To Paul (FMF: Hands)

Linking up here and dedicating this post to my husband on this, our 16th anniversary.

GO

Today I took your hand.

Not an extraordinary occurrence as we make moments to touch this way often.

Our hands have held through courtship, 

dating as college sweethearts and choirmates

through changes in majors and growth in personhood.

Our hands held still for pictures following our wedding

as the camera captured the glimmer of our newly donned rings in the sunlight

streaming through the Park Place stained glass.

That was 16 years ago today.

All veils of white and tuxes of black.

A lifetime stretched out before us.

And we met the future with hands clasped tightly.

Our hands held through the inception of ministry

and growing pains of marriage

as we worked our way through preferences that stemmed from our origin and nurture.

Our hands held the hands of others - 

while they mourned the coming of death to one they loved.

while teenagers bowed their hearts before Jesus.

Our hands wove tight as an emergency C-section

ushered our first born into the world,

wrinkly and fresh and red.

Our hands have held little hands 

that feared ants

built forts

smeared paint

and climbed high.

Our hands have held more love than imaginable, more life then deserved, more hope then expected.

This anniversary, while holding your hand, I also stand with a hand wide open for all yet to be grasped, caught, molded by us.