thankful – Page 106 – Grits with Grace

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

Night and Day

Posted on August 31, 2020August 30, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

One man’s way of packing is another woman’s dump, stuff and close. Judy and I have been married for 44 years, 2 months and 5 days. In case you are wondering that is 530 months (give or take a few days) and 16,137 sunrises and sunsets. It has been an incredible journey that has been marked by a few bumps and a whole lot of good times. You might ask, “So what’s the secret?” Well, I am sure there are several. We both are Jesus followers though she is a lot better at it than I am. We are both committed to our marriage—she would kill me if I even thought of leaving. And, honesty, she is a really, classy lady. With that being said, I can tell you one reason that didn’t make the list. We are alike.

Nope, ain’t gonna happen, you gotta be kidding me.” In fact, we are pretty “unalike” in several ways. She is definitely more optimistic. In fact, she is so optimistic that for her it’s not a matter of the glass being half-full or empty—she doesn’t even need a glass. Me, well, not so much. I need to analyze and rationalize. Judy thrives around people. Put her a room of strangers and she is a like a pinball game going from person to person—sharing, chatting, and laughing. Me, well, I head to the nearest wall and lean. If I can find one person to talk with—I’m good.

On the other side of the coin, I am organized. Go to my office, either at home or work, and you will find a neat and tidy desk. A place for everything and everything it is place. Go into Judy’s office and you might have a difficult time finding the desk. I am generally a pretty focused person. If there is a task to do, I sit down and get it done. If the house is on fire, that will have to wait until I am done. Judy would probably not notice the house was on fire and if she did notice, she would immediately begin visiting with the firemen.

Now you probably need to know that Judy suggested this story. We are leaving for vacation soon. Can someone say “YAY”? That foray will cause us to have to pack our luggage. Now given what you know, here’s how it will go. I will take my suitcase, lay everything out on the bed, carefully fold and sort each item, and then assign them a specific place in the luggage. I will overpack because you never know what you might need. When I get done the suitcase will look like a clothing file cabinet—neatly packed.

Judy, on the other hand, has a different technique. She, too, will place her luggage either on the bed or floor. She too will probably overpack because you never know what you will need, however, that’s where the similarity ends. She will then proceed to dump her clothes, shoes, etc., in the bag, on the bag, and anywhere near the bag. Then she will begin to heap and pile the clothes in the hopes that the thing will close when she is done. It’s a fifty-fifty chance. She may call in reinforcements (me) if needed but that is always a last resort.

Like I said, in many ways we are not alike. But, with that said, that is not a weakness, it is a strength. Where I am weak, she is strong and vice versa. We have learned (and are still learning) that the power of a team lies in loving, sharing, working together and yes, forgiving. Oh, and I also have learned the power of two incredibly powerful words, “Yes, dear.” No, that would be “I’m sorry.” In Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 it says, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” You can take that to the bank.

There’s one more thing that is quite interesting. In our 16,137 days of marriage, we have shared 14,018 of those as a team working together in vocational ministry. I am certain that without Judy, and all the ways we are different, we would not have seen all the amazing things God has done. It is a story of love, grace, loyalty, and friendship. Now before you gag yourself and throw up, know that we definitely don’t always get it right. But there is one thing you can take it to the bank. The Bible says that we are fearful and wonderfully [and let me add differently] made. Someone once said if you and your spouse are alike then one of you isn’t necessary. Hmmm.

So, there you go. I hope today’s big truth, that it is more than ok to be different, will strengthen your resolve and commitment in your marriage. But I think it works at work, at church, and even with your neighbors. And when the frustration begins to build, like the next time he or she doesn’t pack the way you do, remember this—hang tight because both of you will get to the same place in the end. And if it gets really hard—just go and sit with your Dearest Father and rest. He’ll whisper some things like “let it go—it doesn’t matter how they pack it just matters that you keep traveling together.” And you will say, “Oh yeah…that’s right.” And He will remind you once again that, it’s ok because…He’s got this.

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

“A Broken What?”

Posted on August 27, 2020August 26, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” Number 32:23

It didn’t sound good and sure enough it wasn’t. There are a couple of things that are for certain and one of them is if you have a car it will eventually let you down. It doesn’t matter the make or model, eventually, if you own it long enough, its gonna happen.

I remember more than a few years ago Judy and I headed over to Ridgecrest, North Carolina. She was the Illinois Trustee to LifeWay which is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention. She loved serving and I loved tagging along every once in a while. On Tuesday night while she was in a meeting I decided to take a trip to Wal-Mart which was about 10 miles away. Without any warning, without even a hint of impending disaster, the van’s engine began to misfire and the dreaded check engine light began flashing. I started praying and confessing every sin I could think of cause 10 miles was a long way to walk.

Well, I made it back to Ridgecrest and the next morning told one of the folks I had engine trouble and they found a good local mechanic. Seven hours later he calls and tells me he can’t get it to stop—he was at his wits end and thought it had to be the computer. He towed it to the Ford dealer in Asheville and we waited. Hmmmm.

They called two hours later and gave us the news—they were pretty sure it was a broken valve spring. My response was, “A broken what?” Well, in fact, that turned out to be the problem. And it turned out that it was an unusual problem that rarely happens. You know what happens when something is rare don’t you? That’s right…it is expensive and hard to find.

That actually turned out the sorta, kinda true. More on that in a minute. So this rather rare thing, of course, wasn’t in stock anywhere in the area and it had to be ordered. So we waited patiently—ok, sorta patiently—and Friday morning—actually a little earlier than expected—the car was finally ready. We took off and got home Friday night around 9:00 pm. So you know there is a lesson in all of this, right?

Ok, so the bill for the repair was somewhere over $400. Hello? That would be four portraits of Benjamin Franklin. And even though this was years ago…I am still grateful that we had the funds to cover it. But here is the crazy part. The part that had actually broken cost a whopping, hang on to your hat, $8.89 and all the rest was labor. Turns out you have to take a chunk of the engine apart to get to this thing. Now, I don’t tell you that for your sympathy—oh no, God was very gracious in all of this. I’m sharing because there’s a lesson to be learned.

You see, the cost for the part was low—the labor to install the part was not. Labor often costs more than the part. That is true in car repairs and it is definitely true in Kingdom work. The actual cost of ministry, while not cheap is doable. The most important part of serving God is not the dollars but the man-hours—the doers. If we had just bought the part, the car wouldn’t have worked. Somebody had to sweat to get it installed and make a difference. Kingdom dollars are important, but getting our hands dirty, sweating some sweat, shedding some tears is where the real cost is—and where the real reward is.

It’s not only true about Kingdom work it is also true when we decide to do the opposite—to sin. The sin itself may seem like a bargain—bringing perhaps a little pleasure or a little satisfaction. But rarely is that the whole cost. In fact, I’m not sure it ever is. The Book says we can take it to the bank that our sin will find us out. That is found way back in the Old Testament in a story where some folks were making a commitment to do something and Moses just let them know if they didn’t keep their word it would come back and bite them.

How many times have we thought we could get away with something? You know, a little lie, a little lust, a little anger or jealousy and boom we find out that the little sin (which by the way is like a unicorn—it doesn’t exist) caused more damage that we ever imagined. And then we get the bill and ouch. Just remember this. Sin is never, ever, a bargain. I don’t care how attractive the package, it is a bad deal. Don’t walk—run away. The good news is the Book also says there is always a way to get away. Take it.

Well, an investment in Kingdom work is always a great thing. It is worth every cent and every drop of sweat. But sin—well, it is sure fire loser every time. And like the bill for the repair, the initial cost is just a drop in the bucket compared to the fallout. Now there is some good news. We have a God who not only can diagnose the problem—He can take care of it. There might still be consequences but He will never stop loving us because of it. His grace really is sufficient. So if you find yourself stranded beside the road of sin and consequences, give Jesus a call. He’s better than any roadside service. You rest in that. He’s got this.

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Big Truths from a Hard Story

Posted on August 25, 2020August 26, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31

Well, not all stories end well…and this one didn’t. Friday morning Judy left for Oklahoma to visit with Sarah, Blake and the boys. Saturday morning I got up early as usual, had some time with God and then went for my morning exercise. When I came back, by our backdoor, was a little baby squirrel. Now I don’t know a thing about baby squirrels, so I can’t tell you how old he was. I can tell you that something just didn’t seem right. He had all of his fur but you could tell he was not very strong and oddly, his head seemed just too big for his tiny body.

He was in the grass, but not far from the flower bed which is next to our backdoor. He seemed to be eating grass but I suspect he was actually getting the water off the dew soaked grass. He was moving pretty good but again, strangely, I’m not sure where he came from since there was not a squirrel nest to be seen. I went on into the house and when I came back out he scurried into the flower bed. I put out some bird food for him to eat. I knew he would like that because all of his big brothers do their best to empty our bird feeders.

Well, he made himself at home. He was definitely eating some of the bird food and I believe having some of the water. He soon made himself a place to sleep there in the flower bed. I was hoping, just hoping that my little friend was a big enough fighter to pull this thing off. I would check on him each day and give him food and water. I was doing everything I could for him. But today, when I came home from work, well he had died. I wasn’t surprised because I really think something was wrong—something more than food or water could fix—something more than ending up at the wrong place at the wrong time. So I wasn’t surprised, but I was genuinely sad. I wanted him to live and I wanted to be his hero—his savior. Neither happened.

Now I’m not sharing this so we can all have a Debbie downer day…not at all. I’m learning that so many things have a story and can teach us big truths. I think this is one of those times. The first thing that came to mind was that sometimes we can do everything right—everything—and still not get the result that we want. We can be the best husband, the best wife, the best parent, the best employee or the best owner and sometimes the story just doesn’t end well. It doesn’t mean we failed. It doesn’t mean we were somehow to blame. Sometimes, it is just part of this thing called life. And while the story doesn’t always end well—we never have to face that difficult ending alone. Our Dearest Daddy is always there. The Whisperer is always close by and whispers the assurance of His love and His compassion. No matter what—Jesus will still be there.

The other big truth from this is that God really does care about the smallest things. If I told you that God knew today that this little creation died, would you believe me? If I told you that even the smallest detail of your life never passes Him unnoticed, would you believe it? If I told you He never grows weary of our worries and fears and unsettled hearts would you have the courage to believe? Well you can, because Jesus said that not even a sparrow can fall to the earth unnoticed by the Father. He even went on to say that if that is true, how much more do you think He cares about you? How. Much. More?

I know and you know that these are just puzzling times. Everything seems so uncertain. It seems as if we spend our days walking on quicksand—our feet unsteadily walking on shifting ground. But don’t be shaken. The God of the universe who cares when a little squirrel dies cares infinitely more about you. Jesus knows and feels your hurts and pains…and He cares.

So all you tendered hearted readers, please forgive me for sharing a hard story. I hope, though, that the big truths made it worth the read. Why not take a moment and sit with the One who loves you so? Why not get close enough to hear His whispers of love and assurance. I hope you will because when our hearts are heavy and a little frightened—we need to know that He’s got this. And He does.

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, Scripture, thankful, travel

Miracles

Posted on August 24, 2020August 23, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

Well, there are miracles and then there are miracles. One of the great adventures that Judy and I have been privileged to be a part of are church mission trips. Specifically, mission trips to Africa. For the past 15 or 16 years, our church has been an active participant in mission adventures. At least one a year we try and send a team to Africa. We started in Niger and then had to move a little south to the country of Mali. We were privileged to serve there for several years.

I can’t explain how incredible it is to go on a mission adventure. I also can’t really explain the draw that so many feel to this place called Africa. Where this story begins was a pretty difficult place. We would stay in the bush often sleeping on the ground in tents. The temperature would hover over 100 degrees. I have one picture that showed a thermometer with a reading 125 degrees. The food, well, let’s just say it wasn’t McDonald’s. So what is it that causes people to step way out of their comfort zones just to serve others. This story is part of that answer.

We were on a medical trip in Mali and the days were long and fruit was plentiful. We had a full team including two medical doctors and several nurses. They would treat the physically broken and we would try and share the truth of God’s love to the spiritually broken. We would tell stories of Jesus and how He would go and help people. We then would simply explain that we wanted to be like Him and help others. We explained that people who knew Jesus in America had bought and paid for the medicine that they were receiving. It was free to them because someone else paid the price. It was always a great lead into the gospel stories because Jesus did the same for us.

Well, it was the end of a long day. Most of us had wandered back to camp and were sitting around and chatting about the day’s activities. Suddenly someone ran into the camp and shouted that there was an emergency back at the clinic. We all rushed back over and what we found was grim…very grim. A little girl, about nine if I remember correctly, had been climbing a tree. She was about twenty-five feet up in the air when she slipped and fell—landing directly on her face. Her father had carried her on a Moto (a small motorcycle) about three or four miles. She was semi-conscious and unresponsive.

Two things happened simultaneously. First, the doctors when to work and the saints went to praying. Her pupils were unresponsive and though she was breathing, her respirations were rapid and shallow. About an hour later the doctors said it was probably only a matter of time, her brain injuries seemed very serious. I slipped into my pastor mode and wondered what an African funeral was like. The doctors took turns sitting with her through the night, and then took her to the nearest first aid station. This part is fuzzy but it seems like at some point the father went ahead and took her back to her village.

The next day we went back to work with a somewhat heavy heart. And then something happened…we heard that the little girl had woken up. We then heard that she was speaking and walking around. We then heard that she was responding and acting almost completely normal. “What is this,” I wondered. Again, if I remember correctly either that day or the next the father brought his little girl back to the doctors and there she stood. A living, breathing, miracle. It can be described as nothing else. God had heard the prayers of His children and chosen to reach down from heaven and touch this little girl and give her back her life. It. Was. A. Miracle.

Several of us have been to Africa many times and we have seen more than one miracle. Sometimes it looked like this, sometimes it was God acting to avoid a terrible tragedy and sometimes it like a frog strangling rainstorm when it hadn’t rained for months and months. But each time it was obvious that God was still God and He can do what He wants, when He wants. After all, He is God. For the skeptics out there who think that God doesn’t do the miracle thing—that it died out in the old days—well, that little girl would beg to differ with you.

Tucked away in the book of Luke, incidentally written by a physician in Jesus’ day, are some words that say it all. It says “For nothing shall be impossible with God.” Nothing. Period. Seven words that can shake your world and this world. So what is rocking your world today? COVID still keeping you up at night? Wondering about tomorrow or the next meal? Worried about our country? Well, I don’t know what God has planned—after all I’m in sales and not management—smile. But I do know that nothing is too big for Him to handle. Just like that little girl in Africa who discovered she could lay down and rest in Him—so can you. After all…He’s got this.

Family, food, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful

Call Me “Precious”

Posted on August 19, 2020August 18, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” Genesis 3:6

I remember it like it was yesterday…or a couple of weeks ago anyway. I am the youngest of eight children. Some call me the baby of the family…I call it the best. My brothers and sisters nicknamed me “precious”. I used to think it was because they were jealous, but I later learned they were just right. And, because I was so precious, well, I often was the target of pranks and other acts of terrorism.

The two sisters right above me and myself were called the three little ones. That was because everybody else was several years older and therefore bigger. My two youngest sisters were the main terrorists. They loved to hold me down and tickle me mercilessly and then pull my ears till they were blood red. It’s because of them one of my ears sticks out further than the other. They were two tough cookies.

One time they pushed me out the door in my underwear and wouldn’t let me back in. I banged and banged on the door ,all to no avail. They, of course, will deny all of this but trust me, at the Judgement Seat all will be revealed and they will surely be grateful for grace.

I have always had an affection for sweet things and they even used that against me. One day one of them came up and said, “Dewayne, do you want some candy?” Well, my response was, “Well sure.” It was a small box and in my excitement I didn’t take time to read the label. Honestly, since I was only about eight, I probably wouldn’t have known the difference anyway. So, I opened the box and found that it was filled with chocolates. There were only three or four pieces in the box and before long…they were gone.

I did notice that they tasted a little different, but they were sweet, and they were brown so hey, that was close enough for me. I should have been suspicious that the terrorists were being so nice but I always was a trusting soul. Well, several hours passed and before long time wasn’t the only thing that passed. You see, my loving sisters had fed me a whole box of Ex-Lax. They would deny it, you probably can’t believe it, but trust me, I was there. Oh, boy was I there.

Well, I learned a lot of lessons growing up and this is one of them. You see, things are often not what they seem to be. I thought I was a getting a box of chocolates and instead I got a box of trouble. It looked like chocolate, it even tasted like chocolate, but it wasn’t even close. Did you know that the Bible warns us how the devil can disguise himself? It says that he can disguise himself as an angel of light when in fact he is the angel of darkness. Remember that…things are not always as they seem.

I also learned that not everyone who comes bearing gifts can be trusted. I should have known better when they offered me that box, but my desire for chocolate overruled my common sense. That is what how Adam and Eve got in trouble in the garden. The story is found in Genesis and it says, “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” And just like that…I found myself eating Ex-Lax.

It’s a tricky world out there…terrorists are lurking everywhere and sometimes they might be related, so be careful. Be sure and use your good common sense if someone offers you a little box filled with chocolates. You might be getting more than you bargained for. Like I said, I probably wouldn’t have understood the label even if I had read it. But do you know what? My mama would have. In fact, if I had gone to mama this story would have been totally different. But, well, I didn’t. As we journey through this upside down world, don’t forget to go to your Dearest Daddy with your questions and mysteries. He is always there, and He is always watching out for you. You can trust Him. His box of chocolate is always the real deal. So have a seat, open the box and enjoy. You can rest in Him. He’s got this.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
They seem larger than life. I am from a generation that deeply admires heroes—people who seem larger than life. They do the most amazing things. They lay their lives on the line for their country, the put on a badge and go into dangerous situations for a few dollars a week. They charge into burning buildings when everyone else is trying to get out. Those are just a very few…the list goes on and on. There are also other kinds of giants—-larger in life in the quest for excellence, to change the world or perhaps, to be like Jesus. These are some of the people I admire the most—true spiritual giants. A couple of years ago I met one. I was amazed by her story.

It all started when we were invited over to a friends house for supper. When we arrived we had the opportunity to meet her mother who lives with her. That is when I realized it probably wouldn’t be a normal evening.

When her mom spoke to us you could tell she was struggling with her voice. Before long, she explained and that was the beginning of an incredible story.

She explained in 1950 when she was 19 years old, she was diagnosed with polio. If you know a little about that time period, there was an epidemic of this terrible, dreaded disease. It struck without warning and without rhythm and that was the case here. It left this dear saint partially paralyzed and also affected her vocal cords. I was enthralled with her story as she shared they said she would never walk—but they were wrong.

Then she shared more and more her story. When she was born (and remember this is around 1930) there were twins and she weighed less than two pounds. She was a fighter from the beginning and fight she did. Later, when she was eleven, she basically was put out to fend for herself and she did. She had a strong constitution and work ethic. I was amazed.

She married and had three miscarriages before giving birth to her daughter. She would end up having 21 surgeries for various reasons and also lives with a colostomy. She has been told that she has cancer though they really can’t pinpoint the source. I know there are several things that I am leaving out but that is enough for you to get the picture. She life has been difficult from the get-go but that is not the main story.

The most amazing story is her faith. Receiving Christ at a young age, her journey of faith has been strong and steady. Instead of turning bitter, like Job, her love for God only grew deeper and stronger. She shared that evening how blessed she was that God had entrusted her with this suffering. From her lips poured words of praise for her Savior. Then came stories of incredible generosity to those in need—both physically and spiritually. It really was amazing.

Judy and I both left that night refreshed as if we had drunk deeply from a cool spring. We were blessed, encouraged and challenged by a saint who had given more than she took. She isn’t the only one. Over my almost four decades of pastoring, I have bumped into so many spiritual heroes. You had to bump into them because like most heroes, they don’t brag about their lives and stories.
When I left that night I also left strengthened. It is instances like this that solidify my own faith. When I see and hear stories such as this one, it shouts to me, “God is real.” It also does one more thing. It causes me to examine what kind of story am I writing. When people read my life, what does it say about me…and about the God I serve.

Each one of us are writing a story and during this hot mess called COVID-19, we all have special opportunities to write a saga. The way we live, act and speak will tell a tale. Hopefully it will be one of grace and kindness. Paul wrote in the Bible that we should be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

That is a tall order but God is in the business of filling tall orders. Why not take a moment and ask your Heavenly Father for a little, or maybe a lot, of help. Let Him know you’ve been treading water a lot these days and you could use a little rest. Don’t worry—He is ready and willing to help. He’s got this.

Giants in the Land

Quote• Posted on August 14, 2020August 14, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Family, food, gratitude, life, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel, wisdom

Change…or Not?

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

It was like I had lost a good friend. When this pandemic thing came up it messed with my life. Needless to say…it is still messing. It’s getting better but its not even close to normal. You see, one of the things that Judy and I enjoy doing together is dining out at a restaurant. We have several favorites that we go to pretty regularly. We have our favorite in the burg, favorites in Marion, favorites in Paducah and even a couple in Evansville. Then we have favorite meals at each place. At one we have a steak, at another grilled shrimp, at another a hamburger–and that is a seafood place…go figure.

But do you know what happens occasionally? We decide to go “rogue.” We decide to go to a new place or try something new at a familiar place. That is how we discovered the “Pork Belly, Pimento Cheese, Fried Green Tomato wonder of wonders”. It still makes me drool. Regardless, the new adventure is always refreshing and usually quite good. Every once in a while it flops—every once in a while we leave saying, “well, that didn’t work.”

A couple of years ago we were in Paducah and on a whim tried a Chinese place. Everything said, “don’t” but we did. Weeds in the parking lot, trash in the parking lot and a front door that looked like a herd of kids with dirty hands had just passed through all said, “get back in the car.” Well, we didn’t and boy was it a bad experience. But even so here’s what we have discovered—the sense of change—the sense of adventure is worth the risk of the occasional failure. Change can be challenging but it is also refreshing.

Someone once said that a rut is a grave with the ends knocked out. By and large, I am a creature of habit. I have the same thing for breakfast almost every day. I drive the same way to work every day. But even if I like sameness, I also like change. Isn’t that weird? There is a reason. We need change to keep life fresh. We need variety to make life interesting. I think that is one of the things the pandemic has forced our hand on. We have to do some things differently—willing or not. While that is true in our personal journey, it is also true in our spiritual journey.

The one thing that gives me a confident assurance is that nothing is new to God. He is never surprised and never caught off guard. He never says, “Boy, I sure didn’t see that one coming!” It is great to belong to a God who is big enough to have everything under control. I love that in this world of constant change, He is a constant. The writer of Hebrews said it best, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” That means no matter where you go in the past—He was there and He was the same. That means no matter where you go today—He is there and He is the same. And that means no matter where the future takes you and no matter what it holds—He will be there and He will be the same. He. Is. The. Same.

Like I said, I enjoy a little variety—a little change adds spice to life. But when it comes to my Dearest Father, well, I like the sameness that He brings. My circumstances, my mess-ups, even my fickleness doesn’t faze Him. He is always the same. And that same—well, it is just the best. A guy named John in the New Testament wrote and said that it is just amazing, this love that God has for us…a love that extends out and allows us to be called His. Yup…you gotta love that.

Let me suggest you occasionally try a new restaurant and or a new item on the menu. And if it has pork belly and pimento cheese on it—well, its got to be a winner. But when it comes to choosing what god you will serve—there’s only one choice and that is Creator God. Bigger than it all—ready and willing to handle our biggest problems and always ready to extend His grace our way—there’s no need to look any further. Oh, and of course, as always, He’s got this.

fear, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

The Thief

Posted on August 11, 2020August 10, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” Psalm 90:12

The thief has struck again. Without anyone noticing a thief has been stealing from us all. It happens visually everyday and no one does anything to stop it because they can’t. Slowly and almost without notice the thief takes from us and we usually don’t notice until it is too late. Who is this thief? It is time itself…the calendar.

The day of the year with the most daylight hours is usually around June 21st. It is known as the summer equinox. On that day, the tilt of the earth allows the northern hemisphere to be closest to the sun allowing the maximum amount of daylight hours. On June 21st sunrise occurred at 5:32 am in our town. Fourteen hours and forty-six minutes later it sets at 8:19 pm. From that time forward, slowly and surely the amount of daylight hours slowly begins to recede.

You ask, “How much?” Well, today the sun will rise at 6:07 am and will set at 7:50 pm. If you do the math you will discover that will give us 13 hours and 43 minutes of daylight. Amazingly you will find that the thief has taken an hour and 3 minutes from us. And each passing day he will take another few minutes. Finally, someday in the near future you will get up and wonder why it is still dark or why the sun is setting so early. The answer is the daylight thief.

I find all this pretty fascinating. As the days and weeks march by it reminds us that fall is coming. Before long, the leaves will be changing colors and falling to the ground. Perhaps, before long our thoughts, even for a few hours, will be on a happy place like Thanksgiving and not the corona virus. On December 21 the process will all reverse. We will begin to gain back those precious minutes of daylight and it will remind us of the promise that spring is on its way.

The amazing part of all of this is how subtly it happens. It is true of the calendar and the hours of daylight we experience, and it is true of so many small things in our lives. We take in a few too many calories and before long we wonder why our clothes are tighter. Humidity? I mean they do call it the air you can wear. We miss a few days of exercise and wonder why our energy level suddenly drops. We miss a few days talking with our Dearest Father and wonder why He feels like a stranger. We miss our time with the Book and find ourselves bumbling our way through life. Sigh. It is all too familiar and all too predictable.

The secret, I believe, is to be aware. I have one of those “Joe Cool” Apple watches that tells me more than I need or want to know. One of the things it tells me is the time of the sunrise and sunset. A few days ago the sun was setting at 8:06 pm and I knew that meant before long it would be setting before 8:00 pm. Sure enough, it is. Whether it is exercise or calories or prayer or reading the Book, if we will pay attention we will have fewer surprises and consequences. I like what Moses said. He wrote, “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” You know, wisdom to watch what we eat and how much we exercise. Wisdom to stop and talk to God and read His Book. Yup…good, good advice.

Paul, one of the writers of the New Testament, put it another way. He said we should make the most of everyday, not living as someone who is foolish but as someone who is wise. He goes on to say we should do this because the days are evil—or full of difficulties and challenges. The fact is we all get 1440 minutes a day—no more, no less. The hours of daylight may change, but the time has been set for eternity. 1440 opportunities to make the most of life, to get it right. And, because we are imperfect humans, we can use some of those minutes to talk to our Dearest Father about our warts and failures. We can snuggle up close as He whispers assurances of love and forgiveness. We can just rest and know…that He’s got this.

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful, travel

Mustang Sally

Posted on August 9, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalm 37:4

It was a dream come true. Several years ago, I was invited to speak at a conference way up north in Illinois. How far north? Well just about as far as you can go. It seems you could see the Artic circle from where we were going. For some reason, it might have been the car was due an oil change or just because, I decided to rent a car for the trip. I checked the local Enterprise car rental and they had a great rate, so I booked one online. About 4:00 pm I went to the car rental place to pick up my plain Jane little car and that’s when I found that God had sent a love note.

I went into the office and waited just a moment for the agent to help me. She shuffled some papers around and said, “You know I don’t have a compact car to give you. I’m going to have to give you a Mustang convertible instead.” I couldn’t believe it. I had wanted to drive a Mustang since I was 12. While I didn’t get to own it permanently, for three whole days it was mine. I felt like I had just won the lottery!

We finished up the paperwork and she handed me the keys. I walked outside and there she sat. A new Mustang convertible with all the bells and whistles! I felt cool just holding the keys. I mashed the button on the remote and lights came on and the doors unlocked. I opened the door and slid into the seat and was pretty certain I had died and gone to heaven. One of the first things I noticed was the quality of this American made car. Things had certainly changed since the 70’s.

The Mustang had more incredibly cool gadgets than I had ever seen in one car. Gadgets like an incredible audio system, totally cool wheels, auto/manual shift, backup camera, keyless entry and start and on and on. It seemed that everything you could possibly want on a car was there. This thing was “tricked out”. For those who don’t know what that term means, it is something like it was customized–loaded with options and believe me it was! Not only had God given me the car of my dreams for three whole days but He had sent one that was loaded!

Well, we made the trip and I played Mr. Cool the entire time. Sunglasses, my best smile and the coy look that said, “Oh yeah, it’s mine.” I just didn’t share that it was only mine for three days. Just as all good things have to come to an end, on Monday my Cinderella Mustang had to go back to Enterprise. However, I will never forget the time that God sent me a Mustang to drive. It gave new meaning to that place in the Bible where it says, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.”

Now imagine my surprise when I went to the Ford website and discovered that my Mustang wasn’t “tricked out” at all. In fact, all those cool features were “standard.” In other words, every Mustang had those features included with no extra charge. How about that–buy the car and get the options–not some plain Jane, “let’s crawl to the next light Mustang”, but one that caused people to look…”a head turner.” Buy the car and get the cool throw in with the deal. I can remember when the base price got you four wheels and engine. Not so anymore. Ford did a great job in the quality and what you got for the money–but not to the point I’m ready to go out and buy one.

Here’s the deal: God trumps Ford hands down–not even in the ball park. I sometimes wonder if we understand all that we get when we receive God’s amazing grace through His Son Jesus: unconditional love, peace beyond understanding, unlimited acceptance, an incredible purpose and reason to live, the opportunity to make a difference–to be a part of something so big that we can’t even understand it all. And that is not just for the Billy Grahams of the world but rather for every believer, every follower of Christ. Amazingly, that’s not even the tip of the iceberg!

Some people love to drop names—you know, they are talking and they will say how they know so and so. Well, check this out. If you know Jesus, you know the creator of it all. And you just don’t know Him…you know Him up front and personal. And His Father is your Father and He is your Dearest Father. He just waits for you to talk with Him every day. And He enjoys blessing you. Be sure and thank Him for the fact that the life He gives us is not barebones but loaded to the max. You know, when God does something, He always does it well and does it big–how about that?

As you journey this week, how about spending some time celebrating and thanking God for His incredible, unbelievable salvation? And if you get just a tad overwhelmed—and honestly who doesn’t—just remember who you know and Who knows you. You can rest in Him. He’s got this.

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Military memories, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

It’s a “Dippity-Do-Dah” Day

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.” 1 John 1:6

Dippity-do dah, dippy day, my oh my, what a wonderful day! I joined the Air Force back in 1972 and in so many ways it was a different world. At that time longer hair was still very much in vogue. It seemed the only guys with shorter haircuts were either born in the 1920’s or in the military. I was the latter.

It was also a different day in the way people view the military. The country was coming out of the Vietnam era and sadly many saw veterans and the active military in a dark light. I can well remember walking around town and getting the “one of those” look. While I was never ashamed of being in the military, in fact, I was proud to serve, I did want to be cool—part of the in-crowd and short hair just wasn’t in. But you know the old saying, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” Hello Dippity-do.

It’s funny, I don’t remember anyone else doing it nor do I remember how I started. I found this hair stuff called, “Dippity-do.” It was a gel like product and depending on how much you applied, it would make your hair stay where you put it. So I bought a jar and slowly I let the hair on the top of my head and sides grow out. I would wakeup in the morning and put this stuff, in fact a lot of this stuff, on my hair. I would comb it kinda on top of my head and toward the back. The effect was—well, effective. The funny part is when this stuff dried out it made my hair as solid as a rock. Of course, my mom always said I had a hard head.

I found that I could have the required white-wall around my ears and have all this hair glued down to the top of my head. When I got off work, I would go take a shower, wash this stuff out and believe it or not have enough hair to totally cover my ears. I looked like any other guy in the early 1970’s. Even as I write this I’m saying, “What?” But believe me it worked. I looked like a military guy during the day and a regular off-the-street guy at night. Looking back, it was weird.

Even stranger I worked in the command section of my squadron and to show how effective my ruse was, no one said anything. It looked, and I guess was, regulation. I remember one day walking in the local mall and coming straight toward me was my squadron commander, Major Hobbs. We passed within five feet of each other and he didn’t even recognize me. Yup—G.I. Joe by day and a 70’s hipster at night. Looking back there probably was a word for it. It was probably pretty hypocritical.

The word hypocrite means to “play the part” or to “wear the mask.” It was used to describe actors in ancient Greece who were one thing on stage and another off the stage. The one thing I remember is that I always felt a certain amount of fear while doing this. There was always the “what if I get called in and don’t have time to plaster my hair down” thing. What if my commander and my first sergeant saw me and did recognize me? I knew they respected me and what would happen to that respect? It’s the feeling you get when you are one thing one time and another thing later.

Well, finally I figured it wasn’t worth it and I’ll tell you that story another time, but the bottom line is I went and got a regular haircut. Two things happened almost immediately. First, I felt free. The fear of the wrong person seeing me at the wrong time was suddenly gone. It was like a weight was taken off my shoulders. The second thing that happened was I discovered that in spite of what the culture said, I was proud to be in the Air Force and that haircut identified me as part of a special family and team. It wasn’t something to be ashamed of…it was something to be proud of. And the best part, the girl I was dating, who I later married, thought I was even cuter. Now for the funny part. I have been out of the military now for 36 years and I never, not even once, grew my hair out. I decided I like shorter hair. More than that…I decided I like being real.

So, what about you? What is it in your life where you “wear the mask?” What is it in your life where you have decided to pretend—to be something you aren’t? While you find that in every aspect of life, sadly it’s also common in the Jesus follower world. People say one thing and do another—people who act one way on Sunday and another the rest of week. If I learned anything from my Dippity-do world is that authenticity beats a plastic mask every time.

John, one of the guys who followed Jesus in the Bible, said it pretty well. He said, “If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.” In other words, if we say we are one thing and really are another—we are just living a lie. It is better to be real than fake. It is better to be authentic than counterfeit. I may have fooled my commander that day but I never fool God when I choose to be one thing in public and another in private. But the one thing I love about God is that He never rejects me. He is never ashamed to call me His child. I can always rest in Him and more than that, He can handle who I am—Dippity-do and all. He’s got this.