OUT TO PASTOR: A divided house makes a happy home

Never has our world been more divided than today. Politics, religion, sports and on and on I could go. For the most part, so many people think being divided is a negative thing. And for many people it is.

However, after being married to the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage for almost 50 years, I have discovered that a divided house can be a very happy house. It just depends on how you are divided and what divides you. That makes all the difference in the house.

All of this came to focus recently when we finally finished adding an office room to our house. It has been in process for at least four years.

Last year we were almost ready to finish when the coronavirus hit and put everything on the pause.

So, except for some bookcases, the office has come to the point of completion.

This has brought our house to the Great Divide, which has brought a lot of happiness to our home.

On the other side of our house is a room called the Craft Room, which the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage supervises. This is a room that, although I may be allowed to step in, for various reasons, I don’t.

I look into that room, and I see all kinds of crafty stuff that I have no idea in the world what it is. And believe me, I am not going to ask what anything in that room is.

So, at one end of the house, we have my wife’s Craft Room, and at the other end of the house, we now have the Pastor Cave, of which I am the sole supervisor and administrator. It is the place where I am in control of everything.

When my wife is in her Craft Room on one side of the house, and I’m in my Pastor Cave on the other side, we are significantly divided but enthusiastically happy.

My wife does her thing in her room, I do my thing in my room, and the twain shall never cross paths.

This great divide has brought a lot of happiness to our home.

The saying is true, what divides us may destroy us. But, if put together craftily, what divides us may bring us together on a different level.

She’s happy in her room, I’m happy in my room, and the house rings with enthusiastic happiness.

Occasionally, my wife will come to the door of the Pastor Cave and say very enthusiastically, “Look what I just made.” Then she shows me some craft that she has put together.

Because I’m not very crafty, what she shows me is very delightful, and I express my great delight in her craftiness.

One of the essential aspects of a good marriage is knowing what the other person delights in.

For example, my wife delights in crafts. I could not spend five minutes in a craft room working on some craft. My wife takes great delight in working in her craft room. And you know what they say, a delighted wife means a delighted husband.

I am delighted when she is delighted, and that makes everything come together.

I’m happy when I’m in my Pastor Cave and take great delight in what I'm doing. I have everything at my fingertips that I need to do that makes me happy.

If our home weren't so divided, we wouldn't have all that delight that we enjoy right now.

When we first started our marriage escapades almost 50 years ago, I had no idea that we would end up so marvelously divided as we are today. If someone would’ve told me that she would have her room one day to do what she likes to do and I would have my room to do what I like to do, I would’ve thought they were crazy.

I enjoy crazy today.

The other night I mentioned to my wife as we were watching TV that someone in the church had a birthday.

“Oh, my,” she said very enthusiastically, “I need to go and make them a birthday card.” And off she went to make a birthday card.

It may be a thank you card that we need to send to some family member or friend. And the good thing about all of this is, we don’t have to go out to purchase any cards of any nature or holiday.

It’s so wonderful to have all that you need where you need it.

I read in the Bible just the other day a wonderful verse, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

Amos must’ve been a husband to say something like this. The important thing is the focus of the agreement. At the opposite ends of our house, my wife and I are in full agreement.

Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.