His Hands

On Abby's blessing day, May 2006

At Christmastime, Dec 2010

My dad and my granddaughter. 

Representing the binding of our family and the effect we have on each other as members of one family tree with many connected branches. These two special people, four generations apart, offer each other so much more than words could ever express.

His now-gnarled hands have experienced much of life-- spending many years laboring faithfully to provide the necessities and comforts of life to his family, and demonstrating love in a myriad of ways to all of us for generations... 

Her small hands are just starting out, many years away from wearing lines of experience or strain. They have a lifetime to serve and work and show love to those people with whom she will share her world. Someday those hands, like her great-grandfather's, will wipe soap bubbles from freshly bathed little bodies as well as tears from soft cheeks. Those hands, now so eager to help her mommy, daddy and little brothers, will one day, without hesitation, bandage skinned knees and hold aging hands, bringing comfort, tenderness and love.

Seeing Abby's newborn hand encased in Dad's reminds me of other hands that spent a lifetime of unconditional love and selfless service. Our Savior's perfect hands ... He serves us with them still. May we daily strive to be like Him:

"His hands...tools of creation, stronger than nations, power without end,
and yet through them we find our truest friend.
His hands...sermons of kindness, healing men's blindness, halting years of pain,
children waiting to be held again.

His hands would serve His whole life through, showing man what hands may do,
giving, ever giving endlessly!
Each day was filled with selflessness, and I'll not rest 'til I make of my hands what they should be...
'til these hands become like those from Galilee.

His hands...lifting a leper, warming a beggar, calling back the dead,
breaking bread--five thousand fed!
His hands, hushing contention, pointing to heaven, ever free of sin,
then bidding man to follow Him.

His hands would serve His whole life through, showing man what hands may do,
giving, ever giving endlessly!
Each day was filled with selflessness, and I'll not rest 'til I make of my hands what they should be...
'til these hands become like those from Galilee.

His hands...clasped in agony...as He he lay pleading, bleeding in the Garden...
while just moments away, other hands betray Him out of greed, shameful greed.
And then His hands are trembling, straining to carry the beam that they've been nailed to,
as he stumbles through the streets, heading toward the hill on which He died...He would die!
They take His hands, His mighty hands, those gentle hands...
...and then they pierce them, they pierce them-- He lets them, because of love!
From birth to death was selflessness, and clearly now I see Him with His hands calling to me...
...and though I'm not yet as I would be, He has shown me how I could be.
I will make my hands like those from Galilee."