adventures – Grits with Grace

Family, life, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel

Daytona 500

Posted on June 3, 2025May 31, 2025 by Dewayne Taylor

“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer.” 1 Samuel 14:6

My eyes were opened. Now that I think about it, for a country boy on a limited budget I got to do some pretty cool things. We got to visit my brother in New Jersey…hey, don’t laugh…at least it was away. Then another brother lived in the Smoky Mountains and while his then wife wasn’t too fond of our family, it was still away. And yet another brother lived out in Texas and that was always an adventure. But the best of all was my oldest sister. You see, she and her husband J.W. lived in Daytona Beach and best of all…they were pretty cool. It was because they lived in Daytona Beach that I had my eyes opened one day…or night rather.

As I said I was a country boy even though I lived on the outskirts of a large city, Jacksonville, Florida. My world had limited exposure, and given this was the sixties, that probably wasn’t a bad thing. The most exciting thing going on in my world was my neighbor Dick Snyder who smoked cigars and drank beer…a lot. Other than that, it seemed our world was pretty tame. And then it happened. Somehow or another, my brother-in-law arranged for me and my Daddy to go to the Daytona 500. In case you don’t know this was and is a really big deal. This race kicks off the NASCAR season and it was Katie-Bar-The-Door excitement. And…there was a lot of sin going on.

You see, to save money, I think, we only had tickets to park in the infield. That is the area inside the track. I can’t remember exactly why, but we decided to go the night before and spend the night…camping if you will. The only thing was the fact that we didn’t have a camper…all we had was our car. So, we loaded up the trunk and drove down to the track and before you could say, “checkered flag,” we were parked right smack dab in the middle of sin city.

Now most people know that NASCAR is a family sport and I love the fact that it is a sport that loves America. But I’m pretty sure that family description doesn’t include spending the night in the infield the night before the Daytona 500. As it got dark, all those thousands of people started milling around and as they milled, they drank a lot of beer. In fact, it seemed that a whole lot of them reminded me of my neighbor Dick. And it also seemed that a lot of the “ladies” there were dressed for the sixties. Now I only say that because I remember my Daddy saying something like, “Don’t look there” or “You stay right here.”

Well, sometime later, Daddy told me it was time to go to sleep so I crawled into the backseat, covered up and soon was fast asleep. When I woke up the next morning, it was like a different world. Besides a crop of beer cans, you would have never known that a big party had taken place there the night before. We hung around a while and the race started and every once in a while we could see the cars going round and round the track. I believe we even climbed on top of the car…something Daddy probably wouldn’t allow back home.

Well, soon it was all over, and we spent the next couple of hours fighting the traffic getting back to my brother-in-law and sister’s house. Soon, we were back on the road again heading back to Jacksonville. Well, honestly, sin and all, my night in the infield at the Daytona 500 is one of my favorite memories. Not because of the sin (Daddy did a good job of protecting me from that part) but because of the time with my Daddy and his willingness to share a great adventure with me. Even now it makes me smile.

Life is and can be full of great adventures. Whether it is a trip to New Jersey, the Smoky Mountains, or the forever plains of Texas, we need to be sure and take the time and make the time to have adventures with those we love. One time in the Old Testament, a guy named Jonathan decided to risk a great adventure. He said, “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer.” Now that’s an adventure.

My trip to the infield didn’t involve the most expensive ticket, and even now I’m not sure I would recommend it as a place to take the kids, but the excitement of sharing that race with my Daddy was incredible. So, as Stephen Curtis Chapman sings, “Go ahead and saddle up your horses….this is the great adventure.” Oh, before you go, remember to ask the Dearest Daddy for a little advice. In fact, why not ask Him along. You know, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

Payback

Posted on November 2, 2023October 31, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

He will not fear bad news; his heart is confident, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 112:7 (CSB)

Payback isn’t always bad. If you are a Grits reader, you know this is one guy who is pretty proud to be an American. I love our country but that doesn’t mean we always get it right. When we were in England, we discovered something that was awesome. Let me explain it to you. We took the train up to Edinburgh, Scotland and back. I had thought about driving but one thing they don’t get right over there is which side of the road to drive on. They don’t drive on the right side of the road…literally. So, after a short debate we decided to take the train.

I was impressed that their trains are fast. The train we caught to Edinburgh was zipping along and I pulled out my trusty iPhone and discovered we were going 125 mph—now that is cool. But that wasn’t the coolest thing. Coming back, we were zipping along—until we weren’t. About two-thirds through the journey, we made an unexpected stop in a small village. The train driver guy came on the PA and apologized. There was a problem up ahead with the signaling system so all trains, including ours, were stopped. Well, after about 15 minutes, he came back on to let us know it was going to be a while, so he invited us to step off the train and stretch our legs if we wanted to. We did—so we did.

Well, there was a Starbucks inside, so I got a cup of something and then my wife, Judy and I walked up and down the platform for a while. By now we had been stopped for just shy of an hour. No problem…everyone seemed to be handling the delay quite well. So, we walked some more and finally decided to get back on. Every few minutes the train driver guy would come back on the PA and apologize and promise to keep us updated. Well, after 118 minutes, I know, not because I was looking at my watch but because he told us, we were “back on the road (or tracks) again.”

As we got underway, he apologized for the twentieth time and then told us to be sure and visit the railroad’s website…wait for it…to get our money back. Yup…you read that right. Apparently, on public transportation, including railroads, any delay over 30 minutes entitles you to some sort of refund. In our case, we received a 100% refund of our ticket price…all without even asking. What! Can you believe that? So, we turned in our information and in a couple of days all if our money was back in our account. Now that is amazing.

I’m not sure, but that might be one reason why everyone on the train was so low key about the delay. They knew that the train company was going to take care of them. It didn’t change the delay but it sure did make it more tolerable. In a small way, that is kinda, sorta like God. You see in our lives; we have the confident assurance that God is going to take care of us too. And, if we are wise enough to trust Him, it might just make our life journey less stressful. The journey is better if we know the end…it is true with trains and it is definitely true in life.

So, as you do your life journey, listen for the voice of your Dearest Daddy…He will probably be telling you to trust Him. He won’t apologize for the delay or the circumstances, but He will let you know that…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel

Sabbath

Posted on October 24, 2023October 23, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27

It was a grits factory on steroids. So, we got away because we needed to get away. Recently we were able to take a trip that was a combination ministry journey and vacation. We went to England to minister in a church and a community that we had visited last year. We met some brothers and sisters and more importantly made some good friends. We spent about six days sharing and learning about what God was doing there. It was so good to see God’s hand working in a totally different part of the world.

After our time there, we rented a car and drove over to see some friends we had also met and served with last year. We spent the night with them and returned to our home base before striking out for Edinburg, Scotland via the train. The whole trip was just about two weeks, and it was one of the most refreshing trips we have experienced in a long time. As the days went by, my wife Judy and I both could sense and feel the freshness of new adventures and ministry sweep over us.

It is always amazing how something new can restore and refresh. It is also amazing how we begin to see things through different eyes. My day job is that of pastor and teacher. We hadn’t been in England very long before the scriptures began taking on new life. Whether we were worshipping or having our Jesus time, it seemed that every verse of every scripture brought new insight and the possibility of a new teaching to share when we returned to our home mission field.

But that wasn’t all. It seemed our days were filled with ordinary things that soon proved to be extraordinary. We experienced the favor of our Dearest Daddy over and over again, and in that process found our Grits shelves once again being replenished. Soon, my text inbox was filled with messages I sent myself to remind me of ideas for new Grits stories. I found myself excited to click the keys once again on my keyboard — writing stories and preparing messages.

And that was the best part of our journey…to renew and refresh. I was reminded that was the reason that God gave us the Sabbath. He knew we would need to get away. Someone once said, “If we don’t come apart, we will come apart” and that is so, so true. We are grateful for the opportunity that we had to “Sabbath” for a while. I hope you will take the time to Sabbath too. Don’t have the time? No problem, just ask the One who thought up the idea. He will be glad to help you sort it out. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

(picture taken in the Scottish Highlands, Stirling – Drip Bridge)

Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel

Looking for Grits

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

I went and searched, and we were out. You all know that food and I go way back. One of my favorite rooms in my house isn’t the biggest—not by a long shot. In fact, it is one of the smallest. It is so small, when they built that part of our house shortly after World War II, they had to custom make a little door for the little room. I find myself using that door a lot. And where does that door lead? It leads into our pantry.

Not every house even has a pantry but ours does. It is where we keep all our food stuff. Of course, the cold stuff goes into the refrigerator, the frozen stuff goes in the freezer, and just about everything else goes in the pantry. So, when you need something that has to do with food…it is the “go to” place. There are cans and boxes and bags and containers that all share one thing in common—they all contain food. When Judy is cooking, she will often go there to get what she needs. Most times she will find it sitting right there on the shelf but sometimes it is empty, sometimes we have used the last of the last and then it is time to go to the store.

Well, I think it is time for my wife (and graphic designer) and me to go the store and get some more Grits. As you know, our stories are taken from everyday life and after three and a half years, the shelf is getting just a little bare. So, we are going to take a little break and go to the store. For the next couple of weeks, we are going to be “out of pocket” on a mission trip and a week of vacation. We are certain between those two we can surely come back with a fresh supply of adventures and stories. So, what does that mean?

After today, if you want to find Grits, you will need to visit our Facebook page and scroll back and pick a story to read. Even better, you can visit our website, http://www.gritswithgrace.com and you can either scroll or search by topic or even scripture. Virtually every story we have written and used or reused over the last three years is there. I hope you will make that your Grits pantry for the next couple of weeks.

If you are into praying, you might ask our Father to help these two weeks to be profitable and peaceful—filled with service and purpose. As you look for Grits each morning, take a moment, and ask God to guide our steps. We are hoping it will be a time when we can recharge our batteries and come back with a bag full of Grits’ ideas. Jesus told His disciples that when they grew a little weary, they should come to Him and He would give them rest. As we go, we are looking forward to spending some time together and with Him. But don’t forget the big thing we have learned over these months and years that no matter what, we know for certain that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

Beautiful

Posted on September 12, 2023September 11, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound. Let the fields and everything in them celebrate. Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy.” Psalm 96:11-12

I was surrounded by beauty. As I write this I am in the holy land—no, not the one where Jesus lived—the one where people eat grits regularly and without sugar. My wife Judy and I are in Carrolton, Georgia visiting with my sister Agnes and JW. Even though we have been in the Midwest for 43 years, in Southern (and I do mean Southern) Illinois for 37 years and in Southeastern Illinois for 23 years, we still deeply enjoy returning to the land of our roots. You can take the boy and his girl out of the South but you can’t take the South out of them.

During our time here so far, we have seen several things that are beautiful. During my time at my sister’s home, I would walk in the mornings. They live in a delightful neighborhood with many beautiful homes. As I walked the quiet streets, I can honestly say I appreciated the beauty of the neighborhood. But remember, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

One day, a great couple, good friends of Agnes and JW, treated them and us to a day on a beautiful and large lake in Northern Alabama. Now it truly must have been Northern because neither of our two new friends ate grits but they sure were nice people. We boated around this huge lake for several hours admiring the magnificent homes. It was a beautiful site to behold. But remember, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Well, Agnes and JW own a small home on a small lake in the country and we were also able to spend a few days there. Because of the design of home, which is a simple studio style one bedroom and bath, they call their place, “The Gazebo at Lake Tisinger.” Their place sits right on the lake…again not a large lake but one that is strictly private because there is no public access. There were no speed boats, no crowds, nothing except the beauty of nature. Most of the shore line was filled with old growth trees.

So this morning I woke up, got my coffee, and walked outside and was just overwhelmed with the beautiful scene before me. There, mirrored on the calm waters, was the reflection of the trees and the freshly minted blue sky of another of God’s days. It was magnificent and I realized that as much as I enjoyed my sister’s beautiful neighborhood, and as much as I enjoyed seeing the magnificent homes on that much larger lake…it paled to the beauty of God’s handiwork. Beauty is in the eyes on the beholder and from where I sat, I knew I was seeing and enjoying one of God’s best works.

God never makes a mistake and He always gets it right but sometimes it just seems He goes over the top. I think this time He did exactly that. Of course, I guess He does it a lot doesn’t He? Whether it is a cradle in a stable or a well used Roman cross on hilltop or an empty tomb—He does all things well. Our challenge is to be sure and take the time to see, enjoy, and admire all that He does. Does that really matter? Yes, it really does. When we learn to see and admire His handiwork, it reminds us to believe, understand, and know that no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel

Divine Rescue

Posted on April 14, 2023April 12, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8)

It was a close call. It all started a while back when I received an email from a website called “Travelzoo.” Each Wednesday they send out a “Top 20” list of their best travel deals. Well, in June that list included a really, good deal at a really nice hotel in Naples. Now you probably ought to know that one thing trumps all else when it comes to me and hotels: PRICE. I love a good deal. But this one had a great price along with a nice pool, hot tub, great decor, good location and a free shuttle to the beach. I talked it over with Judy and we began making plans for a trip to Southwest Florida.

Well, as time went by, I arranged our flight to and from Naples and of course the now famous car rental—a Mustang convertible. Well, as the days got closer, and for a reason I don’t remember, I just started wondering if we should look at another place to stay—something with more space, perhaps a kitchen—you know, a small condo. So, we started looking and low and behold we found one—actually me, Mr. Price Trumps Everything, found one. Yes, it was a bit more expensive and it wasn’t in Naples but rather Fort Myers Beach. But it seemed to be saying, “Rent me.” We did.

Now there are lots of ways I can tell this story but perhaps the shorter version is the best version. I apply this often to my sermons—NOT. As we got to Fort Myers, we found this condo was a home-run, grand slam. It overlooks this large, beautiful bay with a fabulous view from the seventh floor. It had a large balcony and the living room wall was floor to ceiling glass. It really was amazing. Fish and dolphins were jumping in the bay, birds were everywhere, boats zipped up and down the channel, and each morning a beautiful sunrise greeted us. Paradise.

Ok, so now, fast forward. We left there on Wednesday and drove down to the keys in our Mustang convertible (can someone say, “cool”) and stayed for a couple of days before returning to Naples on Friday, to spend the night and fly home on Saturday morning. So…we spend Friday night in the hotel we had originally booked for the first six nights of vacation. Now, it was nice, but there were no restaurants nearby, the beach was several, and I do mean several, miles away. The room was small with no fish or dolphins jumping anywhere, no birds, no boats, and no morning sunrise to say “Hi.”

Now that was fine for one night. However, I looked at Judy and she looked at me and we both realized we had been blessed and rescued. That small room could have been our home not for one night but six nights and every meal would have meant a hunt for a restaurant. And anytime, and I mean anytime, we were outside our room and in the building, a mask was required. The whole tenor of the vacation would have changed. It would have been away but that was just about it. Away.

Let me tell you that we firmly believe that our Dearest Father acted on our behalf. He knew we would not have been happy for six nights in that hotel and He whispered and nudged at just the right time and gently moved us in another direction…a direction that exceeded our needs and expectations. It occurred to both of us that God had sent us a love note. God knew what we needed better than we did. He knew that saving a few bucks paled in comparison to what He had picked for us! It was so cool.

We had a great time. And over and over, throughout the time we were there, we kept saying, “God rescued us” and we knew it was true. And here’s the best part—while we got to recognize this one, I wonder just how many times and how many ways does He do it over and over again? He works behind the scenes, silently changing plans and directing our steps towards His blessings and away from our disasters. I believe when we get to heaven it is going to be crazy good. We will see Jesus and our loved ones who knew Jesus and have gone before us. It’s gonna be awesome. But until then the Psalmist says we should just keep tasting, keep discovering just how good God is and that will keep us busy for a long time.

I think one of my favorite things about heaven is going to be the fact that we will finally see all the ways that God acted on in our behalf. I can imagine the walls of heaven covered with sticky notes—love notes from my Dearest Daddy to me and you—all saying in a million different ways, “I love you.” Oh, I know it won’t be exactly like that but I also know in heaven I will see all the things He did for me. I can’t wait. Till then I’m going to have to be satisfied with the times I see them and the times we get to sit together and rest in our love…especially His for me. Oh, and then there are the times when I realize, I know, that He’s got this. And that is in everything and every day. How about that? Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, life, Scripture, thankful, travel, USA

Daytona 500 – My Night in the Infield

Posted on June 8, 2022June 7, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer.” 1 Samuel 14:6

As I said I was a country boy even though I lived on the outskirts of a large city, Jacksonville, Florida. My world had limited exposure, and given this was the sixties, that probably wasn’t a bad thing. The most exciting thing going on in my world was my neighbor Dick Snyder who smoked cigars and drank beer…a lot. Other than that, it seems our world was pretty tame. And then it happened. Somehow or another, my brother-in-law arranged for me and Daddy to go to the Daytona 500. In case you don’t know this was and is a really big deal. This race kicks off the NASCAR season and it was Katie-Bar-The-Door excitement. And…there was a lot of sin going on.

You see, to save money, I think, we only had tickets to park in the infield. That is the area inside the track. I’m can’t remember exactly why, but we decided to go the night before and spend the night…camping if you will. The only thing was the fact that we didn’t have a camper…all we had was our car. So, we loaded up the trunk and drove down to the track and before you could say, “checkered flag,” we were parked right smack dab in the middle of sin city.

Family, food, Grace, gratitude, life, love, Scripture, thankful

Change or Not?

Posted on September 23, 2021September 22, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are!” 1 John 3:1

It was a food adventure. Judy and I love adventures. Sometimes that means a new place to visit, or it might be as simple as a new place to eat. Well, 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 regularly. We have our favorite here 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 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.

There is one thing that gives me a confident assurance 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—He never changes. 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 sameness, 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.

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, it’s 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. Bro. Dewayne

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, travel, wisdom

Dog Beach

Posted on September 14, 2020September 13, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

Southwest Florida has gotta be a great place to live. For the first time in a long time, Judy and I headed back to Southwest Florida for a visit. I am a Florida boy—born and raised in the Northeast corner of Florida in Jacksonville. Judy is a Georgia peach raised in Valdosta. If you’ve driven to Florida down I-75 you have been through Valdosta. So being from Florida and close to Florida, it is naturally a place we like to visit.

We spent the week down in Fort Myers Beach and had a great time. With the exception of Labor Day weekend it wasn’t too crowded and even then we were able to find space to avoid the crowds. Several times we hopped in our rented Mustang Convertible and drove around. Fort Myers Beach is built on a narrow strip of land and there is only one main road that runs through it. We would turn out of our condo and either go left or right—there were no other options.

On Saturday of Labor Day weekend, we would see these places where dozens of cars would be parked beside the road and of course that peaked our curiosity. We just had to know what all those people were doing. Did they know something that we needed to know—to see? Well, that Saturday evening we decided to drive down to one of those spots. Earlier that day it was just packed with cars and we imagined it had to be a beautifully secluded beach. It might even be worth exploring the next day. So off we went. It was lightly raining and when we neared the spot where there had been dozens of cars and now there were only a few. Paradise was within our grasp.

We parked in the small sand parking lot and noticed there was a sign that said Dog Beach. We figured that was the name of the beach. Maybe it was shaped like a dog or dog’s leg or something. Even without an umbrella we started walking. It was a rather small path, wet from the rain. Then we came to an opening to what appeared to be a large bay. We met some folks who were heading back to their car and we asked where the beach was.

They told us we would have to wade through the water, follow a small path and then go around a small peninsula and there would be a beautiful beach. So…off we went wading through water, carrying our shoes, and walking a path through the woods. Along the way, we came upon a few folks heading to their cars and they all had dogs. How about that? We normally aren’t slow to figure things out but today wasn’t one of our better days. We kept walking till finally we came upon a small, not particularly beautiful beach. It wasn’t on the Gulf but rather on the bay. There was a person with, you guessed it, a dog. There was also a couple out in the water with, you guessed it, a dog. Hmmmm…I was starting to connect the dots.

I asked the couple with the dog if they were from there and they said no. And I asked them about what was so special about this place—that we had seen dozens of cars here and thought it must be special. And it was…if you owned a dog. You see, it was in fact a dog beach. All those dozens of cars with many more dozens of people were there for one reason—it was a place where their dogs could be dogs. That was it. It was only paradise if you had a dog that enjoyed playing in the water. And, for a lot of people, that hit the spot.

I left that day only a little impressed with the beach and more than a little wet and that was ok. What made that beach special wasn’t for me, but it was for a lot of other people. It taught me fresh and anew that the beauty of something really is in the eyes of the beholder. With that came the renewed lesson that I should be slow, real slow, to judge another person’s opinion. Hmmm…that just might be a game changer.

I know now that when I go by the Dog Beach and see all those cars that there are a whole lot of people just beyond the tree line that love their pups. And being a dog lover who just happens to be dog-less for now, that is pretty awesome. Instead of going by and thinking “Look at all those beach lovers,” I will go by and say, “Look at all those dog lovers.” Maybe before we assume or think we know all about a circumstance or relationship, we need to explore and figure it out and we may come to a whole different conclusion.

Need some help? Well, the One who made us all has it all figured out. In fact, He reminds us in the Bible that every person is made in His image and He wants each of them to come be a part of His family. And then, He made that possible by sending His Son Jesus to pay for our sins. When you find yourself befuddled with someone or a particular situation, just check with your Dearest Daddy…leave it resting with Him. You can, because He has this.

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.