patience – Page 2 – Grits with Grace

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Construction Zone Ahead

Posted on July 28, 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

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

It was a long time ago, but I remember it well. Way back, before I knew anything about Harrisburg or Dorrisville Baptist Church, I made a trip to this small town in Southeastern Illinois. I was pastoring in Cobden, a smaller town by far. A person associated with our church there was having some mental health issues that required admission to a clinic. Somehow, they ended up at the center located at the Harrisburg Medical Center.

I wanted to go over and visit them but had no clue how to get there. This was a time, gulp, before GPS, so I had to rely on directions and an old-fashioned map. I made it to Marion and got off Interstate 57 and followed the road sign pointing to Harrisburg. Before long, I found myself on a long and winding road (wait… isn’t there a song that goes like that?). It was the kind of two-lane road that you got to play like a race car driver on. There were plenty of curves and practically no passing lanes. I remember coming upon a gigantic crane…I mean HUGE…that was abandoned by one of the coal mines.

Well, the long and winding road was about 24 or 25 miles but because I was blessed to get behind several slow, like really slow, drivers, it seemed like forever. In fact, when I got to Harrisburg, I had to stop to get a haircut. You ask, “Well, why didn’t you get one in Cobden?” The answer is “I didn’t need one then.” Smile. Anyway (I have to be careful not to get distracted) I made my visit and then reversed the route. I remember thinking how isolated Harrisburg was. I mean you had to be going there to get there. I kinda reminded me of the wagon trains and the Oregon Trail.

Now, fast-forward years…I’m not sure how many…but lots. My daughter Jennifer was going to try out for the Illinois Baptist State Association All-State Choir and her audition was at Dorrisville Baptist Church in Harrisburg. When I heard that, I mentally blocked off two days for the trip (ok, I’m being facetious). But I still remember that long and winding road. Now, imagine my surprise when we exited off the interstate again and followed the signs for Harrisburg and there before us was a four-lane divided highway. No winding road, no 45 mph speed zones, no no-passing zones—just smooth sailing. What a change. What a blessing. What took the better part of an hour now took 25 minutes.

Obviously, barring a road building fairy, a long and complicated construction project had taken place and replaced the two-lane, long, and winding road with a modern highway. I’m sure it involved multiple construction zones. I’m sure it involved inconvenience. I’m sure it involved frustration—though I’m not sure what could have been more frustrating that the original two-lanes. But I bet it all was worth it when the new highway opened, and the miles flew by. It had to be game changer. Yup, the construction zones had to be worth it.

Well, I was praying this morning and something like this came out of my mouth, “Lord, help me to be patient in the construction zones of my life.” I paused when I said it because it really grabbed my heart. The construction zones of my life. Hmmm. You see, it made me realize that I am like a construction project, and it can be frustrating. But God is in charge of the project, and He does have a plan that He is working out in my life. I know I use this a lot in my writing but it just too good. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” One day, someday, it will be worth it. It might be years down the road, or it might even be heaven, but I will see the big picture and I will know that no matter how painful or costly, it was worth it. It.Was.Worth.It.

There’s an old song (my apologies to my younger readers) that says, “It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus. One look at His dear face all sorrows will erase.” I believe that. So, as you tootle down life’s road and you hit one of those stinking construction zones—hold on and throttle back. It could be that God is working in one of His mysterious ways. It might be to bring you into His family, or it might be He is just trying to make you a little bit more like Jesus. One thing I know for sure…it won’t be wasted. God doesn’t waste time and He doesn’t waste suffering. I like that. If you find yourself in stopped traffic on this road called life, just hit the pause button and breathe deeply. Then repeat this as many times as you need to, “I choose to rest in Him. He’s got this.” There you go. Now, don’t you feel better already? Bro. Dewayne

* Signpost photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful

What Does the Lord Require of You?

Posted on July 14, 2022July 13, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

It was an unexpected blessing. A while back my friend Jeremy gave me a call and asked if I wanted to go to Marion (a town about 25 miles from where we live) with him. He needed some stuff from Sam’s, so it just sounded like a good thing to do. And do you know what? It was. He swung by the house and off we went. As we traveled, we talked. We have one of those “what’s said in the truck, stays in the truck” things so it is good to have a place where you can let your hair down (uh, if you’ve ever seen my hairline, you know that is metaphorically speaking) and just be guys.

As we neared Marion, he took a turn down Main Street, which was a little odd for going to Sam’s, and before I knew it, we were at Cracker Barrel. That caught me off guard since I thought we were just doing the Sam’s thing. It turns out my bad ear failed to hear the part about, “I’ll buy your breakfast.” So, hey, the trip went from good to really good! Let’s see…time away with a brother and free breakfast…yup…that works. We were quickly seated in Cracker Barrel but that is when the quickly ended and it was also when I realized I might be having a couple of “Cracker Barrel moments.”

We waited awhile before a server came by. He was kind and gracious and so were we. He took our order, and Jeremy and I began to talk. We talked about this, and we talked about that and then, because there was time, we talked about that again. Finally, after oh, three days, our food came. It really wasn’t too big of a deal because I was spending time with a friend, and I was studying for a sermon on patience and needed some practice. But I did say to Jeremy, pointing at the food, “I was just about to have to work on my patience.” He smiled and said, “Hey, you got some place to go?” Ah…Cracker Barrel moment number one. Enjoy the moment. Truth was there was nothing I was going to do that was more important than just visiting with a friend. Someone once said that one of the most spiritual things we can do is take a nap. Number two on that list might be visiting with a Christian brother. Check.

Cracker Barrel moment number two happened a few minutes later. After we were seated for a few minutes, an older couple came in and sat down nearby. Their server was there immediately. I think I frowned. Their food came (before ours…I might have frowned) and then shortly after, our own breakfast feast arrived. Judy was not around so I ordered the works. Then it happened. A young man walked in and was seated close to the older couple. I watched as the young man went over to the older man, excused himself for interrupting, said something. They shook hands and the young man returned to his table.

The older couple left first and then Jeremy and I stood to leave too. I stopped at the table of the young man and asked, “I saw you go over and talk to that older man. What was that about?” I thought I already knew. The young man said, “He was a veteran I was thanking him for his service.” Yup…I was right. The older gentleman had a ball cap on, and it identified him as a veteran. I said, “Well, thank you for thanking him for his service. That was very kind.” I don’t know who his Momma was, but she sure did a good job raising him.

Two Cracker Barrel moments—two exact opposite lessons yet both valuable. Live for the moment…whatever is next can probably wait and always, and I mean always, take the opportunity to do the right thing…like thanking a veteran. I left Cracker Barrel a lot fuller that day…pun intended. We enjoyed a good meal, some great fellowship, and had a blessing thrown in for dessert.

Tucked away in one of those books of the Bible that we rarely read is a verse that says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” I think my visit to Cracker Barrel hit on a couple of those. None of us know which day will be our last day but it is good to know the One who does. Until that time, we need our Cracker Barrel moments to remind us we are still learning and that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, life, prayer, Scripture, travel, Trials

While I’m Waiting

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

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” James 1:2-3

At first it seemed unfair but then, there it was, conspiracy. There is a lot of talk today about conspiracy schemes. When and whatever happens there is someone who will say there is a dark diabolical reason for it happening. I wasn’t sure about it until it happened to me. Yes, there was a conspiracy.

Last year, my wife Judy and I were able to attend a pastor’s conference in North Carolina. It was so good to pack a few things, jump into our 44 mpg Jetta and hit the road. Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” was ringing in my ears. We cruised across Tennessee and were heading toward North Carolina when it happened. About five miles from the border, our GPS talky thing said, in her most gentle voice, “traffic ahead.” Well, it wasn’t like we were in Chicago or something so that could only mean trouble.

Soon, very soon, trouble was staring me in the face. Break-lights and slowing vehicles were everywhere. We were in a slowdown—we were in—traffic. Signage and the talky thing confirmed my worse fears—there was construction ahead. Now you need to know something. First, I am not patient in traffic. Ok, that wasn’t totally transparent. I am totally impatient in traffic. In fact, I’m not patient period. Whether it be in traffic or at the store, I am changing lanes like a one-armed paperhanger looking for the shortest and fastest lane. The Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made but I must have missed the patience part.

Have ever been driving and the traffic going in the opposite direction is stopped and you are feeling sorry for them? Well, I was the one stopped, and I could just feel the empathy of the other drivers. It turned out to be about a 45-minute stop and go. The amazing part was I did pretty good. Judy was beaming at my surprised patience. I even said, “Well, at least going home we won’t have to deal with this.” Soon (though not soon enough) we were through the construction—we were on our way. Hit the fast forward button.

That was Wednesday. Too quickly the days of the conference went by and in no time, it was time to go home. After the conference ended at noon, we jumped into our 44 mpg Jetta and hit the road toward home. Willie was once again whirling around in my head singing “On the Road Again.” We were nearing the site of Wednesday’s lesson in patience feeling confident and glad that we were heading in the other direction. And then it happened. The GPS talky thing mentioned traffic, 14 miles per hour, and delays. Wait. What? We were not supposed to have to deal with this. And this is when I knew there was a conspiracy. They had changed sides.

Here’s how I think it played out. The North Carolina Department of Transportation called the conference center, asked when I was leaving and then quickly moved the construction to the West bound side so they could get me again. I am sure of it. So, another slowdown, another wait in traffic, but this time they were merciful since it was only 27 minutes and 14 seconds. Oh yes, I was counting. And the people going east, were zooming by with looks of mercy for those of us stuck. It just wasn’t fair.

I know the Bible well enough to know that you don’t pray for patience. That is one prayer you won’t hear passing through my lips. Pray for patience and you end up with traffic. Pray for patience and you end up locked in your house with three kids for three months. So, I got that. But there is a pesky couple of verses found in James 1:2-3 that says, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” I really like the Bible, but I really don’t like those verses.

Of all the emotions I feel when I am sitting in traffic, joy is not the one that comes to mind—and certainly not great joy. But then I read verse 3 and it gives me pause. James says I should appreciate the moments in traffic because it helps me to grow. It helps me to be a better person. It helps me be stronger—it builds endurance. Like lifting weights at the gym strengths muscles so trying situations strengthens our faith in God. Which means part of that whole 2020 deal, and 2021 for that matter, should be to make us stronger in our faith. Hmmmm.

Well, in the end I did pretty good through traffic lesson number two and we managed to get home that evening just about on time. Truth be known…God was good, God was faithful and even in traffic, God can be trusted. No matter what, He has my good at His heart. He wants me to thrive in this world and not just survive. And that means sometimes learning patience sitting in traffic. As you travel today wherever and however that looks, just know God is the traffic manager of your life. Just sit back, enjoy the pause and rest in Him. He’s got this. Honk, Honk. Bro. Dewayne

Grace, life, love, loving others, missions, Scripture, Trials

Easy Preaching…Hard Living

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

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” James 1:2

It sounded so good when I said it. So I am a pastor/teacher which means I get to tell people about the Bible and how they should do this and do that. I really enjoy teaching and the truth is life is just better when we follow what the Bible says. It really is so much more than a rule book. It tells us all about God but it also gives us His guidelines for living. I have discovered that when I follow what it says, my life has fewer regrets and smaller consequences. Trust me, it works.

The bottom line is talking is easier than doing. It is one thing to stand up before a bunch of people and teach something and quite another to do it. We call it “easy preaching and hard living” and that is especially true when it comes to living, working and dealing with people. That is probably why the Bible talks a whole lot about loving people. Its pretty amazing but you can sum up a whole bunch of the Bible with four words…love God…love people. That may be only 17 letters but they are filled to the brim with impact.

I talked about loving your neighbor as yourself a couple of week ago. Oh, man, did it go well. I talked about loving people like Jesus loves us and how if we experienced love from Him we should be willing to share that same love. Yup…it preached really good. I know I left church ready to love the world. For example, imagine this.

Let’s pretend, you know, hypothetically speaking, there was a family that bought a house in a quiet, historic neighborhood. Imagine that one of the residents welcomed the new neighbors and told them how glad they were to have them in the neighborhood. Then a day or two later the old neighbors began hearing a very loud, very large dog barking and realized it was coming from the direction of the new neighbors. Apparently, they had a big dog who wasn’t happy and decided to let his displeasure be known…to the whole world.

Well, now imagine that one neighbor talked to another neighbor and it was decided that someone should talk to the new neighbor about the situation. So one of the neighbors went down and very kindly asked if they could maybe encourage their dog to not bark quite as loud or often. The new neighbors were very understanding and said they would keep the dog inside more. Wouldn’t that kind? All the neighbors decided that these neighbors were gonna be easy to love.

Then, imagine that a cat just shows up in the other neighbor’s yard and it belonged to the new kids on the block. And, horror of horrors, it is looking for breakfast and on the menu is bird…the neighbor’s birds. So, let’s pretend that old neighbor goes down and asks the new neighbors to please keep their precious kitty at home. Well, they were nice but said the cat couldn’t stay inside because it wouldn’t use the litter box. Hmmmm…wouldn’t that be…shall we say…more difficult.

Then, and remember this is all hypothetical, the new neighbors decided one dog was not enough so they added two full grown German shepherds and another large “I’m not sure what it is” dog for a total of four. Then imagine that these dogs are a tight knit group meaning when one barks they all bark…a lot. So as a result, if all this were real, the nice, quiet historic neighborhood wouldn’t be quite as quiet as it was. I bet the old neighbors would have to do a lot of learning about patiently, loving neighbors. They would probably realize that Jesus stuff can be quite challenging.

Well, of course, this is all just hypothetical but the truth is when Jesus walked the earth for those three years, it often wasn’t easy for Him either. But regardless of who and what…He loved people and He told His followers that they were to do the same. As Jesus followers we are not only to love when it is easy…we are to love period. We are to love our neighbor…even those hypothetical ones with large dogs who like to bark…a lot. We are to love our neighbor, even the hypothetical ones, who might have a cat that likes to eat birds…our birds. We are to love our neighbors…period. No if’s, no and’s and no but’s.

James, the half-brother of Jesus told us that we should count it joy when we have trials. A preacher I know (that would be me) is going to say in an upcoming sermon that the orchard where patience and love grow is often difficult but the fruit is oh so sweet. And that is the truth. So, not hypothetically, I’m going to do my best to love my neighbor. You see, we need to make sure that they know we love Jesus and because we love Jesus…we love them. Is it going to be challenging? Absolutely but if I understand the Book correctly, we don’t have to go it alone. He’s got this.

food, gratitude, life, Military memories, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Veteran's Day

Cracker Barrel Moments

Posted on July 8, 2021July 7, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

It was an unexpected blessing. This morning my friend Jeremy gave me a call and asked if I wanted to go to Marion (a town about 25 miles from where we live) with him. He needed some stuff from Sam’s so it just sounded like a good thing to do. And do you know what? It was. He swung by the house and off we went. As we traveled we talked. We have one of those “what’s said in the truck, stays in the truck” things so it is good to have a place where you can let your hair down (uh, if you’ve ever seen my hairline you know that is metaphorically speaking) and just be guys.

As we neared Marion, he took a turn down Main Street, which was a little odd for going to Sam’s, and before I knew it we were at Cracker Barrel. That caught me off guard since I thought we were just doing the Sam’s thing. It turns out my bad ear failed to hear the part about, “I’ll buy your breakfast.” So, hey, the trip went from good to really good. Let’s see…time away with a brother and free breakfast…yup…that works. We were quickly seated in Cracker Barrel but that is when the quickly ended and it was also when I realized I might be having a couple of “Cracker Barrel moments.”

We waited awhile before a server came by. He was kind and gracious and so were we. He took our order and Jeremy and I began to talk. We talked about this and we talked about that and then, because there was time, we talked about that again. Finally, after oh, three days, our food came. It really wasn’t too big of a deal because I was spending time with a friend, and I was studying for a sermon on patience and needed some practice. But I did say to Jeremy, pointing at the food, “I was just about to have to work on my patience.” He smiled and said, “Hey, you got some place to go?” Ah…Cracker Barrel moment number one. Enjoy the moment. Truth was there was nothing I was going to do that was more important than just visiting with a friend. Someone once said that one of the most spiritual things we can do is take a nap. Number two on that list might be visiting with a Christian brother. Check.

Cracker Barrel moment number two happened a few minutes later. After we were seated for a few minutes an older couple came in and sat down nearby. Their server was there immediately. I think I frowned. Their food came (before ours…I might have frowned) and then shortly after, our own breakfast feast arrived. Judy was not around so I order the works. Then it happened. A young man walked in and was seated close to the older couple. I watched as the young man went over to the older man, excused himself for interrupting, said something. They shook hands and the young man returned to his table.

The older couple left first and then Jeremy and I stood to leave too. I stopped at the table of the young man and asked, “I saw you go over and talk to that older man. What was that about?” I really already knew. The young man said, “He was a veteran I was thanking him for his service.” Yup…I was right. The older gentleman had a ball cap on and it identified him as a veteran. I said, “Well, thank you for thanking him for his service. That was very kind.” I don’t know who his Momma was, but she sure did a good job raising him.

Tucked away in one of those books of the Bible that we rarely read is a verse that says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” I think my visit to Cracker Barrel hit on a couple of those. None of us know which day will be our last day but it is good to know the One who does. Until that time we need our Cracker Barrel moments to remind us we are still learning and that “He’s got this.”

Family, Grace, life, Scripture, thankful, travel, Trials

Your Expected Wait Time

Posted on June 2, 2021June 1, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Warning…whining ahead. Ok, I just wanted to give you a heads up that I am about to whine. It really isn’t my fault. I think I was born with it…wired with it. While most babies cried, I whined. If the milk wasn’t quite the right temperature…I didn’t cry…I whined. If it was a quarter past a diaper change…you guessed, I whined. And if someone failed to realize just how precious I was…whine, whine, whine. I am so good at it I believe it must be some kind of gift. I know the Bible talks about people having a special gift from God so who knows…maybe there is a whining gift. People sometimes say you shouldn’t whine but that is probably because they are jealous. Whining is an art, a talent but there is a problem. Nobody seems to appreciate a good whiner. Someone even gave me a little plaque to hang in my office. It simply says, “Thou shalt not whine.” Imagine that.

I try to be a good steward of my whining gift and save it for very, special occasions, but the problem is, to me everything day is special and almost every situation an opportunity to practice my gift. But tonight, tonight it is valid. Tonight, I have the right to whine…and I have. Here’s why. So, a couple of months ago, my wife Judy and I planned our fall vacation and decided to go back to Fort Myers, Florida. It just sounded like a good idea.

We began to make all the appropriate reservations and arrangements. Car rental…check. Places to stay…check. Plane tickets…check. Yup…we were all set. And then it happened. The airline, which I won’t name but whose name starts with a D and ends with an A decided to change our flight schedule. Hmmm.

We always fly in and out of Evansville because it is so convenient. As close as it is, it is still about an hour and a half from where we live to the airport. We had arranged for the return flight to land in the early afternoon. This is especially important since as a pastor I am supposed to speak the next morning. It’s always good to have a cushion…just in case. Anyway, here comes the email. Surprise, surprise, surprise…we have changed your flight from landing at 4:40pm in the afternoon to 9:09pm (yawn) in the evening. Add an hour and a half drive and it makes 5:00 am come pretty fast.

So, I checked and found out there was indeed a flight that landed at 4:40 pm and there were indeed seats available. I decided to call the airlines and ask them to fix the problem. I dialed the number and the chirpy voice on the recording assured me that I was a valuable customer (I even had a special number to call) and they would be right with me. The expected wait time was just four hours. I’m not kidding, 4:00 hours. Well, I just knew there had to be another way but after spending an hour trying to find it, I realized there was not one. Not an email solution, not a wish, or a prayer…nothing, nada. If I wanted to talk to the nice airline, I would have to stay on the line for four hours. Can someone say crazy?

Well, rather than stay on the line for four hours (yawn) I decided to spend the time writing a story about it. I just know all of you out there in grits land will understand and whine with me. I’m not sure how I’m gonna fix the problem, but I assure you it will not involve me holding on the phone for four hours. I can also assure you it will involve an appropriate amount of whining.

Now fortunately, not all customer service is as poor as this. In fact, there is one place where there is no wait, no busy signal and each person is indeed special. And, where would that be…on God’s hotline. I love the fact that my Dearest Daddy is never too busy, never too overwhelmed to take my call. And the best part? He always makes the right call—pun intended. He is too kind to be mean and too wise to make a mistake. Even when His way doesn’t match my way, I am sure that it is the best way. I guess I could ask Him for patience, but I hear the training program for that involves six hour hold times. Yikes!

Well, I feel better now. Thanks for reading and understanding. Who knows, all this might work out for my good…actually, I’m sure it will. I mean the Bible says, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose,” and I suppose that includes long holds on the phone. Someone (and that would be me) tells everyone that will listen, “He’s got this” and I believe that He does. I even believe that includes airlines with four hour hold times. How about that. God bless you! 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.

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 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.

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

Family, gratitude, life, prayer, sovereignty of God, travel, wisdom

Construction Zone Ahead

Posted on October 5, 2020October 4, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

I wanted to go over and visit them but had no clue how to get there. This was a time, gulp, before GPS, so I had to rely on directions and an old fashioned map. I made it to Marion and got off Interstate 57 and followed the road sign pointing to Harrisburg. Before long, I found myself on a long and winding road (wait… isn’t there a song that goes like that?). It was the kind of two-lane road that you got to play like a race car driver on. There were plenty of curves and practically no passing lanes. I remember coming upon a gigantic crane…I mean HUGE…that was abandoned by one of the coal mines.

Well, the long and winding road was about 24 or 25 miles but because I was blessed to get behind several slow, like really slow, drivers, it seemed like forever. In fact, when I got to Harrisburg, I had to stop to get a haircut. You ask, “Well, why didn’t you get one in Cobden?” The answer is “I didn’t need one then.” Smile. Anyway (I have to be careful not to get distracted.) I made my visit and then reversed the route. I remember thinking how isolated Harrisburg was. I mean you had to be going there to get there. I kinda reminded me of the wagon trains and the Oregon Trail.

Obviously, barring a road building fairy, a long and complicated construction project had taken place and replaced the two-lane, long and winding road with a modern highway. I’m sure it involved multiple construction zones. I’m sure it involved inconvenience. I’m sure it involved frustration—though I’m not sure what could have been more frustrating that the original two-laner. But I bet it all was worth it when the new highway opened and the miles flew by. It had to be game changer. Yup, the construction zones had to be worth it.

Well, I was praying this morning and something like this came out of my mouth, “Lord, help me to be patient in the construction zones of my life.” I paused when I said it because it really grabbed my heart. The construction zones of my life. Hmmm. You see, it made me realize that I am like a construction project and it can be frustrating. But God is in charge of the project and He does have a plan that He is working out in my life. I know I use this a lot in my writing but it just too good. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” One day, someday, it will be worth it. It might be years down the road, or it might even be heaven, but I will see the big picture and I will know that no matter how painful or costly, it was worth it. It.Was.Worth.It.

There’s an old song (my apologies to my younger readers) that says, “It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus. One look at His dear face all sorrows will erase.” I believe that. So, as you tootle down life’s road and you hit one of those stinking construction zones—hold on and throttle back. It could be that God is working in one of His mysterious ways. It might be to bring you into His family or it might be He is just trying to make you a little bit more like Jesus. One thing I know for sure…it won’t be wasted. God doesn’t waste time and He doesn’t waste suffering. I like that. If you find yourself in stopped traffic on this road called life, just hit the pause button and breathe deeply. Then repeat this as many times as you need to, “I choose to rest in Him. He’s got this.” There you go. Now, don’t you feel better already?

Signpost photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Family, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

Bang, Bang

Posted on September 18, 2020September 17, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” Psalm 27:14

I waited and waited and it seemed like it would never come. People say that good things come to those who wait. I’ve heard that a lot but I’m not sure I believe it. In fact, I’m not even sure I know what it means. But one thing is sure…I know what it means to wait…especially if it involves the government and a by-pass.

When I came to Harrisburg in 2000, we bought a house on West Poplar Street. Now back in those days that was THE main drag. Every car and truck going East and West through Harrisburg had to travel down Poplar Street. When we looked at the house we were told that a by-pass was on the planning board and would be done within five years. Well, that sounded pretty good, so we bought the house and waited…and waited…and waited. As it turned out it was a little longer than five years. In fact—it was almost twelve.

Now in our 20th year at 217, I am grateful, very grateful, that the by-pass finally came. I know some folks weren’t sure we even needed one and some went another way so they are indifferent. You might ask, “What’s the big deal about the by-pass? Well if you have ever lived on West Poplar Street…you would know.

You see, Mr. Bob, my neighbor back in the days before the by-pass, told me that he counted in one day, and 60 semi-trucks went by his house in one hour–that is one per minute. In those days there were probably more coal trucks, but believe me there were still plenty of trucks. You kinda wondered where in the world they were all going.

Now check this out…for the first seven years…count them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 years or 2,555 days, there was a hole in the road right before my house. Every time a semi-truck went by it would hit that hole with a resounding “BANG.” Allowing for 60 trucks an hour and 12 driving hours in a day that equates to 1,839,600 bangs. Remember how people say if you live by a railroad track long enough you stop hearing the whistle? Trust me…that does not apply to bangs.

Now do you understand why I was so excited about the bypass? Oh, and did I mention waiting two or three minutes just to get out of my driveway? So, we waited and finally in 2012, the bypass opened and traffic was drastically reduced. Oh, and gravy on the mashed potatoes…they even fixed the hole.

I guess it is true, good things come to those who wait. But waiting is hard. There was a lady in the gospels who was sick for twelve long years…about the same time I waited for the by-pass. She had been to doctor after doctor and the only thing that left her was all her money. Then she met Jesus and He changed everything. She was overwhelmed with gratitude.

I supposed that is the one good thing about waiting. When, and if, what you are waiting on comes to pass, you are usually pretty grateful. She was, I am, and you would be too. The psalmist writes, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)

Down in the South we say, “a watched pot never boils.” Well that isn’t true…it will boil, but it sure seems to take longer. So, if there is something in your life and you are praying and you are waiting, be patient. Wait on the Lord and who knows, your “by-pass” may come too. All this COVID hot mess has definitely stuck around longer than I ever thought. I still believe, though, that it hasn’t come to stay…it has come to pass.

I think this afternoon I will go sit in my quieter front yard and take a rest with the God who made all of this. He even had a big hand in the by-pass! After that, I’ll just remind myself that no matter what…He’s got this.

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, travel

Patience or “Not”

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” James 1:2-3

As you may remember, my wife and I were able to attend a pastor’s conference in North Carolina. It was so good to pack a few things, jump into our 44 mpg Jetta and hit the road. Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” was ringing in my ears. We cruised across Tennessee and were heading toward North Carolina when it happened. About five miles from the border, our GPS talky thing said, in her most gentle voice, “traffic ahead.” Well, it wasn’t like we were in Chicago or something so that could only mean trouble.

Soon, very soon, trouble was staring me in the face. Brake-lights and slowing vehicles were everywhere. We were in a slowdown—we were in—traffic. Signage and the talky thing confirmed my worse fears—there was construction ahead. Now you need to know something. First, I am not patient in traffic. Ok, that wasn’t totally transparent. I am totally impatient in traffic. In fact, I’m not patient period. Whether it be in traffic or at the store, I am changing lanes like a one-armed paperhanger looking for the shortest and fastest lane. The Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made but I must have missed the patience part.

Have you ever been driving and the traffic going in the opposite direction is stopped and you are feeling sorry for them? Well, I was the one stopped and I could just feel the empathy of the other drivers. It turned out to be about a 45 minute stop and go. The amazing part was I did pretty good. Judy was beaming at my surprising patience. I even said, “Well, at least going home we won’t have to deal with this.” Soon (though not soon enough) we were through the construction—we were on our way. Hit the fast forward button.

That was Wednesday. Too quickly the days of the conference went by and in no time it was time to go home. After the conference ended at noon we jumped into our 44 mpg Jetta and hit the road toward home. Willie was once again whirling around in my head singing “On the Road Again.” We were nearing the site of Wednesday’s lesson in patience feeling confident and glad that we were heading in the other direction. And then it happened. The GPS talky thing mentioned traffic, 14 miles per hour, and delays. Wait. What? We were not supposed to have to deal with this. And that is when I knew there was a conspiracy. They had changed sides.

Here’s how I think it played out. The North Carolina Department of Transportation called the conference center, asked when I was leaving and then quickly moved the construction to the West bound side so they could get me again. I am sure of it. So, another slowdown, another wait in traffic, but this time they were merciful since it was only 27 minutes and 14 seconds. Oh yes, I was counting. And the people going East, they were zooming by with looks of mercy for those of us stuck. It just wasn’t fair.

I know the Bible well enough to know that you don’t pray for patience. That is one prayer you won’t hear passing through my lips. Pray for patience and you end up with traffic. Pray for patience and you end up locked in your house with three kids for three months. So I get that. But there is a pesky couple of verses found in James 1:2-3 that say, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” I really like the Bible but I really don’t like those verses.

Of all the emotions I feel when I am sitting in traffic, joy is not the one that comes to mind—and especially not great joy. But then I read verse 3 and it gives me pause. James says I should appreciate the moments in traffic because it helps me to grow. It helps me to be a better person. It helps me be stronger—it builds endurance. Like lifting weights at the gym strengthens muscles-—so trying situations strengthens our faith in God. Which means part of this whole pandemic deal might be to make us stronger in our faith. Hmmmm. Well, in the end I did pretty good through traffic lesson number two and we managed to get home that evening just about on time. Truth be known…God was good, God was faithful and even in traffic, God can be trusted. No matter what, He has my good at His heart. He wants me to thrive in this world and not just survive. And that means sometimes learning patience sitting in traffic. As you travel today wherever and however that looks, just know God is the traffic manger of your life. Just sit back, enjoy the pause and rest in Him. He’s got this. Honk, Honk.