cars – Grits with Grace

fear, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Windshields and Words

Posted on June 23, 2025June 16, 2025 by Dewayne Taylor

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29

Go figure. It was about seven years ago when it happened. I was driving back from Evansville, Indiana and there was a school bus coming toward me. Of course, I didn’t think a thing about it…school buses come and go all the time. Well, this one had a surprise waiting for me. Just about the time we met, in opposite lanes, of course, something came flying out of the bus. To this day I don’t know what it was but whatever it was…it was big and heavy. It hit my windshield near the bottom and shattered it there. In fact, it was so heavy, that it almost broke all the way through…glass scattered on my dash.

Well, needless to say, I was shocked. I really wasn’t sure what had happened but it scared the pants off of me. But then, I smiled. You see when I bought the car it was, of course, used and the windshield had a couple of obvious defects. First, it looked like it had been sandblasted and was covered with a zillion small pits. Second, the top of the windshield had a medium to dark blue tint all the way across. The dealer had placed one of those stickers on the outside that told what year it was and it stayed on long enough to leave a permanent oval-shaped shadow. Being a perfectionist, both of these drove me nuts.

I wanted to replace the windshield but just couldn’t bring myself to do it and then when “it” happened, it was replaced courtesy of the insurance company…and that was why I smiled. Oh, I guess I wish it hadn’t happened but since it did, I was grateful for the new windshield.

The company did a great job installing the new glass and asked me to leave a review for their small town company…so I did. Well, the following week I received an email from my friends at Google congratulating me on the fact that over five hundred people had read my review and found it helpful. Now who would have thought in a small town that many people would have read and reacted to my review. It made me realize just how powerful and far reaching our words can be.

The Jesus part of the Bible, the New Testament, talks a lot about our words…mostly encouraging us to be careful what we say. Long before Google, Jesus and the rest of the guys who wrote the New Testament realized the importance and power of words. The bottom line was and is…be careful what you say…it carries more impact that you realize. Someone said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” It is a nice saying but it is simply not true. Words can hurt a lot…trust me I know.

Paul said when he was writing to the church in Ephesus, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” What great advice. That review, depending on what I said, had the power to help or hurt and so do our words. Let’s choose our words carefully. If you find yourself at a loss of words—it might be a blessing instead of a curse. And when you find yourself with too many words and something comes tumbling out that should stay in…just ask for a little help from the greatest word crafter ever…God…as always, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, gratitude, Integrity, life, love, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Details

Posted on November 18, 2024November 17, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

It is just engrained in me. If you are a Grits reader, you might remember when I talked about my first car. It was a 1961 Rambler painted (with a paintbrush) a royal blue with a yellow stripe right down the middle. Due to its former home, Daytona Beach, it had more Bondo body filler than metal and its floorboards had also fallen victim to the salty air and water. But I was so grateful to have it. It was part trade and part gift from my oldest sister, and I loved it. I would regularly wash it and clean the inside. Since it was the seventies, I bought flowery seat covers to hide the worn-out seats. The bottom line—it was my baby. A little scarred—more than a little worn out—but she was mine.

Since that first one, I have always tried to care for my cars. A few were new and some were old, some were in good condition and others not. But each car received that same loving car. They ranged from a 1971 Pinto with a rod knocking (something the Rambler shared) to a new 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser with wood grain sides. My wife Judy and I bought that one on a whim because of a deal they were having on interest rates. It was also “on sale” because it had a 4.3-liter diesel engine which wasn’t popular. I had no clue about diesel engines and was surprised to learn they didn’t even have spark plugs. What? One time I was looking at buying a used pickup truck that had a huge lift kit on it. It was almost a monster truck. The guy let me keep it overnight and what did I do? You bet, I washed it and cleaned it out. I wanted to see what it would look like…and then I didn’t even buy it. Strange.

I have a knack for cleaning cars. I can make most cars look pretty good. It is amazing what a good wash job, Windex, a strong vacuum, and some Armor All can do. Give me a couple of hours and Shazam—you have yourself a showroom classic. Well, not really but it sounds good. But they always looked better. Now somewhere beyond better is the next level and that is—a detailing. In case you don’t know, when a car is detailed, the cleaner person pays attention to—get ready—the details. Let me explain.

When I left the full-time pastorate for our next chapter, a friend gave me a gift certificate for my car to be detailed. I was genuinely excited. The day finally came to get our car detailed. After I dropped it off at the detailing place, about four hours later I received a call that our car was done. I couldn’t wait to pick it up—and I was not disappointed. When I pulled up the detailer’s shop there she was and like Cinderella ready for the ball, our car was dazzling.

It had not only been washed but it was sporting a new wax job. It glimmered in the noonday sun. The tires and splash guard were all shiny black and the wheels sparkled like a person’s teeth after a whitening treatment. I opened the door, and the entire interior was not only clean, but shining clean. The floor mats were spotless. Yup—I was impressed. I opened the trunk to find it spotless, and the space where the lid meets the body—a perfect place for dirt and grim to hide—clean. When I bought gas a couple of days later, I noticed that even the area where you put fuel in had been cleaned. Like I said, a good detailer will pay attention to the details…and she did.

Her name was Jo, and she has been detailing cars for over 35 years, so she has a lot of experience. She knows how to make a car look new. Speaking of new, that is why I am keen on God. He can take the most bruised and broken life and not make it look new—but make it new. I was reading the Bible one day and something that Paul, one of the New Testament writers, said caught my eye. He wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” You see God doesn’t do detailing…though He is a God of the details…He makes every person who puts their faith in His Son a brand-new creation. I mean, imagine taking your car to get it detailed and picking it up four hours later only to find a brand-new car. Wow and trust me, God’s work in the lives of people is an even bigger wow factor!

One time, a year or two ago, I hired a guy I didn’t know, to detail my car. He talked big and way under delivered. I paid him too much money and let’s just say I was very disappointed. But after a 46-year journey with Jesus, I can tell you that He never disappoints, and He never misses a single detail. So, hats off to Jo and thanks to that special friend who gave me the gift certificate. And remember, if you need your life made new, give Jesus a shout. His line is never busy, and you won’t get an answering machine. He is online all the time and whatever the challenge, He’s up to it. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, Trials

Steel Gladiators

Posted on August 8, 2022July 23, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

Hi Grits Family! Hey, my wife Judy and I are going to be “out of pocket” aka “not available” to write for the next couple of weeks. During that time, we decided to send out some of our past stories. I hope you enjoy the ones we selected and look forward to some “fresh Grits” in a couple of weeks. God bless. Bro. Dewayne

Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

We were opposite each other—two fire breathing chariots just waiting. Well, that isn’t exactly how it happened but maybe it was. My wife Judy and I were returning from a trip to Kentucky where grits and a southern draw are standard issue. We were back in our town of Harrisburg and were going to swing by the church to check a couple of things for an event that evening. We were giving away some food boxes and wanted to make sure we were set to go. To get there we had to cross a busy intersection. I pulled up and that’s when I saw him sitting there. He was anxiously waiting for a break in the steady stream of cars. Even from that distance I could see his darting eyes as his sweaty palms gripped his steering wheel.

I pulled up on the opposite side of the road headed in the opposite direction. We were two men, to gladiators of automobiles, about to pass side by side. I knew he was there first, so he had the right a way…that was never in debate. I also knew there would be only a quick window to cross the road. There was no blinker on my opponent’s car—we would pass quickly like two ships in the night. I knew, too, that there was a chance that he would not follow the rules. Blinker or not, he might turn across my lane. Try as I might, I couldn’t read his mind or his intentions.

Suddenly there was a break in the traffic, my left foot moved from my brake to my accelerator, and I was sure the same was happening in the car opposite me. Like I said…two ships in the night…side by side in opposite directions. No deal. No challenge. And, then, yes, it happened.

Instead of going straight as his no blinker indicated he cut across in front of me and turned. I had fallen for the oldest trick in the book. It was the old “I’m really going to turn but I’m not going to tell you” trick! Well, I quickly hit my brakes as he quickly turned in from of my chariot. I confess. I gave him the two hands in the air, “Dude, what are you doing?” gesture and he responded with the two hands in the air, “Dude, I had the right of way” gesture. It was all over in a moment of time. Two gladiators of steel on two totally different wave lengths of communication that left both of us wondering. First, him wondering why I was upset when he clearly had the right of way and second, me wondering why he didn’t let me know he was going to turn in front of me. Hey…blinker equals turn. No blinker equals no turn. Dude.

Are you confused by now? Are you wondering what this is all about? Does any of it really matter? Probably the answer to all three of those questions is, wait for it, no. But it does show how easily it is to miscommunicate our intentions and it also shows just how easy it is for moments of waiting to escalate to moments of tension. And, amazingly, it doesn’t have to involve two gladiators of steel waiting at an intersection. It can easily be the one you are married to, or the ones you gave birth to, or the ones that you work with or, my favorite, the ones you sit next to in worship at church.

But the answer is always the same. Keep your foot on the brake till you know clearly what the other person’s intention is. Just wait, be patient, and most likely you will come out looking a little bit more like Jesus and the more gallant in the exchange. The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.” Hmmm…that’s good. We usually have more time than we think, and we all know the pleasure of letting someone go first. They smile and think, “What a nice person.” And most times, that beats beating someone across an intersection, or to a place in line or to a parking spot.

Ok, you gladiators of steel, all right you Walmart line cutters, it’s time to keep our foot on the brake and our hearts in our chest. Let’s determine that nothing is more important than for a Jesus follower to act like Jesus—at the intersection, in the line, at home or at church. Feeling challenged about now? I know, me too, that’s why it is so important to remember, “He’s got this.” So, ladies and gentlemen…start your engines. Bro. Dewayne

Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, wisdom

Steel Gladiators

Posted on April 15, 2021April 14, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

“Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

We were opposite each other—two fire breathing chariots just waiting. Well, that isn’t exactly how it happened but maybe it was. My wife Judy and I were returning from a trip to Kentucky where grits and a southern draw are standard issue. We were back in our town of Harrisburg, and were going to swing by the church to check a couple of things for an event that evening. We were giving away some food boxes and wanted to make sure we were set to go. To get there we had to cross a pretty busy intersection. I pulled up and that’s when I saw him sitting there. He was anxiously waiting for a break in the steady steam of cars. Even from that distance I could see his darting eyes as his sweaty palms gripped his steering wheel.

I pulled up on the opposite side of the road headed in the opposite direction. We were two men, to gladiators of automobiles, about to pass side by side. I knew he was there first so he had the right a way…that was never in debate. I also knew there would be only a quick window to cross the road. There was no blinker on my opponent’s car—we would pass quickly like two ships in the night. I knew, too, that there was a chance that he would not follow the rules. Blinker or not, he might turn across my lane. Try as I might, I couldn’t read his mind or his intentions.

Suddenly there was a break in the traffic, my left foot moved from brake to accelerator and I was sure the same was happening in the car opposite me. Like I said…two ships in the night…side by side in opposite directions. No deal. No challenge. And, then, yes, it happened.

But, the answer is always the same. Keep your foot on the brake till you know clearly what the other person’s intention is. Just wait, be patient, and most likely you will come out looking a little bit more like Jesus and the more gallant in the exchange. The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.” Hmmm…that’s really good. We usually have more time than we think and we all know the pleasure of letting someone go first. They smile and think, “What a nice person.” And most times, that beats beating someone across an intersection, or to a place in line or to a parking spot.

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, priorities, thankful, wisdom

You’re Kidding Me, Right?

Posted on February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.” 1 Timothy 6:6-7

It was a dumb decision. When it comes to cars…I just seem to be inherently dumb. Naw…that’s probably too strong. I think I am just unwise. My first new car was a 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle. I was so proud of that car. It was bright orange with a black racing stripe and I had even jazzed it up some. I added exhaust headers, dual point ignition, a two-barrel carburetor, and an under-dash AM-FM radio, cassette player. Shoot that thing…it was so cool. And then…I got bored. Here’s a warning. When you get bored with your car, do not under any circumstances go to a car lot. Well, I did and even when the credit union said no, the nice man at the dealership said yes. My payments went from $83.00 per month to $135.00 per month which doesn’t sound bad till you realize I was in the Air Force and only making about $400 a month.

I think that whole deal turned out pretty good. When I met my wife Judy, I think she was impressed with my 5-speed Toyota Corona SE and later when we got orders for Germany, we were able to sell it and just about break even. I wish I could tell you I learned my lesson but sometimes, and especially when it comes to cars, I am just a slow learner. And when the car bug bites—Katie bar the door. The year was 2001. We were just beginning our ministry at a new church and getting settled into a new house and a new town. On September 11th of that year the terrorists knocked down the twin towers in New York and our country was stunned. To boost the economy President Bush encouraged the carmakers to get America back on the road again. He also encouraged people to go out and buy a new car. So, I did. Twice.

I asked Judy what she thought about buying a car and not surprisingly she was totally against it. However, we had money in the bank from selling our previous home, and so I went to the dealership and came home with a new car. It was brand-new Pontiac Grand Am and I got it with 2% financing. “Yay” I said…for a while. After owning the car for about six months or so, I noticed there was whine when the air conditioning was on. They checked it out and said it was normal. Well, I knew it wasn’t normal, so I went back…several times. Finally, the guy who sold me the car in the first place told me to come and he would “work something out.” This isn’t going to end well, is it?

I went in and I just assumed he was going to give me full credit for the car since in my eyes it was “defective.” Well, he didn’t and by this time I was up to my eyeballs with “I.Want.It-itis.” Yup, I traded my new car in, took a big loss, and bought another new car…one that was a little bigger and, of course, a little more expensive. It was a bad deal from start to finish. I felt so bad about it, and the fact I was in debt, that I depleted a chunk of our savings to go ahead and pay it off. I thought it would make me feel better. It didn’t. I told you I was a slow learner.

The really, sad, sad part of this story is that about a year later I wrecked the car and because of depreciation I could only replace it with an older used car. But…there is light at the end of this tunnel. You see, that was almost twenty years ago and while I have bought and sold cars several times…I never again made the mistake of buying a new car. I discovered that you can buy a four or five year old car for about half the price of a new one. How about that? I also relearned the important principle of BBQ grills. A long time ago, I heard a guy teaching and he said, “Don’t look for a new BBQ grill unless you are ready to buy a new grill.” That’s good advice, and it applies to many areas of life.

There’s a lot to be said for contentment. The Bible says, “True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.” I was speaking at my church recently and reached this conclusion. I said, “We need to learn two things. First, Jesus is enough. Second, the world is never enough.” That alone is worth your time in reading this story. The truth is the things that really bring satisfaction can’t be bought in a store…they are free. And at the top of that list is a relationship with Creator God. That will cost you nothing because Jesus paid that price a long time ago. If you seek satisfaction anywhere else, it will cost you and it just won’t satisfy. Someone said there is a God shaped vacuum in the life of every man, woman, and child. We can try and stuff other things in that vacuum, but it will always fall short.

So, I hope my car misadventures will help you learn and avoid the hard way. And I hope you will give God a try. Remember, don’t confuse church and religion with a relationship with God. One of the things that makes my life worth living is that He is my Dearest Father, and He loves me 100%—100% of the time. He will never leave me…even when I make those less than wise decisions. And when I fail and fall…He is always there with the assurance that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

fear, Grace, life, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, wisdom

Live Forward, Glance Back

Posted on November 12, 2020November 12, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead…” Philippians 3:13

There’s a reason it is smaller. I like cars. I love cars. From my first car, a worn out, rusted out, 1962 Rambler, to what I drive today…cars have held a special place in my life. That old Rambler may have been akin to the “Ramblin’ wreck from Georgia Tech” but it was mine…a gift from my oldest sister and her husband. I was 16 or 17 and I thought I was on top of the world. Through the years I have had many different cars. Some were new (oh, how I love that smell) and more were used, but each one was my baby. I try and take care of both of our family vehicles, but mine always gets the best care. Don’t even think about eating in it. Grandkids are required to take a bath before getting in it. Even Judy requires a permission slip to drive it.

As different as these cars have been, there are a few things that they have in common. They all had an engine. The Rambler had a straight line six with a rod knocking but hey, it ran…for a while. My first new car was a 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle. It had an engine too…but in the back. Trust me that was revolutionary in those days. Then there was the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser. It had an engine—a diesel. I didn’t know a thing about diesels. Imagine my surprise when I looked for the spark plugs and found out it didn’t have any! Speaking of diesels, Judy and I both drive Volkswagens these days, both diesels and both get about 42 miles per gallon. So I’m returning to my roots.

Oh, and all those cars had tires, four of them. They had seats—most had seating for five, but some had more. Our mini-vans could seat seven and that Cutlass Cruiser could seat eight. All had heating and most had air conditioning. Like I said, they had a lot of things in common. And they all had a mirror. They had one or two sideview mirrors and then there was one that hung in the middle of the windshield. It allowed me to see what was behind, and as you know that is important. But there is one more thing that they had in common. They all had a windshield.

In the real old days, cars didn’t have windshields. You wore goggles and just picked the bugs out of your teeth. But somewhere along the way someone figured out that there had to be a better way and the windshield was born. The windshield allows you to see where you are going and what is coming at you. It is big because it is important. Have you ever thought about this—the thing that allows you to see the future is a whole lot bigger than the thing that allows you to see the past. Hmmm. I bet that is no accident. No one can deny the fact that we need to look behind, it’s just that looking forward is more important and that is why it is so big.

So, here’s the question. As you are “driving” along life’s road, which is bigger, your windshield or your rearview mirror? I know many folks spend more time looking back than looking forward and that can lead to a pretty hair-raising ride. You see the rearview mirror in your car is not designed to be the primary place you look. It is designed for an occasional glance. Well, that is true in life. The rearview mirror in our life is there, it is designed, to glance back. We savor the good times and smile as we remember them. We wince at some of the more unwise decisions but remember the lessons we learned. Yup…it is profitable until it is all that we look at.

Living with our eyes glued to the rearview mirror of life is a dangerous thing. If we live staring at all the past good days, we will some become discontent with the present. If we live staring at all the past failures and flops, we will soon become discouraged and depressed. It’s just what happens when we stare at the past and ignore the present and future. Paul, in the Bible, gives us some great advice. He admitted that while he hadn’t figured it all out, he had learned one thing. He said we should leave the past in the past and reach out for the future. And trust me…that is really, good advice.

A guy named Brian Simmons says, “The time before us is not one of gloom and doom; it will be instead the best and most adventurous time of our lives. The best for God’s people lies not in the past, buried in Scripture somewhere. It’s yet to come. Let’s not allow fear to defeat us.” Right on Brian, Right on. Remember, don’t fear the future just because it is unknown. You see, there is a God who knows the future and in fact, in a way we can’t understand…He’s already there. So, settle back, rest in Him and enjoy the drive. Go ahead…set the cruise…He’s got this.