The Box

Pentecost Greetings,

This week I found the box I have been looking for.  It was taped shut about 20 years ago.  I am not much of a saver or keeper of things.  Generally, if I don’t use something in a year, it goes to someone who actually will use it.  That doesn’t pertain to items like the ones in the box, though.

The box sat there for a couple days; and, every time I looked at it, I smiled.  I wanted to have enough time to thoroughly go through it before I took off the brittle tape.  That day was yesterday.  There inside the box were many colors and many fabrics.  As I took each item out, I held it and savored the memories.  The box contained my children’s clothes from when they were babies.

As I took out the little green Sesame Street sleeper, I could see Aaron, who is now almost 24 years old, crawling all over the house especially in and out of the openings in the bottom of the end tables.  He was in constant movement and always a joy.  As my hands ran over that sleeper, I smiled and cried.

I felt the small, yellow dress Shannon wore on her first Easter.  She was propped up on the couch that day and gently fell over on her side until all we saw was the ruffled tights on her little bottom up in the air.

Then I found the item I was needing.  It was the baptismal gown that my mom made for Jason’s baptism which Shannon, Aaron and my niece Sarah also wore.  I held it close and thought of her beautifully strong, long, thin fingers touching the gown as she sewed it, and I was moved by the thought of my soon-to-arrive granddaughter’s small, soft fingers touching the same material over thirty years later. 

The same loving feelings came when I picked up the afghan my grandmother made for my children.  Her big German hands picking up the yarn and needles and thinking of her great-grandchild who would be wrapped in her work.  And, soon her great-great granddaughter. 

The hands of time. 

The hands through time. 

The hands of God all the time.

God’s hands reached out and touched so many when he opened them on the cross offering eternal life and salvation to all.  What great love - greater than a grandmother for her granddaughter which is hard to imagine - but very, very true.  God’s hands reach out to everyone all through time. 

My love is so limited.  God’s love is limitless.  “For God so loved the world….”

God is with us touching our lives every moment!

Hope