Tag: Bible

Posted in Family, friends, gratitude, heaven, Military memories, Scripture

Welcome Home

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Luke 15:10

It wasn’t what they deserved.  On any given day, each day is dedicated to this or that.  There is National Polar Bear Plunge Day (that was January 1st—seems July 1st would have been a better choice!) Then there is World Introvert Day (its ok…don’t be shy about it.) A personal favorite of mine is National Buffet Day. And then of course there is National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day followed by National Trivia Day (anybody want to guess what day?) Well, on and on the list goes.  Believe it or not those are all from the first few days of January.

It turns out the day I wrote this was a very special day indeed and I suppose very few people had a clue about what it was.  I know I didn’t until I got an email from the Armed Forces Exchange Services.  These folks run the stores that are located on all the Army and Air Force bases and as a veteran I am allowed to shop with them.  They sent an email honoring a special group of men and women—the veterans who served during the Vietnam War Era—November 1, 1955, through May 15, 1975. While those who went to Vietnam are an elite part of this group, I think it special they included all those who were a part of the Armed Forces during that period.

These brave warriors never received the welcome home they deserved.  Our nation was a hot mess in the sixties and one of the reasons was the war in Vietnam.  And, instead of taking it out on the politicians, many, too many, chose to take it out on the men and women who were simply doing what they were ordered to do.  They were cursed and spit upon and as if the scars of war weren’t enough—they were subjected to the anger and ridicule of their peers. It grieved my heart then…and it grieves my heart now.

Well, the years have gone by and as the sand slipped through the hourglass these warriors grew older.  In days gone by when you saw an older veteran, wearied, and bruised by time and hard times, wearing a shirt or cap signifying their service, you just assumed they were from World War II or perhaps Korea.  Now there is a good chance that aged warrior served in the Vietnam era. I know I served from 1972 to 1984 and I find myself reflecting on seven decades of life. Time marches on.

Sadly, the time to say thank you to our World War II and Korean veterans is just about gone.  Fewer and fewer of them remain with us and slowly the same can be said for our Vietnam warriors.  I hope you took every opportunity to recognize those veterans from World War II and Korea. Now I hope I will, you will, we all will afford our Vietnam veterans the same honor.  Not for all but for many there is still time to say, “Thank you for your service.”

No, there simply weren’t enough appropriate homecomings back in the sixties and early seventies but I am glad there is one place where every person can be welcomed home and that is heaven.  No, not every veteran, in fact not every person, will receive that welcome because not every person will be going there.  You see, the welcome sign is out and the invitations mailed but no amount of service to your country, no amount of being good and doing good can earn you this homecoming.  This one comes by believing in the One who fought and defeated sin and death—and His name is Jesus.

Granted it is a narrow way but at the same time it is wide for the invitation to be part of the family is open to any man, woman or child who is willing to believe. Simply put—if you are willing to say yes to Him—He is more than willing to say yes to you. And when you do, if you do, there will be a bigger party than you can imagine.  Jesus said, “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” In other words, God wants to throw the party of the century for you.  He can’t wait to welcome you home.

So, many thanks to all the active duty warriors and veterans but at least today—a special thanks to those who served during the Vietnam era.  And if you went over and you didn’t receive the welcome you deserve then, well, just know God’s got one planned for you when you finally get home. Why not go ahead and say, yes to Him today.  Think you’ve messed up too badly? Think God could never forgive…you?  Don’t you worry—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Scripture, life, Military memories, friends, communication, food

Too Much Spaghetti

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Proverbs 17:22

I cooked way too much spaghetti.  Well, I guess it is all official.  Things are pretty much back to normal.  You see, I was a pastor/teacher/preacher. That means I had the privilege of serving with a bunch of people in a church and had the opportunity to share truth from the Bible…sometimes several times a week.  It was something that I truly enjoyed. When I am sharing something and see the expression on someone’s face change, as if to say, “I get it,” well, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Actually, pastoring was my second career.  I spend twelve years in the Air Force and just loved it and then God came up with another idea.  I separated from the Air Force and became a pastor.  That was 43 years ago.  Wow…that sounds like a long time but really it seems like yesterday. When I first starting preaching, my sermons were like 23 minutes long and sometimes that seemed like an eternity…for me and probably for them.  Over the years, things have gotten, well, longer.  Someone once said, “The longer you preach, the longer you preach.”  I believe I can testify to that.

So, before the COVID thing (BC) happened, my sermons ran 40-45 minutes. People were kind and most were even grateful for the message but there’s another old saying that says, “Never speak longer than the audience’s seat can bear.”  Well, let’s just say I probably reached and exceeded that limit.  So, when COVID came along and we were on Facebook only, I made a concerted effort to preach a little shorter…usually about 35 minutes.  I was so proud of myself…and then…one day, happened.

One day, I cooked too much spaghetti.  Now that is “code” that I simply prepared too much material.  Even before Sunday, I had cut about 20 percent of the material and I thought that would do it.  It didn’t.  The bottom line is that I preached, gulp, 45 minutes.  Oh my. I don’t think I chased too many rabbits—it was just too much spaghetti.  At the end of the service, I told the folks that I appreciated their patience. They are such a gracious group of people.  I also smiled and told them that it was a great sign that things were definitely back to normal.

I always greet the people as they leave after the service, and something happened that particular day that still has me smiling.  The mother of one of our members was in the service.  I know her and well, she is a friend and a very special lady.  Her husband had passed away and I was privileged to have a part in his service.  As she shook my hand, she shared that because of having to care for her husband and for health reasons she hadn’t been in church for several years.  Then she explained how each week she was sure to listen to our service, and me, on the radio.  I smiled and said how grateful I was.  And then she said, “You know, I sure enjoyed today but you know, at home, I can just turn the radio off when I am ready.”  I laughed, she laughed, and everyone who was standing in earshot did too. It was a precious moment, and it made my day.

This story isn’t about sermons, long or short, but rather it is about the fact that life did come back…not totally normal, but at least some of it is better than what it was.  I’ve said it so many times, it won’t be the same and in some ways that is not bad.  In fact, in some ways, it is just better.  I believe the COVID experience taught us to love God better and love people better.  I believe the COVID experience taught us to appreciate the small things in life that make life better.

So, there you go.  This week my goal is to preach a little shorter and laugh a little more.  After all the Bible tells us that a cheerful heart is good medicine and I just tend to believe what it says. We can laugh, even in our hot mess world, because ultimately, we are certain of one thing—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God

Worrisome, Ordinary Days

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “A funeral procession was coming out as He approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion.” Luke 7:12-13

It was an ordinary day–like today or yesterday or maybe tomorrow.  Ordinary.  Jesus was on the move traveling from one small village to another doing what He did–making a difference.  As He was approaching Nain, a one horse town in the middle of nowhere, He ran into a funeral procession.  Today we recognize funeral processions by the flashing lights on the hearse followed by cars with headlights on.  He recognized it by the mourning–the funeral wail.  The closer He got, the louder it got.  It was the sound of broken hearts and broken lives.

In Luke 7:12, we get the details.  It says, “Just as He neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was also with her.”  What a tragedy.  And, according to scripture, he was young. The cause isn’t listed nor does it matter.  Death comes in many forms and is no respecter of persons.  But it was her only son and he died too young. It gets worse.

Luke also shares that she is a widow.  She is facing this dark time alone.  There is no husband to share the grief–it is all hers.  And when the grieving is over she faces a very difficult world.  No source of income, no safety net, no unemployment, no social security–nothing. It’s a bad deal from top to bottom.  And then it happens.

Jesus sees the situation and orders the mourning column of brokenness to stop.  Why?  He has compassion on her.  He knows her story before He is told and He tells her, “Don’t weep.”  It could be an unkind statement akin to “hey, get over it” or “it will be better tomorrow.”  Instead it was a statement of power–the kind of power to change everything.

He walks over and touches the coffin–a big no, no in that culture but Jesus didn’t let rules stop Him from loving, from acting.  He says, “Party’s over death…you’re done.”  Ok, He really said, “Young man, I tell you get up.”  And boom–just like that he did.  Now let me tell you when you are at a funeral and the dead person sits up and is alive, the funeral is over and the party begins.  Break out the fried chicken because death is done and Jesus is King.

I love this story…I really do.  I see it played out day, after day, after day.  No…not exactly like this but I, we, see God bringing spiritual dead people to life every day.  And when that happens John 10:25-26 becomes a reality.  There Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. 26. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Wow what power–what assurance. But is all hinges on the last four words, “do you believe this?” To bring it home, “Do we believe this?”

Ok, so these are difficult days–war, uncertainty–is everywhere.  You might feel like the widow of Nain.  It may feel like your world is imploding around you with all the safety nets gone.  Well, there’s One that will never leave you and His name is Jesus.  Oh, and knowing Him is a game changer. The future that matters–the eternal one–is a guaranteed better day.  In a word, it is heaven.

So, as we journey these uncharted waters together remember we never have to be alone–ever.  Jesus wants us to experience His compassion and His salvation.  And listen, when Jesus shows up things change.  He is bigger than anything so rest in Him.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in food, life, Scripture, spiritual battles, Trials

Heath Bar Anyone?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” James 1:14

I looked up…and there it was. So part of my nightly ritual is to take my nighttime meds. I keep all my medicines on the bottom shelf in a corner cabinet in the kitchen. I looked up to reach up and get my medicine container thing and that’s when I saw it. On the second shelf sat a clear plastic container. It had been there forever but on this particular night, I looked and saw a miniature Heath bar. I like Heath bars–a lot.

Now there was a time when I could easily resist Heath bars. When I was about eight or nine, I misread the name of the candy bar. It said Heath but I saw Health and I said to myself, “Who wants a health bar?” Well, eventually I figured it out and discovered this British toffee bar covered with chocolate. I loved them. So naturally, after taking my medicine, I reached up, got the container and snagged the miniature candy bar.

Now I knew there was a really good chance that the candy bar was way, way out of date but I also figured that since it was toffee and chocolate that probably wouldn’t matter. I was wrong. I quickly unwrapped it and popped it into my mouth and chomped down. What happened next was between horrible and super gross. It turned out Heath bars can definitely go out of date. The chocolate was bitter and no longer tasted like chocolate…in fact, I’m not sure what it tasted like besides terrible. The toffee was even worse. No longer crunchy, it was a mushy mess that tasted rancid…like spoiled meat. I didn’t know what to do.

Well, I ended up doing my best to chew it up and swallow it…which was not easy. I then went to the sink and rinsed my mouth out. It was gone, some in my stomach and some down the drain but the foul taste lingered in my mouth even after brushing my teeth. Talk about a bad food experience–this was definitely one.  The crazy part is that my common sense should have told me to either taste a small part or just chuck it but my common sense was over ruled by my desire for a Heath bar. Bad choice, Dewayne, bad choice.

Bad choices like this one fortunately didn’t carry any lasting effect but it could have. Can someone say, “food poisoning?” But check this out. A rotten candy bar is one thing but sin, any sin, is a whole different matter. Sin can look plenty attractive–just ask Eve. But sin always has consequences. Granted sometimes they are smaller but always they are costly. The wisest thing we can do is “just say no.” I sure wish I had left that candy bar in the container or better yet chucked it in the trash. But in my mind, I just had to have it. Wrong again.

So the next time sin presents it and winks at you and looks oh so attractive, don’t believe and don’t buy. Sin never speaks the truth and is never a bargain. The good news your Dearest Daddy hates sin and wants you to avoid it at all cost. If you will just hit the pause button and ask He will deliver you…every single time. Yup, you can rest assured that, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in food, friends, life, Scripture

Fish and Spaghetti

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the Man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6a

No really…it is good. I’m a food mixer.  I know some people love to keep their food separate on their plates and some folks even eat one item at a time.  They will eat all their meat, all their potatoes and so on and so on.  Not me.  I like to to mix it up a little.  In fact the best bite on the plate is always the last bite.  It always has a little bit of everything on the plate. First you scrape it all together in a tidy little pile, scoop it on your fork and let it fly.  Awesome.

I’m not sure how it started but one of my absolute favorite mixings is tartar sauce and Heinz Ketchup.  When I order fish I always squirt a big puddle of ketchup on my plate and then mix in a helping of tartar sauce.  Then you take your fork and stir it together and start dipping your fish in this magic pink sauce.  All I can say is, if you haven’t tried it you need to.  A while back a server at a restaurant noticed my strange concoction.  Without saying anything to me, she went back to the kitchen and stirred up a batch.  She was soon back at my table singing the praises of the power of “pink.”

They say that things go better with Coke and fish goes better with pink.  But…there is one exception.  Fish and spaghetti.  Ever heard of it?  Well, not only have I heard of it, I have had it several times. Now first, you need to understand it is not fish cooked in spaghetti, rather it is fish served with spaghetti.  I learned of this food miracle several years ago.  A couple who attended our church invited my wife Judy and I over for supper.  We were served fish and spaghetti and it was incredible.

To be sure this dynamic combo is not an accident.  First, David is the fish cooker and the man takes frying fish to a new level.  Moist and crisp at the same time…it is “shoot that thang” good.  Second, his wife Lisa makes some of the best spaghetti I have ever eaten. It is seasoned perfectly and has just a slightly different flavor then most spaghettis I have had.  I fell in love that night.  I am a fish and spaghetti man for life.

David is an African American and when we were discussing this duet, he assured me it was a “black thing.”  I had never heard of these two things together before and he told me to ask someone…so I did.  I asked another friend of mine who happens to also be African American, “So what do you eat with spaghetti?”  She quickly replied, “Fish.” There you go.  I have been a comfort food fanatic for over six decades and almost missed this food wonder.  It is almost a food group all of its on.

Things are like that sometimes.  Sometimes certain things just click together.  It is as if they were meant to be together. Peanut butter and jelly.  Chocolate and peanut butter. Cheese and summer sausage. Well, add fish and spaghetti to the list.  And while you are listing—be sure and add Jesus and you.  I have been a Jesus follower since 1967 and I am telling you He took my life to a whole different level.  He makes the good even better and makes the difficult more than tolerable. He is amazing.  And just like fish and spaghetti if you’ve never tried Him you don’t know what you are missing.  He makes life worth living.

Now understand I’m not talking about you and religion, or you and church.  A relationship with Jesus is totally different from church or religion.  I like church and tolerate religion but neither one of them is even close to Jesus.  He is literally One of a kind. The Bible says that there is One go-between who can bring God and us together and it is the man Christ Jesus.  He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone.  I hope you will get a copy of His Book—the Bible—and read about Him. You will discover a Man like no other who loves you like no other.  He is a best friend on steroids.

I know these are crazy days we are living in—you know it and I know it.  I’ve found that Jesus adds stability, peace and hope to what can be a pretty difficult existence. With Him we go from surviving to thriving.  All you need to do is believe.  Believe that He is who He claims to be—the God man—believe that He died on a Roman cross to pay the price for your sin, believe He came back to life and believe that if you ask He will forgive you.  I took Him at His word and He is everything He claims to be.  He is the real deal.  And, hey, when God is your best friend you can sleep better at night and rest better in during the day.  When the God who made it all is your best friend—you can believe that He’s got this…and He does.  Bro. Dewayne

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

212° Day – Just One More Degree

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God

Rainbows and Promises

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.” Genesis 9:16-17

It was the right place and the right time. Even when my wife Judy and I go cruising, I try to exercise. Most ships have a certain deck that is marked out for walking and jogging. The Caribbean Princess, our last ship, was no exception.  Deck 7 was the place and 2.7 laps would give you a mile.  Generally speaking I would do six laps. Well, one morning, the weather was a little stormy. The clouds were thick and heavy with rain, the wind was blowing and the waves were rolling. Even with all of that, I decided to walk and I’m glad I did.

Somewhere in the midst of my six laps, I was up near the bow, or front, of the ship. The wind was blowing ferociously against me.  As I reached the very front of the ship, I began going toward the back of the ship and that same wind that was against me was now for me. But there was something more…something I will never forget. As I looked off to the side of the ship, there was a half of a double rainbow. Two things were amazing.  First, the colors of the bow were so vivid. Second, the end of the rainbow was no more than fifty yards from the side of the ship. While there wasn’t a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it was something of sheer beauty. But…God wasn’t done.

I stopped and snapped a couple of pictures and as I did the rainbow was completed. Believe it or not, the ends of this double rainbow were again just forty or fifty years from the ship. It was something I had never seen before…something totally unbelievable. God had certainly impressed this child of His. The picture I snapped doesn’t do it justice but perhaps you can fill in the gaps and feel the sense of wonder I felt that day.

As I continued walking, somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, I was reminded that God keeps His promises…wholly and completely. I came away with a fresh reminder of His complete faithfulness. His rainbow that day said it all and so does His Word. All of it, promises and all, are true and like Him can be trusted. So let me encourage you to believe and trust God, His Word and His promises. He won’t let you down and you can rest in knowing that, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in gratitude, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Uncategorized, wisdom

Wrong Turn

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

 They thought I took a wrong turn. If the truth was known, all of us make a lot of wrong turns in life. The other day we returned from a great cruise in the Southern Caribbean. While there were plenty of highlights, the granddaddy of them all had to be when we did a partial transit of the Panama Canal. A partial transit simply means we went through three of the locks, turned around in the largest manmade lake in the world and then returned back through the locks. They say that the Panama Canal is one of man’s greatest building achievements and I would have to agree. It is something that you have to see to believe.

Well, what goes up most come down and all trips like this one had to come to an end. So, after twelve days and a wakeup, we found ourselves back in Fort Lauderdale. My wife Judy and I had largely been disconnected from the world–which spiritually thinking isn’t a bad thing but weather wise it can be quite shocking.  I was dressed in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt so you can imagine my shock and surprise when I stepped off the ship and it was…gasp…forty-one degrees. Trust me that is not what you expect that far south! Yikes.

Well, we headed north but this time we knew what we were facing.  The weather people were calling for a major winter storm just a few days after we returned home and as you can tell–they were entirely right. This morning’s low was near zero and we have eight to ten inches of snow on the ground. More than one person said, “You turned the wrong way…you should have turned south and not north.” Well, the truth is there is a lot of truth in that. But the truth is also this–home was north and we were ready for home–even if it meant freezing.

A turn is not wrong if it is leading to the place you should go–you need to go–and this time that meant home. My heart was telling me it was time to go home–even if the temperature was telling me something different. While we can’t always trust our hearts…the Bible tells us that…we can truth the God who made our heart. He will never lead us astray.  Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” In our case that path led us straight to home. And, as you know there is no place like home.  Oh and don’t forget there’s nothing better than knowing that no matter what–He’s got this. God bless you and have a blessed day.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Grace, life, Scripture, thankful, Uncategorized

The Clearance Aisle

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.” 1 Corinthians 9:26

It was a whale of a deal—I think.  Several years ago my wife Judy and I were at HomeGoods.  She was shopping and I was sitting.  HomeGoods is a great store if you are looking for things for your house.  After checking my email and winning several hands of Solitaire, I decided to at least take a look around.  If you know anything about me you know there is a word that draws me like iron to a magnet, like a moth drawn to the flame, like water seeking lower ground—well, you get the idea.  And what is that word? CLEARANCE.

Different stores use different colors of signs announcing their clearance, but I can spot any of them a mile away.  That particular night it was in a pretty obvious place, so I decided to check out the clearance aisle.  Now I need to be candid and let you know I see clearance stuff like I see Dairy Queen.  You see there is nothing I need at Dairy Queen but DQ isn’t about needing it is about wanting.  I want ice cream…I don’t need ice cream.  Yes, I know it feels like a need, but it isn’t. Ice cream isn’t like air…we can live without it…I think. Anyway, when it comes to the clearance aisle it isn’t about needing it—it is about being a good deal.  Who can pass up something that is like 90% off?  Well, apparently, I can’t.

I wandered back to the clearance aisle and started poking around.  Nothing really caught my eye until right before I was about to walk away.  There was a flat box about fifteen inches square and it looked intriguing. Something was stacked on top of it which is probably why it was still there.  On the cover it showed a round circle with about 34 red balls sitting in small indentions.  It was beautiful…I think.  It was imported from Italy and made of beautiful, and I am not exaggerating, alabaster. It felt expensive, it looked expensive and the original price was rather pricey.  It was marked $39.99.  Nice.

As I looked around on the box I found the clearance price.  It was…get ready…$3.99.  “What?” I said.  “Can it be?”  I said.  “Ninety percent off?” I said.  I mean I was amazed.  I couldn’t wait to show it to Judy.  So, I covered it back up and went to find her.  She was already in line but I pulled her out to show her my prize.  When we got to the aisle, I showed it to her.  She was impressed and then she popped the question, “What is it?”  I told her I wasn’t sure, but I thought it was some sort of game.  There were no rules and no indications that’s what it was but hey, it was $3.99. We bought it.

We proudly set it up first on a table and then in our bay window.  I checked the internet but couldn’t find any information on the item.  I did find the company and they were sellers of fine alabaster but our treasure remained a mystery.  Enter the grandkids.  Judy made the mistake of showing this treasure to Will, one of our grandsons. She explained it was sorta like checkers (really?) and you would jump the balls like you do in checkers.  However, since the “board” was round there were logistical problems.  So, they started to “play” and then he popped the question.  He asked, “How do you win?”  And Judy said, “I don’t know.”

I thought that was great because so often in life we play the game and have no idea how to win.  And, truth be known, it affects all kinds of areas in our life.  How do you win in your career? How do you win in your marriage? How do you win in choosing your potential mate? How do you win with church? With Jesus?  You see, without knowing how to win you are sure to either get bored or get lost.  As much as I believe there is joy in the journey, I also know that there has to be goal, a measuring stick, a finish line.  Success needs to be measured.  If it isn’t, you might find yourself stuck in a rut and as someone said, “A rut is a grave with the ends knocked out.”  So, what are we to do?

It seems to me that we should approach life with a goal—what do I want to see happen today?  Regardless of the arena, try and define what would be a win for that day.  And the best part?  You can start stringing those days together and before long you have a life of wins.  Now when you are defining a win, I believe you should set the definition in line with an authority and I can think of no better authority than the Word of God. Even if you aren’t a God-follower you will find that the Bible is a Book worth reading, knowing, and following.  Go ahead and give it a read.  And if you are a God-follower, well, you probably already knew that—we just need to do it.

Paul, one of the writers of a chunk of the New Testament said that we should run with a purpose and not be like a shadow boxer.  We shouldn’t run like Forest Gump, aimlessly, but rather like Jesse Owens.  We should box like a man in the ring making every punch count.  Run with a purpose, fight like it matters…because it does.   Tomorrow, I think I’ll wakeup and have a chat with my Dearest Daddy, my Trainer, my Coach and get His opinion on how to win in life. After all, He never loses, and He’s always got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, Family, heaven, Holidays, life, Military memories, prayer, Scripture

Hard Christmas

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.” Deuteronomy 7:9

Not every Christmas is merry and bright.  I suppose if we live long enough all of us will experience a Christmas that is not so merry.  Life can be difficult and when those difficulties occur around the holidays, it can be difficult indeed.  I remember 1972 which was my first Christmas in the Air Force. I managed to get leave and fly home from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.  When I arrived home, the house was dark and empty.  There were no decorations, no tree.  My father had suffered yet another big heart attack and he was in the hospital recovering.  It was hard.

Another time that Christmas had a dark shadow was December 1978.  My wife Judy and I were stationed in Sembach, Germany.  It was a great place to live and it seemed that every day was an adventure.  We were living off base in an apartment, a short drive from the base.  Just living in a German village was an adventure in itself. The heat did not come on until October 1 of each year, no matter how cold it was and the heat didn’t go off until May 1, no matter how warm it was. There was no air conditioning, which we didn’t need anyway. In our first apartment, I especially remember the small two gallon hot water heater.  It called for a very quick shower.  Judy had long hair in those days and it was a race to get her and her hair washed before her two gallons of warm water were up.

We also didn’t have a phone.  Of course, cell phones were a long way in the future and land lines were very expensive.  In December of 1978 we were sound asleep when we heard a sharp knock on the door.  It must have been about 1:00 am in the morning.  I went to the door to find the officer of the day for my squadron.  He was there to let me know I had a call from the Red Cross and I needed to call them immediately. He followed me to the base and from my office I made the call.  The Red Cross made arrangements for me to call my brother and sister-in-law in Florida.  The message was short and to the point.  My sister-in-law Sonia said, “Dewayne, honey, if you want to see your Momma while she is still alive, you need to come home right away.”  I was shocked.  I had no idea that she was sick—especially not that sick.

Well, when you are thousands of miles from home across the Atlantic nothing happens quickly.  But as fast as the wheels could turn and with a lot of help from the Red Cross and the Air Force, Judy and I were able to catch a transport aircraft back to the States.  It landed at Dover Air Force Base on Sunday, December 3rd. My brother, who lived in New Jersey, was able to pick us up and together we drove south to Jacksonville. It was a long day’s journey and we got there Monday afternoon.  We went straight to the hospital and were able to see Momma for a few minutes. We then went to my brother’s house to get some rest.

That evening we gathered together, visited, and prayed.  We told God that whatever He wanted was ok.  If He chose to heal Mama of that cancer, that was great but if He chose to heal her by taking her home…that was ok too.  The next day He answered our prayer.  Momma went to heaven—less than 24 hours after we got there.  It was Tuesday, December 5th and she was 62 and I was only 24.  Well, we planned the service and celebrated her life and worshiped her God and our God.  We had some family business to take care of and when that was finished, so were we.  Judy and I had enough leave approved to stay for Christmas, but the truth was there was no reason to stay.  There was not a home place any more, so we decided to go back to our home—in Germany.  In a few days, we were back and celebrated Christmas knowing that it would never really be the same again.

I can’t tell you it wasn’t hard because it was.  I was grateful we had a couple of weeks before Christmas, but it was still the season.  It felt strange to leave a home that wasn’t home anymore. As much as we loved Germany, we realized when we got back to the States 18 months later, there would be no going home for Christmas.  And then God, via the Air Force, planted us in Missouri for a few years and then a whole lot of years in Illinois.  He also called me to pastor so that meant Christmas was here every year.  And do you know what?  That was ok because God gave us a new family to love and care for us.  That family was His people wherever He placed us to serve.

No, every Christmas is not merry.  It may be the loss of a loved one, it may be loss of health or a job. But like the Bible says, “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.”

So these days and especially in these days, we need to love one another.  And, just like that night in December when my brothers and sisters came together and told God whatever He wanted for Momma was ok…we need to come together and tell Him whatever the future looks like, we will trust Him with that, too.  I’m so grateful that He is faithful, that He is good, and that He can be trusted.  And because of that, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne