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Spirituality and Self Help
LOVE's Open House

Self Respect Gets More Respect

He was often complimented on how sharp he looked in his crisply ironed shirts and smart suits but Mr. Clean he was not!

�I�ve tried everything to get him to simply drop his clothes into the hamper when he undresses,� cried Debbie.

You could tell his wife was exhausted. She worked eight long stressful hours cleaning other people�s houses, came home to prepare dinner, help the kids with their homework and then do her own work. Housework was the last thing on her mind.

James did not help. Wet towels were left on the floor in the shower. She tripped over his shoes and clothing. He really was a good provider and father but he was a slob!

�I even put an open wicker hamper in the bedroom next to his chair and one in the bathroom so he can just peel off his clothes and drop them into the basket!

�Where do they land? On the floor beside the hamper! He is a fantastic basketball player. He can sink baskets from center court! He can throw a baseball through a little hole at the midway. Can he hit a great big hole with his stupid socks? No way!� she moaned.

Her mother, mother in law, sisters and friends all suggested solutions that she tried, to no avail. At least his suit coat was on the doorknob. She hoped he might put it on the special suit rack on a chair that she bought him for Christmas.

She was at her wits end that Thursday. She had worked overtime and came home unusually tired to find everyone as cranky as she was.

�I have a special meeting tomorrow, make sure my blue shirt is ironed,� James ordered.

No please or thank you Ma�am! she thought. That was the last straw! She collapsed on her bed and cried. What can I do? I am soooo tired! What would LOVE do? popped into her mind.

�It was as if you were standing in the room saying those words once again, but this time I heard them,� she told me the next day. �Suddenly, I started to giggle and laughed out loud. I knew what to do!� she continued.

�I started kicking his shirt and socks and other stuff under the bed! I was shocked at my bravery!�

�It�s your job to do my clothes and take care of me,� James had told her more than once. What will he say? she wondered, but didn�t care for the first time in their ten-year marriage.

The next day he got dressed and went to work wearing his good blue shirt that Debbie had already ironed last laundry day. The next night she did the same thing. She kicked his clothes under the bed wondering how long it would be before he would notice his supply of clean clothes was dwindling.

Four days later James asked, �Did you do any ironing? I can�t find any shirts.�

�If they were in the hamper, they got washed and ironed,� Debbie replied. �I don�t remember doing any.� She was surprised the giggles inside her belly hadn�t turned into fear at the possibility of getting him angry.

�I can�t find any,� James yelled from the dressing room.

Debbie remained silent. James continued his search. �Where do you remember seeing them last?� Debbie asked, coaching him.

She felt like saying, �You�re getting warmer as he got close to the bed. You�re getting colder as he moved away.� She knew not to push her luck, but what amazed her was the inner peace she was feeling.

He finally bent down and looked under the bed. The cursing, yelling and name calling that followed would have been funny if it hadn�t been so sad. She knew he would regret his words later. Still, she felt only peace.

He was getting later and later for work. He took out the iron and ironing board and ironed his own dirty shirt. There were no good-bye kisses that day. She was greeted by a cold shoulder when she got home. Debbie never said a word and neither did James. It was never mentioned again.

His actions spoke louder than words. He began joyfully slam dunking his dirty clothes into the hampers from that moment on, truly becoming the squeaky Mr. Clean everyone thought he was, and actually began thanking Debbie for taking such good care of him and the kids.

Debbie also changed. The more she honored, respected and valued herself, the more others did. It�s amazing the things LOVE suggests to solve our problems. It knows everything about everyone and is ready to guide us if we would only ask for what we need to clean up our act.

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