Life has its many experiences. I’m about to hit number 75 this month, a big experience for me.
I’m not sure how to celebrate my 75th birthday, especially since I’ve done just about everything, so no 75 candles on my cake.
The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage’s birthday is just two days after mine. Also, she’s two years older than me, but you didn’t hear me say that.
When we go across town for any business, we always take The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage’s Sissy Van. After all, she does not like riding in my truck. Also, she prefers to sit behind the steering wheel. I don’t like to sit there because it takes me almost an hour to get in behind that wheel. I don’t know if the Sissy Van is too small or if I’m just too big.
Personally, I don’t mind her driving her Sissy Van. I can barely get into the passenger side, but I do. Every time I ride in the Sissy Van, I learn to appreciate my truck all the more.
My truck is a man’s vehicle. I enjoy getting behind the steering wheel and driving around town. It’s my way of exercising my manhood.
The Sissy Van is a completely different situation. I’ve been riding with The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage for several years now, and I hope it will be a lot more years ahead.
Almost a month ago, I had one of those “moments.” I don’t often get moments like this, but when I do, I like to take advantage of it.
Over the years of riding in the Sissy Van, I have discovered certain “buttons” to push.
It took me a long time to discover this, but once I did, it made riding that much more pleasant for me.
I’ve always gotten a kick out of pushing people’s buttons, and there have been times I have gotten into trouble. But the trouble has always been worth it in my opinion.
As we were driving across town, I started pushing my wife’s buttons.
Coming to a traffic light that had just turned red I said, “The light is red and you need to stop.”
The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage just looked at me after we had come to a stop at the red light. It was all I could do to keep from laughing. But I managed it.
When the light turned green, I said to her, “The light is green and you need to get going.”
All I heard from the other side was a deep sigh.
We were going across town to celebrate our birthday at a restaurant.
When we left the restaurant, we were going to a store for The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage to purchase some supplies for her craft room. We stopped at a red light, and a lady was crossing the road, and I said, “Oh, my dear, don’t hit that lady.”
A deep sigh happened on the other side of the front seat.
After the stoplight, we were to turn left. So as the light turned green, I said, “You need to turn left right here.”
The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage didn’t say anything at that time, but I knew that marbles were rolling in her head. I sure do love pushing buttons.
When she got back from the store and got into the Sissy Van, and before she turned the engine on, she looked at me and said, “Are you having a crazy episode?”
Looking at her, I calmly said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, yes you do. And if you want me to drive home you’re gonna have to let me do the driving.”
It was then that I lost control and started laughing. As I looked at her, I noticed that she was not laughing.
“I’m sorry,” I said, “I was just having a little bit of fun.”
Looking at me, she replied, “You may think it’s fun but you don’t see me laughing, do you?”
She started the engine up, and we left the parking lot and headed home. Whenever she came to a traffic light to stop, she would look at me with one of her looks and say, “Don’t say a word.”
It was all I could do to keep from laughing. I found new buttons to push, and I’m happy about it.
While I was thinking about this, a Bible verse came to mind.
“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Thinking of this scripture challenged me to use my time uplifting the people around me instead of pushing their “buttons”. To encourage someone in his or her life is probably the most important thing I can do. I may be the only person that can do that in someone’s life. I’m going to focus on that for the rest of my life.
My focus will be finding the encouragement “buttons.” I may be the only person in their life who can push that “button”.
Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, Florida with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone is (352) 216-3025, e-mail is jamessnyder51@gmail.com, and his website is www.jamessnyderministries.com.