Gentle Hands

With Mother's Day approaching this is dedicated to my Mother. She is a small woman, standing just 5’3”. But her soul is large and her heart enormous! I sometimes wonder how it all fits into her cute little body. J She serves quietly, diligently, and tirelessly behind the scenes. I once heard someone say that God will just look at our hands and be able to tell the kind of person we are.

One of my favorite quotes from Sister Marjorie Hinckley describes my mother perfectly. Sister Hinckley said, ““I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.” That is my Mom!

My Mother will go to heaven with beautifully worn out hands! She’ll have scars from needle pokes and pricks as she mends torn clothes and sews brand new ones. She’ll surely have flour and dough stuck to her fingers from all the delicious homemade bread and sweet rolls she bakes. Her hands will be worn from the many years of serving others; cleaning, working, washing, fixing. Mostly, they will be soft, warm hands from all the love and giving.

 Gentle Hands

By: Kristen Rhead Sweeney

Gentle hands always serving

Working, Weeding, Sewing, Stirring

Never shouting words of fame

No awards, applause, acclaim

But still Serving, Loving, Working...

just the same

Gentle hands always Giving

Mending, Kneading, Helping, Healing

Never shouting words of fame

No awards, applause, acclaim

Bit still Playing, Sharing, Feeling…

Just the same