In the Eye of the BelieverLast month I wrote (here) about the prospect of surgery on my arthritic left thumb. As it happens, I was scheduled to have surgery on my thumb last Thursday.
An odd thing happened: On the Tuesday night before surgery, I tore my cortisone-thinned skin while removing a lidocaine patch from my left thumb. Come Thursday morning, the surgeon elected to postpone surgery, as he was concerned that the small breach in my skin would increase the change of infection to the incision.
The news was a disappointment. I was mentally prepared for the surgery. Holiday plans had been made to accommodate my anticipated post-surgical status. I guess one of the lessons I’m to learn from this experience is patience. I need frequent refreshers on patience. Thanks, God!
In the midst of the disappointment, while I was verging on pity, I recalled that once when I was a young woman, an elder shoestring relative (she was my fiance’s sister-in-law’s mother, if you must know), once interrupted a conversation to exclaim, “You have beautiful hands!”
I smiled and said, quietly, “thank you.”
She continued, “No! Your hands are gorgeous! You have such long, slim fingers…” and on she went. I had never much considered hands as a body part that could be beautiful, so her compliment caught me off guard.
Now I’m 50. And now I know that my hands are beautiful. Marked with age spots, a surgical scar on my right thumb (the precocious one), red and enlarged joints and all, these hands are beautiful.
But not like she meant.
They’re beautiful because…
…they wipe away a grandchild’s tears.
…I take my husband’s hand with them when we unite in prayer.
…I’ve used them every Christmas since my daughter was four to bake with her, making cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast, our most steadfast holiday tradition.
…I use them when I’m serving Him.
…I lift them to Him in prayer and in praise.
I am so grateful for these beat-up old hands.
2 I have seen You in Your sanctuary
and gazed upon Your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise You!
4 I will praise You as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to You in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise You with songs of joy.Psalm 63:2-5 (NLT)
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