Penny for your Thoughts by: Nancy Whitaker
I remember years ago I was singing a song with my grandma in church. All of a sudden I looked down at her hands and I got tears in my eyes.
I knew the work my grandma did with those hands and knew hard work and love were a part of her hands.
Grandma’s hands could make cookies, soothe a sick child, plant a garden, do the laundry in an old MayTag washer, and folded them to pray.
Just think of what all we all do with our hands. We clap them, raise them up, hold our children, play an instrument, sew, crochet, wave, hold another’s hand and write. Our Mama’s hands also feeds her children, packs lunches, drives a car and sweeps the floors.
Then Daddy’s hands knows work, fixing things, planting, harvesting, maybe fishing and cleaning fish, raking leaves and shoveling snow.
Soft hands, rough hands. big hands little…
Hands can push, pull, touch, sweep, and carry in groceries. Hands work in factories, restaurants. construction, schools, hospitals and yes even in politics.
A grandfather was sitting by his grandson one day, and asked him, “Have you ever just looked down at your hands?”
“Son just think about your hands and what they can do and will do.”
The old gentleman then told his grandson, “As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. 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 trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle.”
“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 really 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 my life. But 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.”
And speaking of hands here are some thoughts on Grandmas hands.
Grandma’s hands…
Clapped in church on Sunday morning
Grandma’s hands…
Played a tambourine so well
Grandma’s hands…
Used to issue out a warning
She’d say, Billy don’t you run so fast
Might fall on a piece of glass
Might be snakes there in that grass
Grandma’s hands…
Soothed a local unwed mother
Grandma’s hands…
Used to ache sometimes and swell
Grandma’s hands…
Used to lift her face and tell her
She’d say, Baby, grandma understands
That you really love that man
Put yourself in Jesus’ hands
Grandma’s hands…
Used to hand me piece of candy
Grandma’s hands…
Picked me up each time I fell
Grandma’s hands…
One thing that know is that there are left-handed people and right-handed people.
Left-handed folks have their own holiday which is August 13. Four of our last Presidents have been left-handed. Your dog could be left pawed, left handers have their own scissors, ball gloves and bowling balls. And Lefties are said to be more creative!
What has your hands accomplished and have you ever looked at them and thought of all the things they have done? When we get old, our hands may become wrinkled and show veins but thank God for what they can do.
Let me know what a your hands have done and I’ll Give you a Penny for Your Thoughts.
