Religion/Family
Did you ever have a morning when everything went exactly as you planned?
Well, neither have I. I plan my schedule to include everything I need for the day. But, unlike wife Martha, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, I fall way short of accomplishing that.
She can plan a dozen projects simultaneously and complete them all at once, usually ahead of schedule. After being married to her for 54 years, I still don't know how she does it.
I took a break one morning and went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. For some reason, I opened one of the cupboard doors and was surprised to find a Hershey chocolate bar. I'm not quite sure where that came from, but I was so excited to find it.
I can’t remember the last time I had a Hershey bar, but I was really anticipating enjoying this one. After taking a sip of coffee, I unwrapped the chocolate bar and looked at it briefly.
I took the first bite and found my world flourishing like red roses. I’d forgotten how chocolate affects my attitude.
No matter how angry, grouchy, or frustrated I feel, one bite of chocolate makes it all disappear.
After two bites, I’d forgotten all my stress. All I could think about were lovely roses floating in my mind and their amazing fragrance. Chocolate has a way of doing that for me.
My best thoughts come while eating chocolate.
Suddenly, Martha entered the room and demanded, “Just what are you doing?”
“I'm just,” I said cautiously, “resting from a very hard morning.” I flashed a smile at her, but she wasn't smiling at me.
“And where did you get that chocolate bar?”
It's one thing to lie but quite another thing to lie to Martha. There are reciprocations.
“I just found it in the cupboard,” I said with a big smile.
She stared at me and said, “You found it in the cupboard?
I bought that chocolate for our granddaughter’s birthday this week. You had no right to eat her birthday present.”
“That’s OK,” I said cheerfully, “I'll go to the store and buy her another one.”
“OK,” Martha said, “as long as you only buy one. That would be just perfect.”
I’m going to fix this problem somehow. But for now, I have at least three more bites of this Hershey bar.
When I finished that amazing Hershey bar, I remember something Jesus spoke in Matthew.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
— Matthew 11: 28-30
Like everyone else, my days can be very stressful. A chocolate bar can only go so far.
To truly experience peace from Jesus’ perspective, I need to come unto the Lord. This invitation requires that I act on it and come to the Lord.
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is [email protected].
