These Hands

At a recent retreat a friend who sells Mary Kay products brought me some hand products as a gift. She said she chose those particular products because when she thinks of me, she thinks of my hands. She went on to say that my hands are always busy, doing something and she thought I could use something to pamper them.

Wasn't that sweet? I love the fact that she thinks of my hands when she thinks of me. My hands are no longer beautiful and I can see the signs of age on them. I've never been a "pamper myself" type of girl so they've been through some rough times. They are developing age spots and the veins are starting to stick out. I have developed pretty bad eczema the past few years so they are always red, rough and itchy. But they have done countless activities as I serve the Lord, serve my family and my friends.

Yesterday, my hands...

🙏 Spent time in prayer.

🙏 Did multiple loads of laundry.

🙏 Baked a batch of Christmas cookies for the freezer and made dough for more which is waiting to be baked today.

🙏 Answered emails for my district ministry.

🙏 Held my phone as I talked to my daughter on FaceTime.

🙏 Cut out fabric and sewed 8 coasters and 2 table runners.

🙏 Packed up 3 boxes to be shipped today.

🙏 Packaged up 2 orders and sent them in the mail.

🙏 Held my husband's hand.

🙏 Made dinner for my family and dinner for a friend.

On any given day my activities may be a bit different, but all of my activities involve my hands. I'm happy to use them as I serve the Lord. They may not look like much but throughout the years they have rocked babies, held the hands of a multitude of children (my own and others), prayed for and with people, prepared meals to many to count, and worked hard. 

They are my hands, and the hands of Christ to those around me.

Teresa of Ávila ~

"Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which He looks compassion on this world.

Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good.

Yours are the hands through which He blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are His body.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours."