The triple-braided cord

3:46 p.m. Today's project was to spend a quiet day at home with Steve, and get back into the garden. It had been a while since I'd checked on the scallions and tiny flowers, not to mention weeding and thinning out the carrots. A picture of my nephew Jeremy's full-grown beets got me going, but since I planted my winter garden a couple of months after he did, I'd be wasting my time being competitive. But his success does egg me on! I teasingly asked him if he was planning to make sugar or pickle his beets! Or feed them to his nonexistent horse...

While bending over the plants, I was grateful not to have had another attack of the heartburn that kept me up during the night, gasping for air. When will I learn that with a little opening in my esophagus that lets the acid go up into my throat, I shouldn't eat later in the evening, and definitely not overeat as we all did at the Piecemakers'/Mens' study Christmas potluck last night?! There was a great blessing in the fact that Steve went, too, and was very comfortable reuniting with the men, and is excited to begin attending again in January! So we can go on Tuesday nights together like we did before he became uncomfortable about getting sleepy and not being able to follow the discussion. Now that a year has passed, we've made friends with lots of couples through our camping trips, people know about his Alzheimer's and are very helpful. They give him time to get out his thoughts, as well as respect, affection and support. We are part of a fine fellowship at Calvary Chapel Moreno Valley!

Once outside, I remembered that we need to create three more rows in the garden, so we can have a larger, separate area for the varieties of tomatoes we plan to grow. Last summer we were disappointed when the tomatoes completely overshadowed the bell peppers, serrano chiles and watermelon. The tomato vines blocked out any sunlight trying to shine on them! Steve and I went over to Home Depot and picked up 3 cubic feet of garden soil to spread out over the compost aging there. The plan was to have Steve put the 80 lb. package into our wheelbarrow, but he discovered that it was "inoperable," after almost 30 years of use in the yards of our two homes. Poor guy had to actually carry it around from the front driveway to the garden--not easy, but Steve graciously did it.

While he went on his daily walk with the dogs, I did the shoveling duty, glad to see how the partnership of marriage exemplifies cooperation, mutual support, and maximizing each spouse's talents. I design and do "the vision thing" (as President George H.W. Bush called it back in the '80's), and Steve carries out the actions to make the plans reality. Whether gardening or wallpering, we make a good team.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, New Living Translation, "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

Jesus Christ is the third person in every Christian marriage--indeed, as far as I am concerned, He is First!

Your opinion, please!

2:12 p.m. Today's project was to attend a meeting at the Press-Enterprise with fellow Alumnae Panhellenic officers and chairwomen, since I have been appointed Publicity Chair for the next home tour in October 2009. I've held that position before, and it only gets busy in early September, and wraps up by October. If the information is not published in various media by then, it won't get done. Now that word is out that I'm retired, the group's president wasted no time getting me involved in the sorority women's charity, which raises scholarship money for senior high school girls. The group is heading into its 60th year, and I've been involved since 1993.

When I entered the huge, modern new building, I asked for the name I'd been given, and was escorted into the conference room. That's a bit much, I thought, for a meeting about Home Tour publicity with 5 of us and the local ad writer. Well, good thing I wore a nice pantsuit! There were a couple dozen prominent citizens, many of whom I knew, from public education, Cal Baptist, business concerns, and community groups like the downtown museum . I was delighted to chat at length with the retired head of the International Baccalaureate program from North High, who had known Kriss very well, and commented on seeing the notice of his recent marriage in the paper. Linda is just as lively and outspoken as ever, and judging from all the retired talent I saw in that conference room, Riverside will have its share of experienced, opinionated folk to deal with--hope city leaders listen well.

As the staff introduced themselves--V.P. of News, Managing Editor, Designer, and Metro Editor --I thought, they really want to know what we think, bringing out the big guns! So the focus group began. Prototype newspapers were taped on three walls, and we were all given small pads, pens, and the first version.

As a Christian, I do feel torn at times, lending precious hours to public service, since I voluntarily left elected office 4 years ago in favor of devoting time to ministry at Calvary Chapel. I certainly love my fellowship with other believers, not to mention my time at home with Steve, but I am grateful God provides places to use my testimony and reputation to witness for Christ . I don't necessarily get a chance to speak privately with individuals at these events, but when I do, I use the opportunity to share about what I do at church, in answer to the question, "What are you up to lately?" I especially find that sharing about the reason for my retirement makes people think a bit, too, about their own priorities. Or I would hope it does! When it comes to caring for family, scripture is very clear: "If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (I Timothy 5:8) That's a designation we all want to avoid!

The focus process was explained thus: we would go through page after page of three versions of the P.-E., be shown what is different about each, and fill out a survey. Questions would be kept to the end, so no ideas would influence others. Even the version numbers, 310, 690, or 924, were crafted to be as random as possible, again, to avoid any priorotizing slant, like "1, 2, or 3."

Headings and the rearrangement of local and national news were discussed, mainly because in former surveys, opinion has stated that readers want a local paper for local news, mostly. Ads are mixed in with content, and obituaries are enlarged because they are moneymakers, something I'd not realized. I found all three versions to be a hodgepodge, and never did find the weather page. I have a similar awkward time each morning accessing what I want to read, because the format changes semi-yearly! So I end up reading very little of the paper before I go on with my day.

In the "further comments" area, I did mention content issues: one unflattering photo of a local young ballerina bordering on the obscene--couldn't the photographer have asked her to pose in a more ladylike manner? I also wrote about the lack of mention of a very prominent local college athlete who's about to be drafted into the NFL, a fine Christian young man and best friend of my son Steven. Hey--when you have the ear of a newspaper editor, it's no time to be shy! One content question concerned putting an ad page in between the op-ed and the opinion columns. What sense did that make, when a reader with a taste for those columns would want to consider them all together?

The unexpected thing for me was, that after we finished the survey and the floor was opened up for questions and comments, there was a very loud consensus from all corners of the room that the paper's arrangement is a mess! If the "A" section is headed World and Nation, what on earth is local news doing there? And if labled Local, why is San Bernardino included? (Keep in mind that the paper has four separate versions sent to various Inland Empire locales ). Another complaint heard was the lack of coverage of Moreno Valley or Jurupa.

We were told about the setting of the printing presses and cutting costs, valid points, certainly. But there is no excuse for cutting common sense out of the arrangement of news, even on a limited budget. Attendees probably wouldn't agree on much of anything else, but one thing was clear: if we are to support a local newspaper, it needs to be coherently written.

Some of us have a very high standard of quality for what we read, because we compare all things to the absolute accuracy, correctness, logic and readability of the Word of God. Only the Bible is perfect in every regard--impossible for anyone but God. But scripture is also clear about how people are to conduct their professional lives: "Do you see a man who excels in his work? That man shall stand before kings." (Proverbs 22:29)

Christians are told in Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men."

That's our standard of excellence!

Verdict: the right thing to do

6:34 p.m. Today's project was to meet my former colleague from Ina Arbuckle Elementary for lunch during her lunch break from jury duty. Cathe's jury is on a long-term trial, so she's had to arrange for a substitute 3-4 days a week for a couple of months now. On the plus side, whereas teachers get a 45 minute lunch, jurors get an hour and a half! So the timing was just right for us to get together for lunch and "chew the fat." I'm pretty close to downtown, so perfect all around.

Cathe and I had hit it off immediately in 2006 when I transferred to the school of my choice, Ina, the closest to my home, just across the bridge from Riverside off Mission Blvd. We had both lost a parent that year, and are just a few weeks apart in age. Along with Jodie, a single young teacher, the three of us formed a close-knit 6th grade team. The two of them brought me up to speed quickly, since I had been out of the classroom in administrative jobs the three years before. 6th grade is a tough group to teach in a low income school, with gangs operating in the surrounding apartment buildings--the older brothers of our students. WE had to be unified in discipline and mutual support!

Monday mornings, staff and students were treated to the weekend's grafitti; district crews were already cleaning it off the walls when we arrived. "WSR" (West Side Riva) was the tag we read most frequently. My first year at Ina, 2006-07, one student actually claimed a gang, threatened other students and Cathe. Thank the Lord, he was expelled. This young man, and other bad actors that have been expelled, whether for terroristic threats, drugs, or weapon possession, are all redeemable and could still turn their lives around completely, "for God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

That was my approach to young people during my teaching career, whether in Christian or public school. What is the greatest need any child has? To know they are loved. Jesus Christ is the "lover of our souls," and the source and foundation of all love in the universe! I have unabashedly shared the Lord, my testimony and our family's life with my public school students, including bringing my children to school to share their talents with my classes. Heather and Kriss shared flute, singing and drums at Pedley. Heidi, who is now a teacher in my beloved Jurupa, subbed at Ina and around the district. Students throughout my school and around the district love her.

The Lord showed me that because I'm a Christian, I am to testify as such, wherever I am. And who needs to hear about the love of Christ more than children from impoverished, unstable homes, often lacking adult support or supervision? I didn't offer altar calls, but actively encouraged believing students to invite others for special activities at their own churches. One boy who'd given me fits, came to school one day, pulled me aside, and asked if he could tell the class what had happended to him at a church retreat the previous weekend. Since we had a "personal experience" essay in the works, I told him to use the retreat as his topic, so he could put his thoughts in order and present it to the class. [I required all students to read their final drafts aloud for a portion of their grade]. The class was silent with awe as he told them, "It was like Jesus was standing right next to me!" He had been filled with the Holy Spirit, and was a changed young man!

The 6th grade social studies curriculum was another gift God gave to the children of California, because a very long section of their ancient history book was devoted to the Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity. A prior section on Egypt had wonderful chapters on the Exodus and ancient Israel, including the prophets, the kings, Babylonian captivity and modern Judaism. Passages from the Bible are included in that history book as factual historical documents! My students made reports on the 10 commandments, watched "The Prince of Egypt" and viewed portions of "The Gospel of John" DVD for pertinent historical perspective. I'm confident that my several years' classes of students know that the Bible is true, God is real, and Jesus loves them! What other hope do they have? Or any of us, for that matter?!

People ask me if I miss teaching, and it's a mixed bag for me. Cathe's recounting the acts of little hoodlums, expulsions and internet harassment now prevalent at the 6th grade level make me sigh with relief. But I miss my colleagues and the wonderful children who do achieve and go forward despite the muck surrounding them in the community. I even miss the characters I had to alternately scold and hug, even lay hands on and silently pray for because they had so little self-control. I miss using my Spanish with the parents, too!

As Cathe's and my talk became more personal, she said, "If what's going on with your husband were happening to mine, I'd quit in a heartbeat--no question whatsoever! You did the right thing." It's true, I know it. But loving confirmation from a friend is always welcome, and that's what I received today, along with an update on the zany goings-on in the world of elementary school.

I'm thankful today for the long jury duty that caused Cathe to demonstrate Proverbs 17:17 to me: "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

God's promise

2:11 p.m. Today's project was to get to church on time, after a long and fabulous day of fellowship Saturday and then staying up reading too late--AGAIN! This time it was a Ruth Rendell mystery; last week it was Karen Kingsbury Christian fiction; before that, it was a long string of Amish inspirationals. I guess devouring novels is a tough habit to break when your degree is in English and Spanish literature.

For one class during my freshman year at UCLA, I had to read a book a day! One really builds up speed and "key information skimming" over the decades, making book buying an expensive habit, just to stay stocked up on bedtime reading!

When the alarm went off at 6:50, Steve and I were in denial until 7 and then had to get up. We could have dozed off again until 8 and then gone to 11:30 service, but with Home Fellowship at 5:30, and a 20 minute drive to get there, our afternoon time together would have been severely compressed.

As is often the case when you're tired and lazy, things were out of order. I hadn't made the coffee the night before as usual, so to comfort myself I thought, "Well, it will be fresher this way!" While Steve took his shower, I emptied the diswasher and realized that I'd have to make up our scrambled eggs, not having any ready to go. (I mix up two days' worth of a tasty mix of eggs and all kinds of add-ins, and scramble them very soft--the leftovers microwave beautifully the next day when we might have to go out in the morning). I don't like to have him eat cereal and toast on Sunday morning because he becomes too drowsy; protein holds him much better.

I didn't even have any boiled eggs, which would have tided me over, so I put two eggs on to boil, got my coffee with tons of creamer in a giant Starbucks Hawaii mug and went into the office to have devotions.

When I came back to the kitchen to post today's daily scripture, Psalm 32:23-24, on Facebook, I saw an amazing sight. It was raining while the sun was shining! Always handy with my camera, I filmed it out of our sliding glass door. For narration, I quoted my late mother: "When it rains while the sun's shining, the devil's beating his wife!" My younger sister and I would say, "Mommy, the devil doesn't have a wife!" I have no idea how we knew that, but Jesus did say in Mark 12:25 that angels don't marry, which would include evil angels, I'd say. Mommy would answer, "That's just an old Southern superstition!"

Steve had come downstairs in time to see the strange sight, and then went ahead and let the dogs out while I posted the video on my FB profile page. When he went out front to get the paper, there was a rainbow! Another dash for the camera. "The early bird gets the worm," (or footage), another old adage says, because I got a pretty good picture of the rainbow from our front porch. All of this took place before 8 a.m.

I cooked our eggs, we ate, I read the funnies, and had to step on it to get ready for church. Amazingly, we got there early, despite all the self-generated setbacks and antics I had participated in this morning--God is so merciful!

In Genesis 9:8-17, God established a covenant with Noah after the flood, setting His rainbow in the clouds. vv. 14-15 say, "And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh."

But do not get too comfortable, if you don't know the Lord! There won't be a flood--it's fire next time! 2 Peter 3:10 promises, "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are in it will be burned up."

And here is the apostle's question that every person must answer for themselves: "Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking forward and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?"

I have an answer--confess your sins and accept Christ as your Savior today. There is no reason to wait, and definitely no time to lose! Please let me know if you want to make this decision.

Believers count on God's promises for so much of our daily lives. But here's the great promise our portion of 2 Peter closes with, after the most dire of warnings:

"Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. "

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Serving up sisterhood

4:22 p.m. Today's project was to assist two very dear hostesses--my daughter Heidi and friend and fellow Piecemaker Vicky Dunn--in blessing special sisters in our fellowship. I was truly honored to participate in celebrations at two ends of life: Shea Sheppard's bridal shower, and a Christmas dinner for our church's widows.

Shea has overcome serious struggles including lack of a home, job, and at one point, transportation. Steve, Heidi and I welcomed her into our home earlier this year, and we have benefitted from her sweet and humble attitude, hopefulness and trust in the Lord despite grievous trials. Oddly, we have had a very serious year of material lack ourselves, making us an illogical choice for a boarder who couldn't contribute financially! But man's wisdom cannot account for the work God intended to do in our circumstances. Eccelsiastes 11:5-6 says," you do not know the works of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper..." Honestly, we did not know what to expect--but God did. He counted us faithful, and rewarded us accordingly, meeting our needs and more.

Today finds Shea one month away from her January 9th wedding to a wonderful young man, Mike. She has a new full time job, transportation, and is ready to begin a home of her own! God is so good! Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

My daughter, Shea's maid of honor, organized an elaborate bridal shower, with loads of luncheon dishes, very clever games, and a loving welcome for everyone. Shea's future sister-in-law Melodie opened her lovely home, and Bea, Mike's mom, made a delicious punch and kept a good eye on baby Eva. I was able to help out as needed, which is fun for me anytime!

Thoughtful, funny, and outrageous gifts piled up, the bride is off to a good start, and we rejoice with her!

On to the evening! The "kitchen help" for the Widows' Might Christmas dinner is my peer group, the Piecemakers, lovers of home arts and the backbone of women's ministry. Vicky, Jill, Debbie, Barbara, Linda H., Christine, Linda D. and Stacy were busy getting salads on the table when I arrived--mistakenly thinking that the dinner began at 7 p.m., and that my 6:15 arrival time was for prep! Oh well...I had lingered at home to get Steve situated and see Heidi in the new dress we picked out for the Young Adults' formal dinner at church, also tonight. I put my cape and purse down and helped carry plates with everyone else. The widows, who ranged from middle-aged to elderly, looked festive and table conversation was lively. Vicky wore a vintage 1920's dress and her home was decorated in warm, artistic detail, true to form!.

We probably had "too many cooks" in the kitchen, but our tasks flowed smoothly and we even had time to eat some yummy salad and entrees after our precious guests were served. I do love these sisters of mine, and the support we give one another. We were laughing so raucously that our dinner guests wondered if there was a separate party going on! "It's just the help enjoying their Christmas!" I yelled back. If I might steal the cheer from North High football, "Ain't no party like a Husky party!Woo woo woof!" I say,"Ain't no party like a Christian party!" and I mean it.

There is no joy like the joy of a people who are saved, washed in the blood of the Lamb, who know their God and proclaim it among themselves and to whoever else will listen. When Jesus is in the midst, it doesn't matter if you're washing dishes, clearing plates, taking out trash or struggling with a sluggish coffeemaker, it's all good; in fact, God Himself calls it good. In Psalm 133:1 His Word says, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity."

We sisters dwell together pretty "good," too!

Together one day

3:55 p.m. Today's project was to join the body of believers at Calvary Chapel Moreno Valley to say goodbye to John Ladd, a stalwart and steadfast servant in our church.

After an appointment with my hairdresser's for a shape-up, I drove out to Moreno Beach Drive in the light rain. Although there is certainly no more sadness for John, the dreary dark day suited the mood I was in. I couldn't help but think about other memorials I'd attended in the last year, one a baby a little over one week old with massive birth defects, a beloved middle-aged wife and mother taken away shortly after an illness. And John was only two years older than I am when he suddenly died of a heart attack last week!

Both life and death are in God's hands, a fact that gives believers in Christ great comfort. We also tend to ponder the apostle's exhortation in 2 Peter 1:10, "be diligent to make your call and election sure." John's widow and children are definitely sure that John was born again, loved and served the Lord and others with all his heart, much as they feel his absence. Debi, John's wife, went with her husband as an ambulance took him away; she left the hospital a widow.

Several reminisces were shared with the large congregation, of a man who took the time to coach and love a neighborhhod boy whose home had fallen apart; the diligence John practiced to set up their chairs, pray for, and greet the men at Tuesday night's men's Bible study. Hilarious pictures were shown and stories were told that gave us all a picture of a fun-loving dad, grandpa, and dedicated friend. We were reminded that the Christian life, though a privileged one for those who serve, is not "all work and no play." Good humor and plenty of adventure characterized John for all who were close to him! I wish I had had the chance to know him better.

Why are wonderful believers taken away? Why do the wicked prosper? That question has been asked and still cannot be answered by us mere humans, centuries after David wrote, in

Psalm 73 : 12,13, 16, 17, 27a, 28:

"Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence...When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me--until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end...for indeed, those who are far from You shall perish...But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works."

Additionally, Isaiah 57: 1b-2 says, "Merciful men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous is taken away from evil; he shall enter into peace..." We are marvelously comforted by scripture, and daily praise God for His Word, but we still have no answer to the ultimate question of why good people are taken from us--only God does.

Mercy Me has a song with these lyrics: "In the blink of an eye, that is when I'll be closer to You than I've ever been. Time will fly, but until then, I'll embrace every moment I'm given. It's the reason I'm alive, for the blink of an eye."

John Ladd embraced every moment he was given, to the glory of God.

Wrapping it up

3:42 p.m. Today's project was to delve into our closets and collect coats, gloves, knit caps, sweaters and heavy shirts to donate to g

Goodwill downtown. We had received a bag and collection slip from a group we always donate to, the Vietnam Veterans, but their collection date is the 23rd, too late for the poor and homeless to benefit from coats in this cold snap. We'll give them a bagful of other items when that date arrives, and I posted their card prominently on the "business center" at the end of my counter.

It's always fun to reminisce about the era of my old coats and sweaters, and I treated myself to memories today, of a size 8 younger self that could fit into a gaudily decorated teacher's Christmas jumper just ten years ago... I would have preferred to give it to my teacher/daughter Heidi, but she has shrieked at the sight of it more than once, like, "how could you be seen in that?!" Ditto for my even more outrageous Christmas sweater, too big for me even now, that should allow the next wearer to put on a few layers under it. A more toned-down Christmas sweatshirt went into the box also. I still wear Christmas clothes and jewelry, let it be noted!

One very presentable coat is made of really heavy denim, wool lined, knee length with both zipper and toggle buttons. That coat has taken me into the mountains with Steve and the kids, and to every single Easter sunrise service for the last 25 years. The weight of it alone has caused it to stay in the closet downstairs the last few years, because warm and weight are no longer synonymous in this era of new lightweight, but cozy fabrics. Sigh...the passing of yet another era, my young motherhood years.

Fast forward to today, after our return from the Goodwill. I was looking looking for a project Steve could do independently so I could work on the computer and then go out to the garden. I showed him some small "white elephant" gifts, as well as gifts for the kids, and mentioned that the wrapping paper was located in the office catch-all closet (where he had stored it recently). While opening the metal closet door, he cut himself , so we got a tiny bandaid and went back to the table where I'd placed everything needed to get the job done. (Steve had been unable to find the Christmas bags or paper). Tape, scissors, pens for the name tags, all ready to go.

After several minutes, and my stopping by the table several times to unearth the items he needed out of his jumble, I heard a tearing noise, and Steve's frustration was painful to watch. This from the man whose gift wrapping skills were legendary--his perfectionism gave our family creatively decorated gifts under the tree every year. Oddly, Steve had wrapped two very large and awkward "white elephants" for Home Fellowship just two days ago! I quickly wrapped the gifts myself while he did some cleaning, so it was not a big deal. We then went out to walk the dogs, enjoying the cool breeze, togetherness, and the personalities of Bailey and Jada, frustration and irritation forgotten!

What a thief Alzheimer's is, as my old friend Honey Simons once said. It's tragic evidence of the fallen world we live in as well.

Jesus said in John 10:10, speaking of the devil, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." How well we know that in our home, where Steve has been robbed not only of memory, but of initiative, originality, perseverance and the ingenious solutions that he was known for in the workplaces and lives of so many people. The frustration has left him a virtually humorless shell of his real self, and an anxious, hunted expression has replaced the bright and inquisitive expression in his eyes. Gone is the joy in teaching the kids skills and the confidence in his ability to troubleshoot any mechanical problem he was presented with.

Steve and I still have a lot of fun together, and a thriving personal companionship that transcends mental processes. We pray and share the Word together, and he works very hard to participate in our Home Fellowship and family times. I noticed how hard he tries to stay engaged, even at the grocery store, as he helped me look for bubble gum today. He reads labels of products before putting them in the cart, whereas I just toss things in and am on to the next thing simultaneously. I was delighted to see him get a plastic produce bag open after just a little while, and he selected his own bananas. Even now, Steve lit the gas barbeque for his favorite meal, hamburgers!

As I go out after dinner to make sure the gas is turned off, I will be grateful that we have a long and happy marriage, and that God has given us the courage to go into a devastating future together in faith, and has provided all that is required to do it.

Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Faith is the language spoken here in this house--we believe, and we receive, all our needs daily. Verse 20 goes on to say, "Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen."