OUT TO PASTOR: Something seems to be missing

Did you ever have a week when it felt like something was missing, but you didn’t quite know what it was?

I had that kind of a week this past week. It felt like something was missing, and I could not figure out what it was.

The past week was typical in many regards. Everything seemed to be going normal as normal could be. But I had this nagging thought in the back of my head that I was missing something. I really couldn’t get a handle on it.

At first, I thought maybe I had missed my Apple Fritter. My New Year’s resolution for this year was only to eat one Apple Fritter at a time. And as far as I can recollect, I have not missed one so far this year.

So, it wasn’t an Apple Fritter that I was missing. It was something, and it was beginning to get on my nerves.

I got out my weekly planner to see if there was a meeting that I had missed or forgotten about. I went very carefully, and everything I was supposed to do this past week I did. And yet, something was missing.

So, I asked the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage if she knew of anything I missed.

Well, that sure was a mistake. She had a whole list of things that, according to her schedule, I had forgotten to do. It was almost a book full of “missing activities” that she thought I needed to catch up on.

I should’ve known better, but after completing all her “tasks,” I still had this little itch that there was something I was missing.

Again, I made the mistake of talking aloud and mentioning that I felt I was missing something.

That’s all the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage needs to hear, and once again, she was on her game and gave me a whole list of things that she thought I was missing.

You would think at my age I would know when to keep my mouth shut. But I was being aggravated that I was missing something, and I don’t like that. I like to do my job and get everything done as quickly as possible.

I happened to go to the bathroom, glanced in the mirror and saw that I had not had a haircut for quite a while. I thought that this was probably the thing I was missing. That sure would solve my anxiety.

So, I headed off to the barber. I try to get my haircut every other week, and sometimes I mess up, and I get out of routine. But now, the haircut was done, and I was heading home.

As I opened the door to enter the house, I began to feel that itching feeling again that I was missing something. The haircut wasn't really what I was missing, and so I was back to square one.

As I pondered this, my wife comes up to me and says, “Could you run to the grocery store and get a few things that I need for tonight?”

Of course, I was willing to go and do some shopping. I’m not a shopaholic, but when given a list, I can do the shopping.

I had just put the last item into the shopping cart and was headed toward the checkout counter, and then, there it was!

I never thought that I would solve my itching problem in the grocery store. But there it was. I was walking by the candy aisle, and there it was; several shelves full of CHOCOLATE.

There were all sorts of chocolate candy on those shelves. I just froze and stared at all of that CHOCOLATE and let the ambience fill my mind.

My wife cannot eat chocolate for some reason, but I love chocolate. We’ve not had chocolate in the house since before the pandemic, which may explain my nervous feelings. Nothing is more soothing and comforting to me than a cup of Joe in one hand and the delicious chocolate candy bar in the other hand.

My only problem at this point was what not to buy. The chocolate that I love the most is the one I’m eating at the time.

Not being judgmental, I selected one piece of chocolate from every shelf in that aisle. I filled my basket with chocolate candy. When I got to the cashier’s counter, there seemed to be a huge weight lifted off me, and there seemed to come into my life a peace that I had not experienced for some time.

Driving home, I began to think about how I will get all of this chocolate past my wife. I quickly put that aside focused on the delicious piece of chocolate I was eating at the time.

I thought of a wonderful verse of Scripture. “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:9).

God’s peace is the thing that most people are missing from their life today.

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 352-216-3025 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.