Is That My Recliner? by Christie Smith

Tonight my husband and I, along with 9 kids, walked up to the town square to get some ice cream. It was my daughter's tenth birthday and we had a few extra kids with us for her weekend celebration. As he and I hung back and watched the crowd of children in front of us, I found myself overwhelmed with thankfulness that I was here with this guy. I couldn't do this...the five kids, the birthday weekends, the Sunday morning getting-ready-for-church madness, the making it through the chaos of our lives...without THIS man. I've failed to notice that lately. 

It's kind of like that recliner we bought that was so new and exciting 12 years ago. My husband and I went and picked it out and I loved it. I'd walk into the room and it would just make me happy to see it. It was MY recliner. Then the years kept rolling on and I stopped noticing it. It's where I rocked my five babies to sleep. It's where I allow myself to sit down and rest in between the necessary chores of daily life. But I've stopped noticing it for the beauty I originally appreciated it for. Now, I just appreciate it for the function it serves. It's just a piece of furniture. And, sadly, that's how we sometimes start to view each other. We stop seeing the beauty and only notice the function. 

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it,” declared Confucius. I would add, "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it FOR LONG." We see and experience overwhelming beauty from time-to-time, yet allow the mundane tasks of everyday life to put us in a cruise control coma. We're just barely awake in the moments of the day and let the true beauty of everything and everyone around us just slip on by. 

Tonight, God blessed me with a quick reminiscent glimpse of seeing my husband the way I did twelve years ago. If only for a split second, I felt the way you do when something beautiful pierces and wrecks your heart. Tonight, with no fanfare or fireworks, my heart was pierced again at the knowledge that this man I fell in love with over twelve years ago is not who I thought he was...he's ten times more than I could have ever hoped he'd be. I just haven't really noticed that in a while. Are there any people in your life you've failed to notice lately?