Father's Day at the Font

Got to baptize a beautiful little girl today, taking her from the arms of her mom, as the father stood there with their three other girls. I told him (and the congregation) that a friend of mine says it takes a special kind of man for God to entrust with daughters, and that it was obvious he was such a capable, trustworthy man. While those words could just be bullfluff, I know the man well. He is great father and a mentor for one of our boys Life Groups.

But I was thinking, does it take something extra to be a good dad to girls. Not having a son, I'm really not in a position to make a comparision. Maybe the question should simply be, "What does it take to be a good Dad?" But I remember reading a book some years ago called "Bonding," by Donald Joy. He devoted a chapter to the important role a dad has in a daughter's developing sense of herself.

Joy says no one can take the father's place in giving a daughter a safe place to grow in her sense of femininity, and in her self-respect. Sounds like a tall order (and they don't come with instruction manuals!). Maybe you do what you should do with every child - balance good expectations with affirmation and be unwavering in your love and belief in them, and in the case of girls, add an extra dash of patience.

As most dads who take this role seriously know, I'm sure my girls have taught me more than what I might have taught them. And yea, I still haven't gotten over my goofy amazement that I get to be their dad.

Memorial Day Thoughts

Making small talk at a wedding reception recently a friend and I realized we have in common an odd bit of history. We are about the same age and we both know we are probably here because President Truman decided to avert the invasion of Japan by dropping the atomic bomb. How can this be?

My father was a signalman in the Navy. At the end of the European theater of war, he was sent with other selected signalmen to train for the invasion. They were to be dropped offshore, were to get on land the best they could, dig in, and help direct the invasion from their vantage point. The Navy expected a survival rate of 1 out of 10.

My friend’s father was an Army sergeant. After time in Europe, he was assigned to a special force being made up for first wave of the invasion. I don’t know what survival rate was expected for this, but pretty sure it was slim.

Anyway, they were in training at bases in California when the news came of the atomic bombing of first Hiroshima and then three days later, Nagasaki. Six days after the second bombing, Japan surrendered.

This post isn’t made to offer rational for the use of nuclear weapons. I cannot imagine the horror they created and pray the world will never see them used again. But here on Memorial Day as I think of so many who have died in service to our country, I do give thanks that two young soldiers got the chance to live, and to become dads. And it reminds me that we who live peaceable lives owe a debt of gratitude.

Easter Traditions

After a wonderful Taize Good Friday service with the area churches last night, we went home to a Taylor tradition, dying eggs. For 24 years we have dyed or painted emptied eggs and kept a few each year. They aren't amazing eggs, but their ours, and reflect the changes of the years. Even our dog, Cooper, got into the act, adding his special touch to one egg. Now the Big Basket holds over 150 eggs, and this year another dozen is added. I suggested this might be the last year, but of course, was voted down.

...


.

A Family Heirloom

This past weekend we were delighted to have my parents and sister come to stay with us. During the visit Dad said he had brought a gift to me from my cousin David. I took it out of the box and it obviously was an old Bible (1892) with the binding a bit worn, but the interior in very good condition.

My grandfather, the Rev. O.E. Taylor, had given the Bible to David and David had decided to pass it along to me. Opening the Bible to the center I realized it was an heirloom Bible, with my grandparents certificate of marriage, along with other pages of family records.

Items like this are meaningful only if it's your family, but when it is a family heirloom, it is priceless. They connect us to our past, rooting us and reminding us of who we are. This was a wonderful surprise and I am grateful to my cousin for entrusting me with it.

The Passover in 3D

I am doing a summer sermon series on atonement theories, but, of course, I'm not calling it that. I set it up with the question, "How does the death of Christ bring us salvation?" and am using texts from the Hebrew Bible as motifs relating to various explanations.

Today the text I used was Exodus 12, the story of the 10th plague, the Passover. This was the basis for the "ransom theory," Christ paying the price to set us free from our bondage and slavery to sin. I could easily tell the story of Exodus 12 because it was ingrained in me when I was a child of only five years old.

The details of the occasion are fuzzy, but I know that I was sick for several days, as was my older brother. He had to stay home from school. I think we had the measles, but what we had was not as important as what happened.

My mother kept two sick boys entertained by making us recreate the story of the Exodus. We unfolded the sofa bed and there with plastic army men, we established Pharaoh's army and the Hebrew people. We made our way through the plagues, often using sound effects for the things we didn't have: flies, locusts, thunder and hail, etc.

There on the sofa mattress world, the Hebrew people finally escaped the brown blanket of Egypt, but were hemmed in by the blue blanket of the Red Sea. Amazingly, that blanket parted and the Hebrews crossed over on dry mattress to the wilderness.

I don't remember all that we did to create the story, but cotton balls substituted for the cloud of God's presence leading the Hebrews by day, and I do remember striking matches to represent the fiery presence by night. And for scholars who have wondered for years exactly what manna was, I can tell you - manna is crumbled saltine crackers!

These are pleasant memories from a period of sickness a long time ago. They tell the story of a mom who was loving and caring for her boys while wanting to teach them what she values most, God's Word. I just glad she didn't have a Veggie Tale video to make us watch back then. I probably wouldn't have remembered that at all.

Were You Been Taylor?

I am too tired to do any more packing or work tonight. I realize I haven't posted in a while. So, this is just a mindless update. The movers come early Tuesday morning, and Cynthia leaves tomorrow for a three day meeting at Emory. She has such timing! But she's gotten most of the kitchen stuff done, and yes, a lot of other stuff (that's in case she reads this).

We pack differently. She goes through the items, discards what we haven't used in a while and makes a pile for give-away. I just pile stuff in boxes and haul it over to the new house. I'll have to sort through my stuff as I unpack it. She's a lot smarter than me, but of course that isn't anything new.

The new house the church bought is beautiful and it is going to make a very nice parsonage. Tuesday is also when they recarpet my office at the church. So, most all of my office stuff is sitting in the back of the chapel or out in the hall. I just keep reminding myself that soon we will get settled again.

Went to a nice church dinner at Cynthia's new church today. Met a lot of her members. It seems they are a congregation that likes to have fun together, which is probably a lethal combination with Cynthia's sense of humor.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at our last Conference delegation meeting, preparing for the upcoming Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. That will take place in a couple of weeks at Lake Junaluska. The big issue is the election of a new bishop. We feel Tim McClendon has an excellent chance of being elected, but who knows how the voting will go until the first ballot results are announced. As a politician once told me, "Not everyone who says they voted for you actually did so." Tim would be a great bishop if elected and I hope others see in him the qualities that led us to nominate him.

In the midst of all this craziness of life, little kindnesses are such energy boosters. I came in tonight and dear member had dropped off sandwiches for us to eat while packing, and another had made my favorite pecan biscotti to munch on. Blessed? Why yes, yes I am.

Daughter update

A couple of people have emailed me asking about my daughter. I remember I offered to give an update and haven't done so. She is better, but we don't know why. The joint pain does not seem to be continuous and she doesn't have the extended bouts of fatigue. She's been back in school. So all that is good.

We saw the specialist for JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis). Dr. Ruth says there is a strong possibility it isn't JRA (which is good), but she can't say for sure yet. So more blood tests have been run and it's back to the opthamalogist since the condition of the iris is a strong indicator. (Strange, isn't it?).

Dr. Ruth said Kelsey does have another condition I've never heard of, hypermobility of the joints. It can cause joint pain like she is having and could be the cause or part of the cause of what she's been dealing with.

So we continue to pray for healing. Friends who have been down this road have told us there are no quick and easy answers with JRA and similar conditions. Friends have also encouraged us with their love and prayers. And for that we are most grateful.

What's Happening at General Conference?

Took my daughter to get some medical tests today and took my Advance Daily Christian Advocate for inspiring reading while I waited. Wading through the petitions to General Conference is both a necessary evil and an encouraging exercise.

The difficulty comes in trying to understand what some petitions mean, and especially what the impact will be. The encouragement comes from realizing how many people have given thought and energy to try and and make our church more effecient, comprehensive, missional, or whatever. I may or may not agree what what they propose, but I delight to be in a church that opens the doors to hear anyone's petition.

For those not really familiar with what happens at General Conference, Richard Peck has an article posted at the UM Portal that does a great job explaining about the 1,560 petitions (legislative proposals) General Conference will consider. And if you want to know more, Peck also has an article called A General Conference Primer.

I will serve on the Higher Education and Ministry Legislative Committee which, according to Peck's article, won the honor of having the most petitions, 229. My daughter Kelsey will be on the Independent Commission Legislative Committee. I don't know how many petitions they have.

By the way, in an earlier post I asked prayer for Kelsey. As an update, the doctors believe she has Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritus. We still doing tests, and still learning about it, but the symptoms fit with what she's been going through. When I learn more I'll probably make a post about JRA. Of interest now is that with JRA she fatigues easily, which isn't ideal for school or for the long days of General Conference. Anyway, continued prayers for her would be appreciated.

Saturday Photo Shoot

Saturday my two brothers came to Sumter for a photo excursion. They are much more experienced in the ways of photography than I am, but I grabbed my Luminex point and shoot and met them in the historic area of Statesburg, just outside Sumter.

We of course began with the Church of the Holy Cross, Episcopal, built in 1850 in the unusual pise de terre (rammed earth) method of contruction. It is closed right now, waiting on a law suit with a termite company to get settled so they can do repairs. Behind the church is the grave of Joel R. Poinsett. The historical marker identifies his grave, but doesn't mention he was ambassador to Mexico (1825-1829), and brought back a beautiful red flowered plant which later was named after him. What would Christmas be today without our poinsettia plants?

We stopped by an abandoned mine, that once extracted smooth stones for paving and landscaping. They left a lot of equipment behind to rust. Interesting but not so photogenic.

And so it was on to Horatio, SC to the store Tom wanted to visit, the oldest country store in S.C. Mrs. Carrie Lenoir is the 7th generation to operate the store (since 1808 the historical marker says). The present structure dates to 1878, is home to the Horatio Post Office, and basically sells RC colas and moon pies (as well as a few other snacks and vegetables). But the family has kept the shelves lined with old products which makes the place interesting.

Mrs. Lenior, in her 80's, is quite an active and engaging person. She kept my brother Houston intrigued with stories and pictures of famous persons visiting the store. And, of note, she used to drive the fire truck for the local volunteer fire department.

I took them to the small park that has the family grave site of Revolutionary War hero General Thomas Sumter, the "Gamecock," (who, it was said, wore a cock's feather in his uniform hat.) As you can see from the photo, the place looks pretty deserted and pitiful in my opinion. The marble memorial to Sumter is seen behind the little chapel, and his actual grave is hardly marked, immediately behind the chapel. The chapel houses the grave of the wife of Thomas Sumter, Jr., Nathalie Marie Louise Stephanie Beatrix de DeLage de Volude Sumter (1782-1841). As you can surmise from the name, she came from French nobility.


The final stop was at the High Hills of the Santee Baptist Church, organized in 1772. Aside from its early history, this church is famed as for ordaining in 1774 a young preacher named Richard Furman, for whom Furman University in Greenville, SC is named. Rev. Furman served the church for 13 years before accepting a call to a church in Charleston. Note in the interior shot, the slave balcony, which is accessed only by the door leading to separate stairs.

My brother Tom has a nice post about the trip on his Random Connections site, and much better photos. And except for Tom's cold slowing him down, it was a nice morning out with my brothers.

In Like a Canine

Yesterday, this March came in like none other, at least for the Taylors. And it brought its own sermon: never make a critical decision in a weak moment, you will pay for it for a long, long time. In my weakened state from my daughter's illness, I said yes to a plea for a puppy from the SPCA. And so, to the chagrin of Pumpkin, our 13 year old miniature Dachshund we now add Cooper to our home.

Well, he is cute.

Personal Priviledge Request

I struggled with myself over whether to make this post or not for the past 24 hours. Basically it is a prayer request and I didn't intend this forum to become that. But I'm a Dad, and what can I say, but that I covet your prayers. My teenage daughter has been home from school all week with headaches, muscular pain and lethargy. She'll get up for a few minutes, then want to go back to bed. The doc on Monday got a negative on the mono test and said maybe it is lingering effects of the flu she had a week ago, but we're not convinced it's just that. So today we take her to an internist. Anyway, maybe it is just taking a long time to get over the flu, but wondering about the unknown is getting to me.

So, to paraphrase the Centurion of Capernaum, "Jesus, you don't even have to come to my house, just say the word, and I know my daughter will be healed..."
Thanks ahead of time for your prayers.

Christmas Blessings

How blessed we are to enjoy a family Christmas. At the Christmas Eve service at Trinity I had Cynthia, my wife preach. The danger is that my folks will be disappointed when I step back into the pulpit. The good is that I enjoyed seeing her preach and hearing her sermon in Trinity's sanctuary.

Then, after Holy Communion, and the candlelight singing of Silent Night, we jumped in the car and rushed to Isle of Palms to join the late service at First Methodist there, catching our eldest daughter by surprise. There we again enjoyed a beautiful service, and especially enjoyed hearing Lauren sing a duet of What Child is This. Kelsey commented in the service that this was the first time in months (since Annual Conference probably) that she had been able to sit with both her parents during a worship service!

Then, after Christmas morning at home, it was off to my mother-in-law's home for a family gathering. Christmas simply calls for family time. That's why it's so difficult when families are broken, or members are missing. Singles who learn to live well in daily life sometimes have to struggle with loneliness at Christmas, simply because of the unspoken call to be with family.

Knowing the true message of Christmas, who should be surprised at this? Christmas is family time for God and all God's creation. God sends his Son to become one with us. God says, through Christ I will make a way for you, a way for you to be with me. And thus we are called "children of God, heirs and joint-heirs with Christ."

With the packing of the car, and the travel, and the craziness of extended family time together, my senses get overloaded. But somehow in the chaos, the promise of God's blessing shines through:

Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds -- his name is the LORD-- be exultant before him. Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God gives the desolate a home to live in. Psalm 68

Jesus answered, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14

A home in the midst of all the chaos and confusion, sin and sorrow, loneliness and longing of this world. And how blessed I am to partake of it with family again this year. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Happy 60th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

You showed us love before we understood words.
Instilled in us God's grace, and the desire to sing,
Taught us responsibility, integrity and compassion,
And joined us in laughter, and wonder at all things.

You held to each other in times good and bad,
Penny pinched daily, then to colleges paid;
Kept us in prayer, and taught us each to pray,
And believed in us as we went our own ways.

You've led by example to serve others in this life,
An unassuming pair of the greatest generation.
And so we give thanks to our Lord, Jesus Christ,
For you, Mom and Dad, on this 60th celebration.


Houston and
Joclair Taylor

7 children
12 grandchildren
7 great grands


You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. John 15:16

Special Day

You changed my world.
Stood all my ideas on end
Then toppled them over like dominos.
And that was with your first cry.

You rock my world.
Slicing through my stoicism
With laser wit and laughing eyes.
Easily being the center of all connects.

You pulse my world.
Taking hopes and love and faith
As you own natural gait,
Moving to the beat of joy.

Happy Birthday, La.
Dad