During my health hiatus, I did things I never had time to do before, one of which was to check out some Reality TV Shows.

I never had much interest in these TV shows, but I thought now would be a good time to check some of them just to see what their idea of reality really was.

Of course, my health probably affected my mental capacity, so I wasn't going to take much seriously.  I checked them out all the more and discovered that if what I saw on TV was their idea of reality, I had a good deal on a Brooklyn Bridge for one of them.

I thought, and it's just me speaking, that reality had something to do with, what's that word? Oh yes, “truth.” I watched several, and if there was any truth in what they were doing or even saying, I could not find it.

I found one show called Naked and Afraid, and I must tell you I didn't come anywhere near that because I was afraid. I was afraid that their idea of naked reality was nowhere near the truth. Who in their right mind, and there are plenty who aren't in their right mind, would spend their time watching such nonsense?

I checked out a few of these reality shows but could never find any reality in anything they showed.

After watching some of these, I started thinking about my reality. Is it a "Reality Show," or is it for real?

That's what I got out of looking at some of those shows. I don't want to blame somebody else for doing things I might be doing myself. After all, reality is reality.

During my health hiatus, I was beginning to think that health was not a reality for me. The only thing real about me during that time was sickness, which was characterized by coughing and sneezing.

I must admit that the sickness was a reality at the time. But, it wasn't a reality forever.

Coming out of that health hiatus, I realized that there are more important things in life than just feeling sorry for yourself because you're sick.

During my sickness The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was a reality to me. She brought me pill after pill after pill after pill. At the time, I referred to her as my drug lord. I got so tired of taking pills that I just did not know what to do.

Looking back on that, I realize that wasn't reality. Oh yes, I was sick for a short period of time, but the key is that it was a short period of time.

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage told me time after time that I would get better. At the time, I didn't care if I got better or not. But, eventually, I realized that she was right. After all, isn't she right all the time?

Now that I'm up and getting back to a somewhat normal schedule, I've been thinking a lot about reality. There are things in my life that just are not reality.

My challenge is to find what is real in my life and what is artificial.

My wife and I agree on many things except for one. I firmly believe that the strongest aspect of reality is an Apple Fritter. She thinks that broccoli is a reality.

The reality is that both of us are right, and both of us are wrong. I'm not going to try to explain that because if I do, I'm not going to understand it myself.

The one thing that got me through all that health nonsense was thinking about an Apple Fritter when I was healthy.

The danger is that if I got an Apple Fritter and The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage found out, it might be a challenge to my health at that time.

Every day, my wife asks me how I'm feeling, and I always reply, "I'm fine."

She responds, "No, you're not fine."

And then reality sets in.

At my last doctor's visit, the doctor examined me thoroughly and reviewed all of the forms. Finally, the doctor looked at me and said, "I have good news for you. You're fine."

Sitting right next to me was The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, and so I said, "I'm sorry doctor, what did you say?"

"I said, you're fine."

Looking at my wife with a giggly smile, I said, "My dear, did you hear that? Doctors don't lie."

All the way home from the doctor's visit, I kept chuckling and saying under my breath, "I'm fine."

I did not want to say it out loud because The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was driving, and that's all I'll say about it.

It's a beautiful day when you find reality in your life.

Thinking about this, I was reminded what the Apostle Paul said. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

This is a challenge for everyone. Personally, my reality starts in the Bible. I work on adjusting my life to the reality presented in the Bible. Each day I search for that reality that applies to me.

Dr. James L. Snyder, is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. James is an award winning author whose books are available at https://amzn.to/2SMOjwO.

Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail [email protected]. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.