There’s Just So Much of This Stuff in Life We’re Gonna Have to Learn the ‘Hard Way’!

September 15, 2015September 15, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

It seems like it’s just a universal trait of humanity; this learning stuff the hard way. I was re-reminded of this a few days ago when my littlest grandson, Maverick, got his most recent knot on the head. He’s a year and a half old and the cutest little guy you’ve ever seen. (a little partiality here, but you understand!) He had two wrecks in the span of about 4 days that put two good-sized nicks in the ‘ol noggin’! The first one happened when he tried climbing up on a big heavy chair made from a old style tractor seat. You can imagine how heavy that was. Well, he got up about one step and the chair tipped over backwards with him and the edge of the heavy seat caught him right under the left eye. Miraculously, it missed his eye or it could’ve been really bad. Off to the ER they went to get him tended to. We were out of town when it happened but I “Face-Timed” Cole & Kelly (his dad & mom) later and got to talk to Maverick, himself. It was just an hour or so after they got home from the hospital. His eye was swelled shut but he was already in a good mood.

The other wreck happened as he was playing with the front yard gate at his house. It’s just a little 4′ gate made out of inch and a half square tubing. He was just having fun pushing it all the way around one way….then all the way around the other way. He built up a little confidence and got a pretty good run at it pushing it around. Well, you know, every swinging gate has a ‘stopping place’…..and Maverick found it…with his little forehead! I saw it coming from 30′ away but no way to get there before it happened. Immediate tears and a fifty cent piece size knot on his forehead reminded me again of how our lives go sometimes. Five minutes later he was running and playing again!

As much as we try and help our kids and grandkids avoid those kinds of things…it just seems like a fact of life that quite a few of our lessons are going to be learned that way. We could only wish those kinds of hard lessons ended with our childhood….but not to be true. It even seems that as adults we’re determined to defy logic, intuition and common sense, sometimes, to learn those lessons.

The good news is that “experience is a great teacher”!! Nothing like a hard lesson to help us not to do it again! And, you know, the Lord will let us just run past the wisdom, foresight and instruction of the Holy Spirit if we’re determined to. I’m trying to do better. I’ve had all the “lessons learned the hard way” that I really want. I think I’ll spend more time trying to listen to the Lord….and pay attention to what He’s saying to me!

**Disclaimer: Being a ‘Taylor’ might make one have to learn more than their fair share of ‘hard lessons’!!

$$$ – Being a “Thousandaire” Might Just Be Better Than Being a “Millionaire”!

September 3, 2015February 10, 2022 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

It goes against logic, I know. But after 60 + years of observation….I think it’s true. Now, for starters, I haven’t yet had the experience of being a millionaire….but I’ve been a ‘thousandaire’ for years. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve dropped below the qualification limit a few times down through the years…..especially during my illustrious rodeo career. But for the most part I’ve be a steady thousandaire.

I’ve noticed the last few years as I’ve gotten older that I don’t need as much ‘stuff’ as I use to think I needed. All those things that we ‘needed’ and thought would make us happier……didn’t! I think it’s part of actually growing up and maturing and learning in part, what’s really important in life.

I’ve observed throughout my lifetime those who had lots of money. Even had friends growing up whose parents were very well off. There’s nothing at all wrong with that. In fact it’s to be commended in most cases. It’s America; we can do just about whatever we want to do. And for those who really find their niche and do well financially, it’s a very good thing. I did notice that some of the rich kids didn’t try near as hard at sports than some of the less fortunate.They had enough athletic ability, alright,…..but the ‘try factor’ was lacking. It really showed up during my rodeo career. It’s a broad statement,….and not always true, but the rich kids weren’t nearly as gritty as those who had nothing to fall back on.

The human spirit is an amazing thing. We’re created to conquer and to succeed. Everybody loves the story of those who overcame extreme odds to succeed in life. It’s a very good thing to ‘have’ to get up and go to work and put in a good day…every day. It’s good to learn to manage our finances and resources and to live within our means. We can do a lot more than we think we can….but if it’s always been done for us….we’ll never know.If we never have to really ‘try’, we might just not ever do it.

I recently told a friend that, “This time next year I’ll have 9 grandkids”. He jokingly said, “You’ll never be able to afford Christmas”...to which I replied, “I’ve never been able to afford Christmas yet!”(We raised 5 of our own!) But, you know what?? We’ve had great Christmases for, going on now, 39 years! We have somehow survived….just being ‘thousandaires’!

Paul said it in the Bible. “I’ve been hungry and I’ve been full; I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. I’ve learned to be content in whatever state I’m in”. He’d found the ‘secret’ to true happiness and contentment. His ‘joy’ was in the Lord!

I’m only a thousandaire but if family and friends and relationship with the Father were measured in money……I’d be millionaire many times over!! I’m really, really rich in the things that matter most to me!

My Birthday: August 28…….and August 29!!

August 29, 2015August 29, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 4 Comments

Yep, you read it right; it’s a two-dayer! I know….who could be so lucky?! Me, that’s who! Thirteen years ago on mine and Julie’s 25th Anniversary we booked a trip to Cozumel. That’s a big deal considering we were mid-way through raising 5 phenomenal kids. But the big deal is that we had never just ‘took off’ and had a time like that together, just me and her. And when you have five kids, I don’t care what tax bracket you’re in…., there’s just never any extra cash laying around for a trip like that. But we made it a priority, saved up and got the trip scheduled.

After the 9-11 tragedy, security at all the US airports was tightened down in a big way. Part of the new rules were that you had to have a copy of your birth certificate before you could book or board a flight out of the country. Well, I don’t guess I ever even had a copy of my birth certificate. If I did, I had no idea where it might be. So, I called Hemphill County in Texas to get a copy of it. (I was born in Canadian. Texas…long, long ago! lol) I was born on August 28….but when I got my copy from Texas it clearly stated that the date of my birth was August 29!!

I guess I could go to the trouble of trying to get the birth certificate corrected but I don’t see much sense in that. It is what it is. So, the logical thing to do seemed to just go ahead and roll with it and make my birthday….BOTH days! I have no problem with that but it has been somewhat of a chore to get the rest of my family to comply. Yeah, they’re alway draggin’ their feet. So, this year, I’m celebrating my birthday again on the 28th and the 29th. It just seems ‘only’ right! So, if you royally screwed up and missed my birthday on the 28th…..not to worry!! The 29th gives you ‘slackers’ one more shopping day!!

PS – If you’re with me on the two-day birthday…next time just tell me “Happy Birth-Dos”!! …..and if I can get a little buy-in from the familia, I’m gonna stretch it out to, “Happy BirthWeek”!!

‘Ol Mile Marker #62 – Well, That Sure Didn’t Take Long!

August 28, 2015August 29, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

When they were telling us all that stuff about how fast life goes by….I was listening. But I had no idea it would happen this fast! I didn’t think I was ever gonna turn 21….Now I can barely remember when I was. It is amazing, looking back, how fast the years do go zooming by. So, here I am clipping along at 62, ….with 70 in sight. And, as it appears….no slowing up!

There’s a good number of milestones along the way, as I see it. It’s kind of a big deal when we hit 13 and become teenagers. Then, of course, 16’s the next one….when we start driving; that was a big deal. Next stop, 21….we can ‘legally’ go to the bar then! After that it’s 30 then 40. You know, “Life begins at 40”.….Makes me kinda wonder what was over at 39! Yep, 40 seems like a big one. It’s kinda like saying, “Adios” to the young life and “Hello” to middle-age. Then it’s 50…and the time between 40 and 50 went by in no time at all for me. I enjoyed my 50th birthday. The Perry’s (Daryle & Carrie) totally surprised me with a party at their place with about a hundred friends and family there. It’s one of the most memorable of my whole life. I tell everyone when they’re approaching 50, ’cause there’s usually some kind of thing to commemorate it, to really enjoy it….’cause when you turn 51….nobody cares!! lol

Then it’s the Big ‘6’ ‘0’!! Survived that one without much hoopla. And the 60 thing….it wasn’t painful at all. After all, 60’s the new 40, you know?! Well, that was two years ago. So here I am at the ‘ol #62 mile marker today and wondering how I got here so fast. I’m guessing 65 will arrive at my place in record time, and without much warning as well!

If you’re a youngster reading this I’d encourage you to ‘get ahold’!! It’s all gonna happen pretty fast. The Bible even says, “Life is a vapor”. I can totally relate. So, what’s a feller to do?? Well, to each his own but for me….I’m gonna keep my body movin’, I’m gonna try to worry less and laugh more. I’m gonna love and enjoy my wife more than ever. I’m gonna keep on enjoyin’ watching my kids become great parents themselves. I’m gonna keep on doing the one thing I know I’m good at…..being a Grandpa! I’m gonna see my Mom & Dad as often as possible! I’m gonna keep on enjoyin’ my friends! I’m gonna keep on helpin’ anyone who cares, …..to know God as a Father.

And, I’ve took a look out there; I can see out there a ways….65, 70, 80 ……….It all looks good from here!

Listen Up!!

August 13, 2015August 13, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 1 Comment

Listening is something that can, and ought to, be developed. I, for one, want to be a better listener. I just wrote a blog recently titled, “Listen More, Learn More!”. (click link to read) It’s a reminder to me to work harder at listening and not to feel the need to be the ‘talker’ all the time.

Most of us, when thinking about prayer, are normally thinking about all the things that should ask God for. But I’ve learned down through the years that what the Lord has to say to me might just be more important than what I think I need to ask Him for. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely important to ‘let our requests be made known to God’, as the Bible says. But if prayer is actually communicating with God, and we understand that any productive communication includes a good balance of talking and listening….then it should become clear that our communication with the Father would include our listening to what He has to say to us.

The challenge then becomes, “How do I hear what He’s saying to me?”. Great question! We should first realize that God is not limited to speaking to us with an audible voice. He can,….and I’ve heard a good number of people who say that they have heard the audible voice of God. I have no reason to disbelieve them. But God can speak to us in a myriad of ways. He speaks to us through His Word, the Bible. He speaks through preachers and teachers. He speaks through our circumstances. He speaks through our friends and even our children. He speaks through dreams and visions. He speaks through the ‘still, small voice’. He speaks through words of knowledge, words of wisdom and prophetic words…..and on, and on, and on!

It just makes sense to listen to what the Lord is saying to us. It probably won’t happen unless we make it a priority. But be assured….if you do make it a priority….He will speak to you! It won’t just revolutionize your prayer life….it’ll revolutionize your ‘whole’ life!

So, Listen Up!

I’m Going Out on a Limb, Here, And Say It’s Beyond Your Capacity to Imagine!

August 4, 2015August 4, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

Did another funeral yesterday (#347). It’s always an honor to be asked to do a service for a family. And even though it’s a day of sadness and grief for family and friends….it’s a great opportunity to give them comfort and to tell the ‘good news’. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of different situations with families going through the loss of a loved one. It’s hard when there’s tension among the siblings, which I see a lot more than I’d like to. I feel for the family members who regret not having spent the quality time with the deceased that they feel they should have. There’s dozens of other scenarios that the passing of a family member brings to light. I’ve tried to be as helpful as I possibly could be in those, sometimes volatile…and painful, situations.

There’s nothing like a funeral to bring people’s thoughts on eternal things. I think that can be a very good, very productive thing in people’s lives. Of course, for me and the performing of a funeral….the one thing that can calm all the fears and uncertainty for the family is if the deceased person had a relationship with God. If so, the service can be upbeat and encouraging. Most of the time at least one of the family members knows the answer to the question…but not every time. In those situations where nobody really knows…I always have peace knowing that the Lord is gracious and compassionate….and a fair Judge.

I have an opinion that I can’t prove….so it’s just an opinion…but I’ve thought about it a lot. I think we’ve underestimated death and our passing from this life to the next one. My opinion is that it’s a whole lot more glorious than we would ever think. If the Father is as good to us in this life as He is….it just makes sense that our passing from here to there would be Some Kind of amazing trip! The problem is that we haven’t had anyone come back and tell us how it is.

You may have a really healthy imagination but my opinion is that the trip is glorious beyond our capacity to imagine!

How Are We Doing in ‘The Thing’ That Matters Most?

July 15, 2015July 18, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

Our lives are important. I don’t think I have to convince you of that. But, have you thought about how important your life might be to God? As a Father…..and the One Who actually gives us life to begin with…..you’d think that He would place an extremely high value on our lives and how they’re spent. Life is a very precious thing. I’m aware of that more today, at nearly 62, than I’ve ever been before. I expect the realization of that truth will continue to escalate as we grow older. It’s almost unbelievable how fast the years go by.

As I stop and look both ways, to the past and to the future, I wonder if I have….and if I will, spend my days doing things that have any kind of eternal value. For me, that’s an extremely sobering thought. I really think the Father wants more for our lives than to for us to just take up space and end up in heaven. If we believe that He has a plan for our life we really should go after Him (ask Him) and allow Him to disclose the details so we can ‘get on with the program’!

But as I think of what really matters most only one thing comes to mind. How are we doing in our journey to love like He loves? Some would argue that there’s no way we could ever love like He does. It’s a valid argument. But I really believe that’s ‘the thing’ that He wants ,more than anything else, to produce in us. Oh there’s all kinds of things He wants to use us to accomplish but none any more important than this. I honestly believe it’s do-able….but not without His Spirit to help us in the process.

Deep down all of us would want to hear at the end, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. And I think that, of all the positive things we might do with our lives, it actually comes down to…..how well did I do at ‘loving’ people?

How well are you doing in ‘the thing’ that matters most?

Are You A ‘Kingdom’ Person? Part 1

June 17, 2015June 17, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Maybe you’re not sure how to answer the question. That’s OK. I”ll be writing a series over the next few weeks and defining what I would call a ‘kingdom’ person. You might decide early on that you are….or you might decide that you’re not. No pressure from me but how you answer the question might just dictate how fruitful the rest of your life will be, from a spiritual standpoint. I will promise that by the time the series is completed you’ll know beyond the shadow of a doubt whether or not you’re a ‘kingdom’ person.

There’s always been a lot of talk around the church about what God used to do. No doubt, whatsoever, that stuff is extremely important. There’s also always been a lot of talk about what He’s going to do in the future. Likewise, very important stuff. I have a strong feeling that if we’re not careful we’ll find ourselves suspended between what He used to do…..and what He’s going to do. Relative to you and I, a great question would be, “What’s God doing today?”

For starters a ‘kingdom’ person has great respect for what God has done in the past and great respect for what He’s going to do in the future but refuses to be suspended and ‘stalled out’ between the two! A ‘kingdom’ person has a keen understanding that God is up to something BIG in our generation and desires to be a part of it! A ‘kingdom’ person is not content to stand around and wait for something to happen. They want ‘in the game’.….and they’re willing to be led by the Holy Spirit to find their place of anointing (supernatural ability), and responsibility. A ‘kingdom’ person is aware of what the Father’s doing now!

Are You Living Longer….or Just Growing Old?

April 18, 2015April 19, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / 12 Comments

There’s a difference! I remember when I was a kid, when anyone hit 60 that was old, really old!! But I ran past 60 last year so fast it wasn’t funny. And the fascinating thing is….I don’t feel old at all. Maybe it’s just because it just happened so fast. I mean, the years do go flying by. I heard that enough times when I was younger but I had no idea it would happen this fast!

Some people, I’ve noticed, start getting old in their 40’s and 50’s….they just seem determined to do it. But there are others who just keep thinking young. I like that…..I think it’s a mental thing. I think, somewhere along the way they just decided not to be old in their thoughts and actions. Yep, there is a difference in ‘living longer’ and just ‘growing old’. I’m thinking we would be making a huge mistake if we really stopped living our life and just settled in to growing old. Life is a precious thing. It can be pretty vicious at times, but still precious, nonetheless. I say let’s keep squeezing all we can out of life. And while I don’t have all this figured out, here’s a few things I think’ll help:

1) Realize that the Lord’s not through with you! It’s the truth! Even the Bible says that we’re to ‘bear fruit’ in old age.

2) Invest in the next generation! The things we’ve learned through our life experiences are invaluable to them.

3) Stay Active! Make a bucket list…..and why not a long one?! Get busy about doing those things you’ve always wanted to do!

4) Keep using your mind! Challenge yourself and don’t allow your mind to get lazy!

5) Keep Moving! Do something physical every day and don’t wait ’til later on to do it!

6) Take care of your body! Eat good, don’t be dumb about that!

7) Try your best to keep a good, positive attitude!

8) Be relational! Life is really all about relationships! Engage, interact, enjoy!

Let’s ‘live’ longer…….and not just grow old! *Reply with your ‘tips’ on “Living Longer”