In reviewing my life, I must confess that the biggest pickle situations started upon my marriage to The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. I do not see a connection, but I won't rule it out.

It was the latest pickle I got into that I am most concerned about.

Last week The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was ready to go to Publix for grocery shopping. As she went out the door, she looked back at me and said, "Is there anything you want me to get at Publix?"

Immediately, I responded by saying, "Yes, my dear. I sure would like an Apple Fritter."

Stopping in her tracks, she looked back at me and said, "Just keep dreaming, that will never happen in a million years."

I knew how she would respond, but I could not help but respond anyway. Her questions always put me in a playful pickle, and I could not resist the fun of it.

As she closed the front door, I could hear her laughing hysterically, and I kinda knew why she was laughing.

I certainly was not going to hope for an Apple Fritter that day. I enjoy an Apple Fritter every once in a while when I can get it behind The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage's back. She does not like it, but I love it. On the other hand, she loves broccoli, and I hate broccoli.

That is the only difference we have between ourselves.

Getting back to work in my office, I forgot about the Apple Fritter incident. Yes, every once in a while, I would think about an Apple Fritter, but I knew that was beyond me. The only way I can get an Apple Fritter is to sneak behind her back and not let her see me.

Don't let her know this, but every year she, her daughter, and her granddaughter go to St. Augustine for a week. They have been doing that for at least 20 years. It is during that week that I find myself enjoying an Apple Fritter. The last time I did it, I forgot to throw away the receipt, and it was on the counter. When she got back, the first thing she found was the receipt for my Apple Fritters. I need to learn my lesson from that.

I let that go to the back of my mind and focused on the project I was working on.

In a few hours, I heard the front door open and remembered that The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was out shopping. She had returned and was coming into the kitchen with all her grocery bags.

Then I heard something I had never dreamed of hearing in my life. As she was putting the groceries away in the kitchen, she yelled back to me, "Honey, I got your Apple Fritter."

When I heard that, I laughed to myself and said, "I’m not falling for this trick this time.”

Then she walked into my office, and in her hand was the Apple Fritter. "Here's the Apple Fritter you wanted. I'll put it out in the kitchen for you to have later." Then she went back to the kitchen.

I was in a pickle and did not quite know what to do. I knew this was a trick, but I did not quite understand its dimensions. No way would she buy me an Apple Fritter. There had to be something attached to it, and I had to find out what it was.

Being in a pickle like this is not something I yearn for at any time of year. What I had to do was figure out what to do at this point. Why did she get me an Apple Fritter? There is something behind this, and I have been working to figure it out.

Later on, I went out to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, and there was the Apple Fritter. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said, "You can have your Apple Fritter now with your coffee." Then she smiled at me, a very suspicious smile that I could not quite explain.

Of course, I am going to eat the Apple Fritter. But I'm also going to keep in mind that this Apple Fritter has me in a coil  I can't explain. Do not get me wrong, I enjoyed eating every bite of that Apple Fritter.

I do not know when I will figure it out, but my eyes and my ears are open. Every day, I am going to keep a lookout for what is behind this Apple Fritter pickle.

As I reflected on this recent pickle, I was reminded of a verse in the Bible.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

It is not easy for me to acknowledge my “lack of wisdom,” but when I do, I begin the path to finding the wisdom I need at that time. Whether I can fix the pickle I’m in now is worth trying. It might also help me get ready for the next pickle I have to face.