At Judy’s and my wedding the First Corinthians Love passage was read. I suspect at many of yours also. Judy and I build our love together. I wish most to remember her love
From First Corinthians we are told Love never fails.
Love is greater than faith and hope.
Judy is complete. Judy’s tongue is stilled.
Her her knowledge has passed away.
However, Judy’s legacy of love is still here and will not fail.
We are told Love is patient
Judy was patient, she worked steadily to make things just right for those she loved.
She was not hasty.
She gave thought and empathy to the things she did.
She was steadfast in my angry young man phase;
it changed me.
We are told Love is Kind
Judy thought everyone should be treated with kindness.
If you said something disparaging about someone she would employ her empathy in their defense even if she agreed with you.
It was easy for me to be kind with a her loving soul so near.
We are told (Love) does not envy
When two people come together in love you want the needs of the other.
Judy and I wanted each others needs.
Our needs were provided.
Our personal wants subsided into curiosity.
Our love helped insulate us from envy.
We are told (Love) does not boast
Judy had a hard time with self evaluations.
In a career where you are required to magnify your accomplishments.
Inside of work and out, she worked with people, in teams and one on one.
That’s how she got great stuff done;
she rarely did anything by herself.
She would give credit to others and play down her efforts at nearly every opportunity.
Judy had a grateful heart. It is hard to be grateful and boast.
We are told (Love) is not proud
Judy was not proud in herself, but if you were a friend, a daughter or husband she was proud of you.
We are told (Love) does not dishonor others
Judy liked to, say “Thank You.”
She would recognize and acknowledge anything she perceived as a kindness.
Usually followed by “I’m Sorry”, which might be confusing
She meant I wish I could do more than say Thank You.
Judy honored others.
We are told (Love) is not self seeking
I think Judy could have and should have been more ambitious during her career.
She was so diligent and spirited.
The Velvet Hammer, as some called her, motivated her team achievements.
I felt the Velvet Hammer. We achieved abundantly.
We are told (Love) is not easy angered
One didn’t see Judy angry much if at all. Did you; are you sure she was angry?
She was not easy to anger but when she got there it was as real.
I saw her anger
Since it was rare,
it was about something important to us,
it was about why aren’t you listening,
it was about caring not hating.
We are told (Love) keeps no record of wrongs
Judy was blessed not to carry a list of wrongs done to her; as far as I know there were not that many.
I kept a record of a wrong.
When we were dating, I was determined to surprise her and ask her to marry me over college Easter break.
In those days the mail took days to deliver so I wrote a letter to Judy telling her of my proposal plans.
I drove to Penn State.
Surprise She had left for home for Easter.
So I drove to Philadelphia, but she would’t see me because it was Holy Thursday.
The letter had gotten there before me. She did not wan’t the confrontation.
To top it off the car broke down and I had to sell the ring to get back to Tennessee.
I reminded Judy every Holy Thursday of our marriage about the time.
Well not every Holy Thursday, it became a joke over the years and I forgot completely this last Easter.
We are told Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Judy would pick on you in jest was as close to an evil delight for her.
Judy worked hard to revel truth, especially when she would catch me in a lie.
We are told (Love) always protects
Sometimes you are not physically capable of standing between harm and those you love
In that case there is alway worry. Judy was a worrier.
She would tell you what she was worried about,
how you should protect yourself,
and how much she loved you.
And then repeat and repeat.
I disagreed with her assessments of risk
but who risks someone they love without saying something.
We are told (Love) always trusts
Judy and I trusted each other to do what’s right, it’s just easer that way.
We are told (Love) always hope
Judy was a cheerful soul even In sickness.
Judy’s mobility failed but we still we traveled.
We focused on what she could do and Judy would provide a giggle.
We kept hope in the future that it would bring walks on the beach.
We are told (Love) always preserves.
Judy had a soft spot for things that need preserving:
Judy grew up in a row house and dreamt of having a tree, now I had to justify each tree limb I needed to cut,
Judy always like to bring your attention to birds, most times when you were talking about something else.
Judy loved growing things butterflies need and watching them flutier about.
Judy loved stray cats even though they made her stop breathing.
Dogs were our pets and Judy cherished them. She was as protective of them as any other member of the family.
Love will not Fail.
Judy is my love.
Judy loved all of you.
May we remember that her legacy of love is still here and will not fail.
Prayer
Lord we pray for those who haven’t known Love
Lord we have known Judy, we have known Love
Love which is the greater than faith and hope because it contains You.
You are Love and we alone have faith and hope.
Judy is gone from us
We pray that those she loved
will endure and prosper for having known her.
We pray Judy’s presence not be hidden from us and that we can be comforted.
We pray that Judy’s love will be the reason someone succeeds.
For Love we pray, Amen
