Second, There Is The Year I Re-member by Rev. James L. Snyder
Rev. Snyder shared a mini-collection of essays with Humor Is Relative centered around the passing of the old year and birth of a new one. This one picks up where the former one left off in sharing touches of sentimental reflection and ponderings. And, since this is a site leaning more to 'lighter side' than being serious, he humourously shared these thoughts. Can you relate?
This year is much shorter than the previous one, for some odd reason. The year I remember had only two months; this month and last month. And believe me, "last month" is a stretch for me.
Honestly, I remember paying the electric bill, contrary to what the electric company says. My problem with the electric company is that during the space of a year they send me 12 bills and I can only remember two.
They penalize me for screwing up but they do not credit my account when they screw up — like being without electricity for four days — twice this past year. Oh, that I remember and remember it well. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly it was more like 90 days.
I remember deducting the monthly service charges from my bank each and every month. Well, maybe not "each and every" month. Why those three checks bounced is beyond my comprehension.
Should the bank charge a larger fee for a bounced check than the face value of the check? I don't think so. Isn't it the bank's business to keep their records straight? Why do I have to spend so much time each month on my checkbook account?
Last, but certainly not least, is the year the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage remembers.
At times, I am tempted to think (at least it's what I call thinking) my wife lives one life and I live something altogether different from hers. The things she remembers that took place during the year are beyond my remembering.
I am beginning to believe she remembers things that never took place. Of course, and I say this with all sincerity, I would never contradict her memory.
For the life of me I don't know where I was when all these things happened that she says happened. Nor do I know where I was when I promised to do all those things she said I promised.
Even in my right mind, (of which I don't have much left) I would never concede to help remodel the family room. I would never accuse her, heaven forbid, of taking advantage of me in this area. The thought is not a stranger inside my head, although rational thoughts are.
King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, framed his thoughts this way, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;" (Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV.)
Solomon's idea was, "now" is more important than "then."
The Apostle Paul had the right idea with this matter of remembering. "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14 KJV.)
It is not important how much I can remember about the past, as long as I don't forget to set Christ before me in all I do in 2005.
About This Story's Author:
©2005 Rev. James L. Snyder
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-- Anonymous
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