OUT TO PASTOR: Those used to be the days

Finding something to do to keep me from being bored has become somewhat of a challenge.

However, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage can always find something to do, especially something for me. That is why every day I “act” as if I am busy. Not only that, but my hearing is not very good. Therefore, when my wife asked me something, I pretend that I am busy and cannot hear her. I think she has caught on to my acting skills here.

One evening, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I were sitting in the living room together watching TV. At the same time, I was working on some sermon notes I was preparing for Sunday.

Eventually, I looked over to my wife, smiled and said, “I’m beginning to understand politics much better, and I think these politicians on TV are really making sense to me.” Then I flashed her one of my smiles.

She stared at me for a moment and then said, “You do know we’re watching ‘The Three Stooges,’ don’t you?”

To get caught is one thing but this rather threw me for a loop. (Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk).

My wife keeps herself quite busy and I certainly cannot keep up with her. She cannot sit down for very long and rest.

This is where I come in as the husband. I sit down and rest for her so she can go about and keep busy. I must say I am very good at resting for her.

While she was rummaging through some stuff, she discovered a box of old photographs of our family. I forgot we had such photographs. After all, we have cell phones today with photographs on them. Does this younger generation know what a photograph really is? Has any young person ever seen a camera?

She brought several boxes out into the dining room and began opening them up and spreading the photographs on the table. I do not know who the photographer was on most of these but they were not that good. However, you gotta take what you get.

“Do you know who that person is?” My wife asked.

I looked at it and I could not imagine who that person was in that photograph.

“No, it doesn’t look familiar to me at all.”

My wife just stared at me and said, “Take another look.”

I could not figure out who that picture was and I could not imagine the location of where that picture was taken.

“That is a picture of you just before we got married. Now do you remember?”

There was a picture of a young man with hair and as skinny as a lamp pole. I just could not see that was a picture of me. Now, I am old, and my hair is starting to retire and, let’s say, I’m not skinny.

“Are you sure that’s a picture of me?”

“I should know because I’m the one that took the picture.”

If that’s what I looked like back then, what has happened to me?

“I sure have changed, haven’t I?”

She just looked at me and smiled. I wondered what she was smiling about but I was not going to ask her for fear she would tell me.

Then she brought out the other pictures. There were pictures of our wedding, which I really could not remember. Oh yes, I remember getting married, but I did not know we were that young. Is it legal to get married when you are that young?

Looking at those wedding pictures, I said something perhaps I should not have said, “Now, I know why you married me. I was so handsome back then.”

Looking at me for a moment, she finally said, “No, I married you for your money.”

We look at each other for a moment, and then both of us broke out in hysterical laughter. I may have had good looks back then, but I certainly did not have any money.

Then there were the pictures of our children as they were born. I had forgotten how young they were when they were born.

Then there was that wonderful picture of all of us as a family. My wife, our three children and I are setting together for this photograph.

Wow! It does not seem possible that is what we looked like way back then.

We spent the rest of the evening picking up pictures and saying, “Do you remember this picture?” Of course, my wife could remember more of the pictures than I could. I was however, getting a good picture of what our life was back then, how things have changed.

That evening I thought of what the apostle Paul said. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51).

God has a wonderful change in store for those who put their faith and trust in him.

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