Reclaimed Coffee Table

‘Reclaimed’, what a great word.  I love how we humans use words to make things appear ‘better’ or more ‘desirable’.  As in, ‘used’ cars = not so good, ‘pre-owned’ car, a much classier choice.  ‘Reclaimed’ means it was junk, but I like it so I am ‘reclaiming’ it and calling it good or even great.  (I believe there is a sermon or two in this).

One of our very first finds in the early days of Glory farm was this old green table.  It was poorly constructed.  It wobbled.  It was well-worn, very well-worn.  Someone practiced cutting their knife on it and spilling stuff on it, but Number One Wife and I loved it.  I claimed it as ‘mine’, which meant My Loving Spouse could not use it to hold car parts, spray paint on it or cut it up.The Green table never quite made it into the house, too wobbly and not quite the right size to work anywhere.  Also, My Loving Spouse would say things like,

“You really want to bring that thing in the house?”

Until this weekend…when I said…

“I want to bring that thing into the house.  Will you fix it please?…But make sure you don’t FIX it!”

Directions that I believed were very clear.  He knew what I wanted…make it the right height, non-wobbly and possibly put the ends together, but don’t wreck it.

“Are you sure you want those knife scratches on it?”

“Don’t FIX it!  Just please, fix it…”

Isn’t married life grand, it really is all about proper communication….and grace…and love…and time…and sometimes not having to work on unpainting the house and being able to hide in your workshop and ‘fix’ a table.  A table that in your eyes might be junk, but if your wife wants to ‘reclaim’ it, well, it is not going to cost you any money, it won’t matter if someone forgets to use a coaster on it and it makes her happy…. So you do it…And with the help of Blue and Pooh (who is always everywhere)…you even deliver it…I scrape the loose paint (because that is what I do this summer) and varnish it.  The green table is now declared perfect….Reclaimed and I love it!