Valdosta – Grits with Grace

Family, food, Holidays, life, Scripture, Southern born, travel

Southern Cuisine–The Real Deal

Posted on December 4, 2025November 24, 2025 by Dewayne Taylor

“He says, “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:18b

I discovered the difference between the real deal and everything else. My wife Judy and I travel south to see family. Before I retired, she was usually our representative to our southern family. She would make the circuit, sitting and talking and visiting, all of which is right up her alley. But that was then and this is now. Now we make the trips together. I was soon reminded of the value of family and in the process rediscovered the value of good southern cooking.

First, in Valdosta where she is from and where a bunch of her family lives, there is a family of restaurants that are excellent for two reasons. First, they are all buffets and second, they all specialize in southern cooking. The buffet is a spread of everything southern…fried chicken, ribs (both fried and smoked), fish, pork chops, chicken gizzards and livers, pot roast and the list goes on and on. Then comes the vegetables…field peas, lima beans, baby lima beans, black-eyed peas, collard and turnip greens, cream corn, grits and…well, you get the idea.

Well, that was all good but then came Thursday night. Her family decided to have a mini family reunion of sorts. Now just like my family, her family is blessed with many queens of southern cuisine. I admit I just couldn’t wait to taste what was going to be brought. About thirty relatives showed up and each family brought several dishes. Now imagine with me. Take the list above and double it and you will have a fair idea of how much food was there. Now, take what we had at the restaurant, which was very good, and give it a multiplication factor of at least two and maybe three and you begin to understand the Allen family feast. It was beyond delicious—and not just a dish here or there but every dish. I won’t even try to describe the deserts. Wonderful southern food with a wonderful southern family and well, I sure was glad I didn’t miss it.

I did learn something through my southern food experience. You see, I was very content with the restaurant version of southern heaven until I tasted the real deal and suddenly, I was reminded of the difference. The real thing made in someone’s kitchen with loving hands and hearts made the restaurant version somewhat of a cheap imitation. Oh, it was good till I had the real thing and then there was no comparison. The real thing trumps anything else every time.

That truth is worth remembering. There are a lot of imitations out there in the world and they will try and make you discontent with the real thing. They will try and steal your heart out of a good marriage or make you discontent and leave relationships that have satisfied for years. Like so many of the commercials today, they wave their plastic happiness and try to convince you that their “something” is better. Don’t believe it—the real deal is better than a plastic substitution no matter how good it looks. And by the way, that is definitely true when it comes to religion and God. Don’t ever be tempted to trade the practice of religion for a God who loves you so much He gave His Son to die for you. Like He said in His Book, “I am the Lord, there is no other.”

I am grateful for my trips south, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn once again about the importance of what is real and what is second place. Never be satisfied with something else when you can have what is real and never trade what is first for what is second. It is always a bad deal.

So, if you are blessed to have some southern relatives and you visit with them, make sure to sit-down with them for supper. Chances are you will discover your own spread of southern delights. And remember to be content and grateful for the spread that God has set before you. He is a good, good Father and, unlike religion, He loves you so, so much and no matter what, you know, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, gratitude, life, Scripture, Southern born, travel, Trials

They Drove Us Batty

Posted on February 19, 2024February 17, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19

It was years ago but trust me…it is still fresh in my memory. We had made one of our journeys to the land of grits and collards to see family. We enjoyed some good southern cooking, some great times of fellowship and revisited several places from Judy’s childhood and our days together before God and the Air Force sent us on the next chapter of great adventures. There’s no place like home, Dorothy said it and I agree.

We decided to do something different so rather than stay with the relatives, we rented a nice Victorian home in Valdosta at a very reasonable rate. It was wonderfully decorated, and we had the whole house to ourselves. The location was great, the hot tub in the backyard was great, everything was just great…and then I looked in the sink. Something was moving.

After we arrived, we were still checking out the place and my wife Judy and I went into the kitchen and happened to look in the sink and there were some rotten banana peels lying there. Well, that wasn’t too cool. Who would leave rotten banana peels in the kitchen sink of a nice rental house anyway? The answer—no one. You see, about that time one of the banana peels moved! Yikes—they weren’t banana peels after all—they were—BATS—five of them.

Well, I mustered my courage and threw a towel over them, scooped them up and tossed them out the door. There—gross but end of the story—nothing could be worse than that—right? Wrong. That evening we were watching some TV and I stepped out of the room to hear Judy holler “Dewayne, here’s another one!” Sure enough, one was walking across the floor, so out he went. Then I looked and one was hanging on the fireplace screen—out he went too. Well, surely it can’t….don’t bet on it. We went to bed that night and I dozed off quickly…Judy didn’t. Soon, I heard, “Dewayne, there’s one flying around in the room!” Well, she was wrong…there wasn’t one–there were two. The batman (that’s me) knocked ‘em down and hauled them out and called the owner.

The next day a bat removal guy came. He told us he had been there the previous Saturday and had patched a couple of entrances he assumed the bats were using. I guess he missed one…or two. Well, he searched the house and came up with seven more bats. Can you believe this? He patched and sealed some more entrances and we thought that was the end of problem—finally! Well, that is what we thought. Long story short—by the end of the week we had removed 25 bats from the house. He caught and released them somewhere. It turns out they were endangered…more so than they knew.

This is one reason I said, “There’s no place like home.” The only bat at 217 W. Poplar is a ball bat! So, by now you are wondering, “Why didn’t you guys leave?” Well, the landlord did offer us a partial refund and there was a bed and breakfast down the road, but the bottom line was twofold. First, we really, really liked having the whole house to ourselves and in such a good location. Second, I didn’t know on day one that there were 25 bats in the house—I always thought the last one was the last one. I was wrong.

I wonder if my reluctance to leave explains why some people continue to have a bad habit or a sin even though everything in the world is telling them to get out. It becomes obvious that we like habits or sin. Sin can be pleasurable but mark it down—it not only offends God, but it is also expensive (on a couple of different levels) and it can wreak havoc in your life (or your vacation). Secondly, sin will take you further than you want to go and make you stay longer than you want to stay. I kept thinking the last bat was the last bat but there was always one more. Finally, the week was gone and if nothing else I became an expert at bat removal.

So, if you need a house to stay at in Valdosta and you don’t mind bats let me know. I can promise you it will be an interesting visit to say the least. Personally, it just about drove me batty…pun definitely intended. Oh, and if you need someone to help you remove some of the “bats” from your life, I know just the One. He is my Dearest Daddy, and He would love to help you out. He will cast those pesky “sin bats” to the bottom of the sea. You can trust Him…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Military memories, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful

A Grits Love Story

Posted on February 14, 2023February 13, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18

It happened just like that. I love grits…a lot. I know some of you have no idea what grits are and have never tried them. If you are from the North, I understand. If you are from the South, well, that’s just inexcusable. The problem with grits is that people want to mess with them by adding things like sugar and milk. Listen…you don’t mess with Texas, and you don’t mess with grits. When you add those two things to grits it changes their DNA and whatever it becomes is no longer grits. It may be the same consistency, but sugar and milk rob grits of their heart and soul.

There are things you can add to grits. The first three things on the list are salt, pepper and butter. Grits were meant to be seasoned so don’t think a sprinkle of this, or a dash of that will get the job done. You need to grab the saltshaker and get serious and do the same thing with the pepper. Someone will say that salt is bad for your blood pressure. Well, some things are worth the sacrifice. The other things that bring grits to life are bacon, cheese and amazingly, shrimp. I’m telling you…grits are not the breakfast of champions…grits are the champion of breakfast. If you learn to eat them right…you will never go back and the only question you will ask is, “Why did it take me so long?

I should have asked that question sooner in another season of my life. It was late summer of 1974 and I was coming out of a relationship that had gone on way too long. It was just time for it to end and it did. I was in the Air Force and trust me an Air Force base nine miles from town in South Georgia can be a lonely place. Imagine a bowl of grits without the salt, pepper, and butter and that was me. And then on a Wednesday night I decided to go to a local church. Now I had done church all of my life, but walking into a strange church, by myself, on a Wednesday night, was not in my comfort zone. But this bowl of grits needed some seasoning. So, I went hoping I would meet someone who might add some seasoning to my life. And, just like that, it happened.

That night, I walked in the side door of the church and there was a small group of young ladies standing by the piano. One, and only one, caught my eye. Her name was Judy Allen, and that night was the beginning of a love story that has now stretched into a 46-year adventure of life and love. I guess she was a little too young and maybe I was a little too old, but it was a different time and the bottom line…we fell in love. That Georgia peach stole my heart and has never given it back. I never thought of it this way, but I guess grits and peaches go together after all.

Through the decades and years, we have journeyed together…sometimes across town and sometimes across the world. We built a legacy together that includes our three daughters, their husbands, and our grandkids…all eight of them. We first served our country together as an Air Force family and then served our God as a team—side by side in four different churches over 39 years. At each stop, I was the grits, and she was the seasoning. She was and is a gifted servant in her own right, but she was also the salt, pepper, and butter that made me a better bowl of grits, a better man…a better pastor. I fully understand what God meant when He said in Genesis, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Well, thank you God for that one.

Grits (what I write not the ones you eat) is just one more example of her seasoning me—encouraging me. She had been nudging me for years to write and I simply wouldn’t listen. And then COVID came along and on a whim, I wrote a very short story and posted it and almost a year later my fingers are still mashing keys. What you may not know is that Judy once again was there to season my frail attempts. She developed the blog and the Facebook page, and she proofs my words then designs the graphics. She adds flavor to Grits—and our life and our ministry.

So, on purpose and without apology, let me tell her and you, just how much I love her and how grateful I am for the seasonings she has brought to my life. There are two things I know. First, I can’t imagine what life would have been if I hadn’t gone to church that night. See, you oughta go to church! But second, I can’t imagine what life would have been if this particular someone, by God’s amazing grace, hadn’t walked with me all these years. It seemed she always knew just how much salt, how much pepper and how much butter to add to this ole bowl of grits…and I love her for it.

So, there you go. It’s a grits love story. If you’ve tried grits (the kind you eat…not the ones you’re reading) and didn’t like them…you probably just didn’t have them seasoned right. You might want to give them another try. And if you have someone in your life that, honestly, just feels a little bland, like grits without the good stuff, don’t give up on them. Go ahead and be the seasoning in their life. You might be amazed, just like I was, how a little salt, a little pepper, and some butter can make a bowl of ground corn taste amazingly good. Oh, and then, don’t forget to also thank God because He’s the One who made it all possible anyway. I’ve learned, and I am still learning, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, food, friends, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel, Trials

Liver Anyone?

Posted on February 8, 2023February 7, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you.” James 1:5b

They were laying there taking a bath in rich, brown gravy. Well, we had to make a trip to the South when my brother died. He lived where I was raised, Jacksonville, Florida and was laid to rest next to our Daddy and Momma. Well, if you know anything about Florida, you know that sitting right north is Georgia and you know the quickest way to Florida, and Disney World, is down Interstate 75. Finally, and we are going somewhere…no pun intended…if you go down Interstate 75 to Florida you must go through Valdosta, Georgia.

As I understand it, there are only two Valdosta’s in the whole world…one in Georgia and one in Italy. Well, Judy was raised in the one in Georgia and that is where we were married so I think you could say that Valdosta is kinda home for us. Well, we are big fans of southern cooking and there is a place in Valdosta called the Old Time Country Buffet and it has become a favorite of ours. So, a couple from our church was visiting in South Florida and we managed to meet them on our way to Jacksonville in Valdosta. They were offering a free lunch and a hug—both sounded really good.

So, we met at the buffet and before long I was introducing them to everything from cream corn to collards to fried chicken. As I circled the buffet, I saw something that looked good…real good. It was a pan full of rich brown gravy and swimming in the gravy were thick slices of beef. I had to have some. I stabbed a couple of pieces of beef, spooned up some gravy, both for the meat and my mashed potatoes and moved on. Things were good and they were about to be better…or so I thought.

I got back to the table, showed my plate to my friends and dove in. One of the first stops on the grand tour of my “heaped high” plate was the beef and gravy. It was tender and looked delicious and without hesitation I took a nice, big bite. Well, immediately I thought to myself, “Hmmm, maybe beef with gravy isn’t their specialty.” It had a twang to it that I thought tasted familiar. I couldn’t quite identify it, so I took another bite and it just wasn’t good…and then I remembered. That strange twang was not beef…it was liver…beef liver.

There are only a few things in the food world that I don’t like, but liver is definitely one of them. Yuck. Gross. I realized I had been tricked…fooled…betrayed. Well, needless to say, that was the end of the liver. I always try to clean my plate…usually motivated by the memory of starving kids in Africa…but this was one time the liver was heading to the trash. Not even guilt could force me to eat this beef wanna be.

I told the people at the table how I thought it was one thing and it turned out to be something else and now…I am telling you. It may have looked like beef but all the looks in the world wasn’t gonna change its true identity…its true taste. There was probably a sign that properly identified this “sheep in wolves clothing” but my eyes were on the pool of gravy and not the little sign.

Now I know and you know that this doesn’t just happen at buffets. The truth is our world is filled with things that seem to be one thing and in fact are something totally different. Now if we take the time and look closely, hints of truth are usually all around but we too often see what we want see. What we need to see is the truth. So, the next time you are tempted to take the plunge, be sure and know what you are diving into. Before you throw away a marriage and family, before you toss out your character, before you take a swim in the pool of regret…take the time to evaluate and count the cost.

Jesus said one time that it is foolish for a man to start building a tower before counting the cost. After all, think how foolish he would look if he started it and couldn’t finish it…sorta like stabbing beef and getting liver. James, the half-brother of Jesus, said that if we lack wisdom, all we need to do is ask God and He will gladly give us what we need. Beef or liver—your choice but remember this—even when we mess up God will be there to help us. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

Don’t Forget!

Posted on April 27, 2022April 26, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:13b-14

I forgot the most important thing. It was the fall of 1976. My wife Judy and I were newlyweds and life was good. Oh, and for the record…smile…here we are 46 years later, and life is well…good. I got a call from my oldest brother Reggie who asked if I wanted to go squirrel hunting and could I find a place for us to go. I told him sure and a good friend who had a good place to go squirrel hunting said sure too. So, we picked a Saturday and set a time.

Since the really good place was east of Valdosta where Judy and I lived and since he lived in Jacksonville, we agreed to meet at the hunting place. So, I left early and he, having to drive even further, left earlier and at the appointed hour, we both arrived. I love it when a plan comes together. The sun was just about to say good morning when we got out of our cars. It turns out squirrels are early risers so the best time for hunting is early, and we were early. I love it when a plan comes together.

After a “good morning” and “how are you doing”, we both went to our cars to get our weapons. I recently learned from a friend that guns are not called guns they are either firearms or weapons. The Navy does the same thing with boats and ships. Anyway, as I got to my car and popped the trunk, I reached in to get my gun, weapon or firearm and…wait for it…it wasn’t there. At first, I thought in the dim light of dim I just wasn’t seeing it so I prodded and poked around and guess what? The hunter had forgotten the most important thing…his gun, weapon or firearm.

I was so embarrassed. My brother was one of those African safari kind of hunters. He had his hunting vest, his gun, weapon or firearm, a knife and on and on. He looked the part and there I stood with no gun, weapon, or firearm. I didn’t even have a knife. So, I told him apparently in the rush to be on time I had left the most important thing behind. We groaned, we moaned and then we laughed. After all, it was funny. So, with two hunters and one gun, weapon or firearm, off we went into the woods. And all morning, I followed quietly behind my brother as he shot squirrels and I watched.

You might be wondering exactly how does a guy who is going hunting forget the tool of the trade…the gun, weapon or firearm. Well, the best I can figure the answer probably has to do with priorities. You see, I can only imagine that I was running a little late that morning and at the moment being on time (which for the record is important) caused me to rush and leave my gun, weapon or firearm behind. In other words, the important took the place of the most important…the urgent overrode the most urgent. And, I have the feeling, it happens way too often.

All of us have things that are important and most of us have a most important thing. Paul, the guy who wrote a bunch of the New Testament said that there was one thing he did. In other words, this one is important, and do you know what it was? Forgetting the past and looking to the future. Now that is a good one. You see, he knew he had a past worth forgetting and a future worth grabbing ahold of and that was what made it important.

So, what is it in your life that you need to bump up to the top? Chances are it can’t be bought at a store or rented from Rent One. Chances are it involves those that you love the most and the ones who love you most. Don’t wait to figure this one out. Time is ticking by and there is not a minute to lose. If you find yourself at a loss, well, there is someone just waiting to help. He is really good at lending clarity for our priorities if we ask. To some He is just God but to others He is Dearest Daddy. Regardless, He loves you and is waiting to help you. No doubt about it…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, friends, Grace, life, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel, Trials

They Drove Us Batty

Posted on March 2, 2022March 1, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19

Well, I mustered my courage and threw a towel over them, scooped them up and tossed them out the door. There—gross but end of the story—nothing could be worse than that—right? Wrong. That evening we were watching some TV and I stepped out of the room to hear Judy holler “Dewayne, here’s another one!” Sure enough, one was walking across the floor, so out he went. Then I looked and one was hanging on the fireplace screen—out he went too. Well, surely it can’t….don’t bet on it. We went to bed that night and I dozed off pretty quickly…Judy didn’t. Soon, I heard, “Dewayne, there’s one flying around in the room!” Well, she was wrong…there wasn’t one–there were two. The batman (that’s me) knocked ‘em down and hauled them out and called the owner.

The next day a bat removal guy came. He told us he had been there the previous Saturday and had patched a couple of entrances he assumed the bats were using. I guess he missed one…or two. Well, he searched the house and came up with seven more bats. Can you believe this? He patched and sealed some more entrances and we thought that was the end of problem—finally! Well, that is we thought. Long story short—by the end of the week we had removed 25 bats from the house. He caught and released them somewhere. It turns out they were endangered…more so than they knew.

I wonder if my reluctance to leave explains why some people continue in a bad habit or a sin even though everything in the world is telling them to get out. It becomes obvious that we like the habit or the sin. Sin can be pleasurable but mark it down—it not only offends God, but it is also expensive (on a couple of different levels) and it can wreak havoc in your life (or your vacation). Secondly, sin will take you further than you want to go and make you stay longer than you want to stay. I kept thinking the last bat was the last bat but there was always one more. Finally, the week was gone and if nothing else I became an expert at bat removal.

Family, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Memorial Day, Military memories, Southern born, thankful, USA

Thank You, Mr. Charles

Posted on May 31, 2021May 30, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

It’s the way it ought to be. This Memorial Day weekend found my wife and I on the road again. That’s a good thing. Last year, as we all know, was a year with most travel shut down for a chunk of the year. It was almost refreshing to spend time again waiting in line as hundreds of other travelers rediscovered the freedom to travel this great land. It was busy because the COVID threat is thankfully in retreat, but it is also Memorial Day weekend…the traditional start of summer. Smile.

As we were waiting to board, the announcer person at the desk announced that the boarding process would be starting in just a few minutes. She let us know that there was going to be a “pecking” order for boarding. Those with special needs and little children were allowed to board first, followed by the people who were what they called “Sky Priority” and what I would call, “the blessed.” That group included the “First Class” folks as well as those in business class. They would all be followed by the normal people in the main cabin. But there was one more group of people who received special treatment…and boy, did they deserve it.

Right behind the people with special needs and small children came this announcement, “Those individuals on active duty in the United States Armed Forces are invited to board now.” Yup…that’s right. Delta did it right. They gave special honor to those serving their country and the reason was simple…they deserved it. And they don’t do it just on Memorial Day weekend—they do it all the time—because they deserve it all the time. Every day, but especially today, we have the opportunity to do what Delta does on every flight—honor those who are serving our country. And we can take it one step farther—we can honor those who have served. I know that is normally reserved for Veteran’s Day, but can we thank them enough for all they have done for all of us?

My wife stumbled upon a story on Facebook that struck especially close to home…literally. We contacted them and received permission to share their post. It goes like this, “When Mr. Charles & Ms. Debbie, with C.D. Ives logging company, were working on clearing trees at a job site north of Naylor in Lanier County, Georgia, between GA Highway 135 & U.S. Highway 221, Mr. Charles noticed the A-10s from Moody Air Force Base would regularly fly over where he was clearing trees; sometimes they would get so close he could easily make out the pilot in the cockpit!”

“He figured since he could see them, maybe they’d be able to see a message letting them know his appreciation for what they do, using only what he had on hand at his job site: trees! Mr. Charles positioned them to spell out “THANKS USAF,” painting them in red, white, & blue paint so they stand out a little better.” The author went on to say, “Hopefully, the pilots have been able to catch a glimpse of this “Thank You” from Mr. Charles & Ms. Debbie as they fly over!”
(credit: 05.30.21 The Georgia Photography Fanatic, https://www.facebook.com/thegeorgiaphotographyfanatic)

I can only add, how appropriate and how thoughtful.

Like I said, it strikes close to home. You see, Judy was raised right there in that South Georgia area and me, well, I spent four years stationed at Moody Air Force Base myself and yes, it was there that I met Judy and we began our life together. I am grateful that Mr. Charles took it upon himself to honor those pilots at Moody and I hope they got the message. But the question is this, “What can we do right now, today, to honor those who paid the ultimate price and for those who served or are serving?”

Well, there will be multiple opportunities. Maybe your community will have a Memorial Day service or parade today. Why not attend? Why not take your children and let them experience the honor afforded those who gave their life that we could be free? Why not visit a local cemetery and look for graves that mark the deceased as a member of the armed forces? Why not stop and say thanks to someone you know who served their country in one of the armed forces? Why not thank God for your freedom and their sacrifice? Why not make a point today to find a way to say, “Thank-you?”

One of the most powerful love verses in the Bible says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” The Book makes it clear that those who die for another or even those willing to die for others are worthy of our honor and respect. So, let’s all enjoy the time with family and friends today. Have a burger and a dog but make it a priority to remember what it is all about—honoring those who laid their life on the line that we could be free. Remembering their sacrifice and remembering the awesome love and power of our great God will also help us remember that no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne