"THE GOOD STUFF"

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 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.  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.

There is a song by Kenny Chesney, a country music singer, called "The Good Stuff".  It is one of those songs that speak so much truth that it goes right to the heart.  At least mine anyway.  Whether married or single, people take each other for granted.  We tend to get so busy, so wrapped up in our everyday world that we miss the little things that bring someone so much joy and happiness.  We get so wrapped up in our own agenda that we do not stop and think about anyone else, even our loved ones.  We miss out on the good stuff.  Time spent together talking instead of watching TV.  Time spent dancing instead of just listening to music.  Time spent laughing over old home  movies instead of watching sports.  Time spent listening to a loved one instead of checking your messages in Facebook.  Time spent just holding each other without any hidden agenda.  Time spent reminiscing about the good times in the past, instead of focusing on the past mistakes.  Time spent loving someone instead of demanding something from them.  This is just a glimpse of the good stuff we have all missed out on.  Think about it, after a long hard day at work the first thing most of us do is grab the remote and turn on the TV and just veg out for a while.   We shut out the world and those closest to us just because we don't stop to think about the good stuff we may be missing.

Love, true love is the good stuff Kenny sings about in his song.  It's not the fancy cars, or diamond rings.  It's not about the fight you had last night.  It's not about who's right or wrong.  It's not about the score of the ball game and who goes to the World Series.  It's not about how perfect dinner was.  It's not about how beautiful or skinny you are.  It's not about always saying the right things.   It's not about flowers or candy.  What is it about?  It's about remembering that first kiss.  It's about remembering the way your heart skipped a beat every time you saw each other.  It's about remembering that wedding and your first dance as husband and wife.  It's about holding your brand new baby in your arms for the first time.  It's about holding each other tight when life knocks you down.  It's about enjoying the life and love you have together.  It's about getting a new T-shirt that says "I'm gonna be a grandma."  It's about watching your children grow up and start their new lives and families. It's about loving someone enough to say "good bye" to them and holding their hand as they take their last breath here on earth.  

The good stuff is what I cling to.  The memories, the laughter, the joy and the love are what is contained in the good stuff.  I watched my mom and my mother-in-law as they said good bye to their husbands and it broke my heart.  My mom and dad so loved to dance.  She has those memories engraved in her memories, that is the good stuff she misses.  My dad used to whistle, she so misses that.  Yes my dad could be a royal pain in the buttocks, but that is not what she clings to, it's the good stuff that she holds dear.  My mother-in-law and father-in-law raised  children together.  For them money was tight but they made the most with what they had and they had a house filled with laughter and jokes.  Tender moments with a tear in my father-in-laws eyes as he walked his only daughter down the aisle, that is the good stuff my mother-in-law clings to.   My friends we are missing out on some very priceless memories because we get so wrapped up in stupid, petty things.   I have made it important to not miss the good stuff.  I have been in the hospital waiting rooms waiting for each of my grandchildren to be born.  I do not want to miss birthdays or holidays no matter how much snow is on the ground because that to me is the good stuff.   I cling to the good stuff, I hold it tight in my hands and thank God for all the good stuff He has blessed me with. 

This verse says it plain and clear, without love I am nothing.  I have nothing and nothing matters without love.  A mansion on a hill may seem great and beautiful, but a house without love is empty and meaningless.  I don't need a mansion on a hill, I don't need diamonds or furs.  Fancy cars or fancy clothes is not my style, I don't need a trip to France or Italy.  I don't need to be right all the time and I don't need to prove my point to anyone.  I don't need to be perfect or have the perfect spouse, I have the perfect spouse.  Jerry and our children and their families are the good stuff that I cherish.  Times spent together laughing over memories and old home videos, time celebrating birthdays and holidays, and times spent saying good bye to our loved ones are what the good stuff is made of.  God has blessed me with so much and I pray that I never take any of my loved ones for granted.  I don't know where I'd be or who I'd be without the love I have from my family.  I cherish them more than they may ever know.  Love is amazing and so rare these days.  If you have found love, cherish it!  Don't take it for granted!  Embrace the good stuff in your life today. 

May God continue to help me focus on the good stuff in my life.  May I learn to cherish those special times spent with loved ones.  May I never take the love I have for granted, in Jesus name I pray, amen!