Saving Grace: The Glory of Love - FINISHED

Saving Grace: The Glory of Love Chapter 7

I must preface this chapter by saying...yes it has a long scripture. But this is the scripture that guides this entire story. I could have cut part of the scripture out, but in the end decided to leave it. The scriptures are important to me because it shows you the mindset of each chapter.

I also must confess that yes, I teared up rereading and editing Jake's eJournal.

I hope you like it.

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Chapter 7

1 Corinthians 13: 1-13 "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding brass or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Jake and I learned a lot from each other playing our game of Truth or Consequences. The night after I told him my favorite color was purple, he showed up to school in a purple shirt. The day after I told him my favorite flower was a rose, I found one sticking out of my locker.

Finally Friday arrived. There was no football game, but the guys still had practice until 6:00. They were going to come and get us at Hope's at 7:30 and I was spending the night with Hope. They told us to dress comfortable, but nice. We had no idea where we were going except out of Okeechobee. Tim had told Hope not to worry about dinner, we would get that on the way. Hope's parents knew that we were leaving town and they really liked Jake and Tim so they extended our curfew until 1:00 AM.

When we got in Tim's car, a newer Ford Expedition, I remembered the last time I was in here was on the double date with John. But now I knew I would be safe! Jake and I spent hours alone and he never did anything to hurt me. Jake reached over and took my hand. He could read how I was feeling and he rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb. Then he leaned in real close and whispered, "Trust me." He gave me a wink with a half grin.

In the past when he said those two little words, I normally did not reply. But tonight, I leaned into his ear and whispered, "I DO!" I leaned back and gave him a smile. One in which he returned and then leaned over to kiss me on my cheek. My heart did that flutter thing again.

"OK," Hope said, "Gigs up! I can't take the suspense any more! Where are we GOING?"

"It is a surprise." Tim said.

Jake looked at me and said, "Tonight you are going to have the night of your life!"

At least we guessed right, we were on the way to Vero Beach. We drove through downtown Vero and stopped at this tiny little restaurant I had never noticed before. It looked nice and as we got out of the car I saw it's name was the French Market Bistro. In one of our conversations, I had told Jake how much I loved French food. I looked over at him and he shot me the biggest grin I have ever seen. He knew I was happy.