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Perspective/Pastor’s Corner

Writer's picture: Rev. James L. SnyderRev. James L. Snyder

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One thing that has been burning in my life has been thoughts. Not that I don't have thoughts, but I'm not quite sure how to use them when I have them.


I was finishing up a little project in my office, and I couldn't help but think about The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage's wonderful coconut cream pie.


How can I get her to bake her infamous and delicious coconut cream pie?


We get spam callers about Medicare benefits and my expiring auto warranty, so I come up with a little idea. The next time someone like this calls me, I will use it to plant a thought into my wife's head.


It didn't take long, and one of those spam calls came.


I inserted into the conversation, "And my wife bakes the most delicious coconut cream pie I have ever eaten." I mentioned it several times in the conversation, hoping I had planted some thought in someone's mind.


The expiring car warranty call came, and I used that as an opportunity to say, "You should taste the amazing coconut cream pie that my wife bakes. You would love it."


I even used it when some friends called me. I would say, "Do you remember my wife's delicious coconut cream pie?"


This routine went on for a couple of weeks, and I hadn't noticed any difference with The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. I was beginning to feel that maybe my "sowing a thought" wasn't working.


One day this past week, I had several appointments across town that would take up most of the day.


It was a long and boring day, but finally, it was over, and I headed home. I pulled into the driveway, got out and entered the house.


My wife was in the kitchen, so I went into my office and sat at my desk to finish my day's task.

It wasn't long before The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage came to the doorway into my office with something in her hand. Then she said, "Look what I baked this morning. It's a coconut cream pie. For some reason, I kept thinking about my coconut cream pie I made a couple of years ago. I don't know why, but I just decided to bake this pie this morning." Then she smiled at me.


I smiled back at her and said, "When can I have a piece of that delicious pie?"


She brought me a piece, and I sat there enjoying every bite. I got to thinking; maybe I will try this again to get my wife to do something in the future. I'm going to have to give this an awful lot of thought because it's very hard to fool The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage.


Sometimes my thoughts get me into trouble and sometimes they don’t. I can never tell which way any of my thoughts will go.


I thought about what David said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:22-24).


It is important for me to allow God to search me and know my thoughts and if there is anything that offends God, I need to deal with it regularly.


Dr. James L. Snyder

Ocala, Fla.


Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, Fla. with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. You can reach Snyder at (352) 216-3025, via email at jamessnyder51@gmail.com or on his website jamessnyderministries.com.


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