wisdom – Page 20 – Grits with Grace

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Military memories, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

It’s A Dippity-Do Dah Day

Posted on May 28, 2021May 25, 2021 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

Hi Grits family. Hey, Judy and I are out of pocket today, so we are giving you the opportunity to revisit some of our favorites. So, God bless, enjoy and we will see you soon.

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 viewed 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” looks. 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 we 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. Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, missions, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel, wisdom

Sweet Tea

Posted on May 20, 2021May 19, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from His fullness.” John 1:16

Sweet tea…oh yes, the drink of the south. I was raised in the deep south and both food and drink were especially important. To most southerners, including me, food was never just food, it was the great comforter—the billboard along the highway of life that said, “it’s gonna be ok.” Growing up, whenever I was sad or happy or maybe a little blue—food was my friend. And what is good food without something good to wash it down? And down south…that has to be “sweet tea.” For clarity sweet tea is not brownish, tan water with some sugar or sweetener thrown in. No, sweet tea is brewed, a southern tradition and creation, and when it is done right, well, it’s down right heavenly. When it is done wrong, you end up with sweet brown water.

Sweet tea is not like wine. I’ve heard that wine needs time to age to become fine. That is not true with southern sweet tea. You see good, sweet tea has a short life span. Some would say hours, but no true southerner would say days. If sweet tea is done right it turns to syrup overnight. Leave a pitcher in the refrigerator till the next day and it becomes a whole different animal. Good sweet tea is meant to be drank in the moment. You may well sip it, but don’t take too long.

I discovered another kind of sweet tea from another part of the world. When the folks in West Africa drink their version of sweet tea, well, it is an event. First, it is served hot and not cold. Second, it is strong…VERY strong. They brew their tea in a very small pot, with a little water, a lot of tea and over a small coal fired burner. When it comes to a strong boil, they add boatloads of sugar…and I am not kidding. They scoop and scoop and scoop some more. The end result is one of the strongest and sweetest things you can imagine. Trust me, if you weren’t diabetic before you started, you will be by the time you finish. They say their tea is sweet like life and bitter like death.

The way they present their tea is also special. The host will go to great lengths (no pun intended) to pour his or her tea from pot to cup or glass from great heights. The distance a person can pour their tea and not miss the cup is almost a matter of national pride. A famous one-liner is, “I can pour my tea from the back of a camel on a very windy day.” It is a cultural thing…it is a people thing. You see good sweet tea does that. It brings people together. Whether it is a front porch in South Georgia, or a mat spread on the sands of the Sahara, tea…sweet tea, brings people together.

Today, in a time when there seems to be so much to pull us apart, maybe we all just need to sit down and have a good glass of sweet tea. For our friends in West Africa it is just a necessity. Go see someone and tea will be offered and, tea will be shared. It builds relationships, it opens the door of communication. Maybe that is one reason why my Momma and Daddy shared a cup of coffee every day when he came home from work. Maybe that is the reason we should do the same. Often when people talk instead of yelling, things change. It is true in government and it is true in church and it is true in homes.

I’m sure there are lots of reasons why things are so fragmented today and I’m also sure that a glass of sweet tea, no matter how good, won’t solve everything. However, I do know something that might. That is a couple of teaspoons of grace. Just like sugar tames the bitterness of the tea, so grace can tame a temper or temper a difficult situation. Tempered steel is made stronger by the process of applying heat. In the same way, relationships and people are made stronger by applying grace. And we have grace to share because the Bible says that from His fullness, we have all received grace upon grace.

So, when’s the last time you just sat down with a friend, or an adversary for that matter, and had some good, sweet tea mixed with a little grace? You might be surprised to learn that the gulf between the both of you is not as great as you think. It is certainly not so wide that grace can’t span the gap and trust me, no, trust Him—there is always grace enough. As always, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

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

Nickels, Dimes and Quarters

Posted on May 19, 2021May 18, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and He will repay you!” Proverbs 19:17

It was part generosity and part tradition. When I was growing up, Sunday meant going to church. My Momma would always make sure I had taken a bath, combed my hair, brushed my teeth (I think), had clean clothes, and had an offering. There was something about going to church and taking an offering. It almost seemed like either God would be mad if I didn’t or the people at church would think we were poor or something…which we might have been.

Now the offering wasn’t a whole lot, but it was more than the widow lady in the Bible gave. Her offering was less than a penny, but it was really everything she had. Momma gave me a quarter most times but sometimes it was a dime and on rare occasions it was a dollar. Trust me, that was a rarity. Anyway, I finally figured out that it wasn’t the amount that mattered anyway. What mattered was that Momma thought it was important and it mattered that I didn’t pocket the quarter. Jesus said something about it was more blessed to give than to receive and I’m sure Momma knew that. So anyway, I gave the quarter.

I read a story the other day about a little girl who went to church just like me. Her Momma gave her a dime and a nickel. The little girl asked, “Which one am I supposed to give?” and her Momma told her she could decide. Well, when she came home from church, her Momma asked her which one she gave, and she said she had given the nickel. When asked why she gave the nickel instead of the dime she said, “Well, the preacher said that God loves people who give cheerfully, and I was a lot happier when I gave the nickel and kept the dime.” Smile.

I know that I am still a work in progress. God started the project way back in 1975 and He’s still working today. I’ve heard it said that His work isn’t done until He takes us home to live with Him. I believe that is true. One of the areas that He is working on with me is generosity. They say that if you want to carve a duck from a block of wood you just cut off everything that doesn’t look like a duck. Well, that is what God does with us except He’s not making ducks. He is making Jesus followers. And one thing I know for sure is that Jesus was always generous. He was so generous He gave His life away on a wooden cross to pay for everyone’s sin. Now that is generosity. Now that is love.

My point isn’t that you ought to give to the church. The point is we should all learn to be generous to others. A generous life is a happy life, and a generous heart is a happy heart. In the Old Testament part of the Bible in the Book of Proverbs it says, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and He will repay you!” You know, I believe that is true. I’m also sure that the repayment may not be dollars and cents but rather a deep sense of peace and joy in our lives—and that is better—that is priceless. Remember this—God is more than willing to help you be like Jesus, but it all starts when we believe what He did and what He said. He died and came back to life and promised to forgive anyone who asked. Need a little help with that? Well, don’t worry, He’s got that too.

Bro. Dewayne

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, travel, Trials, wisdom

Lifeline

Posted on May 18, 2021May 17, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7

Nahum 1:7. It was in the Bible and it was his verse. Church has always been a part of my culture. From the time I was born it seems I always found my way to a building with a steeple on top. That also means I bumped into several pastors and preachers too. Each one left a fingerprint on my life and because of that each one made a difference. Speaking of different…each one was. Different gifts, talents, and personalities, but each one made an impact. I am grateful.

When my wife Judy and I moved to Germany in 1977 for a stint overseas with the Air Force, we were fortunate to have a church not too far from where we lived and the base where I worked. It wasn’t long before we were part of that family. In fact, it wasn’t long before we were good friends with the pastor and his wife. He was a young pastor, had an infectious smile and a great personality and we hit it off right from the start. We were about five or six years different in our ages, so he was kinda like a big brother only he wasn’t very big…but his heart was.

One of the things (literally) that I liked about hanging with Steve (not his real name) was he had a new shiny, red Volkswagen sports car. It was great on curves and it was plenty fast and since Germany had lots of curves and often no speed limit on the autobahn…well, it was fun. I guess in some ways we were like a couple of teenagers.

Steve also was a Godly guy. He really tried to live his faith out. One of the things that he shared with me was his “life verse.” In case you don’t know what that is, it is a verse from that Bible that jumps off the page at you and gets stuck in your mind and heart. So, Steve’s verse came from one of those books in the Old Testament that no one can find. It is called the Book of Nahum and his verse came from chapter one, and verse seven. It goes like this, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.”

It is the kind of verse that you gotta love. It is the kind of verse that can be a lifeline when the sea of life gets rough. It isn’t that the verse has any magic powers, it’s just that it contains a boatload of truth. God is good, and it isn’t that He just does good, He is good. He is like a place you can run to when things go south, and He remembers my name, your name, our names. Those are great truths when the sun is shining in life and really, great truths when the storm clouds roll in…just like it did for Steve one day.

Without warning, he learned that his marriage was over, there was another guy. It was just one of those crazy things that happen, and it broke his heart and our hearts. The bottom line, he decided it was best to head back to the states and in a short while…he was gone. I never saw him again but if by chance he reads this someday, I hope he knows there were some things that stuck with me…like his life verse. No, his verse didn’t become mine, but it stuck. God is good, God is a refuge, God knows my name.

How about you? Do you have a verse that jumped off the page one day and into your heart and life? Mine for a real long time has been Proverbs 3:5-6 but for the last several years it has had some real competition with Psalm 37:23-24. Check them out…they are both awesome scriptures. That is one thing about the Bible. Even if you’ve never taken the leap of faith to believe, and I hope you will, you will find it an incredible Book of wisdom and knowledge and who knows, if you try it, it might just leap right into your life. God is good, God is a refuge, God knows my name. It was good back in 1977, it is good today, and when I launch from here to there, it will still be good. And no matter the circumstance, no matter the deal, it reminds me that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful, Trials, wisdom

Grace and the Big Bang

Posted on May 13, 2021May 12, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

I had no idea. I never saw it coming. When I woke on that Wednesday morning, I had no idea that something as dramatic as an automobile accident was going to occur. In fact, up to the point of impact everything was routine and then just like that, it changed. Now keep in my mind, in the world of accidents, mine was, well, minor. No one was hurt and that was the most important thing. But regardless, it was a big deal. It was the kind of deal that leaves a person scarred and wiser.

That accident at that corner happened 16 years ago and yet to this day, I never approach it without thinking about that day. I always, and I mean always, look both ways several times…just to be sure. Yes, the big trees and bushy bushes that obscured my vision that day are long gone but the memories are not. They are my constant companion next to me in the driver’s seat and they whisper…be careful. That is not a bad thing, as long as they are whispering and not shouting.

Perhaps there is an “accident” in your past that has left you a little scarred and a little wiser. The important thing is to make sure it stays in the past, forgiven, and is only invited in your present to whisper a wise word or two. The lessons of the past can help us not make the same mistake in our todays, but, don’t let them own you.

Two more lessons came from that Wednesday “Closer Encounter of the Ouch Kind.” I learned that little things can take down big things. The other driver was driving a much smaller car, a Honda Accord.” I, on the other hand, was driving a Pontiac Grand Prix. Logic would say that I would win the day but amazingly my car was totaled, and she was able to drive her car away from the scene. How is that possible? She was the one who delivered the punch and fate determined where. She hit me right at the door post of the driver’s side door. It was a critical area that bent the firewall and a bunch of other things that weren’t supposed to be bent. Bottom line? It was a knock-out punch.

An important lesson was reenforced in my life that day. Smaller things can cause massive damage to bigger things. It is true with cars, but it is also true of things like reputations, character, and life. It is important that we guard our heart and minds and keep the things that matter well-guarded and safe. Remember the words written by the wisest man ever to live, King Solomon. He said we need to catch the little foxes that ruin the vines. You see, ruined vines, don’t produce grapes and a ruined character takes a long time to recover.

Oh, and there was one more very important lesson from that day. The accident was my fault but there were some extenuating circumstances. The big trees and bushy bushes really shouldn’t have been there and later they were removed. But in my hand remained the ticket that said, “This was your fault.” The police office apologized for having to write the ticket but it all still said, “It was your fault.” But then an amazing thing happened. Someone heard about the accident and the ticket and extended…grace. Though I was technically in the wrong, they also knew the circumstances and the ticket was dismissed and the fine removed. Grace.

Paul talked a lot about grace in the New Testament part of the Bible but perhaps he said it best in a letter he wrote to the Christians in Rome. He said, “There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” In other words, because of Jesus, the guilt and penalty for their sins, for our sins, can be removed. And ,it doesn’t happen because we earn it, it happens because He loves us. You see, if we will believe in who Jesus was and trust what He did…the charges and penalty can be removed. We can be declared, “Not guilty.” How about that?

You may or may not have an “oops” on your driving record, but we all have plenty of oops as we travel the highways of life. It is good to know that there is Someone who has the power and the authority to extend grace—unmerited favor. His name is Jesus, and He is waiting to help us. No matter how obvious, no matter how big, you need to know, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

Remember

Posted on May 10, 2021May 9, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember Your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all You have done and meditate on Your actions.” Psalm 77:11

I remember when. It is a line that is heard a lot in conversation. A favorite time. A favorite trip. A favorite memory. It seems the older we get, the more we use those three words. I remember when gas was 18 cents a gallon. I remember when a Coke was 5 cents. I remember when a Whopper was 49 cents. I remember my first new car was $2,795. I remember my friend bragging that he could boil water in a paper cup and I was introduced to the microwave.

Now would be a good time to tell you that I am not 102 years old. In fact, I am, well never mind. Let’s just say not that old. The ability to remember is one of the gifts that God gave to us as humans. I can remember when I met my wife Judy–boy, was she cute. I can remember when our first daughter was born–boy, she was cute too–took after her mom. First granddaughter–yup, cute too. I remember when.

We all have those great memories. Unfortunately, we also all have those “not so great” memories. Times when we made unwise decisions that resulted in Goliath size consequences in our lives. They usually involved a split moment in time when “the want” outweighed “the wisdom” and we acted. The results were scars, broken hearts, financial disasters, and regret.

So, what do you do with this memory thing? We all can remember back before the COVID thing was a thing…when things were…normal. Want to go out and eat? Sure. Want to go shopping. Sure. Want to go on vacation? Sure. Want to go to church? Sure. Then came that long stretch when things were anything but normal. Gratefully, now, we are beginning to taste, at least, a variation of normal. But the question remains, “What do we do with yesterday? What do we do with the regrets? What do we do with yesterdays that leave us longing or weeping? What do we do with fear of the unknowns?”

Saul (aka Paul) had to deal with that. He had a long history of regrets. As a young man climbing up the corporate ladder, he made his living imprisoning people for believing in Jesus. People who followed Jesus would quake when he walked into town. It usually meant someone was going to jail. Or worse. He once stood by as a mob stoned a young man named Stephen. He nodded his approval with each sickening thud as stone met flesh.

So, what happened? He met Jesus and he was instantly and forever changed. He went from Jesus hater to Jesus follower. The only problem was people have long memories and he was a people. Every look in the polished metal mirror reminded him. Every trip to a new town carried the dread that someone would say, “Hey, isn’t that the guy?” Ever had that happen? Ever dread that happening? Well, Paul did too, and he gave us some mountain moving advice in Philippians 3:13a-14.

He wrote “This one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” There you go. He says “I am not going to let my past control my present or my future”. Paul accepted one amazing deal. Grace. God had forgiven him of all his messes in the past and he finally made the decision to live in grace rather than regret.

So, as we continue our journey through these days of a new different, we can long for the old days, or we can live in gratitude and grace. As memories of mistakes the size of Everest sneak their way into our present, we can sink or we can swim in His grace. As we look in the mirror, we can see what might have been or believe what God says is. The author of Psalm 77 said, “I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember Your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions.”

You need to know and believe that He’s pretty keen on you. He’s not ashamed or afraid to call you His. There is never a hint of regret for His decision to let you in the family. Hey, believe that. Rest in that. He’s got you. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Mother's Day, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

Mama and Her Day

Posted on May 7, 2021May 6, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” John 21:25

The older I get the more precious the memories become. This Sunday homes across America will be observing Mother’s Day. While I always assumed that Hallmark or Russell Stover’s came up with the idea, apparently, I was wrong. It turns out that Mother’s Day as we know it, began in the early 1900s. A woman named Anna Jarvis started a campaign for an official holiday honoring mothers in 1905, the year her own mother died. The first larger-scale celebration of the holiday was in 1908, when Jarvis held a public memorial for her mother in her hometown of Grafton, West Virginia.

Over the next few years, Jarvis pushed to have the holiday officially recognized as it was celebrated in more and more states across America. Finally, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation making Mother’s Day an official holiday, to take place the second Sunday of May. Well, whether it was Hallmark’s idea or Anna Jarvis, it certainly was a winner. The bottom line is when God gave the childbearing and a chunk of childrearing to Eve instead of Adam, He did a good thing. If it had been left up to the guys, the population of the world would probably be 53 and without a mother’s love and influence…things just wouldn’t be the same. Mothers are change makers.

Something that I have come to realize is that Mother’s Day is bigger than those who give physical birth to someone. While that is so important, let’s not stop there. It is even bigger than those who welcomed a child through adoption, and it exceeds those who foster children. Mothering includes all the women who have poured their lives into the lives of others. It could be a caring school teacher, a loving church member, or the neighbor down the street who cares. Mother’s Day is a big deal and rightfully so.

And then of course, and guys this is for you, don’t forget to honor the mother of your children. She deserves a prize for marrying and living with you. I know in my life, as much as my Daddy played a role in raising me, Mama outshined him. In so many ways, she was my hero. I only wish I could have seen it more clearly then. Time and again she was there to nurse, guide, prod, and yes- admonish me, on my journey to becoming a man.

I remember the time I was so sick, and she held me gently in her lap, in the middle of the night, till my fever broke or my tummy settled, and I could fall to sleep. I remember the time that a couple of bullies from junior high were going to plummet me. I was outgunned and outnumbered until Mama stepped up and stepped in. I remember in second grade I forgot an important assignment and Mrs. Webb had everyone convinced that they would stay in second grade forever it they didn’t turn it in. Yup, it was Mama who stopped her world to save mine.

I remember when I had a new pair of jeans, a rare gift, and while I was horseback riding, I was shoved into a tree by the horse and ripped a huge hole in one leg. Now days it would be fashionable—then it was an embarrassment. Somehow, someway, she managed to fix it. Oh, and I remember hundreds of suppers and dozens of pies and homemade fruitcake with grandma’s recipe. And on and on it would go. Everyday something said, “I love you.” Oh, and for the record, just like your mama, my Mama wasn’t perfect, but she sure had a way of saying, “I love you.” She raised eight kids and I got the privilege of being last and, though no one would admit it, her favorite.

The Bible says that if all the things that Jesus did were written down the whole world couldn’t hold the books. Well, that would be an exaggeration for any mama, but I do know this. If I could remember just half of all that my Mama did for me, for our family, well this story would be a whole lot longer. Mama went to heaven when I was only 24 years old and she never met any of my children but hopefully as we trust Jesus, like she did, God will remedy that…one day. Until then, I want to say, “Thank you, Mama” for always being there. Thank you Judy, for being an incredible wife, mother to our children, and MaMa to our grandchildren. And finally, to all you ladies who have poured your lives into the lives of others, thanks for making a difference. Thanks for never giving up and always believing, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials, wisdom

Rocking on Lake Victoria

Posted on May 6, 2021May 5, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8

It was like something out of National Geographic. I was on a vision trip to Uganda several years ago and it was one adventure after another. I was working with a missionary who had a ministry to the people living on the islands of Lake Victoria. This massive lake is the second largest in the world and is more like an inland sea than a lake. There are places that you can lose sight of the shoreline and you feel very much like you are out on the ocean.

Our vessel was anything but an ocean liner. It was a handcrafted open vessel that was about twenty-five feet long and powered by a fire breathing dragon of a motor with a whopping ten horsepower. We would tear across the lake at a heart stopping ten miles an hour. Ok, there really wasn’t a fire breathing dragon effect, nor were we tearing across the lake, but it was a great adventure! Usually.

One day, after a long day of preaching and teaching, it was time to head back to our home island. We were a little late leaving and night was coming soon, so it was imperative that we begin heading back. Our boat was parked in a small, secluded harbor and from there we all loaded up. There were only about six of us in the boat and the small engine started and off we went. As soon as we left the harbor we were greeted by some rough water. The waves were large enough to be “white caps” and I gave the missionary a glance but he assured me that these were not big waves. Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so is wave size. These were boat swallowing monsters. And then, after a few minutes, it happened.

As the pilot guided the boat and tried to determine just how to navigate the large waves…the motor quit. I mean, it just stopped. Suddenly, at least in my eyes, things got a bit more interesting. We could no longer navigate the waves, rather, we were at their mercy and no matter how hard the pilot pulled, the engine wouldn’t start. About then I began a worship service of sorts, part music, part prayer and part personal eulogy. You know, “Friends we are gathered here to honor the life of…” Meanwhile the pilot is still pulling on the motor and I kept praying.

Finally, one of the guys in the boat named Joseph went to work on the motor. Joseph is a young man that can do just about anything—from preaching to apparently fixing motors. The shorter version of a long story is that He proceeded to take the carburetor apart and “blow it out.” Now keep in mind we are still rocking like crazy…and I still am praying and preparing to die. But I had planned my funeral just a little too soon. Before long, Jospeh had the carburetor reassembled and back on the motor. Three or four quick pulls later and we were back “on the road.” The waves were still big (at least to me) but we were underway and eventually we arrived back at the other island. Safe—if not too sound.

It really was one of those times that I wished I had paid more attention at swimming lessons because I wasn’t totally sure of the outcome. But thankfully I did remember one thing. I remembered that whether I am rocking in a boat on the world’s second largest lake in East Africa or driving down the Interstate at 70 miles-per-hour surrounded by people looking at their cellphones or doing life in a tumultuous point in history, my Father, my Dearest Daddy, is in control. Fate and circumstances are not calling the shots—He is. And if that isn’t enough, we have the promise that the Lord will personally go ahead of us. He will be with us; He will neither fail us, nor will He abandon us.

Now to be clear that doesn’t mean that everything is going to turn out exactly as I would like. It doesn’t mean that I get to write the script and He has to follow it. Quite the contrary, He is writing the script and He invites me to trust Him and to believe that ultimately the end of the story is for my good and His glory. I’m learning that the story never ends here—it ends there. For the person who decides to trust Him there is always a surprise ending and that is—the end is not the end. We may change locations, but the story continues. How about that?

So, I survived that day on the lake and now have returned many times…each time taking others with me including the one that I love most on this earth—my wife, Judy. I do so knowing, that while there are risks, ultimately the pilot of the boat doesn’t sit at the back but up in heaven and He’s got his eye on us and everything we do. It’s true in East Africa and its true where you and I live. We can say with certainty that if we belong to Him, we don’t have to worry because, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, love, Military memories, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, USA, wisdom

Home is Better

Posted on May 5, 2021May 4, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:4-5

Who would have known? In 1977, my wife and I packed up our stuff and moved to Germany. It wasn’t a sudden urge we had—it was courtesy of the Air Force. When we had been married about seven months, we received an assignment to move to Europe. We were excited about moving there, but also realized Germany was 4,657 miles from everything that was familiar to us. We were off on a great adventure, without cell phones or internet!

We loved it. Our part of Germany was filled with history and beautiful landscapes. Rich forests and small hills and mountains framed every view. And honestly, it was a little like home. While it was true that the local folks spoke a different language, there was enough English sprinkled around that we were able to get by. We even learned a little (and I do mean a little) German to help. We drove our cars on the right side of the road, just like home (unlike the Brits), we could drink the water just like home, we had stores kinda like home, and we even had a church…just like home. But it wasn’t…home.

Throughout the three years we were there, we would celebrate when it came time for friends to “ship” back to the United States. Our church even had a special song titled, “Goodbye, World, Goodbye” that we sang every time someone left to go back to the states. They were bitter-sweet moments. We would miss them, but we knew where they were going. They were going home.

There was one thing that we would do, every once in a while, to remind us of home. It might seem strange, but it wasn’t to us. Germany was a place of great food but once again…it wasn’t home. I found out that not many Germans eat grits. Imagine that. But they did share one thing that was purely American—McDonald’s. Located downtown in a large city, not too far from where we lived, was a McDonald’s very much like ours back home. And when we could afford it, which wasn’t often, we would go and have a taste of home. Each bite of the burgers and fries said, “Remember home.” Each bite said, “This place is good but remember, it’s not home.”

Well, one day it was our turn to go…home. It was our turn to hear, “Goodbye, World, Goodbye” and know it was for us. It was our turn to leave there and go home and as soon as we were home, we knew instantly that while “there” was very good—it wasn’t home. Home was better. Home was home.

Jesus followers need to remember that very important truth—Home is better—Home is home. This world is good. We enjoy life with friends and family, and there is a McDonald’s on every corner. But what used to remind us of home now reminds us that we are not there…yet. Even with all its warts and imperfections, God has done a great job providing us a temporary location to live out our days, but remember, Home is going to be—better. The Bible tells me that Heaven is a place where there is no more pain, suffering, sickness or sorrow. No hospitals, no nursing homes, and no funeral homes. Simply put—the former things are gone, and everything will be new. Home will be better.

I know I speak for Judy too when I say that our time in Germany was three of our favorite years together. I also know I speak for her when I say home was, and home is, better. Life here is good but one day, it will be my turn, your turn, to find out that Home is better. When it came time to leave Germany and go home, the Air Force paid for our ticket and I am glad to let you know that our ticket to Home is paid for too—by God’s Son, Jesus Christ. All we have to do is accept it and when we do—life here gets better and Home is thrown in. When we accept it, we find out that God loves to give us a “McDonald’s” or two, here and there, just to remind us of Home…to remind us that till we get there, He is with us and that at every turn, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

The Best Part

Posted on May 4, 2021May 3, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

I like it straight black—plus nothing, minus nothing. Coffee has long been a part of my life. It all started when I was growing up. The name Taylor and the word coffee have gone together for a long, long time. I can remember every day my Daddy would get home from work about 4:00 in the afternoon. He carpooled with three other men and just like clock work they would pull up and he would get out. It was a certainty. The other certainty was the coffee. Mama would have a fresh pot percolating on the stove and perfectly timed to be ready when he got home. She would meet him in the yard, and they would share the day and have a cup of coffee.

He didn’t just drink coffee then either. It was not unusual for him to say, “Dewayne, go get me a cup of coffee.” The please was implied and it seemed there was always a pot on the stove. One time there wasn’t so I improvised. I didn’t understand the in and outs of coffee making, so I just spooned in some coffee grounds in the cup and added some lukewarm water. That day I learned how not to make coffee! As I remember it, Daddy liked his coffee with sugar and cream and always drank it from one of those thick Victor coffee cups made after World War II. It didn’t hold much but it was a good cup to drink from.

I can’t even remember not drinking coffee though I can remember Mama telling me about coffee stunting my growth. Since I ended up on the shorter side, she must have been telling the truth. And, like my Daddy, I drank mine with sugar and cream—lots of sugar and lots of cream. Eventually I switched to a powered creamer called Cremora along with a hefty dose of artificial sweetener. Somewhere along the road they said that Cremora was bad for you, so after much consternation I went to having my coffee with just the sweetener—three packs please. It was so sweet it would make you pucker.

Well, you know how it goes. They (whoever they are) then determined that the sweetener was bad for you, too. I talked it over with the guys at work and one of them said, “If you will drink coffee black for three weeks, you’ll never drink it any other way.” Well, I did and he was right. Ever since then, I drink my coffee strong and straight black. And the amazing part is for the first time I began to taste the coffee and not the stuff I added to it. It was just about then I began to understand the Folger’s commercial that said, “The best part of waking up is Folger’s in your cup.” I take one exception to that though—it is always best to wake up—breathing.

I think if I learned anything from my coffee journey it was that sometimes more is just more. It seems most of us are tempted to add something to whatever we are doing at the time. Have a great recipe—we are tempted to add this or that. Have a truck pretty tricked out? Well, hey, why not add one more thing? I know my office is stuffed to the gills with stuff from all over the world but sometimes, well, more is just more. Instead of seeing things, you start seeing a wall full of stuff. I have a box on the floor in my church office. It is full of things that I’ve decided can go home…the problem is it has been there for, uh, several weeks.

Now one thing we must be careful not to mess with is God’s grace. It is fine just the way it is. When you start messing with grace you end up with something that is not very “gracy and when something is not very “gracy” it loses it “graciness” and that is never a good thing. I love the fact that God got it right from the start. There has never been a grace 2.0 because version 1 was just exactly right.

When it comes to God stuff, it seems we want to make it harder and more complex than it really is. That’s why I like John 3:16 that says, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” Boom…perfection.

Well, I think I’ll have a cup of straight black coffee a little later on and I think I’ll rewrite that Folger’s jingle to say, “The best part of waking up is Jesus in your cup.” It doesn’t get any better than that. Just knowing Him makes it worthwhile…because always, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne