"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there." (Barbara Bush)
How much do we use our arms? We write, type, hug, drive, cook, clean, hold, carry, feed, throw, catch, bathe, dress, lift, work, play, exercise...and so much more...using our arms.
We often take arms for granted...until something happens. I was recently reminded of that. Spring cleaning in the Lorenz home continues and that means cleaning, organizing, packing, pitching, painting and moving furniture. I am quickly learning that my determination often exceeds my middle-age abilities.
It wasn't that long ago, (or so I thought), that I moved an entire bedroom suite all by myself to surprise my husband. This wasn't within a room....but from one room, across the hallway...into another room. It didn't hurt back then. However, it is safe to say that I now have a re-injured right wrist, a pulled left forearm and a sore right shoulder...from doing much less. Pain has a way of teaching us gratitude.
Yet this has been a positive reminder of opportunities we have to touch lives with our arms! When words do not suffice...a hug makes all the difference! Strong arms are often tremendous blessings. (The arms of precious friends moving our daughter recently were so helpful.) Caring enough to tenderly place our arms around the shoulders of a hurting friend...touches a heart deeply. Arms literally and figuratively carry out the love of God to others.
There is no greater example of loving arms than those of my Lord who stretched His arms out to die for us. Even before that, He gave us an example of how to use our arms for Him. Mark 10: 16 says: "And He took the children in His arms,
placed His hands on them and blessed them."
If we are blessed by His loving arms, shouldn't we use our arms to love others? <3~thl
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