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- May 18, 2006
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Grandpa, some ninety plus years,
>> sat feebly on the
>> patio bench. He didn't
>> move, just sat with his head down staring at his
>> hands. When I sat down
>> beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the
>> longer I sat I wondered
>> if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb
>> him but wanting to
>> check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was
>> OK.
>>
>> He raised his head and looked at me and smiled.
>> "Yes, I'm fine, thank you
>> for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.
>>
>> "I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were
>> just sitting here
>> staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you
>> were OK," I explained to
>> him.
>>
>> "Have you ever looked at your hands," he 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 he was making. Grand
>> pa smiled and related
>> this story:
>>
>> "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you
>> have, how they have served
>> you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled,
>> shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to
>> reach out and grab and
>> embrace life.
>>
>> 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 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 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 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 .."
>>
>> I will never look at my hands the same again. But I
>> remember God reached out
>> and took my Grandpa's hands and led him home.
>>
>> When my hands are hurt or sore I think of Grandpa. I
>> know he has been
>> stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.
>> I, too, want to touch the
>> face of God and feel His hands upon my face.
>>
>> When you receive this, say a prayer for the person
>> who sent it to you and
>> watch God's answer to prayer work in your life.
>> Let's continue praying for
>> one another
>>
>> Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will
>> bless you both.
>>
>> Passing this on to one not considered a friend is
>> something Christ would do.
>> sat feebly on the
>> patio bench. He didn't
>> move, just sat with his head down staring at his
>> hands. When I sat down
>> beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the
>> longer I sat I wondered
>> if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb
>> him but wanting to
>> check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was
>> OK.
>>
>> He raised his head and looked at me and smiled.
>> "Yes, I'm fine, thank you
>> for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.
>>
>> "I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were
>> just sitting here
>> staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you
>> were OK," I explained to
>> him.
>>
>> "Have you ever looked at your hands," he 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 he was making. Grand
>> pa smiled and related
>> this story:
>>
>> "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you
>> have, how they have served
>> you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled,
>> shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to
>> reach out and grab and
>> embrace life.
>>
>> 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 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 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 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 .."
>>
>> I will never look at my hands the same again. But I
>> remember God reached out
>> and took my Grandpa's hands and led him home.
>>
>> When my hands are hurt or sore I think of Grandpa. I
>> know he has been
>> stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.
>> I, too, want to touch the
>> face of God and feel His hands upon my face.
>>
>> When you receive this, say a prayer for the person
>> who sent it to you and
>> watch God's answer to prayer work in your life.
>> Let's continue praying for
>> one another
>>
>> Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will
>> bless you both.
>>
>> Passing this on to one not considered a friend is
>> something Christ would do.
