Tag: time

Posted in communication, Family, food, Grace, life, school days, Scripture

Instant Grits

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 

Well, they aren’t as good as traditional–but they ain’t bad. Yup, I was raised on grits…the old fashioned kind. Momma would get a pot of hot water boiling on the stove, dump in some grits, let them simmer for a while, add salt and pepper, and let them simmer some more. Somewhere along the way, they got just the right consistency and she would put them in a bowl on the table. Then, we would scoop them up, put enough butter to form a small lake right in the middle and proceed to feast. They were delicious.

When I got older and time became a little more valuable, I started buying instant grits. These are not only quicker but easier. First you get a small bowl, open a packet of grits and pour them in the bowl. Then you add a half of cup of water, salt and pepper and a chunk of real butter (not the fake stuff), put it in the microwave for 123 seconds and bingo–instant grits. Now sometimes I would add some bacon bits and or cheese just to spice things up. Like I said, not as good as old fashioned but not too bad. Not.Too.Bad.

Well, starting tomorrow we are going into a season of instant Grits. My wife Judy and I will be celebrating our 50th anniversary this June and we are getting an early start. For the whole month of April I won’t be available to publish our traditional Grits. So rather than just put everything on hold, I will be publishing ahead of time so every day you should get a serving of Grits. Now, these won’t be traditional…but rather instant. In other words, I’ll be going back in time and snagging enough Grits to publish one a day for the whole month. You will probably remember them but let me encourage to read them like the first time.

I already rerun some stories and when I read and edit them to get them ready to publish, I always enjoy reading them again. I find myself smiling, laughing and yes, sometimes crying. It seems they never grow old. So I hope you will keep reading and keep enjoying the stories we have shared and the great truths we have learned. As you remember and perhaps reflect, one thing remains constant. No matter what we know that, “He’s got this!” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, life, Scripture, spiritual battles

Slow Down Horsey

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 

I once knew a guy who was one of the fastest eaters I have ever seen.  If we were having a meal at church, he would get low and close to his plate and begin to shovel the food in.  It was amazing. I know at my house when I was growing up, we had to learn to eat fast too. With so many mouths to feed sometimes there was just enough to go around. You know, five people, six biscuits. Five people, seven pieces of chicken.  So, the bottom line was, if you wanted seconds, you better be the first one finished.

I heard a story once about a family just like mine and they too were having chicken. Well, there were five people and six pieces of chicken, and everyone got their piece. A few minutes after they started eating, the lights went out and when they came back there was a hand on the last piece of chicken with five forks stuck in it! Sometimes it just pays to be fast—but not always.

I don’t know why it is but when I am reading the Bible during my morning Jesus time, I tend to speed and skip through the text.  It seems to mostly occur when I know the text well. If it is John 3:16 I sometimes get the “For God so loved” and the next thing I know I’m reading, “everlasting life” and I totally miss all the good stuff in the middle.  Strange.

It also happens with verses that have a list.  Verses like Galatians 5:22-23 that list the nine fruit of the Spirit suddenly become a list of two or three.  I might get love and joy but rarely make it the last one which is self-control. Oh, and guess what?  One of the things that I seem to always be lacking on is—self-control.  No surprise there. The other verse that I can’t seem to get in my head is Philippians 4:8. Paul, the guy who wrote a big chuck of the New Testament, gives us a list of things to think on—like, “whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable.” Now that’s a great list—if you take the time to read it. 

Let me suggest that we learn to slow down—whether it be at the table and especially when it comes to the Word of God.  We can’t learn it and apply it if we don’t take the time to fully read it. So, rather than worrying about who gets the last piece of chicken or the last biscuit—just enjoy the one you got.  When it comes to reading the Word, go ahead and hit the brakes.  If you need some lessons on breaking, just ask the One who knows all about—our Heavenly Father.  Remember, He gave us the Sabbath to slow us down so you know—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in life, patience, Scripture, spring

Sigh…It’s Happening Again

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8b

Sigh…It’s happening again.  Well, twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, they do it. They are whoever is in charge and the what is messing with our clocks and minds. They call it “daylight savings time” or DST but they ought to call it “time to mess with your mind.” You know the drill.  On the second Sunday in March they (whoever they are) tell us to set our clocks forward one hour.  That means several things.  First, it means no matter what you try and do you are going to lose an hour of sleep.  It also means that just when sunrise was going to occur at a decent hour, it doesn’t.  And finally, it also means that a bunch of people are either late for church or miss it entirely.  Like I said, “Sigh.”

Part two of all of this occurs in the fall…in November.  It used to be in October but to further confuse everyone they moved it to November.  Now I must admit that coming off of DST is easier than going on.  In the fall, we gain an hour of sleep though by this time we are so used to the new time, the old time seems more like a nasty neighbor than an old friend.  I know, I know—we have more daylight in the evening with DST and besides all that—who gets up that early anyway?  Pause. I’m raising my hand.

Oh, and then there is the other deal.  I know I’m a bit different, but I have a zillion clocks in my house and each one has to be reset when the time changes. Now this is when springing forward (that is supposed to make the losing an hour of sleep more fun) is better than falling back.  The bottom line is it is easier to move the hands forward one hour than to stop each clock and then wait for the old time to catch up with the new. I think we might just be better if they would just make up their minds one way or the other and leave things alone.

One time I was watching the Weather Channel Saturday morning before “time to mess with your mind” day and they did a feature on what happens when you disrupt people’s sleep.  Well, they had this expert lady on the show, and she flat out said all this clock changing is a bad idea. She said it can cause several kinds of social disruptions including car accidents and other end of the world scenarios.  Well, she didn’t actually say that part, but I thought I would add it in.  But I think we do need to make up our minds and let that sleeping dog lie.  And speaking of sleeping dogs, I wonder if DST messes with them too.  She did say it affected pets. Hmmm.

Well, there is a lesson mixed up in all of this.  While it is true when changing the time on our clocks, it is definitely true in life too. Moving forward in life is always better than falling back…you know, falling back into bad habits…falling back into bad relationships…falling back into bad attitudes…well, you get the idea.  As we do life, we need to intentionally choose to move forward.  If you have one of those older clocks that still has hands, there is usually a small knob on the back.  To move the hands forward, you simply turn that knob.  To move life forward, we simply need to keep making the next right decision.

That also means to keep doing what we have been doing that was moving us in the right direction. That might include restarting good habits, reestablishing good relationships, and thinking about how we think. Minding our mind is one of the best habits we can have.  Paul, the guy in the Bible, said so in a letter he wrote to the folks in Philippi.  He said, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Boom…what great advice.

Well, since I am posting this a week or so ahead of time, I’m going to go ahead and practice getting my nap that I’m going to need on time change Sunday. Smile. I’m sure glad my Dearest Daddy doesn’t do this “mess with your mind” thing.  He is steady like clockwork—no pun intended.  Don’t worry…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, life, love, Military memories, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

Mr. Fix It

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16-17

Call me Mr. Fix It.  I love to fix things and I love to be the hero.  No matter what the problem, no matter near or far, no matter what.  Back when Blake and Sarah were living in Savanah, Georgia courtesy of the United States Army, she let us know her vacuum had a broken belt.  Well, instantly my hero genes kicked in.  It didn’t matter that she was eleven hours away…it only mattered that my baby girl had a problem, and she asked her Mr. Fix It dad to solve the problem. First a couple of side notes. Blake, her husband, is an able Mr. Fix It guy in his own right.

Second, Sarah asked me to go by our Walmart and get a replacement belt.  I assumed that she assumed that was the problem.  So by now you may be asking, “Oh, they don’t have Walmart’s in Georgia?”  Well, actually they do, but somehow it made sense for us to go get one and take it to Georgia.  Maybe they are just better here. Well, shoot that thang!  I happened to remember that we had a vacuum like hers (or maybe we had given the vacuum to her) and I had a spare belt laying around.  Cha-Ching!  Thank you, sir, and keep the change.

We get to Georgia and the day after our arrival the time to fix the vacuum was at hand. First, I dislodged the screws from the top and bottom and removed the cover.  It was then I had the first ah-ha moment. There naked before the world was a 100% not broken belt. So, I said to Sarah, “Hey girl, the belt isn’t broken.”  It was then that Sarah said, “Well, it wouldn’t work.” All of a sudden, the great victory of finding a spare belt rapidly deflated.  You see, as an amateur Mrs. Fix It, she had misdiagnosed the problem.  I plugged in the vacuum and, of course, it fired right up.  Then Sarah said the real problem was that it wasn’t picking up the dirt. And that’s when it got interesting.

Assisted by my son-in-law Blake, I began a close examination of the vacuum.  It soon became apparent that it was clogged up. Now if you are not familiar with clogged vacuums there are at least three classes of clogs.  There is the “partial clog”, the “hmmm, this is serious” clog, and then there is the “clog of Biblical proportions”. Since there was absolutely no suction, we knew this was definitely not a “partial clog”.  We soon discovered we had the “mother of all clogs”.  Upon examination we found, and I’m not kidding, three golf balls, two match box cars, and six inches of impacted debris.  I was sure we had found the problem.

Well, my assistant and I carefully removed the trio of golf balls and the two match box cars. Finally, we began to dig, pull, tug and poke at the six inches of debris. Three days later (ok, not really but it seemed that long) the hose was finally clear.  At that point, we emptied the debris catcher thing, cleaned the filter, plugged it in, and it fired right up.  The results were incredible! In fact, before we could stop it, it sucked the carpet off the floor and a small section of the sub-flooring.  (Ok, that part just isn’t true, but I needed to beef up the story.)

Soon we were high-fiving and celebrating the ultimate vacuum cleaner rescue.  Mr. Fix It and his able assistant saved the day. Now believe it or not there is moral to this story—besides the obvious one that says don’t suck up three golf balls and two match box cars with your house vacuum cleaner. The moral is this–when something is wrong don’t automatically assume you know the answer.  Sarah just assumed the belt was broken and it wasn’t.  And, even with a house full of boys, never in her wildest imagination, could she believe that her vacuum had consumed three golf balls and a couple of cars. I could just see the boys having such a good time with their new game of “sucking up” golf balls and match box cars…like “how many can we get in there?” Boys.

And what is true in vacuum repairs can also be true in our lives.  When things just aren’t clicking in your life, look closely because it may not be what you think. Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” In other words, we need to watch where we vacuum—what we pick up, and where we step. Being wise is knowing what to do and then doing it. Remember the old saying, “A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?”  Well, trust me, it is so true. 

Remember, when life goes south, take your time as you figure out the problem.  Too often we want to treat the symptoms and don’t want to address the real problem.  All the belts in the world weren’t going to get our vacuum going because what seemed like the logical answer was not the problem at all.  If you are a Jesus follower, ask Him and He will point you in the right direction. Life can get pretty clogged up, but don’t let the frustrations get to you. I bet Blake and I took a rest after fixing the problem and maybe you need to take a rest too…in Him.  After all, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, Family, life, loving others, Scripture

How Time Flies

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise–making the most of the time.” Ephesians 5:15-16

They say that time flies–and I believe it. These days I am shocked about how quickly the days pass. Just like playing cards fly in the hands of a professional dealer so the days of our lives zip by. Even in these retirement days, the days just zoom by. I may have to remind myself what day of the week it is but I never find myself wondering why the week is dragging by. This week, I said to my wife Judy, “Wait, is it Friday already?” And it was. Time indeed flies.

This past week, we were down visiting with the Guest clan in Vienna. For some reason we began talking about their dog Zoe and how old she is.  I was amazed when my daughter Becca (Zoe’s dog mom) told me that she (the dog not Becca) was going to be ten years old this Christmas. You see I remember full well the night Zoe showed up. It was Christmas Eve and for years (there’s that time word again) we have always spent Christmas Eve with the Guest tribe. Well, that year, they had decided to get the kids a dog for Christmas. After the kids were safely asleep in their bed, dreaming about sugar plums, Jonathan and I hopped in the car and drove more than a few miles to get Zoe.

Soon we were back at the house with one of the cutest, little dogs you can imagine. We soon decided to join the kids and do some dreaming of our own and before you could say, “Merry Christmas,” it was Christmas morning. We opened presents and had a grand time and soon (another time word) the last present was opened and the kids thought it was all over. Just about then, Jonathan brought one last wrapped box into the living room and there was Zoe. They were ecstatic times two. I remember one of them saying, “Can we keep her?” Well, the answer was yes and while Zoe was a gift to the kids it soon became apparent that Zoe was Becca’s new baby. 

Well, here we are ten years later, and the joy of that Christmas Eve and morning are as fresh as last night’s dew. I still can’t believe that ten years have come and gone. I was sixty-one then and now I find myself staring at a soon arriving seventy-two. And here is what I know. I know that whatever we intend to do we need to do it. That is what Paul, the guy who wrote a chunk of the New Testament, meant when he wrote, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk (or how you live)—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time. How wise is that?

The bottom line is only God knows how many days we have but we do have this one. Need to tell someone you love them? Do it now. Need to make a new commitment to God? Do it now. Need to finish that God project? Do it now. Whatever it is…do it now. You may not have tomorrow…but by God’s grace…you do have now. And do you know what? He’s got your now! Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Grace, gratitude, life, love, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

At 217

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The Lord directs the steps of the Godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23

It stands tall.  When we moved to 217 West Poplar Street in 2000 our yard was a blank slate.  The house had sat empty for more than a few years and while someone made sure the grass was cut, no one cared if it was beautiful.  When my wife Judy came…all that began to change. Somewhere along her journey she acquired what can only be described as a green thumb. She has a way with plants that causes them to grow…to thrive.  What was once a blank slate is now a garden, lush and green, with many kinds of plants, trees, and flowers.

Her style, though planned, is not one that is starchy or stiff.  The flowers and plants are allowed to grow freely…to multiply.  While there are times when pruning has to be done and digging has to occur, largely they are allowed to “bloom where they are planted.”  The best example of that is Herbert the tree.  I need to tell you that I only recently named the tree Herbert.  I thought it might add more human interest to the story.  Anyway, several years ago, a maple tree began to grow in one of our flower beds.  Now, honestly, that usually doesn’t end well for the tree.  But this one, well, somehow his story turned out differently.

Herbert started growing too close to the fence in our front yard.  I can say with certainty that he was probably cut down a couple of times and each time he came back.  So finally, somehow, we decided to let him grow—and he did.  Time gets away from us all and it may be longer than I think, but I think Herbert is now about seven years old.  He has grown from a little maple sapling into a 30-foot-tall tree.  He was planted by nature, but it was our decision to let him grow…to bloom where he was planted.  I’m glad we did.

Herbert is now big enough to provide shade in our front yard and he also adds depth and dimension to our yard. Oh, and now, for the first time, when I rake leaves in the fall, at least some of them are mine and not my neighbor’s.  Somehow that is satisfying. A friend says I should have cut Herbert down a long time ago…you know, wrong place. But I told him that we were going to give him a chance.  While the place nature put him isn’t the best, he is a constant reminder to us that we should grow, to flourish, wherever God plants us.

Our life has been a series of great adventures.  While some folks choose to grow in the same community all of their lives and maybe live in the same house…well, ours has been different.  It really wasn’t us making the call…I believe it was a sovereign God working and planning what He thought best for us.  Our path isn’t your path, but it was the one that God chose for us.  One of the writers of the Jewish hymnbook in what we call the Old Testament said, “The Lord directs the steps of the Godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”  In other words, life, and especially the life of someone who follows Jesus, isn’t a series of accidents and circumstances but rather the handiwork of a Master Gardener. And for those Jesus followers, well that Master Gardener just happens to be their Dearest Daddy.

So, when you drive by our house on Poplar Street look at Herbert.  He lives by the alley and by the fence on the East side of our front yard.  Notice that he is closer to the fence than he should be but also remember that he is simply, “blooming where he was planted.”  It seems to be working out well for Herbert and guess what?  It seems to work out well for us humans too. Regardless of where you’ve been planted and regardless of the soil—just keep trusting the Master Gardner…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in life, priorities, Scripture, Trials, Uncategorized

What Time Is It?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“Teach them Your Word, Your Word is truth.” John 17:17b

It was the 60’s and 70’s. The novel, “A Tale of Two Cities” starts with “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times” and that pretty well describes those two decades.  Out of those somewhat crazy times came some of the best music ever written—at least modern music.  I know that is true because people from all the other decades seem to come back to the 60’s and 70’s. Some, ok, maybe a lot of it, was kinda crazy but that is what made it so cool.  There was a song that was released by the group Chicago in 1969 called, “Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is.”  It was a quirky song, in fact, that is how the guy who wrote it described it.

What is kinda funny is that it is a song that my wife Judy and I live daily.  If you read Grits, you might remember that I like clocks a lot. It all started a long time ago and is one hobby or obsession that has stuck with me through the years.  I am intrigued because of the design and engineering that went into each clock.  Some of my clocks are babies, only sixty or seventy years old.  Some though are well over a hundred.  Some were bought at a shop somewhere, one special one was built by a couple of friends and two were built by me…with a little help from my friends.

In today’s world, so many clocks are engineering marvels and keep time very accurately.  But some of the older ones tend to be a little less accurate.  So that is where our song comes in.  You see most rooms in my house have a clock or two or three and often they are the older mechanical types.  So, you go into the room and look over there and there is a clock.  It says it is, oh, let’s say 2:13 pm.  Then you look over there and there is another clock, and it says it is 2:20 pm. Then on the wall going up the stairs is another clock that declares it is 2:05 pm.  What?

Well, all of that is not a problem until you are about to leave, and you need to know if you are on time or late.  And trust me, more than once, Judy has said, “So what time is it, anyway?”  Well, I know my clocks pretty well and I know their habits as well.  I pretty much know who runs slow and who runs fast and who doesn’t run at all.  So I can usually tell her just about what time it really is.  It can be a bit confusing…but in a pretty good if not quirky way.

The bottom line is if I really need to know the time, I have three good choices.  First, my trusty Apple Watch.  It is very accurate and if it is strapped to my wrist…it is an obvious first choice. The second choice is my phone which is married to my Apple Watch.  The only problem is I’m not married to my phone which means it may or may not be close by.  The third choice is the kitchen stove.  It always tells the truth…but it still depends on me setting it correctly. And if the power goes off, well, you get the flashy thing until I get around to setting it.

I was thinking, which is always a dangerous thing, that where we go for truth is a lot like trying to find the correct time.  Similar to the question in the song you might ask, “Does anyone really know what truth is and what it is not?”  Well, the answer is…wait for it…the Bible.  For millennia this most ancient of sacred writings has stood the test of time.  It has made the best seller list forever and while there are many different translations and reading styles…there never has been a version 2.1.  Do you know why?  It is timeless, changeless and without error.  I know, I know you might think differently or maybe heard differently but let me encourage to check it out for yourself.  Do some honest research and you will probably come to the same conclusion that I did—it can be trusted because it is the real deal.  And trust me…these days we need the real deal.

When you find yourself running around and asking everyone you meet, “Hey, does anyone really know what’s true and what’s not?” I hope you will turn to the one source that is spot on, right on and always on target. Jesus said it best when He said, “Teach them Your Word, Your Word is truth.” I like that…plain, simple truth. And, when you have a question, when you are stumped, just ask the One who knows and always speaks the truth—God.  Oh, and don’t worry, He always has the answer because He is the answer.  In other words, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Easter, heaven, life, priorities, Scripture

Facing Down Mortality

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

I look and see my mortality.  Now don’t think for a moment this is one of those “Debbie Downer” stories.  In fact, in a way, it might be the best news you will hear all day, all week, well, for always.  So, I am seventy-one years old.  I know, I can’t believe it either. And all around me are signs that I am mortal.  Remember that—all of us are mortal. Last year I retired from my full-time ministry as a pastor. I served there for 24 years. I came to the church in 2000 when I was 46 years old.  I must have dozed off because just like that 24 years of life ticked off the calendar.  My children are married, I have eight grandchildren and Judy and I have now been married almost 49 years.  And the best part?  It has been, and is, a great ride.

But then I did the math.  When, and if, the next 20 years tick off the clock called life, I will be 91 years old.  I find that astounding.  We Taylor boys don’t have a real good track record when it comes to longevity.  Five of my siblings, four brothers and one sister, all older than me, have already moved to heaven.  Our clock is ticking and we don’t know when the last tick will come.  It is a sobering thought.  But stay with me.

When I pastored, I lived my life by the calendar. Now I have to think what day of the week it is!   Back then, I spoke at my church every Sunday and some Wednesdays. It seemed I no more finish one message before it is time to deliver the next.  The weeks flew by.  Every first of the month I spoke on the radio on a local program called “The Baptist Hour.”  My tag line was, “Can you believe another month has come and gone?” And the answer each month was, “No, I really can’t.” I remember on the first of February one year, after a speedy January, I made a joke about it being Christmas again before we know it.  Well, we just passed April 1st which means 25% of this new year is in the rearview mirror. Time flies by.  It is a sobering thought.  But stay with me.

Part of “The Baptist Hour” was the reading of the funeral arrangements of those who recently died.  Invariably there are several, often more than a few.  I’m learning that too often the names being read belong to people my age or younger.  One year an acquaintance in our small town suddenly died—a massive heart attack.  He was younger than me.  That really caused me to stop and ponder.  It was a sobering thought.  But stay with me.

Here’s what I am learning.  Time is relative.  We are eternal beings made and destined to spend forever somewhere.  That destination doesn’t depend on good or bad, church or no church, religion or not.  Does that surprise you?  You see, heaven isn’t for good people and hell isn’t for bad people. No, where we spend eternity is about forgiveness of sin and that forgiveness is a free gift from God to anyone…anyone…who asks.  I believe faith in Jesus is the only way to heaven. I know that sounds narrow but when you consider that God invites everyone to the party—well, it is really pretty broad. We read in the Bible that the payment for sin is death and radically Jesus came for one purpose—to willingly die and pay that price. 

So, if we are eternal beings and if we place our trust, our faith in this one of a kind, God-man named Jesus, that means that when we die we can spend eternity in this place called heaven.  When Jesus said that if anyone would believe in Him they would never die—that’s what He meant. And then He closes with that all important question, “Do you believe this?”

With Jesus in the equation, death isn’t the end, it is a beginning.  That might sound wacky to you.  However, before you chuck it out I challenge you to check it out.  Get a copy of the Bible and read the four different accounts or stories about Jesus—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You might find yourself intrigued and amazed.

I read a true story yesterday about a man’s perception of his morality. This guy happened to be a minister and he went to the doctor and got some sobering news.  He was terminally ill with no chance of recovery. The doctor told him he had about a year to live.  He left the doctor’s office and went to one of his favorite spots—you know, to kinda take it in. Now, allow me to let the man tell his story. “I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God’s own poetry to my soul. And I said, ‘I may not see you many more times, but mountain, I shall be alive when you are gone; and river, I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea.’”

Wow…what wonderfully strong words.  If this whole God story is true, and I honestly believe it is, then people who trust that Jesus is the path to God and heaven, will outlive the mountains and the rivers. We may change addresses but we will live forever.  I know this is probably a different kind of story than we usually share together, but I hope it will make us think about what happens next. For myself and so many others, it makes all the sense in the world—and beyond.  I’m grateful for the eternal part but I also love the part of the story that says He is with me now—hot mess world and all.  I can rest in Him and trust in Him because, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

The Heartmaker

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6

I watched and liked what I saw.  I just finished a pastoral career of 42 years.  It was a great ride and I have to admit it still surprises me when I realize just how quickly time and has come…and gone.  I was privileged to stay at my last church for 24 years and if the first number was surprising to me…the second is even more so.  To be at one place that long…to say hello to so many people and sadly goodbye to others…was eye-opening.  It also has been fun watching the kids grow up.  The guy who led worship for us was five years old when I came.  Amazing.  I even had hair back then…or at least more.

In my 42 years serving as a pastor, I have bumped into a lot of people.  Some of them were nice by nature. You know, always smiling, always optimistic, and always holding the door so someone could enter first. They never forgot a birthday and were always looking for ways to lend a helping hand.  When these folks met Jesus, there didn’t seem to be a lot to change…at least on the outside.  That’s one kind of people but there is another.  Take the opposite of everything I just wrote and meet the other side of the fence. And this is what is really exciting because it so shows the power of the gospel.

I love to hear everyone’s Jesus story but I especially love the ones where the change Jesus brings is like night and day.  It’s kinda like when you mow your grass and it really needs it…you stand back and say, “Wow…that looks better.” Now to be sure, every Jesus story is a “wow” story but to see a rough old sinner become a saint by God’s grace is simply amazing. And here’s the deal.  Whether it is someone who oozes kindness or someone as rough as a corncob, the truth is they are who they are because of the “Heartmaker.”

I was officiating at a funeral one day for one of those really good people and I told the audience that we should remember that the person we were honoring that day was who they were because of Jesus.  When they met Him, the Heartmaker gave them a new heart…a heart just like His. Tucked away in the Old Testament part of the Bible is a word picture of this.  It says, “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” That’s what the Heartmaker does for every person who chooses to follow Him.

I’ve said before, “I wish I had that person’s heart.” Oh, I’m generally a pretty nice guy but when I see someone who seems to do Jesus really well, it creates a longing in me to be more like them which is more like Jesus. The good news is that we don’t have to wish…all we must do is ask and the Heartmaker will come to the rescue.  But you need to know this…a heart like Jesus doesn’t come cheap…it will mean seeking, surrendering, and maybe suffering…just like Jesus.  It means loving the unlovable and forgiving those who hurt us the worse…just like He would.

There is a story about a young pastor who was visiting with an old, respected pastor. The young pastor said he wished he could have the maturity and respect he saw in the older pastor’s life.  The elderly statesman said, “Son, those things came into my life through great toil and suffering.  Are you ready to pay that price?”  Not surprising, his answer was no.  We can all admire a man or woman with a great heart but how many of us would be willing to pay the price that comes with it?

The truth is all of us who are Jesus followers can and should have a heart like Jesus…the Heartmaker. I think the path that leads to a Jesus heart is found in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” If you’re interested in having a heart like Jesus, it starts with asking the HeartMaker. Trust me—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, Family, friends, life, New Year, thankful, wisdom

Time–Our Treasure

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Lord, You have been our refuge in every generation. Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God.” Psalm 90:1-2 

I glanced back in the rearview mirror and watched it disappear, just like that Christmas came and went and so did another year.  It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time passes.  At one time there was a saying that said, “You are slower than Christmas.”  Well, at least for me that simply is not true anymore.  It seems like yesterday that we were talking about another new year, another new month, or another new week and now it is time to start it all over again.  Today marks the beginning of yet another another New Year. Amazing.

As you know Christmas occasionally falls on a Sunday. For most folks the day of the week Christmas arrives is not that big of a deal.  But as a used-to-be preacher-teacher it certainly was a big deal.  It was a definite shift to go from ho, ho, ho and opening presents to “Holy is the Lord” in a span of a couple of hours. It is almost like shifting a car from forward to reverse.  Christmas on Sunday normally occurs every six or seven years but guess what? Because of the way Leap Year falls next time, it will be nine years before we celebrate Christmas on a Sunday again.  Nine years.  For me, preacher or not, that means I will be knocking on eighty—loudly.  For some of you, it means your eleven year old son or daughter will be knocking on 18. Is that crazy or what?

The crazier part of all of this is that those nine years…if we get to see all of them…will pass so very quickly.  It is such a good reminder that we need to savor each day the Savior gives us.  We need to remember how precious every minute, hour, day, month, and year are.  The Bible has a lot to say about time and how we handle it. First, Moses tells us in Psalm 90, “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” That is such good counsel.  Like a cook carefully measures the ingredients in whatever they are preparing, so we need to carefully measure the value of each day. And when we do, if we do, we will discover the wisdom of the God of the ages.

Another great scripture is found in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.  Paul was writing to a group of Jesus people in Ephesus.  He said to them, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.”  Make the most or squeeze everything you can out of each day.  There are two things we need to remember about days. First, they all belong to the Lord…we are just managers and second, each day is a gift from Him.  No matter how difficult or how easy—each day is a present from Him to His children.  So, we should handle it with care and use it wisely.

Two of the things I love about God is His is generosity and wisdom.  He gives and guides and then helps us to make the most of every day…every gift.  As we look forward to our next installment of time—no matter how much or little we get to experience—always remember that there is One who is standing close just waiting to help us.  No matter what—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne