Confessions of a Bishop's Wife: Crossing the LINE

By Deborah Pace Rowley

Tonight my husband came home from work and quickly received several phone calls. We had arranged in the morning to go together to visit a homebound widow in our ward; someone that I knew but whom whom he had never met. He wanted me to provide the introductions. Since he was busy on the phone, I started to work on a school project.

As soon as he got off the phone, he said in an abrupt tone, "Let's go make the visit now." I said, "Excuse me! You may be the Bishop and have lots of urgent things to do but not everyone needs to jump at your command!"He looked at me chagrined and smiled sheepishly. "Alright," he responded. "I will be ready to go whenever you are."

A few minutes later I finished up my project and found him in the kitchen. I gave him a huge hug and apologized for snapping at him. I hate it when I do that, especially when he is just trying to be a good bishop. He whispered into my hair, "You are just doing your job."

"What do you mean?"

"Letting me know when I have crossed the line."

I laughed. "I didn't think Bishops could cross the line."

"Yes, they can. I am not a wizard!"

I immediately knew what he was talking about. Somehow everything in our family comes back to Lord of the Rings. (Remind me to tell you about the first two weeks after he was called but before he was sustained!)

Together we quoted Gandolf's line from the first movie: "A wizard is never late. He arrives precisely when he means to."

"Perfect," I teased. "A Bishop doesn't cross the line. He draws the line exactly where he means to."

We laughed. Contention dispersed. Love returns to the Bishop's household and together we go to make an enjoyable visit. I just hope that I don't have to do MY job too often!