Proof Of Love

I love Brenda Edwards. Just the other night while we were preparing dinner I leaned on the counter and stared at her. She asked, "What?" I replied, "I just wanted you to know I am madly in love with Brenda Edwards." She smiled that smile that has lit up my life for so many years.

She had to train me after we got married. I grew up spoiled. I never washed clothes. I did not help in the kitchen and our every meal was made from scratch, as my grandmother often said. I did not even put my dirty laundry in a hamper. My mother came in my room to gather my dirty laundry.

I recall Brenda telling me I needed to help more around the house after we had children. She gave me a couple of options. Since I am an early riser I took the breakfast shift for the boys. I wanted my boys to grow up on more than cereal and pop tarts.

I try to help her more these days. God really tested me with this recently. What He put in my mind and heart to do to express my love seemed unfathomable. It was out in left field I never would have entertained it before. Before telling you what I did to prove my love I need to change course for a moment.

Years ago I gave in and let Brenda have a dog. She named her Anna Bell. She is a black furred miniature schnauzer. I recall all the times she escaped out of the back yard in the mission house in Seminole when we lived there. I changed her name to Jezebel.

When we first got her Brenda did some research about that breed of dogs. One of the things she found is they like to try and dominate the family agenda. When she told me that I determined right then that dog would NEVER determine the agenda for me.

So I could not have been more shocked when I felt led to give her a bath. Brenda had tried for weeks to get either Tucker and Turner to do it. She even offered to pay them a little money to do so. Neither  followed through. So I could not have been caught more off guard more when the thought occurred to me to give her a bath.

I assure you she got the scrubbing of her life. I spared no effort in scrubbing and dousing her with water. I even brushed her fur after towel drying her. All of this while Brenda and the boys were gone. I wanted to surprise her.

That is the proof and debt of my love for Brenda. I washed her dog. If she ever wonders about my love all she has to do is remember me washing that stinking matted dog. That is the proof of my love.