As the scheme of things usually develops with me, this euphoric situation was not longlived. It was left to the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage to bring a sense of reality into my life. “Haven’t you forgotten something?” She asked me. “No,” I cautiously said to her. “I seem to have covered everything.” With that, I fl ashed a confi dent smile in her direction. She caught that smile and returned a menacing glance in my immediate direction. I caught her drift, which clearly undermined my previous confi dence in my schedule. “Don’t you recall,” my wife almost sneered, “your New Year’s resolution?” Looking at her with all the seriousness I could muster at the time I said, “I really don’t know what you mean.” “I think you know exactly what I mean,” she demanded. “One of your New Year’s resolutions was to take a day off each week. When was the last time you took a day off?” She demanded. At the time, the resolution was not the result of any serious contemplation on my part. I thought I was just placating her at the time. I never imagined months later she would be calling me on the carpet for it. “Well,” I stammered, “there was that week in February when I took several days off.” Then my smile returned to me along with a little bit of confidence. “You don’t mean those days you were sick in bed with a cold, do you? Tell me you’re not including those in the category of days off?” My smile along with my confi dence deserted me. “Okay,” I conceded. “I’ll take a day off next week.” I thought that would settle it and with any good luck by next week she will have forgotten this conversation. “Why not take a day off this week?” she queried. “Let me think about it,” I tried stalling her, “and I’ll get back with you on the day.” “How about tomorrow? It’s a day,” she replied. Well, she had me there. Tomorrow was a day this week. My problem is I don’t like to make snap judgments on things affecting my schedule. Looking back on the conversation, I can see my mistake. I hesitated. In my many years as a husband, I have noted whenever I hesitated, my wife assumed it was a sign of agreeing with her proposal. “It’s settled then,” she said. “Tomorrow you will be taking the day off.” This was an invitation I could not refuse. I love it when a plan comes together and I felt compelled to go along with the plan. The Bible offers a wonderful invitation. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall fi nd rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30.) My advice is to take God up on his marvelous offer, today, not tomorrow. [Dr. James L. Snyder, pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage in Ocala, FL. Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church website is www.whatafellowship.com.] |
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