Category: loving others

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, travel

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16

People…there were people everywhere. No matter how big the Majestic Princess might have seemed the bottom line is when you put that many people on a boat–well, two things are guaranteed. First, at times it is going to seem a bit crowded. That mainly happened at meal times. While in the evening there were several restaurants to choose from, during the day the main place to eat was the Marketplace. This was grand buffet which not only included a lot of food, it also included food from all over the world. And trust me, it was good.

The second guaranteed thing was the variety of people. You see, the crew of the ship comes from all over the world. In fact, very few of them were from the United States. And even the passengers were an amazing array of humanity. Now that I think about it that is one of the attractive things about taking a cruise. First you go to different parts of the world and different parts of the world come to you. You get to see God physical creation but you also get to see His handwork in people.

To be truthful, this was sometimes challenging. It was just amazing how different people can be. My wife Judy and I loved to sit in the various sitting areas and just “people watch.” And trust me…there was plenty to watch. Of course, keep in mind there was probably someone else doing the same thing and thinking the same about me. I realized that it was too easy to judge someone based on the “cover of their book” rather than what was on the inside. Remember, God’s Word warns us about that.

One example of this happened when I noticed a particular server who worked in the Marketplace. The first thing I happened to notice was, for whatever reason, he wore makeup. I’m not sure what the deal was but his “cover” kept me from reading his story. The bottom line was he was one of the kindest and nicest people we met on the cruise. He always called the ladies, “Mama” and I know he called me “Master.” At any rate, he was joyful and always willing to serve–looking for ways to go beyond what was expected to serve you. I know by the end of the cruise, Judy and I both didn’t see his makeup but rather saw his kindness–his heart.

So, who is it in your life that has a “cover” that keeps you from seeing the real person? In other words, what is keeping you from seeing people for who or what they really are–creations of a very loving God. We need to remember that God has not called us to judge people but to love them. That is what Jesus did…period. I’m still amazed that He called a hated tax collector to be on His team. Imagine how hard that was for Peter and boys to swallow.

Let’s be honest…we live in a pretty weird world and guess what?  We are part of that weirdness. Let’s strive to be like Jesus and His Father. Let’s look beyond the cover of a person’s book and try to read their stories. Let’s try and see what God sees in them. It’s not easy but do you know what? It is sure Jesus like. I’m sure that He would be more than willing to help us, after all, 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 birthday, communication, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, thankful

Happy Birthday Grits

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds.” Matthew 13:34

Well – what an adventure!  It was a Friday morning in March of 2020 and the beginning of the COVID pandemic that caused me to sit down one morning and write a short post on Facebook. I intended it to be a one and done deal and was simply meant to be an encouragement. I wrote it and posted it…and then, something happened.  For whatever reason it touched a chord with people who followed my Facebook page and many readers responded.  And, with that random act, Grits with Grace was born.

We made a permanent home for Grits in May of 2020 on WordPress with a new address, www.gritswithgrace.com . The website archives all the stories and has a great search engine if you are looking for a particular subject. It also has some valuable statistics…that remind us how the God’s Word never comes back void. As of March 2026, the WordPress website has 535 followers (people who currently follow our site), and 813 followers on Facebook. Amazingly, over 23,000 people have stopped and taken a peek at gritswithgrace.com. Wow!

We find it very exciting that some are following us in other countries, China, Singapore, India, and the Philippines.

I thought you might want to read the very first Grits again. If so, the next few paragraphs contain that first story.  If not, I’ll just meet you at the bottom of the page.  

A Word of Encouragement

The story is told of a Christian lady who had cancer.  Her pastor went to see, encourage, and pray with her.  Towards the end of the visit, her pastor asked if he could pray with and for her.  Her response was, “yes, of course.”  That wasn’t surprising.  What happened next was.

When he asked how he should pray, her response was totally unexpected.  He assumed it would be for healing but instead she said, “Pastor, pray that I would not waste this suffering.”  Waste this suffering.

She was wise enough to know that the God she believed in was sovereign, was in control and was a kind, merciful and loving God.  She also knew that He was wise and that this had been allowed into her life for a purpose–His purpose.

God’s word says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

I admit I’m baffled by a lot of what is happening around me.  Just when I think I can’t be surprised…I am.  But I’m not baffled about God.  He is working in our circumstances to bring glory to His name and strengthen our faith.

So, God has this.  He isn’t asking us to understand…He is only asking us to trust Him.  And believe me…He has a track record of always getting it right.  God bless you today…trust Him…He’s got this.

Well, that is where it all started. The last six years my wife Judy and I have been honored to share our lives and our stories with all of you.  We honestly don’t have an accurate idea of how many people take the time to read Grits each day, but we do know that we are grateful for all of them. The stories have been as varied as life itself.  We have written about everything from the “Underwear Fairy” to a mean goose in our city park we named, “Bubba.”  Hopefully, many made you smile, and some might have made you cry.  I know there were times when tears slid down my cheeks as I wrote.

You know, Jesus loved to tell stories and He told a lot of them.  Maybe that is why I love Grits so much—it teaches the way He did. All the stories for the last 2,190 days have had a truth that can be applied to life and very often that truth centered around just how much Creator God loves us, His creation.  Oh, and we have learned that no matter how big or how small the problem or the circumstance, we can know for certain that, “He’s got this.”

I’ve wondered exactly how long Grits will be around.  Well, I suppose the answer is this.  As long as there is a story to tell and a friend who enjoys reading it, I will keep pressing the keys. So, once again, thank you so much for reading and sharing Grits with your family, friends, and neighbors. And let’s always remember that no matter how difficult the circumstance, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in birthday, Family, life, loving others, Scripture

Jesus Twins–Fraternal or Identical

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” Genesis 1:26

You couldn’t tell them apart. Twins…what a novelty of God. Did you know that only 3% to 3.4% of pregnancies result in twins? Did you know that there are generally two types of twins?  First, is fraternal which accounts for about 70% of twins born. You might say that means they shared a bedroom long before they were born! While they were born close to the same time, they have the same similarities and differences as any other brother or sister. The second type of twins is identical (about 30%) and they not only shared the same bedroom before birth but actually came from a single egg that divided in two making two babies instead of one. Because of this, they often look and act like each other. It really is pretty amazing.

I know a couple of guys at church that are fraternal twins. They were born about fifteen minutes apart and while you can tell they are brothers, they clearly are different in many ways. Now, the other day I was giving my testimony at All-Star Basketball and Volleyball. This is a program run by the church I used to pastor and it is a great opportunity for kids pre-k to eighth grade to play sports in a Christian environment. As part of the program they have various people tell about how Jesus has changed their lives.  It is great.

As I was waiting, two little girls ran through the lobby where I was sitting and it was very apparent they were not only twins–their were identical twins. They looked alike and acted alike. When they came back through the lobby I asked their grandmother how old they were and she shared that they were eight years old. Here’s the point of the story. Because of how they looked and because of how they acted you could tell that they were twins–you could tell that they belonged to each other. How about that?

Well, I got to thinking. If we are Jesus followers or disciples, the Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:1a that we should be, “imitators of God, as dearly loved children.” In other words, we are to look and act just like Jesus. Just like those sisters obviously belonged to each other, so people should be able to see that we belong to Him. In Genesis 1:26, God’s Word says, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” In other words, God made us to be image bearers and the image we are to bear is His.

So, let me ask you a question. If you are a Jesus follower, can people tell who you belong to by the way you act and speak? Does the way you treat others imitate the way Jesus treated people? Great question isn’t it? I hope this has helped you to think about your life and actions. I also hope that if you belong to Jesus you are not a “fraternal” follower but rather an identical twin or follower. If you need a little help in that department, don’t worry.  As always you can ask your Dearest Daddy and He will be more than glad to help. Mark it down…He’s got this!  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, friends, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture

Numbers Talk

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Numbers talk. Take 2.29.  Add a dollar mark and it becomes the price for a value meal at your local fast food place, or perhaps the price for gallon of gas…at least a while back.  Add a colon and it becomes the time on a clock twice a day, early morning and mid-afternoon.  Numbers talk.  Take 4.5.6.  At first glance they are three random sequential numbers—three numbers connected only by their sequence. I guess you could say it is a picture of our neighborhood—a couple of evens and one odd ball.  Of course, you could place these numbers on a clock and they too would become a time that occurs twice a day, everyday…once early in the morning and once later in the afternoon.  Numbers talk.

For the folks who live in the small Southern Illinois town of Harrisburg those numbers speak loudly and mournfully. The year was 2012 and it was a leap year with February having twenty-nine days…or letting the numbers talk it was 2.29.  The National Weather Service had forecasted potentially dangerous weather, and some had taken the warning seriously.  Others, softened by previous warnings, assumed it would be another false alarm.  At 4:56 in the morning, or 4.5.6, a line of damaging storms tore through the Southwest side of Harrisburg and in that tangle of lightening, thunder, wind, and rain raged an F-4 tornado.  For miles and miles, it tore through the countryside and several small towns…one of which was Harrisburg.

The tornado sirens were screaming their harrowing sound warning people of the impending disaster.  I heard the sirens and yet stayed comfortably in my bed till Judy made me get up.  My daughter and her husband were staying with us for the night and he and I went out the backdoor to see what we could see in the darkness.  Looking Southeast, in a flash of lightening we saw, what could only be the tornado, as it ripped through that part of our small community.  Before long, sirens were racing all through the town as police, fire and ambulances all raced to help those impacted by the storm. Streets were almost crowded with neighbors helping neighbors.

Daylight revealed the damage and destruction.  Where homes and businesses stood, now were piles of debris. Much of that part of town was severely damaged and sadly, eight people were torn from our lives that day and many more were injured.  Suddenly what we had seen so many times on the Weather Channel and the national news was in our backyard.  It was amazing to see how help poured in from all over the nation.  Various relief agencies, as well as hundreds of everyday people came to our town to help in any way they could.  Churches, often separated by doctrine or denomination, came together to help the hurting.  For the coming months, our church and other organizations would house and feed hundreds of volunteers who came to clean up and help rebuild the community.  We mourned together, we worked together, and we came together, and through it all, we emerged a stronger community.

So, if this year was a leap year then yesterday would have been the 29th and not the first day of March and it would have been the fourteenth observance of the Harrisburg Leap Day tornado.  I know that day is firmly etched in the minds and memories of everyone who lived in Harrisburg at the time.  But also etched there is the beautiful and powerful unity that we experienced during the days that followed the 29th.  Slowly, the physical scars have be repaired and rebuilt but the scars of those lost, of course, will remain forever.

There’s a verse in the Bible (written by a guy who was locked up in prison for nothing more than being a Jesus follower) that talks about how God can bring good from even the worse-case scenario. Now it doesn’t say that everything is good, because that just simply wouldn’t be true.  But it does say for those who are willing to trust, those who are willing to look and see, that He can bring good.  I know for me that is the memory of people coming together to help people.  Religion and politics, social status, and separation were laid aside as people just helped.  And, perhaps, that was when the seed was firmly planted in my heart that no matter what—how tall the mountain or wide the raging river, no matter how hot the fire or difficult the journey, that my Dearest Daddy, is in control. Perhaps that is when I knew, “He’s got this” and He still does. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, life, loving others, school days, Scripture, Southern born

My Simple Life

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’” Matthew 6:31

It was just simpler back then. I got up one morning with a little (or maybe a lot) of coffee, a spot of the Weather Channel, and some Jesus.  Then, I just sat and thought for a while.  On the television was a channel from YouTube that shows live camera feeds from all over the Northeast, and I was just amazed how much it looked like Europe…another time and another place. Then, I thought about what lie ahead that day.  I’m figuring out that each day is His day as He is the maker, the crafter of each one.  I’m also learning that since He owns everything that makes me a steward of the next 24 hours and the events and circumstances He has planned.

Mainly, there was a sermon to polish for Sunday and a funeral to craft for Saturday.  But mainly I was waiting to see what was on His mind and honestly, sometimes that is simple and sometimes it is complex.  Regardless, I know it is His plan and it is one that He has determined that will bring good into my life and hopefully some glory to Him.  With all that said, I have to admit there are times that I long for times when things were simpler as in less complex.  While that has happened and surely will happen again, when I was about eight, it was the norm.

When I was eight, I was concerned about very little.  Momma and Daddy were still healthy and every morning there was something for breakfast, something for lunch and something for supper.  There were delicacies like fried potato sandwiches and peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches and if we were short on peanut butter we would just go with the mayonnaise. After breakfast though I would head out to the yard and just do…something.  There were occasional chores like picking up the yard and pulling weeds but generally the day was mine. I hadn’t figured the God part out yet.

Because toys, at least the kind you buy at a store, were in short supply, I would go into the junk room—a small room with its own outside entrance and filled with stuff—and see what caught my eye.  There was always something that, with a little imagination, could become a source of entertainment. First, and one of my favorites, was a piece of chain, usually about six feet long.  You see, our driveway wasn’t paved, that was something rich people had, so it was like a giant sand box.  I found out you could take that piece of chain and drag it behind you, and it became like a train. I would watch as the sand flowed in and around the links of the chain leaving a perfect track in the rear.  A chain became a train—imagine that.

In certain times of the year, North Florida—well really the whole state, I guess—was inundated with “love bugs.” They were everywhere and would splat on windshields and clog radiators as cars zoomed down the highway.  They also seemed to love a parked car.  When I would go outside looking for that day’s adventure, they would be all over Daddy’s 1961, light blue, Plymouth station-wagon and whether they knew it or not—they were a target.  I would search the yard and drawers in the kitchen for rubber bands discarded from newspapers, string them together and go hunting.  Stretching them back, I would take aim and one by one pick them off of Daddy’s car.  This could go on for a long while.  I thought I was doing Daddy a favor but turns out the bug’s innards could eat a car’s paint right off. Oops.

While each day was different, each day was simple.  Each day was consistent…little to worry about and an opportunity for fun.  And while that kind of simplicity has long since passed there is another opportunity for today.  Today too can be a day with little to worry about and dare I say it, an opportunity for fun.  You see, if you are a Jesus follower, He really wants to take care of the worry part.  In fact, He just flat-out tells us not to worry because if God can take care of the birds…He can take care of us too.  How about that? And the fun part?  Well, that is up to us.  We simply need to learn, to remember, what that means and how to do it.  My wife Judy tells me frequently that we need to learn how to celebrate, and she is right, but we also need to relearn how to just have fun.  It probably involves letting go and letting Him so our hands and hearts will be free to be free.

So, what are you worrying about today? What has you bound up like a too tight pair of shoes?  What are you going to do today that is fun?  Now don’t tell me you don’t have time (that is simply a matter of choice) or the money—chain and rubber bands are cheap—smile.  Today, be brave enough to do something different—to make a change. Let it go and let Him.  He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, gratitude, life, loving others, priorities, school days, Scripture, thankful

212° Day – Just One More Degree

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35

We pulled into the parking lot…and there it was. So we were staying with Ellie and James, two of our eight grandkids. Dad and Mom were away and that meant we got to stay and watch over things.

Because of their age, we are past babysitting. Anyway, part of our thing was to make sure they got to school every morning and that is when we saw it. As we pulled into the parking lot, it was very obvious something big was going on. I asked the kids and they didn’t have any idea–and that was part of the big idea!

Here’s what we saw. First, there was a huge banner that said 212° flying about thirty feet in the sky from one of those “lifty” things. Wait…there is more. About two dozen teachers and staff were on the sidewalk that lined the parking lot–all of them dressed in crazy costumes and dancing like no one was watching. A couple of people were on the roof also dressed and acting crazy and hold signs that also said, “212°.” Music was blaring. I was impressed…Ellie was not…James was neutral.

I asked Judy what she thought but neither of us could figure it out. Well, after school we found out. Ellie arrived first and the first thing I asked her was about the 212° thing. Well, first, by now, she was way impressed. It turned out that since the date was February 12, or 2-12, the staff declared it 212° day.  Their theme was no matter what you do in life, you should always go to the next level, take the extra step, going or doing anything just “one more degree” than normal. You see, at 211° water is just hot water but when it reaches 212°–it boils. That one degree makes all the difference in the world.

All day, starting with a high energy crazy assembly in the morning and ending with one in the afternoon, the students were challenged with lessons and activities to go “the extra degree. And what made it so special was the fact that everybody, teachers in their classes and staff, were all in. They showed by their actions just what a great idea this was so naturally most if not all the students jumped in (no pun intended) too. What a stunningly great idea. I loved it. My wife Judy loved it. Ellie loved it. James loved it.

So Grits fans…what is it in your life that you could go “just one more degree” and change your world? God has always been a “one more degree” God and He proves it everyday in every way.  He never settled for–and neither should we. There’s a world out there who needs to know the vastness of God’s love and plain ole hot water just ain’t gonna cut it–we need to go “one more degree.” It can be challenging but with His help…anything is possible! You know it–water boils at 212° and He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in food, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born

Old Dogs…New Tricks

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” Isaiah 43:19

Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Jeremy is my good, good friend. Since he made his journey back to church and Jesus twelve years ago, we have walked a lot of miles together. Early on, we started having breakfast together once a week. It is one of my favorite things we do. We may not hit every week but we do most. He always buys too. I think it is a way for him to say, “Brother, I love you.” I know it sure means a lot to me. And that leads us into today’s Grits.

Over the years, we have had a lot of discussion about grits–not the story but the food. You see being a Southern boy, I love grits, the right way–salt, pepper, and butter. Jeremy on the other hand, being a Southern Illinois boy, likes his with butter and sugar. Sweet grits–unthinkable. We have bantered back and forth about this–sugar or no sugar. We would often drag our servers into the discussion. Then something happened.

We were at the Barrel, we ordered our food and before long it came. That day I had ordered two sides–grits (of course) and fried apples. Without much forethought, I told Jeremy that to honor him that day, I was going to mix my fried apples with my grits. What? Can you believe it? Well, me neither–but I did it. The grits were in a bowl and in went the apples. To top it all off, I added two packets of sweetener. I stirred it all together and bravely shoveled in a spoonful. You are not going to believe what happened.

I looked at Jeremy and said, sincerely, “Jeremy, this is delicious.” And do you know what? It was. I can’t explain it but something about the grits, the apples, and the butter just came together and tickled my taste buds. I even said to him, “This is the best thing on my plate.” You know, I never dreamed I would like sweet grits and I certainly didn’t wake up planning to try them that day…but I did.

So, there you go. Grits, apples, salt, butter and a little sweetener all came together to teach this old dog a new trick. Sweet grits. Who would have thought it? Now if that can happen with me and grits I am certain that it can happen with me and God–in fact, you and God. You see, God is just full of new things, new ideas and the best part is that every one of them is–good. You never have to doubt God and His plans–they are all perfect.

So, let me encourage you to always be open to new things–especially things from our Dearest Daddy. And just like I was surprised, we shouldn’t be surprised when He surprises us. Just like sweet grits–His plans for us our sweeter than we could ever imagine. So get out your spoon and dig in because, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, life, loving others, school days, Scripture

Poached Eggs? Really?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:16

Poached eggs.  For some reason they have never made it on my list of favorite things. It could be the name.  When something is poached it usually means it was taken in some illegal means.  Well, now that I think of it…maybe the name does fit. To me, unless it was Easter or Momma was making egg salad sandwiches, eggs were cooked in grease not water. I can vaguely remember something about my Momma cracking an egg and dropping it into some water…no wait, maybe that was teabags.  At any rate, the thought of eating an egg that had just been floating around in some water like a jelly fish never, ever, crossed my mind. Grease and eggs…eggs and grease…a match made in heaven.

However, interestingly enough not everyone is like me.  One of my best buds actually likes poached eggs. Of course, you must take in consideration that he also likes sugar on his grits.  But anyway, you read it right–he really likes them.  So, we were having this discussion about how to cook eggs (don’t all guys have those discussions?) and his passion for poached eggs boiled to the top–no pun intended.  So how did he become such a fan of poached eggs?  Well, here’s the deal.

It turns out that his grandmother was a really big fan of poached eggs.  Anytime he (or another family member) went to her house, it was time for poached eggs.  Over and over again, “Hey, you want me to cook you a poached egg?” That standard answer was, “No Grandma, that’s ok.”  Apparently, she was insistent because her standard answer was, “Sure you do, let me whip one up for you.” And, before long, a nice, wiggly kinda cooked egg was sitting before him.  Well, before long he was sorta, kinda brain washed and before long he was hooked.  Now that I think about it, I wonder if he had an aunt that liked sugar on her grits too?  Hmmm.

So, the long and short of it is, all these years later–he still likes poached eggs.  Truth is, if it wasn’t for Grandma’s passion, he wouldn’t be such a fan–but her passion became one of his. That really says a lot about influence and legacy. You see, we are all influencers…whether it is food, habits, or speech.  I know Judy and I don’t press buttons…we mash them.  Wonder where that came from?  We don’t give people a ride to the store, we “carry” them. Oh, and no I don’t eat sugar on my grits…and apparently neither did my relatives.

You know, that passion thing is true about eggs but it is also true about God.  It seems that things that we are passionate about are the things that end up in the lives of those around us…especially those closest to us. The bottom line is what we are passionate about is contagious. The more passionate we are about God the more likely it will be caught by someone else.  It might be our kids, grandkids, or the guy next door but our faith should be highly contagious. Someone once said, “our faith is more easily caught than taught.” There is so much truth in that.

The truth is, I don’t know how you like your eggs–but it just might be similar to the way your momma or daddy liked them.  Let’s be so passionate about God and our faith that someone can’t be around us without being infected–uh, make that affected! Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” In other words, make sure that what we do and how we do it, reflects favorably on you…but most importantly, on God. I’m sure God is not a fan of poached eggs, but I do know He is a fan of yours.  Don’t worry, He’s got this…poached or not. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in friends, Holidays, life, loving others, New Year, Scripture

New Year’s Eve

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” Ezra 3:11

We weren’t famous but we had fun.  I was fortunate to have what a lot of kids never did. First, I know that not everybody did or does the church thing…and certainly not all teenagers but when I was growing up it seemed a lot more kids did.  I went to the same church from the time I was about 10 until I joined the Air Force at age 18.  We had the most incredible youth group you could imagine.  We were all good friends and it seemed we did everything together.  Almost every Friday or Saturday night we had a party at someone’s house.  It was some kind of cookout and always involved some kind of crazy game. Personally, I was partial to spin-the-bottle.  Smile.

Music was a huge part of our teen years.  Again, it was a different time but I believe our group was special.  We would rush through our Sunday night Bible study just so we could sit in a room and sing four-part harmony.  We weren’t the Tabernacle Choir but we sounded pretty good and better than that—we loved it.  After church it would be a trip to Frosty’s or one of the local pizza places.  I believe that a lot of who I am today came from that group and the awesome leaders who poured into our lives.  Musically that would be Lloyd and Jane.  She was the church pianist and he was the music director.  They loved Jesus, loved music and loved kids—in that order.  And that is how it all started.

It had to be Lloyd and Jane that came up with the idea of forming a four part quartet.  Now you have to understand in the late sixties and very early seventies, two things were huge: church softball and gospel music.  So, it probably seemed more natural than not.  Four of us young men, Doug, David, Steve and myself, formed a quartet with Melody on the piano.  After a contest to find a name we became…drumroll please, “The Youngmun”. Lloyd and Jane took us under their wing and taught us how to sing parts, add tone and balance and after a while we sounded decent.  Then, we started getting gigs—opportunities to sing.  Sometimes it was Friday nights, sometimes Saturday nights and sometimes Sunday afternoons with a sprinkling of times in-between.

We just had a great time. We loved to sing and were really good friends.  One of the Bible guys said that we should sing responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” And do you know what?  We tried to do exactly that. Well, eventually we went our separate ways, but the memories still live in my heart.  And that is the reason for this story.

You see, back then there were things called “all night singings”.  You can guess what it was by the title.  While they were held at different times the all-time favorite was New Year’s Eve.  Churches or groups of churches would book groups and they would literally sing all night long.  More than once we sang very late or very early—depending on your perspective.  And amazingly, people came and people stayed.

Well, times have changed.  I rarely hear of gospel concerts like the ones from days gone by.  I know there are some but not to the level of those days.  I don’t miss staying up all night—these days if I make it to 10:00pm I am doing really good.  The ball may fall in Times Square but it does it without me!  But I do miss the way we started out the New Year.  Being with a bunch of people who loved Jesus and loved music was pretty cool.  Song after song spoke in poetic ways of God’s incredible love for us and the hope of tomorrow and the day after that “Because He Lives.”

You know, it probably wouldn’t work today to try and have an all-night singing, but do you know what would work?  This New Year’s Eve maybe we could, maybe we should, take some time to thank God for all the blessings He sent in 2025.  Now, don’t make the mistake of thinking He went on strike.  Oh no, His blessings, His love notes were everywhere.  They always say the most powerful person in the room is the guy with the microphone.  Well, we all know too often that person didn’t shout the most encouraging news in 2025.  In fact, I’m not sure they could spell encouraging.  

But I do know this.  No matter what 2026 holds, if we choose to follow the God who made it all, if we will trust and believe, no matter what—I think we will find that it’s gonna be a great year.  We may not always get exactly what we want from God, but we always get what is exactly right for us.  Someone said He is too wise to make a mistake and too good to be unkind.  I know, sometimes it doesn’t feel that way, but He loves us—a lot.  How much—enough to plan Christmas and Easter—and that is a lot.

So, I don’t know your plans for New Year’s Eve but I hope it includes Him…the God who wants to be your Father—your Dearest Daddy.  I hope it will include some quiet time so that you two can chat as the Whisper whispers His love in your ear.  Listen as He speaks those three precious words, “I’ve got this.”  Bro. Dewayne