OUT TO PASTOR: It was a fool’s game – and I lost

When it comes to games, I am not a good player. I lose more times than I win, and I can’t remember the last time I won.

My paternal grandfather’s favorite holiday of the year was April Fools’ Day. He often would spend the whole year developing a prank for family and friends.

He had a construction company, and I’m not sure how many employees he had, but every one of them was the subject of some prank during their time with him.

Some pranks were so bad I can’t mention them today.

Through the years, I have tried unsuccessfully to prank The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. One of these days, cross my fingers, I will come up with a prank that works.

A week before April Fools’ Day, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage asked me a rather silly question. “When was the last time you had an Apple Fritter?”

I was very suspicious of this question because I’m not allowed to bring them into our house, at least if she knows about it.

Being old has a great deal of benefits to it so I told her, “Oh, my dear. I can’t remember eating an Apple Fritter lately.”

Looking at me rather strangely and with some air of unbelief, she said, “I was just thinking that maybe this April Fools’ Day would be a good time for you to have an Apple Fritter.”

I smiled at her, thinking she was trying to set me up for something.

“Well, it would be very nice.”

With a twinkle in her eye that I couldn’t explain, she said, “How would you feel if I got you an Apple Fritter for April Fools’ Day?”

She has tricked me so many times that I’m not quite sure if this was a trick on her part or if she was having some “buyer’s remorse” about not allowing me to eat an Apple Fritter in the house.

With a pleasant smile, I replied, “I would feel very good about an Apple Fritter on April Fools’ Day.”

At the time, I did not know she was setting me up. I didn’t think she could do that to me and I would not notice it. After all, I’m the one who tries to prank her every chance I get.

With a smile like I’ve never seen before, she replied, “Maybe I’ll do that for you for April Fools’ Day.” With a laugh, she turned around and walked away.

I didn’t know if I should be happy or suspicious at the time.

I went on with my week as normal and was busy with a few projects. I forgot about the Apple Fritter because I assumed she was just pranking me. I did not expect an Apple Fritter on April Fools’ Day. I did, however, think about going out and getting one for myself behind her back.

It was a busy week because we were preparing for Easter Sunday. Usually, our family gets together for dinner on Easter, so there was a lot of work in preparation for the family gathering.

During dinner, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said something rather strange. I pretended not to hear, but she said something to our oldest daughter, “What do you think about having an Apple Fritter on April Fools’ Day?”

I had no idea why she asked that question. She was pretending to say it behind my back but did it in such a way that I could hear it without knowing that she knew I was listening.

Like a good husband, I pretended not to hear and just looked the other way.

Several times during our family get-together, she mentioned the word “Apple Fritter.” There was no substance to what she was talking about; she just mentioned the word. I knew there was no chance of her getting me an Apple Fritter for April Fools’ Day. I knew she was trying to play with my expectations.

All that day I couldn’t help but think of Apple Fritters and how much I would really like one but I knew it was a prank, so I had no expectations.

The more I thought about it, the more I began to think that maybe, just maybe, she wanted me not to believe she was going to give me an Apple Fritter and then, at the last moment, surprise me and give me an Apple Fritter.

That breakfast on April Fools’ Day, she brought me a little box, and on the top of the box, it said, “This is your Apple Fritter for April Fools’ Day.”

I must say I was a little surprised when she handed me that little box. I smiled, opened the lid, and saw written at the bottom of the box was, “April Fool.”

Sometimes what you do to others comes back on you. I was reading my bible and came across this verse. “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31).

That got me thinking about some of my actions. Would I want others to do to me what I sometimes do to them? Maybe I should begin doing good to people and see how that works. I think I’ll start with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage.

Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone is (352) 216-3025, e-mail is jamessnyder51@gmail.com, and website is www.jamessnyderministries.com