Tag: unexpected blessings

Posted in Family, fear, friends, gratitude, life, love, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

A Change in Plans

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28

In a moment…everything changed. A long time ago, one of the young ladies in our church family asked me if, when the time came, I would perform her marriage ceremony. Her mom told me she had long dreamed of her wedding and part of that dream was for me to conduct the ceremony. Well, when I retired last year from the pastorate, she immediately came up and reminded me that retirement or not, I still had to be there for her on her special day. Well, not long after, sure enough, she was engaged and I was invited to be a part of the ceremony. The days, weeks and months until the day came and went and finally it was time.

She is one of those well organized people and she had planned everything down to the smallest detail. She found a beautiful wedding venue overlooking a lake. It was going to be a beautiful outdoor wedding and the weather for the wedding day was going to be perfect.  However, the evening of the rehearsal was another tale indeed. When the rehearsal time came it was raining those big, heavy drops but soon it passed and the sun at least made a cursory appearance. Rain or not, we were having a grand time. I’ve known this family a long time and was enjoying the time of fellowship and celebration.  

Soon, the rehearsal was over and we left to drive into the nearby town of Marion for the rehearsal dinner. Can someone say yay? As I was walking to my car to drive to the restaurant I noticed a very large and ominous cloud heading our way. We all got into our vehicles and drove the short distance for dinner. Just as we were nearing the restaurant, the tornado sirens started blaring and the tornado emergency signal sounded on my phone. It was ominous indeed. Arriving at the restaurant, we headed inside trying to ignore the increasing rain and blaring sirens. 

Soon we were seated at the dinner table feeling at least somewhat secure in the sturdy building. Well, as it turned out, we were safe but there was indeed a tornado and it struck the venue site head-on, completely destroying the main building along with everything that had been setup for the wedding. It had all the makings of a disaster. Just about then it was pretty hard to see the handiwork of God. After the initial shock the family began trying to piece the celebration scheduled for the next day back together. As it turned out there were several “blessings.” 

First, we were all safe. Had our departure been delayed by eight or ten minutes, we would have been right in the middle of the destruction but our Dearest Daddy made sure we were not there. Thank you Father. Second, one of the essential parts of the ceremony, the wedding dress, was in a small building very close to the larger one that was destroyed. The little building and the wedding dress survived. Thank you Father. Last, on this short list of blessings, as the family scrambled to find a new location, a new venue, which just happened (smile) to be available, was located not too far from the original site–and with no damage. Thank you Father.

Despite all the difficulties, I believe most of the wedding party soon began to see how our Dearest Daddy was working even when it was hard to see. And that is just what He does–always working. I am writing this the morning of the wedding ceremony. I’ve got some editing to do to the ceremony because this is a story that needs to be told and certainly won’t be forgotten. It reminds me that no matter what it looks like, God really is good…we just need to be sure to look and see it…and find it.  This is a wonderful example of how God causes everything to work for our good and His glory. It is also a wonderful example of how, no matter what, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, thankful

Sunday Surprise

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13

I love surprises—well at least the good ones.  From the time I was a kid, there were two things that rang my bell:  gifts and a good surprise.  When you marry those two together—well, it’s a good thing.  One of my favorite memories center on a time when that happened.  When I turned 40, my wife Judy arranged a surprise birthday party for me and we just had a great time.  The gift thing was a little odd—you know, Geritol, Depends—the normal stuff when you’re being toasted at a party.  My favorite perhaps was a horseshoe shaped toupee custom designed to fit my receding hairline.

Yup—there’s nothing like a good surprise—especially a Sunday surprise.  I’m a pastor so around Christmas or perhaps Pastor Appreciation Month, it is not uncommon for the folks to give us cards and gifts.  It’s great.  You go to church and you get presents. I love it. Every once in a while, it’s a bit more random.  That happened not once but twice very recently.

Several weeks ago, I was talking about grief and how the Bible says that people who follow Jesus grieve differently.  According to Paul, the guy doing the writing, we don’t grieve like people with no hope.  The reason for that is we believe the end doesn’t have to be end.  That’s what Easter is all about.  Well, to illustrate the point I said if I were to lose twenty dollars there would be two ways to grieve.  One is the way I would grieve if it fell out of my pocket.  It would be gone.  No hope of recovery and no hope of getting it back.  Adios, President Jackson.  But if I were to put it in the bank, I might grieve that I can’t use it, but at least I would know where it was.

Well, it was a good illustration—now for the surprise.  When Judy and I got home from church that day, we walked up to our backdoor.  There, tucked neatly where the door met the frame, was a twenty-dollar bill.  There was no note, no anything just President Jackson there smiling at me.  To this day, I don’t know who left it but it sure made my day.  But here’s why!  Someone listened and just wanted to be a blessing.  It worked.  What a great Sunday surprise.

Guess what?  It happened again a couple of weeks later.  This time it wasn’t a portrait of President Jackson but something just as special.  At Christmas time we have a nativity set.  I shared recently in a Grits with Grace story how our nativity set includes a special guest:  Scarlet from the movie “Gone with the Wind.”  Years ago, someone gave her to us as an ornament for our tree. Well, my granddaughter added her to our nativity set about 17 years ago and it just seemed natural that she should stay.  After all, a sinner like her, like me and like you is what Christmas is all about.  You know, Baby Jesus came to save the world from all our brokenness.

On the Sunday before Christmas, I shared that story as part of the morning message.  Now, fast forward a couple of weeks—the Sunday after New Year’s.  Judy and I finished up with church and headed to the house.  When we got to the back door, I looked down and there was a small box.  It was wrapped in plain, brown paper and simply said, “The Taylor Family.”  It was another Sunday surprise.

After lunch we opened the box and guess what was in there?  It was another Christmas ornament from “Gone with the Wind” but this time it was, drumroll, please, Rhett Butler.  Now in case you don’t know, Rhett was Scarlet’s beau in that movie.  We laughed till we cried.  We still don’t know who left it for us, but it made our day.  Next Christmas—yup, Rhett will be by Scarlet in our nativity set. They both will remind us that Jesus came to fix broken people—just like them and just like us.

Both of those surprises were special because someone thought enough to reach into our lives with a special touch.  It is appropriate that they happened on Sunday because it seems that is when God just loves to surprise His people.  Often, we manage to make it to church after a difficult week wondering what could possibly happen that would make it worthwhile—make life more bearable.  And then, it happens.  A friend speaks a compliment to you.  The worship team leads a song that reaches right down where you are and picks you up.  The pastor chooses a scripture that seems it was written just for you that very day.  And all of a sudden, you know why you made the effort to get up and go.  God had a Sunday surprise just for you.

I believe God loves to do special things for us.  He sends us love notes that just remind us that He is still there and that He still thinks mighty highly of us.  Oh, don’t get puffy…it isn’t that we earned it or deserve it—it’s just the way He is.  It is His nature and character and I just love it.  So, whoever thought enough to tuck a twenty dollar bill in my door or somehow find a Rhett to be with our Scarlet—thank you for blessing us.  You touched our hearts.  And let’s be sure and thank God for all His special surprises He sends our way—not just on Sunday but every day.  And don’t be surprised about this crazy world—just remember, “He’s got this.”