1 Corinthians 13
New International Version
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 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 do not have love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
These verses are a part of Corinthians 13 we don't hear that often. I'm sure all of us have been to a wedding with the reading "love is patient, love is kind" etc. This passage precedes those verses. What we often hear as an admonition to newlyweds is part of a greater missive generally accepted to have been written about unconditional love.
What I hold in my heart from day to day is what Nanny taught me about love. Her life, and all our lives, was not and are not easy. We face a world of challenges every day. But in that same world exist all the beautiful variations of art, music, language, food, creativity and love.
Nanny taught me how to love in a world that doesn't always make sense. How to love life fully and recklessly. I treasure the lessons she gave about love. And because of her I also love the person she taught me to be.
I believe that if she saw the world as it is today she would remind us to live carefully but love recklessly. Thank you all for being here today and a special thank you to Nanny for loving us.
Norma Jean Ashcraft
