Grandma's Hands

Today I am in a mood that brings back memories of my childhood. My grandparents when they were alive ,on my dad's side of the family, lived about thirty miles from where I grew up. Every sunday after church we would go to see my grandparents. At the time when we would do that being a kid I would complain. Why do we always come up here to see Oma and Opa I would ask? That is what we called my grandparents on my dad's side being German and all. My dad would always say because they are getting old and they won't be around forever they love seeing all of their grandchildren. I am missing those days and when I got this little story from a really good friend it reminded me of my grandmother. I miss her every now and then and when I get things like this it makes me want to go to the country and get out of the big city rat race. One day really soon I am going to take my granddaughter to go see her mema, which is what she calls her great grandma. I look forward to being able to add memories to the memory banks soon. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did. Oh by the way the photo in todays post is of my daughter and granddaughter in the country last year.

Grandma, some ninety plus years sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK.
She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear strong voice.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.
"Have you ever looked at your hands?" she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?" I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.
Grandma smiled and related the following story:
Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years.
"These hands, though now wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots."
"They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war. They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent!"
"They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special."
"They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse. They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body."
"They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer."
"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. More importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."
I will never look at my own hands the same again. God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of Grandma. I know the hands of God have held her. And I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.