Tag: talking

Posted in Family, friends, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Better than Alexa, Better than Eufy

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

What is impossible for people is possible with God.” Luke 18:27

I live with three women. Now don’t panic. I can explain. Back in the old days, I was the only guy in the house. It was four females and one female dog to one male.  There was, of course, my wife Judy, my three daughters, Rebecca, Jennifer and Sarah and finally there was Sam dog who was also a girl. This caused some issues because everything in the house had some sort of connection with the world of girls.  Even our movie selection was tainted female. I’ve watched more romantic comedies than any man should.  Oh, and it came at a price. Take me to the movies and trust me, I’m the first one whose eyes start to leak.

Well, slowly things changed. The daughters all got married and Sam dog went to doggie heaven and that left me and Judy. Finally, the odds were even but then we invited a couple of ladies into the house.  First there was Alexa. She served as our assistant and frankly I like having her around. Just like a real female person, ask her a question and she has the answer and she, of course, is never wrong. She talks, listens and occasionally even tells me what to do. Judy tells me that like any good wife, Alexa is always listening, so I really need to be careful what I say.

Well, while Alexa is old hat (don’t tell her I said that) about six or seven months ago, Judy invited another lady to come live with me. I think she must be German or something else European because her name is Eufy. I don’t even know how to pronounce it, so I usually just say, “Hey, you!”  Now Eufy, like Alexa, is quite handy.  You see, she is a robotic vacuum cleaner. In other words, give the word, and she takes off and begins to vacuum the house all by herself. Like a human female, I have no idea how she works…I just know that she does. She zips around the room and seems to know exactly where she is going. It really is quite amazing. She does sometimes get in a bind but with a little help she is soon “Back on the road again.”

The amazing thing about Eufy is, because of her slender size, she can go where other vacuums can’t.  Day after day and time after time, Judy and I are just amazed at how much stuff she finds to pick up. When Judy invited her to come live with us, I was very skeptical. I figured it was a waste of more than a few dollars, but I was wrong. She saves us time and turns out she has made our life more than a little better.

And guess what?  I met Someone far more important, far more valuable than Eufy, and unlike her, this Someone never gets it wrong.  This Someone knows it all, past, present and future, and even adds elements like grace, mercy, love and compassion.  And like Eufy, who cleans up my messes, this someone cleans them all and never grows weary doing so.  Oh, and one more thing.  Eufy must go in for a recharge but this Someone never does.  Who is this Someone?  He is the one who made it all…Creator God or as I like to call Him, my Dearest Daddy.

So, if your house is a little messy you might want to invite Eufy to come live with you but if your life is a mess (and isn’t everyone’s?) then why not invite God to come and change it? It is a decision that you will never regret. I know, because I did a long time ago and He has never, ever failed me.  I’ve learned that no matter what, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, Military memories, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

“Foot in Mouth” Disease -Sir

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

I just shouldn’t have said it.  We all have said things that we wish we hadn’t.  I learned a lesson about that the hard way.  I had two bumps in Air Force basic training. One involved singing…you can check that one out on my blog www.gritswithgrace.com (https://gritswithgrace.com/2020/06/01/i-said-sing/). The other one also involved my mouth…I wonder if there is trend there?

In basic training guys were assigned to a flight (group) and each flight had a dorm chief.  He was someone, a peer of sorts, the flight chief selected from within or outside the flight.  Ours was selected from outside.  He had a weight issue so was put in a special group that helped men get down to a weight level that was acceptable.  That of course meant they had to stay longer in basic.  Well, our guy, whose name was Guy, was one of those guys.  Because of his longer tenure in basic he was appointed our dorm chief.

Now it could have been a little jealousy on my side, or it could have been that I was a little judgmental or maybe I had a momentary case of the stupid’s but I said something to one of the guys about this guy.  The words are lost to time, but it was probably something like, “Who does this guy think he is? He’s not a leader…he is a loser.”  Well, anyway, something like that. I said it and forgot it assuming it just died away.  It did not.

So, apparently either that guy told another guy who told another guy who told the guy named Guy.  The guy named Guy told the guy named Sergeant Catchings who was the same guy that caught me singing.  Well, things were about to go south.  There was a lesson that needed to be taught and I was the object of that lesson.

Sergeant Catchings gathered the flight outside his office and, leaving the door open sat down at his desk.  We all were like, “What’s this about?”  I quickly found out it was about me.  Soon a booming, “you’re in deep weeds son” voice said, “Airman Taylor, get in here.” I got up and went in the office and he instructed me to close the door.  I stood smartly at attention in front of the desk. Sergeant Catchings harshly invited me to take a seat.  There was no chair.

He had me place my hands flat on his desk and then squat by bending my knees till my arms were parallel with the top of his desk. Three things immediately came to my mind.  One, what in the world have I done? Two, this is very uncomfortable.  Three, I’m going to die.  Well in about one minute I found out that Dorm Chief Guy had told him I was mouthing off.  I had broken a cardinal rule…don’t mouth off about those in leadership above you.

Sergeant Catchings jumped to his feet and began to lecture me about respect for leadership and how I should never, ever disrespect those put in authority over me.  Now don’t forget.  One, I still “sitting” in the invisible chair with my hands on his desk.  Two, the entire flight is outside the door.  And by now he is screaming at the top of his voice.  For added effect, he would occasionally walk over to the door and kick it or slap it making it sound like I was dying.  I was.

Finally, after about ten or so minutes he opens the door and says two words, “Get out.” Imagine 27 guys looking in the office and seeing me squatting with my hands on the desk.  I can’t move.  I am locked in place.  My muscles leg and arm muscles were frozen.  He said it again, LOUDER, “I said get out.”  So, I fell over and managed to crawl, yes, I said crawl, out of his office. I was in agony and the rest of the guys were in shock and we all learned a lesson about gossip and respect for authority.

The lesson that day was very valuable. I wish I could tell you that I learned it so well I never had the “stupid’s” again but that wouldn’t be true.  But I can tell you this.  There is a reason the Bible talks so much about the tongue and the mouth. It isn’t a matter of finding a verse…it is a matter of choosing a verse.  We can start with a little nugget found in Proverbs 21:23, “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,

and you will stay out of trouble.” I wish I had remembered that one before I uttered the words that prompted my visit to Sergeant Catchings office.

But the one that probably says it best is this, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Imagine how less complicated our lives, our families, our marriages would be if we mastered that one.  Imagine how our work lives and even our worship lives would change.  A pastor once said that if we knew we would have to personally apologize to every person we slandered or gossiped about, we probably would hit “pause” a lot more often.

Oh well, I’m sure glad we have a graceful God.  I have learned over the years to deeply value his patience with me and His mercy for me.  There have been too many times I’ve had to go to my Dearest Daddy and have a chat about “foot in mouth” disease.  I’m glad He graciously invited me to come sit close beside Him. He has always heard my confession and honored my repentance.  I find rest right there…next to Him…because He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne