Tag: siblings

Posted in Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another.” Hebrews 10:25a

It all started with a picture. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and perhaps it is also worth a thousand memories.  The other day my sister Judy sent a picture out to her brother (AKA Precious) and her two sisters (AKA Precious Wanna-Be’s).  Judy makes sour dough bread…the kind you start with a starter. I don’t know a thing about all of this besides she has to feed it so she can feed us. Oh, and if she doesn’t feed it—well, it is game over.  So, she sent this picture out of a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread.  It looked magnificent.

The picture started a conversation in our text thread, and we were all ranting and raving about how good it looked and wondering how good it would taste.  Then I wrote this, “Don’t know how…don’t know when but can you all imagine sitting on Kathy’s back porch eating Judy’s bread, drinking coffee and just visiting! Hmmm…just saying!” Well, the next thing I know we had a time and date and Precious and the Precious Wanna-Be’s were heading to Thomasville, Georgia.  For the first time in a while, we were all going to be together and honestly, this was especially special because my sister Kathy has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We all knew this was a great opportunity to get together—so we did.

We met at Kathy’s house, on her back porch and had a lunch of pimento cheese (a Taylor classic). Then just a bit later we broke out the cinnamon raisin bread smothered in cream cheese icing…a precious idea from Precious.  It was even more special because our oldest brother who went to heaven in January of 2023 would have loved it.  So, we had coffee and cinnamon bread and told more stories than one would think possible. I relived how my two sisters, older than me but younger than the oldest sister, tormented me by pulling my ears and tickling me.  I also learned how, on certain special occasions, my Daddy would secretly buy my sister a candy bar.  I’m gonna have to ask Daddy about that when I get to heaven. Maybe she is Precious #2!

The bottom line is we had a wonderful day. We took plenty of pictures to make sure those memories live on and on and to top it off, each sibling got to take a whole loaf of cinnamon raisin bread with them.  Thank you, Judy, for bread at the house and some for the road. I think the big truth for this story is what my oldest sister Agnes said when I texted the idea.  Remember, I said, “I don’t know how, don’t know when…” Agnes, the wise ancient of days of the family, said, “I know how. Set a date and get in the car.” As always, she was right, and we are all so glad she was.

Is there something that you are putting off because life is too busy? Is there something that you need to do but can only think of all the reasons why you can’t?  Maybe you should do what the Taylor tribe did…mash the pause button, set a date, and get in the car. I know if we hadn’t done what we did, we would have all regretted it but instead we have a boatload of precious (no pun intended) memories to love and share. Always remember, when something seems impossible, there is a Dearest Daddy who can make it happen within His will. Yup, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful

Poud and Pouder

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

I will also give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name is inscribed that no one knows except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17

What in the world is a “Poud?” In my Grits storying I often talk about my wife Judy.  A while back I mentioned her nickname and someone asked, “What is the story there?”  Well, I am glad you asked.  Admittedly, it is a rather unusual nickname. It goes something like this.  A long, long time ago, before I was around and when Judy was young, one of her brothers stated calling her “Judy Poudy.”  Since she was the last of nine siblings, maybe they ran out of creativity? Anyway, I am assuming it was because it rhymed.  Sometime later, the family shortened the name and started calling her “Poud.”

As the years rolled by, she was “Poud” this and “Poud” that.  Well, finally, in the fulness of time (you know, like the Bible), I showed up on the stage of her life.  After we met at church it was soon time to meet parents and finally her extended family. There probably aren’t enough letters in the alphabet or adjectives in the English language to describe this crazy bunch of South Georgians. Let it be enough to say that they believed in having fun and telling tall tales.  Oh, the things one learns from sitting around their table at family gatherings and just watching and listening! Get them in a room together and the tales would start and wrapped up in those tales would be the occasional “Poud” this and “Poud” that.

Well, that could be the end of the story, but it isn’t.  You see, this crazy bunch of South Georgians knew how to make a guy feel right at home and before long I was the object of several stories, some true and some not…. and some of those stories caused me to end up with my own nickname, “Pouder.”  Now I’ll leave it to your imagination how that came about, but the new couple in the Allen clan had a new name—“Poud” and “Pouder.”  Finally, after years of marriage, we decided to make it easier by simply calling each other “Poud.”  It goes something like this, “Hey Poud?”  And the other would simply reply with “Yes, Poud.”  It doesn’t matter much now, but when we get old, it should at least be convenient.

It’s funny (no pun intended) how “Judy” became a “Judy Poudy” and together we became “Poud” and “Pouder.”  New relationships sometimes generate a new name and that is just what God does for us.  When we join His family, whatever we once were slips away and we become something new—one of His children…His son or daughter.

In the Bible, there was a woman who had an unclean issue of blood. Basically, that meant she wasn’t welcome anywhere…especially at church and because of her sickness she only knew the scorn and harshness of those around her.  But one day she met Jesus and He healed her and gave her a new name—daughter.  And when we meet Jesus…well, whatever the world and those around us used to called us, no matter how condemning, that all changes and He calls us His. I love that.

There is a scripture in the last Book in the Bible, the Revelation, and it says that one day God will give us a new name.  It says there, “I will also give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name is inscribed that no one knows except the one who receives it.”  I don’t know what all that means but I do know it will be special.  To be called His son is amazing enough but to know that He has a special name for me, for us…well, that is incredible.

I hope you have made the decision to be called His child.  It’s not just church, it’s certainly not religion—it is a relationship with Creator God.  And that unknown and special name…well, we will just have to wait and see what that is all about.  One thing is certain—it will be special, and He’s got it reserved just for me and just for you.  Until then we will just have to wait and trust that…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne