Sweetness on a Shelf!

This time of the year I think of a story told about my husband that demonstrates his orneriness when he was a young boy. Larry's sister Carol was a teenager about five years older than Larry and as Valentines Day came she would usually get a box of candy from her latest beau. Not wanting to disturb the beautiful heart shaped box, she would sit it up in her room un-opened with cellophane still intact. My husband and his brother Dave would cut a candy sized hole in the bottom and shake all the candy out piece by piece. It was months before his sister would realize the sweet treats were all gone as well as the thieves who stole them.

Many times our marriages work in the same way! We set that which is so precious on a shelf, not wanting to disturb the memory of the love and romance we shared. We glance at it occassionally and admire it there on the shelf, as we wait to get the kids raised, make a successful career and obtain that elusive American Dream. As years go by it sits beautifully on the shelf but we seldom look at it anymore. From the outside it looks okay but inside slowly but surely it becomes empty and a shell of what it was when you carefully placed it on the shelf. Sadly, when we finally have time and begin to think about what we left on that shelf so many years ago, we find the box is hardly recognizable. The thief has struck!

Once we began our family, Larry and I took to parenting like ducks to water, we seldom got a babysitter because we just enjoyed having the kids with us. I remember one Wedding Anniversary when the kids were small, having the waitress bring us three high chairs. Needless to say, between cutting up food, wiping messy mouths, and cleaning up spilled milk, the romance flew out the door. But reality finally hit one evening when we got a sitter to watch the kids while we did something alone. As we pulled away by ourselves I suddenly felt a lost for words. I was so used to centering our conversations around the kids, about the kids and in spite of the kids that I had forgotten how to talk to my husband. I'm not usually a fast learner, but that was a lesson I learned that evening. I knew that if there was to be an "us" after kids it was not going to happen accidentally. From that night on I began to give more thought to the future and to what kind of relationship I wanted to have with the man I married. There were more alone times when he and I could talk. Not always big flashy dates but times when the kids went to bed early so we could watch our favorite TV show together and drink hot tea. We took walks to catch up on each other and now and then a weekend away gave us time to regroup and refresh.

As I watch the hectic lives of families today, I know that time spent alone has to be nearly impossible especially with small children. I believe the "thief" the devil, likes it that way and uses every opportunity to steal away those sweet morsals. I have to believe that one day when life has settle down, some will look across the breakfast table at a stranger. The pretty heart shaped box will still be on the shelf but it will be empty, it's contents stolen by the "thief" that is no where around when it's time pick up the pieces of the marriage.

Today as I look across the breakfast table I see the love of my youth. He is not perfect as I am not but we know each other and still prefer each others company to any other. I still laugh at his jokes and he still teases me unmercifully! Since we have retired, we still like to get away to an antique shop or even roam Menards for hours. We take walks and talk as if we haven't talked in days all the while laughing at our four legged "kids". Most of all we still love being with our kids and grandkids and cherish those times together. I thank God for the sweet morsals of life that we have enjoyed together and the memories of raising a family but I look forward to more days of laughter and love with the love of my life. By the way, Larry is still onery!

Stand guard over what God has given you, so the "thief" doesn't steal the love you have for one another.

Happy Valentines Day!

Sent from Jeanie!