here.” For such a time as this. Hmmm.

I honestly feel that for some reason God has allowed me that opportunity to help lead our church in the coming days. The speaker made it clear that any thought that things are going to be the same was just not true. It was going to be different and challenging. It was also exciting. All of that has caused me to revisit the sovereignty of God. I mean, I just believe that God is in charge. Not circumstances, not government, not me. That means that He does have a plan that He is working out. The only question is are we going to trust Him and be a part of His plan or are we going to write our own. Spoiler alert. That never goes well.

Things did return to a new normal with groups gathering and recently we made the trip over to North Carolina again. It was then and is still a wonderful place to receive encouragement and a fresh wind from God.

For us, it is a good memory and reminder that whether in your every day, walk around life, or a business, or a church, if you are a Jesus follower, are you willing to let the Whisperer whisper and share with you, His plan? I hope I will have the wisdom and courage to do so. It will mean stepping out of my “I’ve done it this way for 40 years” comfort zone and perhaps, just perhaps, do something different…perhaps radically different. Who knows, maybe we, with Him, can change our world.

So, we shouldn’t be here, but I sure am going to be listening for the Whisperer to speak to my heart. I know it will be right. I know it will be challenging. I know it will be exciting. I know somewhere along the way He is going to say, “Rest in Me. I’ve got this.” He does. Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Posted on May 7, 2024May 6, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another.” Hebrews 10:25a

It all started with a picture. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and perhaps it is also worth a thousand memories. The other day my sister Judy sent a picture out to her brother (AKA Precious) and her two sisters (AKA Precious Wanna-Be’s). Judy makes sour dough bread…the kind you start with a starter. I don’t know a thing about all of this besides she has to feed it so she can feed us. Oh, and if she doesn’t feed it—well, it is game over. So, she sent this picture out of a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread. It looked magnificent.

The picture started a conversation in our text thread, and we were all ranting and raving about how good it looked and wondering how good it would taste. Then I wrote this, “Don’t know how…don’t know when but can you all imagine sitting on Kathy’s back porch eating Judy’s bread, drinking coffee and just visiting! Hmmm…just saying!” Well, the next thing I know we had a time and date and Precious and the Precious Wanna-Be’s were heading to Thomasville, Georgia. For the first time in a while, we were all going to be together and honestly, this was especially special because my sister Kathy has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We all knew this was a great opportunity to get together—so we did.

We met at Kathy’s house, on her back porch and had a lunch of pimento cheese (a Taylor classic). Then just a bit later we broke out the cinnamon raisin bread smothered in cream cheese icing…a precious idea from Precious. It was even more special because our oldest brother who went to heaven in January of 2023 would have loved it. So, we had coffee and cinnamon bread and told more stories than one would think possible. I relived how my two sisters, older than me but younger than the oldest sister, tormented me by pulling my ears and tickling me. I also learned how, on certain special occasions, my Daddy would secretly buy my sister a candy bar. I’m gonna have to ask Daddy about that when I get to heaven. Maybe she is Precious #2!

The bottom line is we had a wonderful day. We took plenty of pictures to make sure those memories live on and on and to top it off, each sibling got to take a whole loaf of cinnamon raisin bread with them. Thank you, Judy, for bread at the house and some for the road. I think the big truth for this story is what my oldest sister Agnes said when I texted the idea. Remember, I said, “I don’t know how, don’t know when…” Agnes, the wise ancient of days of the family, said, “I know how. Set a date and get in the car.” As always, she was right, and we are all so glad she was.

Is there something that you are putting off because life is too busy? Is there something that you need to do but can only think of all the reasons why you can’t? Maybe you should do what the Taylor tribe did…mash the pause button, set a date, and get in the car. I know if we hadn’t done what we did, we would have all regretted it but instead we have a boatload of precious (no pun intended) memories to love and share. Always remember, when something seems impossible, there is a Dearest Daddy who can make it happen within His will. Yup, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

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

The Cat’s Meow

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“Dewayne, we have a problem.” It was Judy and it was what greeted me as I was going to the garage to get something I needed. I think I know how it must have felt when the crew of Apollo 13 uttered those now famous words, “Houston…we have a problem.” I had started painting our upstairs bathroom. You need to know I am no Michelangelo, and this was not going to be a Mona Lisa. Into those throes the news came. “We” have a problem.

I quickly explained to Judy that I didn’t have time for a problem. My paint was drying and some of it was in the wrong place, like the floor. She told me there was a cat trapped in her car. Wait. What? Well, the night before she had told me she saw a cat go in our garage and I should check before I closed it up for the night. About 9.30, I went out and did the “here, Kitty, Kitty” thing, shined my flashlight around in the corners and such. No cat. “Good.” I said. Or not.

It turns out our homeless friend didn’t move on—he moved in. The crazy part was that it took up residence in the engine compartment of her car. Silly cat. I was going to say, “Stupid cat” but I thought you might think me harsh. So anyway, I left the drying paint in the bathroom to attempt a rescue. It was about then that I discovered why it is so expensive to work on Volkswagen cars. You open the hood only to discover that every square inch is stuffed with something. And somewhere in all of that was the cat. Silly cat.

A friend was there with Judy and all three of us looked and prodded, we called and cooed and nothing except the occasional meow of the cat. Judy volunteered to look if I jacked up the car to see if we could see anything from underneath. I did and she couldn’t. It was time to call in the calvary. I called my neighbor Jared who manages a local tire place. Surely, he would have an idea. As we waited for him to come, we continued to prod and poke, coo and call. In my sweetest voice I kept saying, “Hey silly cat, come here silly cat.” I wanted to say stupid cat, but I was trying to be Christian about this whole deal.

Then it happened. The cat, who turned out to be the cutest kitten south of Chicago wiggled out of its tight spot and ran to the corner of the garage. Quickly, I moved from poking and prodding under the hood to poking and prodding in the corner filled with stuff we didn’t need. Cute or not, this kitten was about to mash my button. Not to bore you with details but four grown adults spent the next ten minutes chasing this cute little silly cat from one corner of the garage to the other. From behind the washer and dryer to the corner of no return we played hide and seek. Finally, the cute little kitten saw the light of day, ran through our friends’ hands and legs and out the door. Game. Set. Match.

The cute little silly kitten was on the run and that was all that mattered. Jared went back to work; the ladies went on with life and I went upstairs to scrape dried paint off the floor, and I know I heard this kitten laughing from across the street. What is up with all this? Surely the kitten knew better. Surely, he or she knew the danger of living under the hood of a car. Probably not. To the cute little kitten, it was just a place to hide.

You see the kitten wasn’t silly and the kitten wasn’t stupid. The kitten just lacked experience. It was naive. It hadn’t lived long enough to understand the dangers of parked cars/garage living. And do you know what? That is true of a lot of us. Solomon, the wisest guy to ever live, wrote in Proverbs, “I saw among the inexperienced, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking sense.” And the crazy part was that it had nothing to do with age. We have all made some crazy decisions at one time or another. Too often we just throw common sense to the wind and well, we end up with a train wreck.

The good news is that God is in the train wreck avoidance business. That’s what led the half-brother of Jesus to write in James 1:5, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” If we did that one simple thing we could avoid a lot of painful situations. Just stop for a moment, ask God if this is the wise thing to do, and wait for an answer. By the way, silence might be the answer, so don’t miss it.

Well, I hope our cute little kitten found a new place to live and hopefully it wasn’t in someone’s engine compartment. And I hope we will learn to trust a wise, loving Father to give us the wisdom we need to live better lives with fewer regrets and better consequences. You know He loves you, don’t you? He wants you to come to Him and rest in the safety of His arms. He wants you to know He has this. And He does. Bro. Dewayne