Day 4 - Maps

http://sanctuaryofwomen.com/womenschristmasretreat2013.html

I'm so touched by all of the responses each email I read.  When I was on the computer today, there was a wrinkle advertisement and showed a wrinkled up pair of hands and the advertisement said something to the fact that if you don't take care of your skin your skin would look like the hands in the photo.   It was after reading all the post for the day which made me so aware of hands.  I looked at that advertisement photo of the hands and if just reminded me a grandmother hands.  It didn't look bad to me.  They looked kind, loving...just because they are all gnarled and withered looking doesn't mean they are ugly as the advertisement tried to imply.

My hands have become exactly like my mother's hands.  I look at them on occasion and realize how I look like and aging just like my mother.  I have same wrinkles, the same bulging knuckles and the same textured fingernails.  I sometimes look in the mirror and see my mother all the time.

My hands have held my son at birth to a hug and brush through hair of the man that he has become.  My hands have carried food and dishes at a restaurant.  Cooked many a meals for my family.  Crafted gifts galore for friends and family.  Painted with brushes, canvas, to a digital pad to create my fantasies on a computer screen.   My hands have typed on typewriters to the 22nd century computers and smart phones.  From past to present my hands have been busy, writing, typing my thoughts, from negative hatred to positive love of God.  Through my hands of writing and typing I found God. 

Now dreaming of the future, I pray to be able to hold a grandchild and if it is the will of God, perhaps several grandchildren or GREAT grandchildren.   To be able hold and read to them from God's word with even more gnarled and withered hands brushing along the pages as my dear grandchildren listen and watch my hands tell His story.  Praying they will remember the love in my own hands.