Hands

"My hands are small, I know, but they're not yours they are my own. And we are never broken. We are God's hands." Jewel

I got to thinking today and as I watched my son reaching and grasping and exploring with his little hands, I started to realize how often I take mine for granted. Like typing out this blog right now, brushing my teeth, diapering my son, reading a book, eating a slice of pepperoni pizza and guzzling down a nice cold coke (mmmm...getting hungry). Anyway, as I studied his tiny little hands busy at work, I suddenly saw the future. Not the future, future, but a bigger perspective. Some place other than today, some place in my heart, some place I will not know until it's here.

I pray that I get to see his little hands grow into hands that hold a book to read, wrap around my shoulders to hug, come together to clap, or play pat-a-cake. Bring the spoon to his mouth on his own, hold the handle bars of a tricycle or bike, build sand castles or splash in the cool water of the ocean. Will his hands learn to hold a pencil and finish homework, hold a cup, give gifts, share his toys? Will they write and type, will they build a house, will they take out the trash, will they take a picture, will they throw a football or play the piano?

As I thought of these things, I suddenly felt thankful for my own hands. The hands that have wrinkled with age, been through many nail biting sessions, the hands that dry and crack from washing bottle after bottle for our son, the hands that share, but most often grab, the hands that hug, wipe tears and come together in prayer. These same "busy" hands that got me into trouble as a little girl have grown into hands that have handed out meals to the homeless, handed flight attendants boarding passes to all over the world, given countless high fives, blocked, spiked and served too many volleyballs to count, held Rich's hand as I slipped his wedding band onto his ring finger and they held my newborn son for the first time. I am blessed to have my hands.

"My hands are small, I know, but they're not yours they are my own and I am never broken. I am God's hands."