division – Grits with Grace

Family, food, friends, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, thankful, Trials

When Things Come Together

Posted on July 18, 2024July 18, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25

It’s my new favorite! It was a long time ago, but I can still remember my first visit to Cracker Barrel. We were driving back from a trip to the holy land (Georgia), and we were somewhere north of Atlanta when we saw a sign that said, “Cracker Barrel.” We didn’t have a clue about what they served but it sure sounded good, so we pulled in and like they say, “The rest is history.” While I like a lot of what “the Barrel” serves, their breakfast has long been a favorite. Number one used to be the standard eggs, grits (no sugar), bacon, biscuits, gravy with the crown jewel of pancakes covered with butter, syrup with fried apples and whipped cream. Whew—I almost need a nap just typing all that. But like I said that used to be number one. Now there is a new kid in town.

A couple of months ago I was having breakfast with my good friend Jeremy and was just checking out the menu before I ordered just to make sure I wasn’t missing something. Turns out I was. As my eyes went from left to right and up and down the page I saw, “Bacon N’ Egg Hashbrown Casserole.” “Hmmm” I thought and read the ingredients. It said, “Our scratch-made Hashbrown Casserole, hot off the grill and layered with pieces of crispy bacon, farm-fresh scrambled eggs, melted Colby cheese, fried onions, and fresh diced tomatoes. Served with Buttermilk Biscuits.”

Well, shoot that thing! I thought that sounded tasty. So, I customized it a bit (limp bacon instead of crispy and eggs sunny side up instead of scrambled) and waited for this masterpiece to come. Soon enough it arrived, and one bite told me I was in hog heaven. You see while some folks like their food all separate, I am a food mixer and for me that made this a winner. When that spoonful of hashbrown casserole, Colby cheese, egg yolk, bacon, fried onion and diced tomatoes hit my taste buds it was like the Fourth of July all over again and a new Cracker Barrel favorite was named.

So, what made that happen? Well, I like all those different things individually but for me, and I am speaking for me, when all those flavors and different textures came together it really was awesome. You see, with food, it is when things come together that winners are born. Let’s be honest. I’m not a big fan of flour until it lands in a biscuit. I’m not a big fan of butter until it is slathered on a biscuit—and on and on it goes. When food things come together, Katie, bar-the-door. But that’s not all.

You see God knew that a long, long time before Cracker Barrel. He knew that when His kids come together with Him, even the impossible becomes possible. That is why He tells us not to stop coming together, meeting together, as some people do. When we are together on the same page big things can happen. Now don’t forget that—because I promise you Satan wants us to. He knows apart we will have a come apart. He knows divided from each other and separated from God we are in deep weeds. We need to stay together and close to our Dearest Daddy. So, instead of staying home from church and staying away from God, why not do the opposite. Do you find some people just too hard to hang with? Well, just talk to God about it. After all, He’s got that too.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, forgiveness, friends, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

Gator Mania

Posted on December 12, 2022December 4, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:5-6

It was Gator mania. To say that Aunt Maryjo was a Gator fan is to say that the Pope is Catholic. Through and through, she loved everything that was University of Florida Gators. I am pretty sure if she had a blood transfusion, the blood type would have to be UF. I also am certain that if she was bilingual, she would speak Southern English and Gator. When she went to heaven a while back, the Gator’s lost their number one 94-year-old cheerleader.

The family asked me to do a chunk of her memorial service and I was pleased to do so. The service was all about Maryjo, the Gators and Jesus. We stayed at a hotel in Gainesville, and something almost immediately caught my eye. Virtually everything, and I do mean everything, was Gatorized. The primary decorating colors were blue and orange and Gator flags, Gator plaques, Gator pictures, and Gator knick knacks filled the main lobby and sitting area. They even had a ping pong table, and the net was not a net at all, but a solid wall of sorts painted orange with a Gator carved in the middle.

Everyone knows you wear black to funerals and many folks did. But there were also many blue and orange ties, shirts, dresses, and scarves scattered throughout the crowd. I noticed though several members of my family were not wearing blue and orange. I was kinda surprised. So, I asked one of my brothers-in-law, “Why aren’t you wearing blue and orange?” About the time I said it, I regretted it. He boldly said, “I ain’t no Gator.” Yup, there were several there who were Florida State fans and aunt or no aunt, they were not going to wear those stinking Gator colors. Life…go figure.

As Judy and I were sitting in the hotel lobby visiting and drinking coffee and observing everything Gator, she said, “Isn’t it amazing what can happen when we are all pulling in the same direction?” And do you know what? She was absolutely right. If I were to guess, probably 99% of the population around Gainesville were avid Gator fans. The lived it, they believed it, and they were ready to fight for it. They might be different social and economic classes, they might be different skin colors, they might even speak a different language, but one thing, one thing, pulled them together. One thing managed to hold them together—they were fans of the Gators. That singular thing overcame everything else. Amazing.

I wonder what would happen if in a different world other than football if the same thing happened. What if all the different denominations that say they believe in Jesus got together and pulled in the same direction? What if all the churches in a town laid aside their insignificant differences and decided that they were going to pull together for the common cause of Jesus? I wonder how our community, or state could and would change, if we all decided to agree on what mattered—the Jesus essentials—and laid the rest aside long enough to live and share the Good News. Why must we be like the football fans who attend rival schools and absolutely refuse to associate? I wonder.

Well, there is one thing I can tell you for certain. There is one who absolutely loves our division over the things that in ten years won’t matter and that is the devil. Oh, how he applauds our pettiness and while he is smiling, Jesus is grieving. I know He grieves because the Bible says we are not to grieve Him. If we are not careful, we are going to lose…and I’m not talking about a football game. I am talking about our communities, our cities, our counties, and our country. I am not talking about losing a battle, I am talking about the war for the heart and soul of men, women, children—and the places they—we live.

Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe somehow our holy huddles and frail fellowships can pull it off individually. But that’s not how the Bible describes how our relationships should be. There is one body and that is body of Christ. I believe it says, “One faith, one Lord, and one baptism.” One…there is real power when all the ones come together for the One and His soul (don’t worry…intentionally spelled that way) purpose. Jesus came to seek and saved that which was lost, and it was something that He was willing to die for. What about you? What about us? Can we, will we, don the colors of the cross—red for His blood, white for our forgiveness and blue for our loyalty, not to a pastor, a church, or a denomination, but to the One who matters—Jesus!

Well, I was raised not too far from Gainesville and my Daddy and most of my family were Gator fans, but somehow, I went rogue—I pull for Notre Dame. Go figure—a Baptist pastor pulling for a Catholic team. What’s up with that? It’s simple really—I love tradition and I love college football and those two override the other. I am hoping our common denominator—Jesus—will cause us do the same. I am banking on the fact that we may lose a battle or two, but in the end—Jesus wins and I’m gonna rest in that. After all, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, Trials, wisdom

Perseverance

Posted on June 18, 2021June 12, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Perseverance…don’t quit. In my inventory of weaknesses is something that I wish wasn’t. I would like to tell you that I have the perseverance of a thoroughbred race horse bolting from the gate with only one goal—to finish and to finish first. And while I am not a quitter, I do sometimes, “peter out.” Merriam Webster defines that as “to gradually become smaller, weaker, or less before stopping or ending”.

During 2020 there were too many times when I just wasn’t sure I was going to finish well—or finish at all. But that wasn’t always a bad thing because it caused me to look inwardly and upward—to my Dearest Daddy.

During those times when I wasn’t sure of much of anything, it was then that I found myself turning to the One who was sure. When my steps were unsure, I found myself tracking with the One whose steps were rock solid and sure. I think 2020 taught me something of hanging in there—to persevere—to keep going. While I was out west this past May I saw it over and over again. First, it was a wild flower blooming in what can only be called dust. The roots had somehow dug deep and found the water of life. I saw it in a small tree as it grew from a crevice in a large rock. It made no sense but somehow that tree decided there was a way to grow in an impossible place.

I saw it too from another small tree growing from a large rock in the middle of a lake. There was no soil to be found and yet it grew…it persevered. It decided that it would survive, it would thrive, even though the odds were totally against success. You see, the Bible is filled with stories of men and women who trusted God against all odds. A shepherd boy becomes a king, another “has-been” shepherd leads a million or so people to a new land—the promised land. A band of eleven men from various walks of life chose to follow a young rabbi (who happened to be the Son of God) and the message they shared changed the world.

All of these folks failed at one time or another, but they didn’t quit. They chose to persevere. If you wonder how America has lasted for these 245 years, there are two reasons. The hand of God and the perseverance of ordinary men and women who gave what they had for a cause they believed in. A.Cause.They.Believed.In.

We have survived one of the greatest challenges we have faced in our lifetime—the pandemic of 2020. However, I am sure the greater enemy wasn’t the pandemic, but rather the division that swept our land like a wildfire. Someone wiser than you or me once said that a house divided against itself cannot stand—Jesus said that before Lincoln did.

William Carey, a great missionary, once said, “The future is as bright as the promises of God” and I believe that is true today. But we need to learn from the founding fathers, from the men who stormed Normandy or trudged through the jungles of Vietnam or froze on the hills of Korea. We have to learn again to trust the hand of God. The Bible says that we should trust God with everything we have and turn away from the tendency to trust ourselves. If we do that…He will guide us…He will direct us. We also need to learn the lesson of that small tree growing from that giant rock. We will not quit, we will persevere—we will find life in the most unlikely of places. Trust God and don’t quit. That sounds like a plan.

With the pandemic largely in the rearview mirror, it seems to some degree we have been given a second chance. I hope we will take advantage of this gift God has given us. I hope we will learn the power of perseverance and the power of four simple words, “Love God…Love People.” I may not know what tomorrow holds but I do know the One who holds tomorrow and that is good enough for me. I am certain no matter what, that as always, “He’s got this.”

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, USA, wisdom

December 7th

Posted on December 7, 2020December 6, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Mark 3:25

December 7th. A day that will live in infinity.” Though it was before my time I know the story well. It was a beautiful morning in Pearl Harbor. Those who weren’t painting the ships or swabbing the decks of the powerful U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet were home enjoying a round of golf or a tropical breakfast. And then, at 7:55 in the morning local time, without warning or provocation, bombers, fighters, and torpedo bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy swept in. They began to systematically destroy the American fleet and its supporting aircraft. That morning thousands of sailors and civilians lost their lives and thousands more were wounded. Over eleven hundred sailors died instantly when a single bomb hit the ammunition magazine on the battleship Arizona.

In a hour and fifteen minutes the attack was over and the United States was drawn into a global war. The nation had long been divided over what role the United States should take in the war that raged in Europe. That was all settled when, after the attack, Japan declared war on America and Hitler as an ally of Japan did the same. Like it or not, the United States was embroiled in a war that would last for almost four years and cost the lives of 407,316 Americans with another 671,278 wounded. But by the grace of Almighty God, in the end, America and her Allies were victorious in defeating the tyranny of the fascist governments.

Thirty-eight percent of those who served were volunteers and sixty-one percent were drafted. The average enlisted person was paid $71.00 per month while the average officer was paid $203. Drafted or volunteer, officer or enlisted, they were all willing to put their lives on the line for the cause of freedom and the cause of defeating countries bent on oppressing those weaker than they. Many valuable lessons were learned during that time—lessons that we must not forget.

First, is the power of unity. Before the Pearl Harbor attack the nation was clearly divided over the war. After the attack, the nation pulled together on a unified front to protect and defend—first the United States, and second, the millions of innocent people being oppressed by Germany, Japan, and Italy. It is tragic that it took a Pearl Harbor to bring the nation together, but if America had entered the war divided the outcome would have been much different. Today, we need to understand that it is time to come together again. We have allowed a virus named COVID-19, a contested national election, and blatant racism to divide our country. Jesus said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Neither can families. Neither can churches. We must come together or we will fall together.

Second, is the power of owning it. As in any national tragedy, the event happens and almost immediately the finger pointing begins. Pick the historical event and the pattern is sadly the name. Political parties and even ordinary, everyday people will use a tragedy to promote their cause. We have seen it on the national front. We have seen it on the local front. We have seen it in the churches. It is not a time to point fingers, but rather a time to rise to help solve what is broken. Seventy-nine years ago today, December 7, America rose to the challenge. I wonder if we will have the wisdom to do the same today?

Last, is the power of wisdom. There is not much debate that storm clouds were gathering in the days leading up to December 7th. Some would say that there was blatant evidence that an attack was coming. Sadly, those warning signs were largely ignored and the cost was horrendous. Today, right now, there is something we need to remember. There is one enemy and it is not our neighbor, not our brother or sister in church, and not even the person who belongs to another political party. The enemy is Satan, who wants nothing more than to destroy us. Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy.” It was true when He said it…it is true today. The second part of that verse is filled with hope. Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”

You see, God is for us. He is very aware of Satan’s tricks and schemes and He wants us to be victorious over him. That is what Christmas and Easter were all about. God became flesh and lived among us and then ultimately and deliberately died on a Roman cross that all people, regardless of nationality, race or economic station, could be forgiven and have eternal life. With the wisdom of God, we don’t have to have a “spiritual” Pearl Harbor. With God’s help we can come together. With God’s help we can be victorious.

You see, it’s not about religion. It is about a relationship with the God who made it all. And with the relationship comes hope, comes peace, comes forgiveness, comes unity. If we are wise enough to believe what God says, and act on what He teaches, our best days won’t be in the rearview mirror but rather ahead. So this Christmas season, let the Prince of Peace bring His peace into your world. Rest in Him. He’s got this.