Old Cowbelle: Hands

• Ina Murray

Ina Murray

Talk about it

My “in-box” brings many profound writings about “hands.” They are always from the perspective of an old man or an old woman, and are very touching.

After reading one of those one day, I stopped and took a good look at my own hands. They are thinner than when I was young. (The only thin spot on my entire body).

On their backs, the bluish veins protrude slightly, and I noticed that the pattern of these veins are different on each hand. I wonder why that is?

Knowing that my life blood is traveling through those veins, up to my brain, through my heart, down through my toes, up and down, around and around, over and over again, keeping me alive…is mighty awesome!

These wonderful appendages at the end of my arms have served me well. They have held the hands of my late Husband, bathed little babies, changed diapers, wiped noses, dried tears, planted gardens, canned and frozen foods, loaded and unloaded hay bales, carried thousands of pails of milk, fed and dressed chickens, cooked food and washed dishes, chauffeured kids, did laundry, sewed little dresses, even a shirt or two, patched denim overalls, spent a lot of time doing crafts and other foolishness, but also bathed the feverish faces of Hospice patients and are often folded in prayer. Just as your hands have served you, too.

Now I find these old hands are having difficulty doing things that I have taken for granted in the past. Like…removing those necessary little “seals” on the bottles of vanilla and medicines, pulling off the aluminum seals on yogurt and peanut butter and such. So I keep a small pliers handy to assist.

I also have a tool that enables me to cope with the “pull tab” ring on some of the canned goods and I keep a small scissors to open the tough plastic on the hot cocoa packets. I always quickly replace those detestable little “twisties” on a loaf of bread with a clip clothes pin.

But these are minor inconveniences that are “doable” with a little ingenuity. I still think my hands are awesome, even if I am “wearing out.” They remind me of Psalm 39:14-16…”I praise you, O Lord, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

“My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.

“All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Since by that we know that God has had our lives planned out way ahead of time, doesn’t it make you wonder how far we have strayed from His plan? Uff-Da!

Tags: old cowbelle, opinion, family