Crazy In Love

Brenda slept so soundly this morning the alarm clock startled her at 5:45 a.m. I had been awake for some time praying, but opted to stay in the bed until she awoke. She rewarded me by rolling over into my arms for a few minutes before getting up to start the day. I held her in my arms and took a snap shot with my heart.

I tried to take every facet of that moment to imprint on my mind. The softness of her fingers intertwined with mine. The smell of her hair. The warmth of her body next to min,e and the softness of her flannel gown. I gently caressed and massaged her shoulders and back. I thanked God for her. I cherish those moments, because we do not sleep in the same bed every night of the week. I spend the working week in Weatherford, while she remains in Runaway Bay with Turner. I miss her. After 28 years I am still crazy in love with her.

We had a perfect weekend. We enjoyed the marriage conference. We spent the afternoon and evening with Turner. We took him to two of his favorite restaurants for lunch and dinner. We shopped for a suit as he prepares to go to his first prom. We enjoyed a clean movie just released titled, Call Of The Wild.

My only agenda Saturday was to enjoy her and Turner after the conference. That carried over to Monday morning. Our love has grown over the past near three decades. We still laugh together. She is undoubtedly my best friend. I would rather spend time with her than any other person on this earth. We enjoy one another. We still greet each other with a kiss when I come back home. She calls me "Daddy or Popalicious." I call her "Sweetie and My Love." I am so crazy in love with her I find myself wandering aimlessly behind her window shopping in stores. More than once, I have been dragged down every aisle of a grocery store,  I play a game to see what I can slip in without her noticing. I always get kick out of it when she asks at the cash register, "How did this get in here?" I look away like I didn't hear her. It used to bother me to go to the grocery store. Now, I see it as time for us to be together.

Sometimes I stare at her. She catches me, and asks what in the world I'm staring at her for. Truth is, I do it because I am still crazy in love with her.

It started 31 years ago on the campus of Howard Payne University. It took me half a semester to work up the courage to speak to her. I watched her for weeks before I ever spoke to her. She jogged around the campus at night. I seated myself in strategic places to watch her as she scurried past. Made my heart flutter. I nearly bumbled the whole first communication with her. Sitting on the front steps of the girls dormitory with my friend, Eric Adcock, I could only manage, "Has anyone ever told you that you are hot enough to fry eggs," when she got off work that night. Embarrassed, she hurried in the doors. What a corny first communication. She should have run far away in the other direction. Fortunate for me, God moved her in subsequent weeks toward me. We talked about Jesus on our dates. We started a couples Bible study at the Howard Payne University President's home. Several couples came. Jesus brought Brenda into my life. When we renewed our vows this past Saturday, my mind drifted back to June 29, 1991 at First Baptist Hurst, TX where we exchanged vows. My pants were too short, because I did not try them on. I took off too big a hunk of bread when I served the two of us communion. I gnawed on that bread the rest of the service. I loved her then. I am crazy in love with her today.

She radiates the joy of Jesus. She is the kindest most loving person I know. She loves giving others gifts. She willingly volunteers. She believes me, and builds me up.  She goes without so the boys and I can have. She serves our family and the church. She is shy and prefers to be behind the scenes without attention drawn to her. I try to draw attention to her often. She is my best friend. My soul mate. My help mate. My great love. My wife. My fellow laborer in the Lord. After all these years, I'm still crazy in love with her, and I don't care who knows it.