I went shopping last week with wife Martha, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. It’s not something I regularly do.
We were in the store for just a few moments, and she took off down an aisle to get some items, so I went the other way.
After walking several steps, I saw something I hadn’t seen in a long time. In a glass case, was a large collection of smoking pipes. Looking at them, an image of my late grandfather came to my mind.
Looking at one pipe, I realized it was exactly the kind my grandfather had. Since he died more than 50 years ago, I was surprised I remembered the look of his favorite.
Looking at it brought a flood of memories of times with him.
As I was enjoying my view, Martha walked up and said, “You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, are you?”
I turned around, looked at her, and said, “What do you think I’m thinking?”
She just stared at me, and finally I said, “See that pipe right there? That’s the exact pipe my grandfather had when I was a young boy.”
She looked at it, smiled very gingerly, and said, “Are you thinking of buying it?”
“Well, I gave that a little bit of thought because it would be a great reminder of my grandfather. That pipe defined him in many regards.”
“Where would you like to hang it at the house?” she asked.
Chuckling a little, I looked back at her and said, “I said I gave it a little bit of thought, but as much as I’d like to, I’m not going to buy a pipe and take it home.”
I thought about my grandfather and all the good times we had together. He was a master prankster. If anybody could prank you, it was him.
One prank I remember happened when our pastor came to visit. When he left, he forgot his hat. That was my grandfather’s cue to prank the pastor.
He took the pastor’s hat to a friend who owned a men’s clothing store. He had that friend stretch the hat several sizes larger.
The next Sunday my grandfather went to church and took the pastor’s hat with him. After the service, he went up to the pastor with the hat and said, “Pastor, you left your hat at my place last week. I thought I’d bring it to you today.”
The pastor was happy because he couldn’t remember where he’d left his hat. He took it from my grandfather, put it on his head, and it nearly slid down over his eyes.
Very slowly, the pastor took his hat off, looked at my grandfather, and tried to smile.
That’s just the beginning of the pranks I remember my grandfather playing.
That memory sparked a Bible verse from the Book of John.
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
— John 14: 26
I often get frustrated when I forget something. As a Christian, I can rely on the Holy Spirit to bring to my mind what I need to know and when I need to know it.
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is jamessnyder5’@gmail.com.
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