spaghetti – Grits with Grace

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Too Much Spaghetti

Posted on March 10, 2026March 8, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Proverbs 17:22

I cooked way too much spaghetti. Well, I guess it is all official. Things are pretty much back to normal. You see, I was a pastor/teacher/preacher. That means I had the privilege of serving with a bunch of people in a church and had the opportunity to share truth from the Bible…sometimes several times a week. It was something that I truly enjoyed. When I am sharing something and see the expression on someone’s face change, as if to say, “I get it,” well, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Actually, pastoring was my second career. I spend twelve years in the Air Force and just loved it and then God came up with another idea. I separated from the Air Force and became a pastor. That was 43 years ago. Wow…that sounds like a long time but really it seems like yesterday. When I first starting preaching, my sermons were like 23 minutes long and sometimes that seemed like an eternity…for me and probably for them. Over the years, things have gotten, well, longer. Someone once said, “The longer you preach, the longer you preach.” I believe I can testify to that.

So, before the COVID thing (BC) happened, my sermons ran 40-45 minutes. People were kind and most were even grateful for the message but there’s another old saying that says, “Never speak longer than the audience’s seat can bear.” Well, let’s just say I probably reached and exceeded that limit. So, when COVID came along and we were on Facebook only, I made a concerted effort to preach a little shorter…usually about 35 minutes. I was so proud of myself…and then…one day, happened.

One day, I cooked too much spaghetti. Now that is “code” that I simply prepared too much material. Even before Sunday, I had cut about 20 percent of the material and I thought that would do it. It didn’t. The bottom line is that I preached, gulp, 45 minutes. Oh my. I don’t think I chased too many rabbits—it was just too much spaghetti. At the end of the service, I told the folks that I appreciated their patience. They are such a gracious group of people. I also smiled and told them that it was a great sign that things were definitely back to normal.

I always greet the people as they leave after the service, and something happened that particular day that still has me smiling. The mother of one of our members was in the service. I know her and well, she is a friend and a very special lady. Her husband had passed away and I was privileged to have a part in his service. As she shook my hand, she shared that because of having to care for her husband and for health reasons she hadn’t been in church for several years. Then she explained how each week she was sure to listen to our service, and me, on the radio. I smiled and said how grateful I was. And then she said, “You know, I sure enjoyed today but you know, at home, I can just turn the radio off when I am ready.” I laughed, she laughed, and everyone who was standing in earshot did too. It was a precious moment, and it made my day.

This story isn’t about sermons, long or short, but rather it is about the fact that life did come back…not totally normal, but at least some of it is better than what it was. I’ve said it so many times, it won’t be the same and in some ways that is not bad. In fact, in some ways, it is just better. I believe the COVID experience taught us to love God better and love people better. I believe the COVID experience taught us to appreciate the small things in life that make life better.

So, there you go. This week my goal is to preach a little shorter and laugh a little more. After all the Bible tells us that a cheerful heart is good medicine and I just tend to believe what it says. We can laugh, even in our hot mess world, because ultimately, we are certain of one thing—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

food, friends, life, Scripture

Fish and Spaghetti

Posted on February 27, 2026February 26, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the Man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6a

No really…it is good. I’m a food mixer. I know some people love to keep their food separate on their plates and some folks even eat one item at a time. They will eat all their meat, all their potatoes and so on and so on. Not me. I like to to mix it up a little. In fact the best bite on the plate is always the last bite. It always has a little bit of everything on the plate. First you scrape it all together in a tidy little pile, scoop it on your fork and let it fly. Awesome.

I’m not sure how it started but one of my absolute favorite mixings is tartar sauce and Heinz Ketchup. When I order fish I always squirt a big puddle of ketchup on my plate and then mix in a helping of tartar sauce. Then you take your fork and stir it together and start dipping your fish in this magic pink sauce. All I can say is, if you haven’t tried it you need to. A while back a server at a restaurant noticed my strange concoction. Without saying anything to me, she went back to the kitchen and stirred up a batch. She was soon back at my table singing the praises of the power of “pink.”

They say that things go better with Coke and fish goes better with pink. But…there is one exception. Fish and spaghetti. Ever heard of it? Well, not only have I heard of it, I have had it several times. Now first, you need to understand it is not fish cooked in spaghetti, rather it is fish served with spaghetti. I learned of this food miracle several years ago. A couple who attended our church invited my wife Judy and I over for supper. We were served fish and spaghetti and it was incredible.

To be sure this dynamic combo is not an accident. First, David is the fish cooker and the man takes frying fish to a new level. Moist and crisp at the same time…it is “shoot that thang” good. Second, his wife Lisa makes some of the best spaghetti I have ever eaten. It is seasoned perfectly and has just a slightly different flavor then most spaghettis I have had. I fell in love that night. I am a fish and spaghetti man for life.

David is an African American and when we were discussing this duet, he assured me it was a “black thing.” I had never heard of these two things together before and he told me to ask someone…so I did. I asked another friend of mine who happens to also be African American, “So what do you eat with spaghetti?” She quickly replied, “Fish.” There you go. I have been a comfort food fanatic for over six decades and almost missed this food wonder. It is almost a food group all of its on.

Things are like that sometimes. Sometimes certain things just click together. It is as if they were meant to be together. Peanut butter and jelly. Chocolate and peanut butter. Cheese and summer sausage. Well, add fish and spaghetti to the list. And while you are listing—be sure and add Jesus and you. I have been a Jesus follower since 1967 and I am telling you He took my life to a whole different level. He makes the good even better and makes the difficult more than tolerable. He is amazing. And just like fish and spaghetti if you’ve never tried Him you don’t know what you are missing. He makes life worth living.

Now understand I’m not talking about you and religion, or you and church. A relationship with Jesus is totally different from church or religion. I like church and tolerate religion but neither one of them is even close to Jesus. He is literally One of a kind. The Bible says that there is One go-between who can bring God and us together and it is the man Christ Jesus. He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone. I hope you will get a copy of His Book—the Bible—and read about Him. You will discover a Man like no other who loves you like no other. He is a best friend on steroids.

I know these are crazy days we are living in—you know it and I know it. I’ve found that Jesus adds stability, peace and hope to what can be a pretty difficult existence. With Him we go from surviving to thriving. All you need to do is believe. Believe that He is who He claims to be—the God man—believe that He died on a Roman cross to pay the price for your sin, believe He came back to life and believe that if you ask He will forgive you. I took Him at His word and He is everything He claims to be. He is the real deal. And, hey, when God is your best friend you can sleep better at night and rest better in during the day. When the God who made it all is your best friend—you can believe that He’s got this…and He does. Bro. Dewayne

food, friends, Grace, life, Military memories, Scripture

Little Jack Horner

Posted on April 23, 2025April 19, 2025 by Dewayne Taylor

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.”Matthew 7:1

Little Jack Horner may have sat in a corner…but this time he didn’t. It was the late seventies, and we were living in Western Germany. I was serving in the Air Force and my wife Judy and I were having the time of our lives. We were still newlyweds and every day, and everything seemed to be an adventure. Even church stuff. God was and is a big part of our lives and that was true way back then too. We were blessed to have a great church family in Germany, and you might say we were up to our eyes involved. One of the things that we would do is go and visit people who came to church and visited us.

On one occasion a lady came to visit our church and we decided to return the favor. Her name was Carol Horner and she served in the Army. She was married but her husband didn’t do the church thing. He had a thing…it just wasn’t church. One Tuesday night we decided that we would go see Carol. Virtually no one had a phone in Germany, and this was long before cell phones so when we went to see someone, it was usually…unannounced. It’s funny but that sounds so strange today but back then it’s kind of what you did.

Carol and her stay-at-home husband lived on our base so that Tuesday we headed out to find their apartment. The housing on base consisted of several large multi-floor buildings. We found the building, which stairwell and away we went. After climbing several flights of stairs, we found ourselves at Carol’s door. We knocked. Soon we could hear the sound of feet, so we at least knew someone was home. Well, the door opened, a little, and there was the face of Carol. We were bubbly and she was surprised…and, uh, a little apprehensive.

She knew who we were, we had met at church, and we told her we were just out visiting folks and would like to come in for a few minutes. She hesitated, suggesting maybe it wasn’t a good time, but Mr. and Mrs. Bubbles, politely pressed the cause and after a minute or two Carol explained her hesitation. It turns out that her husband Jack, was, uh, a nudist and actually, at that moment he was sitting in the living room…eating spaghetti and dressed only with a dinner napkin. I know you are thinking this couldn’t be true…but it was. And, what happened next, is too.

We were persistent that night, maybe too persistent, and suggested maybe Jack would be willing to get dressed so we could visit. She checked and he finally agreed to lay a dish towel across his lap. We went in to find, Jack, who definitely was not little, with a small dish towel on his lap, joyfully eating a plate full of spaghetti on a TV tray. Though he didn’t miss a beat…we might have. Have you ever heard about the white elephant in the room? Well, that night there was definitely a white elephant in the room.

We chatted, ok, we tried to chat with Carol as Jack smacked and slurped his spaghetti down. It seems he did make one or two comments about his choice of clothing, or lack thereof, but other than that he ignored us as we tried to return the favor. Well, we didn’t stay too long and soon it was time to call it a night. We told Jack it was good to meet him and was grateful he didn’t stand up as we left. Carol showed us to the door and there she told us that she was grateful that we came by. I’m sure because of the circumstances she didn’t get a lot of company. We had a short prayer with her and said goodnight.

As I remember she became a regular attender at our church and no, Jack, never did. I’m sure he couldn’t decide what to wear. Smile. Two things were true about that night. First, of all the visits Judy and I have made through the years, nothing ever came close to Jack Horner and his towel. To this day, he occasionally comes up in our conversation when we have spaghetti. Second, though, is something more important. Somehow, some way, Judy and I got something right that night. We managed not to judge Jack and to make Carol feel welcomed and appreciated.

Being humans, we don’t always get it right, do we? But that night reminds me that people are just people and regardless of how crazy it might seem, we just need to leave the judging to the Judge and leave the stones on the ground where they belong. Jesus said that if we are wise enough not to judge we will find that people are less likely to judge us. That’s good advice. I don’t remember Judy and I gossiping about Jack. I don’t believe there were harsh whispers as we descended the stairs but there probably were some smiles and giggles. You see, you just never know what you will find on a Tuesday night. As I think of Jack sitting in his chair that night, I am reminded of one thing. No matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

The Stain Remains

Posted on March 7, 2024March 1, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” Matthew 5:29

Despite my best efforts…it happened. This isn’t a story about one event…or two…or even three. It is a story about a reoccurring thing in my life…and probably in yours. So, imagine with me. You are having dinner, and it is one of your favorites—spaghetti! You have on a favorite shirt or blouse, and it is one of your favorite colors. So, something tells you that you should change shirts, but you don’t. Instead, you decide it is too much trouble, so you make a conscious decision to be careful and it works—till it doesn’t.

You are careful not to slurp the noodles, you are careful to lean over your plate but alas you look down and there, on your favorite shirt you see several freckles of reddish orange. The dreaded spaghetti sauce has somehow found its way not to your mouth but to your shirt. Bummer. You jump from the table and immediately head to the kitchen sink and arm yourself with a damp dishcloth and some Dawn dishwashing soap. After all, everyone knows from the television commercials that Dawn can do anything…even save the life of a small duckling.

You carefully begin to rub the spots and slowly they get lighter and lighter—until they don’t. On no, despite your best efforts, your favorite shirt now has some permanent light reddish-orange freckles. The sauce is gone but it has left a cotton-picking stain, and no amount of scrubbing or rubbing is going to change the outcome. No amount of regret for not changing the shirt before you started dinner is going to change this. The stain remains.

And do you know what? What is true about shirts and spaghetti is true about us and our lives. You know what I mean—we are faced with a choice, and we choose poorly. We say we are sorry, both to God and whoever else it impacts, but the stain remains. We say something to someone, the kind of words that are better left unspoken, and we watch as the hurt spreads across their face. We apologize but they know, and you know that while forgiveness is granted, the stain will remain.

If we are wise, and let’s be honest, sometimes we are not, we would do well to think before we speak. We would be wise enough to take whatever action necessary to avoid the whole mess—and the stain that will remain. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that is so, so true. Jesus said, “So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” Yeah, I know, drastic right? But remember this is spoken by Someone who understood the seriousness of sin—who would later die on a cross to pay for yours…and mine.

So, the next time you are sitting down for a nice spaghetti dinner, remember this plate of Grits and change your shirt. Oh, and the next time you are about to make a bad choice remember that the stain, the consequences, will remain. The good news is if you still splatter the shirt of your life, His grace is gonna be sufficient. He’s got this.

Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

Little Jack Horner

Posted on April 4, 2022April 2, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.” Matthew 7:1