OUT TO PASTOR: “Love Bugs” are really not that loving

Here in Florida, we have what people call “Love Bugs.” I know exactly why they are called “Love Bugs,” but I am not fond of these little critters. Why don’t they just get a motel room?

On Tuesday, I needed to go across town for some quick business and office supplies. It would not take me long, and I would get back home in a short time.

“Anything you want me to pick up while I’m out?” I queried the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. I always like to try to help whenever I can.

She is a great shopper, particularly a great thrift store shopper. She knows every thrift shop within a 100-mile radius, but more than that, they know her by her first name.

Quite a few times, my wife has sent me to the store with a list, and I could never get everything on that list. I do not know why, but I would miss two or three items on her list. I am not saying because the list was too long, that is probably the reason, but I am not saying it.

Knowing this, my wife shot back to me, “No, I can't think of anything I’d like you to pick up. Drive carefully.” I sighed a deep sigh of relief, knowing that now I was not going to get into any kind of trouble.

Not many places are open this time because of the shutdown, so I did not have many choices. Therefore, I just did what I was supposed to do as quickly as possible and headed back home. Please, do not let this get out to, you-know-who, but I did go through a drivethrough and picked up some very delicious ice cream. I enjoyed it all the way home. For me, ice cream is much more delicious when nobody knows you’re eating it.

I almost got home when out of nowhere came a big dark cloud that hit my truck in the front as I have never been hit before. At first, I thought it was the apocalypse.

When I got through it, I realized I had hit, or rather, they hit me, a group of “Love Bugs” and were smeared all over my window and the front part of my truck. I used to have a silver truck, now it was just about all black, at least in the front.

I know they are “Love Bugs,” but at that time, I did not feel any kind of love toward them. I was feeling the exact opposite, but I will not mention it.

When I walked in through the front door at home, my wife saw I was more agitated than ever. I even slammed the door behind me, which indicated how aggravated I was.

“What happened?”

I just looked at my wife and then said, “Those lousy Love Bugs attacked me as I was driving, and they’re all over my truck. I’m never going to get them off.”

With that, I went, got a bucket of water, and tried to clean them off my truck. I noticed my wife was

I noticed my wife was smiling as I left and said to me, “You should drive more carefully.” Then she snickered. I hate it when she snickers.

No matter how hard I worked to get those bugs off my truck, I could not get them all off. It was a dark reminder of bug love.

When I walked in, my wife said, “Well, did you get them all off your truck?” Then she gave me one of her infamous snickers.

Throughout the day, when she looked at me, she was snickering.

The next morning my wife had to go down to the store to get a few groceries. As she shut the door behind her, she said to me, “I guess I’m going to have to drive carefully.” Then she snickered again.

A little over an hour later, she returned, and when she came in the door, I noticed something was wrong. I asked her if anything was wrong, and all she said, “No, nothing’s wrong. I’ll take care of it.”

I knew by her demeanor, something was wrong, and something she really did not want me to know. That perked my curiosity.

In a few minutes, I looked out the window and there she was with a bucket of water washing the front of her van. I had my suspicions, which proved correct.

When she came in the front door, I was waiting for her and said, “Any Love Bug problem?” With that, I not only snickered, but I laughed out loud hilariously.

“Maybe,” I said between laughing, “you should drive a little more carefully.”

Her stare informed me that she did not think it was funny, which made it even funnier for me.

Thinking about that, I remembered what the prophet Amos once said. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

Walking together on the same pathway, we experience the same thing. Sometimes we forget that, I know I do. I am learning not to criticize other people for what they’re going through at the time because I may go through that same experience tomorrow.

Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 352-216-3025 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.