salt – Grits with Grace

food, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, spiritual battles, thankful, Trials

Seasoning for the Seasons

Posted on October 28, 2024October 18, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

If the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Matthew 5:13b

Man..that would have to be bland. I was talking to someone the other day and they said something that caught my ear. They said, “I don’t like salt.” Wait. What? I mean I’ve heard lots of people say that they don’t use salt. The reason is usually a doctor or a spouse that has laid down the law. It is usually medically driven, and you do without it so you can keep on doing. But this person said he didn’t like salt. That is just hard to imagine.

You all probably know that I love food…just about all kinds, all flavors, and all portions. But food without seasoning just kinda takes away the whole point. You know what Jesus said don’t you? He said that salt that has lost it savor…its flavor…its ability to influence is worthless. “Chuck it out on the sand pile,” he said. Imagine grits with no salt, green beans with no salt (or fatback…oh my), mashed potatoes with no salt (wait that might even be a sin) and the list just goes on and on. At least for me it becomes a gray world where eating becomes something you have to do instead of something you want to do…you crave to do.

I was listening to a short devotional video that sparked all this thinking about seasoning and salt. The person said we should allow God’s Word to marinate our lives. Let me explain. I like chicken. I really like fried chicken. I especially like fried chicken that has been dipped in a good dry mixture of spices—how many does the Colonel use? Or maybe it is a wet batter just waiting to be plunged to a frying pan of hot grease. Can someone say hallelujah?

Believe it or not there are other ways to eat chicken and one of the most popular is grilled chicken. I’m a fan of that too but especially when the chicken has been marinated in some sort of marinade. You see, as the chicken takes a bath in whatever it is the flavor of the marinade slowly seeps into the chicken…changing it from just chicken to something that is just about heavenly. Are you tracking with me? So, the bottom line just seems to be the things that we season our food with changes the whole experience. It is true with food…and it is true with life.

An unseasoned life can be boring and at the same time a life seasoned with the wrong things can be disastrous. It is important that we allow the right things to influence us. The wrong environments, the wrong company, the wrong media habits, and the wrong mindset can all set us up for a life that at the least is less than and at the most leaves us depressed, discouraged, and disillusioned. Just like with food…the seasonings matter. Colonel Sanders talks about his secret blend of seasoning and spices, but I don’t want this to be a secret.

You see, as I have journeyed through the kitchen of life (and trust me I have ended up in a few frying pans) I have discovered the secret to a well-seasoned life. Are you ready? It is a personal relationship with the God who created it all. Now wait…don’t close the book yet. Notice I didn’t say religion, I didn’t say church, I didn’t say doing this or doing that…I said a personal encounter with the God who loves me and you enough to give His Son to a Roman cross. When you add that kind of love to your life…it’s gotta be good. Smucker’s (they make jams and jelly) says this, “If it is Smucker’s it has to be good.” I’ve had their stuff, and it is pretty sweet…no pun intended.

Well, let me tell you, if it is God, contrary to what you have heard, it must be for your good. Now I’m not talking about the version you see too often in the lives of people…I am talking about the version that you find in His book…the Bible. So, if you are thinking about adding some seasoning to your life, let me encourage you to get a copy of the Bible and try reading about Jesus. You might want to start in the Gospel (which means Good News) of John. Using the index will make it easy to find. What you discover will change the flavor of your life. If you are finding that things in your world are just a little or a lot bland—ask the Master Chef—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Seasoning for the Seasons

Posted on October 19, 2022October 18, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

If the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Matthew 5:13b

Man..that would have to be bland. I was talking to someone the other day and they said something that caught my ear. They said, “I don’t like salt.” Wait. What? I mean I’ve heard lots of people say that they don’t use salt. The reason is usually a doctor or a spouse that has laid down the law. It is usually medically driven, and you do without so you can keep on doing. But this person said he didn’t like salt. That is just hard to imagine.

I was listening to a short devotional video that sparked all this thinking about seasoning and salt. The person said we should allow God’s Word to marinate our lives. Let me explain. I like chicken. I really like fried chicken. I especially like fried chicken that has been dipped in a really good dry mixture of spices—how many does the Colonel use? Or maybe it is a wet batter just waiting to be plunged to a frying pan of hot grease. Can someone say hallelujah?

An unseasoned life can be pretty boring and at the same time a life seasoned with the wrong things can be pretty disastrous. It is important that we allow the right things to influence us. The wrong environments, the wrong company, the wrong media habits, and the wrong mindset can all set us up for a life that at the least is less than and at the most leaves us depressed, discouraged, and disillusioned. Just like with food…the seasonings matter. Colonel Sanders talks about his secret blend of seasoning and spices, but I don’t want this to be a secret.

Well, let me tell you, if it is God, contrary to what you have heard, it has got to be good. Now I’m not talking about the version you see too often in the lives of people…I am talking about the version that you find in His book…the Bible. So, if you are thinking about adding some seasoning to your life, let me encourage you to get a copy of the Bible and try reading about Jesus. You might want to start in the Gospel (which means Good News) of John. Using the index will make it easy to find. What you will discover will change the flavor of your life. If you are finding that things in your world are just a little or a lot bland—ask the Master Chef—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, wisdom

24/7

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

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16

It was a great idea that just got better. Thomas Edison had a really great idea when he invented the light bulb. I love that history records that he failed in his first 10,000 attempts. Of course, he was quick to correct anyone who said that. He simply told them he didn’t fail 10,000 times, he just learned 10,000 ways not to do it. The light bulb simply changed life in America and over the years it has continue to evolve. First, it just got better. The life expectancy of a bulb in the early years was pretty poor—about 14.5 hours. But over the years it got better and better.

More than several years ago a radical change happened. Someone mass produced the compact fluorescent bulb. These were revolutionary. They burned for a much longer time, they were much cooler and they were much cheaper to operate. The equivalent of a 60 watt bulb would only consume about 8 or 9 watts. That’s a big difference. While they were expensive to buy at first, the price came down pretty quickly. And then the prom queen of light bulbs arrived…the LED or light emitting diode bulb burst on the scene.

When LED’s first came out they were barely bright enough to use in a watch. Now they light the highways with headlights and streetlights. They are amazing. And the most amazing thing—they only consume a couple of watts of energy. They literally cost pennies a day to operate. An added bonus is that they last a really long time. If you look at the package, you will read they are supposed to burn for 22,000 hours. That figures out to about 916 days. Whoa! That sounds impressive but is it really?

You see, I have discovered that while the LED may last that long, often the electronics in the base don’t. I have had LED bulbs that didn’t make it six months. But there is a secret. Regardless, if it is an old fashioned incandescent bulb, or a compact florescent bulb or a LED bulb the more often you turn it on and off—the shorter the life span. Yup—its the truth. I have some LED lights in my bathroom that have been burning 24 hours a day, seven days a week for over 14 months and they are still going strong. Ok, you’re probably wondering why would I do that?

Well, 14 months ago I remodeled our bathroom. It had lights on each side of the vanity mirror. The light fixtures had switches to turn the light on and off. Well, the new fixtures didn’t. So I said to myself, “Who needs a switch? It costs a few pennies a day to burn the bulb and I don’t have to try and figure out how to install a switch and I don’t ever walk into a dark bathroom. So, there you go! Problem solved. And light the Energizer bunny—they keep right on burning.

As I was pondering all of this, it occurred to me this is why some Christians burn out and some Christians keep right on burning. You see, just like the light bulb, we last a lot longer when we are consistently on. Believers who are on again and off again just tend to burn out. First, things like prayer and reading the Bible slip away and then going to church and where that light once burned bright—only an unlit bulb remains…dark and cold. Yet those who make it a priority to stay on—to keep that appointment and read the Book and daily talk with our Dearest Daddy and make it a point to make church the priority on our calendar—they just seem to last and last. And it is no accident. It just makes sense. Jesus said that we are the light of the world—reflecting His light to a dark world. And when we do the right things—it reflects so well on Him.

Well, I don’t know if I will ever install a switch or not. I kinda like walking into a lit room. Actually, we have eight or nine lights in our house that never get turned off. All are LEDs and all cost a few cents to burn and all chase the darkness away. I like that. And then there’s always the, “I wonder just how long they will burn” challenge. Who knows, there might be a record out there somewhere. But I’ll only find out if I leave it on. And that is true with our Jesus walk too. We need to rise to the challenge and see just how long we can burn brightly—for Him. The best way to start is to remove the option, the switch. The next step is to determine you are going to trust Him to help you keep burning bright. He will, you know. He’s got this.

Family, food, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

Salty Watermelon and Sweet Grits

Posted on September 2, 2020September 1, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.” Romans 12:4-5

It just doesn’t make any sense. I am from the South and we know how to do food. There are two foods that are mainstays. They are grits and watermelon. From my perspective you don’t mess with Texas and you don’t mess with grits and you don’t mess with watermelon. Yet, there it is as plain as day. And, for goodness sake, it is in my family.

My wife Judy, has long been a fan of watermelon. I mean she isn’t friends with watermelon, she loves it. And just like me, she loves a sweet watermelon. When we were growing up, watermelons were just about the size of a small blimp, weighing up to 30 and 40 pounds. Most of them were as sweet as sugar water. There was not a question if a melon was going to be sweet, it was just a matter of how sweet it was going to be! Those were the days.

However, somewhere along the way watermelons changed. Most of them are now the size of basketballs and weigh-in at a feather weight of 12-15 pounds. And it seems the only way to get a sweet watermelon is to inject it with sugar water. Perhaps that might be the reason Judy has gotten confused about how to make a melon taste sweeter. Someone has cast an evil spell upon her. For many years now, she has been convinced that putting salt—that’s right salt—on watermelon somehow makes it sweeter. What? Listen, I’ve tried this, and the only thing salt does to watermelon is make it salty.

I’ve tried to remove this evil spell but to no avail. And she even uses it against me. She will sometimes cut up a watermelon and then sprinkle…or dump…salt all over it. She knows then that the melon is all hers. It is a devious plan indeed. But that is what happens when you mess with melons.

Now the second problem is as bad. Everyone knows that grits are not cream of wheat and not oatmeal …so you do not…and I repeat DO NOT…put sugar on grits. It is a travesty of justice and some would say very close to a sin. If God had wanted grits to be sweet, He would have made them that way. I have a very good friend who has been mesmerized with a spell and he is convinced that sugar goes on grits. It is a sad tale indeed. And the crazy part is, he is wonderful cook. I think it just goes to show that even the best cooks can be deceived.

You might ask, “Well, what goes on grits?” That would be salt, pepper, and butter and lots of all three. A good bowl of grits should slide down your throat like shoes on melting ice, raise your blood pressure by 10 points, and have a nice pepper burn. But they should not be sweet…ever…never. Now there are other acceptable variations such as cheese (oh, yes) bacon bits (I can taste it now!) and of course shrimp. If you have never had cheese grits or shrimp and grits, you need to repent right away and go try it. You won’t regret it. It is as fine as frog hair…and that is pretty fine.

Now I have learned (actually, I am still learning) that someone can believe that you need to put salt on watermelon and sugar on grits and still be your friend. That becomes really important if you happen to be married to them. You see, we need to learn that we don’t need to agree on everything. If we would practice that, the world would be a better place for sure. Now, not that I have ever had this problem, but sometimes people tend to get a little stubborn. We tend to think that there is only one way and that is our way. You know, kinda like when you think you don’t put salt on watermelon or, gulp, sugar on grits. Oops, I think I just shot myself in the foot. I knew if I wrote long enough it would happen.

The Book tell us, “Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.” In other words, it is ok if Judy likes salt on her watermelon, as long as she keeps the salt on her side of the plate. And my friend who likes sugar on his grits may need to go to rehab, but he can still be my friend. Let’s not make mountains out of molehills, especially in these difficult days.

I’m probably gonna have to try this salt and sugar thing at least one more time. If nothing else it will show that I am trying to understand. That’s what Jesus would want me to do and that’s what He does for me. When I come up with some strange combinations in life, well, He just smiles and tries to show me the right way. He keeps me from doing something too crazy…like eating chili and eggs. It’s good to know that if I do, He’s got that too.