Mother’s Hands

By Barbara Chadwick

I remember my mother’s hands. They were the hands of a Proverbs chapter 31 woman. They were mostly gentle. However, when there was a need for discipline they became stern.
I saw her hands gently cleaning the blood off of Mrs. Shanahan’s head and face one day when her husband had beaten her and pulled out some of her hair.

I remember those hands hugging Maxine when her daddy had died and her mother had to go to work to care for the family of five. Then when Maxine would come early on Sunday morning, those hands would wash her face, put one of my dresses on her and feed her breakfast before we would leave for church.

With her hands she ironed for others so we could have piano lessons.

Melodically her hands played a little pump organ for a service once a month at a ranch in New Mexico (about two hours drive from our home in Roswell) where my daddy had been asked to preach.

A year or so later she would pack our clothes and bibles to go to El Paso Gap (up in the mountains from Carlsbad, NM) Every other weekend my daddy was to preach at this little mountain community. Even in the early 1950’s some people came to the school house for service in a horse drawn buggy or wagon. They often paid him with milk and eggs.

She combed, braided and cut our hair. Four girls. Every day. I can still feel the comfort and warmth of her hands touching my face while arranging my hair.

As she cut cloth, and worked the sewing machine we would wait in anticipation and excitement of what new thing her hands created for us.

She enjoyed using her hands to cook. We often had a visiting preacher or missionary in our home. They always spoke of being blessed by her hospitality.

She sang from her heart in church. She would hold the hymnal and encourage us to sing. The Bible was familiar to her hands, in church and every day at home. When I would fidgit in church her hands would squeeze my knee. Ouch!

She cleaned house with her hands but what a sweet memory it is for me that she sang while she cleaned. I wish I had done that for my children. I’m afraid I did more complaining than singing!

She prepared Sunday school lessons, helped with Vacation Bible School, taught the nursery, prepared and led Women’s Missionary Union meetings. Later, after her children were grown she prepared Wednesday night meals for the church and led state Girl’s In Action conferences.

Her life truly exemplified the words in Ephesians 5:2; “Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”