Category: Trials

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, prayer, pride, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Choosing the Light

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” John 3:19

I’ve waited and waited.  Finally, the sunrise is finally getting to a respectable time. As a “you’ve got to be kidding me” early riser, I am so glad that Mr. Sun has decided to join me…a little. The sunrise is finally down to a respectable 6:30 am which is a whole lot more respectable than 7:20 am or later.  Of course, thanks to Daylight Savings Time we will lose that hour in just about ten days.  I know, I know it stays light later in the evening but try telling that to my early genes.

Anyway, I noticed the other morning that when I looked toward the west it was still stone cold dark. I knew it was getting to be time for Mr. Sun to say good morning, but he sure seemed to be taking his time.  A few minutes later and finally I could see that the darkness had slowly turned to a very dusky gray.  It was going to happen again…God was sending us a new day.  For whatever reason, I went out of my room to our bedroom which had an east-facing window.  Imagine my surprise to discover the eastern sky was much, much lighter than the western sky. 

While all that was expected that day it just seemed the difference was amazing.  Looking one way, to the west, it seemed daylight was many long minutes away.  Turn the other way, to the east, and daylight was happening right then.  The bottom line was it all depended on which way you were going to look.  At least for a few minutes, I got to choose light vs darkness.  Soon it was all over but for that moment—it mattered, and I chose to look east.

I am certain many times we have that same choice to make in our lives.  We get to choose whether to look to the darkness or to the light.  We get to choose to embrace the light or plunge into the darkness.  I know for me that morning, the choice was very easy, but can we be honest?  Too often I choose to muddle in the darkness.  When I do, it mars my day and sometimes my life, with negativity and grumble bumbles.  Usually, on those days, I’m not happy with anything or anyone—including myself.

Jesus said in the New Testament part of the Bible that men naturally love darkness more than light and, as always, He was right.  But what I find out is I choose that darkness not out of love but out of habit.  Some of us are wired a little weird but that is certainly not an excuse.  What if we started a new habit and determined to look through the eyes of Jesus?  After all, he always saw things through the lens of His Father.  What if we simply made our default view toward the sunrise and not the darkness of the west.  I have a feeling it would be a game changer.

So, tomorrow morning if you are an early riser, remember this simple lesson.  Remember that in most every situation there is a choice—toward the light or toward the darkness. It is our call.  It is our choice.  Jesus declared He was the light of the world and, well, it just makes sense we should seek Him…every time. Why? Well, the reason is simple. It helps us remember that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, Integrity, life, love, loving others, Scripture, thankful, Trials

He’s Got My Back

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

So Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:67-68

Well, I was surprised…in fact, just an inch shy of shocked.  My wife Judy and I own a home at 217 West Poplar Street. With the home came a three-car garage…imagine that.  Well, on top of the three-car garage is a two-bedroom apartment. Now truth be told, we weren’t looking for that when we bought 217…it kinda came with the deal and it really wasn’t a big deal to us.  To make a long story shorter, back in 2008 we decided to spruce up the apartment.  We weren’t really using it but since we owned it…it seemed logical. So, we put on a new roof and replaced the windows. Both were badly needed.

Those aren’t the kind of improvements people get really excited about but in our case, it turned out to be a good idea.  You see, in 2016, Judy got the idea to open an Airbnb in the apartment. I was more than skeptical because, after all, no one comes to Harrisburg…a small Illinois town perched on the edge of nowhere.  She pressed on and I ended up eating crow…several times. She proceeded to turn that apartment into an incredible space, and I discovered people do indeed come to Harrisburg…lots of people.  You see that thing I saw as “nowhere” is near the Shawnee National Forest and is great for those who love the outdoors.  So, thanks to Judy we now have a nice business sitting in our backyard. 

Recently Judy came in the house and said that we had a problem with one of our replacement windows at the Apartment.  She said that the lower glass was cloudy.  Hmmm.  That didn’t sound good in fact it sounded expensive.  I went over and checked the window, and it indeed was hazy to say the least. I was pretty sure that we had purchased the windows from a company called, “Window World” and I knew they advertised a lifetime warranty.  So, I checked and sure enough found a brand tag that said, “Comfort World” which I thought might be connected and a serial number.  Armed with, “What do I have to lose?” I found the phone number for the nearest Window World office and called.

Soon, a nice lady was on the line, and I explained that I thought I had one of their products and it had an issue.  She asked my address and phone number and quickly said, “Yes sir, you did purchase it from us.”  She then asked for the serial number and then asked was it the upper or lower window and I said the lower.  Now get ready.  Are you sitting down?  Without asking what was wrong; without asking how it happened; without anything she said, “Mr. Taylor, I will get a replacement ordered for you and it will be in between three and four weeks.”  I was surprised…in fact, I was almost shocked. Keep in mind the purchase was made in 2008. Amazing.

With no hoopla, without making me stand on my head, without any fanfare, she simply took care of the situation and just like that, it was done.  Before I ended the conversation, I just had to tell her how pleased I was with their customer service and the way they honored their warranty.  You know, and I know, most of the time a warranty is worthless, and the customer service makes you feel like a criminal for even asking.  Wow. I quickly became an even bigger Window World fan. Why would I go anywhere else?

In case you’re wondering, that’s what drew me to God all those years ago.  He made all these incredible promises and even gave it to me in writing.  It is called the Bible.  For me, that was decades ago, and I am glad to let you know He has kept every promise and He has never, and I mean never, failed to keep His Word.  I have failed Him so many times but in spite of that, He never packs up and leaves and never goes out of business.  Regardless of the circumstances, He is always an “I love you and I want to help you” kind of God.  Like Window World, why would I go anywhere else?

One day, Jesus asked His disciples that very question.  A gaggle of people had decided to stop listening and stop following and He simply said to His boys, “Are you going to leave me too?”  It was Peter who said, “Where would we go?  You alone have the Words of life.”  Peter was saying, “No way Jesus.  We may not understand everything you do but for us…you are the only game in town.”  And do you know what?  He was right.

Well, like I said, when it comes to windows, Window World is the place for me.  I know that they mean what they say.  They will be there…regardless.  And when it comes to this life and eternal life, there is only one answer for me and that is Jesus. No matter what, no matter how hard, no matter if I throw a baseball through the window of my life, I know one thing.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

What’s in a Name?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

A good name is to be chosen over great wealth; favor is better than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1

What’s in a name anyway?  If you are a somewhat regular Grits reader you know that my name is Dewayne.  You might not know that my middle name is Eugene.  Dewayne Eugene.  While I suppose in the world of names it is not totally unusual, but it is in the Taylor tribe.  You see, there are not any other Dewayne’s and apparently only one other Eugene and all indicators are that I was not named after him.  So where in the world did my name come from?

Well, you might already know that my Momma and Daddy had eight children and I am the last one—the youngest.  In some circles inside my family, I am known as Precious because I guess I was.  You know, the whole “baby of the family” thing.  I know where that one came from and whether or not, it was earned depends on who you talk to and what day of the week it is.  But what about this Dewayne thing?  Who in the world was Eugene?  Well, the truth is maybe by kid number eight Momma and Daddy had just run out of ideas for names.  Who knows?

There was a guy in the New Testament part of the Bible that had a good and solid name. His name was Saul. Almost certainly he was named by his parents after the first king of Israel—King Saul and once again, at least in some circles, it was name of honor.  King Saul was tall and strong and very kingly…at least until he wasn’t.  So, the New Testament Saul proudly bore the name of the first king of Israel.

Saul was a zealot for the Jewish faith and when this young Rabbi named Jesus came along and shook things up, Saul became a Jesus hater and that included all His followers.  Well, one day Saul was traveling to go to another town to whip people who followed Jesus into shape, and he bumped into the now resurrected Jesus.  Well, it is an understatement but that encounter radically changed Saul who then became a Jesus lover and follower.  The change was unbelievable and total.

Because of that it probably isn’t surprising that Saul started using another name.  You see, while Saul was his Hebrew name, there was a Roman equivalent that had a whole different meaning.  It was then that Saul, named after the first king, became Paul and guess what Paul means?  This is big—it means little.  You see Saul realized that to follow Jesus he had to get small so Jesus could be made bigger. How about that? He just figured his name should match what he knew he should be!

This is a great lesson for all of us Jesus followers to remember.  You see, far more important is that our name is His name.  We should be all about making Him big and us small.  No matter what titles and letters we have before and after our name, we all need to remember that there is one name that matters—His. And maybe the most important name we can bear is “Jesus follower.” Let’s make it our goal for people to know us as a person who follows the Man who died for us and defeated sin and death.  Changing what we are known as can be a challenge. Change your legal name and you will probably need a lawyer.  But if you want to be known by the name you are known by in another realm, just ask your Heavenly Father.  He’ll be glad to help you with it.  He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, Integrity, life, Military memories, pride, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

Meddling

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business.”        2 Thessalonians 3:11

Her name was…no wait, on the possibility that she is still living, I had better change it.  So, let’s try again. Her name was Mrs. Luzerno, and I can tell you two things about her. She was a good teacher, and she was a bit stern. Back in the days when my wife Judy and I were newlyweds, and trust me that was a while back, we had one car. I was in the Air Force and for one of the few times in our marriage, Judy was working at a local jewelry store.  All that meant, either she had to find a ride to work…or I did.  I was elected.  It turns out, there was a lady, Mrs. Luzerno, who worked as the secretary for one of the commanders of the aircraft maintenance group which was right down the road from my office. Her route to work happened to take her right by the apartment where Judy and I lived. I asked her if I could catch a ride with her and she agreed.  We also agreed to the price of $5.00 a week.

Now before you take that as an absolute confirmation of my tightness with money, this was 1976 or maybe 1977 and not only was $5.00 worth a lot more than it is now, but gas was also still about 32 cents a gallon.  And, if you are feeling sympathetic, my sergeant’s pay didn’t go too far.  In fact, even with a tight budget we had about twenty dollars a week after paying rent, electricity, and a small car payment.  That left just enough to get a haircut and go out once every two weeks on a date night to Shoney’s. Anyway, the deal was set and every morning and every evening, we got to spend some time together.  She was quite a bit older than me and like I said…all business.  That’s probably why I never called her by her first name…it was always Mrs. Luzerno.

As I said earlier, she was a good teacher and one day she taught me a lesson about good manners…and to this day I have never forgotten it.  One day, when she picked me up, she was driving a nice, shiny, new car.  Now this wasn’t new to her…it was brand new.  Cars have always caught my eye and this one did.  It was loaded with 1970’s gadgets and I knew enough to know that it was not cheap.  Unfortunately, I didn’t know enough to not ask how much.  So, and you’ve already guessed this, I asked her, “Mrs. Luzerno, how much did this cost?”  To this day I can still see her face look sterner and her lips grow tight.  I knew I had crossed some sort of invisible line.  I was in trouble.

Here’s what she said, “Young man (I didn’t even rate a Sergeant) that is none of your business.” Done. Settled. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, one of us broke the ice.  I don’t think she held it against me but trust me it was a lesson learned.  Don’t pry into other people’s business.  I’m sure my Momma mentioned that in my growing up, but I must have skipped class that day. And to be honest, it is something I must watch to this day.  It has been said that no one really likes a busybody or people who stick their nose where it doesn’t belong.  Take it from someone who learned, and still occasionally needs a refresher course, don’t go where you don’t need to go.

One of those practical verses in the Bible is 2 Thessalonians 3:11. It says, “Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business.” Not only is that verse true, I bet it was one of Mrs. Luzerno’s favorite verses. If you suspect you are close to meddling around where you don’t need to meddle, be sure and check in with your Dearest Daddy. He offers anti-meddling lessons all the time.  He just might save you from painful encounters of the Mrs. Luzerno kind.  He’s got this.

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, loving others, Military memories, pride, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

Me and Major Hobbs

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

I knew the outcome…I thought.  The list of the things I enjoyed while serving in the Air Force is long and varied.  Somehow, which I’m sure God arranged; I was assigned to work in the command section at all my duty assignments.  It all started when a guy named Master Sergeant Johnson picked me up at the small airport in Minot, North Dakota and casually said, “I think I’m going to let you work for me.”  He worked in the command section of the Combat Support Group and so it began.  Each new duty assignment found me working for the commanders and first sergeants of each unit.  It was awesome. So many of those leaders left their fingerprints on my life and helped mold me into the person I am today.

1973 found me assigned to the command section of one of aircraft maintenance squadrons at Moody Air Force Base. My immediate supervisor, the first sergeant and even the commander became friends of sorts—within the parameters of military protocol.  All that leads to the point of this story.  After joining the service, I learned to play racquetball and loved it.  I suppose I was even pretty good at it.  Well, my commander, Major Hobbs, also played.  Normally, our path probably wouldn’t have crossed at the gym, but this young buck airman kept egging this 20 year my senior, slightly overweight, Major… to play him in racquetball.  I assured him that I could take him and then one day, he said, “Ok.”

He told me to get a court time and I did.  Now everything assured me that this was going to be a no match…and it was…but not like I thought.  On the appointed day and at the appointed time we met to do battle.  I was sure I was going to show my commander what a real racquetball player looked like.  I served first and I may have scored a couple of points.  Then, it was his turn, and that is when I began to learn that the race doesn’t always go the swiftest…or the youngest.  Major Hobbs would serve and then move to the center of the court and proceeded to beat me like an unwanted tom cat.  He virtually didn’t move because he didn’t need to.  He totally mastered the ball with his racket and put the ball, almost every time, wherever I wasn’t.

Well, a set-in racquetball is three games…if needed.  We didn’t need them.  He finished me off in two games.  One player left the court drenched in sweat and exhausted and one left the court without a drop.  One player left the court dragging and exhausted while the other left with a strange bounce in their step.  You can probably guess which was which.  The young buck airman was taught a good lesson that day and it is one that I still remember today. It is not always about how light you move on your feet and how fast you can move.  Sometimes it is about strategy…how you play the game.

And so, it is with life. A wise man, woman or child will know that you need to have a plan, a strategy if you will, if you are going to win the game of life.  And the crazy part is the best strategy doesn’t depend on talent, wealth, or opportunity.  It leans, it is driven by, a close relationship with Creator God. Now don’t miss that.  Religion is nice, church is a great idea, but neither are the answer—a personal relationship with God through faith in His Son and the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit is. It is a power team of three and yet One.  Amazing. With Him calling the shots, well, life just goes better…a lot better. Jesus invites us to come and do life with Him…and that is an invitation we need to accept.

That day, we left the court differently but there was one thing we shared…a smile.  The older, wiser Major smiled because he had helped a prideful, young airman learn a lesson in humility.  A lesson, honestly, he needed. And the airman, well, he smiled too because someone wiser than him took the time to teach.  God really does want to help us do life and honestly, we need Him. Don’t be pushed away by all the hype in religion.  Go ahead and schedule some court time with God and you just might discover how much He loves you and wants to help.  You might discover that no matter what…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials

The Old Clock

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” Genesis 3:8

I have a clock.  Well, the truth of the matter is I have lots of clocks.  Throughout my adult life, starting in about 1978, I have had this love affair with things that go, “tick-tock.” Then, somewhere along the way, I even began to love clocks that didn’t.  That doesn’t mean they were broken it just means they were electric.  One of the things that I love about clocks is their tenacity—like the Energizer Bunny—they just keep going.  I have some “tick-tock” clocks that are well over a hundred years old, and they are still ticking and tocking. Something that is almost equally impressive as that are some of the electric clocks that are almost that old and they are still humming along.

And that brings up the clock.  About thirty years ago, I was at a friend’s antique shop on a Sunday afternoon.  I had been there many times before.  As I browsed around, I came across a camel back electric mantle clock.  I instantly recognized it…not because I had seen it before, but one like it.  It was a General Electric, Model 414, Westminster Chiming clock.  The reason I knew it so well was because my grandfather and grandmother had one like it and every time I went to their house, I listened to the song of that clock.  And this clock sounded just like it because—it was.

The song transported me back in time…to a different era when life was slower and to some extent easier.  Well, the clock in the antique shop that day found a new home.  It went first to 319 E. Poplar Street in Cobden and followed me to 217 W. Poplar Street in Harrisburg.  For the last 35 years or so, it has filled the place where it sat with song.  I loved it. Well, about two months ago, I heard something and realized it was coming from my beloved friend.

A very distinct noise, more than a hum but less than a grind, was coming from the clock.  The long and short of it is the old motor, after more than sixty years, was showing signs of death.  When the noise started, I immediately did some research and landed at a site of a man who works on this kind of motor…a Telechron.  I told him what my songbird was doing, and the prognosis was grim.  He said the noise meant that the motor was nearing the end of its life, and the only answer was to replace the motor.

Well since the clock was still working and because the rebuilt motor was far from inexpensive, I decided to try and live with the clock…noise or not.  But I need to be honest and let you know it is not going well.  Now instead of hearing and loving the beloved song, all I can hear is the sounds of a motor dying…getting louder by the day.  And the problem is the sound of death has drowned out the song of life.  Oh, the dear old clock is still singing its song but for some reason all I can hear is the noise it is making…not the song it is singing.

Somehow, almost unintentionally, I have decided to listen to the noise and not the song.  While the noise is louder it is not louder than the ticking.  The noise only wins the day because I choose to listen to it.  Try as I may, when I walk into the room, the first thing I hear is death and not life.  I wonder, actually I know, that this happens in our lives.  In a world filled with wonder and life, if we are not careful, we only hear a world heading south. Instead of hearing a baby’s first cry or a robin’s spring song, we choose to listen to brokenness, loss, and death.

I know I have a choice with the old clock, I am just struggling to choose wisely.  It must have been that way for Adam and Eve when God came to the garden each day to visit.  Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament part of the Bible, says that they would hear God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.  It was a sound they used to run to but now it had caused them to run away.  Sin, their sin, had gotten in the way.  If you find yourself running from what you used to run to, maybe just maybe, something has gotten in the way. Perhaps you are hearing the noise of dying instead of the song of living.

The answer for the old clock is a new motor and the answer for us is new heart or maybe a new or adjusted perspective.  If you’ve not discovered the joy of believing in God, check Him out.  You will find a song you’re sure to like.  For some of us, it might be an adjustment to our hearing, choosing to hear the song and not the noise.  Regardless, we have one confident assurance…He loves us and cares for us and no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, school days, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

What Lurks Beneath the Surface

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!     And see if there be any grievous way in me.” Psalm 139:23-24

There was something stinky right below the surface.  There were a lot of things I just didn’t know or understand growing up, but that was ok because my world was low key.  Looking back, maybe, perhaps those were some of my favorite memories in this journey called life. This was especially true in the years before junior high.  As an elementary age kid, it was sunup to sundown adventures. Little did I know that something was brewing right beneath my feet.

We lived in the country which meant no city water or sewer.  In fact, I think I can safely say I didn’t even know there was such a thing.  We had a well and pump in our backyard and that is where our water came from, and I thought that is what everyone did.  We also had something called a septic tank.  That handled all the, uh, waste, from the Taylor Tribe.  There were two things I didn’t know. First, I didn’t know we had one and second, I didn’t know it was right under our back porch.  All that changed when one day a big truck pulled into our yard.  It turns out they were there to “pump out our septic tank.”  Now anything that was big and mechanical I was all about.  I watched in amazement as they moved some dirt and pried this huge, heavy slab of concrete off an equally huge tank thing.

It was just about then, I decided to back up because whatever was in there was not cool.  They put a big hose in that tank thing and began to suck it all out.  Now I know this is a bit gross but stay with me.  So, the tank was empty, and they slid the lid back in place and off they went. Well, soon I forgot the big truck and forgot about the thing under our porch.  Months later, I was playing in our backyard, and I noticed that water was bubbling up from the ground…not in one place but several.  Soon, my nose took me back to what was under the porch.  It turned out that thing under the porch had what was called a drain field…and it wasn’t working. And because it wasn’t working…what was hidden beneath the ground soon wasn’t. The stinky was revealed.

Well, afford it or not, like it or not, they came and dug up a big part of our backyard and replaced the old clay tile pipes with new ones. It was all pretty interesting and soon the holes were covered up and the equipment moved on and magically, the stink was gone.  Looking back, I think it was funny that something so funky and yucky could be right there beneath my feet and I never knew it…until it came to the surface.  And once it started to bubble up…what was hidden no longer was.

I’ve lived long enough now to know what was true in my backyard is true in life.  So often we allow some foul stuff to hang around in our lives.  You know, secret sins, bad habits, and destructive addictions—stuff rolling around in our minds or banging around in our hearts.  We manage to keep it all under control, “under the ground,” until one day…it bubbles to the surface, and you find yourself wondering, “Where did that come from?”  Worse than that, people start wondering about the same thing.  You can take it to the bank that secrets often don’t remain secret.  Moses, yup, the guy who led God’s people out of Egypt, said that we can be sure our sin, or our habits, or our addictions will be found out…they will eventually come to the surface.

What I learned about septic tanks as a kid is true today too.  They needed regular maintenance and sometimes repairs to function correctly.  We need the same.  We need to regularly examine our heart and our conscience to see if there is anything we need to get “pumped” out.  If we are God followers, we need to have the courage to ask Him to check out what lurks below the surface of our lives.  One of the writers of the Psalms in the Old Testament part of the Bible said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me.”

Some prayers are harder to pray than others…and this is one of those.  Search me, know me, try me…know my thoughts.  Giving God permission (though He really doesn’t need it) to pry into your stuff is hard but profitable. I mean, the prying isn’t for Him…it is for you.  It helps you be a better you.  Oh, and don’t worry…you can’t surprise Him.  The big surprise is when you hear Him say, “Oh all that stuff, no problem.  I’ve got this.”

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Listen Up

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

Sometimes it can be fun. So, one of the gifts I’ve received during my “longer than some” journey on earth is a body that keeps giving me new adventures—new experiences.  Different parts, at different times, keep on surprising me.  For instance, my knees on most days still work well…except for when they don’t.  Some days when I climb or descend the stairs, they let me know they aren’t as young as they used to be.  My doctor told me twenty years ago that I might have to have a knee replacement or two at some point.  Uh, while that point is not now, I think if I squint my eyes just right, I can see it down the road.

My least favorite gift is my hearing—or rather the lack of it.  While my right ear, I call him “old faithful,” is still plugging along quite well, my left ear is struggling.  There are certain things that I just don’t hear.  One of those things is Judy. For some reason I have a hard time hearing her.  The bottom line is sometime with somethings I am just deaf.  And other times, well, I just don’t hear clearly.

The other day someone sent me a little story that I thought was genuinely funny and it certainly makes this point.  It goes like this.  Mrs. Gladys Dunn was a pillar of her church. She visited the sick, she greeted newcomers, she served on every committee, and substituted for the organist when necessary.  After services one day, she noticed a stranger leaving the church.  She went up to introduce herself.  Extending her hand, she said, “I’m Gladys Dunn.” The stranger replied, “Me too! That was the longest sermon I’ve ever heard.” Smile!

Whether that was a hearing issue or not it was certainly worth telling.  All I know is there are things I hear clearly; some I hear incorrectly (and trust me that can be funny) and some I don’t hear at all.  Of those three—not hearing at all can be the most frustrating. Now one more thing.  With the hearing things I struggle to hear—if I make an extra effort, I can almost always make it out.  But that means really, really paying attention…just like when God is talking to…us.

Unlike our physical hearing, our spiritual hearing rarely requires a hearing aid, it usually just needs for us to focus. Whether it is God speaking through His Word, or a sermon or maybe through a circumstance, we need to train ourselves to pay attention.  You see, God never speaks needlessly.  Everything He sends our way is worthy of our close attention for we never know, we.never.know, when He is going to send something very important to us.  Just like missing the warning bell at a railroad crossing can lead to disaster, so can missing the Word of God.

So let me encourage you to “listen up” and listen clearly.  In the case of our story, it was humorous but in the case of life, and when the speaker is the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, well it is rarely something to laugh about.  The best way to sharpen your hearing spiritually is to get in a quiet place reading His Word and have a chat with Him.  Soon, you will be recognizing His voice like never before.  And one of the most important things He will tell you is, “I’ve got this.”

Posted in Family, fear, gratitude, life, Scripture, Southern born, travel, Trials

They Drove Us Batty

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19

It was years ago but trust me…it is still fresh in my memory. We had made one of our journeys to the land of grits and collards to see family.  We enjoyed some good southern cooking, some great times of fellowship and revisited several places from Judy’s childhood and our days together before God and the Air Force sent us on the next chapter of great adventures.  There’s no place like home, Dorothy said it and I agree.

We decided to do something different so rather than stay with the relatives, we rented a nice Victorian home in Valdosta at a very reasonable rate.  It was wonderfully decorated, and we had the whole house to ourselves.  The location was great, the hot tub in the backyard was great, everything was just great…and then I looked in the sink. Something was moving.

After we arrived, we were still checking out the place and my wife Judy and I went into the kitchen and happened to look in the sink and there were some rotten banana peels lying there.  Well, that wasn’t too cool.  Who would leave rotten banana peels in the kitchen sink of a nice rental house anyway?  The answer—no one.  You see, about that time one of the banana peels moved!  Yikes—they weren’t banana peels after all—they were—BATS—five of them.

Well, I mustered my courage and threw a towel over them, scooped them up and tossed them out the door.  There—gross but end of the story—nothing could be worse than that—right?  Wrong.  That evening we were watching some TV and I stepped out of the room to hear Judy holler “Dewayne, here’s another one!”  Sure enough, one was walking across the floor, so out he went.  Then I looked and one was hanging on the fireplace screen—out he went too.  Well, surely it can’t….don’t bet on it. We went to bed that night and I dozed off quickly…Judy didn’t.  Soon, I heard, “Dewayne, there’s one flying around in the room!”  Well, she was wrong…there wasn’t one–there were two.  The batman (that’s me) knocked ‘em down and hauled them out and called the owner.

The next day a bat removal guy came. He told us he had been there the previous Saturday and had patched a couple of entrances he assumed the bats were using. I guess he missed one…or two.  Well, he searched the house and came up with seven more bats. Can you believe this?  He patched and sealed some more entrances and we thought that was the end of problem—finally!  Well, that is what we thought.  Long story short—by the end of the week we had removed 25 bats from the house. He caught and released them somewhere.  It turns out they were endangered…more so than they knew.

This is one reason I said, “There’s no place like home.”  The only bat at 217 W. Poplar is a ball bat! So, by now you are wondering, “Why didn’t you guys leave?”  Well, the landlord did offer us a partial refund and there was a bed and breakfast down the road, but the bottom line was twofold.  First, we really, really liked having the whole house to ourselves and in such a good location.  Second, I didn’t know on day one that there were 25 bats in the house—I always thought the last one was the last one. I was wrong.

I wonder if my reluctance to leave explains why some people continue to have a bad habit or a sin even though everything in the world is telling them to get out. It becomes obvious that we like habits or sin.  Sin can be pleasurable but mark it down—it not only offends God, but it is also expensive (on a couple of different levels) and it can wreak havoc in your life (or your vacation). Secondly, sin will take you further than you want to go and make you stay longer than you want to stay.  I kept thinking the last bat was the last bat but there was always one more.  Finally, the week was gone and if nothing else I became an expert at bat removal.

So, if you need a house to stay at in Valdosta and you don’t mind bats let me know.  I can promise you it will be an interesting visit to say the least. Personally, it just about drove me batty…pun definitely intended.  Oh, and if you need someone to help you remove some of the “bats” from your life, I know just the One.  He is my Dearest Daddy, and He would love to help you out.  He will cast those pesky “sin bats” to the bottom of the sea. You can trust Him…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

God’s Keen on You

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Yet You made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.” Psalm 8:5

I was never good at it.  I’m not sure where it all started.  My wife Judy will occasionally ask me, “So where did it come from?”  And, my answer, is always the same, “I just don’t know.”  That thing, that “it”, is the issue of low self-esteem.  Now, in a world where too many people think too much of themselves, you might think that is a virtue…but it’s not.  In a world that could use a healthy dose of humility, you might think that is something to be valued…but it’s not. In fact, someone once said whether you are thinking too much of yourself or too little…you are still thinking of yourself and that is called pride.

But the real problem with a low view of ourselves is that we find it is in direct conflict with God’s view.  Now don’t let this go to your head…but He is keen on you.  He thought so much of you and so desired a relationship with you, that He sent His Son on a mission to die for the sins of the whole world—including you.  Now that is amazing.  So even though I often doubt myself—God never does.  Even though I often think I can’t, He believes I can. And even though I was always the last chosen for the team, He picks me every time…and not last.

A guy named Matt Tullos wrote a story about all the reasons that God could have used not to choose us…and there are a lot.  But it is comforting to know that most everyone He used in the Bible was broken, flawed, or scarred.  I mean, I know we all are, but some of these folks were real, excuse me, losers. Look at this list from Matt’s story.

“There are many reasons why God shouldn’t have called you to be His child.  But don’t worry.  You’re in good company.  Moses stuttered.  David was too small, and his armor didn’t fit.  John Mark was a quitter and was rejected by Paul.  Timothy had ulcers.  Hosea’s wife was a prostitute.  Amos’ only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.  Jacob was a liar.  David had an affair.

Solomon was too rich. Abraham was too old.  David was too young.  Peter was afraid of death.  Lazarus was dead.  John was self-righteous.  Naomi was a widow.  Paul was a murderer.  So was Moses.  Jonah ran from God.  Miriam was a gossip.  Gideon and Thomas both doubted.  Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.  Elijah was burned out.  John the Baptist was a loudmouth.  Martha was a worrywart.  Mary was lazy.  Samson had long hair.  Noah got drunk. Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?  So did Peter, Paul–well, lots of folks did.

But God doesn’t require a job interview.  He doesn’t hire and fire like most bosses because He’s more our Father than our Boss.  He doesn’t look at financial gain or loss.  He’s not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need. As much as we try, God’s gifts are free.  We could do wonderful things for wonderful people and still not be….wonderful.  Satan says, “You’re not worthy.”  Jesus says, “So what?  I am.”  Satan looks back and sees our mistakes.  God looks back and sees the cross.  He doesn’t calculate what you did in ‘78.  It’s not even on the record.”

I like that a lot.  Matt’s got one more thing to say. He says, “Sure.  There are lots of reasons why God shouldn’t call us to be His child…to serve.  But if we are magically in love with Him, if we hunger for Him more than our next breath, He’ll use us, in spite of who we are, where we’ve been, or what we look like.  Whether we are pastors, missionaries, teachers, deacons, ushers, or nursery workers, we should step out of our limitations into the limitless nature of who God is.  Then our passion for God and our passion to communicate Him will make mincemeat of our limitations.”

How incredible is all of that.  Let me shock you with what God’s word says about you. It says of us, “Yet You [God] made them [that would be us] only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.” Wow! So today, let’s tackle the day like we believe what God believes about us. Let’s charge forward like the starting quarterback that God says we are.  No, we are not perfect, not even close, but we do have a King who is.  And if are Jesus followers, well, our Dearest Daddy longs to whisper in our ears, “I love you, I believe in you and no matter what, I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne