OUT TO PASTOR: One man’s Apple Fritter is pure delight

One thing I have learned in life is there are times when things DO come together.

For the last several months, I have been struggling to keep up with my schedule.

That is always frustrating for me. I like finishing what I start – and finishing it on time.

Just the other day, I finished my new manuscript for my publisher and sent it in, and I was in great relief that that job was done. I sat back in my chair and just enjoyed the feeling of being caught up.

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and some girls in the family had taken a two-day trip out of town for whatever they were going to do. I know from The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage’s side that it has a lot to do with thrift store shopping.

Being alone for a couple of days, I enjoyed the satisfaction of being caught up. I was trying to think of some way to celebrate this achievement.

My thinking sometimes is not always on schedule, and I do not always even have thoughts that I can think of. So, I was having a little trouble figuring out what I could do to celebrate this breakthrough in my work.

Thinking while sipping coffee, a thought came joyfully dancing into my head. I can tell when a thought comes into my head because that’s a rare occasion.

But this time, this thought brought a great deal of pleasure to me.

I don’t share my thoughts with too many people because I don’t have that many thoughts to share. So I was leaning back in my chair, celebrating the situation and rejoicing over this thought that just came into my head.

This thought dancing in my head – had to do with a hot, fresh Apple Fritter or two.

A person cannot celebrate any better than with several Apple Fritters, particularly one in each hand.

As you know, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage is not too happy with Apple Fritters. For some reason, she thinks they are bad for me.

On the other side of the table, I believe there is nothing better in the entire world than an Apple Fritter.

After all, it is a fruit.

Broccoli is on the other side of the table, and The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage thinks it is solid gold in her mouth. I can’t even look at broccoli, let alone eat it. But when she wants to celebrate, that’s the first thing on her mind. Believe me, it is the last thing on my mind.

But that idea of an Apple Fritter was very alluring to me. I couldn’t get it out of my head. Three blocks down the road, I could get a fresh Apple Fritter. I could even walk there if I wanted to.

Since the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was not home, I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted. When she left the other day, she said, “You behave yourself while I’m gone. Do you hear me?”

Boy, did I hear her? I’m only thinking t whether she heard what she said. If I’m going to behave myself, I will behave like myself. And one of the most important things about myself is my adoration of Apple Fritter. When I have an Apple Fritter in each hand, I behave myself better. I am more myself with an Apple Fritter than anything else.

The more I thought about this, the more I knew I needed to get one of those Apple Fritters – or maybe even two.

After thinking about it, I decided to flip a coin to see what I should do. If the coin is heads, I win; if it is tails, the Apple Fritter wins. Who can lose with that?

With great delight and anticipation, I got into my truck and drove down to the Publix, where I usually get my Apple Fritters. The problem was that everybody in that store knew my wife and her thoughts about Apple Fritters.

However, across the town, about 15 minutes away, is another Publix that sells Apple Fritters. The thing about that store –  is that nobody there knows my wife.

That evening, I sat in my easy chair, leaned back, sipped some hot coffee, and began nibbling on my Apple Fritter. As I was nibbling, I couldn’t help but think how wonderful it is to get caught up in life’s projects and then celebrate with the most amazing treat: the Apple Fritter.

I thought of one of my favorite Bible verses. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).

It’s very difficult to find someone with a “merry heart.” There is so much pain and stress in this world that a merry heart is absent. It doesn’t matter what’s on the outside if my inside (heart) is focused on Christ as our Lord and Savior.

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