By Dr. James L. Snyder
There are all kinds of studies out there usually done by people who have nothing more important in the world to do. It is amazing how they come up with these various topics and studies.
Usually, I do not pay much attention to these surveys. I have more important things to do… like living! However, this one caught my attention right away. The title of the study was, “Women Live on Average Four Years Longer than Men.”
I was afraid the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage would see this study. My fears were allayed when she brought the subject up and drew my attention to it.
Rather smugly, she said, “Look at this article. It says that women live longer than men.”
I was not quite sure what I was in for but I knew I was in for it. Throughout the decades of our relationship the word “it,” has come to mean a variety of things. I never know the definition of “it” until after the incident, which puts me in a great disadvantage.
For example, I know I am in for “it,” when I come back from the store without the main reason she sent me to the store. The “it” is a tongue lashing on the merits of getting everything on the list she puts there. According to her, the items on the list are not suggestions but are put there for a purpose and that purpose being me purchasing said items when I go to the store.
I know I am in for “it,” when I lollygag (a word she uses often when speaking to me) in the backyard instead of getting to the business at hand of mowing the grass. In this occasion, the “it” is a tongue lashing on the merits of mowing the grass in a more timely manner.
I know I am in for “it,” when I fail to do anything on her “honey-do-list” when she is away for several days. The “it” is a tongue lashing on the merits of doing at least one thing on that list before her return.
When I look at it from this light, it seems to me that more often than not, her definition of “it” is a tongue lashing.
Being experienced in husband-lore, I smiled and simply asked, “Why do you think that is, Honey?”
“I’ll tell you why that is,” my wife said with great feeling. “The reason women live longer than men is that men don’t have enough work to do.”
“Another thing,” she said with a smirk, “the reason women live an average of four years longer than men is it takes that long to clean up the mess men have made after they die.”
Of course, it is hard to argue with statistics. The cold hard facts are that women do live on an average four years longer than men.
If anybody was an expert on wives, it has to be King Solomon in the Old Testament.
“House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent [understanding] wife is from the LORD” (Proverbs 19:14).
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22).
Perhaps the primary reason women live longer than a man is that women lie about their age. But you didn’t hear it from me.
Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, PO Box 831313, Ocala, FL 34483. He lives with his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 1-866-552-2543 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net or website www.jamessnyderministries.com.
