traditions – Grits with Grace

Pot Roast and Traditions

Posted on September 1, 2025August 25, 2025 by Dewayne Taylor

“Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?” Matthew 15:3

It is a tale that I could identify with. The story is told of a young girl who was watching her mother prepare Sunday’s lunch. She watched as her mother carefully cut the pot roast in two before placing it in the pan. This intrigued her so she asked her mother why she did this. Her answer was simple and direct, “Because my mother did.” She wasn’t quite satisfied with the answer so her mother told her to go and ask grandma. And she did. Grandma gave her the same answer, “Because my mother did.” Well, the little girl decided to ask her great grandmother why she cut her roast in two. So, the next time she was at the nursing home visiting, she asked. Without missing a beat she said, “Well, honey, my pot was too small.”

Isn’t it funny how something done for a particular reason can be passed on and on. Isn’t it strange how we do something and long after the reason for doing it is gone…we keep right on doing it? I know because I’ve got a “thing” in my world. You see, way back in 1985, my wife Judy and I purchased a Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser. It quickly became one of our favorite cars. It had the woodgrain trim down the side and seating for eight. It also had something else…it had a digital dash. Now keep in mind that was pretty high tech for 1985. Well, it had a little glitch.

That little glitch really was big one…the gas gauge was just not accurate. It often said you had more gas than you did. Well, one day, it got me…I ran out of fuel. After a lift to a station and returning with a borrowed gas can of gas, I was soon back on the road again…sing it Willie. And, that day, a new habit was born. Every time I bought fuel I would fill the tank and reset the trip odometer so I would know how far I could go. I never trusted the gauge again. So I would fill up with gas and reset the trip odometer…over and over again.

Well, one day it was time for the Oldsmobile Cruiser to cruise on and we got another car. New car, new gas gauge…no need to reset the trip odometer, right? Maybe not but the same old habit remained…always fill the tank and always reset the trip odometer. Now the gauge in the new car worked perfectly but the old habit remained. And guess what? It remains today. Here’s the deal. Forty years have come and gone and every time I buy fuel—I press reset. And if Judy happens to buy fuel instead of me, and she forgets to hit reset, I explain to her she needed to do it. And, she gives me the, “why” look and I just tell her because it’s just what we do. You might say I cut the roast in half because I always have.

So, is there something in your life that you are clinging to just because you have always done it that way? Of course it might be something that is totally harmless but sometimes…sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes it can lead to an angry exchange because someone didn’t keep the habit…the tradition. Sometimes relationships can be damaged. I’ve seen this so many times in churches. A tradition is messed with and World War III breaks out. The bottom line is there are habits, there are things, there are traditions that are noteworthy and good but we shouldn’t let them break friendships, relationships and hearts. Honestly, we may not need to cut the roast in two after all.

In the Bible back in the days of Jesus, the religious leaders added all kind of rules and traditions to their daily lives. The crazy part is they gave the traditions the same weight as the Law of God and trust me that was not a good idea. In fact, it wasn’t a good idea then and it sure isn’t now either. Jesus, talking to the temple leaders, said, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?” Now that’s a good question.

I hope this will remind us that there are more important things to do than cutting your roast in half. In other words, there are hills worth dying on and others that should be let go. And most important, don’t let opinions and traditions drive a wedge between you and another person. It just isn’t worth it. A broken heart or relationship is far too high of a price to pay. If you ever need some advice about this, just ask your Heavenly Father. He will tell you that people matter more than pride, or traditions or habits. And if you have already made a mess with this, don’t worry, He can help with the cleanup…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Christmas, Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, love, loving others, Scripture, thankful

Christmas All Day, Everyday

Posted on December 18, 2023December 16, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

I said it yesterday…Christmas is just six days away…and the time is quickly passing. If things go according to plan, it will be something like this. It will begin with Christmas Eve service at our church. This is one of the best things we do all year and yet it really isn’t anything we do. Families come and fill the worship center. We have some wonderful Christmas worship and reading from the Word of God. It is my privilege to share something from the Bible and from my heart. We end the service by sharing “the light of Christmas” with one another…a simple candle lit and shared with everyone across the room as we sing “Silent Night.” It always lasts just about an hour and then with anticipation, everyone goes their own way.

For Judy and me and the rest of the Taylor tribe that means gathering at one of our homes where we enjoy family, food, and fellowship. Everyone gets a new pair of Christmas pajamas as we share some wonderful food. Soon, too soon, our family disperses to their various homes. The only exception is Judy and I spend the night with our oldest daughter and her family and get to wake up Christmas morning as the family opens presents and just enjoy being family. Later in the day some of the family come back and we have Christmas lunch together with more laughter and more fellowship. Soon, too soon, the day ends, and we go our separate ways, our hearts filled with gratitude for a day well lived.

It is sometimes hard to see the day end. After weeks of anticipation and excitement, as the sun sets the reality is that we must go back to our routines. Soon the Christmas music will be pushed to the end of our playlist and the decorations will be packed away for another year and all of us will soon be doing life as before…or will we? I believe that we can and should carry some of Christmas with us right into the New Year. I believe that is what Mary and Joseph did. They didn’t leave Bethlehem the same way they arrived. They left carrying the hope of the world in Mary’s arms and under the watching eye of Joseph. They left with new purpose and new insight to care for and love the Baby placed in their care. Life wasn’t easy and neither she nor him knew all the curves and potholes this new road would have. They simply decided to trust God for the day after Christmas…and the day after that.

It would be easy for us to slip into what is called the “post-Christmas blues.” But I think we do have a choice. While we do have to move on, we can carry Christmas with us. You see Christmas isn’t just the music, the decorations, and the traditions. No Christmas is a celebration of God becoming man and dwelling with us and among us and in fact…in us. Christmas is a celebration of Christ and that isn’t, nor should it be about a day or season on a calendar. It is about the power of God’s love for this world…a love so great He gave His Son…the same one born on Christmas…for us. How about that?

So today, why not go ahead and break into a chorus or two of “Joy to the World.” After all, the good news of His coming is the best good news. Why not do today what you did a couple of days ago when you chose to show a little kindness? After all, there are no seasonal limits on kindness or love. That is something we can and should do every day. I think we can all agree, Christian or not, that the world could use a little more of each. I know that is what Jesus did. He went around doing good…not in honor of His birthday but because that was who He was and what He did.

Paul, the guy who wrote a bunch of the New Testament part of the Bible said, “Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs.” Now that is enough to make it Christmas every day! Sounds a little challenging. Don’t worry, the God who made all of this is just waiting to help you. In fact, if you listen close you will hear Him whispering, “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Christmas, Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, love, loving others, missions, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful

My Christmas Santa

Posted on December 6, 2023December 3, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

Santa Claus came to town. I cannot describe the excitement that filled my small world as Christmas grew near. I wish I could tell you it was all about Jesus, but in my boyhood world it was about presents and presents meant one thing—Santa Claus. Just like we have now, we had an attic in our World War II barracks turned into a house. And every year we would go into this magical place where special things lived and bring down the decorations. We would start early and stay late. While a white Christmas in Florida was never in the offing, a fun time was.

There were certain decorations that were staples in my world—I can see them in my mind’s eye like it was yesterday. One of those was Santa Claus. Now, we didn’t have the whole body but what we did have was his face. Yup! Our Santa face was about two feet tall and about 18 inches wide. It was made from molded plastic, so it was three dimensional and to me—it was real. When I got just a little older, I got to climb up on the roof (carefully for you concerned moms) and using some wire I would hang our Santa face on the front side of our chimney. But wait, it gets better! Our Santa face had a light bulb inside and would light up at night for all the world (at least so I thought) to see. It was magical.

I remember the vibrant colors—the red hat falling on one side of his peachy face, his full white beard, rosy cheeks, and his eyes. His eyes were bright blue and right in the middle of each pupil was a small hole so that brilliant white light could come peek out giving the illusion of just the right amount of twinkle. It was as if I could hear his hearty “ho, ho, ho.” It was more than a plastic face—for me it was the center of my Christmas world.

I’m not sure what happened to Santa. By the time Momma moved out of the house, I was in the Air Force. I’m hoping he is still living in someone’s attic, but probably he found his way to the trash pile…the victim of some relative that stopped believing. But he will always live in my mind. But in my grownup world, I stopped to question. Why did Santa look just like me? Why was his skin so peachy and his eyes so blue? If he loved all the kids around the whole world, it didn’t seem quite right that my Santa looked so…white. What about the African American kids, or the Asian kids, or the Hispanic kids? What about all the other kids? It didn’t occur to me so much back then but looking back…it does.

Well, having a peachy faced, blue-eyed Santa is one thing but what about a peachy faced, blue-eyed Jesus? It’s so funny that when I look at a nativity set, there’s a fair skinned, often blue-eyed Jesus. When I see a painting of Jesus in a church, (keeping in mind we don’t know what He looked like), He usually does have brown hair and eyes, but His skin is unusually fair for a Middle Eastern man. Honestly, perhaps this doesn’t matter too much unless we begin to think that Jesus is partial to us…no matter who “us” is. You see, just like the kids’ song says, “Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world.” Color never mattered to Him, or the side of town you lived in, or how rich or poor you were. He just loves people.

I loved the Santa that hung on my chimney just the way He was. He wasn’t making a statement…he was just saying, “Ho, ho, ho…Merry Christmas.” But let’s make sure our Jesus, or at least how we perceive Him, isn’t making an unintended statement either. There is a whole world out there who God loves and who Jesus died for. Paul, one of the guys who God used to write the New Testament, said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” So, if we are a Jesus follower, let’s get the message out that Jesus loves people…period. And just as important…let’s make sure we get the message out that because He loves people…we love people.

The mission for every Jesus follower is the same—love God, love people. That’s what the Bible teaches, and I figure if we are going to follow Him, we should follow it. It’s not always easy to love people…especially in these crazy days but guess what? With Him nothing is impossible. That’s what the angel told the young, virgin Mary. God can pull anything off—including helping us love others. It’s just good to know that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Christmas, Family, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, loving others, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

The Rest of the Story

Posted on January 12, 2021January 11, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one to whom it belongs.” Proverbs 3:27

And now you know the rest of the story. You might remember that line from Paul Harvey who used to tell some incredible stories from real life. He would tell the part that was known and then tell the part of the story that was not. He would always end with, “And now you know the rest of the story.” Well, today I want to tell you the rest of the story.

In the days right before last Christmas, I wrote a Grits story about my storied Christmas childhood. It was almost magical. Each year it seemed that Mama and Daddy pulled it all together, and that always meant sacrifice, and gave us a Christmas beyond our dreams. I cannot recall one Christmas that wasn’t incredible. I’ve heard stories from the generation that endured the Great Depression and they would speak of no Christmas or maybe just an apple or orange. My Daddy and Mama were part of that generation and I wonder if that is why they were so generous to us?

Well, in that story I talked about my Daddy’s old 410 shotgun. Every Christmas morning, long before sunrise, he or one of my older brothers would go on the back porch or the breezeway and shoot the old 410. It was like firing the pistol at a horse race. We knew it was time to race into the room to see what Santa had brought. I mentioned in the story that I wasn’t sure who had the gun—this priceless family heirloom. I knew it was somewhere but where?

While I had four brothers, five including me, there are only two of us left. We are the bookends—he the oldest (soon to be 84) and me the youngest (a long way from 84). Christmas night I received a message from my brother. He wrote that he had read my story about Daddy’s old 410 and that I had mentioned that I didn’t know what had happened to it. He shared with me that he had the gun. Shortly after our Daddy died in 1974 it came into his possession and he had it ever since. What he wrote next made the Christmas of 2020 one for the books.

My brother said, “Dewayne, I want you to have Daddy’s old 410.”

My brother said, “Dewayne, I want you to have Daddy’s old 410.” I couldn’t believe it, so I read it again and I had indeed read the message correctly. Tears instantly began streaming down my cheek as I shared the text with my wife, Judy. He said he had already talked to his son who was helping with his affairs and let him know his desire to pass it to me. Well, Judy and I had already made plans to go to Cookeville, Tennessee right after Christmas so I told her that we needed to head to Jacksonville when we were done there so I could go and pick up the gun…and we did.

We drove hundreds of miles and a whole lot of hours to go get “the old 410.” I couldn’t see the brother who had blessed me due to COVID, as he and his wife life in an assisted living home. I did get to sit and visit with his son who is only six years younger than me. The gun (not a gun but THE gun) and that visit made every mile and every hour worthwhile. If I am still alive when my brother passes, I will probably have the opportunity to share at his service. I already am extremely thankful for him—his fingerprints are all over my life. But that day I will share this story and how his thoughtfulness made the Christmas of 2020 one I will never forget.

The old 410 sits right to my left as I write this. I showed it to my oldest grandson and his dad. We always spend Christmas Eve night with them. I smiled from ear to ear when my son-in-law leaned over and said, “Papa, you will have to bring the old 410 to our house next year so we can shoot it off Christmas morning.” That sounds like a grand idea and if the Lord is willing that is exactly what we will do.

The Bible says that we shouldn’t withhold good from a person when it is within our power to grant it. I am so grateful my brother didn’t wait. He could have. He could have passed it to someone else, but instead he chose his baby brother who just happened to write a story. Me, my Daddy, my uncle and each of my brothers have hunted with this gun—it is a beautiful piece of our family legacy. It is now one of my most cherished possessions.

So, let’s watch for opportunities to bless someone when it is within our power. I know Jesus was really good at that and if we are Jesus followers, well, we should follow His lead. I wonder if the Whisperer whispered in my brother’s ear and he just listened. I wouldn’t be surprised—he and Jesus are pretty tight. And when it is our turn to be kind, well, don’t worry. He will whisper to you too, and rest assured He will give you the wisdom and ability you need. He’s got this.

Christmas, Family, gratitude, Holidays, life, prayer, priorities, thankful

Christmas Eve

Posted on December 23, 2020December 22, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15

What are you doing Christmas Eve? It really is a great question. All of my life, Christmas Eve has been as much a celebration as Christmas Day itself. The family would come over, there would be food, lots of food, Mama and the bigger sisters would gather in one of the bedrooms to wrap presents…lots of presents. I can remember that the three youngest of Mama and Daddy’s eight, dubbed the three little ones, would anxiously wait outside that bedroom door dying to see the name tags on the boxes. Would it be mine?

As we grew older things changed some but not really. I think as we became non-believers some of the excitement faded, but it was still special, it was still family, it was still Christmas Eve. One thing that was not part of our Christmas Eve celebration was church. I think, though I am not sure, that Baptist Jesus followers didn’t do the church thing on Christmas Eve. I mean it was ok because we made up for it on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights. While the Lutherans, Methodists, and Catholics were home watching Bonanza and the Wonderful World of Disney…we had to go to church. So, it probably worked out okay. I’m sure it didn’t matter to God either way.

Back in 1986, I had the privilege of serving at the First Baptist Church of Cobden, Illinois. After I had been there a few years I got the crazy idea of having a Christmas Eve Service. No churches in town were doing one, at least not Protestant ones, and it just seemed like a good idea. I mean, the shepherds, said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” And, hey, if they went to see Jesus…we should go to worship Jesus!

I remember when I shared my idea with my friends who happened to be deacons, they were at least partially sure I had sprung a leak somewhere. We batted it around for a few hours (just kidding, a few minutes) and they agreed to give it a try. Some said, “Now pastor, don’t be surprised if nobody comes.” Well, we were all surprised not because no one came, but it seemed everyone came.

From the first Christmas Eve the building was full or almost full every year. Many wonderful traditions were born during those years…traditions involving family and friends. It was pretty wonderful. I’ve been gone from Cobden for twenty years now and unless something has changed, they still gather on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Redemption’s Child. I suppose my friend Austin is still playing, “Mary Did You Know” on his old six string.

Well, in 2000, God thought it was time for a new chapter, so we moved to Harrisburg to pastor at Dorrisville Baptist Church. Well, guess what? They didn’t have a Christmas Eve service either. Again, I got this crazy idea. Why not start one here too? At that time, I believe there was not a Baptist doing a Christmas Eve service so it was definitely, shall we say, innovative. Well, I talked to my friends who happened to be deacons, they were at least partially sure I had sprung a leak somewhere. We batted it around for a few hours (just kidding, only one or two) and they agreed to give it a try. The general consensus was that it probably wouldn’t work. The music guy said he could only do it if we did it at 5pm…so 5pm it was.

Well, guess what? Yup, from the first service, it was a full or almost full house. We sang carols, read the Bible, lit candles, and softly sang Silent Night. I think some people came to see if I could really preach about 15 minutes. Smile. But the bottom line is that it has become the favorite service of most of our members. Families come and pack a row of chairs or two. It is genuinely, sincerely, very special. At least one time, it was snowing to beat the band with four or five inches on the ground by the time our service started. I thought, “Surely they won’t come out in this.” But I was wrong…they came.

So, what are you doing Christmas Eve? Can I give you a special invitation to find a service somewhere and attend? We all know how rough this year has been…it is almost beyond words. And yes, I know we will need to be careful—but somehow, we need to worship. Honestly, if we can go to Walmart, we can go to church. I know our church is blessed with a large facility that will allow us to socially distance. We are also going to stream the service live online. Why? I want as many people as possible to experience this wonderful part of Christmas…the part where we corporately thank God for Redemption’s Child. That night, that Silent Night, I believe we will take home a special gift. It will be the gift of a promise kept…that a Child, Jesus was born and because of that, we have the assurance that no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne