These Hands
Giving thanks for my mother-in-law as she enters hospice care
Over the last few weeks, I have referenced some things going on in my life that have been weighty. One of those has been my mother-in-law, as her health has started to take a difficult turn and we were with her these last few days as she transitioned into hospice care. I am so grateful that we got to spend these days with her before her health begins to shift further in the coming weeks and months. While we were there, I did what I often do for people in hospice care. I photographed her hands.
I wrote the following to give thanks for her and for many of the ways these hands have been a part of my life.
These hands helped to raise the woman I love.
These hands were among the first to welcome me to a new family.
These hands held those of my almost-wife in the minutes before our wedding.
These hands held a go-kart steering wheel after I accidentally t-boned you on the track.
These hands were the first of our family to hold our newborn twins in the NICU while a tornado warning prevented us from meeting you there.
These hands helped in every way possible as two sleep-deprived parents were learning what parenting was really like.
These hands tightly embraced a cup of coffee every morning.
These hands held our surprise third child with the same love and joy as the first two.
These hands helped teach these young ones to write, to draw, to shape, to create, to cook, to play.
These hands made, shared, and ate lots of cookies (the hands didn’t eat them but you know what I mean).
These hands loved to pet beloved dogs.
These hands prayed for us and for others more times than we will ever know.
These hands regularly opened the Bible to listen to the Spirit speak.
These hands held another steering wheel as you earned your nickname of Leadfoot Lynne.
These hands served others as a Deacon and helped people feel the love of Jesus.
These hands held grandchildren’s tiny hands that eventually outgrew your own.
These hands clapped with joy and pride as each grandchild graduated and was embraced,
These hands, now marked with signs of age and of an unfair cancer, still show all the ways they nurtured, cared, held, and loved.
These hands will soon be held by those of a Savior who will say those beautiful words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Grace, Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy,
Ed